PICKING HIM UP AT THE AIRPORT: PART TWO

PICKING HIM UP AT THE AIRPORT: PART TWO

pairings: iwaizumi, aran, sakusa, aone, and kageyama

warnings: tooth rotting sweetness and way too much love it is sickening

summary: part two of picking up different boys from the airport

a/n: this will be the last part of the series bc i don't have enough energy or ideas to make a part three so enjoy!! also hope these are good enough and you get sick of love.

ღ IWAIZUMI

Stupid conventions.

Stupid America.

When his job decided to send him on a trip to the States to invest and study the new machines that the team was getting, you weren't expecting him to be gone for a whole week. Even before he left, you were already asking when he was coming back with a pout set on your lips. He just laughed and pressed a loud kiss to your cheek before leaving, announcing that he would be back in a week.

The whole week was dreadful as the time difference prevented many conversations from happening. Plus, seeing his face through the pixelized screen was hard when you wanted it right in front of you. All you wanted to see again was his sparkling brown eyes that poured all the love he could possess and looked at you like you held the world in your hands. It was hardest at night without his beating heart pressed against your ear to soothe you to sleep. To say the least, you missed the grumpy boy who has taken over your life.

He grumbled throughout the week about how boring and annoying America was without you. You had to convince him multiple times to not leave in the middle of the night to fly back no matter how much you wanted him back. Now the week was finally over and the moment had finally come for Iwaizumi to come home.

The airport was buzzing around you as you waited around baggage claim to avoid the crowd surrounding the gate and to hopefully get a semi-private moment with Iwazumi. The announcement of his flight's bags coming in blared through the speakers which only meant that he would be here at any moment. Your eyes watched over the crowd of people coming into baggage claim waiting to see a familiar head of luscious brown hair.

"Miss me?" a low, husky voice whispered into the shell of your ear. Your heart jumped with a shiver running down your spine as you twirled around to see his warm eyes and smile meet yours.

"Iwa!"

Wrapping your arms quickly around him as his chuckle rang through your head sending your thoughts and mind into the clouds. The world around us melted away as he nuzzled his head against yours trying to breathe in your scent again. It smelled like home.

"I've missed you," you whisper to him as his arms tighten around you.

"I've missed you too, love. I'll never go that far away again, especially from you. Worst week of my life."

ღ ARAN

You were usually used to Aran leaving for training when it lasted a week or so but this one had lasted a whole month. This one had no visitors present nor was anyone allowed to come as they wanted the athletes to completely focus on their training with no distractions. This caused long facetime calls to be interrupted by teammates wanting to talk to Aran's partner and see how pretty they were or ask why there were dating Aran.

It finally came time for Aran to come home and be back in the same sheets as yours. He specifically requested that he wanted to see your face as soon as he got off the plane. It made a familiar warmth spread through you as the thought of his words and excitement the night before he flew out as he spoke of how excited he was to be in your arms again.

The gate widen as the plane landed with the team slowly trickling out until Aran came out with a wide smile on his lips. His eyes quickly met yours as he drops the bag hanging from his shoulder, running towards you with his arms wide open. Small tears drop down your cheeks as he wraps his arms around your waist, twirling you around before bringing you back to the ground. He cupped your cheeks and wiped the tears that were falling from your eyes while pressing delicate kisses to each cheek.

"Don't cry, sweetheart. I'm here not, it's okay," he whispers softly, pressing a small kiss to the tips of your nose.

Small crystalline tears bordered his waterline as his eyes poured into yours.

"I can't believe your here," your voice cracks as you wrap your hands around his waist pulling him closer.

"I know, I know. I've been waiting for this moment for 30 days, 12 hours, 59 mins, and 60 seconds."

A laugh slips past both your lips as he presses his forehead against yours.

"You're so cheesy," you whisper into the small space between you as his lips were only a breath from yours.

"Only for you, though," he whispers back before finally pressing lips onto yours, sending your heart and mind up to heaven.

ღ SAKUSA

This was Sakusa's worst nightmare.

First, he was on a plane full of people who didn't understand the concept of covering one's mouth when one sneezed or coughed. Second, Atsumu is blabbering right in his ear about some new game on his phone but all he knew was that he was being louder than his AirPod volume. Lastly, he has been away longer than he expected from you.

He was supposed to be back last week but the coach decided that the team needed more practice games and training. It broke his heart watching the pout set on your lips when he called you about the news of him staying longer than planned. He much rather is anywhere with you than at some annoying volleyball camp. He particularly hated having to miss two Friday Disney movie nights with you and enjoying the calming presence that you bring to his mind and heart.

"Omi, are you even listening to me?" Atsumu's shrill voice asks as Sakusa rolls his eyes again at the dyed blonde.

"No, now leave me alone. I'm trying to think," he firmly states as he watches the ground get closer and closer. Closer to you.

Airports are hot, he decided in the last twenty minutes as he waited in baggage claim for you to arrive as you insisted on picking him up. His nerves were becoming jumbled and getting the better of him as he waited for you to arrive. A light sweat began to form on his brow as his eyes frantically searched for you, your presence, anything that resembled you.

"Kiyoomi! I'm here!"

The airport was buzzing loudly with loud phone calls and blaring speakers, but it didn't matter because all he heard was you. The sweetest voice rang through all the buzz around him. His focus was solely on one person, a person brighter than the sun and whose eyes beat the stars in the sky.

You jump into his arms as he holds you tightly around the skin of your waist. He never wanted to lose the feeling of your skin on his for that long ever again. It was pure torture. He shoved his head into the space between your neck and shoulder, and with his mask slightly pulled down he pressed a light kiss on the rushing pulse point.

"I've missed you so much, " he whispers while pressing you closer to his chest.

"Me too, Omiomi. Never leave me for that long again," you whisper back while running your fingers through his thick curls to the nape of his neck.

"Never again, I promise."

A promise he was set on keeping and never breaking especially for you.

ღ AONE

He hates being on planes.

They are always too crowded and the seats are never big enough for his large frame. Plus, traveling made him miss you even more, and he hated being so far away from you. You were his safe space where he felt like he would never be judged for his quietness or shyness and could confide in you about anything. He is a fairly quiet person who didn't talk much about his feelings but whenever he was with you, he couldn't hold it in. His heart would pound anytime your eyes met with a large smile resting on your lips. It was like nothing could touch the little world between you and him.

He wished he could see that sweet smile now or at least feel his skin against yours to calm the nerves flowing through him. Luckily, the plane was close to touching down which meant being able to be near you again. To feel your skin layer on his with his arms tightly around you and hearing that wave on your heart soothe his inner thoughts. Hearing the skid of the wheels on the ground, made Aone's heart pound harder and harder as his palms began to sweat knowing that he would finally be able to get off his plane and see you.

He knew that you were picking him up but he was still shaking with excitement of seeing your bright smile and eyes bringing butterflies to his stomach. He quickly walked out of the gate and surveys the area to try and find the person who he wanted to see the most. Looking for the familiar, beautiful face in the crowd.

" 'Nobu! Over here!"

His head snaps around to the angel's voice calling out to him. The one he has been craving to hear again in person and not through a crackling speakerphone. They stood with a large smile stretching across their cheeks from ear to ear. In their hands, held a glittery sign with the words, 'WELCOME HOME TAKANOBU!!'.

"Welcome home, baby!"

Yes, he was finally home.

Right in your arms with your heart pounding in his ear making his own heart pound.

His home.

ღ KAGEYAMA

"Ushijima, how could you lose my boyfriend?"

With your hands set on your hips, you stare sternly at the olive-haired man in front of you who had a guilty pout on his lips.

"Well, he is an unnaturally fast walker so I lost him before I even got off the plane," he sheepishly explains.

This was not how it was supposed to go.

Ushijima was meant to lead Kageyama to you that way you could surprise him after not seeing him for the last couple of weeks.

But now that plan was ruined.

"Why don't I call him and tell him to come back?" he asks while pulling out his phone and worry laying on his brow.

I shake my head, " It's okay, Ushijima. I'll just call him and tell him, I'm here. Thank you, Ushi. I'll talk to you later."

You quickly turn around till you trip over your own feet by running into a firm chest behind you.

"I'm so sorry, I didn-," you look up to see two perfectly dark blue eyes staring down at you with cherry lips wrapped around a bendy straw of a milk carton.

His cheeks held a hint of a smirk as your eyes shifted between Kageyama and Ushijima who appeared to be holding in his laughter."

"Did you two plan this?"

"It was my idea, Ushijima had nothing to do with it," Kageyama explains as he wraps his hand around yours. You shake your head and press a light squeeze on his hand.

"Whatever let's just go, my plan was ruined anyways," you pout as you begin pulling Kageyama toward baggage claim to go home.

"Don't worry, love. I'll let you surprise me next time."

"Wow, thanks."

You suddenly feel a light kiss pressed to your cheek and a tighter, longer squeeze on your hand.

"Thank you for coming. I wouldn't want anyone here but you, love. Can't wait to go home with you."

A wave of heat flowed through you as your eyes shyly shifted over to his. His lips lift into a small smile as they spread across his face as he watched you with a shiny twinkle in his eyes.

Even though it didn't go as planned it didn't matter now that he was back in your arms and looking at you with all the love shining through.

"What's the hardest thing about managing EJP?" You snicker. "That's what she said."

"Oh my god!" Komori shout-groans somewhere nearby but out-of-sight.

"What who said?" The reporter looks around, brow furrowed in confusion as if they've missed something.

"No one!" Washio shouts, voice coming from where Komori's has come. "Don't worry about it!"

Stifling a smile the reporter clears their throat and calls blindly "would the two of you like to just join us?"

"Uh...No, thanks!" Komori replies.

Washio adds "we're out-of-reach, here."

"Out of reach from who?" asks the reporter, still frowning.

"Me." Your eyes gleam with your devilish grin. "There's not a single thing about this job that's hard for me. For my team however," you shrug and cross your arms, "it's me. I'm the menace."

"It's true!" Washio confirms.

Komori chortles "though Suna's a close second."

"Speak of the devil," you mutter looking over the reporter's shoulder as Suna saunters into the lobby. "You're late, Rintarō."

"Geez. Good morning to you, manager," Suna replies with a smirk. "Nice to see you're all fired up for today."

"Just get into the locker room before you get burned," you nearly sneer as he slows his pace past you.

"Oo, don't tempt me with a good time," he replies wryly making your eye twitch. "I still owe you a--"

"Stop." You point in the direction of the locker room. "Go."

Suna smirks, about to retort but you snap.

"Or I'll leak your phone number, Suna!" You point angrily. "Go!"

He pouts sourly and stalks away; Komori and Washio stay silent to avoid your wrath.

You turn to the reporter with thinning patience. "You were asking?"

"Well we were talking about your dynamic with the team but that..." They exhale heavily. "Pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?"

"Yupp." You stare them down and they don't doubt your ability to wrangle the team. "Anything else?"

They fiddle with their pen, weighing the risk of their curiosity against your irritation, and then ask anyway. "What does he owe you?"

Your brow rises in surprised delight. After a moment you ask "would you like to experience it firsthand?"

The flash of your devious grin makes them gulp and pull back a little. "Um..."

"It's rather impressive...what Rintarō's body can do," you offer with an unexpected intensity.

They clear their throat and check the time. "I've actually got to get back and write this up. Any last comments for the fans of EJP or your rivals?"

"Yeah." You cross your arms with a wide smile and the reporter shrinks back again. "Bring it."

"I-Is that for the fans or your rivals?"

Your eyes blaze, nearly sending the reporter running for the door when you reply

"both."

When they're gone you head for the gym pleased to hear the team's already setting up the court for practice.

You smile at Suna as he comes out, murmuring just low enough for him to hear "good boy."

He looks away, face blushing. "You're a menace."

"Yeah." You cock an eyebrow at him. "But you like it."

He doesn't say anything but you see a small smile on his face as he joins his teammates.

warning: talk about sexual harassment

Shut up shut up this is making me crazy

Remember how I made a post about all the canon moments that prove Mammon is objectively terrifying and can you imagine how fucking pissed he would have been at this moment.

When his brothers (people who know and care about MC and who back off the second MC asks them to) hits on them Mammon is loud and flustered and very high energy about the whole thing (exclamation marks and fully capitalised words can be found within these sentences)

But that sentence^ sounds cold. And Mammon does shut down and become cool, calm & collected when he's genuinely pissed off and/or serious about something eg:

• When he heard Satan, Asmo & Beel shittalking Lucifer via shittalking Mammon

• When he was trying to teach choreo to his brothers and none of them were taking it seriously

• The time in the manga where he lifted up that student

• After he accused Michael of punishing Simeon in S4 and Simeon told him to leave it

• When Lucifer goes missing during the mobile phone event and Mammon takes charge

to name the most obvious instances

He also didn't use the usual "they're mine/I'm their first man" he does around his brothers. He uses "They're with me" which is Protective rather than Possessive

AND Mammon absolutely cannot pull off a line like that under normal circumstances as seen when he becomes flustered while trying to pull off "princely" lines in his fairytale story Devilgram and when he tries to say "here's to looking at you, kid" in a chat

Which also absolutely goes to show how focused he was on the situation as a whole rather than what MC would think of him, whether they'd think he was cool etc

Also going out in public and trying to do your own thing, only for someone to come into your space and not only hit on you but also touch you is an absolutely terrible feeling within a disgusting situation - and it's something that's a lot harder to deal with on your own than you'd initially imagine. You do find a strength in it when someone backs you up and fires back at them, because it might:

a.) jolt you into action, because something like that happening may sometimes shock you enough for you to freeze up

b.) reassure that tiny terrible voice in the back of your head that no, you're not overreacting - no, this isn't just flattery - it's harassment

c.) prove that you're currently safe enough that you can yell at them/call them out if you wanted to rather than shaking them off as quick as you can, ignoring them & walking fast to the nearest crowded place

bonus points if it's like the fucking Prime Minister of the country or whatever threatening to beat this asshole to a pulp on the street for touching you

bakugou taking you shopping and spoiling you 😫

you sent this months ago, m sorry for getting to you so late but life happens so i hope you understand

pairing: rich bf! bakugou x fm!reader

word count: 628

he will he will !!

doesn't see the point of having so much money if he can't even let his partner have fun with it.

yk those tiktoks of guys taking pics of whatever their partner touches on the shelves while shopping?? yeah he's that bf EXCEPT he put them in the cart immediately instead of taking a pic 😩 you might have to physically put them away yourself if you don't actually want it cause he thinks you're just saying no to save his money and shit. will pout and glare at you the whole time you're emptying the cart from things you actually don't need.

"why the fuck did you take out 14 items from the cart" he huffs while pouting

"'cause i don't need 7 kinds of mascara and 7 different kinds of eyeliner!"

also asks you to make a pinterest board of the style you love recently to help you pick out clothes while shopping. if he will be overseas for some mission and he sees some accessory or some certain type of fabric or dress that you had saved in your board he will buy it on spot. at times you may forget what you had saved in that board but he will 100% remember it just to have a chance to come across something you love and spoil you.

"didn't you save this top on your board"

"huh?? i did?? omg babe you remember!"

"course i fuckin' do baby, gonna tell you if i see something else from there again" HEART EYES FRFR

clings to your waist when you're looking through clothes and whispers what he thinks in your ear.

"hmm think this will go well with the skirt i got earlier, right?"

"yeah, it's so hot baby, you will look so good, always do my pretty baby"

he will catch you holding two things and contemplating which one to get cause you love both of them and he will just come over, grab both of them and put it in your cart. it always leaves you speechless.

never lets you contemplate, if you like two of them you get two of them.

if you like six of them then you get six of them.

"which one do you think look better suki?"

"s' hard to decide for you baby, everything looks good on ya" grabs both of the dresses you'd just tried on that you were holding in your hands and puts them in the cart and looks SOO proud while he walks away with it and you just stand there like 🧍🏻‍♀️😦

looks for chances to take you shopping, he's just so desperate to show you his love in every way. it's the weekend? how about going to the various brand stores and look what's new and perhaps let your big rich bf get it for you? holiday? shopping. festival? shopping. made plans to go out with friends? how about getting a new outfit for that day!

he will also hide the price tags with his hands if you keep looking at them. let's say you love this dress but by the fabric of the dress alone you can tell it costs enough to not have a second thought before dropping it.

"looks so pretty baby, let's get it"

"-but it looks a little too.."

he sighs as he takes the dress from your hands and you both look at the price tag, your eyes almost pop out of their sockets at the big bold $80,000

"i thought you said its expensive" he scoffs as he walks ahead with the dress in his hands and an arm circling around your waist and you're just left looking up at him with your jaw kissing the core of the earth.

rich bf things 😮‍💨

tagging: @iiilovemilfs @katsukis1wife @beanieesbnha

drop your @ to be added in my taglist !

2:17 AM

“do you even know what time it is?!”

SHOYO is standing at your front door. 

his cheeks and nose are red from the cold and he’s covered in snow. there’s even snow stuck in his fluffy hair. his freezing cold hands are shoved deep into the pockets of the black coat he’s wearing— zipped up all the way as he tries to hide his mouth and chin under the collar of his shirt for warmth.

“hi.” he breathes out and you know you’re doomed.

because when he’s staring right back at you with stars in those big brown eyes of his and a sheepish smile on his beautiful face, you realize that it’s incredibly hard to be mad at SHOYO.

“what are you doing here?”

“s’wanted to see you.” he admits bashfully, looking at you through his eyelashes. he knows now, after months of unknowingly doing that—that this move will never fail to win you over.

“hurry up and get inside before i change my mind.” you grumble, moving to the side so he can squeeze past. in an instant, his eyes light up even brighter than before — if that’s even possible — and his smile is so wide that his eyes smile with him.

as you close and lock the door behind him, he’s already shrugging off his coat and hanging it up on the rack that’s hung up on the wall. you think that by the way he’s moving, he must’ve been wanting to come over all day. 

“you woke me up, y’know.” 

“oh, did i?” he asks, pretending to be sly about it. “i thought you’d be awake since you usually stay up so late.” he mutters out the side of his mouth while hastily untying his shoes. (he’s having a hard time because his fingers are numb from the cold)

“ok..well,” you cross your arms over your chest, watching as he places his shoes on the shoe rack. “i’m going back to bed.” 

this is routine. 

he follows behind as you walk into your bedroom. usually when SHOYO comes over to sleep in your bed, he’ll try to make small talk or ask how your day was, what you ate or if you had to deal with anything inconvenient at work. you’ll humor him, telling him every miniscule detail as he strips out of his outside clothes and change into the clothes he’s left behind at your place for this exact reason. 

by the time he’s changed clothes and is settling into the bed, he already has something sweet to whisper in your ear.

“i missed you today.” SHOYO whispers as he wraps his arms around you, cold hands sliding under your shirt and resting on your skin for warmth.

you shriek out his name and complain, but the both of you know how much you enjoy his touch — despite how cold his hands might be. 

and as he plants sweet kisses down your neck and whispers how beautiful you are and how much he loves you, you know deep down that there will never be a time where you will be able to deny him.

The devil is in the details

You try (and fail) to spoil Diavolo on his birthday, as he picks a grocery store of all places to spend a night with you in. Or, the shortest sugar daddy career ever.

tags. gender-neutral mc, crack and fluff, diavolo x mc, mc is whipped, but so is diavolo.

notes. I'M LATE, november went by in a blur, what's up with that. even so, i wanted to finish this one and i'm shameless, so please pretend diavolo's birthday is around the corner while reading.

thanks to @property-of-diavolo for hosting #diamonth2022 sorry for the delay (!!)

As of late, you can't help but feel self-conscious every time you set foot in the Demon Lord's Castle.

You've become suddenly hyperaware of the fact that you're not only stopping by to join sweet, attentive and easygoing Diavolo for a cup of tea but… Well. You're actually hanging out with the ruler of the Devildom.

Naturally, you already knew that. But trying to find the perfect birthday gift for a soon-to-be-kinda-already-king has brought a ―drastic, sometimes suffocating― change of perspective.

What could you offer to someone that seems to have everything and anything he could want? There's no avoiding it: sooner than later, you find yourself noticing details that you've swiftly overlooked before.

The almost translucent centerpiece that sits on the dinner table between you and Dia, the gold-lined curtains that he carelessly shoves away to show you how big the moon looks tonight, the unnaturally-blue mirror that blinks back at you whenever you fix your hair right before entering his office, as giddy as ever to see him.

You're starting to get why Mammon tries to steal something every single time he visits, and that's a dangerous train of thought that you would rather avoid following.

One afternoon, out of curiosity ―you're no cat, but you should've known better―, you ask Barbatos how much is the pen you're currently holding. It's of such a bright red, and it feels cold, heavy in your hand. The deep voice coming from it whispers a trail of suggestions as you write down your grocery shopping list, getting ready for your brief visit to the human world.

Barbatos tilts his head, a bit taken aback by your inquiry but answering anyway, as willing to help as always.

“It has been in the castle for generations and its curse is excessively unique. Originally, it was worth merely thirty millions, but to decipher its current price range, a proper assessment is in need. The only answer I can provide with at the moment is that it's, well, priceless.”

Of course it is. When you laugh, it comes out more like a cry, and one look at Barbatos' politely confused expression has you laughing even louder.

In your rush to put down the pen as fast as possible, your shopping list is long forgotten.

Well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions. That exact list is what has brought you here, in the human world, on the eve of Diavolo's birthday, about to enter a three-story 24 hours grocery store accompanied by Devildom's ruler.

“Dia… Lately I've been picking up a few extra hours in Devil's kitchen, maybe I could take you to the movies for your birthday? An amusement park? We can go to a concert. A spa. Or camping.”

The inhabitants of the house of lamentation have seen you running around like crazy this last month, trying to squeeze some extra hours of work whenever you could, all with one objective in mind: spoil Diavolo on his birthday.

You forgot a tiny little detail though: to ensure that said demon is willing to being spoiled.

“I thought you needed groceries? That list was quite long”, he answers, and watching him push a shopping cart through the dairy aisle is surreal enough to have your mind reeling. He is towering over everyone and everything, wearing the human-grocery-shopping outfit you helped him pick ―black graphic tee (yours, oversized on you but fitted on him) and jeans, with a white beanie and a cozy-looking coat on top―.

“Yeah. I can go out to get groceries any other night, though. And I know you wanted to come here for your birthday, but… Is that really okay? Wouldn't you like to go, I don't know, anywhere else more fun?”

“More fun? Than this?”, and it's the genuine confusion in his voice what takes you by surprise, any further questioning getting stuck in your throat when you gaze directly into the molten gold eyes that look at you in earnest, as sincere as ever.

To disarm you further, Diavolo takes your shopping list out of his wallet and deciphers your handwriting without a problem, looking around in amazement, so regal and achingly familiar at the same time.

(Has he kept it in there all this time? It has been almost three weeks since you left it behind, and it was nothing but a crumpled piece of paper, with a couple of tea stains here and there. The careful way in which he holds it has your belly in knots)

And he looks… Excited. Relaxed and happy. And isn't that everything you could ask for and more?

Your concerns seem trivial and distant in the face of his excitement. Of course, trust Diavolo to pick a night spent with you in a grocery store over a fancy tea set, or an expensive wine ―gift options you've considered before, you admit shamefully―.

You can see him talk, gesturing with both hands, but you're too busy spacing out to really listen, feeling lightheaded with relief upon realizing that Diavolo is and will always be Diavolo around you.

By the time you manage to pay attention, Diavolo is holding a carton of milk in each hand, examining them with the wonder of a five-year-old and the solemn expression of someone that's holding something invaluable.

“So many options, and it's just milk! What's the difference? Maybe a different cow for each of them? Mh, I see.”

It's so unfair. He's just standing there, and yet your heart decides it's the perfect time to do some flip-flops.

“Ah, yes, as expected, 'Almond' is a pretty suitable name for a cow. '2%' is a little bit underwhelming as far as cows' names go, but I'm sure their milk is just as lovely as Almond's.”

You nod solemnly, without contradicting such a sound conclusion, making quick work of getting your phone out and ready.

“Could you hold the carton closer to your face? Let me take a picture of you and Almond”.

Hours later, you come out of the store with arms full of bags and your camera roll overflowing with pictures of Diavolo ―some of them you already shared to the group chat, graciously ignoring the multiple missed calls after that one picture of Dia trying to get into the shopping cart―.

The face that the cashier made when Diavolo excitedly explained he came here to celebrate his birthday was unforgettable. Almost as amusing as the one pulled by that old lady that overhear the both of you talking about “bringing Lucifer a few snacks”.

The night air feels icy-cold against your cheeks, and yet, you cannot stop smiling. Feeling your chest impossibly full, getting even more stuffy once you turn around and see an even bigger smile on Diavolo.

He comes closer and carefully places the beanie on your head, probably adjudicating your red ears, cheeks, and nose, to the cold.

“Thank you. I haven't had fun like this in years.” Voice charged with intimacy, without breaking eye contact. Your overall redness only increases once he holds your face in his hands, thumbs sliding across your cheekbones. Surely another effort to keep you warm.

“Truth to be told, today must've been the first time I enjoyed myself this much.” He adds, with a chuckle. And you know it's true, he can't be lying, not Diavolo, and not with the way he would light up whenever people barely glanced his way; unbothered and oblivious.

With the way he's looking at you, you have to control yourself before spitting some nonsense about buying him the whole grocery store if he wants you to (you have no idea how, but you would).

You have to settle for the next best thing: raw sincerity. “First of many. We can do this again, you know? We don't have to wait for your next birthday. You have me, after all.”

An open door. And by the looks of it, Diavolo recognizes it, if the way his hand travels to take one of the bags out of your grasp, all to intertwine his fingers with yours, is any indicative.

You share a secret smile. You don't know if you can go back to shopping alone after this.

“Human world dinner on me! I'm all ears for the birthday boy, any food you'd like to try? Sushi, maybe? Steak? I know a pretty good lobster place.”

“Oh! I've heard about 24 hours fast food, and I find it fascinating. How fast is it? We have to chase it? I would like to try it!”

“… Dia, I'm begging you, let me buy you something that is at least six dollars.”

ao3 ― writing tag