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teenage mind

I | Volleyball Whomst???

Karasuno High School. Class 1-4. It wasn't the ideal class for Corey, but it would do. It was a college prep class so her moms were more than happy when they found out. Colin was in 1-1, Carter in 1-5 (also a college prep class), and their older brother Percy was in 3-5. Without her brothers to keep her company in class, she just sat at her desk and copied what the teacher wrote.

‘Not that it would have made a difference.’

"How have your classes been?"

The Hamilton children sat in the courtyard eating their lunch. The triplets sat on a bench while Percy sat on the ground in front of them. They were allowed to either eat in their classrooms or eat in the courtyard. The Hamiltons decided to eat in the courtyard together.

"Mine was okay." Corey took a bite out of her sandwich and swallowed. "The only thing that sucks is that I sit behind this tall kid. So when the teacher wrote on the board I had to lean to the side to see!"

Colin laughed. "Sucks to be short."

"Bitch, you're not even that tall!"

"But Carter and I are taller than you- OW!"

She threw one of her sour grapes at him, hitting him in the eye. He threw one back in retaliation and she did too. This cycle of throwing grapes lasted for two minutes before Percy intervened.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty, now stop."

They both threw grapes at him.

==========

The school day was soon over.

"Wadda wanna do after school?" Colin asked as he, Carter, and Corey skipped to the third-year classes to grab Percy, who was their ride.

"I dunno." Corey turned to skip backward. "I was just gonna binge watch some YouTube- OOF!"

"Great going, Concha," Carter groaned.

As she walked backward, she bumped into someone. Corey apologized over and over and caught a look at the person's face. She wore pink rectangular glasses and the school uniform, had short straight hair and a beauty mark at the corner of her bottom lip.

‘Fuck she’s so pretty!’

"I-I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," the girl said. She stared at her before finally speaking. "Are you a first-year?"

"Y-yeah...?"

"Have you signed up for a club yet?"

"N-no..."

The girl smiled. "Come with me please."

‘Fuck.’

"Um, okay?" She turned to her brothers, and spoke in English: “If I don't come back in thirty minutes call me."

Colin gave her a thumbs up while Carter looked like he couldn't care less. The girl led Corey to the girl's locker room, which she had yet to explore herself.

"Do you have a set of gym clothes?" The taller brunette asked, pulling her tan sweater vest over her head.

"No." Corey sat on one of the benches. "Hey, since you sort of kidnapped me, even though I came of my own accord, can I know your name?"

The girl looked over her shoulder and slightly curled her lips into a smile. "Shimizu Kiyoko."

Corey returned her smile. "Hamilton Corey."

‘God it sounds so weird to say my last name first.’

"Hamilton?" She nodded rapidly. "That's a Western name isn't it?" Corey nodded again.

"Well, I am an American."

"Really?" Her eyes widened.

Corey nodded.

‘Wow, I'm doing a lot of nodding.’

"Huh..."

After Shimizu changed into a white tracksuit lined with light blue and swung a bag over her shoulder, she and Corey walked to Gymnasium 2. The walk was quiet, as Shimizu was not that big of a talker and neither was Corey, so the first year focused on her surroundings and tried not to get lost.

As they approached the metal doors of the gym, they saw two boys, one with hair black as a crow's and other's as ginger as a Weasley. They didn’t notice the females until Shimizu gave a small, "Excuse us." The two boys stepped aside, making way for Corey and Shimizu.

The first-year female took a glance at the boy on her left, and he stared back with his dark blue hues. She quickly averted her gaze, trying to make it look like she wasn't staring.

Shimizu knocked on the metal doors and one slid open, revealing a boy with shaven hair. He smiled gleefully at the sight of the taller female.

"Kiyoko-san! You're looking radiant today!"

She ignored him and walked inside, Corey following behind, holding on to the hem on her senpai's jacket. The boy shivered with pleasure.

"It turns me on when she ignores me!"

‘Okay, that's a little weird, dude.’

"Oh, Kiyoko-san! Who'd you bring with you?"

Fuck I've been spotted. Abort the mission ABORT THE MISSION!!

She stiffened and faced two tallboys: one with black hair and the other with silver-blonde and a beauty mark at the corner of his left eye.

"I'm Hamilton Corey! Nice to meet you!" That caught the attention of the whole GYM. She didn't mean to say that so loud, but she was nervous.

The boy with the black hair chuckled and smiled warmly at her.

"Full of energy, I see!"

‘Yeah, keep believing that…’

"I'm Sawamura Daichi." He stuck out his hand for her to shake and she did. His hands felt rough and callous against her soft palms.

"Sugawara Koushi," the boy with the silver hair greeted. He extended his hand for her to shake but the boy with the shaven hair stepped in between them, grasping Corey's hand in his.

"And I'm Tanaka Ryunosuke." His voice was sickly sweet, so much so that Corey could tell that it was fake.

Sugawara whacked Tanaka on the head and he backed off.

‘Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?’

"Did Shimizu recruit you to be the assistant manager?" Sugawara asked his new kouhai.

"M-Manager...?"

"I bumped into her in the hallway and thought I'd bring her to meet the team," Shimizu said from behind Corey.

‘I can't be a manager! I don't know anything about being one! I can barely handle my six siblings!’

As Corey panicked in her head, her gaze trailed to a water bottle on the polished wooden floor. This gave her an idea.

"Hey, how about instead of being a manager, I can be part of your water crew!" She suggested.

"Water Crew?" Suga wondered aloud.

"Yeah! We had one back on my team at my old school!"

"You were in a sport before?" Sawamura asked.

"No... I was in the marching band." She gave a nervous laugh at the end. "But we just filled the water bottles before and during practices. That way, the kids who didn't have or bring water can have some and stay hydrated!"

There was silence for a few seconds as Suga and Daichi thought the suggestion over. Corey didn't even know why she was anxious. She didn't even know what sport this was! But by the net set up on the court and the blue and yellow balls in a nearby basket, she guessed it was volleyball.

"Why not," Daichi finally spoke. "I don't see the harm."

Corey gave them a big smile, the brackets of her retainer showing. She wasn't going to be useless to this team after all!

"Thank you! I promise I won't be a burden to this team!"

They all thought they were joking but she was dead serious. She had no idea how to play volleyball and sucked at it when she had to play in middle school.

Sawamura called for the team to start their stretches and Corey took this opportunity to fill their bottles. She didn't have the drinking water jugs but thought that if they had an ice room, she could fill the bottles with refreshing cold water for them on this warm day.

Suga told her that their ice room was on the right side of their club room, the building that she and Shimizu had passed when on their way to the GYM. She collected a bottle from each of the six club members and headed out the door she came from.

When she slid the metal door open, the two boys were still there. They both stared at her, not saying a word. Being the shy girl that she was, Corey gave them a quick little wave and a half-smile and speed-walked to the ice room, trying not to drop any of the bottles on her way.

Surprisingly, the door was unlocked. Inside, the loud hum of the giant metal ice machine filled the small room. A small sink protruded from one of the white walls, next to a washer and dryer. Corey felt the phone in her blazer pocket vibrate. She set the bottles on the washer and checked her phone. It was a message from Colin.

atomicBonsai [AB] began pestering mutantJournalist [MJ]

AB: hey are you dead?

MJ: no sadly

AB: so that girl didn't kidnap you?

MJ: nope

MJ: but i'm now part of the volleyball club i guess

AB: but you suck at volleyball

AB: well

AB: you suck at any sport

MJ: hey you do too

AB: we both do except for carter

AB: but i’m good at baseball

MJ: yeah

MJ: but i'm not part of the actual team

MJ: i'm just their new water crew

AB: like in the marching band???

MJ: yup

MJ: they actually wanted me to be a manager but i can barely handle any of you so managing a team wouldn't be great for my already deteriorating mental health

AB: true true

AB: do you guys have a water cart or something

MJ: not yet ;)

MJ: i'll text percy in a sec to see if we can get that good stuff once their practice is over

AB: sweet

AB: gtg

AB: make em, leanna, vallery, and grandma izzy proud

MJ: i will

atomicBonsai [AB] ceased pestering mutantJournalist [MJ]

Corey stuffed her phone back in her pocket and filled the bottles with ice with the metal scoop. Once they were all filled, she left, again passed the two boys, and handed each player their bottle, as they had just finished their stretches and warm-ups.

==========

Next Chapter ==> (coming soon)

Master List

Too Queer To Live, Too Gay To Die

Haikyuu!! Fanfiction

On the first day of her new high school, Corey Hamilton manages to wind up joining the boy’s volleyball club. But not as a manager or player

Is this idea was a actual manga I would be OBSESSED  

So here is an interesting fact about Naruto. The series is based on two one-shot manga by Kishimoto: Karakuri (1995), which earned Kishimoto an honorable mention in Shueisha's monthly Hop Step Award the following year, and Naruto (1997).

The One Shot was about Fox Spirits.

Kishimoto originally wanted to make Naruto a child who could transform into a fox, so he created a one-shot of Naruto for the summer 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump based on the idea.

It's funny how beloved manga/anime and comics/shows can begin as something entirely different in the original concept. Then it evolves into something way beyond the original scope of it's first concept art/write.

ACE OF HEART — SEUNGMIN. CHAPTER 1

⚾️ synopsis: new school year means new beginnings, right? you are a new student at prestigious seido high school with the goal to become the ace of the baseball team and win nationals. but to your surprise, some arrogant asshole kim seungmin is currently in the position of pitcher and ace of the team. how steel are your nerves and how long will it take you to steal his place?

pairing: seungmin x reader(afab) genre: baseball player au!seungmin, enemies to lovers, slow burn warnings: mean seungmin, reader has ego, underage characters, mention of daddy issues, reader has anxiety, A LOT of baseball terminology word count: 4.9k a/n: yall please appreciate my photoshop skills LMAO. i had to turn “11” into “1”, cause seung is the ace

chapter one | next . . . series masterlist . . . terminology

april — the second month of spring, the second month of the season of love. you hated april. not only because everyone around you seemed to find a relationship all of a sudden, but also because it meant the start of the new school year.

it was not an average school, but a prestigious seido high school with its own baseball team. located in tokyo, it was almost impossible to receive an acceptance letter. your screams were heard all over the house, when you opened it on your laptop. it took you an eternity to finish all trials, so you had zero hope by the end of them. but you succeeded. maybe it was just dumb luck, or maybe you were actually good at baseball. you kept telling yourself the latter.

the sound of endless chatter filled the courtyard as students were trying to figure out where to go, meeting possible new friends, and as well as old friends. senpais were giving glares to new girls, what made you want to vomit.

you were there too - standing in the courtyard, an email with instructions opened on your phone. new chapter of your life was about to start.

since you were a member of the baseball team, unlike ordinary students, you were given the opportunity to live in a dormitory. fortunately, the dorm has been divided into female and male part, so you didn’t have to live with nasty boys who won’t clean after themselves. but you’d have meet one of those type of guys on the field for sure. after all, baseball is a male dominated game.

“seido spirit dorm”

it looked more like an apartment complex. as you walked past the sign, you already noticed bats, basket with balls and other equipment. it definitely didn’t look like an ordinary dorm. it thrilled you with excitement, you’ve never felt so normal before. baseball was a passion of yours that no one around you understood. you’ve made it all the way on your own, and this simple scene with some equipment laying on the floor next to the room, made your eyes watery. you couldn’t wait to meet your roommates, teammates and the current ace. you were ready to learn a lot.

despite all the panic that was thrilling inside you, it wasn’t hard to find your room. you stared at the names on the sign.

“sanada rin

fujiwara aoi

l/n y/n”

suddenly, the door opened and two girls appeared in the doorway, welcoming you in.

located on the second floor, your room had a view right on the baseball field. your roommates turned out to be quite nice. two senpais - year two aoi and year three rin.

they quickly introduced you to the team, best players and the system that your coach uses.

the school was so popular, that current amount of players, including first-years, exceeded one hundred. obviously, everyone can’t play on the team, because baseball is an nine player game (not including the benched players). that is why seidou has two team lineups. first one consists of best of the best. while second one is for those, who are good, but not enough. and the rest, who did not make it even to the second lineup, need to work twice harder, to get noticed by the coach.

these were not a good news. you caught yourself getting anxious. but what about the acceptance letter and the trials? you thought that meant a guaranteed spot on the team. your roommates just laughed at your words, saying that with the number of overconfident players these restrictions are the only right option.

time flew, as you talked up until the midnight over a bottle of soju. it was not the smartest decision, considering that tomorrow was the first training and a meeting with the team at 8 in the morning.

of course, you felt drenched, squeezed out like a lemon, when you woke up. for a future baseball player, ace of the team, it was a bad habit of hating to wake up early in the morning. but you’ve decided to leave your thoughts about your future for now. it was time to leave the best first impression, so the coach would notice you in the sea of first years.

the cold morning air was refreshing. you shuddered as you tried to cover yourself in clothes more. the grass was still covered with dew drops and the sun has just begun to rise. despite your new friends in the faces of your roommates, you tried to stay apart and not stick to any people on the first day. you weren’t here to make friends, you were here to play baseball. and you wouldn’t let absolutely no one to distract you from the sport that you loved so much or your goals of going to nationals.

everyone was asked to line up, and the newcomers in the front row were told to take turns telling their name and the position they would like to play in.

oh you didn't like that. it felt like the coach hadn't even read the profiles of his students, since he was asking for everyone's names and dream positions.

finally your turn.

“watashiwa l/n y/n des! i want to play as a pitcher and my dream is to become an ace of the team! i have years of experience and a lot of potential. i am ready to show all my skills! thank you!” you finished your speech with a bow.

there were chuckes in the back.

“alright. thank you for your honesty, l/n y/n! let’s hope you will show your passion on the field as well.” coach replied coldly, crossing his arms.

if you had daddy issues, you'd start soaking over him, just like your roommates. he was definitely in his forties, but he was quite thin and tall, with a layer of trimmed beard and dark glasses on his nose.

did you say something wrong? the coach looked like he was unhappy about something. and those chuckles from behind hurt your ego a little.

after the roll call, you were approached by a group of guys who looked at least a year older. at the center of this not-friendly looking gang was a guy, apparently the leader and the ace, judging by the way how confident he looked, and of course the number 1 emblazoned on his chest.

“so you’re the kohai, right? aiming at ace position? how cute.” he grinned cockily, scanning you from top to bottom. “i bet you can only throw a fastball. am i right?”

“i don’t even know you.” you snapped back, turning around and getting ready to leave. you were already irritated because of failed introduction.

“i am your senpai, so i’d like to have your full respect.” he folded his arms across his chest, stretching out to his full height to show his dominance even more.

that made you look at him again. right, senpai. why do boys always keep using this as an excuse for their rudeness?

“i am kim seungmin, by the way. current ace of the team.” he turned around and pointed at his number on the back, as if you haven’t noticed it already on the front of the uniform. “i am just a second year, but I became an ace after two months on the team.” he squared his shoulders, braving himself even more.

you were about to reply with something like “so what? i will beat your so-called record, you won’t even have time to react.”, but you couldn’t. because he was your senpai.

“right. that’s what i was talking about. respect your senpais.” he smirked, patting you on the shoulder. you shrugged off his hand, making him let out a small laugh. “okay, we will see you around, i guess.”

not being able to say anything back you just stared at him, hoping that you would be able to burn a hole inside the number 1 on his back.

ugh.

and you hoped that you would be able to learn something from the current ace and even form some bond. maybe you shouldn’t have brought your goal up. but you wanted to show your coach that you were up to a good fight for a place on the team. you didn’t want to stay on the bench for the next three years, like your roommates. you were passionate and hardworking - that’s what led you in this high school after-all.

the training has started pretty light. after a warm-up and a few laps around the field, you were divided by positions. all fielders went to the field to practice and try assigned positions; first and second lineup players went to the pitching machines; the match of the season was already approaching, meaning that both lineups needed to be ready; and all the pitchers were gathered together with the second-year catchers in the bullpen. coach and his assistant were standing in the distance, planning on watching the new pitchers from afar. the main responsibility in spotting new talent among the newcomers laid on the team captain and current pitchers.

as you have already understood from the conversations, the team was short of pitchers right now. three other pitchers were third-years and will leave the team in half a year due to exams and graduation. of course, there was also kim seungmin who held the ace position, but no matter how talented he was, he physically could not pitch the entire match solo. the team needed a starting pitcher. the one who can open the match, confuse the batters with some unique pitching. this was your chance.

senpais looked scary. four pitchers, including kim seungmin, were giving everyone frightening glares, as if first-years were about to steal their spots right now. catchers on the other hand, did not care much about the upcoming rivalry. but they looked intimidating regardless, because of their layers of protection and masked helmets.

you uncontrollably shanked under the condemning gazes and you haven’t even shown anything yet. the atmosphere was tense and far from team spirit. the amount of rivalry within the team was shocking to you.

around three or four pitchers got assigned to each catcher. and god, you were sure that your catcher was the guy you saw next to that cocky kim. senpai kim.

the first-year pitches have begun. you watched everyone with interest, feeling like you were part of kim seungmin's gang.

first-years were really good. they had good ball control and different pitching types. you managed to notice a couple of cutters, of course a lot of fastballs, some were so fast that you only had time to flinch at the sound of gloves, sliders and even one changeup. and with such monsters you had to compete for the place on the team?

standing in line, you managed to get anxious and started overthinking. so when it was your turn, you could barely move your legs to get closer.

your fingers nervously clutched the ball in your hand. inhale and exhale.

out of the corner of your eye, you noticed kim seungmin grinning, his arms crossed over his chest. his gaze was burning a hole in you.

you decided to start with regular fastball, so as not to screw up completely at the first pitch. the key was throw the ball with speed and accuracy. pretty simple, you have done it plenty of time before.

“throw when you're ready, but don't delay it, there's a whole queue behind you.” catcher said. how thoughtful and generous of him. you shot a wry smile.

to relieve the tension you tossed the ball in your hand a couple of times. the anxiety finally got replaced with excitement. time to play.

you sensed the familiar feeling of the ball rolling off the middle and index fingers, creating a backspin.

it went right into the catchers glove with a loud slap. perfect accuracy. feeling the confidence again, you relaxed a bit, shaking off tension in the muscles.

it sounded quiet, but you still heard the arrogant. "i told you she only throws fastballs."

it took all your force not to look at him. can this kim “i am the ace” seungmin shut the fuck up?

feeling the need to show off and shut him up with your perfect pitching, you decided to throw a slider. you placed your middle finger directly on a seam, while the index finger went on the leather. both fingers were important at release to impart the necessary spin that would lead to a slider’s desired movement.

it’s a quite difficult pitch to learn and you still weren’t confident in it. the problem was that it’s not as straightforward as the fastball, and takes a lot more patience and a good coach to learn it. you probably should have chosen to throw another fastball to show off your accuracy and speed, but the desire to shut kim seungmin up was stronger.

getting into the stance, you lifted your left knee in the air, transferring the weight from the back leg to the front leg, generating force and velocity in the throw. as soon as you felt the ball leaving your hand you felt like it’s gonna turn out bad. you heart sank.

slider should be thrown as hard as possible, because of the speed change in the end. depending on your success, the pitch should move towards cather’s glove and drop during the last few feet. but something went wrong. maybe you didn’t throw it with enough force, maybe you messed up with the grip or maybe you were just nervous? the ball just flew to the right, not even in the strike zone, falling awkwardly next to the catcher. silence.

and then there were few giggles behind you. you felt your ears turning red. how did you fuck this up so badly?

you really couldn’t focus on your pitching. the feeling of his eyes burning holes in you was so distracting. you were holding yourself from turning right at him and yelling what’s been on your mind since morning.

“i am waiting.” catchers voice brought you back to reality. he was still holding a glove open, waiting for the ball, eyes looking at you, scolding through the mask.

you took a deep breath again, trying to collect your thoughts. alright, it’s just a simple pitch. forget about others and focus on your goal. your journey has already started, stop slacking off.

deep breath and you’ve got into position again, bringing your hands together. then, a quick kick of the leg and the ball flew out of your hand.

STRIKE!

with a loud slap the ball finally landed right into the glove, cutting the air.

you were so stressed, you didn’t notice you held your breath this whole time.

it was perfect. the speed, the fall in the end, the accuracy. it was…

“next!” catcher interrupted your thoughts.

he didn’t even leave any comments on your pitching. of course, he was a second or third-year already. probably, he didn’t give two shits about a new girl.

the corner of your eye caught a sight of kim seungmin again. your eyes met. he was still looking at you, even though you had already stopped pitching. did you make him nervous with your secret weapon? well, kim “i am the ace” seungmin, get ready to fight for your place.

you gave him a wink, getting an eye roll in response. it made you laugh a little. the displeased look on his face was a balm to the soul.

the training was over. the coach and his assistant said that in the evening they will announce the first-years who will become a trainee for the first and second lineups. it was time for lunch, and then your first school day was about to properly begin.

the schedule was cruel indeed. trainings were assigned in the morning and evening in combination with regular classes at school. baseball players had a special schedule - you had to attend classes in the afternoon. but even with the special arrangement of classes, you had no idea how you’d be able to survive like that. no wonder every player on the team has been rude as hell so far if they have no time to relax. what sacrifices do people make to become a professional player. and the graduates of seido high school were guaranteed a future career.

the dorm had its own canteen, which the baseball team could use for free. after taking a shower, you headed straight there with your roommates.

“i saw your pitching, it was good.” rin patted you on the shoulder.

the three of you were sitting at a table in the corner of the room. it was actually even better that you sat aside, because there was such a ruckus in the canteen. the guys were discussing something at the top of their voices, not holding back in their expressions. many of them didn't even bother to take a shower before lunch. it made you wonder once again why you didn't choose some kind of girls-only school.

“thank you!” you smiled. “actually, i panicked a bit because of the taunts and messed up. i wonder if it will affect coach’s decision.”

“taunts?” aoi asked curiously. “who’s bothering you already?”

“kim seungmin.” you sighed.

aoi and rin couldn’t hold their laughs. “okay. you don’t need to explain any further.”

you smiled as well. “has he always been… like this?”

“hmm…” rin thought for a second. “i was a second-year when he joined. at first i thought he was a nice guy. in fact, he was very shy, and then something changed in his attitude. but he managed to improve his pitching in a short period of time, which, frankly, is impressive. and then he became an ace, which was not surprising, because none of the pitchers we had could beat him.”

a shy guy who turned into an asshole. what happened to you one year ago, kim seungmin?

lunch was over. you said goodbye to rin and aoi and went to classes. to be honest, you could not care less about paying attention, especially when the biggest announcement of your life was about to happen in a few hours. whole time during classes you spent thinking about it. was your pitching good enough to impress the coach? will he count your failed attempt? will kim seungmin somehow sabotage your candidacy? you were fidgeting in the chair like crazy.

it probably looked funny how quickly you stormed out of the classroom. five minutes before the start, you were already standing on the field dressed in a uniform again. you were exhausted, almost falling asleep, but excited to hear the announcement.

as soon as the whole team was gathered and the coach arrived with his assistant, the speech began.

“good evening, everyone. i hope you worked your hardest in classes today, because as i remind you, your academic performance will affect your ability to attend trainings. anyway, with the help of my assistant, our team captain and our pitchers, we have complied a list of five player who will be accepted as trainees in the first and second lineups.” the coach’s voice echoed loudly across the field. “so. the first player who showed themselves at today’s training was-“

your breath hitched. honestly, you’ve never stressed so much in one day. this school will be the death of you.

loud clapping brought you back to reality. you looked around, hoping that your name got called. but no. some random guy walked out of the crowd, bowed and stood next to the coach. of course. and your naive ass thought you had a chance, especially after that failed slider.

everything repeated until only one place was left vacant. you’ve lost all hope, because every player that got chosen made an impression even on you. and you rarely acknowledged other pitchers.

“and the last candidate,” coach frowned. “had a really controversial reputation after just one day. but after some passionate discussion with my colleagues,” coach gave someone the look in the crowd. “i decided to change my mind and gave this person a chance.”

your heart skipped a beat.

“please welcome our last trainee, who has shown great potential and a good slider-“

no way.

“l/n y/n!”

you eyes widened. despite the fact that you hoped to get accepted, you were still surprised to hear your name.

still feeling like you were in a dream, you walked out of the crowd and headed forward under dozens of stares from your teammates. you bet that kim seungmin was the first one to burn a hole in you.

the coach gave you a slight nod and gestured to get in line. you saw two warm smiles in the crowd. aoi and rin. for a second, you felt bad. they had both been on the team for so long, but the chances of them being on one of the lineups were so little. and you doubled their chances in one day.

the coach said a few more encouraging words and let his assistant to step in. batteries were about to be announced. each pitcher was going to be judged not only based on individual skills, but also on the ability to work in a battery.

and here you were - anxious again. you didn’t disagree with coach on this, but still. your chances of getting an actual spot depended on your catcher. what if he is an asshole? what if he-

“takigawa aki and l/n y/n!”

you looked around, searching for someone to approach you.

oh, hell no.

it could have been anyone. anyone on the team, there were plenty of good catchers. but no. it was him, the guy who catched your piches in the morning. the friend of “i am the ace”. without protection, he looked much thinner, but still tall and intimidating. you saw dark brown hair and glasses, that you hadn’t noticed before. to be honest, you recognized him by his scolding eyes. he would actually be quite cute if he wasn’t kim seungmin’s friend.

“just call me aki. i don’t wanna see your grimace every time you’ll address me as senpai.” was the first thing he said when he approached you.

you chuckled. aki was straightforward indeed.

it was honestly impressive how you managed to create such a reputation on the first day.

“i have a question.”

“what is it?”

“are you friends with kim senpai?” you highlighted the last word, making aki chuckle. “cause i think i saw you next to him in the morning.”

“yes, you are right.” he admitted. “he is a good friend of mine, but i don’t really agree with how he treated you on your first day. gladly, you managed to get a spot as a trainee.”

aki seemed to be better than you predicted. maybe you really should stop overthinking.

“listen…” he cleared his throat. “wanna go practice a bit after we’re done? i know it’s your first day, but it’s better to start soon, so you’ll have an advantage. your slider was good, i think you just need more practice and a good coaching.”

“you think so?” you repeated shockingly.

aki nodded. “you are being too harsh on yourself. you are just a first-year, you aren’t supposed to know every pitch and be good at it. so… are you down or no?”

“count me in.” you smiled.

evening training was light. the coach was not so harsh on you on the first day. instead of pitching, you worked on your batting. it was the first time you used a pitching machine and you were terrified the whole time.

after the end of the training session, you waited for aki, and the two of you headed to the gym inside, because it was already getting dark and cold. your muscles felt so stiff. why did you agree to this again?

aki turned out to be a great coach. he explained you the basic of pitching in a way you’ve never heard anyone explain before. then he pointed out the mistake you made in the morning and why your slider failed. it was exhausting to throw over a hundred more pitches, but aki said it was a good start for your stamina training. as a pitcher, you had to be ready to throw that ball at least a hundred times per match, while standing under the burning sun.

even if you were dying when you finished, you still felt motivated. after all, it was your first day and you’ve already made so much progress.

on dying legs you made it to your room. the clock showed 11 in the evening. only having enough energy to walk to your bed, you laid on it and immediately fell asleep without even changing your clothes.

you overslept. fuck. you overslept on your second day and the first day as a trainee. yesterday’s workout really took its toll on you. the evidence of this were your sore muscles. and you still had to take a shower… gosh! you were a mess.

that’s how you ended up hiding behind a wall, thinking about the ways out of this situation. the coach was giving an introduction speech to the trainees and checking on older players in his usual strict manner. you couldn’t just walk out in this atmosphere. what could you even do?

“shit! they’ve already started.” sudden voice came behind you, making you squeal.

you turned around and faced the man himself. kim “i am the ace” seungmin was standing face to face next to you, as frightened as you were. what a surprise. never though you’d see the golden boy like this.

his voice was low, face swollen and eyes half-sleepy. he was still yawning, as if he just rolled out of bed and came here first thing.

“what are you doing here?” you raised an eyebrow. “aren’t you the ace? the best on the team?”

“shut up.” he leaned against the wall, still hiding from the sight of others. “it’s none of your business. i just fell asleep really late.”

“ah, right.” you rolled your eyes.

so now you were stuck in this position with him out of all people. great.

“anyway, why are you here?”

“what do you mean why? i am a new trainee, weren’t you at the training yesterday?” you gave him an evil look. this guy.

“ah yes, i already forgot.” a cocky smile slowly morphed onto his features. “wow. so you are late on your first day as a trainee? you have a big attitude wherever you go, huh?”

“you fu-“

“shh!” he put his hand on your mouth to muffle your approaching yell. “be quiet! they will catch us!”

you slapped his hand, making him to take it away from your mouth.

“i don’t wanna hear your notations, especially, when you are in the same position as me right now.” you clicked your tongue, turning away from him.

“well, our head coach is extremely strict about being punctual, and you’ve just got selected as a trainee. i don’t think we are in the same position, darling. you’d better listen to the discussion of your candidacy that happened in the office yesterday. and now you are about to show up late. worst case scenario, he will find a replacement for you and forget your name forever.” kim seungmin gave you the cockiest smike.

that’s bad. very bad. the wave of anxiety hit you again.

“should i just go there and beg for forgiveness on my knees? i think he will understand.”

“no, just calm down. a tardy is a tardy, even if you apologize. it won’t make your sentence lighter.” he shook his head. “however… what if you sneak into the line without anyone noticing?”

you looked at him suspiciously. what is this guy on?

“look here.” he gestured you to sit down next to him and you both cautiously peeked out from behind the wall. “take a good look at how they’re lined up. coach is talking to every player directly from far end to the close end. once the first row is done, it goes back to the far end of the second row. while the farthest guy is answering coach’s questions, everyone will be looking at him.”

“i still can’t believe i’ll be able to sneak in like that.” you whispered.

“take that chance and run quickly. you’ve got it.” he assured, looking right at you.

“what about you though?”

“i will be right behind you.” he patted you on the shoulder.

“are you sure? wouldn’t we be in bigger trouble if we fail?” you still weren’t convinced enough by his plan.

“don’t worry.” he grinned. “i did the same last year.”

“you’ve done it before?!” you almost yelled in surprise, but quickly lowered your tone.

“just trust me.” he said.

with that he talked you into it. you scooted a bit to the left, getting ready to run as soon as the attention would be on the guy in the second row.

“watch closely. we have one chance.” the ace gave you a thumbs up.

“alright, next is…”

you saw the coach turn his head in the opposite direction.

“c’mon!” kim seungmin almost shouted, signalizing you to go.

holding your breath, you crouched down and started running. the plan was working perfectly, you thought. the coach did not even pay attention to what was happening behind his back. a few more steps and…

“AAAAA! she came late and is trying to sneak into the line!”

you froze in disbelief. kim fucking seungmin was screaming behind you like some kind of alarm system. everyone, including the coach, turned around and looked right at you.

if you don’t get kicked off the team right now, you definitely going to beat his ass.

a/n (2): i’d really really really appreciate your feedback! i want to know what you think about this chapter. and please reblog, because likes do nothing to promote the post!

i wanted to leave this chapter as an introduction to the school, side characters and “y/n”, because i don’t wanna leave that unexplained. i promise that next chapter will have more interactions with seungmin!!

masterlist | taglist

TAGLIST (OPEN): @helloliaaaa @ghostbladee @jihnyah @lonelylandofan @fun-fanfics @anifxa

𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐆𝐎

↳ a foul-mouthed, aggressive, pro-soccer player on the verge of being disqualified from the biggest game of his life, is tossed into a fake relationship with a spoiled heiress to salvage their bad public reputation. what exactly could go wrong?

𖨆♡𖨆 itoshi rin x fem!reader

cw. mentions of alcohol, mentions of food, sexual tension, mean!rin, fake dating, language, suggestive content, reader wears makeup & does skincare, one slap, slow burn

masterlist | playlist

#2: LOVE ABUSER

That morning, you woke up on the soft bed, unsure how you had found yourself here. 

The last thing you remembered was Rin’s cruel words, and then you had sat on the sofa in a huff, fatigue overtaking you; where you fell into a quick slumber with your arms crossed tightly around your frame, and a frown etched on your face.

While you were still in your dress from the night before, your limbs and neck did not hurt, evident from the good sleep you had managed to get. Your phone on the nightstand chirped, and a notification popped up.

The production team is about half an hour away from your penthouse.

Your brows furrowed at Anri’s message, your foggy mind sifting through your commitments for today. 

It hit you the same moment Rin’s loud swearing reached your ears. 

“—the production team is coming today!” 

“—fuck, they’re on the way.” 

You both blinked at each other. Rin’s hand on the doorframe was curled into a fist, frustration on his pretty, sleep-warm face. He had barged into the bedroom at the right time, still in his dress shirt from yesterday, and looked a little worse for wear after his night on the unforgiving couch. Between your smudged makeup, his rumpled clothes and the animosity which existed between you two, there was a lot of work to do before the studio team arrived.

They were a production house hired by Ego to film you and Rin for a segment called Living With You—a popular reality show where the everyday lives of famous couples would be streamed for the world to see. Frankly, the thought of such invasive media made you uncomfortable, but it was the price to pay for being in a relationship with Itoshi Rin—albeit a fake one, of course.

You shared a look with him, one that said we’re fucked. Rin didn’t spare any time to think. 

“Get dressed. We have to clean the house before they arrive.”

It was the fastest shower you had taken in your life. Rin threw open the balcony doors and windows to let in fresh air, and sprayed a ton of Febreeze on the couch; conscious to pick up any evidence that he was spending nights separately from you. He kicked his blanket and pillows into the spare room, and once you were out of the shower, he brushed past you to clean himself up. 

It was your turn to wipe down the counters and sanitise the kitchen. Running a quick mop on the floors was a feat considering you were suffering from a hangover. 

The throbbing in your temples were aggravated by the sight of your shirtless “boyfriend” exiting the bathroom, water sticking to his abs and the ends of his dark hair damp. You tried hard not to stare at him, averting your gaze to the task at hand. Rin brushed past you, helping you clean up the dishes and storing them overhead, oblivious to you growing flustered from his close proximity and blatant half-nudity.

Stop staring at him! You bit your lip, focusing hard on removing a stubborn stain on the otherwise pristine marble. 

“Did you put on some makeup?” Rin demanded. Though the professional team would handle your appearance, you had to withhold a semblance of self-possession; judging from your disorderly countenance, they could tell you weren’t in the right train of mind. Your hair was sticking up in odd ends, and your face was too plain.

Shooting him a glare, you tossed the soiled cloth at his broad chest with a huff. “Fine. Make sure that spot is gone when I come back.”

You didn’t stop to assess his reaction, thundering towards the bedroom to make up your face and try to arrange the bed. Once your cheeks and lips were shining with health and you looked somewhat invigorated, unlike a corpse suffering from a hangover, you laid the duvet flat, fluffed up the pillows and yelled for Rin to put his shirt on.

His gruff protest reached you, and you rolled your eyes. Stupid, over-sized man child.

A knock on the door halted your frantic movements, and you sensed Rin freezing, too. The both of you were thrown into such an unprecedented scenario that neither of you knew what to do next. Another knock persisted.

Finally, it was you who unglued your limbs and rushed to the door, plastering on a smile. “Coming!”

The production crew were younger than you expected, and returned your tight smile with bows and quick introductions. They set up their equipment on the sidelines, while you were prepped by the makeup team. In keeping up with the homey-theme, you could not appear too glam and they chose a more natural finish for your skin which complemented Rin’s healthy glow. 

He was sullen when the stylists brushed his hair and primed his skin with a light layer of foundation, reminding you of a puppy that was forced to be sent to a pet groomer. 

The director arrived an hour later, holding a cup of coffee and an apology for his tardiness. 

He shook hands with Rin and gave you a low bow. Ego had sent a Blue Lock representative, the PR manager whose name you still did not know, and Anri herself. On your side, your father sent his assistant to make sure you were on your best behaviour.

The time to shoot was almost on you both, and before the cameras could roll, you were surprised when Rin pulled you into a corner. His sudden close proximity after last night’s tension laden confrontation made your stomach turn funny, and you tried to mimic his deadpan expression, a similar scowl on your face.

“What, Itoshi?” 

“I know you’re pissed off at me, but our reputations are hanging by a thread here.” He spoke in a low, deep whisper. You hated how it sent shocks of electricity up your spine, your skin prickling from every warm exhale caressing the nape of your neck; goosebumps rising from the closeness this sudden proximity forced you in less anyone else accidentally overheard the both of you plotting. “I need your help to cooperate, okay? I really want to go to the World Cup and Coach Ego will ban me if I get more bad press.”

The power you held to have the Itoshi Rin begging for you to work together with him. You bristled and frowned. Wasn’t it the exact same thing you had told him yesterday? His switch-ups were making you dizzy with whiplash. 

“Whatever.” 

Your callous response must’ve shocked him because a furrow appeared in between his brows. Hammering in your insolence, you pressed your palm flat on his chest and pushed him aside with a scoff.

“Wait—” Rin reached for your wrist and tugged you back into the alcove, his body pressed tightly to yours. You tried not to warm at how you were close enough for your chest to brush his defined one, those teal eyes boring down into your face with a glare of desperation. “You were… you were right.”

You could tell it took a lot from Itoshi Rin to admit his mistake judging from his gritted teeth and clenched jaw. “We have to be teammates. I… fuck. Help me and I’ll… help you.”

Rin trailed off, unsure if he was saying the right things.

He was such a ball of constipated emotions, you could not tell where his consternation started and his desperation ended. 

Deciding that it would be easier for you to accept his truce than to drag it on for the sake of today’s shoot, you reluctantly nodded.

“Fine.” Your voice was cold, remotely absent of the fondness you would hold for everyone around you, even for your distant and indifferent “boyfriend”. Rin’s furrowed brow deepened, and he was about to ask you if you were kidding when you squeezed past his tight grip and back into the living room.

Your expression did a complete change, and you grinned at Anri. “Is it time to shoot?” 

She glanced at the camera setup and nodded, a quick, eager bob of her head. “Almost. Are you and Itoshi-kun ready?”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. You felt his arm wrap lightly around your waist and stiffened slightly. But, if Rin felt your sudden clamminess, he didn't comment on it, fixing Anri with a reserved stare. “We’re ready.”

The Blue Lock co-founder smiled fondly. “Remember to show some emotion, Itoshi-kun. It would be good for your ranking.”

Someone yelled action!, and the silent cameras started to roll.

The crux of Living With You was a show where couples would go about their daily lives and the cameras would follow them. Based on your knowledge from a few clips, it was sort of like a voyeuristic look into the world of the rich and famous—who just so happened to be in love with each other. 

Your stomach grumbled at a good time, and you padded over to the kitchen, humming lightly. Rin’s scene was scripted to start from the home gym where he would be doing a set of reps, designed to emphasise his intense dedication to soccer. On your end, you were the supportive, slightly exasperated significant other who prepared a meticulous breakfast for your boyfriend in the hopes he would pay attention to his health.  

You started out with some fresh fruits, chopping them up and blending strawberries, blueberries and kiwis together for a vitamin-C rich smoothie. Next, you got a handful of granola and placed them in a bowl topped with some yoghurt.

“Morning.”

Rin’s voice, scripted out to sound loving, greeted you and you turned to smile at him. His teal eyes were soft, expression hazy to show a man utterly in love with his girlfriend. 

“Morning,” you murmured, and handed him his breakfast. Despite the numerous people on set, you couldn’t help but rake your eyes up and down his bare body. You were sure the comments online later would catch this bit and gush at how you were checking out your “boyfriend’s” physique.

“Thank you for the food,” he murmured, and shot you a small smile.

You returned it with a nod and a grin. “You better eat up, Rinny. I have some repairs I need your help with.”

He pretended to grumble, sitting at the kitchen counter with his bowl of granola in hand. “You’re always making me work, woman. I want to rest.”

In retaliation for his sour retort, you stood on your tiptoes and pecked his cheek. “Don’t you go acting like Nagi now. Otherwise, Ego-san will have a handful with two lazy players.”

Rin glowered playfully and poked your side. “Fine. Let me handle that later.”

Thankfully, the streaming would take about half an hour for them to highlight important bits of the episode when Rin fixed a conveniently “broken” shower head, and then, you both would be taken away separately on a short confessional regarding this entire relationship to intersperse it with the final cut. 

Your turn came up soon, and when the interviewer sat you down, you suddenly felt too nervous. However, your expression schooled into a bright smile when the cameras started to roll.

“So, Y/N,” the man with a slicked back pompadour and heavy cologne asked. “How did you and Itoshi-san meet?” 

You pretended to look away shyly and avoid the camera’s lens. “Oh. Um. Wow—uh, okay. We met at a record shop and debated about Green Day for a bit. He had very, um, high standards for music, and I was trying to convince him that my taste in music wasn’t as bad as it seemed.” 

A pretend laugh, and the corners of the interviewer’s eyes crinkled in pleasant surprise. “I had no idea it would lead to him asking me out on a date and, well, here we are.”

“Aww.” You could just picture the other viewers cooing along with him. “That is so cute! What do you like the most about him—and remember, please keep it PG!”

You chuckled along with his innuendo and remained bashful. “Um, I really like how he—” you paused, suddenly coming up blank; the string of designated answers you were supposed to give eluding you. The red camera light flashed, waiting for your response. You cleared your throat. 

“I like how strong he is,” you finally confessed, and this time, it was not the repertoire of answers Ego and your father sanctioned for you to give. You were speaking from the depths of your heart. “Many people may see Rin-san as a cold, aloof man, but behind it all, he’s a person who has strong principles and goals. Sometimes, it may rub people the wrong way, but Rin doesn’t mean any harm. He wants what is best for himself and others around him, especially his Blue Lock team.” You ended your confessional with a short laugh. “I guess that’s what I like the most about him—his unwavering passion for the things he loves in his life.”

Your segment ended with a round of bows and expressed gratitude. You did not see Rin emerge from his own confessional, and you wondered what he would say about you. If he could even say anything about you. 

Anri took your arm and gave you a warm smile. “You did great. Your father told me to congratulate you.”

Your smile was paper thin and you nodded weakly. I just want to go back to bed.

Finally, Rin emerged from the guest bedroom where he had his segment, and the production house called it a wrap. The equipment was stowed away, the place cleaned and finally, you both had the apartment back to yourself.

Funnily enough, you and Rin both sagged onto the couch at the same time, exhausted from the unexpected ambush Ego and your father set on you two. He turned to face you, unexpectedly asking how your confessional went.

“Did you tell them the correct story of how we met?” 

You nodded, closing your eyes for a second. “Yup. The record store story.”

Rin paused. “Oh. I fibbed on the first date because I forgot what Ego said but I mentioned the second one. The—”

“Museum date,” you both said at the same time.

“Yup,” you murmured. “That’s fine. You’re a man, you’re allowed to forget stuff like this. They won’t crucify you for it.”

Evidently done with this awkward conversation, you stood up and stretched. “I want to go back to sleep. You do whatever you want to do.”

For the second time, Rin hesitated. You found you were growing intimately acquainted with his quirks at an alarming rate; first his eyes would glimmer with uncertainty, his brow would furrow and then his mouth parted as if he was about to ask a question.

You didn’t want to speak to him after what he said last night, and turned on your heel before he could say anything else to ruin your mood.

Despite your exhaustion, you could not fall back asleep. You tossed and turned while the morning sun streamed through the curtains, only to sit up at the smell of something tantalising from the kitchen. The last thing you expected was Rin to be cooking at the stove, in his simple shirt and shorts combo, the combination of sunlight and shadows bringing attention to his toned thighs.

You rubbed your eyes, smudging a little of the undereye concealer as a shuddering yawn overtook you. “What did you make?” 

He turned around and regarded you neutrally. “Katsu curry. I know it’s your favourite.”

How did he know? You never told him that. 

“It was in your profile,” he murmured curtly, answering your silent question. “Now, eat. You barely had anything yesterday.” 

Rin set a plate down in front of you, and you eyed it apprehensively. “Did you poison it?” 

His glare was back and he crossed his arms. The sight would’ve been more frightening if his tousled dark green hair was not sticking up at odd ends, evidence of him struggling to figure out how this high-tech kitchen operated. 

“No. And even if I did, I wouldn't waste poison on you. It probably cost a bomb. Now,” he scoffed. “Eat.” 

You picked up your chopsticks, grumbling bossy asshole under your breath. But, you thanked him for the meal and bit into the first scoop of rice and curry, surprised to find how good it was. You ate heartily, pausing to scrape the remaining curry from the plate and down it with your last scoop of rice. 

Rin let you wash up, and he was back on the sofa, reading a book. You paused, unsure if he wanted to be interrupted since he was staring intently at the pages. Curiosity won, and turned to fire off your question. “Aren’t you going to train today?”

“It’s Sunday,” he rebuked curtly. “The training centre is closed.”

Oh. You struggled to return back to your task, suddenly feeling foolish.

“Don’t you… don’t you have anything to do today?” 

Your repetitive motion of scrubbing the plates ceased, and you set the sponge back in its container. Was the Itoshi Rin actually trying to make conversation with you? 

“Nah,” you murmured after a beat of hesitation. “I’m going to chill today and do some skincare.”

“Oh.” Another drag of silence. “Can I do it with you?” 

This time, you did not hesitate to gape at him, soap suds clinging to your hands. “Uh. Why?” 

He pointed to his skin, as if it would give you the answer you needed. When you didn’t get it, he huffed in frustration. “Clogged pores,” Rin murmured. “Help me with it?” 

You supposed there was a first time for everything. Like how you were currently standing above Rin who was leaning his head back, two eye mask patches resting snuggly on his face and your jade roller gently de-puffing his cheeks and chin.

“I never understood what that shit did,” he grumbled, gesturing to your roller. You snorted and angled it to his neck, rolling it upwards to pull his skin taut. 

“It’s supposed to tighten your skin and drain your lymph nodes.”

“My what?” 

You sighed. “Men just don’t understand.”

Rin’s skin was surprisingly soft as you worked an exfoliating scrub on the planes of his face. “Don’t you have some expensive esthetician to help you with this,” it was your turn to grumble.

“It’s Sunday,” he growled, like it would give you an answer to your question. You snapped your mouth shut and continued to scrub his pores clean of any gunk.

When you were done, Rin checked his skin out in the grand bathroom’s mirror and nodded. 

“Nice. Thanks.”

“Welcome,” you mumbled and started on yourself. Rin remained seated on the plush makeup bench, watching you work without saying a word. You paused from scooping out your LaMer scrub and darted your eyes to him. “Anything else I missed?” 

He shrugged. “I want to take notes.” 

Such a weird dude. You didn’t question his strangeness and continued with your motions. Occasionally, Rin would glance at his phone, but his attention would return to you. How meticulous you were with your skin reminded him of how some of the guys had a strict pre-game ritual they always committed to.

It was strange to see this sort of diligence and dedication outside of the field.

“My job demands this,” you murmured, taking him quietly by surprise. How did you know exactly what he was thinking?

“I have to always look good for the camera no matter what so I cultivated this really strict skincare routine,” you said frankly. “It sucks, but I have to always be on top of my game.” You flickered your gaze momentarily to his broad and muscular frame. “I’m sure you understand what that dedication is like.”

Rin cleared his throat and nodded, unsure why your little motion of checking him out left his cheeks feeling a little too warm. It made him feel insecure, and he quickly stood up, backing out of the bathroom with a low mumble of gotta train.

You tried to ignore him and took your time in making yourself feel better through these little acts of selfcare. Despite this uneasy truce between you and him, you weren’t sure when the other shoe would drop; when he would revert back to his condescending mannerisms and scald you with his sharp tongue.

Time passed on and you were finally done, stepping out of the bathroom in time to run into one very sweaty and half-naked Rin.

“Wh—!” 

“Watch it,” he grumbled, steadying you. 

Ugh! You clapped your hands to your eyes, shrieking when the sight of his bulging abs and flexing biceps burned into your eyes. You stepped back from him, and shook your head from side to side as if to rid yourself of the image of his bare body seemingly ingrained on your lids. “Will it kill you to wear a shirt once in a while?!” 

“I’m at home.” You didn’t have to look at him to know he was scowling. Sometimes, you wondered if he had any other facial expressions besides those tinged in anger and insolence. “I don’t need to dress up.”

“You’re insufferable.” You peeled your hands away from your face to give him a mutinous glare. “I thought you made it clear you didn’t want to stay a single second here.” With me. 

Rin narrowed his teal eyes, his chest puffing with anger. “Huh? Why do you care?” 

Because you basically told me you didn’t like me yesterday. You bit your tongue before you could spill those incriminating words; they would have to send you to Guantanamo Bay to get that bit of information out of you. 

You would rather burn off your fingernails than admit to Itoshi Rin that you hated how he didn’t want to be your friend. This went against the laws of nature. Everyone in your life liked you; even if they found you ditzy and comically dense, you had people that genuinely cared for you. 

Unlike Rin. His bad manners and even worst temper got the better of you; made you think he hated you with his entire soul.

You stepped back and crossed your arms. “I don’t. I just thought you made it clear that you and I both can’t be friends.” 

Rin paused for a few short seconds and instead of apologising for what he said last night, his glare deepened. “Are you fucking expect me to say sorry? You started it. I was only being truthful.”

“You were being a dick.”

“A truthful one.” He mumbled, rolling his eyes. “Look. In what world can you and I be friends? I think not. We can be civil, but I sure as hell do not want to be your friend.”

The people–pleaser inside of you gasped in offence; the hurt rearing its ugly head. 

“Fine. I didn’t want to be your friend, either. You’re too blunt and mean, I can see why you don’t have anyone in the first place.”

You hadn’t expected such simple words to touch a nerve. Rin’s temper flared and he growled—actually growled—grabbing your arm and walking back into the opposite wall. He pressed you to the cool surface and his even cooler eyes bored into your wide ones. 

“Don’t you ever fucking shut up?” he demanded, nostrils flaring. “All you do is fucking whine and whine. Why don’t you get drunk and die in a ditch or something? It would make both our lives way easier.”

Your shoulders fell, and you didn’t expect his harsh words to elicit such hurt in your soul. The fog of anger clouding his mind parted slightly to give him snatches of his self-consciousness back, and he realised a second too late that your eyes were glimmering with tears.

“Hey—”

You pushed him aside roughly, dashing at your eyes. The emptiness in your soul throbbed, missing the shape of her—a mother you had little memories of because like what Rin said, she got drunk and died before you could even walk.

“Y/N—” he reached for your wrist and you let your temper take over, the loud sound of your palm meeting his cheek echoing in the silence of this penthouse. His face snapped to the side, cheek throbbing. Did she just fucking hit me—?

Rin’s teal eyes were narrowed slits, his teeth bared, but when it dawned on him that you were sobbing, that famed temper he was known for suddenly ebbed away, like water drying under a scorching sun. Your eyes were red-rimmed, and your chest was heaving up and down violently, holding back your cresting emotions and tears. 

“Fuck you, Itoshi.” 

Your hoarse whisper surprisingly made him hurt more than your slap, and before he could reach for you, to tell you he didn’t mean those words, you stormed away from him, shoving your arms into your hoodie and slamming the door shut behind you.

Itoshi Rin was a man who cared little for anyone around him.

His whole life was centred around games and goals and rising above high enough so it was Sae’s turn to look up at him. 

And in this instance, he wondered if this unhealthy single-mindedness was the right thing to nurture when he couldn’t even find the right words to name the sinking pit he felt in the middle of his chest. 

The same one which echoed in the shape of your absence. 

tagging: @chronic-claire-universe @simpfully-heartbroken

© all works belong to lalunanymph. do not copy, repost or claim as your own.

Give You Blue

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Pairing: Eren x f!reader, Reiner x f!reader (past relationship)

Rating: Explicit - MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

cw: explicit sexual content/smut (flashback), language, angst

Word Count: ~3.6k

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Give You Blue Masterlist | ao3 | Give You Blue Taglist

Summary: You move into your new dorm with your friend and roommate, Annie, where you update her on your current relationship status. That night, you meet Eren Jaeger, your new Resident Assistant. Author’s Notes: Thanks so much for all the love so far on Chapter 1! Very excited for you all to see where this series goes. Likes, comments, and/or reblogs are ALWAYS appreciated, so thank you so much for the support! If you want to be tagged in any future chapters, please let me know in the comments or interact with the Give You Blue Taglist post. Appreciate y’all!

The bedroom window is cracked open, the chirping of crickets loud and oddly comforting. There’s the distant bark of a dog down the block, and the drone of a car, the distinct sound of wheels spinning slowly on gravel. The TV is on, a random show playing on low volume, enough to fill the space with ambient noise. Altogether, it’s the familiar symphony of summer nights spent with Reiner. Sure, it’s mundane and insignificant. But it’s yours.

It's past midnight, the two of you in bed, snuggled together. Reiner kisses you, slow and deep, tongue slipping past your lips to graze against teeth. His hand slides from your back, then underneath the waistband of your pajamas, feeling your ass through your underwear. The laugh track from the sitcom in the background drowns the moan that escapes you as his fingers work their way beneath your panties, rubbing your clit.

“Reiner,” you whine, shifting beside him to spread your legs apart. He chuckles softly, kissing your cheek before making his way to your ear, whispering, “Let me take care of you, baby.”

It’s the summer before university starts, one month left of vacation before the two of you are college students. It seems like only yesterday you were kids, chasing each other on the playground in your own little game of tag. Even now, eighteen and officially adults, the two of you follow where the other goes, attending Stohess University together. Some things never change.

His finger dips between your folds, gathering slick from your arousal, circling your throbbing clit. You squirm from his touch, your grip on his hair tightening from the stimulation. “Let me eat you out.”

You swallow hard, nervous by his offer. “No, it’s okay. I…I haven’t shaved,” you admit, embarrassed.

He laughs quietly, tugging at your chin to face him, nuzzling his nose against yours. “You think I care? Come on, Coco.”

You smile, pressing your lips to his. “Fine.” 

He positions himself between your legs, pulling off your shorts and underwear simultaneously. Without hesitation, his lips latch onto your bud, licking and pushing his tongue against it. You grab his pillow, scented like him, covering your mouth to muffle your cries. You orgasm within minutes, knees wobbly from the pleasure, wet and loud smooches as he kisses along the inside of your thighs, suckling at your skin. Soon after, he’s on top of you, cock hard in his fist, stroking his shaft. He guides himself inside you, your pussy adjusting to his size until he bottoms out. You wrap yourself around him, legs coiled at his waist, arms draped over his shoulders. He kisses you on the lips before he starts thrusting. “Fuck, baby. You feel so good.” 

He makes love to you gently, his hips rutting into you at a steady pace, hands caressing your skin delicately. You whimper beneath him, your second climax approaching, hitting your sweet spot repeatedly, his luscious words charming you into a daze.

I love you.

We were made for each other.

It’ll be like this for the rest of our lives.

You wake up in the dark, facing the blank wall. It takes you a moment to realize where you are: inside your dorm room, alone in your bed. Sighing, you reach behind for your phone, face-down on your nightstand. Clicking the lock button to illuminate the screen, you squint your eyes while they adjust to the light, checking the time: 9:54 PM. It’s been hours of you lying dormant, in and out of sleep, ignoring the grumble of hunger in your belly, the stiffness in your limbs. You unpacked haphazardly after Reiner left and immediately retreated under the covers, body curled in the fetal position, mind racing with memories of the past. Now, it even haunts your dreams; you can’t escape it. It’s all you think about, asleep or awake. Scenes of your life together playing like a movie in fast-forward, pausing on all the empty promises. A glaring reminder that he lied. In his defense, you’re certain he meant it at the time. But being angry at him is easier than the actual convoluted feelings you’re experiencing.  You want so badly to be mad at him, to hate him. After everything you’ve been through, it’s impossible. That’s the fucked-up part: you’ll always love him.

You unlock your phone, checking for any notifications, disappointed when you don’t see one from Reiner. Part of you hopes he would text you to check in with how you’re doing. After all, he said you are still his best friend. Does he really mean that? The last message he sent was from a few days ago, before he picked you up from your house. Heading over now. See you soon! He helped pack your belongings in his car, smiling and carefree, excited for the new semester. Everything was normal, and now, with a blink of an eye, it’s not. 

You force yourself to close out of his message, convinced that you would stare at it the rest of the night if you let yourself. Below are your texts with Annie, your roommate and long-time friend. She texted you earlier this week, informing you of her arrival tomorrow morning. You’re unsure how she’ll react when you break the news to her. She’s always been wary of Reiner, despite knowing him just as long as you have. Another classmate from the same kindergarten class, though she never trusted him. While they are cordial with each other, you know deep down she harbors some sort of ill feeling towards him. The reason remains a mystery. If you were to guess, it could be that she never felt comfortable with you being so attached to him. “You rely on him too much.” She’s told you this multiple times, always waving it off with a laugh and a, “I know.” As if it were endearing to be so dependent on one other person. 

And it wasn’t one-sided; Reiner relied on you too, especially during the lowest points of his life. When he was twelve, he attempted to reconnect with his estranged father. The asshole didn’t even want to look at him, immediately refusing the idea of reuniting. And when his mom chose to ignore the issue than face it, the only person he had left was you. From then on, you were everything to him. He held you on the highest pedestal, so naturally, you did the same with him. 

We rely on each other so much; we’ll never be able to explore the real world. He said that to you earlier this morning. This whole time, you thought what you and Reiner had was the real world. All along, you were in your own little bubble, shielding each other from harm, concealing what else the universe can offer. You were happy this way, and you thought he was too. Or maybe you didn’t know any better.

You stare up, still in darkness, barely making out the popcorn ceiling of your bedroom, contemplating. You’re beginning to understand the reasons behind Reiner’s decision. Still, heartbreak hurts, and you wished he had talked to you about it before completely blindsiding you. Would it have stung less? Who knows. No matter how it could have happened, this is pain you have to suffer through. And this time, you don’t have him to help you endure it.

~~~

The next morning, you wake up from the walls rattling as Annie drags two giant suitcases aggressively through the doorway. 

You turn to face her, still in the same state you were in last night. Empty stomach, body even stiffer from inactivity, eyes swollen. And Annie, being as observant as she is, doesn’t let this go unnoticed. 

“What the hell happened to you?” She smirks, amused by your awful appearance, most likely thinking you had a rough night’s sleep. Nothing serious. You’re used to her blunt personality; you’ve always respected it. However, right now, it’s all a little too much. 

You can’t hold back your tears, admitting, “Reiner broke up with me.”

It’s an instant switch in demeanor. She drops her bags to the floor, rushing to you, sitting at the edge. Her brows are knit with concern, mouth partly open in shock. “What?”

You briefly explain what happened, giving her all the most important bits. She listens to you without interrupting, expression unchanging. When you’re finished, she takes a deep breath and mutters, “I’m going to kill him.”

She stands up so abruptly that you’re actually convinced that she will, so you grab her by the wrist to stop her. “Annie, don’t.”

“Why shouldn’t I? He deserves it. How can he do this to you?” She crosses her arms over her chest, pacing the small space between your two beds.

“You’re the one who said we rely on each other too much!”

“I know, but still. This is vile, even for him. He could have handled it better. He’s an asshole for doing it the way he did.” You stay silent, unsure how else to respond. You don’t want to defend him; it’s not your job to do that anymore. 

She lets you off the hook for a while, leaving the room to fetch the rest of her belongings. You remain in bed, watching her slip in and out of the room, appreciating the fact that you are no longer alone. With her side of the room unpacked, she focuses her attention back to you, hands on her hips like she means business. “You’re going to get through this, okay? Baby steps. First, you need to shower and brush your teeth.”

“How’d you know – ”

“Your breath stinks and you look awful.”

This is when you’re more than thankful for Annie’s straightforward tendency. For the first time in what seems like forever, you let out a genuine laugh. “You’re right.”

“Then, we’ll get lunch. The old man got me on the platinum meal plan again, so we can feast all semester long. See? Baby steps.”

You give her a small grin, nodding, bones cracking as you sit up to hop off the bed. When you stand, your legs almost give way; Annie catches you, offering stability. After a well-needed shower and an extra-long brush of your teeth, you throw on an outfit, ready for daylight. 

On your way to the campus cafeteria and all throughout lunch, Annie distracts you with a detailed recap of her summer vacation. Normally, she doesn’t talk this much, more of a listener than a chatter herself, but you know she’s trying anything to help you in your current misery. That means keeping your mind off Reiner and learning more about the Leonhart’s trip to Spain and the Bahamas. 

With food and nutrients back in your belly, you’re already feeling better. This moment is fleeting, however, when you make your way back to the dorms. Walking in the opposite direction is Bertolt Hoover. You think there’s a chance he doesn’t notice, since he’s chatting with the girl beside him. Unfortunately, he does. When he spots you and Annie, he waves, facing his friend to say something. She parts ways with him, leaving him alone with the two of you. “Hey.”

You force a smile, while Annie glares at him. “Hi, Bertolt.”

Clearing his throat nervously, he stutters, “How are you?”

He knows, he has to. Bertolt is Reiner’s best friend, outside of you, and surely, he’s aware of it. You shrug, words not sufficient enough to explain what you’re feeling. He understands, nodding awkwardly. “I’m sorry. About you and Reiner.”

“Did you already know he wanted to break up with her?” Annie blurts out, unable to help herself.

He sputters, clearly uncomfortable. “I…I mean…He may have mentioned it, yeah.”

She scoffs. “Wow. Unbelievable.”

“What was I supposed to do, Annie?!” he asks, defensively. “Rat him out?”

“You could at least given her a warning. Or encouraged him to talk to her before dropping a fucking colossal bomb.” 

“You know how he is. Reiner isn’t good at dealing with this kind of stuff. He confuses himself about what he really wants.”

“There was definitely a better way to handle it, I’m sure you can agree with that, Bertie.”

They argue with each other for a while longer, Annie’s petty nickname for him triggering another angry response. You look down at your feet, wondering what Reiner told Bertolt that he didn’t have the guts to tell you. 

Heated discussion fizzling out, Bertolt utters your name softly, catching your attention. “Look, I know this is all still fresh. But I wanted to check on you. You’re still my friend. I hope you know that.”

It’s practically the same statement Reiner said yesterday morning. You’re still my best friend, Coco. I hope you know that. A throwaway sentiment that’s supposed to make it all okay. As if it justifies it. You could let it pass, be on your way without discussing it further. But you don’t. Instead, you say, “A friend would have warned me, or at least tried to. I got blindsided, Bertolt. And it fucking hurts.”

He’s silent, unable to think of a good response. There’s nothing else he can say to make the situation any better. “Well, I’ll let Reiner know that I saw you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“He’s worried about you. You haven’t texted him, so he doesn’t know how you’re doing.”

This sets you off. “He broke up with me and expects me to reach out to him? What the fuck is that kind of logic?”

“I know, I know. I’m just relaying what was mentioned to me, okay?”

Blowing up at Bertolt won’t solve anything. With a deep exhale, you calmly state, “If he wants to talk to me, then he’s more than welcome to. But I’m not going to reach out to him. He wanted this breakup. I’m trying my best to move on.”

~~~

Annie stays with you in the room as you crawl back under the covers, enough excitement for the day. You spend the afternoon watching sad movie clips on your phone, torturing yourself with even more pain. Around 5:00 PM, there’s a knock on the door. You remain still, facing the wall, uninterested in who’s there. Your roommate answers, chatting with whoever it is for a few minutes before they leave. She calls out your name, checking if you’re awake. You crane your neck to meet her eyes, listening. 

“That was Eren, our new RA. He’s inviting us into the common room at 8 for some cupcakes. He wants to formally introduce himself and meet everyone.”

“Okay.”

“You’re going.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because I said so. You could use a cupcake.”

You don’t have the energy to argue with her, so you agree, focusing back on your phone to watch the rest of your video. You do love cupcakes. And it wouldn’t hurt to see who else is in the building. 

Annie steps out to eat dinner with her other friend Hitch, who’s living in the Mu Phi sorority house this year. When she returns, she hands you a box of food she ordered to-go, coaxing you into eating at least a couple of bites. By the time 8 o’clock rolls around, Annie pulls you out of bed, dragging you down the hall into the common room, where there are already people gathered. You recognize some faces, classmates and neighbors from your previous residence, waving at them with a tight smile. Praying that no one asks you about Reiner. You were the couple that everyone knew about; high school sweethearts, childhood friends, destined to be together forever. It makes you sick thinking about it, your relationship put on a spotlight like that. Out there in public for everyone to speculate now that it’s over.

A well-built brunette, clad in a hoodie and jeans, rushes into the room, two boxes stacked on top of each other in his hands. He sets it down on the table, smiling as he looks around the room. “Hi everyone. I’m Eren Jaeger, your RA for this year. Sorry I’m a little late; my brother just dropped these off for me, so I got a bit delayed. Anyways, thanks for joining me tonight. I promise this won’t take long. I know some of us have class tomorrow, so I’ll make this as short as possible.”

He asks everyone in the room to share their name, major, and a fun fact about themselves, starting with himself. “Like I said, I’m Eren Jaeger. I’m a pre-med biology major. And I have a massive sweet tooth.” He flashes a warm smile, then turns to the next person on his left, going clockwise. Each time someone shares, he has a polite follow-up comment. “Wow, that’s a tough major!” or “You’ll have to teach me how to hacky-sack one day!” When it gets to you, you introduce yourself, mention your major, and, without really thinking outside the box, you share, “I was born and raised in Marley.”

It's the most boring fact you can think of, but even at this, Eren manages to find something nice to add to it. “My dad and brother are originally from Marley, so I have that connection with it. Very cool.”

His enthusiasm for the most mundane things is endearing. He doesn’t look like the type to be this earnest; hair tied in a messy man-bun, baggy black sweatshirt with some obscure band name across the front, tour dates listed on the back. Jeans ripped at the knees, classic black high tops on his feet. He even has a chain around his neck with an old-fashioned key dangling from it. You’re not quite sure what you make of him yet, but upon the first impression, he seems nice. 

After everyone has had a chance to go, Eren announces, “Feel free to stick around and mingle for a bit. And please help yourself to these cupcakes. They’re all the way from Marley, and they’re amazing.”

This piques your interest. You nudge Annie, whispering, “Do you recognize where those are from?”

She leans closer to inspect the box, eyes widening at the familiar labeling. “Oh. They’re from Liberio’s Bakery.”

Upon hearing the name, your heart sinks, memories flooding your mind. This is yours and Reiner’s favorite bakery, the one you grew up with. Cakes made special for milestone birthday parties, like the triple layered chocolate volcano for Reiner’s tenth, complete with fire red buttercream frosting to mimic lava. Cookies as big as his head, soft and gooey in the middle, crispy on the edges, exactly the way he liked it. Or his favorite, red-velvet cupcakes, spelling out, “Prom?” in your senior year of high school, when you decided to ask him first before he asked you.  

You stand, rigid in place, throat tight, tears welling in your eyes. At the worst timing possible, Eren, oblivious to what’s happening by no fault of his own, walks over to you, a cupcake in his palm, smiling. “Would you like one?”

Unable to hold it in any longer, you burst into tears, burying your face in your hands. 

Eren, rightfully freaked out, panics, quickly glancing at Annie for guidance. “What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing you did, Eren, don’t worry,” she begins to explain. “She’s just…she’s going through a breakup right now. And Liberio’s is her and her ex’s favorite bakery, so…yeah.” 

He rubs the back of his neck. “Oh man. If I had known, I wouldn’t have asked Zeke to bring them. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It really is a great bakery.”

“Oh yeah, I keep forgetting you’re from Marley too. Damn, what are the chances? The one place I pick to surprise you all with, it causes one of my residents to cry. Am I a shitty RA or what?” he chuckles. 

“I blame your brother, he’s the one who introduced you to it.”

“Yeah, if anything, let’s blame Zeke.”

They share a laugh as you sputter into your hands, wiping snot and tears away with your sleeves. “I’m going to grab some tissues for her from the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” Annie announces, leaving you alone with Eren.

He clears his throat, uttering your name before he apologizes again. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s-hic-not-hic-your-hic-fault,” you assure him, through choked sobs.

“Still, I feel terrible. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I know that breakups always suck.”

You nod, trying to collect yourself so you can apologize for putting him in this situation. Before you can, he says, “If you ever need anything, I’m just down the hall. Seriously. Don’t hesitate to knock on my door.” He offers you a gentle smile. It’s words that are often said in passing, but the way he looks at you, it feels genuine. Like he truly means it.

“Thank you,” you respond, taken aback by his kindness. 

Annie reappears with a bunch of tissues in her hands, handing them to you to wipe your face dry. “Are you okay?” she asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine now,” you answer, avoiding Eren’s gaze, still mortified about the whole situation. You ignore the wandering eyes from the other resident’s, saving further humiliation for another day. 

“Anyways, I’ll leave you two alone. Again, sorry about this. Let me know if you need anything. Like I said, I’m down the hall.” He turns on his heel to walk away, then backtracks, facing you again. “Here.” He thrusts his palm forward, presenting you the treat. “Cupcakes are always sweet, even after a breakup. You owe it to yourself to still enjoy the things you like. No one should ever change that for you.”

You take it into your hands, touched by his parting words and generosity. Back in the room, after careful contemplation, you decide to go for it. You peel back the liner and bring the cupcake to your lips, taking a bite. 

Eren’s right; it’s still just as sweet.

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I made a neat little Stardew Valley dynamic wallpaper! This here gif just shows how it changes throughout the day. And you can get it for yourself!

Mac users - download here!

Windows users - available on Wallpaper Engine! (uploaded by u/Allian42 on Reddit with permission) Doesn't include rain variant unfortunately. Will likely upload the rain version onto Wallpaper Engine myself soon, so keep an eye on my blog.

Phone users - download here! Not dynamic though, just the individual wallpaper jpegs resized to fit phones better.