Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was not often that you had gone out with the rest of the group. Most of your free time was spent indoors or out running errands, but you are feeling especially bored today. At Aiura's mention of hanging out to celebrate the end of the week, you did not immediately reject like usual. A murmur of agreement vibrates, Aiura counting heads with a finger.

"So Chiyopipi, Kaidou, Nendou, Kuboyasu," Aiura turns to you, "are you coming this time? And Saiki too, what about you?" Saiki reluctantly nods his head.

"Sure, I can tonight. And we can go to my house, if you all want." Chiyo lets out an excited yelp, already planning what treats she would bring.

The moment you turned eighteen last month, your parents took the chance to move to the countryside on their own, leaving you. It was not an act of negligence, but they were especially old when they had you, and both your sister and brother had long moved out due to the age gap between you and them. They simply were ready for retirement. When they proposed the idea to you, you refused to move along with them and they swore to provide for you while you maintain your place where you grew up. You had always been far more independent than the average high school student, so your parents helped to find a smaller house in the same area. They left soon after to live only a few hours from your location in the middle class sector of Hidari Wakibara.

Of course, your family is definitely financially stable. They not only pay for your house, but also send a monthly allowance for any and all necessities as well as personal items. You are more than grateful, and living the dream for your senior year of high school.

"That sounds great! So we can all meet at your house at around- seven o'clock?" Chiyo proposes, clasping her hands and shaking both legs excitedly. You know that half the reason she was looking forward to a hang out was so she can spend time with Kaidou. The girl's passions are endearing. 

"Since it's a Friday night, why don't we bring drinks too? I could let loose a little." Nendou proposes what some of the group was already thinking.

"That sounds fun, I have a stash I can bring." Kuboyasu offers. "As long as someone else also brings, I'm not rich."

Another hum of agreement as more plans are set, the conversation continuing for the remainder of the lunch period. You sit quietly, listening to everything with a slight smile. You are not the most social out of the group, but you are familiar enough with everyone. Aiura wraps both arms around your shoulders, squeezing you tight against her bosom and exclaiming her thanks for hosting. You nod and smile brightly, pressing your cheek against hers. She is definitely your closest friend. Sleep in the same bed close, get drunk and make out close, talking about oddly personal and unnecessary topics close. You had longed for a type of girl friend like such, and upon meeting her, you clicked. You admire her style and enthusiasm, she has a certain mysterious air to her that may or may not be associated with a certain quirky hobby she has. Not only that, but she was close with Saiki whom you also admire. He is quiet, straightforward, humble, the kind of guy you want to be closer with as his presence comforts you. You may not be close with him, but still consider him a friend you would turn to. Whether or not he thinks the same thing is unknown to you, but he never seemed to hold any ill-willed feelings towards you.

And you would be right to think that. As the bell marking the end of lunch rings, leaving two hours before the weekend commences, Saiki watches you climb down from sitting on the neighbouring desk to return to your seat. Out of the whole group, he minds you the least. You leave him alone, and have a somewhat accurate idea about him. Instead of replacing any mysteries you have about him with odd preferred fantasies like 'maybe he has a dark side' or 'maybe he is too scared to express his feelings', you leave any uncertainties unattended. You do not make up falsehoods or wonder about him, but instead take in the face value of things and leave it at that. You do not assume , and he likes that about you. You do not bother him.

The final hours of school dawdle by, leaving you staring at the clock to count the seconds until your freedom is announced. You and Aiura pass notes in the back of the class, laughing about some rumor about Toritsuka getting caught with a girl's gym bag. When Aiura and you finally arrive at your house, you collapse in your uniform onto the floor of your bedroom. Aiura finds a pair of her clothes in your closet, changing and falling onto your bed to scroll on her phone.

You turn your head to her, hair fanning out around you on the carpet. "So what about Saiki? I'm curious about him." You ask nonchalantly.

"Saiki?" Aiura reaffirms, "not much to say. I mean he is a pretty interesting guy, but too stubborn to make boyfriend material."

"That's not what I meant," you laugh, "oh God could you imagine?" And you could. Suddenly the thought has been implanted, and it does not seem as ridiculous as it sounds. "I was just asking since you seem to talk to him- like- in the background. Is there something between you two?" You ask out of nothing but curiosity. You are not the jealous type, especially when it comes to topics like romance.

"Mm, I get what you're saying, but nah. Nothing like that." She pauses, puts her phone down, then turns to face you on her stomach. "Ooh, can I do your nails? I saw some inspo that I want to try." She excitedly gets up, grabbing her nail equipment from the last time she did your nails at your house. You swear she lives here at this point, being that half of her stuff stays at your house.

As seven o'clock rolls around, your doorbell rings. Chiyo stands at your front door, holding a bag of sweets, chips, and Twisted Tea.

"Oooh, you have taste, girl!" Aiura grabs the bag, pulling her inside. You lay bowls out on the kitchen island for Chiyo to pour the chips into, and stash the drinks in your fridge. Your house is small, but spacious. Your entire first floor is one large room with the living room and kitchen, along with a small bathroom stashed under the stairwell. The upstairs consists of the master bedroom (your room) with its complimentary bathroom, as well as an extra guest room which your parents use when they visit.

"Aiura and I were watching a movie, join us while we wait for the others?" You suggest, already returning to your couch.

You lay your head on Aiura's lap while Chiyo basically lays on top of you with her head on your chest. "Oh my gosh, I love this movie! The main guy is so hot." Chiyo points at the screen.

Quarter past, the bell rings again. Your newly manicured nails open the door to let Kaidou in, Chiyo springing up to offer him any of the various foods she brought. Five minutes later, Saiki. Then Kuboyasu, and finally Nendou. By the time everyone made their appearance, the cheesy movie was finished and cans of beer and vodka seltzers were being opened.

"By the way, where are you parents, anyway?" Kaidou asks while reluctantly viewing the beverage selections.

"Oh, I live alone now. I might have mentioned it before." 

"What?" He exclaims, "so like… are your parents alive?"

"Well yeah, they are actually. They just moved. I wanted to stay, though, so that's that."

Kaidou's eye twitches, obviously jealous but unable to say anything.

"Woah, they let you live by yourself?" Kuboyasu sips his beer, quickly looking you up and down.

"Hah, yeah. I think they were pretty done with parenting, so when they got the chance," you shrug, eyes wandering about your house to accentuate your point. "My siblings are both doctors, so they could not care less what I do now." You hesitate, letting your drink pause on your lips. "Not that I would ever do something I shouldn't."

A ripple of laughter reacts at the irony of your comment.

"Hey, watch this!" Nendou's brooding voice announces, heads turning to him finishing a whole bottle in one gulp. He smacks his lips, holding the bottle up and pointing at it. "Now we can play a game!"

Aiura applauds him, already bringing a bowl of cheesy popcorn from the kitchen to the living room. "Ooh, that sounds like fun! What should we play?" Chiyo looks to Kaidou for an answer, who blushes nervously. "A-a game? Like what?"

"Spin the Bottle, Never Have I Ever, Seven Minutes in Heaven, you know, party games!" Chiyo grabs Kaidou by the bicep, pulling him to the couch next to her.

"Never Have I Ever! Never Have I Ever!" Aiura chants, clapping her hands together when Kuboyasu and you agree. You sit down next to Aiura on the secondary couch, Saiki joining beside you. Nendou and Kuboyasu sit on the floor, the group situated in a partial circle.

"Ok, I'll start." Aiura offers. "Never have I ever… I guess we should start easy, never have I ever shoplifted."

You and Kuboyasu take a sip of your drink. Saiki gives you a dirty look, to which you respond, "Makeup is expensive!" and shrug.

Going clockwise, Chiyo is next. "Never have I ever," she taps a finger to her jutted-out bottom lip, "kissed someone." You, Aiura, Kuboyasu, and Kaidou drink.

"Kaidou? You've actually kissed someone?" You laugh out, surprised the apprehensive boy would ever even touch a girl out of his own volition.

"It-it was an accident!" His voice cracks and his shoulder hunch up while his face swells with blood.

"An accident? Oh who was it, your mommy ?" Nendou drawls teasingly, a fit of laughter erupting from the group.

"No! You shut up, it was not my mom." The flustered boy hides his face in his hands.

"Who was it, then?" Chiyo pokes his arm.

Kaidou inhales deeply, "it was in Kindergarten and-"

"Boring!" Nendou interrupts loudly. "Next question!"

Kaidou mutters a " whatever " before taking a moment to conjure up a question. "Never have I ever gotten a tattoo."

Kuboyasu and Nendou take a sip, Nendou having to shake the remaining contents from the bottom having already finished his second.

"Kuboyasu I get, but Nendou? What is it of?" Aiura takes a generous sip of the tea Chiyo brought.

"It's right here!" Nendou sits criss-cross, hiking his shorts up his thigh to reveal the characters for his mother's name. "I sure do owe my life to that woman."

You and Chiyo coo at the notion before looking expectantly towards Kuboyasu to continue the game. He looks confused for a moment before remembering.

"Oh- never have I ever gotten laid." The room is silent.

Aiura takes a chug from her can. "Guess it was going to be asked eventually."

Chiyo immediately pounces on her. "Really?! With who? When?" She shakes Aiura by the shoulders, her head limply swaying back and forth with the motion.

"WOMAN! Calm down!" Aiura pushes her back with one hand, sighing before explaining. "It was my third year, and I blacked out. Don't remember the guy or what happened, but waking up naked in a stranger's bed is sure a hint that it did happen."

"Never have I ever chased mosquitos around with a mosquito coil!" Nendou speaks so quickly it was hard to catch what he said.

"Nendou- dude. You're supposed to say something you haven't done, not something you have." Kuboyasu smacks the back of his head.

"Wait! That means you haven't been laid ." Nendou teases Kuboyasu, laughing in his face while Kuboyasu just shakes his head. "Whatever. Saiki, your turn."

You crush your can in your hands, placing it on the floor to pick up later before walking to the kitchen to grab more. "Never have I ever dated someone." He knew that if he did not do something juicy at this point in the game, he would be laughed at, so he went with an obvious question.

Aiura and Chiyo drink. "I'm over here, but I took a drink!" You exclaim from across the room.

Who? Saiki had decided to wear his germanium ring tonight, but was now regretting it. Out of pure curiosity, of course. He knew Aiura and Yumehara had been in relationships, but he was unaware that you had dated anyone in the past.

"Wait, what? You never told me!" Chiyo bends over, grabbing a second drink from the floor where she had left it for later.

You close the fridge, coming back to rejoin the group while opening a can of the beer Kuboyasu brought. When you sit down again, Saiki notices how much slightly closer you are next to him than before. Knees inches apart, you lean over and laugh. "Some dick guy my second year. Thought telling me what to do was some kind of hot way to show off his 'masculinity'. Doesn't go to this school, only lasted about a month."

By now Saiki had slid off the ring, understanding that the guy was much too ugly for you. He had only drank half of a vodka seltzer, but something made him want to prove that.

"Anyways, Chiyo it's your turn again."

By eleven o'clock, almost everyone had at least three or four drinks. The lightweights like Chiyo, Aiura, and Kaidou were doing their best to maintain composure. Well not Aiura . In the background plays a movie you all decided to have on, making fun of it and still saying never have I ever questions every now and then.

"God, it's hot in here." You place your hand on Saiki's shoulder, using it as leverage to stand. You can't help but notice the trace of muscle under his shirt, your fingers digging into it and letting go quickly before you stride over to your thermostat. Twenty-four degrees? That's absurd. You turn the air conditioning on, lowering it so that the room hopefully cools down quickly. When you walk back over, you notice Saiki balancing his empty can on one finger.

"Do you want another? You've barely drank anything." You stumble over your carpet, and he quickly stands to catch you. You grasp onto his shoulders, repositioning your feet in front of him and looking up at him. "Sorry-" You are caught off guard by his purple eyes staring down at you through green glasses. You feel his warm breath on your face, his hand tightening on your waist. The laughter and conversation from everyone on the floor now is all background noise.

When was he this attractive? Something about his monotone facial expressions make you curious to see what he would look like with a less tame expression.

"Why don't I get you some water." His voice is breathless, hands leaving your waist to remove your hands from his shoulders. You follow him, watching as he strides to the kitchen and searches through your cabinets to find a glass before filling it from your filter in the fridge. You pull yourself up to sit on the island, arms holding you while you lean back. He turns back to you, handing the glass of water over. He stands between your legs, watching intently as you sip from the cold glass. Some of the condensation drips down and hits your knee, making you flinch ever so slightly. When you finish, you place it beside you on the counter. Saiki does not move from his spot, looking behind you momentarily before back at your eyes. You might just be conjuring it at this point, but you swear his eyes flit down to your lips for a split second.

You turn your head to the side, finding the bowl of dark chocolates you leave out. You take two, unwrapping each one. "You know," you place the first in your mouth, biting down to take in the bitterness. "I've always thought that dark chocolate tastes perfect."

His eyes follow your hand when you pick up the second one, holding it in front of your face. "Not sweet," you hold it out in front of his lips, "but just sweet enough."

He takes it in his teeth, watching as you shift your hand position so that your fingers wrap under his chin and your thumb pushes the rest of the chocolate into his mouth. His hand rests on your thigh, holding ever so gently as if scared you would push him away if you noticed. Your thumb drags down to press lightly on his bottom lip, eyes concentrating on every line of texture.

You let go, hand returning to clutch the counter at your side. You lock eyes with him once again, waiting a moment before looking away and tilting your head to the side. "It's getting late," your sweet whispering voice is low, "I should start sending everyone home."

His hand leaves your thigh, nodding before backing away to let you hop down. You walk away, letting the rest of the group know that it is time to go home. Saiki does not miss the way you turn to the side, looking at him standing in the dark of your kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. Your tongue darts out, wetting your lips slowly while your chest rises in a deep inhale. You bend down to grab some garbage off the floor. When you stand up again and look over, Saiki is gone. In the window, you see him walking away in the direction of his house.

Chapter Text

After walking a good distance from your house, Saiki took the opportunity to teleport back into his room. Falling into his bed, he takes in the quiet of late night. The thoughts of people within two-hundred meters of him are quieter considering most have gone to sleep, except the occasional inner voice (usually from workaholics) can still be heard.

It was unlike him, but he is just now realizing that he forgot his ring at your house. Oh well.

He replays every moment again in his head, closing his eyes and picturing it. The way the light reflected off your lips, or the way your soft skin felt under his hand while he had gripped your thigh. If only .

"Never have I ever" felt attraction to someone before. That would have been true if not for you. He had noticed in the past, that maybe he held more of a soft spot for you. But he thought that was solely because you are less annoying than everyone else. Well there goes that . And then of course you had to pull that stunt with the chocolate. He would have never guessed it was coming, and from what your thoughts were saying, you did not expect it either. There were no hints that you would hand feed him and let your fingers linger across his face. The way your eyes stayed interlocked through the whole thing made his palms clammy and pants tighten.

Maybe it is so easy for him to be turned on because he had never been touched like that.

Fuck . Slowly, his hand travels down to palm over his regrowing erection. He thinks back to your eyes, remembering how good you looked while staring up at him. He used that image to conjure a thought he never thought he would imagine. Something less than holy, something he would catch someone like Toritsuka thinking about.

But he cannot help himself, and by now has realized that he is too far gone to care about ethics anymore. Unbuttoning his trousers, his hand slips underneath while imagining looking down at you on your knees, tongue poking out the same way it did when you ate the chocolate. Those nails (that he noticed were freshly done) would wrap around him, slowly and teasingly moving up and down. You would be gentle, the same way you were earlier. His breathing elevates, hand pulling his hard-on out of his boxers to feel the cold air engulf it. He keeps his eyes shut, stroking himself slowly so he can imagine your hands rather than his own.

Crapcrapcrap he is more sensitive than he expected. Conjured images of your tongue out, sliding along his cock and taking him into your mouth all while looking at him with those same doe eyes you decided to give him earlier that are now unerasable from his mind. He wants to know how you would feel on top of him, sinking down and taking all of him at once. You are a virgin, to his knowledge, (unless you lied in Never Have I Ever, which he read your mind and you did not) so he is sure you would be tight. Squeezing around him while your hips move up and down, your hands gripping his shoulders like they did earlier.

His head falls back against the pillow, biting his lip to hold a groan back. What a pervert . As ashamed as he is, it feels too good . His thumb runs over the tip of his dick, then squeezes the base before continuing to stroke himself. Hydrokinesis allows his hand to fluidly move up and down with little resistance, enhancing the sensation more.

What would you sound like? He cherishes every moment he gets to hear your voice. He wants to listen to all the pretty sounds you make while taking him, savor every whimper and moan. The gasp you would make when he flips you over, thrusting harder and faster than you were able to ride him.

He groans as he cums into his hand, some spurting out to taint his abs and thighs. God fucking damnit . It was gross, but nothing felt as gross as his conscience now that he had full on masturbated to the thought of his friend. And enjoyed it. He rushes to clean up, switching into pajamas to hopefully fall asleep and forget it ever happened.

~

"Chiyopipi!" Aiura calls from behind you while you walk alongside Chiyo on your way through the school entrance. Her arms wrap around both of your necks, pulling you close and stumbling but continuing on forward. "I haven't seen you guys in, like, forever."

"But it's only been two days!" Chiyo complains, upset that their weekend break had already come to an end.

"I cannot believe we have another whole week of school," you say, as if that was not expected. "I can't take anymore of this!" You dramatically rub your hands down your face.

"Cheer up, at least you get to talk more with you know who." Aiura pokes your cheek, teasing you.

"Who?" Chiyo bends under Aiura's arm, releasing herself from her grasp.

"Yeah, who?" You ask, equally confused as Chiyo. "Is there something I'm missing about my own life?"

Aiura readjusts her bag on her shoulder, using two fingers to point in different directions atop her head. Her game of charades obviously fails when you and Chiyo exchange another confused look. You pass her by, shoving her a little bit to continue walking forward towards your locker to change your shoes.

"Oh, sure ," she drawls, leaning on the lockers next to yours as you input your code, "even after flirting with him the whole weekend?"

You have caught on by now, but still chose to feign ignorance. "Flirting? With who?"

She dramatically slams your locker door closed before you are finished to accentuate her annoyance and get back at you for teasing her. You give her a smug look, laughing while she flips you off and walks to her own locker.

After seeing all your friends on Friday night, you attempted texting Saiki the next morning. He is not a big texter, so you did not expect a reply. However, after asking if he had gotten home safe, you were pleasantly surprised with an immediate answer. It was a simple 'Yes, thank you' but you were happy he responded either way. You were going to apologize over text for how you acted that Friday night, but thought it best you wait to tell him in person.

Saiki pov

I watch closely like usual as you enter the classroom, before coming to a bittersweet realization. I can't hear your thoughts .

What could have made this happen? Did you do something? Did you find out? Oh god, maybe Aiura told you. No, I can hear Aiura's thoughts, and if that were true she would be worried. I watch as you find your desk. So that's what's causing it .

You seem to have found my telepathy blocking ring, which is now fitted on your left middle finger. This is not good . You are now on par with Nendou- well, no. But I can't hear your inner dialogue, which causes a few drawbacks. Mostly because, now that you are unpredictable, you can pull another stunt like you did at your house. Which would lead to more complications that I would rather not think about.

Nothing I can do about it for now.

The bell for lunch rings, students quickly shuffling to the door for their hour of freetime. "Saiki," you tap my shoulder, catching me off guard. I quickly push my chair out and stand, reflexes getting the better of me. "Eek! Sorry, did I scare you?"

I try to respond telepathically like usual, but your blank stare indicates that that is no longer working either. "No, it's alright." I grab my lunch, heading for the door while you follow me.

Silence. "You know, I'm sorry for the other night." You speak up finally. "I guess I was a little tipsy, and definitely overextended my boundaries. Sorry." There is a beat of silence when I do not respond. What am I supposed to say? "Uhm- if you are mad at me, I accept that. You do not have to accept my apology." You continue.

Good grief. I am not mad at you, it is just that- "...and I'm glad I got to talk to you one-on-one. You know you are super interesting, right?" Well that is a turn of events.

I point at your hand. You look down, seeing my ring and holding it up. "Oh, this? Is it yours?" You take it off quickly, holding it out for me. "It was left at my house the other night, I didn't know whose it was." You drop it into my hand, continuing on. "It is really pretty."

I stare down at the ring now in my hand, contemplating. I still cannot hear your thoughts as the ring is touching my skin, but I have a hunch of what you might be thinking. "Take it." I take your hand, sliding it back onto her finger quickly.

"What? Oh, thank you, Saiki!" You smile, clasping your hands together and admiring it. "How much was it? I'll pay you back, plus some."

I shake my head, rejecting the offer. I can probably get another one for cheap. Plus, if you are wearing it, I don't have to worry about you. I can continue on, and finally forget.

"Here, try this." You dig through your lunch bag, holding out a pastry. "I heard you like sweets, and I made these yesterday. Macarons."

We stop in front of our lunch table. I take it from you, quickly taking a bite. It is crunchy, but sweet with a soft filling. Not bad. "Thank you. It's good."

You smile and nod, appreciating the look on my face.

The rest of the day passes without a hitch, surprisingly. "Hey! Why don't we get some ramen, buddy?" Nendou smacks me on the back, dragging Kaidou and Kuboyasu over with him. I'll pass .

"You guys are going to ramen?" You randomly appear behind me again. I am already regretting my decision to let you keep that ring. "Can I come?"

"Me too!" Now Aiura appears. Great. "I heard of this really good place downtown, we should all go!" ' Plus, this will give me a chance to play wingman! '

What. 'Excuse me?' I scold Aiura telepathically. She looks at me, grinning all too much.

' Oh Ku, ' the way she uses my name like my mother does makes me cringe. ' You sweet, naive soul. '

So now I sit, wedged between Nendou and you. Aiura, Yumehara, and Kaidou sit in the opposing booth, already feasting on the ramen they have been served. "I'll go wash my hands." You announce.

Reluctantly, I decide I need to too. I excuse myself, following to the bathroom while Aiura's eyes burn into my neck. "Hey," I stop you just before you step into the woman's bathroom, "you didn't have to apologize." You turn to me, nose and cheeks contoured beautifully by the dim light in the back of the restaurant. It took a year of trying, but I was finally able to figure out how to disable and enable my x-ray vision at will. Now, I see everyone's faces like normal. "I don't mind with you."

You let go of the door, eyes searching mine. It would really benefit me to hear your thoughts right now, but I am left empty. "You don't?" Your lips curve up.

I shake my head. "It was nice." I catch myself before saying something I shouldn't. "Talking to you, I mean. And I agree. Dark chocolate is underrated." 

You nod, humming before turning again to disappear into the bathroom. Nice going .

"I'm stuffed!" Nendou emphasizes his words by puffing out his stomach and smacking it with both hands, the table shaking at this.

"That was delicious, " Yumehara agrees, "we should come here again sometime, right Kaidou?" She nudges her elbow against his.

The six of you split the check, paying and leaving promptly after. By now, the sky has darkened. "Do you guys want to walk? It is warm, tonight." You suggest. The approach of summer is evident. I am excited to finally be rid of everyone.

I bite my cheek at the thought. Summer break does not sound as appealing, but I am unsure why. You walk in pairs, Nendou and Kaidou leading the group, Aiura and Yumehara just behind them, then you and I in tow.

"Saiki," you bite your lip, pausing to think about your words, "I hate to bring it up again, but are you sure it is alright? I feel like I made you uncomfortable."

Great. This again. "It's fine. You didn't."

"Are you sure? You are quiet- well, more quiet than usual." You laugh at your own unamusing joke.

I stop walking. After a step or two, so do you. "Right, I guess we both live this way." You look ahead to where the rest of the group is continuing on. "Hey, Aiura! Chiyo!" The two girls' heads whip back when you call out. "Our houses are this way, so we'll split here! See you tomorrow!" You all wave goodbye, falling into step again.

The silence is comfortable as we walk back, until your house comes up first. "I'm right here." You point. I walk you to the door as courtesy. "Well goodnight." You hesitate to close it all the way. "Hey, do you have any other plans tonight?" You check your phone's clock, noting the time. It isn't too late.

"No." I reply simply.

"Would you…" You bite your lip again. One more time, and I might just go insane. "come inside? I have more macarons, and I could make tea."

The gesture is sweet. "You had me at macarons."

Your smile illuminates your doorstep, holding the door open to let me in.

~ Your POV

Saiki walks in, taking his shoes off. You are already on your way to the covered plate of leftover macarons, telling him to take a seat at the island counter. He obliges, leaning forward and resting his chin in his folded arms. He watches as you reach for a small plate, grabbing each variety of macaron you had made and plating them in a circle. You take a chocolate from the bowl on the counter, unwrapping it and placing it in the center of the macarons.

"This one has caramel inside." You point, sliding the plate in front of him. You take out a black tea pot along with two mugs. You take a tin from the same cabinet, opening the lid to search for flavors of tea. "I have chamomile, lavender, peach," you look back at the cabinet, "ooh! I could make matcha. Do you like matcha?"

"It tastes like grass." He says matter-of-factly.

You gasp, placing a palm over your chest and feigning hurt. "You're one of those ! I can't believe you would betray me like this, Saiki."

He rolls his eyes. "It does. I don't understand how people like it."

"Is that a challenge?" You raise an eyebrow, grabbing the small tin of matcha and showing it to him. "Four-thousand three-hundred yen for this little thing. Matcha is expensive for a reason."

"You- what?" Saiki's eyebrows furrow, shocked that you would shell out so much for such a thing. Imagine how much coffee jelly you could buy with that!

You laugh sweetly, finding your bamboo whisk and ceramic bowl. You fill the pot with water, setting it atop the stove before lighting it. "I'll get you to change your mind." While you prepare the tea, Saiki picks a new flavor to taste. This one is colored a reddish pink. Taking a bite, he identifies the sweet hints of raspberry. "So good." He whispers to himself.

"What was that?" You lean over the counter, hair cascading down your shoulders and pooling on the marble.

"The macarons," Saiki finishes chewing, "are very good. You are talented." He could do the same easily, though.

You tilt your head, smiling again. He had made you do that a lot tonight, it seems.

"Kusuo," you whisper. His head perks up. "Can I call you that? It suits you very well. I like your name a lot." You are staring down at the counter top, not noticing the color similar to the macaron rising to Saiki's face.

"You can." He responds in an equally quiet tone.

You push off the counter, checking the stove and pouring some of the hot water into the ceramic bowl. "You may call me by my first name too, if you wish. I think we have grown close enough." The steam plumes out, rising and wisping around your face. "Kusuo," you say his name again. He wants to get used to it. It sounds beautiful on your tongue. "If you don't mind me asking, have you ever had a crush?"

Kusuo nearly chokes on the third macaron he has shoved his face with. "No, I don't think I have." He recovers, coughing into his fist.

"Neither have I," you hum while stirring the matcha mixture. You add two teaspoons of sugar, then resume. "I thought that I might, but I think I just convinced myself to. In grade school, everyone was always talking about their crushes. At some point, I just picked a random kid no one ever cared about and said that is who I liked to fit in." Your chest rises and falls with your slow breaths. You open the fridge to get milk, pouring some into each of the mugs you have set out. "I like you a lot, Kusuo. But I'm not sure that I am capable of having romantic feelings towards anyone." You buffer, analyzing all the materials you have out, trying to decide which step is next. You squeak a small "ah" when you remember what you were doing, taking the matcha mixture and pouring an equal portion into each mug with the milk. You top it off with a little honey before presenting the warm cup to Kusuo. "I guess if the right person came around though, maybe I would. Someone who would just understand that maybe I will not always be affectionate, but that doesn't mean I don't love them." You shudder.

Kusuo's mouth drops open to respond, then closes. You lean on the counter, idly stirring your drink with a tiny spoon. "I understand." He says finally. "I feel the same way, sometimes."

Your head rises, eyes locking with his. "Kusuo," you smile mischievously. You are planning something, and he doesn't like being left in the dark. "did you lie? When Kuboyasu talked about getting laid."

"I- what? Do you think that?" He stutters out. The question caught him off guard. Damn ring .

"Take a sip! Before it gets cold." You quickly change the topic, sipping from your own mug and humming in satisfaction.

"You just asked me a question, now you are telling me to not answer." Confused, he takes a sip anyway.

"Well, your reaction gave away your answer. How do you like it?" You grab a macaron from his plate, gently biting just the edge of it.

He watches as your lips fold around your finger, pushing the piece of macaron into your mouth and chewing slowly. "And what would my answer be, then?" He forces himself to look away. This tea is surprisingly good. He had had matcha in the past, and it did not share the same taste.

"That you didn't lie." Your fingers twirl a piece of hair, staring at every movement Kusuo's face makes. "I didn't think you did, just thought it would be funny to tease you."

He takes a large gulp of the tea to hide his embarrassment. When he places the mug down again, your face is contorted with an unreadable expression. "...What?"

You snicker, pointing at his face. "You have a foam mustache, silly."

He wipes his lip quickly, but somehow misses. "No- up more, no- oh my gosh, just let me." You round the island, standing next to his seat and taking his chin in your palm.

He lets you, your thumb swiping over his upper lip to erase any remnants of the matcha foam. "There." You sigh, beginning to pull your hand away.

You are stopped by Kusuo's hand gripping your wrist, keeping his cheek rested in your palm. Your eyes widen, watching as his head tilts to the side. His lips fold over your thumb, purple eyes locked on your while he licks at your skin to clean up any leftovers. Your breath hitches, heart pounding uncontrollably at the dirty image. 

He finally lets go, leaning back like nothing happened. You stand like stone, too shocked to do anything. "It is pretty late, I should get home." He pushes the chair back, standing up and brushing his uniform off. "Thank you for the tea and macarons. I think you have changed my opinion on matcha."

You cough into your elbow, readjusting your skirt and leaning against the counter. "Oh- uhm, yeah no problem. Glad you liked it." You smile awkwardly, clenching and unclenching your fists.

You walk him back to your door, watching as he slips back into his shoes and bows to you. "Thank you again. See you at school tomorrow."

"See you too, Kusuo." You bid your goodbyes, shutting the door and porch light. You twist his ring on your finger, wondering what the fuck just happened.

And now it is undeniable; Saiki Kusuo has you utterly infatuated.

Chapter Text

'I have a question.' The week is nearly over. With only an hour left in the school day, Friday's air commences a wave of impatience amongst the students. Saiki stands in a secluded corner with Aiura, having requested her just to ask something.

"Well I would hope you would have to say something after calling me over here during passing period." She crosses her arms, chest rising.

'Does she act- strange, normally?' Saiki avoids eye contact, simply staring out the window to peer at the street.

"Huh? Strange?" She taps her lip in thought. "Well, she is definitely a flirt. Always teasing everyone, leading them on. So I can see why you would think her attitude is strange."

His heart sinks. So that is really just how you act? You were just being yourself, and he took it as a hint? 'Okay.' 

"Are you alright? You look tired." Saiki waves off Aiura's concern. He walks back to class, resisting the urge to look towards the back where you sit. He takes his seat, continuing on with whatever work the teacher assigns.

~

He sits at the foot of your bed, watching you organize your things before coming to join him. "Why am I here?" He asks you, staring up while you stand in front of him.

You smile. "I wanted to talk to you." Your wily voice sounds more enticing than ever.

"About?" He stays stagnant.

You lean over ever so slightly, cleavage visible from this angle. You grab his face in both hands, lifting his chin so your noses graze each other. "I like you, Kusuo." Your eyes sink, shadowed by your half-closed eyelids. Your gaze flits from his, to his lips, then back again. "A lot." You wait a moment to give him the chance to push away, but when he makes no effort to, your lips collide. He holds the back of your thighs, pulling you close so that your legs are on either side of his, knees pressed to the bed. Your mouths move against each other, hands reaching into his hair to grip the pink locks. Your tongue presses at his lips, forcing them open so you can lick into his mouth and deepen the kiss. His grip on your thighs harshens, pulling you down to sit directly on him. His growing erection rubs against your clothed pussy, pressing against it as you situate yourself to straddle him properly. "Ku," you whisper in between breaks to gasp for air. He continues, hands moving up your back under your shirt. "Kusuo," he doesn't stop, searching for the clasp of your bra. "Kusuo!"

A grip on his shoulders pulls him from his slumber. You are shaking him awake, head propping up from being rested comfortably in his arms. Crap . "Class is over, you must've been in  a really deep sleep!" He was even mumbling a little .

The presence of your inner voice alerts him. You aren't wearing his ring. He is so cute while sleeping, it's a shame I had to wake him. You pout, leaning over. "I told the rest of our friends to go ahead while I wake you up."

It takes a bit for him to become lucid, suddenly realizing the situation. Oh god. He had been dreaming.

"Well, are you coming? We can stop and get coffee jelly on the way, if you'd like. I noticed how much you like that. It is very you." You pull your phone from your bag, texting the group quickly. You look back up at him. "Just like dark chocolate."

Fuel to the fire. He is already trying to recover from the intrusive dream he had, and now you are teasing him again. But now he knows he cannot take it as a sign. That this is only how you act. That he is not special. Well, to you at least.

His face flushes, coughing into his elbow to hide it from your wandering eyes. "Okay." He is not sure how to respond to that.

The walk into the downtown area is quiet. Supposedly, the others are shopping. You and Saiki take your time. "You know, I wouldn't be upset with just not meeting up with them. I enjoy the time alone we have. You are a good listener to my meaningless babbling."

"It isn't meaningless," Saiki is quick to rebuke, "you have interesting things to say. You are a very…" he struggles to find a word to describe you. "Enlightened?"

You chuckle, pulling his arm. "Why don't we head into the market? I'll treat you to something." Saiki has no room to object when you pull him with you, heading immediately to the far left where the sweets are kept. "Here, they have your favorites." You analyze numerous selections of his favorite brand of coffee jelly, scrutinizing each one carefully before finding the perfect one. "While we're here, I should probably get some groceries… would you mind?"

He shakes his head, following you again while you navigate each aisle. "Head of cabbage, broccoli, what meat should I use? You should come for dinner some time. Here, pick a protein." You speak so fast he almost cannot follow what you are saying. "I can use anything. Fish, red meat, or if you prefer I can use a vegetarian base. Do you like tofu?"

"...Yes." He points to the salmon.

"Great." You ask the butcher for a half kilogram of salmon, watching expectantly while he weighs and wraps the portion. You quickly thank him when he hands it to you, laying it alongside your other items in the handheld cart. "Anything else?"

"You seem full of energy today." Saiki sighs. Maybe you are drawing from his energy.

"Being around you is rejuvenating, if I'm honest. You have a very refreshing personality." You spot something in line for checkout. "Look!" You grab a small lollipop from the cashier table. "It looks like your clips." You hold it next to his head, comparing them and showing him.

"You should calm down, you'll burn yourself out." He can tell from your thoughts that you are just looking for things to talk about. He takes the candy from your hand, placing it back where it came from.

You checkout, bagging the groceries and leaving the store. "I'll text everyone. We can just go back to my house, say we're just going home."

Flashes of something appear in Saiki's memory. He holds his forehead, wincing at the sudden headache. "Kusuo?" You turn back to him. "You alright?"

"Yeah," a premonition. "all good." Not good. He didn't see the cause.

The walk to your house consists of you murmuring about small occurrences throughout the day. Saiki is not listening, instead racking through his brain at what could be the cause. The only information he is given is that something bad will happen. Similar to Aiura's ability to see the mark of death. He is so focused on what may be the cause, that he doesn't notice a car coming your way while crossing the street.

He has no time to speak, too many paces behind. He swiftly teleports to you, taking hold of you and teleporting away. What? Twice in less than a minute. Twice in only a moment.

You both sit on the floor of your living room, intertwined.

…

"Kusuo?"

Good grief. "Yes?" He stares forward, ignoring how still everything is. You sit in his arms, motionless. He can hear the mantra of your thoughts, utter perplexity overtaking everything.

"Please tell me what just happened." Despite your internal confusion, you stay relatively calm.

"We teleported." Saiki states.

"Yes it seems so."

…

"Kusuo?"

"Yes?"

"Am I dead?" You laugh a little, half to hide the way you are freaking out.

"No. We're alive."

"That's a relief." You sigh, finally making an effort to move. You stand up, looking around to confirm you really are in your house. "So, please explain."

This is going better than when his grandparents found out. Well, so far. He does not see much of a way out of this now. "I'm a psychic."

You were always happy that he was so straightforward. It was easier to communicate with him, even though it often came through as dry. Now, you are unsure if he is joking or not. It would be hard to tell. "Right, so like, you are a good guesser, right?" You know what he meant, but are desperately searching for some alternative.

"No, it's exactly what you think." Literally. He knows what you are thinking anyways.

"Mhm." You cross your arms, pacing around the ground floor of your house. You search through the fridge, finding nothing and closing it. You return to him, grabbing the bag of groceries left on the floor and beginning to unload them.

"That's it?" Saiki watches you organize each item, laying out the pieces for dinner.

"What would you like me to say?" Are you angry? He cannot tell.

"Are you mad?" He doesn't usually ask for peoples' emotional opinions, but with the clutter in your brain he finds it hard to understand how you are truly feeling. He also would be disappointed if you began to think less of him. Which is odd.

"No, I'm not mad."

"Because you are sounding-"

You slam your cutting board on the counter. "I'm not mad." You exhale, clenching your fists. "Besides, if I was, you wouldn't have to ask to know. Right?"

He slowly nods.

"Right. Then that's settled." You grab your vegetable knife from the stand. "Help me make dinner?" You finally make eye contact, smiling at him.

Walking to stand beside you, he washes his hands and looks at you expectantly. "Here, cut up these tomatoes into halves. I'll be right back." He begins while you vanish upstairs briefly. The house turns quiet. You come back downstairs, adorning his ring. "It was this, right?" You hold your hand up in front of his face. "It's why you were so on edge while I wore it."

"Yes. It blocks my telepathy." He puts the knife down, throwing the cut tomatoes into the bowl you set aside for him.

"Hm." Your eyes dart back and forth between him and the counter. "Can you show me? What else you can do? I'm sure it makes cooking far easier."

The two of you spend an hour preparing dinner, Saiki displaying a few of his powers to help accelerate the process. Once finally finished, you plate the meal for both of you, clasping your hands. "Thank you for blessing me with such wonderful friends and family. Thank you for the food, and thank you for moments like this." You aren't praying to anything in particular, but if there is some omnipresent being, you figure they do deserve thanks for the way your life has turned out. "And thank you, Kusuo. I would probably be dead if not for you."

Well that is morbid. Injured, yes. Dead? Probably not. He is about to take a bite when a sudden sob is heard from beside him. Turning to see you, face in your palms, teeth grit and holding back tears.

"Wh- are you okay?" Instinctively, his arm wraps around your shoulders. His other hand grasps your wrist.

"I'm okay, okay. I just-" you wipe your face in your sleeve, turning to his eyes boring up into yours. "Do you ever feel like everything works out so well? Too well?"

No . "Sure."

You sniffle slightly, cheeks twitching. "Everything is so perfect, I don't deserve such a good life."

"Why do you think that?" Saiki whispers, close enough to you that you can hear the low tone.

"There are so many people out there, people I could probably help. And I haven't done anything." You bow your head. "I feel selfish, living so luxuriously and in my head. There are people with real struggles, so why should I have the right to cry or feel upset?"

Now he understands. "That's not-" he exhales an exhausted breath, "don't be silly." His hand cups your cheek, unsure how else to get you to look at him. "I also feel selfish. My dad calls me lucky, that my powers are-" he cringes thinking back to what his father had said, "he called them 'sneaky' which was humiliating. You'd think that I have everything, right? A boy, capable of everything."

Your breathing is slowing down now, waterfall of tears slowing to a light stream. You watch his face, waiting for his next words. "Well, it might be selfish, but I wish I were normal. Since I was little, I've been looking for a way out." His arm around your shoulders slides down, hand holding your elbow. "It is in our nature to be selfish. People who don't indulge every now and then aren't really living."

Your cheeks are flushed, glossy eyes looking at his amethyst ones with an adoration he had never seen before. Quickly, your arms wrap around his neck and shove your face into his shoulder. You squeeze him into a tight hug, holding closely. "Thank you." Your warm breath fans his neck. "You're a wonderful person, Kusuo. And trust me, you aren't selfish."

He holds your back, palm laid flat to assure you of his presence. It is unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.

"Can you stay the night? I always feel at ease with you here."

Saiki agrees. "Yes. Just–" it is a change for him to say yes. Usually, nothing would sound worse than spending the night not in his own bed. Doing something for someone else at the cost of his own comfort is foreign to him. "Fine. Whatever. I'll set up on the couch."

He ignores your fidgeting, walking to your linen closet to search for a blanket. "They're in the center coffee table. It rolls out." Saiki looks towards the table you point at, using telekinesis to open it and pull a large white blanket out.

It frightens you. But at this point, you are aware you are just dreaming. When you wake up in the morning, Saiki will not be in your house. He will not have psychic powers, and you will not have practically cried in his arms. This embarrassment will be over, and you can continue on as normal. "Actually, can you sleep in my room?" Your house is always empty. You should take advantage of this dream.

His back is facing yours, hands stopping. His shoulders slump with an audible exhale. "Of course."

You lead him up to your room, rummaging through your pajama drawer and escaping to the bathroom to quickly change. "I have extra toothbrushes, and a really nice face wash you can use." You dump your dirty clothes into your hamper, shoving it back into your closet.

"Right. Thank you." While he freshens up, you lay out numerous blankets stacked atop each other on the floor along with a pillow. When he returns, you are tucked in, scrolling on your dimmed phone. You blink slowly, exhaustion evident in your face. Your cheek is smushed into your pillow, phone slowly falling as your grip loosens. It is slightly adorable, how so little has made you so exhausted without you even realizing. Saiki takes his place on the floor, staring up at your ceiling. There are a few stars which show themselves in the lack of light. The orange hue of the street lamp shines through the bottom of the blinds, your face glowing under it.

The whole situation feels so domestic, which is oddly comforting. He is close with his family, but it isn't like this. He will always help them when necessary, but never feels compelled to do so. Having such a feeling to help is always prominent when he is around you. It is unfamiliar.

"Kusuo," you whisper, "thank you. I am glad we have grown close in the past month." Your eyes are shut, but you are clearly awake. He turns to view your face. "It is funny how, even though we have known each other for so long, we've only begun to really become acquainted as of late." There is a small smile on your lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope I have the courage to tell you this once I wake."

Oh . Your confession is heartwarming, but now he realizes where your mettle has come from. You have convinced yourself you are in a dream, just as Teruhashi once did.

Yikes. I just remembered a nuisance.

Chapter Text

Your phone buzzes several times upon your nightstand before you finally awake. It’s a Saturday, what could possibly be happening? Your notification center is filled with messages from your friends’ group chat.

Did you hear? Kokomi is back!

You were never fond of Kokomi, so her absence was relaxing. However, now that she is back from a film set with her brother, everyone is going to be all over her again. It is difficult to not be jealous of someone so perfect. You and her are friends, just—you prefer to keep your distance. You usually do not mind hanging out with her in a group though.

However, she is also awfully clingy with a certain someone. It didn’t bother you before. Maybe it was even the reason you and Saiki had never become close; you were fearful of what she might do, especially considering she always gets her way.

You are about to get out of bed, swinging your feet over to touch the floor when you are instead greeted by flesh. “Holy shit-“ you are about to scream in surprise, looking down to see Saiki’s exhausted expression. His arm is held over his forehead, forearm rubbing his eyes. His pink hair is a crazed mess, sprawling around his head. “Good morning?”

He pushes your leg off of his chest, grumpily turning on his side away from you. Bitch .

His eye pokes out, neck twisting to face you. ‘Yeah?’

Oh crap .

”So—it wasn’t a dream?” You are breathless, question more rhetorical than anything.

’Unfortunately not.’

You sit like that, toes dragging across your carpet before you plant them completely to stand. “I’ll go make breakfast, then.” You need time to process. Properly. Before exiting, you turn back. “Would you like anything in particular?”

Saiki sits up. He is awfully cute, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, raking his fingers through his hair to push it down. ‘No, thank you. I’ll have whatever you make.’ He blushes in embarrassment from your observations.

You notice, cringing at your own train of thought and forcing yourself to think about your food options instead. “Right. I’ll be downstairs.” You head downstairs, searching for ingredients for breakfast.

Saiki stands, looking around your room as he had not had much of a chance last night. You are still concerningly calm. Realizing you are not dreaming, and the truth about his powers, he expected you to blow up in his face. Instead, your attitude is rather neutral. He likes that about you. Things you cannot change, you do not make a big deal over. In such a dramatic world, you are a breath of fresh air. Saiki sighs, face dropping into his palms. Every new thing added to the list of “reasons you aren’t insufferable” just digs his hole of despair even deeper. He can’t seem to understand you, and your thoughts of him are never clear enough. Even if they were, he is too nervous to ever make a move.

The smell of bacon lures him down the stairs, taking a seat at your island. You serve him a glass of water without so much as a word. “Do you prefer crispy or chewy?” You hover over the skillet, using your chopsticks to flip each piece individually. “My mother always preferred crispy. She also likes things super spicy—I hate overly spicy things, which is why I eventually learned to cook for myself. She would make dinner, claiming it not to be spicy, and then our mouths would be burning off. Not her’s, of course. ‘I barely added any!’” You mock her, laughing while reminiscing. On another pan, you crack an egg over fried peppers, letting it spread to the edges of the pan. You wait a moment, then use your chopsticks to swirl the egg around aggressively. You begin to plate leftover rice from another solo dinner you had made. “I like when you’re here, Saiki. It is always quiet. I am so used to a busy house with my parents and siblings, so now that I live alone, I can’t help but feel…” your words trail off when you refocus on the eggs.

’Lonely.’ He finishes for you.

”Exactly.” You begin to pick each strip of bacon up, laying it onto paper towels to pick up the overwhelming amounts of grease. “I’m never lonely with you around.” I wish you could stay forever . You look at your hand, noticing his ring missing.

’It must’ve fallen off in your sleep.’

Oh. You stare at your empty hand.

’The eggs.’

”Crap.” You turn back to the stove, picking up the pan and shaking it so the egg fries evenly on each side and rounds out whilst the inside stays soft. Skillfully, you lay it over top of the rice. “One omurice, and some bacon to go with that. Sorry, all I really had.”

’It smells delicious.’ He smiles, watching while you cut open the egg in front of him. The inner contents spill over the rice, dripping down the edges and pooling on the plate.

”Years of mastery!” You flex your arm jokingly, waving your chopsticks around like a conductor. 

Saiki takes his first bite, face morphing into that adorable content expression.

”So, Teruhashi is back.” You place your hand on your hip, beginning the second egg for yourself.

’Don’t remind me.’

”Really? I thought you and her got along.” A wave of jealousy washes over you, but you are quick to shake it off. “She attaches to your hip whenever you are around.”

Saiki sighs. ‘Exactly why I don’t like her. And she isn’t as pure as she portrays herself to be.’

Hearing him speak negatively about someone, especially Teruhashi, is so foreign. You are curious to see what else he has to say. “Yeah, I get that feeling from her. Like she fakes every sentence.”

He nods. ‘Because she is.’ He takes another bite, eyes closing to savor it.

”That’s reassuring.” The sizzling of the pan fills in the silence during your pause. “Because I can tell she has a crush on you, and it makes me want to break her neck.” You speak without thinking. Anger had taken over, and you misspoke.

Saiki coughs, surprised by your audacity. Hearing you be so possessive aloud is new. ‘You what?’

”It’s just—seeing the way she acts around you, trying so hard to get your attention, it's infuriating. I want to punch her face in.” A violent image, but it gets your point across. “I just don’t think she understands you whatsoever. She is just frustrated that you don’t give her the time of day like every living person does. She uses what she was born with to get her way, not lifting a finger.” Your fists clench around the pan while you slip the egg on your plate. “Sorry. I don’t think she is actually a bad person, I don’t even dislike her. How could I?” You place your plate down beside Saiki, pulling out the chair and sitting next to him. “I’m just jealous.”

Your honesty is admirable, along with your ability to admit something that most people would be ashamed to say about themselves. ‘I’m glad you can say that. Girls who have a run in with her usually end up on a revenge arc.’

You laugh. “Remember that cute blonde girl two years back? Imu, I believe.” He nods in consideration. “The same thing happened to her. And just like every other, morphed into a follower of The Great Teruhashi. Angel, beloved by all.” 

‘It’s quite impressive, the lengths that she goes to portray herself as the perfect girl.’ He pauses, nibbling at the egg. ‘She says so herself, well, thinks so.’

Smiling, you slide the prong of your fork through the goo. It falls apart from the top, spreading evenly over the rice. “I am going to have to get used to that.” Curiosity boils, and before you can ask, Saiki answers.

‘Yes, of course.’ He confirms that his parents are aware of his superhumanness. ‘And only my grandparents, brother, and two students know. And now you, I suppose.’ 

“I guess that makes sense… but what two students know?” Saiki never seemed especially close with anyone. There is an odd character in the neighboring class who you see bothering him every now and then, but no one Saiki would possibly want to share such a secret with.

’Actually, you are right. Toritsuka,’ he refers to who you depicted as “odd”, ‘is a psychic medium. He is conscious of my abilities.’ You nod slowly, carefully lifting your fork to your mouth. A dot of yellow drips down into your palm. ‘And Aiura. She is also aware.’

Your heart stops. “Aiura?” Your best friend knew before you? Why?

’She is a psychic of sorts, too. There was an…’ his face cringes, ‘awkward situation when she first moved here two years ago. And I’m sure you are aware of her accurate abilities as a soothsayer.’

”I never quite believed it. But I can see what you’re saying.” There are other psychics? “So why haven’t any of them said anything about you?” Your half eaten plate is forgotten, interest more piqued by the conversation.

He shrugs. ’I threaten them.’ Oh. Okay.

”That… doesn’t surprise me, actually.” You cover your mouth, laughing. “Well I’m full.” You push your chair out. “I’m going to get ready, Chiyo mentioned meeting up with Teruhashi today. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can avoid it.” You take the plates to the sink, Saiki’s clean enough that you would think he licked all the remnants.

’I should go back home for a little bit, I haven’t changed.’ His chair is pushed in gently. ‘I can come back afterwards and wait for you, if you’d like.’

”Sure. Whatever works. I’ll go shower, and I’ll see you in about an hour or so?” You hold the railing, looking at him for a response before returning to your room.

He nods, teleporting away briefly after. Absolutely incredible .

~

Music comes from your room, the door cracked open, and the light from a lamp illuminating it. Saiki knocks on your bedroom door once, twice, yet is answered by no one. He cannot hear your thoughts, either. Perhaps you put the ring back on? “Hello?” He does not look in through the opening, but pushes it open more. There is a quiet humming along with the tune of your music. He walks through the door, seeing you sitting at your vanity. Your hair is wet, dripping along your back and into the towel which covers you.

You look up for a moment before looking back at the mirror. ”Oh, hi, Kusuo.” You continue to apply your mascara, carefully moving the wand along your lashes.

His gaze shifts, trying to find something other than your figure to focus on. “It has already been an hour, aren't you ready?”

You pout, capping the mascara tube and standing up. You hold the towel around your chest, striding to your dresser to find something to wear. “I had to wash my hair. Do you not have any women in your family? This is normal.” You are shameless about your appearance. Not caring that your state is obviously affecting him. “Would this look good?” You hold a simple sundress. “It’s warm out today, and I wanted to look cute. I want your opinion.” You hold it up against your body, raising your chin so the hanger can press against your neck.

”Yes.” He only takes a quick glance, averting his line of sight once more. It does not matter either way, as you would look good in anything your closet has to offer.

”Alright. Turn around.” You swirl your finger at him, ordering him to face away.

“What? I can just leave.”

”It’ll only take a second. Just turn around, I don’t mind.” Really shameless. He spins to face the opposing wall, making sure you are free from his view. The towel drops to the floor with a thunk, and it takes every cell of will he has to not turn back around. Such an intimate thing, knowing you are undressed right behind him while he has to suffer and look away. What is worse is that he knows you do not mean to be such a flirt.

”I can’t get the zipper.” The sounds of your struggling halt. Saiki doesn’t move. “Kusuo,” you drag out, shuffling towards him. You grab both of his shoulders, rotating him to face you again. He looks down, the dress hanging loosely off you. An arm holds the front against you, preventing it from falling. “It’s in the back, do you mind?” You pinch his wrist so that he looks at you rather than the swell of your breasts, compressed by your forearm. A quick shake of the head signals his agreement. You pivot, facing away. The back is open, the zipper stopped all the way at the bottom where he can see your underwear begin. His cheeks flush. It isn’t sexual, so stop making it sexual. Is the mantra he repeats again and again. It doesn’t help his case, however, when his fingers cascade down your soft skin, feather light on the small of your back before grasping the zipper and slowly pulling it closed. But god, does he wish he could just strip you from the dress completely. His free hand pushes your hair away from the back of your neck so that he can close it completely without getting caught. His hands linger, even after the fact. Your collarbones and neck, the fresh smell from your shower routine. He cannot bear to take his hands off. Not while his fingers trail up your neck, behind your ear to retuck a strand of hair, then back down to the base. He presses lightly on your shoulders before his touch disappears entirely.

You sigh, missing the warmth. He is so gentle. You never knew how much you longed for the touch of another person until now. “Ku…” his hands fall to your waist, curving with your frame.

”I’m getting deja vu,” he doesn’t whisper, but his words are quiet. “I had a dream similar to this.” He speaks openly, trying to keep his body from colliding with yours.

”Did you?” You, however, do not keep the same stability in your voice. You end with a small voice crack, your own breath tickling your shoulder from the way your head is turned.

”Maybe it was a premonition.” His hands suddenly pull away, stepping back.

The slam of a door downstairs stops you from complaining. A girl downstairs calls your name. “Where are you?” She yells.

”Shit- it’s Chiyo.” You spin around quickly. “You uhm-“ you bite your lip nervously, eyes darting from the open door back to him. Footsteps approach. “You should hide.” You whisper. “I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.” You gently close the door. When you turn back to him, he is gone. “Coming!”

”You haven’t been responding to our messages!” Aiura is on the couch, Chiyo backing down from the stairs. “And gosh, you look cute. Oh, we brought Teruhashi, if you don’t mind. We’re going to meet up with the boys soon.” You spot Teruhashi, still standing in the entryway.

”Oh, hello!” She waves, smiling and shining in her radiance.

”Wow, you look great, Teruhashi. Even better than I last saw you!” It is true. She somehow looks even more beautiful the more she ages.

She clasps her hands together. ”Oh, you flatter me. It has only been so many months since I attended school.” 

“Anyways, when are you all meeting them rest?” You turn to Chiyo.

Chiyo taps the screen of her phone. “We were going to start walking in about fifteen minutes. Just to grab lunch.” How is it already noon?

”Right. I’ll be right back, let me finish getting ready.” Running back up the stairs, your soul jumps inside of you to find Saiki sitting on your bed. “Crap. I thought you left?”

”I was invisible.” He looks up at you, hands in his lap.

You close the door slowly behind you. “Okay…” He just sits. Not saying anything. “Why?”

He flinches a little. “My brother is home. I didn’t want to go back.”

”Brother… right. I’m assuming you do not like him, then?” You come and sit beside him, thigh an inch apart.

"No." His stark expression turns sour.

You take his hand, holding it and resting them clasped on your thigh. "You can stay here or come by whenever you want." 

The words drip from your tongue like caramel. So sugary sweet, appeasing and soothing Saiki's sweet tooth. Your tongue rests between your lips, the tip poking out. "Why do you do that?" He looks from your lips to your eyes.

"Do what?"

"That." He points at your mouth.

"Oh." You touch your bottom lip, pulling it down slightly. "I used to bite my cheeks and lips, so whenever I want to, I stick my tongue out so I don't."

Your lips are beautiful. Complimentary to your skin tone, lush and soft. The urge to kiss you ever since that night where he was so close.

"Hey, Kusuo?"

"Hm?"

"Since you can read my mind, that means you know how I feel about you, right?" You tilt your head.

Usually, it would be easy for him to understand. But with such conflicting opinions, part of him is in denial. "Yes."

"And, well I know you can't read my mind right now, but I'm sure you know what I want." Your smile is vexing.

"No."

You lean forward more, palms on either side of his legs. "I like you Kusuo. A lot. And I have the feeling you like me, too."

The chatter downstairs is forgotten. He likes you. And he had not realized it. He has not just been doing silly favors in fear of being hated, he has been appealing to you in order to be liked .

You continue "I like how quiet you are, and how honest you are. I like how you try to hide your interesting life, and how humble you can be. You hide the fact that you care for people. And I can't help but want to be one of those people. I want you to like me back, Kusuo." Never has he been so stumped. Someone is able to like him so honestly, without ulterior motives. Someone he would be willing to spend time with.

"Words were never my thing." He understands everything easily, but right now, it has become difficult to express anything verbally. He looks down at his hand still in yours, his thumb running over your knuckle.

"I understand." You whisper. "We can be quiet." You follow his line of sight, also looking at your intertwined hands. "I feel that at times, there is a fine line between you and I."

He picks his head up again, finding his eyes in yours. He feels every inhale and exhale, every beat of his heart in sync with yours. The raw emotion which shines through his pretense cannot be hidden. A plea that you would initiate what he cannot. His free hand climbs to your hair, thumb framing your cheek. His warmth pulls you in, heads pulling closer. You stop, waiting for him to object. When his eyes stay locked with yours, no clear signs of protestation or disgust, you sigh and collide your lips against his. His hand in your hair tightens, keeping you against him while your heads tilt comfortably.

The hand in yours disconnects, snaking around to firmly hold the small of your back. You reach around his shoulders, connecting your hands behind his neck. Your lips begin a synchronized movement with each other, creamy and delicious and perfect. He pulls you up, into his lap. Your mouths break apart, airy breaths surrounding each of you.

You pant for a second, catching your breath and basking in his presence. "You smell like vanilla," is the first thing you decide to say, "and sugar." He mimics your smile. "Of course you would smell like sugar."

That brief smile falls, eyes flying from the door and back to you. "Tell them to leave without you." His words are a shock, especially when he follows up with a small "please". You nod, pushing on his shoulders to stand.

"Hey, I'm gonna be here for a bit. I forgot I- had to do laundry, and uhm," you hold securely onto the railing, speaking to the three girls from the top of your stairs. "I just have a lot of stuff I need to get done. I can catch up with the rest of you later."

"What? It's Saturday!" Aiura looks up at you from the couch. Then, something flashes in her face. "Oh, okay." She hurries up, pushing Chiyo and Teruhashi out the door. Once they are gone, she runs to stand at the bottom of the stairs. "Is Saiki here?" She whisper yells.

"W-what? No!" What?

"He is, isn't he! I was wondering why I can't see anyone's auras." She points at you accusingly.

"No! He isn't. He just lives close, right?" You wave your hands in your face defensively. "Plus, auras? What are you talking about?"

She begins to walk away, waving you off. "Whatever. Just come see us later." She turns back to you just before closing the door, winking then slamming it. You shake your head, forgetting it. You are quickly reminded of Saiki's presence in your room. Hurrying back, you find him where you left him. He quickly stands, facing you.

Neither of you say anything. His strides towards you are quick and purposeful. Quickly, both hands are on your waist, pushing you up against your wall. His lips smash into yours once more, aggressively and without restraint like prior. You grip his hair as if loosening your hold would lose him altogether. "Kusuo," you gasp between kisses, "please, I want you."

Your clear consent breaks him. Any concept of prudence is lost. His hands grip the underside of your thighs, pulling you around his waist without struggle. The door slams behind you when he makes it to your bed, pushing you down into the mattress almost angrily. His face presses into your neck. He kisses and sucks up and down the area of your neck and collarbones, making sure to leave at least a few visible marks. The tickle of his hair on your cheeks makes you squirm. "Wish I could've done this earlier." He mumbles into your skin. Your eyes close, head leaning back against your pillow. His hands wander. You feel his fingers at the base of your dress, threatening to sneak underneath. He looks up at you, tapping your cheek so you look at him. When you see him silently asking, you bite your lip and nod. Seeing him in such a state drives you feral . His hair is messed up, eyes glossed over with lust, lips red from abusing yours. his hands slip under your dress, lifting it while his palms slither up the skin of your torso. He reaches the base of your bra, looking at you once more.

"Yes, Kusuo, fuck. You can do whatever you'd like." Your hand cups his cheek while you smile teasingly at him. "Don't get too excited."

He sighs, hiding his smirk by kissing along your ribcage. You raise your arms when he pushes your dressup more to expose your clothed breasts. He takes it off entirely, leaving it to pool on the floor. He hovers over you for too many moments. Admiring you, memorizing each inch of your clear skin. His violet eyes look to yours. He contemplates for a moment before leaning in to kiss you. Your mouths open, tongues intertwining in a frenzy of need. The need to be close, to finally feel each other. His forearms rest flat against the bed so that he can reach for the clasps of your bra behind you. One hand holds your back, pushing your chests together so that his other can successfully unbuckle the back and slide the straps from your shoulders. He lays you down again, completely removing the garment to pull away and observe again. Silently and secretly, your hand reaches between you to palm at his pants. "You–fuck." You continue to rub your hand over his bulge, smiling at him innocently all while breaking him down. He grabs your wrist and pins it to the bed above your head. "No." He states sternly.

There is little room for disappointment when he quickly dives down, lips smothering a breast and tongue swirling around your nipple. You moan unexpectedly, back arching up into him. His hand splits your thighs, thumb pressing firmly against your damp panties. The rest of his fingers splay over your lower abdomen, thumb keeping a constant pressure rocking back and forth over your clit. You sigh, relieved to finally get some amount of friction. His mouth switches to suck at your other breast, making sure to pay attention to the supple skin where it is even easier to mark. He bites ever so gently, teeth leaving little marks before more kisses lead down to your stomach. His hand replaces his mouth on your breast. He kneads it, squeezing in his palm all while his other hand sneaks below your underwear. He pulls them down swiftly. Leaving your breast alone, both hands work to push your thighs apart.

You swear you can hear a groan emit from his lips. It is forgotten when his tongue laves against your cunt without warning, sliding up in one motion to collect whatever he can. "God–fucking…" you trail off, his lips wrapping around your clit and sucking furiously before pulling away and gently swirling his tongue around it. Your moans fuel him, letting him know that everything he is doing is working.

He pulls away completely, looking up at you. Your eyes flutter open, meeting his gaze with confusion. He takes your hand, holding it up. Swiftly, he takes the ring off your finger.

Oh my god. Your face burns, blood rising to it at the realization.

He resumes his ministrations, head burying between your thighs. Every movement of his tongue is coordinated, working to the purpose of making you feel good . Knowing he can hear every bit of what you are thinking only amplifies the arousal you are feeling. Your thighs clench around his head, abdomen tightening while he gets you closer to finishing. Every moan and whimper which falls from your lips spurs him on. Closer, closer you approach, with every flick of his tongue and suck on your clit. Just before orgasming, he pulls away so you lose the sensation. When all lucidity returns to you, you are about to complain. He silences you, pushing his hand against your mouth.

"Not yet." Is all he says. You bite his finger, watching him reel back. You snicker, smirking up at him. You can tell that behind the grim expression he displays, he finds it just as amusing. He retaliates by pinching your nipple, watching your body jolt.

"You jerk!" You giggle, sitting up quickly and pushing him down into the bed instead. You straddle him, hands on his chest. Your hair falls over your shoulders, his forearms limp on either side of his head. "You're still fully clothed." You pout.

"Yes, and?" His eyebrow quirks up.

You reach under his shirt, "Not fair." You pull it up, forcing him to sit up so you can yank it over his head.His skin, free of blemishes. His chest and abdomen are surprisingly toned. 

"I'm super human. It's no surprise that I am." He holds your hips, watching you closely.

"I guess that makes sense." You lean down, kissing his cheek. "So you have super strength, too?"

Saiki tucks your hair behind your ear so it doesn't fall in his face. "Do you want me to write a list?"

"Maybe at a later date." You untuck his belt, still in his uniform from the day prior. Unclasping it and pulling it off, his pants and boxers come next.

His cock springs free, hitting his stomach. He watches you subconsciously lick your lips, admiring how pretty it is. You wrap your hand around it, taking note of the size (which is bigger than you expected) and biting your lip at the thought of it inside of you. What would it feel like? Would it hurt?
He says your name, "We don't have to."

You shake your head. "I want this if you want this. Not with anyone else." You are aware that both of you are virgins, but you find it hard to imagine spending your first time with anyone else. Saiki understands, and doesn't make you feel insecure.

"Ok." He says quietly. "But let me do it." He flips you onto your back once more, positioned between your legs so he can prod the tip of his dick at your entrance. Your arms are secured around his neck, both of you watching him hold and run his cock through your folds a few times. You wince a little when he starts to push in, slowly stretching you over every inch. Watching the way you swallow him up so devastatingly slow begins to drive you insane.

"Kusuo," you whine.

"I know." Before you can say something snappy, he pushes in the rest of the way quickly.

You moan, nails digging into his back, feeling his tip prod deep inside of you. He groans, hot forehead pressed into your neck with his eyes squeezed shut. He kisses you, sharing breaths when he begins to thrust slowly. The rock of his hips sways the two of you, panting into each others' mouths while you grip to him tightly. Saiki only gets faster and more tenacious, listening to every moan and whine you have to offer. He kisses your neck, your sternum, your face, watching while it contorts in pleasure. He listens to your thoughts as you get closer, feels the way you clench around him. He grips your ankles, forcing your legs up so your calves rest on each of his shoulders. He bends forward, folding you with him and adjusting his pace brutally so each thrust reaches that spot inside of you.

"Fuck!" You yelp out, ankles crossing behind his head. His teeth dig into his lip, one hand grips the sheets. The other holds yours, pressing it against the mattress and squeezing every now and then. He groans your name more and more the sloppier his thrusts get. His persistence does not waver, though, the strength levels keeping steady. "Kusuo, I'm so close you feel so good." Your head tilts back in pleasure.

"I know, I know. Gonna let you cum this time." He kisses you, free hand which grips the sheets moving down between your bodies. His thumb presses down on your clit before circling it at the perfect pace to speed up your approaching orgasm. The temperature of the room has increased to the point where sweat drips from both your foreheads. "I'm close too." He clenches your hand.

"I–I–fuck." You cannot form the words, mind numb from the sensations, melted from the heat. Your limbs turn jelly in his care. You gasp out, gritting your teeth, eyes rolling back while you orgasm. One moan in particular comes out as a squeak, feeling him cum with you and fill you.

"Holy crap ." He watches your face through lidded eyes while you orgasm, elongated by his thumb still stimulating your clit. He stills inside you. Your chests rise and fall, panting in order to breathe through the thick hot air of your bedroom. He pulls out, watching his semen drip from your fluttering pussy before collapsing beside you.

Your head turns to him, smiling weakly. "Never knew lying still and taking it could be so exhausting."

You both laugh breathily before he cringes at the lewdness. "...ew." 

Chapter Text

“So how are your friends doing?” Kurumi asks Kusuo over dinner. “Especially Teruhashi! I haven’t seen her in a while.” Oh you sweet, summer’s child.

Kusuo shrugs, continuing to eat the pork chops his mother so lovingly made. In the past, he was never interested in any romantic relationships. Again and again, Teruhashi made advances on him with the help of her friends. Despite her looks and kindness, he was just disinterested. Having to keep up with something like that and commit seemed too draining. With you, he does not feel like he has to keep up with something. Although it is not a requirement to be overly interactive, he has the sudden compulsion to do so. He wants to appease you and do what he can for you, which is unusual. It was out of character for him to be so quick to lay with you, and he recognizes that.

”Oh I would like to know about Teruhashi. You two seem so close.” Kusuke smiles, almost condescendingly. Like he knows something else, even though there is nothing else to know.

He has thought it over again and again and so on, yet still has not figured out why he feels this way over you. Even something like a relationship does not sound as bad when thinking about you.

”Or maybe someone else is on your mind?” Kusuke continues.

Kusuo shoots him a dirty look, dismissing the question.

”Speaking of, did you ever come home last night, Kusuo? I was worried when I didn’t hear you come back. And you weren’t in your room.” His mother inquires, eyes brimming with concern. “I assumed you stayed at a friend’s house. Was it Nendou’s?”

If it was, kill me. He shakes his head no. Before more questions arise, Kusuo stands up to take his dish to the sink. ‘Thank you for dinner.’ He says quickly before returning to his room.

You lay on your bed, staring at the ceiling. With your stomach full and nothing to do, you have time to sit and think. To contemplate how to move forward. Was it a one time thing? No, definitely not considering all the lead up. But it was so sudden. Maybe he regrets it. You know for sure that you do not, though. If anyone, you were glad to lose your virginity to him. To each other. Seeing a usually so composed person act like he did, the thought sends tingles up and down your body.

So much has happened in so little time. Discovering he is a psychic? You still have not gotten to mulling over that. He jokingly asked you if you wanted a list, which at the time you denied. Now it doesn't seem like a bad idea. What are all the things he is capable of?

Your phone buzzes. You see Saiki's name. 'Hi.' You pick it up to reply.

'hey.'

'Are you okay?'

'yeah, fine. u?'

'Good.'

…

'I want to talk to you.'

'anything in particular?'

'No.'

You don't reply.

'Yes.' he sends a moment later.

'okay, what is it?'

'I don't want to make you uncomfortable.'

'you won't, its okay. do you want to call?'

The suggestion makes him hesitate, but it is probably for the best to discuss his thoughts over call rather than through texting. 'Okay.'

Your call card pops up, phone buzzing in his hand. He picks up.

"Hello?" You speak. It had been only hours since he left your house discreetly, and yet the sound of your voice relieves something in him. A feeling inexperient to him bubbles up.

"Hi." He replies awkwardly.

"What did you want to talk about?" Considering the relative distance, he cannot hear your thoughts. Yet he does not find himself nervous. Is it you that soothes his anxiety? Maybe. More often than not, your presence quells whatever worries fester within.

He sighs. "I just wanted to see if you're alright."

"Oh- well yeah, I am. Still at home." You pause. "Are you alright? You seem a bit on edge."

"I–" Is he? "I wanted to ask about what you said."

"Kusuo I talk a lot. That could be many things." You tease, giggling. "Specify, please?"

"You said you like me." He states.

"Uhm, yes, I did say that."

"Was it true?" His monotonous voice rings.

"Aren't you a mind reader? You shouldn't have to ask-"

"Was it true?" He asks again, sternly this time.

You sigh, leaning your head into your phone more. "Yes. I do like you, a lot." You let out. "Was that it? I thought that was pretty obvious."

"How does it feel?" He suddenly asks.

"The- what? How does what feel?" You are not used to so many questions from him. He is usually quick to understand, this must have been bothering him for a while.

"Liking someone. Romantically."

"Kusuo, you kind of sound like an elementarian right now." You snicker. The silence expresses his seriousness for him. "Okay. Alright. Well, I don't really feel romantic towards anyone usually. You were definitely a rare case." You never imagined yourself as someone to fall in love. "But other people describe it as a strong urge to serve almost. To care for, protect, spend time with. That is what most people say it feels like. Like– I really like spending time with you. But it always depends on someone's love language. Personally, I like physical touch. I enjoy being near you, or– well you know."

"I understand." He leans back into his mattress. So he really does like you. "Thank you. See you." He quickly hangs up.

His quick exit doesn't surprise you, but you are still curious why he is asking such questions. You suppose he never really had a romance with anyone in the past, so it would make sense. Someone like him, so scared of being discovered, maybe that is why he never felt anything or tried to. Pride swells in your chest that maybe you are the first person he has grown fond of.

If anyone, it makes sense that he would fall for you. He acknowledges it now, that you are exactly what he would like. Quiet, but not too much. Understanding, not high maintenance, and willing to accept things with ease. You don't bother him, and maybe that was enough to spark this.

~

"Did you hear about our senior trip?" Aiura is leaning towards you, struggling to type something on her flip phone. Her long nails click excessively against the keys, the attached key chain jingling obnoxiously. “I think we should be picking groups today. We’re going to Okinawa." Aiura seems overly excited.

After the last time you went to Okinawa with the class, where nothing bad really happened, going again does not seem so bad. "Oh, right, you weren't here that year right?" You think back. "When we went two years ago. It almost got cancelled because of a typhoon, but after that it was a pretty easy trip. No bad happenings." You knock on your desk quickly to deter any jinx.

"Well I'm excited. Oh! We should go shopping, I need a few new bathing suits. I haven't been able to get a proper tan since break." She continues to prattle on about tanning oils and other brands of lotions, what design she will do for her nails, the normal.

Meanwhile, you survey the class for a moment to find your eyes crossing paths with Saiki's. He is surrounded by his group of friends, ignoring their chatter. His gaze only lasts a moment before breaking away to idle on the floor. Something about his eyes feels different. Distant.

You get the same absent glare later in the day. Ignoring your presence in the hallway, avoiding you at your lockers, and straight up dodging you at the entrance. You are accustomed to him not being the most outgoing of people, but he usually would at least acknowledge you if you him. Especially after fucking him, you would hope to get some sort of recognition. Nothing. Not a text reply to your message, not a call to say he was sorry, just straight ignorance.

"Fuck!" You scream, throwing your phone against your closet door. The opened door swings from the force, phone thudding to the floor. Your fists curl into your forehead, gripping the strands of baby hair sticking to it. You yank and tug at your hair, resisting using enough force to rip them straight from your skull. It's exactly like before. With your ex, and several failed talking stages. You get close enough to them, let them touch you, then you're suddenly ghosted. You sob painfully, choking on your saliva while your hoarse throat struggles to swallow. Every man has only ever used you and somehow you never seem to learn. You are not dumb, you are aware that your body is a desirable one. But to be duped this many times, just because a guy wants to get his dick rubbed? It disgusts you. You just never thought Saiki would do something like this to you. What's worse is you let him. This is why you lost the ability to experience a romance. And when you finally thought you might get the chance to be with someone trustworthy, someone good , you were lied to again. And as soon as you confessed those feelings, he pushed himself away. Your emotional vulnerability to him is disgusting, nothing but a turn-off to him. What else should he have done? You do not blame him for suddenly ghosting you, if you had been such an emotionally attached and clingy freak. If only you had been better, been able to pretend like there was nothing behind it.

Your fists smack against your temples, the crown of your head, knuckles beating down into you trying to repay. To teach yourself a lesson, one that would hopefully stick. Do not act on feelings, and do not express them. Through tears, your room spins in your vision. The berating against your cranium only worsens the dizzying effect from your lack of oxygen. Each breath lacking more than the last, lungs squeezing in on themselves in an attempt to withdraw something which does not exist in the cramped space you contort yourself into.

Another scream tears through your vocal cords, exerting some of the anger you hold against yourself. It reverberates against the walls of your room, guttural and sickening.

Yet the next morning you wake up like normal. Groggily rising from your covers, finding a clean uniform to wear. Ignoring the mirror, instead staring at your wall to brush your hair quickly before departing for school. Just like any other day. At your desk, your arms serve as a pillow to your tired head. Your emotional burden weighing it down, too heavy to lift until lunch. But when the class is completely empty, and your eyes must adjust to the sunlight, you find you are not alone. Were you ever, to begin with?

"What happened?" Just as always, his questions sound like demands.

And even though you wish you could push him away, turn around and walk out without a word, you succumb to the surprising warmth of his palms when they encase your cheeks. His fingers ghost over the light bruises on your temple. Bruises you had not noticed due to your embarrassment, too shy to see yourself in the mirror.

You turn your head away, backing up so his hands release you. "Must've bumped something." You look to the floor, avoiding his piercing gaze. Petty acts were not your favorite, but you want him to feel an ounce of what you feel.

"You can't lie to me." His flat expression remains. "Why?"

"Because you're psych-"

"No, why did you?" This time, his voice heightens in pitch ever so slightly.

You look up. His brows are furrowed, eyes staring into you with a newfound emotion. "If you can read my mind, you should know. Or are you not as smart as you think?"

"No. You're wrong." The tip of his shoe touches yours.

You retort quickly. "Am I?"

"You are. You don't understand what I'm asking." His fingers twitch.

Your tone harshens, volume rising. "Really? Because you aren't being very specific." 

"Because I wouldn't do that. Think that."

You bite back your quip. Slowly, it processes. "Were you scared?" Just a whisper.

He hesitates before nodding ever so slightly. "Don't compare me to someone like that." He sighs.

"I thought we'd said we would communicate. " You whine, leaning back into the classroom wall. "You don't have to do something you don't want to."

"I do want to." He matches your step, a foot slotted between yours. "For the first time, I do. I did."

You nod slowly. Then, a small smile grows. "You know, Mr. Psy- ki," your arms snake around his collarbones, "I think you're a bit more complicated than you let on to."

His eyes close, inhaling deeply. Traces of chalk, cherry, and the smell of you.

"And maybe not you, but…" your sultry voice lingers in his ear, "I only get to live once."

Fluttering open, he meets your stare. Your grin, which in this case, he cannot help but mirror. A magnetic force brings you together, lips colliding in long-awaited bliss. Your hands around his neck tug softly at the base of his hair. His arms wrap solidly around your waist, encapsulating you in his warmth.

You quickly pull away, pointing your finger at him. He looks confused, but dismisses it when you are stern with him. "Don't you ever ignore me without communicating. Okay?" You wiggle the finger in his face, waiting for a response.

Instead he pushes your hand to the side, sealing his mouth to yours again to prevent you from interrupting any further. His tongue creeps into your mouth, tasting you again like he was going through withdrawals without it. Your arm is shoved into the wall, held above your head to keep you in place while his nails trace up along your thigh. His foot pivots, separating yours and quickly gripping the inside of your leg so that you cannot close them again.

"Kusuo-" You gasp when he finally relieves your mouth to instead assault your neck, leaving small bites and kisses up and down the center along your throat before trailing behind your ear. "Here?" You bite your lip, quivering at the insanity.

"Mhm." He murmurs, too lost in the taste of your skin. "Don't want to miss this. Now that I have it all figured out." What?

You brace your hands against his shoulders, watching the slight disappointment spread across his face when you do so. His expression morphs when you flip positions, push him against the wall and swiftly drop to your knees. A shadow passes over his face when you start at his belt, staring up at him to gauge any reaction. "Yes?" You ask him.

"You don't-" you palm at the front of his pants, "fuck. You don't have to, give me anything." His head tilts to the side, eyes filled with appreciation.

You shake your head and smirk at him. "That’s okay. I want to.” You wait for him to explicitly show that he is okay with this. After a prompt nod from him, you unclasp his pants, pulling them down with his boxers just enough to pull his dick free. His chest rumbles with a groan when your hand wraps around him, slowly tugging back and forth. You make sure to keep your eyes trained on his when you begin to slide your tongue up his length, enunciating the way your lips carefully enclose around him. He sucks in a deep breath, relishing in the feeling. Your mouth is warm, sliding effortlessly up and down with each bob of your head. Down half way, back up. Down three quarters, back up. You close your eyes, choking the rest of him down so your nose presses into his pelvis. You swallow, letting the tears well up in your eyes before finally restarting your movements so your airflow can continue.

”Crap-“ You watch his head thumb back against the drywall, reminding you of your setting. His eyes roll back slowly, eyelids fluttering closed. He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, hissing while doing so. Your pace accelerates, reaffirming the pressure your lips use. He reaches forward, hand wrapping securely behind your head. His fingers clench in your hair, pulling at your scalp. Another groan festers in his throat before coming out higher pitched and needy. “Ah- fuck, stopstopstop-“ Despite his request, you continue on, sliding and swirling your tongue around to only proceed his orgasm. His free hand smacks against the wall. It cracks in the wake of his force. He looks back down at you, mouth open and panting while his glazed violet eyes pierce you with lust. He pushes your head down, tip thrusting into the back of your throat. You cough, choking on the substance, swallowing it all down. You gag, drool leaking down your chin. His grip instantly loosens, letting you free yourself.

You both gasp for air, panting in silence. A chipper voice down the hall has both of you whipping your head towards the entrance. "Shit-" you quickly stand in front of Saiki while he quickly readjusts his pants.

"Teruhashi! I've been looking for you." The voice is that of Hairo's. He stops just outside the classroom door. "I wanted to talk about your group since there have been… numerous disputes over it again."

"Oh, Hairo! Sorry, I was just about to grab something from our classroom. Do you mind?" Teruhashi's sweet voice persuades him easily.

"Of course! Now- are you alright with picking groups from a hat? I was thinking of letting you choose your own group though, as it is you who is being fought over." Hairo follows her as she walks into the class, finding you leaning up against a desk and Saiki casually standing with his arms crossed.

"Oh–Saiki!" she exclaims. Her face goes red. "I was just about to ask you a question, perfect timing." She looks between you, suspicion (and a hint of jealousy) present within the few black feathers floating with her. "I was wondering if you wanted our groups to pair up? Mera, Chiyo and I, with you, Nendou, and Kaidou! Just like last time. I thought since everything worked out so well back then we could just do the same groups."

Kusuo glances at you, before turning to Teruhashi again. ' Ask Kaidou and Nendou. I don't care.'

She seems repulsed by his response, yet hides behind a dreary smile. "Oh, uhm-" he turns away again, trying not to give her any reason to continue. "Okay." Her voice is worryingly disappointed.

Hairo doesn't notice when he begins to ask you about your group. "Right! I'm assuming you'll be with Aiura, but have you chosen a third?"

"Well, we're going with the other year two classes, right? Aiura and I asked Suzumiya Hii to join our group." You respond. Suzumiya, a girl from class 2, had been vaguely acquainted with you. Since you needed a third, and she had no group, she was quick to agree upon you asking her to join Aiura and you.

"Yes, that's great! Let me know when you have decided which boys' group you will pair up with, and I'll make sure to write it down." Hairo gives a quick thumbs-up before following Teruhashi out the door.

'I want to be in a group with you.' Saiki says suddenly.

"Wow, you're more forward than usual today." You tease, smiling at him while stepping closer.

He sighs, rolling his eyes ever so slightly. "I'm most comfortable with you. It makes sense. And I already know you want to be in a group with me too."

You blush a little, laughing. "Of course I do. It'll be fun." The room falls silent. Saiki never looks away from you, just staring shamelessly. "You should probably go ask Nendou and Kaidou before Teruhashi gets to them." You stand in front of him now, readjusting the collar of his uniform for him. You speak softly, no longer needing your voice to carry as far. "I'll see you soon, Ku. Okay? Don't overwork yourself." You smooth out the rest of his jacket, looking up at him. His violet eyes are gentle, a look you realized that only you ever received. You kiss his cheek, smiling before saying your goodbyes.

Chapter Text

”Everyone, please stay seated!” Hairo stands in the center of the aisle, waving his hands frantically. With two seats on each side per row, PK Academy’s third year students pack into the plane. Without a delay or fear of cancellation, the students’ excitement has been on a steady increase since boarding the bus to the airport earlier in the day.

You sit quietly between Aiura, at the window, and Saiki, in the aisle seat. In front of you, Aren, Kaidou, and Yumehara (who forced herself next to him). Teruhashi sits across the aisle from Yumehara, beside Mera (whose ticket you bought). Directly behind you sits Suzumiya. She has prattled on about some “unlucky comings” which you paid no mind to until the plane begins to shake.

And it shakes a lot .

Nervously, you look at Saiki. He huffs, muttering a quick good grief under his breath before standing and leaving to the bathroom. And only moments later, the shaking stops.

Saiki returns, sweat beading at his forehead. He slumps next to you, head falling forward in exhaustion.

“What was it?” You inquire quietly.

He just mumbles, not giving you a clear answer other than something something “incompetent” something “pricks”. You leave it at that. He must be too exhausted to use telepathy.

Carefully, his head tilts into your shoulder. You relax, letting him use you as a pillow. His eyes shut, mouth barely agape while his chest rises and falls slowly. You have to ignore the side eye you get from Teruhashi as your own head leans atop his. His hair is soft against your cheek, the smell of his shampoo so familiar and so comforting. The aroma along with the consistent hum from the engine rocks you to sleep.

“It’s so pretty!” Yumehara shouts, leaning over both Kaidou and Aren to press her face against the glass.

Abruptly, your head perks up, looking out the window to see the clear blue waters and white sands below. Saiki stays motionless against you, still out cold. Aiura takes a photo of the beach, waiting for a cloud to pass to get a clearer image. 

"Kusuo," you say, shaking him by the shoulder softly, "wake up."

His eyes slowly flutter open, squinting in adjustment to the bright cabin. He keeps his head on your shoulder, turning inwards so his forehead rests in it. He rubs each eye with his fist, lifting his glasses to do so. You watch silently, admiring the vulnerability you do not see often from him. He eventually lifts his head completely, sitting upright when he remembers your setting. Thankfully, everyone is more focused on the sights than paying attention to his moment of weakness (as he would call it).

"This hotel is even nicer than the one last time!" Yumehara spins in a circle, inspecting the support pillars' extravagant design. 

"All thanks to our grade being able to raise enough money." Teruhashi claps her hands appreciatively, admiring the detailing.

The lobby is overwhelmingly white, with the lighting from the chandelier reflecting off the glassy flooring. Nendou drags his shoes across the tiles, purposefully letting them squeak obnoxiously until Kaidou yells at him to stop.

Some chaperones begin grouping in front of the mob of students, trying to direct everyone's attention to Mr. Matsuzaki. He forces everyone to listen to a detailed explanation of the room situation. Boys on the fifth floor, girls on the third. The gym is on the first (ground) floor, connected to the locker rooms leading to the pool. The door at the back of the pool is to the outdoors onsen. Girls and boys have their own respective onsen.

"Boys are to sleep in the boys' room, and girls in the girls'! And by no means will anyone be allowed out past the curfew of twenty-three hundred hours." There are a few disappointed murmurs, but the majority stays quiet, understanding the terms are non-negotiable. "If I find anyone breaking these rules, I'll break you!" Mr. Matsuzaki punches his palm, the smacking sound echoing. "Right. Now, your chaperones have your corresponding room locations. Please report to them to be assigned." The way he speaks feels as if you are being enrolled in the military.

Aiura, Suzumiya, and you shuffle to the elevator as soon as you receive your room designation. Aiura has to shuffle behind the two of you, balancing her excessive baggage. "What did I tell you?" You scold sarcastically.

"Hush! If I am going to have a vacation, I'm going to bring what I want." She waves your comment off, the '3' button illuminating when she presses it. 

Suzumiya nervously picks at her fingers in the corner. "I never go on elevators. The last time I did, it broke down mid-service. I waited hours before they came and got me!" Her knees buckle while she holds onto the rail for dear life.

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Look, the inspection sheet is up to date." You point to the opposing wall at the piece of paper neatly framed behind her head.

She nods reluctantly, slowly loosening her grip from the rail. The elevator slows, a solo ring announcing your arrival to your floor. "It overlooks the beach!" Aiura leans over your room's balcony while you find the three futons rolled and stacked neatly in the corner. Her and Suzumiya gawk while you set up each mattress. You place your bag next to the mat furthest from the door, out of sight from the entryway.

"Matsuzaki said dinner is at twenty-one hundred hours, so we have about an hour and a half to spare. Do you want to explore for the time being?" You suggest.

"Ooh, I wanna check out the onsen. Wait, help me pick a bathing suit." Aiura rushes to her bags previously flopped in the entry, scrambling through them to find her suits. "This one is so cute! I just got it, I'm so excited to wear it." She holds up a dark blue strapless bikini. "Although I need to use my skin adhesive if I want it to hold… I hope it's waterproof."

"Me too girl. I'm terrified of strapless bikinis for that reason. I haven't found a good waterproof adhesive anything yet." You unzip your bag, laughing at Suzumiya for jokingly saying she relates. "Is this one good?" You find your new pink suit. It is simple with a small circular cutout over the sternum. It ties behind the neck, while the bottoms have small ties on each hip. "And I can wear this dress as a coverup for dinner." You unfold your white sundress, laying it beside the bikini.

"Cute, cute. Trying to impress someone?" Aiura looks back at you while changing in the corner, smirking.

"Shut up." You mumble.

Suzumiya snickers, curiously looking at you. "You have a crush? I wanna know! If we are going to be together for the rest of the trip, we should get to know each other better."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I do not have a crush. I'm not sure where Aiura got that idea." You pick up your clothing, closing the partition door for the bathroom so you can redress.

"Sure. So why was Kusuo at your house? Alone?"

"He was not . I'm still not sure what you meant by that that day." She was right, of course, but you would not be telling her that.

"You are such a liar. His aura overpowers everyone else's, fitting for my soulmate. Anyways, I couldn't see you or Chiyopipi's auras or Terukoko's wings. And I know he doesn't live close enough to block out other auras from his house. So…" You hear her clap her hands together dramatically through the partition. "Considering you live the closest to him, he must've been at your house. Not someone else's as there is nowhere else he could've been to be close enough." Her accusations and deductions are dizzying.

You tie the dress behind your neck, admiring the open back in the mirror. "Or," you emerge from the bathroom, "he could've been on a walk. Or even better, you're delusional ." Soulmate? Why did she call Saiki her soulmate? "And what do you mean soulmate? If you think he and I have something, what's you deal, saying that?"

She gasps at your appearance. "Oh my goodness you look great. Yeah, you'll have no difficulty reeling him in looking like that."

You shake your head. "Whatever you say." Suzumiya is still giggling in the corner. "Are you coming with us?" You ask.

"No, no. You guys should go ahead without me. Knowing me, something will explode if I am there."

"Are you sure?"

She nods, smiling.

Aiura and you walk down the stairs this time, using your keycards to get into the locker rooms from the gym. From there, you are led to the pool and onsen. "Gosh it's gorgeous out," you test your foot in the water. The heat tingles perfectly. After stripping, you slowly slide into the water. The warmth engulfs you, muscles immediately loosening and shoulders dropping. Yumehara and Teruhashi appear in the entrance. 

"Oh! You two are already here." Teruhashi exclaims while Aiura slides in beside you.

You can hear conversation from the other side of the bamboo wall, where you assume the boys' onsen is. ”Guess everyone had the same idea.”

The four of you chat for the next hour until you decide to make your way to the dining hall for dinner. Mera is already seated, drooling over her placemat. Saiki walks in shortly after with Aren, Kaidou, and Nendou. He sits next to you at the end of the table. The food comes out, filling the air with its delicious aroma. Mera doesn’t wait a second before scooping several large servings for herself and going to town. A bowl of salad is passed around, appetizers already missing from each platter.

“Wow everything is so good,” you hand the bowl of salad to Saiki, who takes it and passes it across the table to Aren. He doesn’t serve himself much of the dinner foods, most likely saving room for the rumored dessert later. You take a bite of something Saiki didn’t serve himself, humming in satisfaction when you realize how tasty it is. “Oh my goodness, try this! You’ll love it.” Without thinking, you move some of your own food onto his plate, urging him to have some.

He stares blankly at it for a moment before taking a meager bite, nodding his head in approval. He is taken aback by your eagerness to share, not quite knowing how to process it or react. The conversation of others slowly grows, the two of you quietly listening while enjoying your meal. As dinner comes to a close, you wonder what to do next.

“Kusuo,” you start, making eye contact with him, “do you want to go to the pool later? After hours?” He watches the way your face goes red, listening to your inner turmoil. “Just because I think it would be nice to be there when it is empty and quiet. We can ditch everyone else, it might be nice.”

He considers it.’Okay.’ He nods. He doesn't want to disappoint you by declining, understanding how badly you want to. ‘Later.’

Your smile grows, a small squeal forcing through your clenched teeth. The expression is endearing.

Everyone’s plate is cleared before you head to the dessert tables. There are trays among trays of selections, all of which Saiki stares at with unseen lust. He piles pastries and mochi and macarons and chocolate covered strawberries onto his plate. The size of his dessert stomach is unmatched. "I don't understand how you eat all of that."

He glares at you, shaking his head in disapproval. The two of you follow the rest of the group back up to the boys room, having agreed on playing party games until the end of the night. As much as Saiki abhors the idea, it's where you are headed so he has no choice but to go along with everyone. You reach over, trying to steal a macaron from his plate but earn a small slap to the hand. 'Get your own.' You pout, having thought that maybe you were worth as much as sweets to him. You realize now that nothing will transcend that line ever .

The group plays silly games like Uno and one long round of monopoly until past curfew, when everyone is forced to be quiet in fear of getting caught. It is around that time that you force Saiki to sneak off with you. No one notices either of you leave, too involved with scolding Nendou for moving someone else's piece and not remembering where it was before. We walk quietly through the halls, down the stairs to the pool. The door is locked like expected.

"Can you–you know." You gesture to the door.  You don't have any evil intention behind your ask. He sighs, flashing a hand over the lock. It clicks open. You don't have any evil intention behind your ask.

The pool is dark and empty, exactly how you’d wished. “Thank you.”

Standing at the pool’s deep edge, you strip your dress off. Saiki watches as you strip off your cover clothes, his gaze lingering briefly on your pink bikini before he quickly looks away.  Slowly, you dip a foot into the water, realizing it is heated. “It’s warm.” You step back for a moment, then take a running start to dive in and swim to the shallow end. You emerge, wiping the water from your eyes and laughing. He uses the stairs to step into the pool after you, feeling the warm water envelop his own feet.

You lean against the edge, staring up through the skylight windows. Saiki submerges underneath the water for a moment, resurfacing and pushing his wet hair back from his face as he comes up. He swims to your side, staring up with you. 'It's peaceful like this.' He remarked softly, a note of contentment in his voice. 'Not having to deal with the noise and chaos of the others.'

“Mhm,” you acknowledge, “I’m glad you’re here with me, Kusuo.” You look at him, standing closely in the water next to him. The moonlight reflects off the water on his face, hair dripping over his eyes.

Saiki meets your gaze, a faint blush rising to his cheeks at your direct statement. He looks away for a moment before saying softly, 'I'm glad you're here too.' he admits with a hint of sincerity. 'It's rare for me to find someone I don't mind being alone with.'

His words startle a flurry of emotions within me. You try your best to ignore them, knowing well that he can intercept it. However, as you  continue to stare into his violet eyes, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore them. “Thank you.” You whisper, words so quiet they are barely audible. Yet the soft sound is carried through the quiet night air. "I like hearing things like that from you, since I never really know what you're thinking."

He murmurs back, just as quietly. "I want you to feel comfortable being yourself around me. Always." He speaks the words, sounding so beautiful in his true voice.

It is so odd to hear him say such sentimental things. Even before becoming closely acquainted with him, you told yourself to never expect much. I step in front of him, taking his hand beneath the water. “I want you to feel the same.” You avoid eye contact nervously.

He senses the change in your demeanor, noting the complexity swirling behind your moonlight kissed features. Your bottom lip quivers, aching to feel his. But you don’t make a move. Not yet, not like this. You feel as though you have been forcing everything on him until this point, so from now on, you want to make it his choice. His decisions and what he wants.

He squeezes your hand tightly. “I do want this. With you. I think it’s possible with you.”

”Must you always be so uncertain?” You tease, referring to the way he says ‘I think ’ rather than ‘I know ’.

”I want to. And I know.” He pulls your hands from the water, watching the way your skin reflects before lightly kissing your knuckles. “Because it’s you.”

”Kusuo…” you trail off, tears welling in your eyes. No one has displayed such genuine emotion for you in the past, even if he has his own way of showing it.

His heart beats an abnormal rhythm, one that dances with your own. One that makes the percussion melody of your song, beating to the feeling instead of the tempo. When the sixteenth notes and eighth notes finally line up, the air gives way for his speech again. “I love you.” The chorus plays through the medium of your tears, your sobs you smile through watching him seem happy. The joy that you bring him is more authentic than a child’s laughter, more precious than alexandrite. So when he kisses you, letting you murmur “I love you too” through the needy touches, you can’t help but feel ecstatic.

It doesn’t matter how you end up in your bed with him, dry and naked. What matters is how you have sex for the second time ever, but not because of hormonal teenage lust. Because this is the man you have yearned for, who your heart has waited for. It isn’t just sex, but the act of love making. Passionate and raw. Warm and sweaty, where every piece of you is connected. Hands, lips, chests, genitals, you are all over each other. Tied together with a thin red string, stronger than the force of a volcanic extinction.

“I love you.”

~

You wake up on your hotel room mattress, wearing your pajamas. Sunlight creeps through the sheer white curtains, coloring the room an enthusiastic yellow. Breakfast is in an hour. You tiptoe over your friends, making it to the bathroom with a sigh. The hot water from your shower soothes you. giving you the chance to ruminate. Scrubbing shampoo in, massaging your temples, leaning your head back enough to wash it clean. There is no anxiety, no unsettling doubt, just contentment.

The feeling is pregnant, lasting while you sit beside Saiki at breakfast. You don’t say anything, exchanging only food. A hashbrown placed on your plate, a strawberry on his. Back and forth. All while you sit across from Teruhashi, who twitches. It is slight, but everytime you look through your peripherals, you see her eyelid shudder unsynchronized with the rest of her placid face.

”Are you alright?” You ask. “You’ve barely eaten! Here, have some of mine.” You pick your plate up, sliding some of your food onto hers. She takes a moment to perk her ahead up, thanking you.

Saiki shoves his face with another mouthful of food, pausing to glance between you and Teruhashi. His cheeks are filled like a hamster’s, chopsticks stagnant on his lips. He squints for a moment before looking down and chewing like there was nothing. No hesitation or thought that occured in that moment.

What are you thinking? You think, hoping for him to respond.

Her jealousy is unlike anything she has portrayed in the past. He looks at you, swallowing, and then back down at his food to take yet another enormous bite.

You are perplexed. Her intuition must be strong, but seeing as Saiki has made little to no change in his attitude, she must be driving herself mad. And she is. Every little gesture drives her nearer to insanity.

”Booze!” Nendou screams, holding up a handle of Tito’s after a long day at the pineapple farm. It was revisited by request.

Chiyo sighs, giggling a little before unzipping a separate backpack to reveal several shooters. The group sits in girl (Teruhashi’s group‘s) room. Just like that Friday night all those weeks ago, you sit in a circle. Saiki, You, Aiura, Chiyo, Kaidou, Aren, Nendou, and… Teruhashi. All on the rug. It’s like deja vu when Nendou chugs a beer, setting the empty bottle in the center of the circle and suggesting Never Have I Ever.

This time, you volunteer as first. “Never have I ever fallen face flat in front of my crush, claiming the spot to be slippery, only for him to check and there be absolutely nothing in the spot where I slipped.”

”You know I did that though!” Chiyo scream whines, mumbling bitch before taking one of the shooters. She gags, wheezing through the burn. People laugh at her while Teruhashi gasps.

”That—that was in front of me.” Kaidou points at himself, a miserable expression set across his terrified face.

Chiyo covers her face in embarrassment, groaning. You lean forward and spin the bottle, progressing the game so the topic is forgotten. It lands on Aiura. “Never have I ever claimed to be home alone, even though there was a boy in my bedroom.”

There are a few exclamations while you glare at Aiura. She smirks at you, waiting for you to finally take a drink. “Wow, we’re playing dirty tonight.” Aren laughs, enjoying the messiness of it all.

”Wait what ?” Chiyo leans over, grabbing your knees. “When was this?!”

You shove her back, groaning. “That’s a truth or dare question. Later.”

Aiura spins the bottle, it lands on Teruhashi. “Never have I ever…” she taps her lip, humming as if thinking. Everyone somehow pays slightly more attention to her. “Never have I ever given head in a classroom.”

The room goes dead silent. Not a movement, not a gasp, just silence. A mix of curiosity of who and a mix of surprise that such a vulgar sentence came from Teruhashi. The silence breaks only for you when you hear Saiki’s voice in your head. Drink. He says.

You try not to move. What?

Do it. Drink.

So you do. You take a large gulp, making sure it is seen by all. Teruhashi glares at you with an indescribable look. You say nothing, shrugging. Teruhashi spins the bottle. Saiki.

He sighs, looking as neutral as ever despite a commotion he is partially responsible for. ‘Never have I ever purposefully tried to sabotage a girl who did nothing wrong only because I was jealous she had something I couldn’t.’ The shock continues. Teruhashi doesn’t move.

”Drink, Teruhashi.” You make no eye contact with her, but it is clear you are attempting to command her.

”Excuse me?”

”I said fucking drink. You might be greedy, are you a liar too? Take. A. Sip.”

The tension crackles, electricity trickling within each and every one of you. Sure, maybe pregaming a drinking game wasn’t so smart, but at least now you are saying what you are thinking.

”I know you might have the right to act perfect, but that doesn’t mean you are. No one is judging you for being that way.”

”Then why are you targeting me like this?” She starts to pout, the beginning of her victim act.

”Why are you trying to steal my boyfriend?” You rebuke, words spitting like venom.

”Okay, what the fuck. You guys need to stop and—boyfriend? What is all of this going on?” Chiyo crawls over, sitting between the two of you. “This is unlike you, both of you.” Her head whips side to side.

”No!” You jolt to your feet, stumbling. There is concern in Saiki’s eyes, but he doesn’t move yet. “I finally have something, the one thing I am capable of keeping,” you slur, pointing at Teruhashi accusingly as she rises to her feet. You have to hold onto the side of the counter to stable yourself. “And you try to fucking take that from me.”

Everyone else begins to stand. “You’re drunk,” Aren addresses you. “C’mon, forget it. I’ll take you back to your room.” He offers, but you push him back. Now Saiki shoots up. He stands in front of you, grabbing your wrist.

’Enough. You’re going to bed.’ He starts to pull you, but you yank your arm back. You know all too well he would never use strength larger than the average human’s capability on you.

”No!” You swing backwards. He tries to advance towards you, but you only take another step back, tripping over a kink in the carpet. You stumble again, gravity pulling you to the floor. Your head hits the marble counter before reaching the carpet. 

Thunk, thunk, black.