The Marionette • Chuuya X Reader

29: Pinned

"Yes...?"

Anticipation seeping from both sides, Chuuya raises a brow slightly as he searches your nervous face, your grip not strong enough to make him stay due to your recovery from the fever, but your touch pulling him in nonetheless. You search your brain once again for the right thing to say or the right way to say it, but as your mind flashes the memories of your fever dream and replays the horror and desperation you felt throughout it, you realize that it's just been you doubting yourself over and over, afraid to make a decision when the decision had already been made a long time ago.

"I meant it." You blurt out, letting go of him, heart bursting out of its cage.

"What?"

"What I said earlier...or...yesterday...I don't know how long it's been, but I meant it, Chuuya. I'm done needing to apologize."

The executive's eyes widen at your words, his eyes dropping to where your hand had been on him just a second ago before focusing back on your suddenly determined face, dumbfounded.

"You meant it?"

"Yes!"

"Meant what, exactly?"

Does he...not know?

Heart dropping as if on a rollercoaster, your mouth suddenly feels dry as you stumble over your words trying to give him a reply, all of you fighting your own hesitancy to admit everything out loud again. You see the corner of Chuuya's mouth twist upwards in a half smile he tries to hold back, though his eyes tell you just how amused he is at how flustered you've become after being so bold.

"Do you need a moment to remember? Should I come back when you're feeling better?"

Is he teasing me?

"No, no. I'm fine-"

"Are you sure? You're looking a bit hot again, [f/n]." Chuuya points out as he slowly leans forward and pushes your hair out of your face, a hidden gentleness in his gaze as he does, concealing a smirk in the glint of his azure eyes.

Do I really?

"I just...you're distracting me..." You protest, looking behind you to your mirror in concern, the pain in your head hardly there anymore, your cheeks still a bit rosy from the fever despite your successful shower though you don't think you look so sick anymore.

I feel better...

"Tsk, you're the sick one."

You turn back to Chuuya as soon as the words leave his pretty mouth, an ember of annoyance sparking a bit of frustration in you at the situation until you simple can't take it anymore.

"You're the one that's made me fall in love with you!"

The minutes that follow your yelled out declaration are so silent you are sure even a pin dropping would be too loud; your pointer finger tapped on the red-head's chest after you took a few steps forward, faces standing close enough to feel each other's warm breaths on the other, both hearts beating like drums to the one rhythm of shock.

"I can't think or I think too much when I'm with you. I can't do anything right...you're so different from everyone else, you have so much power you don't abuse...I've never believed in someone more...I've never wanted someone as much as you've made me want you. It's one of the few thoughts that I am sure are completely mine." You admit in an almost whisper, allowing yourself to be completely vulnerable, dropping your hand back down to your sides, head tilting downwards out of instinct so to not meet Chuuya's softened expressions.

I'm not apologizing anymore.

"Was that all?"

"Hm?"

When you look back up with a questioning expression on your face, your first thought to his dismissive comment being disappointment, you notice that Chuuya has gotten much closer to you, the subtle smile that had played at his lips now evident and lighting up the blue of his eyes, a charming cockiness to it.

"Was that what the big fuss was about?"

"I...it meant a lot to me to express how I really feel about you..."

Does he not think the same way?

"You've meant a lot to me for a while...but your slight stupidity wouldn't process any of it."

Oh...

So does that mean...

"Are you insulting me?"

"No...I'm just stating the obvious, dummy. Do you need a demonstration too?"

By the time he's finished talking, your head's slightly tilted to the right so your noses don't touch, yours eyes fluttering open and closed as you take in a short breath, breathing hitched as your eyes travel from his, down to his lips and back again. You feel your whole body go hot and bothered, hands tense and at your sides impatiently.

"Are you going t-"

Shutting you up by semi-aggressively landing his lips on yours, the force pushes you and causes you to fall back a bit as he steps forwards, caressing your cheeks gently when you begin to kiss him back as you barely find his shoulders, disoriented by the fire lit up all over. With a satisfaction so deep in your heart allowing you to relax, you feel the tension and dissatisfied desire return when Chuuya lets go of you and ends the kiss, letting out a deep sigh as if frustrated.

Why did he stop?

"Wait...you should focus on getting better first. If you don't recover quickly, it'll be me being questioned by the boss." He suddenly informs you, a gloved hand rubbing the back of his neck with exasperated embarrassment.

"Plus...Kouyou said- I mean, don't you...don't you want to come over or go out somewhere first?"

Is he...

"Chuuya, are you asking me out right now? Like a...date?" You ask with a smile on your face, the disappointment fading and being replaced with an inexplicable excitement you had never felt before until now. It was such a mundane request that you find it hard to believe it's coming out of his mouth.

Why?

In response to your question, Chuuya for some reason looks more embarrassed than before, though there is no avoiding the question with risking the chance of accidentally hurting you instead, so more shyly than you had ever seen him before, he nods.

"Yes, is there a problem?" He adds defensively, a hand in his pocket and the other loose beside him.

"No...there is no problem this time." You assure him, unable to contain your ecstatic heart.

"Good...after work tomorrow here at the Port Mafia, I'll take you out. For the rest of tonight you should sleep. It's...actually really late right now and I was really only still here to change your towels every now and then..."

"You were making sure I was ok?"

"...yes. I couldn't just...whatever, enough. Go rest, I won't be going anywhere."

He's not going to walk away.

"Fine." You sigh and turn away as he does, walking to your bed and only stopping when you hear your bedroom door open, calling out his name one last time for tonight before he got to leave and melt into the darkness of the corridor, a question still bothering and nagging you at the back of your head.

I just need to know...

"Chuuya...do you love me too?"