drabbles || smoochies 2k21

[kumous]

for boba. anya & yato - a kiss as a memento

“Are you sure you remember?”

Anya nodded vigorously. “Да! Yes!”

He pressed more insistently, gaze almost desperate. “What’s my name—”

“Yato!”

Yato, the god and beggar, whirled around to make sure that no one was behind him - even though in the comfort of Anya’s childhood home, she’s not sure who else she would randomly invite in at this very important moment. “And you’re looking at me, right, not a monkey-”

“No monkey, just Yato!”

Briefly, it seemed as though his eyes were about to shine with tears, but he expressed far too honestly, “I can’t get my hopes up!! This is too much! Anya!”

“Yes, yes - it is Anya, your Anya,” she did her best to soothe him, hands coming up in a placating gesture even as he trembled in front of her, caught somewhere between disbelief and relief. What an awkward place to be. “And you are my Yato. Помнить. Remember now - sorry I ever forgot again.”

Sorry that she forgot one of the most important people in the world to her - and he continued to watch her with an apprehensive gaze, though his breathing at least seemed to steady with the repeated reassurances.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel - that she wanted to do more for him? How could she? What more could she do for this person that she loved so dearly? This person that she never wanted to lose again?

“Yato… Ближе? Closer please?” She peered up at him, before making a beckoning gesture with her hand.

And, as ever, Yato did as she asked. Just as she knew that he would appear when she called his name, that if there was ever a moment that she truly needed a guardian or a god, he would be there for her.

It was just important to her to begin this long journey of being present for him in equal measure.

As he lowered down to her slightly, she lifted to her tiptoes - just enough that she could press a brief kiss to his forehead. Just as she’d done on the night that he came to see her when she was so scared, when he promised her that she could accomplish her dreams - when he made her believe that dreams were worth the risk in the first place.

Perhaps the next dream she could pursue was one where she could promise to never leave him again.

Just as the first time, the shock colored his face in a bright red hue - and she giggled with the familiarity of it, with the fondness that settled in her chest.

Seeking to take his hands in hers, she gently held onto him, and this time she made the silent promise in her heart to never let go.

for blair. iris & itaru (stonks) - good morning kiss

Iris did her best to adhere to countless ideals - Employee of the Month, Model-like Beauty, and Top Scorer at the local arcade to name just a few. Her work was always absurdly punctual and detailed, and she was an unreasonable completionist in her endless collection of games. In many ways, she did her very best to be perfect.

However one area of her life that she had close to no experience with was sharing her living space with another person.

When her usual alarm rang at 6 AM, she nearly fell out of her luxurious, warm, Queen-sized bed with the lightning speed that she dived to turn it off. Normal people didn’t wake up this early unless held at gunpoint, she remembered, certainly not normal people who were up past midnight the night before trying to rank for a new event that dropped in F*te/GO.

The last point was emphasized when an unwilling, pained grumble emitted from underneath the covers - ah, of course Itaru would still be asleep. They didn’t need to report to work for another two hours still, and she lived close enough that they could walk down the block to the office because of course Iris prioritized her career in her apartment selection.

A soft sigh escaped her when the shuffling under the covers ceased - and she dropped the briefest kiss to his hair as it stuck out from underneath the blankets. Ruffled and rumpled, a far cry from the prince that strode down the halls of their shared work building…

But - cute either way.

She liked his casual side just as much - if not more, if only for the fact that she knew it was a secret he trusted her to keep.

The rest of her morning schedule continued, if at a considerably lower volume than if she was by herself. It had gotten a bit more comfortable for them - to simply sleep over at whoever’s apartment they were at that night. It was practical and, if she were to take a moment to reflect upon it, a luxury she thought that she would never get to indulge in.

What a warm sight it was, an hour later, when her lover wandered into the kitchen with a considerably more kept appearance. She reached out to adjust the the lapel of his suit, an excuse to reach out to him even as she offered him a mug of coffee with her other hand.

“Good morning. Did I wake you earlier?” She worried aloud, tilting her head.

“If you did, I don’t remember it.” He smiled gently in response - before he was interrupted with a yawn.

“Lucky!” She laughed to herself before reaching out to the counter - where she’d set his phone after borrowing it, offering it back to him. “But since I was up first, I used up both of our LP before work—”

The rest of her sentence was lost as he pressed a kiss to her lips - and what could she do but return it? Ah, of course that would be the way to a gamer’s heart.

Really, this was one arena where Iris felt as though she still had much to learn before she could get a Perfect Score as a girlfriend… but if each morning was as warm as this one, she thought she could learn to get used to it very quickly.

for alice. anya & tsukasa - practice kiss.

It was certainly worthy of a fairytale.

A beautiful pedestal adorned with crystals and flowers and crystalline flowers alike, every inch of it holding the same majesty and mystique invoking the imagery of both an icy coffin and a place where life could bloom anew. Atop it, a sleeping girl, hands laid gently over her chest as though making a wish. Her silver hair caught the tiny reflections of glass, casting a near angelic halo on her peaceful form.

Above her, a prince with hair apple red, brushing aside some stray flowers from her cheek with a tender touch. For a moment, he appeared overcome with emotion, pausing to marvel at the loveliness in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he let his eyes fall shut and…

And…

…

Anya opened one eye, perplexed as the moment stretched on, only to be greeted with the sight of Tsukasa’s cheeks burning with embarrassment.

She allowed him a few seconds more, as if he would be able to conjure up the courage…

… No? Well, that was alright. It was simple work for her to lean up, pressing a brief kiss to the very tip of his nose.

He startled with the gesture, eyes snapping open before an expression that bordered on a pout crossed his face - though he couldn’t be entirely displeased. His blush only increased as he protested, “I-I-I’ll get it right, Anya-chan! I will!”

“Да! Yes!” She agreed easily, even as he moved to back away from the prop and she sat up.

Admittedly, it was part of why they came to the set early - just in case Tsukasa might lose his nerve just like this in the middle of filming. It was a bit of a nerve-wracking thing, she could admit, to kiss your girlfriend in front of a whole crew of people, even if it was for a commercial. In truth, she couldn’t help but feel as though when it truly became a matter of work and representing his unit well, he would end up performing just fine but…

Given that they’ve run through the scene with only the two of them a little under a dozen times now, she wondered if that was true?

“Ah, what a difficult shoot they assigned this time…” he mumbled softly to himself - but as he realized her slightly perplexed look, he went on to explain, “N-Not that it’s difficult to show you affection! Of course not!”

She nodded. Good answer. He was allowed to continue explaining.

“But ah… To do so for a simple perfume ad… Even knowing that they’ll cut away before the actual kiss - they wouldn’t be so bold to put that on TV, would they—”

“Would they?” Anya questioned, tilting her head. It would be surprising and she doubted it, but at the same time “… Mm, no, Knights does… ah, fan service, yes?”

Tsukasa briefly hid his face in his hand.

That was answer enough for Anya, pulling a laugh from her as she shifted to face him more directly, legs dangling daintily from the prop. In an attempt at soothing, she opened her arms to him in invitation - and found it very sweet indeed when he walked toward her immediately, seeking to be spoiled.

It was always her favorite privilege as his actual girlfriend, after all.

“It is okay,” she assured him as her arms looped around his neck. “Maybe… случайный? Do not think of job - but only pay attention to me. I am happy we get to work together… but more than work, I am just happy to have more time with you.”

He made an expression as if he was struck for a moment - and she worried as always if she had managed to say the wrong thing, but found the concern quieted quickly indeed when his mouth found hers, gentle and sweet.

See? He was perfectly affectionate when he didn’t worry too much about the details.

“… I’m happy to have more time with you too,” he admitted quietly, even though they were the only two in the stage. “And I’m glad that there’ll at least be some media out there that’ll broadcast how happy we are.”

Anya smiled, the warmth in her chest blooming with his words. “Mm! I would be most happy to - Публично? To love you not in secret.”

for sunny. anya & kuramochi - congratulatory kiss.

The game was hard-won but as the final seconds ticked down to signal the end of the inning - the crowd roared to life as Kuramochi slid back to home base, the dust cloud clearing and indicating his team’s victory.

Anya knew that as an idol, both her voice and her ability to blend into the crowd were very important for her quality of life - but she seemed to care for neither as she nearly leapt out of her seat and cheered along with the rest of the stadium.

Finding a way to her boyfriend was easier said than done - she wouldn’t have been surprised if they were hefting him into the air in their excitement and cheers, but she was determined.

They had only a moment to spare before he would have to go on to post-game press interviews, where she could only imagine that he’d be quite proud indeed of his game-winning slide - but she intended to make the most of it.

So when their eyes locked - and when he called out to her, excited and eager “Anya!!!” - she found herself giddy at the sound of her name on his lips.

He was tired, she knew, and yet her legs moved before she thought better of it - and she threw herself right into his arms.

He caught her - of course he did.

He did more than catch her, he lifted her right off her feet and went with the momentum, spinning her around in his matching excitement, laughing.

It was so contagious that she couldn’t help but do the same - but the only thing more pressing to her than the amusement was to give him her congratulations. And yet it was a moment, like so many others, when Anya felt as though the words may very well fail her.

So she let her lips catch his in a kiss instead - and hoped that her congratulations could be felt that way.

Pulling away after, only then did the word finally come to her - “Поздравления!”

Ah, not quite.

Though based on the laugh and grin he gave her in return - it seemed he got the gist.

for pixi. childe & iris (the 1%) - kiss as a distraction

“Today’s lesson is?”

Childe flicked his wrist and in a sleight of hand that would put every magician left in town to shame, a knife settled comfortably in his palm. “Bladework. I think you’ll pick this one up fast, Princess.”

Given that it was only the two of them in this training space that was normally set aside for new guards, Iris didn’t hesitate to roll her eyes as she finished fastening her hair up into a bun. It was a fond enough gesture - they both knew very well that even before he started training her, she had a penchant for grabbing sharp objects when she was caught off-guard.

Just because Iris never wanted to draw blood didn't mean that she was blind to it being the most sensible course of action when danger snuck up on her.

As ever, Childe was an excellent teacher - thorough, clear, and pragmatic. (“This artery will lead to someone bleeding out the fastest, but if you want to leave them alive but sever the nerve to their arm, I’d aim here — and don’t give me that look, Princess. We both know what you’re capable of.”) Only rarely did he interrupt his instruction with a tease or a comment that made her want to skip the lecture and jump straight to the chance to stab him.

Thought that only made this a day that ended in ‘y’, didn’t it?

When it came to practice, she couldn’t deny the comfort of the blade in her palm - preferred to their previous teaching lessons when he taught her how to defend herself empty-handed. Yet even the addition of the dangerous accessory didn’t keep her back from hitting the floor with a thud so painful she was certain her shoulder blades would bruise from the impact.

“How fortunate for you that my next dress isn’t backless,” she hissed up at him, sighing as her struggle was temporarily paused.

“Well, I’d say I both win and lose in that scenario.” Despite this, Childe still wore only a smile as he hovered over her, easing some of the pressure that he used to keep her pinned when she no longer fought back.

While he certainly never fought her at full strength during these spars, he never entirely held back either. He knew her pride just as well as she did - condescension would only aggravate her worse. “I’ll draw you a bath and schedule you a massage when we’re done.”

“Yes you will,” Iris snapped back easily, affirming that she would accept all spoiling in exchange for the momentary pain - even if it was important for her to learn.

Still, she was nothing if not fair - depending on who you asked - and reached up with her free hand, beckoning him down closer to her.

He met the silent command easily, letting her fingers fall to the nape of his neck just as she leaned up to press a grateful kiss to his lips. Against the ache of the spar, the softness of the gesture made Iris sigh contentedly - and it was satisfying indeed when she felt Childe relax ever so slightly underneath her touch as well.

A perfect chance to drive her knee directly into his ribs.

(The fact of the matter was that Iris was so rarely fair to Childe.)

The remains of her conscience pricked her with the slightest bit of guilt - but paled entirely in comparison to the satisfaction she felt, even if she knew that this trick would likely only work once.

So of course she’d be as vicious as she could during this one chance.

It was only the combination of momentum and surprise that let her flip their positions, the rough movement finally getting her hair to fall free of the bun, silver cascading around them as she drove her knee against Childe’s chest, letting all of her weight pin him. The blade in her hand poised at his neck—

And she could have sworn that he’d never been so pleased to be tricked, if the grin he wore was any indication. Eyes bright, enraptured with this new form of warfare.

“Should I expect this every time we kiss now?” Of course he managed to be cheeky even with the pressure she was placing on him - or maybe because of it.

Her smile in return was sharp, but no less loving. “As if you’d be opposed.”

(Perhaps she understood just a little bit now - the rush he got from scuffles such as this. Even if she thought that perhaps this feeling she had was one reserved for him and him alone.)

He had the nerve to reach for her free hand, bringing it closer to him again, pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles.

“Guilty.”

for kia. sakon & aria (windy duo) - consolation kiss.

“The goddess of victory… Why have I been so forsaken…?!”

“Wow,” Aria murmured softly as she returned to their table in a dingy little restaurant they’d found shelter in. “I didn’t even know you knew that word…”

Sakon sniffed even as his head rested against the table, so depressed that his dango was untouched. Bad sign. “I heard Gyoubu-san use it… It fits, right?! I’ve been abandoned! Left in the dust! My ass was handed to me!”

“Ah, that sounds more like you,” Aria noted amusedly, tipping the bottle of sake she’d retrieved to refill her poor, poor loser boyfriend’s cup. “Too bad, I rather liked your ass where it was.”

“I did too!” Sakon whined drunkenly, even as he knocked back another cup of sake before placing it back on the table. He rocked his chair back on its hind legs and - she thought it rather impressive, how even intoxicated as he was, he was able to maintain his balance.

Hadn’t this fool thought that perhaps that his luck went to other things besides his careless gambles?

“There, there…” she cooed, even if it was hard to keep a smile off of her face as she reached for the dango. At least one of them should have dessert.

“Aria!! Commiserate with me please!” He exclaimed again, even as he rocked forward, all chair legs finding the ground again. He fixed her with this terribly pitiful look, just like a puppy, and she couldn’t help it - her giggles escaped her entirely, aided with the flow of alcohol.

“Okay, okay… Since you’re upset - how about this? I ran the very difficult calculations, and you just so happen to have earned enough points for consolation prize…” She tilted her head, and tried not to laugh worse at the way that his eyes seemed to light up at the idea of a secondary reward.

“Haaa? For real? What is it?” He leaned forward more - just what she needed.

It was all the simpler then to close the distance and press their lips together with a kiss - it tasted faintly of sake and sweetness, but that was hardly an unwelcome flavor. When she pulled back, she licked her lips and tilted her head.

“There! How was it?”

Sakon paused for a few moments and then leaned in again - “Do I have enough points for another…?”

Ah. Idiot. But her idiot.

“Yes, yes, of course.”

for sisi. ichiro & iris - good luck kiss.

Ikebukuro was electric with the energy that came with the resurgence of the next round of Division Rap Battles, and Iris couldn’t help but get caught up with the excitement as it was the first time the festivities lit up again since she started making more regular visits. Open-faced curiosity and an Honored Guest Pass issued on behalf of the Buster Bros, reigning Ikebukuro representatives, had managed to grant her access backstage.

Still, she peered out into the crowd from behind some of the equipment, eyes reflecting the same excitement and adoration from those in attendance. It was just a preliminary match, but there was so much pride in Ikebukuro, and so much love for these three brothers who loved this district right back.

“It’s wild, right?” A voice stole her attention and she turned toward the sound automatically, a smile playing across her lips as she made her way to Ichiro.

“Haha, ‘wild’ is an understatement - they’re so excited to see you.” Well, it’s not like she didn’t understand the sentiment. She peered behind him, rising to her tiptoes to try to see over his shoulder. “Jiro and Saburo are…?”

“Grabbing some drinks from the vending machines before we head out - but I heard you were wandering around and came to get’cha,” Ichiro explained easily. It was sweet, she thought, how he still worried after her on his big day. “Thanks - by the way.”

Iris’ brow furrowed at that, her head tilting at the gratitude. “Hmm… You’re welcome… is what I’d say, if I knew what you were thanking me for?”

Ichiro laughed at that - but he was already so familiar with her tendency to look before she leapt. Despite the fact that it was so clear now that even if she did take a sudden jump, he’d be right there to catch her.

“‘Cause I know your schedule’s crazy, but you still came by to support us. So I gotta say thanks for that, don’t I?”

… well, he would catch her if he wasn’t the one knocking her right off her feet.

The only evidence of the critical hit was the way that a blush started to climb up her neck, though she cleared her throat a moment later and moved to fuss with her hair - her other obvious nervous tell.

“… I’m really no match for you, am I,” she huffed faintly under her breath before she gave a more confident smile, rallying as best she could. “Then I’ll say you’re welcome, I suppose - if you’ll let me say thank you for welcoming me into your home as you always have.”

For the homes that they tended to build together - plural now, despite Iris’ every expectation.

A dainty hand moved to fuss with his collar - not that it truly needed any fixing, but he leaned down to make it easier for her anyway, always meeting her halfway.

To which she could now respond with more certainty and with a bit of mischief of her own, rocking up to her tiptoes to let their mouths meet in a kiss.

He wore surprise so very well, flustered - and she simply considered their scores even for his overwhelming and embarrassing sincerity before. She smiled again, delighted and impish before pressing another kiss to his cheek.

“For good luck - your home is rooting for you, and so am I. So that makes victory all but assured, doesn't it?”

Ichiro looked back at her, expression warm and open as ever. Truly, it was the face of a young man ready to take on the world.

“Hell yeah. Bet.”

for ara. jeanne & soo-won (j'woo) - hand kiss

Their travels, stretching into eternity and across every plane of existence, were peaceful.

… for the most part.

Kouka, in every instance and in every future, stood at the forefront of Soo-won’s priorities. A kingdom strong enough that it would never be invaded, that it would never fall to another power ever again. While he stayed out of their politics and their daily struggles, what he would never allow to pass was the loss of land or significant destruction to its cities.

And as a threat loomed from across the sea, he knew once again he would have to rise from his spectator seat and Jeanne - ever present, faithful, loyal, ever more than he deserved - stood at his side.

The strategy was simple enough - between the two of them and some strings pulled amidst the local militia in Awa (which had such a strong tradition of noble piracy, even now), their strength would be enough for the operation to succeed.

“We’ll move under the cover of night. For now, ensure that our inventory is prepared, and then rest until the signal,” he concluded their meeting with final instructions. With soft affirmations and murmurs of understanding, their impromptu war room began to clear out, unaware that they were taking orders from their once-king.

And their once-king kept a once-knight at his side. Jeanne was the only other who remained in the room, looking to him with a calm smile at the others departed.

“It still suits you,” she commented, earning a small, rueful smile from him.

“Perhaps you cannot truly shed what you spent most of your early life assuming was your only path…” he sighed, before turning to her. “Or so I would say, but I do not wish to confine you to the same shackles I give myself.”

Soo-won’s freedom was always a tricky thing - a question of worthiness was always at the tip of his tongue, but he would fight into the ends of the earth to defend Jeanne’s.

“Hmm… If the paths we took early in our lives allowed us to reach this moment, would you call them shackles still?” She questioned, challenged him as only she ever truly could. Get him to think, reframe, and hesitate for those precious seconds that just barely managed to be enough to get his worldview to expand. “I am content, to be able to move by the will of the people.”

Even if Kouka was not her people, and these gods were not hers, Jeanne had judged this an apt battlefield worth fighting for.

She reached for his hand then, taking a knee - a gesture that Soo-won recognized now from countless museums, tapestries, portraits. Lifting his knuckles to her forehead - taking the blessing of this descendant of the gods, even if he did not desire the title in the slightest - before pressing a kiss to the back of his hand.

“I am also content - to fight at your side. May the battle be in our favor.”

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, Soo-won thought again that no atonement would ever be enough to truly deserve Jeanne’s attention to this extent.

To deserve Jeanne, in the slightest.

And so he did not lower himself to the ground - not quite - but instead bent at the waist enough to meet her where she was, pressing his mouth against the crown of her head. The king lowered himself, wanting nothing more than to simply be on the same plane as his lover at all times.

If she would be in his service, then let her understand that he was just as equally hers.

“My deare Jeanne - I do not know if there is a battle left on this earth that we could not win.”

for kosy. judith & ieyasu - kiss it better.

“I didn’t hit you too hard, did I…?”

The lilting question pulled Ieyasu’s attention away from the cold of the icepack against his temple, and the warmth of Judith’s teasing gaze managed to make it hard for him to notice the temperature at all.

“No, no,” he assured quickly, polite and eager to please as always. He laughed idly, his smile straining only slightly with a wince, prompting him to place the icepack back into place. “I’d be disappointed if you held back - I’d always rather stand on equal footing with you, Judith!”

She tilted her head at that. “While I can say I’d be disappointed if you said otherwise… I think only one of us is still left on our feet, you know?”

Given that Ieyasu was presently horizontal, laid out flat on one of the logs by the campfire, and all.

“… I was merely resting…” He was grasping at straws.

“Oh, of course.” She allowed it. In a graceful descent, she moved to sit on the rock nearby, letting her head fall into her waiting palm as she looked him over. “Don’t let me interrupt then.”

He laughed at her lenience. “The kick after swinging on your spear was a good move though. I’ll have to remember to watch out for that one.”

“I thought I should pay you back for the midair punch is all,” she teased. “I thought my shoulder had gotten dislocated.”

A beat.

“Do you ever think that we might be too rough on each other?” Ieyasu questioned.

“Never.”

The speed of her answer pulled another laugh from him, and he wondered if his stomach would ache next from the mirth that she pulled from him. “Oh, alright then - just checking.”

It was the movement of the icepack that pulled Ieyasu’s attention next - blinking in confusion as Judith plucked it from his forehead, letting him see the curve of her smile without impediment. Truly, she was as radiant as a moonlit night even when the sun had barely begun to set.

“And if we’re too rough with each other, doesn’t that mean that we should just be too soft with each other in equal measure? That sounds like balance to me.” Her voice dropped in volume just a bit - the same aforementioned softness coloring her tone as her fingers moved to brush lightly through his hair.

His own expression was also impossibly fond, he was sure, when he reached out to catch those fingers with his own. Scarred, calloused, guilty of shaking the very foundation of countless battles - but in this moment gentle, only idly curious as he held his hand in hers.

“Mm. Sounds like balance to me,” he affirmed.

Surely it was also balance when she leaned down, closing the space between them, allowing a truly vicious sparring session to be matched only by a kiss so soft that Ieyasu was at risk of falling into it entirely.