𝖍𝖝𝖍 𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖘

Jocks (Nobunaga x Fem!Reader x Phinks; College AU)

Top! Phinks & Nobunaga

Author: diaphanous_penumbra (on ao3)

___________________________

it began with meeting Nobunaga. Both of you were history majors that shared quite a few classes together, though it wasn't until last semester when you were paired up for a project that you two began talking. The man was reserved yet friendly when you first encountered him. But under that calm front was an utter goofball and a man highly passionate about his major. He apparently was also the captain of the university kendo team - which you didn't even realize was a thing on campus until he told you. Kendo was Nobunaga's other passion, and he loved talking about various practices of swordsmanship (and he even more appreciated the fact that you didn't let your eyes glaze over as he talked but instead you actually listened and were engaged in the conversation). Sometimes if he could, he would invite you to his matches, which you always cheered him on from the sidelines.

Through Nobunaga you had met Phinks. They were roommates, sharing a large apartment with two other men - Uvogin and Feitan. Yet it was the blond who caught your attention. He was like an odd yet happy medium between the other two. He wasn't as loud and boisterous as Uvogin, but he wasn't as closed off and hostile as Feitan. At first you thought the archaeology major was a grump, but one day after you offered to tutor him in a subject he was struggling in you realized that was just his face. Granted, he was sort of a grump and was rather curt when you first met him. But he had a cocky attitude that managed to be endearing. Under that smirk was a man who just needed to be understood and listened to. He was a very well-known boxer, and like Nobunaga would invite you to his matches often. Sometimes it would be hard to watch, but Phinks would always look over and wink at you, reassuring you that he would get his victory.

You couldn't exactly figure out if you started having feelings for one of them or both of them first, but you did remember the first time that you really began to consider your feelings for both of them. It was during winter break when the boys had a holiday party at their place. There was a lot of people and a lot more drinks. At this point you were very close to them - inseparable perhaps.

Phinks had his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close to his warm broad chest as he laughed loudly with his friends. You were even stuck under a mistletoe Uvogin strategically put over you and Nobunaga. Nobunaga scolded his friend, but the big guy wouldn't let it go. At this point you were all drunk, so inhibitions were not much of a thing at this point. But Nobunaga just settled for planting a tiny kiss on your head, muttering an apology for his friend's behavior and a happy holidays.

At the time, you didn't think much of it. But the next few days after that, your mind began to wander. Every time you thought or were near them, you felt your heart thud faster and your face turn warm.

You thought perhaps it was perception skewed by your feelings, but you swore that there had been a slight change in behavior. Phinks had always thrown his arm around your shoulder, but now his grasp around you seemed to linger a bit longer even when you needed to part ways. When you talked with Nobunaga over coffee, the eye contact you two maintained seemed to last a few seconds longer than it normally would.

Those moments made your heart skip a beat, made you think 'what if...?' But those brief moments of fantastical bliss were brought down by reality. Even if this wasn't you just thinking too much into it, what could the implications mean? What if they both had feelings for you? You could only choose one, right? The thought of possibly ruining the friendship between you three because of silly crush made you more upset than the thought of them not reciprocating your feelings at all. So you decided to swallow down those feelings. Pretend they didn't exist and just put on your best smile.