Karamatsu - Learn

Karamatsu - Learn

𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭!𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘟 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

Karamatsu was sweating bullets as he fidgeted in his seat. He could feel a burning gaze directed to the back of his head, and he wanted the Earth to open up and swallow him whole, right there and then.

Fidgeting with the wrapper of his snack bar, lower lip caught between his teeth, he couldn't help but to continue glancing to his left, just able to see the tip of a black boot resting on a stair behind him.

Muddled words and sentences flew through his mind, all immediately being brushed away with a deep sigh. His blemished cheeks tinted pink, he wet his lip, prepared to speak.

"I ain't doing anything, y'know."

Tensing up, Karamatsu slowly, shakily, turned his head over his shoulder, brown strands flopping over his warm forehead. There you sat, narrowed eyes boring into his hunched figure.

"...huh?" Karamatsu squeaked, flinching as you sighed. Leaning forward, you rested an elbow on your bare leg, catching Karamatsu's attention as his gaze flickered to your hiked skirt, blushing furiously.

"I said," you drawled, "I ain't doing anything. I don't get why you're shakin' so much." You rolled your eyes, huffing as you stood up. Reaching into your cardigan pocket, you pulled out a pencil and placed it between your teeth, clamping down onto the wood.

You eyed the boy with a glare, annoyance bubbling up inside of you.

"Unless you want me to kick your ass, I suggest you stop lookin' at me like a wuss." With a final grimace, you stomped back down the staircase, making sure to throw one last glare towards him as you disappeared behind the school's walls.

Karamatsu sat in silence, a white-knuckled grip on the empty wrappers held in his sweaty palms. His reddened cheeks were puffed up with air as he hit hard in his lip.

'Sh-She was... so cool!!!'

His mind and insides were on fire, both from an absurd amount of happiness and the lack of air. He was so in love. So helplessly in love. Even though he had only spoken to you once.

»»-----　♔　-----««

"H-Hey! Give that back!" Karamatsu begged, reaching out to grab his bag that was held above his head. Taunting laughter was the only response he received, making him frown angrily.

"Toss it over here!" Someone else called, catching the grey bag as it was thrown through the air. Karamatsu ran back and forth between the teasing bodies, puffing as he attempted to jump up and grab his belongings before it landed in someone else's dirty hands.

His body collided into another, stumbling as pairs of arms waves wildly to regain balance.

"The hell you think you're doing?" An angered voice sounded from above him, not seeing who then pushed him harshly to the ground, the concrete rubbing against him roughly and scratching his skin.

"You're a freak, don't you get it? We're just teaching you your place."

Multiple shadows wafted overhead, leaning closer towards him to grab at his school uniform.

"Then I'll teach you yours, too."

In an instant, the hold on Karamatsu was released as they were knocked to the ground with a yelp. Karamatsu hesitantly raised his head off of the ground, peering from behind the few legs to see you, standing fiercely with a metal pipe resting on your shoulder.

"What's a girl like you gonna do? You're just as weak as him!" A boy cackled, only for it to be quickly replaced with a cry of pain as the sound of hollow metal rang through the courtyard.

Karamatsu watched with wide eyes and a slacked jaw as you continued to punch, kick and hit away at anyone standing in your way, never once backing down as fists collided with your cheeks and stomach.

Once you were sure the last figure had disappeared far down the street away from you, you turned to Karamatsu, who hadn't moved an inch, only allowing his eyes to follow yours as you knelt in front of him.

"Why are you still on the fucking floor? You plannin' to stay here?" You scoffed, raising a brow. Snapping out of it, the boy scrambled to sit up before you, posture stiff as he desperately tried to maintain eye contact.

You watched with slight amusement as he opened and closed his mouth multiple times, small squeaks and broken letters leaving his throat.

"..You're still afraid." It was more a statement than a question. With a resigned sigh, you stood from your spot, dragging your metal pipe behind you.

"You're welcome." You turned on your heel, returning to your 'intimidating' posture as you began to leave the school grounds.

"No! Wait!" Karamatsu's voice echoed around the both of you, his hand outstretched to you as if he could catch you from where he sat. He quickly stood up and stood in front of your stilled figure, taking a deep breath.

"I-I'm not afraid of you!" He began, clutching his uniform to stop his fingers from trembling.

"I'm not afraid! It's the opposite, actually..." his brows turned upwards as he glanced away from your confused eyes. "I... I really admire you, [Y/N]."

"...huh?" You squeaked. How the tables have turned.

"I have for a while, now. You're just.. so cool! And confident! Strong, amazing, b-beautiful!" He exclaimed with a bright grin, which slowly faded into a small smile.

"You're everything I'm not. But you inspire. I want to be more like you. I want to... spend more time with you." His eyes suddenly widened as his entire body burnt crimson.

"I-I-I mean!! As in, t-to learn from you! To be cool and stuff! That must've come out really weird, I'm so sorry-" his arms waved around as he went from fidgeting his fingers to rubbing the back of his neck, babbling excuses and nonsense.

Your own face and body felt like it was on fire, too. Just as much as Karamatsu's. Your mind was running hundreds of thoughts at once, as well as a never ending screech of excitement.

You? Cool and amazing? And beautiful? Was this guy even talking to the right [Y/N]? You were far from it! Didn't he know it was just an act? Something you decided to put up as a front to give yourself the confidence boost that no one else wanted to give you?

Of course he wouldn't know, how would he know? He doesn't really know you. No one does.

'But he wants to know you. He's willing to know.'

"Fine."

All noise seemed to stop in that small moment. Karamatsu's brown orbs stuck to your body, seeing that you had turned away from him entirely. Your shoulders were extremely tense, posture no longer slouched but straight.

"You definitely need all the help you can get, anyway, seeing as you were pushed around so easily by those wimps."

You were already walking away from him, never once turning to look at him. You missed the elated look that immediately crossed Karamatsu's face, his flushed cheeks and trembling smile as his eyes shined like he was the happiest person alive.

Which he was.

"You mean it?! For real?!" He ran towards you, following like a lost puppy looking for genuine answers.

"Don't make me repeat myself," was all you replied, allowing him to follow you down your path home.

Finally stopping at a crossroads where the two of you would part, you turned to him.

"Did you mean it?" You asked, catching the boy by surprise.

"Um, mean what?"

"What you said. About wanting to spend time with me. Did you mean it?"

Karamatsu heard it then. A slight notion of vulnerability. A small tone of worry. A slight hint of fear.

You were like him, in a way. His heart sped up a little more.

"Of course I did. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

The warm smile he sent your way was the last thing you saw of him that day, as you hastily said your goodbyes and walked away home.

Maybe there was something you could learn from him, too.

Ichimatsu - A Winter Carnival

𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳!𝘐𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

DISCLAIMER: Our reader is not in a relationship, she is just the child of Ichimatsu. There is no romantic relationship between these characters and others.

"Papa!" you called from the front door, your small hands struggling to pull on your shoes. Footsteps sounded behind you, and you heard a soft chuckle.

"Papa, my shoes won't get on!" you cried, cheeks puffed as you pouted. You felt his large hands lift you up from the floor, standing you upright and taking your shoes from you, kneeling down.

"You've got them on the wrong feet, kitten," Ichimatsu laughed, guiding your tiny feet into your boots. You pouted, muttering about how shoes didn't make sense. After securing your shoes, he adjusted your coat and scarf, making sure you were nice and snug in your warm clothing before heading out into the winter air.

The front door slid open, a similar looking face peeking through the doorway.

"Are you guys ready yet?" Karamatsu called, smiling softly down at his niece. A bright smile broke out onto your face at the sight of him, quickly running over into his arms.

"Karama-chan!" You squealed as he lifted you up, resting you onto his hip. Ichimatsu frowned slightly at the attention you had given his shitty brother instead of him, but refrained from saying anything.

"Yeah, we're coming.." he grunted, standing up and following his brother out the door. His other siblings stood in a small group, attempting to warm themselves against the chilly air. Spotting you both, they all broke out into smiles.

"Little [Y/N]!" Todomatsu cooed, taking multiple pictures of you. Osomatsu came over and patted your head with a grin.

"Are you ready for the best time with your favourite uncle?" He teased, earning a jab in the ribs from Choromatsu. Jyushimatsu took you from Karamatsu's arms and places you onto his broad shoulders, securely holding your small frame in place before lightly jogging around, his contagious laughter filling the air.

Ichimatsu watched on with a small smile before shuffling along with his brothers, muttering to Jyushimatsu to "be careful."

With the extra height you were given, you could make out the faint lights of the carnival a few roads down, eagerly exclaiming to the sextuplets about it.

"That time of the year already, huh?" Osomatsu mused, walking alongside Ichimatsu and Karamatsu, whilst the other three stayed close to you. "The winter carnival is back again."

"Time has flown fast indeed, burazza," Karamatsu agreed. "It seems that [Y/N] is also growing up quite fast. As expected of Ichimatsu's fatherhood!" He pointed with a flourish to his brother, who only rolled his eyes.

"We all know I have no idea what I'm doing," he watched you carefully. "It's all thanks to mom. She's better at this than any of us could be, seeing as she raised six of us."

"Man!" Osomatsu cried out. "I still can't believe you've got a kid first! This is totally unfair.. I'm the eldest, dammit!"

The air around then grew slightly chillier, a cold breeze wafting by the small group. Ichimatsu's hands dug deeper into his coat pockets, his head hanging lower. The elder two glanced at each other before sighing.

"...Are you gonna visit again today?" Karamatsu asked cautiously, his hands unsure of wether they should pat his younger brother or keep them to himself. The silence was stifling, even if it was brief.

"...Yeah..." Ichimatsu finally answered. "But afterwards. I don't wanna ruin the mood." Your bright laughter carried over to him. "Maybe I'll leave [Y/N] with you guys while I go..."

"Let's all go together."

Both heads snapped towards Osomatsu, who had his hands casually folded behind his head.

"I mean, why not? It's been a while since the rest of us have been, anyway. Might as well go while we have the chance."

There were only a handful of times when their shitty eldest would speak something sensible, and every time, it would leave whoever had heard him in shock.

Ichimatsu was the first to snap out of it, huffing out a smile as he glanced from you to the full moon above him.

"Do whatever you want."

»»-----　♔　-----««

"Papa! We're here, we're here!" You yelled excitedly over all the chatter, your legs kicking about as Jyushimatsu placed you down on the ground. You quickly ran over to your father, hooking your smaller hand into his larger one.

Soft fairy lights were strung around the carnival area, leaving a dim glow over each stall and pathway. Decorations of snowflakes and angels glittered from above, filling your eyes with fragments of light. Few piles of snow were scattered along the ground from previous snowfall, adding a sort of mystical touch that you loved.

It was already bustling with crowds of people, flitting from stall to stall like moths to a flame, eager to take a look at what had been brought this year, excited murmurs drifting through the air.

"Can we get the candy apples again? Please please please?" You pointed at the stall, the enticing scent of caramel and sweet apples luring you in.

"Only if we share it," he replied, allowing you to tug him over to the stall.

"I want some too!" Jyushimatsu joined in, bouncing alongside you. You giggled as the others also chimed in, seeing your dad's brow twitch.

The candy was placed into your hands, the weight of the apple making the stick wobble in your hands.

"Don't drop it now," Ichimatsu warned. He swiftly placed his hands over your own, guiding the apple into your mouth. You could only take a few small bites though, with most of the caramel smearing onto your lips and cheeks.

"Aww, that was so cute!" Todomatsu squealed, already taking a wipe and gently smoothing it over your face and hands. You squirmed at the sensation, giggles spluttering from your lips at the ticklish feeling. Choromatsu bent down next to you.

"Do you wanna try catching some goldfish?" He gestures to the next stall. "It's really easy. I can teach you!"

You nodded instantly, already running ahead at the mention of the golden fishes. You peered into the tub, awing at the clusters of shimmering fishes glistening in the stall's lamp light, the water enlarging their size.

"Papa, I really want one!" You bit your lip, eyes widening into what they called your 'kitten eyes,' hoping Ichimatsu would give in. It seemed all too easy as the man blocked his eyes after a moment.

"Only if you catch one. Then you can keep it, okay?" He watched as Choromatsu taught you how to guide the fish gently into the net, muttering soft words of encouragement after you failed the first few times. Eventually, though, you were able to successfully catch one, shouting happily as your fish was placed into its water filled bag.

"Well done, [Y/N]!" Choromatsu patted your head as a reward, allowing you to run over to your father and jump into his arms.

"Did you see me, Papa?!" Your arms waves around in exaggeration as you explained in oh-so-much detail how you caught the goldfish. Ichimatsu placed a chaste kiss on your forehead.

"I saw. I'm really proud of you, kitten."

His heart warmed at the sight of your joy, knowing that his daughter was as happy as she could be. The others watched from the side, identical smiles on their faces as they watched their brother be the father he truly could be.

You all spent a good few hours at the festival. Whether it was enjoying the tasty delicacies and sweets from almost every stall — thanks to Osomatsu and Jyushimatsu's cravings — or when you had all bought your own masks delicately painted to look like youkai from urban Japanese legends, you all had fun all the same.

However, being the young child you were, you didn't have the energy to keep going for much longer. You rubbed your eyes as you yawned heavily, clutching onto Ichimatsu's clothing as you started to sway a little. Noticing this, Ichimatsu knelt down in front of you.

"Tired?" He asked, moving your hands away. You shook your head, adamant on staying awake.

"I wanna stay longer! I wanna play more..." you yawned, "...more games with you and everyone!"

"I think we should head back home, [Y/N]." Ichimatsu was not deterred by your pouting, although he felt a jolt of pain as your eyes started welling up with tears.

"But I don't wanna..!"

"Is your Papa being mean again?" Osomatsu wandered over, picking you up and holding you. "Seriously, Ichimatsu. Stop making the kid cry!" There was teasing glint in his eye as he made sure your head was buried into his shoudker before winking at his brother.

"C'mon, little [Y/N], cheer up! Osoma-chan is here to rescue you!"

Ichimatsu sighed, walking away from the group for a moment to slip to another stall. He eyed the large displays of flowers and bouquets, before settling onto a tall bunch of purple hyacinths and soft pink camelias, all fully bloomed and vibrant.

"Can I help you, sir?" The florist beamed. Ichimatsu pointed towards the flowers he had seen, watching idly as the woman picked them up and began wrapping them in a nice bouquet, complete with a purple bow.

"Have a nice evening!" She had called out as he made his way back, surprised to see that Choromatsu was holding his sleeping daughter against his chest.

"Ah, you're back, burazza!" Karamatsu oatyed his shoulder. He eyed the flowers for a moment before grinning softly. "It seems [Y/N] has fallen asleep whilst you were gone. Perhaps we should hurry to our next destination?"

Ichimatsu only nodded, his grip on the flowers tightening slightly as he began leading the group down a different path home. Only, they weren't heading home.

The journey was mostly silent, with each brother either making quiet conversation with one another, or simply admiring the night sky. Your sleeping form was passed between the six, each one carefully cradling you until someone else offered to hold you, eventually settling into Ichimatsu's free arm. You grumbled, burying your face deeper into the crook of his neck.

A stone arch came into view, a set of iron gates still open. Ichimatsu held no hesitation as he walked through, his brothers falling silent behind him. A small cat scurried over to him, winding itself gently around his legs before trotting ahead, glancing back as it waited for the group to catch up.

They passed rows of tall gravestones, intricately decorated with Japanese writings and fresh flowers, before stopping at a certain one. The cat had laid itself down beside it, curling up comfortably after nudging it's head lovingly over the stone.

A familiar name was engraved onto the stone; a name that the Matsuno family would never forget. A flash of memory ran through Ichimatsu's mind as he took a deep breath. It never got easier, not matter how many times he came by.

He placed the bunch of flowers onto the flat platform before kneeling down, making sure you were comfortable before speaking softly.

"It's me again... And I've brought [Y/N], too."

A breeze swept by. He swore it was warmer than before.

"My shitty brothers tagged along, too. Sorry about them."

"Hey!" A few exclaimed, although there was no anger behind it.

Ichimatsu continued his conversation in silence, all his thoughts, happy or worrying, coming to the forefront of his mind. He snapped out of it briefly when he felt you shuffle in his arms.

You raised your head, drowsily rubbing your eyes again as you glanced around, your shimmering gaze finally settling on the grave in front of you. A tired smile broke out onto your lips.

"Mama..." you mumbled. Your eyes still felt heavy as you reached out, fingers barely brushing over the stone. "I love you, mama..."

You fell back to sleep, leaving the others in silence once more. They all gazed at you with adoration, exchanging smiled with one another as Ichimatsu stood up.

He muttered something under his breath before turning, his head low as he made his way back to the entrance, his grip on you a little tighter than before.

He had lost his wife too soon. But, he had been left with you, the most precious gift he could ever ask for. At least you had her eyes, he had always thought, big and bright, full of wonder. He couldn't lose you, too. He would care for you with all the love he had in him.

The warm breeze swept by again, rustling through your hair and wafting over Ichimatsu's face. It carried a whisper of a voice that made him pause.

'I love you, too.'

Ichimatsu - Patch You Up With Kisses

A few soft knocks on your front door alerted you from the living room. You stood up with a stretch, ignoring the slight dizzying head-rush as you made your way over.

You smiled immediately at the sight of your boyfriend, who stood with one hand in his pocket and the other over the side of his neck. You tugged him inside, greeting him with a gentle kiss.

"This is a nice surprise," you started, leading him inside to settle on the couch. "Planning to stay over again?"

"Why not.." Ichimatsu mumbled, leaning heavily into the cushions behind him. His hand still hadn't left his neck, making you curious.

Carefully, you began crawling over onto his lap, surprising him as you pressed your knees into his hips and wrapped your arms around his neck. You leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He hummed, pressing back into you, his own hands coming to rest on your waist.

You smirked into the kiss as he took the bait, slowly trailing your lips down to his neck before moving away. You gripped his chin, making sure he wouldn't be able to move back as you examined his skin.

He had been trying to cover a patch of small scratches, each mark leaving his skin red and burning. However, it didn't appear to have broken the skin.

"Did a stray cat do this?" You asked, brushing a finger gingerly around the wound. Ichimatsu flinched at the touch, nodding.

"It was a kitten. I think I scared it on accident, but it's fine," he tried to remove his head from your grasp. "It doesn't hurt or anything. Trash like me probably deserved it."

You raised a brow down at him.

"Again with the 'trash-talk?'" You sighed, placing another chaste kiss to his lips. "Just for that, I'm gonna have to treat this. Stay here." You left the red faced Matsuno on your couch as you got up and headed into the kitchen, rummaging through your cupboards until you found your small first aid kit.

Upon returning, you smirked at his cherry-red face, his eyes staring hard at the floor with his knees tucked to his chest. You refrained from teasing him any further, knowing he would most likely end up running away like the stray cat he appeared to be. You seated yourself beside him, gently cupping his warm cheek and turning him to you. His lip was trembling slightly as your brushed your thumb lightly over the skin.

You began busying yourself with disinfecting the scratches and placing a band-aid over it, covering the red markings. All the while, Ichimatsu stayed silent, wincing slightly at the pain but keeping his eyes focused on you this time, tracing over the curve of your brow, your bright eyes, your enticing lips, the plumpness of your cheeks. His fingers trembled, aching to hold you, yet he kept them clutched against his hoodie.

Once you were done, you smiled, satisfied.

"All done! See, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Ichimatsu said nothing, seemingly in a trance as he continued to gaze at you. You raised a brow, then rested your hands over his, making him jerk in surprise. "Good boys deserve a reward though, don't you think?"

You leaned closer, your lips barely brushing over his own, and paused. Half-lidded eyes glanced towards his, waiting for him to make a move. "Take it," you whispered. You both sighed in relief as he quickly pressed against you, lips fitting together oh-so perfectly. He slowly moved against you, taking his time to savour the moment.  His hands finally pressed against your sides, grasping desperately at your clothing to try and hold you close to him.

You brought a hand up to his hair, scratching soft, small circles onto his scalp, just the way you knew he liked it. He broke away with a whine, resting his head into the crook of your neck, shaking all over. His flustered reaction made you giggle as you eased back into the sofa, allowing him to use you as a cushion. He hugged you tightly, not planning on moving anytime soon, but you didn't mind. You held him just as tight, pressing small kisses on his crown.

Karamatsu - Cold!

Summer so far wasn't too hot in Akatsuka. Although, that may have been because you had your AC on for most of the day.

At some point, your beloved boyfriend Karamatsu had come to your apartment, requesting to 'spend the rest of his day by your side to cease your loneliness!'  As he put it. Knowing that deep down he just wanted to use some AC without fighting with his brothers over it, you allowed him in with a smile anyway.

He was too cute to say no too. He was your weakness.

During the afternoon, you wanted something cold to snack on. Rummaging through your freezer, you were glad to find a nicely sealed tub of ice-cream, just begging to be eaten. Grabbing a couple of bowls and spoons, you scooped up generous amounts before handing one to Karamatsu, who thanked you graciously.

Moments of comfortable silence passed, with only the few sounds of spoons clanking against bowls and the AC humming throughout the room.

You began to daydream, and those dreams went straight to Karamatsu sitting beside you on the couch. Your gaze landed on his relaxed figure, taking in his black tank top and blue shorts, his signature sunglasses resting on top of his head. His features were relaxed, and his lips slightly red from the cold delicacy.

Suddenly, you had an idea. You hadn't gotten any kisses from him yet today. Now was the perfect chance!

"Hey, Karamatsu?" You called his name gently, and he was facing you in an instant, his usual cat-like grin on his face.

"What is it, my flower? Whatever you need, I will go to the ends of the Earth to get it for you!" He posed dramatically, flipping his hair so that sparkles appeared around him (how he did that, you will never know).

Giggling at his cuteness, you replied:

"My mouth's cold."

Karamatsu looked at you with an unreadable expression for a moment, before a smirk settled across his lips.

"Want me to warm it up for you?" He spoke in a low tone, his voice filling your ears pleasantly. Your cheeks flushed as you stared into his eyes.

"Y-Yes-"

"Here!" Karamatsu leapt up out of his seat and twirled rapidly before getting down on one knee in front of you, holding out a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

You froze. This... This isn't what you had in mind. You weren't expecting this outcome at all. You felt like you were dying on the inside, having your hopes crushed.

Karamatsu peered at you with wide, cat eyes, cheeks tinted pink as his grin shrunk to a shy smile. He was getting nervous!

"This is what you meant, right?" Oh no his voice was getting higher you had to do something-!

"S-Sure, yup, definitely!" You quickly reassured him, taking the cup from his hand to set it aside and pulling him back onto the sofa. You nuzzled into his chest, wrapping your arms tightly around his waist.

"Thank you, Karamatsu! You're a life saver!"

You felt him breath out a sigh of relief.

"H-Heh! Of course, my Karamatsu girl! I will gladly be your knight in shining armour, coming to your rescue with whatever you desire if it means you live another day!"

As he rambled on, you couldn't help but smile up at him. It wasn't what you expected, but you'd take it if it was coming from him.

He was too cute to say no to. He was your weakness, after all.

Karamatsu - Lycoris Radiata

𝘠𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘪!𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘟 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

Dim. Yet warm. You figured that's how a forest would be during the summer.

With that thought in mind, however, it didn't help you whatsoever with finding the path you were supposed to be walking along. Of course you would lose track of where you were meant to be walking; wandering minds and feet aren't exactly a good pair.

Glancing upward through the mess of tree branches and leaves, you could just about make out the glimmer of stars above you. Looks like you missed dinner. Again. Was it really so hard for you to go for a relaxing walk in the woodlands?

Sighing, you rubbed your upper thighs. Sore. The blood pumping through them felt weird against the fabric of your trousers, thumping uncomfortably against your fingers. Tingling. Just... weird.

Tree trunks stood by attentively, waiting patiently for your tired figure to curl up against its' bark. And you did just that, groaning as you stretched out your arms and legs. Your arms fell with a thud to your sides, fingers absentmindedly caressing the cool grass beneath you.

...Now what? Were you just going to sit there for the rest of the night? A ridiculous idea, surely. However, it was the only thing you could do. It's not like you knew if anyone was nearby to help you get home and, even then, you didn't think you could just trust anyone you would meet in the middle of the woods at night.

Another sigh. You're good at those, aren't you? You tried to take a look at your surroundings, only to see the dark figures of trees and bushes (at least, you hoped they were bushes). Dark blues and greens, hues of black, absences of colour.

A flash of red. A stark contrast to the deep colours around you. A beautiful flower, you saw. Its' crimson petals clustered together in the centre, with numerous similar coloured stems curling upwards, swaying and dancing with the wind.

"A Spider Lily, huh?" you muttered. You reached out and grazed the tips of your finger against it, a small smile tugging at your lips. "You shouldn't bloom here, all alone like this..."

Your mind briefly wandered back to a conversation you had had with a friend at some point throughout the week. Being the flower enthusiast she was, you always allowed yourself to become subject to her seemingly endless rants about flowers, plants, herbs - anything that she had knowledge about. You remembered what she had said about these richly coloured beauties.

'If you see someone that you may never meet again, these flowers will bloom along the path.'

It sounded like a beautiful but tragic piece of poetry. You began to wonder where the myth had even come from. When was it first spoken? Was it based on true events? Was it really such a bad thing, not meeting someone again?

You knew, from experience, that letting people leave your everyday life was actually beneficial for yourself. Although it took you a number of years to realise it, you found that the kinds of people you attracted were a lot worse than they appeared to be. Deep down, they were monsters. Horrible people, who have the audacity to call themselves human.

Of course it was painful, but only at first. Now, it didn't bother you much anymore. Your soul felt lighter, if anything, indicating that you were getting better, not worse.

Releasing the flower from your ghost of a grasp, you leaned your head back, closing your eyes. That was enough for today. It was time to rest for a while. Breathing in, and out, slowly, ever so slowly, a feeling of slumber crept its way into your body.

Relaxing your tense muscles, you released a long, heavy breath. Sleep.

"It's dangerous to sleep out here, my dove."

"WHA-!!"

An unholy shriek escaped from your throat suddenly, and you pushed your body away from the tree you were leaning against, crawling rapidly across the ground. Whipping your body around, your wide eyes landed on the lantern that outlined the shadowy figure, who stood just behind where you were previously sitting.

"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, angel!"

The deep, husky voice that whispered into your ear became slightly higher pitched and frantic. You saw the figure step forward, causing you to flinch.

"Ah, do not worry, princess. I won't harm you..."

"That's what they all say!" you blurted out. A short silence followed before you asked:

"Who.. Who are you?"

The figure stepped forward, raising its' lantern to reveal itself.

It was... a man. Yet he wasn't human. His skin was pale, eyes surrounded by red markings. On top of his brown hair was a pair of glowing blue horns, which seemed to flow like fire. his clothing seemed old fashioned, covering his slightly built figure in dark robes of satin and ribbons. The lantern that he held also emitted the same coloured light as his horns, flickering before you.

"You may call me Karamatsu, my dear," he bowed slightly, a cat-like grin crossing his features. "I am but a humble spirit who spotted a wandering soul, lost and alone in a forest that humans should be cautious with. Perhaps some guidance is in your best interest?"

"I, uhm... You're not.. human?" A deep chuckle sounded, sending a shiver up your spine. It was echoey. As if, even though he was standing right in front of you, he was still so far away.

"I'm afraid not, flower. I am an Aoandon. But do not be afraid, I am not here to hurt you. I would only be a guilty guy if I were to leave such a beautiful woman alone in the woods, where anything could happen."

He reached out a partially gloved hand to your figure, still on the ground.

"Please, allow my light to guide you home."

You were sure that if you could see the words he spoke, they would be surrounded by flowers and sparkles. You never knew a man - or anyone, for that matter - to speak in such an overzealous manner.

However, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It didn't make you feel uncomfortable. Quite the opposite, actually. You guessed that's why you reached up and grasped his unnaturally cold hands, allowing him to pull you upwards in a swift motion. He grinned softly down at you, making you realise just how short you were compared to him.

"May I ask for your name, love? Or would you prefer the names I give you?" he winked. You suppressed the urge to roll your eyes, in fear that he would actually hurt you if you got on the wrong foot. So he was a gentleman and a flirt? What an odd combination.

"[Y/N]..." you decided to not answer his second question. It was probably for the best.

"[Y/N]. A wonderful name! As gorgeous as the stars above! I am certain that they aligned to create a bridge just for us to meet on this special night!" Karamatsu's hands were waving around in wild, extravagant gestures. He looked ridiculous. What a strange character.

"I- .. Sure.."

For most of the journey, you listened to this... spirit, ramble nonsense about the scenery around you, or about your features that he found endearing. There were times where he would deliberately lower his voice into something he thought was sultry and enticing, peering into your eyes with a smouldering stare. You didn't mind the dip in his voice at all, not a single bit. It was just the way that the poor man was clearly trying too hard to make you fall for him.

'He clearly has never been successful with any woman before... How cute!'

You couldn't help yourself. You had just met him, and you already wanted to know more about him. Was that weird? Probably. Maybe it was the touch-starved part of yourself that was talking, longing to be held in someone's arms after being neglected by so many for so long.

"Watch your step here, my dear." His voice snapped you out of your thoughts, peering up at him to see this a pale hand was held out to assist you. You gladly took hold of it, fingers grasping his colder ones. Even as he helped you over a few jagged rocks in your path, you weren't willing to let go just yet. Although his skin was cold, his touch felt inviting and comforting.

You didn't want to let go yet.

And it seemed that Karamatsu was overjoyed by this, his eye glistening with a kind of happiness that you had never seen a human hold before.

"A-Are you afraid, sweetheart? There is nothing to fear, not as long as I am here by your side! However, if you wish to hold me tightly, I will never object you!" The slight tremor of nervousness in his words sounded so endearing to you.

"Good, because I wasn't planning to let go just yet."

You had never seen a human wear such a broad and satisfied smile, either. It was contagious, causing you to smile timidly up at him in return.

Eventually, though, your midnight stroll had to come to an end for the both of you. Karamatsu had led you to the beginning of the trail where, just a little further ways down, was a bus stop for you to get home.

"We have arrived, my angel."

"Ah... right," you mumbled, slight disappointment seeping through your tone. Karamatsu chuckled, his cat-like grin widening slightly.

"What is this? Is my fair maiden unwilling to let me go?"

"Something like that..." you mumbled, keeping your face directed towards the ground as you released your hold from his arm. Karamatsu's cheeks bloomed pink, a shade darker under the moonlight.

"A-Ah! Well," luckily, he was able to snap out of his surprised stupor, "Do not be so sullen, my moonbeam!"

'Moonbeam?'

"I'm sure the stars will align once again to reunite us as we journey through our lives together, and one day... One day, maybe..."

His bold tone suddenly simmered down to a gentle murmur, almost lost to the breeze if you weren't standing so close to him. A gentle smile was on his face now, his eyes glazed over in reminiscence of something akin to a far away daydream.

"I hope, one day, our paths cross again, my love."

His cold fingers caressed your own, lifting them up to press a chaste kiss onto your knuckles. It may have been brief, but the cold touch burned itself into your skin, lasting as he slowly, reluctantly, pulled away.

"Have a safe journey home, angel!" He grinned, saluting quickly before turning away, holding his flickering lantern before him to lead his way back into the forest he called his home.

You had no words left in you. They had all been snatched away by his comforting words and soft touches. His kind eyes, his dazzling smile. His glowing aura that led you through the darkness around you.

Ah, but good things never last long for you. You had to leave before you missed the next bus. You had leave this lonely, broken soul behind. Just like how he had no choice but to leave yours.

Turning away, you caught a glimpse of red from the corner of your eyes.

A trail of red spider lilies. Standing tall and blooming where he once stood a moment ago.

'Please... Meet me here again. One day.'

✧ Karamatsu - Ravenous

𝘔𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢!𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘶 𝘟 𝘚𝘩𝘺!𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

There were days when you asked yourself:

'Why don't I just quit?'

It seemed like the most logical thing to do. Being unappreciated by your coworkers and looked down upon by those higher-up was really starting to take its toll on you.

Had you done something wrong? Did you say something stupid? Had you made a mistake somewhere? Did it have something to do with how quiet you were?

The constant paranoia weighed down on you daily, getting to the point where you could barely trust yourself to do anything at work.

You didn't want to go in. You didn't want to deal with any of it. However, you had no choice. You needed the money desperately. Maybe if you had lived in a city where fear didn't rule over everyone, you could have had a better chance at living.

A city of new beginnings, the place of dreams where everyone hits the jackpot in achieving their goals. The same city you had thought would be the perfect place to start over; Akatsuka District.

Was run by the Yakuza.

You stood at the meeting table, hands clutching wads of documents waiting to be given to the most stuck up person in the room- Atsushi. From the moment you met him, you knew he was trouble. That proved to be true, as he constantly placed blame on you for any mishaps in the office, even going as far as go trip you up when you walked by. He was childish and idiotic. How he got such a respectable job was beyond you.

"Well, well, well," the man chuckled snidely. "You've finally finished the job. If you had done it any slower, I would have just done it myself."

"Why don't you just do it yourself in the first place?" You snapped, slapping the papers down on the desk. You had worked late hours into the night, sacrificing many hours of sleep just to get this done. You didn't have to. You didn't want to. But you did. And he still had the audacity to treat you like dirt under his shoe?

Atsushi glared up at you from his seat. "Watch your tongue. Don't you remember who you're talking to?" He slowly stood up from his seat, standing tall over you intimidatingly. You took a small step back, only for him to come closer to you and backing you into the wall, almost pushing his chest against yours.

He placed his hand beside your hand heavily, making you flinch. "Know your place, sweetcheeks. Or else someone's gonna have to teach you the hard way..."

You tensed as he placed a clammy hand onto your waist, feeling around the fabric of your work shirt before creeping his way towards your back. Your eyes widened and you pushed him away swiftly, watching as he staggered backwards in surprise.

Something inside you had snapped.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" You murmured, every word full of seething anger. Atsushi paused at your low, menacing tone.

"You think that just because you have a higher position than me means you can walk all over me?" You took a step forward.

"Is there something wrong with that twisted little brain of yours? Because clearly there is!" You took another step forward for each word, finally ending up right in front of him as he attempted to lean away from you as you yelled the last few words in his face.

Atsushi opened his mouth to respond some snarky remark when the door burst open.

"What exactly is going on in here?"

You both froze. You recognised that voice without even looking at who stood in the doorway, and you certainly didn't want to take a peek at what kind of angered expression he was wearing.

Matsuno Karamatsu. The second eldest son of the Matsuno family. The Yakuza family that ran almost the entire city. He was the one in charge of this office building, along with many others in the same area. How did you not know he was coming in today?

"N-N-Nothing, Mr Matsuno!" Atsushi quickly responded, breaking the tense silence. "J-Just a little... misunderstanding, is all-!"

"'Misunderstanding?'" You cut in. The hot glare you wore burned itself into Atsushi's skin, making him fidget.

"You put your filthy hands on me, knowing exactly what you were doing..." you took a step back before screaming: "And you have the AUDACITY to say it was A 'MISUNDERSTANDING?!'"

Your voice silenced the whole office, everyone peeking over the other's shoulders in shock at just who the ruckus was coming from. Karamatsu stood silently by the doorway, a brow raised. Although, he didn't say a word as you continued.

"I have had enough of you and your bullshit, Atsushi!" You jabbed a finger hard onto his chest. "You and the rest of those fuckers out there push me around and think I'm some kind of doormat! You put your entire workload onto me like I'm a servant to you, and YOU get all the credit while I waste so many hours of my life, working away for scummy bastards like you!"

You took a few deep breaths before grabbing at the badge pinned onto your front pocket.

"You know what? I quit." You threw the badge onto the table, not even glancing at it as it clattered across the wood. You instead turned to the Matsuno, staring him straight in the eyes. Something you had never been able to do before.

"The next time you come around to collect money from us, don't expect me to be paying you a single yen. You can kill me on the spot for all I care."

You stalked past him, staring straight ahead at the elevator waiting at the far end of the main office, smashing the buttons to head downwards whilst facing the wall, your back to the people behind you, still silent.

As soon as the doors slid close, the tears began to fall. You wiped at them aggressively, angry at yourself for being so weak. However, the tears wouldn't stop. The minute you stepped out of the building you made a run for it back to your apartment, head down in an attempt to hide your tears.

You were tired. You were angry. You were disgusted. Embarrassed. Extremely upset and distressed. Every negative emotion you could think of was swirling within you, creating an ugly concoction of feelings that overflowed and burst.

Reaching your apartment, you struggled to find the key through blurry eyes to open the door, eventually swinging it open and slamming it shut. You headed straight for your bedroom, allowing the sobs to wrack through you as you collapsed heavily onto your bed, shoving your face into the soft sheets.

You cried and bawled until your eyes grew heavy. The room fell dark, and suddenly, you were met with silence. Slumber washed over you and you gave in, hoping the headache and the pain would fade away too.

»»-----　♔　-----««

You woke with a start. A shiver ran through your body as you rose from your position on your bed, glancing around blearily.

It was dark in your room. You could barely make out the outline of your hands as you pushed yourself over to your bedside table, grabbing at the clock.

10:06 pm

You would have been heading home from work by now...

Shaking your head (only to regret that action immediately), you stood up with a groan. You couldn't allow yourself to continue thinking about that retched place after all that had happened.

You winced at the dryness of your face, rubbing a hand down your cheeks. Deciding it was best to have a shower now, you grabbed a fresh set of underwear and a nightdress that ran down to your knees, easily able to find what you needed in the dark. Although, you made sure to the turn a few lights on as you made your way to the bathroom.

A sigh escaped you as the warm trickles of water cascaded down your body, loosening the tension in your muscles. You massaged your fingers over your scalp as you applied a sweet citrus shampoo, then lathering soap onto your body, the gentle aroma of lavender filling the air around you.

After a while, you stepped out and began to dress back up. It was then you realised you had picked a set of blue and black laced panties and bra. You shrugged, thinking the colour matched your mood. Slipping the simple coloured nightdress over your head, you busied yourself with towel drying your hair as you wandered over to the kitchen, planning on making yourself a late dinner.

Until there was a knock at the door.

You halted in your tracks, staring at the dark wood. Who could be here so late?

The knocking came again, a little harder this time. You jumped, hastily making your way over. Reluctantly, you unlocked the door and opened it slightly, peeking through the gap with wide eyes.

"[Y/N]."

It was Karamatsu. Still in his dark suit and loose blue dress shirt, although he looked quite disheveled. His brown eyed bore into yours for a moment before he spoke again.

"I need to speak with you."

It was a demand that you could not bring yourself to refuse. After embarrassing yourself in front of him more than ever today, the least you could do was offer him an apology. That was most likely what he came here for, wasn't it?

You stepped aside, opening the door enough for him to step inside before closing it shut and locking it back up. You turned to face him, seeing him already staring down at you with an unreadable expression. You averted your gaze, lips trembling.

"I-I..." You gulped. "I'm so... So sorry for today, Matsuno-san. I didn't mean to... t-to yell like that, I just..."

The man took a step forward, and then another, backing you up against the door. You whimpered as he placed a hand beside your head. A sense of deja-vu washed over you, only this time, you were filled with a sense of anticipation rather than fear.

You squeezed your eyes shut, stuttering another apology.

"I-I'm so sorry..!"

"...I don't want your apologies."

His deep voice echoed through your ears. You flinched as your felt a finger run down your cheek, the cold metal of his ring burning against your hotter skin. You hesitantly opened your eyes to meet his half-lidded gaze.

"The one at fault was Atsushi. And rest assured, his presence has been... dealt with."

Your mind raced with every possibility of what exactly that meant, only to be stopped by his words once more.

"The only thing you did wrong was leave," he continued. He moved his head to rest beside yours, muttering into your ear. "You can't leave, sweet [Y/N]. I won't have an excuse to see you anymore if you do."

You gasped softly as he nipped at the sensitive flesh of your ear, chuckling as a shiver ran down your spine.

"W-Wait..!" You whined. "I don't.. I don't understand!"

"What is there not to understand, doll?" Karamatsu replied, pausing his ministrations as he rested his large hands over your thinly clothed hips. You took a few deep breaths, pushing away the burning desire in your mind to think clearly.

"I don't understand how you feel about me..." you whispered. "There are times where you push me away like everybody else, and treat me like I'm not there. But now... N-Now you're here, doing things like this... I don't understand it at all!"

Tears of confusion brimmed the edges of your eyes, with you desperately trying to keep them at bay. Karamatsu stayed silent before sighing, moving away from you to look into your eyes.

"I apologise, dearest. The reason I tried to keep you away is because I feared I would lose control over my desires for you," he smirked as you flushed deeper. "But here... Allow me to show you just how much desire I hold for you and you alone."

He placed a hand on the back of your head and pushed you forward, crashing your lips together with heated passion. You clutched onto the front of his suit as he pulled you closer, moving his lips sensually over your own.

You tried your best to keep up, but when he bit at your bottom lip, tugging on it harshly, your legs began to wobble dangerously. You allowed yourself to be lost in the dizzying heat, letting him take control and push his tongue into your mouth, exploring his newly claimed territory.

A moan slipped from the back of your throat when a hand tugged at your hair, pulling you away as he trailed open mouthed kisses down your jaw to your neck. He nipped at your flesh, carelessly leaving marks behind for later. He grinned as he reached your collarbone, feeling you shudder as he worried the more sensitive skin between his teeth.

Karamatsu moved his hands to the back of your thighs, lifting you up with ease into his arms. You instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist, whining as you were able to feel his hardened length push against your core. He began carrying you down the hallways of your apartment, eventually finding your bedroom and kicking the door open heavily, continuing to mark your neck and shoulders.

He lay you down on your sheets, breaking away from the kiss as he hovered over you. His gaze locked onto your shimmering orbs, swimming with arousal, just like his own. Your red, plump and swollen lips from all the heavy kissing and biting were parted lazily, your chest heaving underneath your dress.

Karamatsu quickly took hold of your clothing and lifted it off of you, leaving you exposed to him. Before you could cover yourself, he took hold of your wrists and pinned them above your head with one hand, using the other to trace over your bra.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were waiting for me, love," he hummed. You turned your head away, unable to speak. You were too nervous. Your hands were shaking as they clutched the fabric of your comforter beneath you. Your thighs were trembling, still clutched around his hips. Your breath was picking up the more he stared at you, burning into your skin.

His calloused fingers gently took hold of your chin, turning you to face him. He leaned close to you, his lips barely grazing over your own.

"Look at me..." he breathed. "Tell me stop, and I will do so."

You paused, biting your lip in deep thought, unknowingly arousing the Yakuza boss further.

You couldn't deny your feelings. You had fallen in love with this man months ago, the harboured emotions piling up the more you saw him. You had wanted him for so long. And now you were there, so close to him, a word away from having him all to yourself, the same way he wanted you, and possibly more.

The question was... could you do it with the little to no experience you had?

The throbbing heat filling your body was saying yes.

"..I really want to... with you," Your voice was as soft as his, "but I... I-I haven't... I've never..."

Karamatsu's strong arms wrapped around your waist, lifting you upwards and shifting you onto his lap. He kissed you chastely, running his hands up and down your back.

"That's even better for me. I can be the first and only one to ruin you wholly," he smirked, suddenly grounding your hips onto his. You moaned loudly, quickly covering your mouth to muffle the sounds. Once more, he took hold of your hands, tutting.

"I want to hear you. Be louder for me."

He continued to connect his hips with yours, pressing his throbbing cock into your wet panties, your moans echoing through his ears. He lay you back down, ignoring your whine from the lack of friction as he focused on your lower region. He ran a finger over the wet spot on your panties before hooking his fingers around the edge of the material, dragging it down your legs and off of your body. He held it up to his nose for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"Your scent is truly intoxicating..." he sighed, licking at the damp spot a few times before dropping it onto the floor, instead hurriedly removing his suit and shirt, also tossing them away.

Your eyes widened at the sight of his bare torso, sculpted and defined muscles rippling with each movement. You reached a hand towards him, feeling down his skin, running over a few rough scars in a few places. Realising what you were doing, you jerked your hand away, only for it to be caught and brought down to the tent formed in his trousers.

"Keep at it, darling."  He guides your fingers to the button of his slacks, watching as you shakily began to undo it and pull down the clothing along with his boxers, revealing his stiff cock. You licked at your dry lips at the sight, taking a deep shuddering breath.

Karamatsu's hand pushed your head downwards, your lips resting on his tip, urging you to take him into your mouth. You did as you were demanded, parting your lips and taking as much of him as you could, feeling him hit the back of your throat not even halfway down.

You slowly bobbed your head up and down on his length, experimentally licking at the underside of his dick, swirling your tongue around his head before taking him in again. He groaned deeply above you, whispering your name over and over again, telling you how good you were being, how beautiful you were, how your pretty little mouth was doing so well.

He was pulsing and twitching in your mouth, getting close to his release. You peered up at him through thick lashes, precum leaking from the corner of your reddened lips, hair wonderfully messy and hands clutching to him like a lifeline, thighs rubbing together for some sort of friction.

The sight was almost enough for him to grab you and shove his cock down your throat, making you taste every bit of his cum. Instead, however, he removed you from him and pushed your back so that you lay flat on your bed once more. He practically ripped off your bra, as well as completely remove the last bit of his clothing before taking hold of your thighs, pushing them wide apart and bending them greatly.

"I want you to make sure this whole city knows who you belong to, sweetheart," he growled hungrily, pressing his thick tip against your soaked entrance. He began inserting himself inside of you, inch by inch until his balls rested against you. You felt so full, your walls clenching around him almost instantly. A deep groan rumbled from Karamatsu's throat at the feeling. He hadn't felt so weak to a woman in so long; holding himself back from coming this early was becoming painful for him.

Your nails dug into his shoulders as you moaned out his name.

"Karamatsu... please..."

At the sound, he captured your lips in a needy kiss as he began to pump in and out of you. His girth rubbed at your insides, each bump of his veins creating wonderful friction for you, sending jolts of pleasure throughout your body. With the delicious angle he had you at, he continued to reach further into you with every thrust, prodding your g-spot and making you moan lewdly into his mouth.

He ploughed into you roughly, picking up the pace as your walls suddenly spasmed around him without warning, climaxing around his length. The soft sounds of your juices coating his shaft filled the room as he continued to pound into you. He paused for a moment, grabbing you and flipping you over, pulling your waist flush against his.

His fingers dug into your skin as he impaled you onto his length over and over again, bringing you to cum once more, your essence spilling out of you and down your inner thighs. You called out for him, spurring him on. He pulled himself out to the tip before slamming back into you one final time, spilling into you and coating your walls with his thick seed.

You both came to a stop, catching your breaths from the vigorous love making. You felt yourself being lifted into his lap once more, your back against his broad chest. His hands came up to fondle with your breasts lightly, making you gasp softly. He began trailing kisses along your shoulders gently, moving up higher before planting a long kiss onto your lips.

"[Y/N]..." he muttered. His eyes were full of something enticingly dangerous, and you felt him buck his hips into you, his length still hard.

"It seems I am still hungry for you."

"...Have as much as you want."

You barely managed to finish your sentence before he clasped his fingers around your neck, resting the back of your head on his shoulder behind you.

You knew now that quitting was a terrible idea. Although, maybe it would be best for you to take a few days off after you had satisfied Karamatsu's ravenous hunger for you.