「Anime x Reader One Shots」

Take a Chance (Shougo Makishima x Reader)

"My best dreams and worst nightmares have the same people in them."

When you woke from your much-needed nap, Makishima was sitting in the same place he was before you fell asleep. His favorite seat in the room was the fabric armchair located right beside the fireplace. The room was always quiet aside from the occasional cracking from the burning hearth. It was for that reason he made that room his own personal library where he often escaped to in order to read.

For years, he prided himself on keeping his library free of any person besides himself. He was successful only up until you came into his life. He knew exactly why you were the special person. You didn't share his rare gift of being criminally asymptomatic nor were you willing to commit murder for a cause.

To the untrained eye, you appeared to be any other person Makishima would take pride in killing for the sake of furthering his goal, albeit he was excellent at spotting individuals who thought like he did.

After losing your whole family to the cruel justice that was the Sibyl System, you grew to despise the flawed enforcement. Your resentment for it wasn't strong enough for you to even fathom taking a person's life, but it was enough to cloud your crime coefficient to the point you would be considered as a latent criminal.

The government would've locked you away just like your family if Makishima hadn't rescued you.

Even to the general public, Makishima was infamous for the crimes he committed. Some loathed him and some people worshipped him, but the one thing every single person felt towards him was fear; fear of what he was capable of; fear that he could commit such heinous acts without ever being caught.

Your fear towards him has lightened over the years but has never fully gone away. Even after he saved your life, it was still hard for you to believe you were safe in his presence. The thought of him one day throwing you aside once you lost your value to the cause was suffocating. As much as you wanted to keep your faith in the man who you looked up to, it was hard, at times, to do so after witnessing how many others he cast away as soon as he was done with them.

"I see you're awake, [name]," Makishima observed, his eyes still focused on the book he held.

Even after all the time you've been with him, his level of observance was still shocking to you. You hadn't even moved an inch and he was able to tell you were awake.

"Yes," you replied softly.

Slowly, he lowered his book and looked and met your gaze. "What's troubling you? A nightmare?"

You shook your head. "No, not that. It's silly-"

You stopped when he stood up from his seat and walked towards you. You sat up, giving him room to sit on the couch beside you. His hand reached up and touched your hair, twirling the [hair color] strands around his finger.

"Throughout all the time I've known you," he said calmly, his eyes staring intently on the strand of hair he played with, "I've never once seen you worry over something that was foolish. Tell me."

You sighed heavily, knowing that he wouldn't drop the subject until you told him what was bothering you. Lying wasn't even a plausible option seeing as that he knew every time you dared try to hide the truth from him.

"What... what is my worth to the cause?"

"Nothing," he stated simply.

"W-what?" you asked, You immediately pulled away from him in shock, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Nothing," he repeated sharply

Tears formed in your eyes Was this a mistake to bring this topic of? After years of being at his side, would this be the day where he finally rid himself of you? Was this the end-

"There's no logical explanation as to why I keep you around. If you ever left this house, your rise in your crime coefficient would have you arrested within an hour and you're not capable of murder. Knowing those facts, there isn't any reason as to why I should keep you by my side like I do, but... You intrigue me in a way."

"I intrigue you?" you hesitantly questioned.

"Yes. The day we met, I had no intentions of saving you; I was merely there for those wretched enforcers and you simply just happened to be there. Do you remember what you asked me that day?"

His amber hues bore into yours, waiting for an answer. You wanted to tell him that you didn't know, but he looked at you so expectantly that you didn't want to disappoint him.

"I... I asked if I could go with you, didn't I?"

He smiled at your answer and nodded slowly. "Indeed. After witnessing me commit murder, you still asked to join me. You were practically shaking out of fear, yet that didn't stop you from approaching me.

"So yes, perhaps you don't play any useful role in my goal, but your presence alone is somehow... comforting. Yes, that's it. Just the sight of your smile makes me feel confident in our forthcoming success."

Your body moved on its own. In seconds, you found yourself pressed up against Makishima with your arms wrapped around his body. You and he were both shocked by your sudden actions, but you didn't regret it. He froze, not accustomed to this kind of affection, even one as small as this. It was a strange, yet oddly satisfying feeling; one that he enjoyed greatly.

Makishima was a cold and hostile man who would use anyone to get his way. Despite this, he was still a man you adored greatly. In your grandest fantasies, he would be the person capable to one day make a change in the world with you right at his side, yet he was also capable of becoming the thief who steals your life in your darkest of nightmares.

Even so, you were willing to risk everything for living a life of happiness with him, no matter how short-lived it may be.