Hating You

❑ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫

Karma paced the downstairs bathroom. It wasn't small, but it wasn't as big as the upstairs bathroom, or his parent's bathroom, or his.

Nevertheless, it did the job. His brain was short-circuiting and it never did that. Gods knew it never did that. He bit one of his fingernails as he strode and turned, strode and turned.

Nagisa knocked on the door, Karma knew it was his girlish friend because of how singular and light the knock was.

Karma stared at the closed door, the only thing keeping his sanity intact. Why did he have to go and give them food? Why was he concerned that they might be hungry? They ate at least one meet-bun, but for some reason when he left the living room, Karma knew they would follow him.

"Karma?" Nagisa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, Karma blinked a few times before taking a deep breath and walking toward the door. "Karm-" Nagisa interrupted himself when Karma opened the door, "there you are." The boy smiled at his friend, come on, the others are starting to leave."

Karma rolled his eyes, hoping to be subtle, but the small boy caught it.

Nagisa watched Karma, forcing him to make eye contact, "just because you don't like them," he started, and Karma knew where this was going because he's had this conversation with Nagisa before, with multiple people before actually, "doesn't mean you can't be nice to them."

Yeah, yeah, Karma shook his head, if only they weren't Nakamura's best friend. Life would be so much easier for him. A sort of small nostalgia washed over Karma as he thought about life without L/n. "Karma." Nagisa's tone was a warning.

Karma shrugged and looked at the other boy with a cheeky grin, "can't blame me for hoping, can you?"

"I just don't understand why you two can't get along." Nagisa was still mumbling his thoughts when the two appeared in the arch that looked into the living room. Isogai was helping Kataoka into her coat and Sugino, Kayano, and Okuda was busy setting up pallets on the floor.

Karma scanned the room for a certain blonde and when he spotted her on one of the couch's armrests he couldn't hide the smile that came to his lips. Though he wasn't smiling at her, but at the person next to her.

He knew that he was staring, analyzing their facial features. Admiring would be a too-generous word. Another grin plastered itself onto his face and as smooth as a wraith, he slid up beside Nakamura and took out his phone, a single, clean snap.

A few hums later and Nakamura's phone beeped, just as he had planned. Then, just as quickly as before, he was sitting beside L/n, the camera of the phone now flipped around. He felt Nakamura's eyes on him as he angled the camera to get the angle that would suit him the best.

It was all too swift if he did say so himself, that Karma was able to take the photo. He sighed in contentment as he stared at the two people in the picture. L/n's drool was as clear as his peace sign. He looked around nd decided that before anyone could get the wrong idea, he needed to move, but the person beside him moved first. For a split second, he'd thought he'd woken them up, but as he turned to face them, something latch onto his abdomen. It was an arm.

A head rested just below his stomach soon after and it was all too late that he realized, L/n hadn't woken up, but their body had adjusted itself–way too close to Karma for his liking. He stared down at them, wondering how to get out of this situation as fast as possible, Sugino and Okuda were already looking at him with suspicious eyes.

He cursed, and slid his hands underneath them, but, for a brief second, he froze. Just staring at them. It was a second too long, so in that same second, Karma removed their hands as nimbly as he could and stood, watching Sugino and Okuda, giving them a look that said, "say something, I dare you."

Just as his eyes met theirs, they tried to act as if they hadn't been watching the entire time. He shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"Come on, L/n!" Nakamura shook her friend as Karma waved goodbye to Isogai and Kataoka as they made to leave, thinking that Kanzaki, Maehara, Kurahashi, and Itona had left already. If he was being honest with himself, Itona still gave him an off vibe, but he'd invited the boy out of good faith.

Well, okay it was because he'd sent it to the class group chat instead of individually by accident. To be fair–he was half asleep.

Karma's eyes refocused on L/n and Nakamura. L/n's eyes were barely opening, you could still see the drool that dripped down their face, and all gods be damned! Their hair was a mess! Karma got an itch in his hand to take another photo, but just as he reached for his phone in his back pocket, Nagisa approached him with a smile he's only really ever seen on himself, Rio, and well L/n whenever they said something snarky. Usually directed at him.

Nagisa held up his phone, and Karma's breath hitched. A few minutes. He stared at the photo for about 3 minutes, taking in his form, his calm freaking form! Why was he so calm!? What the hell, this picture was propaganda! Despite his will, Karma's cheeks reddened. Why did it look like he was embracing them?!

Karma looked back at Nagisa, smugness written all over his face. Karma's eyes narrowed at the boy, he annoyed him just as much as L/n did, he supposed they'd make a great team, Karma shuddered at the thought, "thank Nakamura for the amazing photography. I'm keeping this," nuisance number two said, walking away.

In the photo, it looked like Karma was looking at L/n lovingly, when in fact–he knew–it was the moment he was trying to figure out how the hell he'd get out of the situation!

"RIO!" Ahhh, L/n. They must have seen the photo then.

Karma turned his head and caught L/n's gaze. They watched each other for a moment, equally humiliated. Then, as fast as a lightning bolt, L/n stood and ran out of the room. Probably ran out the front door. Nakamura was in giggles when Karma approached. She held her phone away from him, but he rolled his eyes and snatched it up anyways, studying the photo once again.

He felt like throwing the phone, "that's probably my cue to leave," Nakamura said, snatching her phone back and chasing after her friend. Karma felt his face. Hot, bothered, and dammit! Why was he so damn flustered!? Karma did not get embarrassed. He did not blush. He was Karma Akbane for all gods sake's!