✨A/N: hey guys! this one is going to be mostly clean, but the next part (which i'm currently proof reading and trying my best not to freak out about) is going to be 18+. no, i won't call you out or search up if you're not 18, it's just a warning that there will be sex involved ✨

That night Shota slept peacefully for the first time in a long time. He woke up refreshed and nervous, some time around ten in the morning. Not only was it the most restful sleep he'd had, he also wasn't used to sleeping in so late. He was normally up by five and grading papers. Sure, he took naps whenever time allowed, but if there was work to be done there was no way the man could get some rest.

He got up and got his first cup of coffee for the day. He didn't normally have time or patience for adding creamer to it, since it limited the amount of caffeine he could put in his cup. Today was different. Shota's mind kept traveling back in time to the way Lei's strong fingers felt on his back, how small tendrils of hair fell across her face when she walked... He felt like a schoolboy with a silly crush. He wasn't thinking when he added half a cup of creamer to his coffee.

Shota was showering when he finally snapped out of his daydreams and remembered that he was to meet with Lei in a little over an hour. Stomach churning with nerves, he quickly finished and began to get ready.

Lei, on the other hand, had been up since six in the morning and was currently pacing in her bedroom. She had taken out a few outfits, stress cleaned her entire apartment, and took two showers. One was to wake herself up, and the other was to wash away the grime from scrubbing every surface in her small home. Lei stopped pacing when she saw the time. She only had thirty minutes left. Groaning to herself, she threw on a maroon pantsuit and hoped for the best. Looking at herself in her bathroom mirror, Lei tried her best to see herself in different eyes.

Whenever she looked at herself, all she saw was the features she disliked. How tired her eyes looked, the pudge that enveloped her hips and stomach, and how heavy her thighs looked. Sure, some people found her body attractive, but Lei couldn't help but picture herself next to her younger sister. She was so successful, so beautiful, so skinny.....

Lei shook the thoughts out of her head and got to work on her makeup. She only ever really wore eyeliner; she suffered from acne as a teenager and covering up the acne scars took a lot of work. Plus, she saw them as fun little battle scars. It was the one "imperfection" she had that she couldn't blame on herself. Acne was normal, right? But the unwanted pudge was, in her eyes, because of how little she worked out. She was strong when it came to yoga, being flexible and capable of balancing in strange positions. But Lei felt that cardio was much needed in her life. Maybe some other day.

Shota ended up arriving there ten minutes early, securing them a table and making himself comfortable. He ordered himself a coffee, his third of the day, and tried to relax. This was the first date he had gone on in a very long time- it wasn't that he didn't have time for it, because he did, but he hadn't found anyone interesting. Nor did he have the guts to flat out tell anyone that he found them attractive.

Lei walked in to see the dark haired teacher leaning against the wall in his chair, invested in his thoughts. She admired him for a moment. His hair was pulled back into a manbun, making it easier for Lei to observe his sharp features. Eyebrows drawn together in concentration he fiddled with his fingers. If it weren't for his scary demeanor he would almost look nervous.

"Shota!" Lei grinned and sat across from him. "I'm glad you showed!"

He looked up, surprised. "Oh, hello. You're here early."

"You were here first," Lei remarked with a small smile. "Doesn't that make you earlier?"

Blushing slightly, Shota nodded. "Oh, I guess so. How are you feeling?"

She leaned on her hand, elbow resting on the table as she studied him. "Not bad. Probably going to have to take a nap earlier, if I'm being honest. This morning has been eventful."

"I can understand that." He smiled. "I take naps all the time. Once I fell asleep during class, while my students were taking a test, of course, and I woke up at 9PM with an empty classroom and a lot of work to catch up on."

She giggled and watched as his energy started to pool into his hands. "How have your student been doing? I'm sure it's hard to concentrate on coursework when they've gone through so much."

Lei mindlessly reached out and took his hand, busying herself with rubbing out the tension and nervous energy building up in it. Shota blushed, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand and watched as her fingers traced along his. He wasn't used to someone touching him so intimately.

"Yeah...." Shota seemed to forget what they were talking about for a moment. "Right. My students have been improving a lot lately. They're all so driven... It's hard not to take pride in it. I just hope that they get a little more level headed. They're quick to fight when any opportunity arises. It's a deadly reaction."

"You're such a caring teacher. Was it your class that was attacked in the USJ?" Lei asked, rubbing his palm.

Shota bit back a grin, loving the soothing feeling that came with her touch. "Yes. Thankfully, they handled themselves well."

"But you got injured, didn't you?" Lei frowned, feeling his energy guarding a part of him. To her, it looked like it flurrying behind his eyes. "Was it a head injury?"

He faltered. "How did you know?"

"Energy talks," Lei grinned. "But I'd rather you be the one telling me."

Peering down at their hands, Shota tried to gather his thoughts. He hadn't been this close to someone in so long. Trying to busy himself, he picked up his mug and finished off his coffee. Then he settled his hand on top of hers.

"It's nothing, really. I had it taken care of." A soft smile graced his lips, making Lei's heart twist.

"Alright, if you say so."

"I do say so," Shota chuckled. "Tell me more about yourself. I feel like all us adults have to talk about is work,"

Lei laughed, blushing as his thumb traced over the back of her hand. "Well... I live alone, obviously. I'm twenty-nine, I like bike riding, and I have an unhealthy obsession with the juice bar down the street. I like watching stupid Hallmark movies and making fun of how predictable they are, but I secretly like how easy to follow they are. I don't really have time for long, crazy conspiracies that come along with the more popular franchises. I meditate more than I breathe but a lot of times it's hard for me to focus. I want cats but I'm afraid of other living beings- I can't even keep a simple succulent alive. I'm terrible at dating because I want to skip formalities and be a part of someone's life right away." Lei blushed, realizing how much she was talking. "I'm also prone to over-sharing."

When Lei looked back up at Shota he was grinning, which surprised her. She had never seen him smile so big. He took her hand in his and held it slightly tighter, letting her know that he was still listening.

"Right, anyway.... um, I don't know who my dad was, but my mom was decent. There's nothing really remarkable about my past. I went to a private school for most of my childhood and continued studying phycology over the years. I worked at a market for a few years before being able to afford the studio. It's small, but I like it. I live a pretty minimalistic life."

Shota relaxed a bit. "That sounds like an amazing life. Really relaxed,"

"It can be," Lei laughed. "What about you?"

He shrugged. "It's not that interesting."

"Oooh, so you have trauma to unpack."

"I didn't say-"

Lei gave him a look. "You're telling me that dark handsome and broody doesn't have some sort of trauma?"

Shota stared right back. "My friends died."

Lei blinked. "I- um... I wasn't expecting you to just..."

"It's okay." Shota smiled sadly and squeezed her hand. "I'm mostly over it. I didn't take it well as a teen, but I trained hard and got it out of my system, I guess."

Lei played with his fingers, splaying them out against hers. "Sure, but it's still hard to deal with. Especially as a teen. I can't imagine what you went through."

"It's all in the past," Shota looked at their fingers, blushing. "What are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh," Lei blushed and looked into his eyes, stomach churning with nerves. "Sorry, I don't know."

Shota laughed. "It's okay, I don't mind."

They talked more, Lei ordering a chai tea latte and Shota going through another cup of coffee before Lei convinced him to try tea instead. He wasn't a big fan of it, but he smiled through it because she looked so excited. They talked about everything, from their favorite restaurant to their most annoying co-workers, clients, and students.

Strands of Shota's hair had started to fall out of his bun, framing his face. Lei absentmindedly brushed them behind his ear, scanning his beautiful face as her fingers brushed his cheek. He grabbed her hand and held it to his face, embarrassed at how his cheeks reddened from the simple touch. They stared at each other for a moment before Shota began to lean in closer, standing to be able to reach her over the table. Lei's face heated up as he cupped her face and gently kissed her lips. He pulled back just as fast as he came in, both of them looking down at the table awkwardly afterwards.

"Um... Sorry to interrupt, but we're closing soon." A short girl from the shop was standing in front of their table, cowering behind her notepad. "Can I take your cups?"

Lei blinked. "C-closing? I thought it closed at eight?"

"It's seven fifty...."

Shota burst out laughing, making Lei squirm with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm so sorry. We'll leave,"

The girl gave the check to Shota, who refused to let Lei pay, insisting that it was his pleasure. They got up from their table and he opened the door for her, letting her slip out and wait for him on the sidewalk. He stood in front of her and bit his lip, the awkward silence killing the both of them. After a moment, Lei broke it.

"So... since you paid for this, why don't I make you dinner? You have to be famished." Lei rubbed her thumb against her palm anxiously. "Unless you have somewhere to be... I think I have boxed wine and pasta supplies,"

Shota smiled and adjusted his scarf on his neck. "I would love to."

"Really?" Lei's face lit up.

"Of course,"

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

Shota was sitting comfortably on the couch while Lei worked in the kitchen. She was lost in thought, thinking about the kiss they had shared. His lips had been so soft and hesitant, almost like he was unsure of himself. Lei blushed at the thought. She wanted to kiss him again. And again. She didn't want to ever breathe again.

"Lei!" Shota was suddenly at her side, moving a pot that was boiling over. "Are you okay? Did you get burned?"

Lei looked at him in shock, seeing how concerned he looked, how tall he was... how strong he looked. He could probably lift her up, maybe even carry her. Lei snapped out of it and rubbed the back of her neck. "No- I didn't get burned, I'm okay... Sorry...."

"Why are you sorry?" Shota held her face in his hands and studied her face. "Are you sure you're okay? You're red."

Clearing her throat, Lei peered into his eyes, entranced. "I... uh.. I- mmmhm yep."

He smirked slightly. "What were you thinking about?"

"N-nothing important, don't worry about it." Lei looked to the side, wanting to resume cooking so she didn't have to think about how embarrassed she felt. "I should probably..."

Shota kept one hand on her cheek and placed the other on the small of her back, pulling her in closer. "It's okay, I'm hungry for something else."

Lei looked at him quizzically. "Oh, okay. I can order takeout, if you want. I think I have the Thai joint's number somewhere-"

She was cut off by his lips, which were warm and sweet tasting, probably from the wine. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into him, leaving no space in between them as he bent her backwards ever so slightly. Lei melted into his arms and grabbed his shirt, her other hand sinking into his hair. Shota's fingers flattened over her back, following the curve of the small of her back and down to cup her ass. Lei squeaked into his mouth, making him smile and pull back.

"Is this okay?" He questioned, eyes glazed over with passion.

Lei tugged him by his scarf and reconnected their lips, pressing herself closer to him. Shota made a low noise and picked her up, hands cupping her ass and tongue pressing against her lips, begging for entrance. Lei moaned softly and opened her mouth to him, wrapping her legs around him tightly. His hands squeezed around her making her squeak.

"Sh... Shota?" Lei panted, feeling her body heat up at the thought of what she was about to suggest.

He looked at her, his eyes locked on her phased expression. "Mmh?"

"My... my bedroom is that door."

-A/N HAHA YOU HORN DOGS jk ily and i'm sure i'm hornier XD. anyway, i've got part of the next chapter ready for proofing but obviously it's not done yet. happy holidays, as always, i'm open to suggestions any time! i literally love every fuckin character (except moonfish and mineta, in that order because scary teeth). don't be afraid to message me, i'm always open and almost always awake :P -