𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 - 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟

it was late in the evening when you found yourself walking home after a long day, the streets empty and quiet except for the occasional distant hum of passing cars. your head was still buzzing from work, and you weren't really in the mood to walk alone, but you didn't mind the solitude. it gave you time to clear your thoughts.

that was until you felt a familiar presence behind you.

you glanced over your shoulder to find sae itoshi walking casually a few steps behind you, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. his signature smirk was absent, replaced with a subtle, yet undeniable, concern etched across his features. you weren't sure when he had shown up—he wasn't in the area when you first started walking, but there he was.

you hesitated before calling out, "sae? what are you doing here?"

sae slowed his pace and caught up to you effortlessly. he didn't answer immediately, instead looking at you for a brief moment with his usual aloof expression. "what do you mean, 'what am i doing here'? just walking. what's wrong with that?"

you raised an eyebrow, trying to read him, but his expression didn't change. you weren't convinced, but you decided to drop it. after all, it wasn't unusual for sae to show up wherever you were. he did tend to pop up when you least expected it, though you were never sure if it was coincidental or if he had some sort of secret tracker on you.

you both continued walking in silence, the cool night air nipping at your skin, but there was a quiet comfort in his presence. you were so used to him being around that his near-constant company had become second nature to you.

it wasn't until a few minutes later that you noticed the change in the atmosphere—something about the way sae was walking. he was now positioned a little closer to you, almost protective in a way. then, suddenly, you felt his hand brush against yours. at first, you thought it was accidental, but when he didn't pull away, you glanced at him.

he wasn't looking at you, his gaze still straight ahead, but his hand remained next to yours, lingering. he wasn't holding your hand per se, but the subtle touch felt intentional. a warmth spread through you despite the chilly air.

it took a few more steps before sae's fingers lightly brushed against yours again. this time, they lingered longer, before slowly, almost hesitantly, intertwining with yours. your heart skipped a beat, but you didn't pull away. instead, you squeezed his hand lightly, unsure of what to say, but grateful for his unspoken gesture.

after a few moments, sae glanced at you, almost sheepishly. "you know, it's dangerous to walk around late at night like this. you should really be more careful," he muttered, his voice quieter now, almost as if the statement was something he was saying more for his own sake than yours.

you felt a smile tug at the corner of your lips, your heart softening. "thank you," you said, your voice sincere. "i appreciate it."

sae's cheeks flushed slightly, and he let out a nervous laugh, trying to downplay his actions. "it's not like i'm doing it because i care or anything. i just don't want you getting into trouble, that's all."

you raised an eyebrow, not buying his words for a second. "mm, sure, sae. i'm sure that's all it is," you teased, but your smile didn't fade.

his gaze faltered for a moment, the smallest hint of a blush coloring his cheeks as he shifted awkwardly, still holding your hand but not quite meeting your eyes. "it's not like i'm trying to be... romantic, or anything," he muttered, his voice quiet but laced with an unmistakable softness. he seemed almost embarrassed, as if he wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation.

you stopped walking for a moment, pulling him to a stop as well. you turned to face him, your eyes softening. "sae... i know. but still, thank you. you're always looking out for me."

he looked down at your hand, still holding onto yours, and for the first time in a long while, his confident demeanor wavered. he shifted his weight, his usual cocky smile replaced with something more genuine, more vulnerable. "yeah, well... it's just... natural. i can't help it, okay?"

you felt the air between you shift, something deeper lying just beneath the surface. he wasn't admitting it outright, but there was an undeniable tenderness in his words that you hadn't heard from him before. something about the way he spoke made you wonder if he was slowly realizing just how much he cared for you.

the gentle pressure of his hand in yours sent an unspoken message, and it was impossible to ignore. you tilted your head slightly, letting out a soft laugh. "you don't have to downplay it, you know. i get it, sae."

he met your gaze for a split second, his eyes dark with something unreadable. "yeah, well..." he hesitated, the words hanging in the air between you two. his expression softened, and for once, the usual mask of cockiness was gone, replaced by something more honest.

"i guess i just wanted to make sure you were okay. i didn't want you walking alone, not tonight, not with everything going on," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. there was a vulnerability in his words that caught you off guard.

sae took a deep breath, his eyes shifting away as if unsure of what he had just said. "look, don't get any weird ideas. it's not like i'm doing this because i... care about you or anything. it's just... it's just easier this way, okay?"

you smiled warmly, not teasing him this time, but genuinely touched by his words. without thinking, you leaned in slightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. the warmth from his hand tightened around yours at the sudden contact, and for a brief moment, the whole world felt a little quieter, a little more intimate.

"i know, sae," you whispered, "and i care about you too. thank you for being here."

sae froze for a moment, his heart racing from your simple words. he hadn't expected this—hadn't expected you to say it so freely, without hesitation. his fingers twitched against yours, and as he turned to look at you, a slow, genuine smile spread across his face.

"yeah," he said softly, voice quieter than usual, "me too."

𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠