Bad Habits - (Shouto x OC)

10/10 Would Smash

Lani POV:

The walk to Yuna's office came too soon, trying to buy myself time with every heavy step of my feet .

Even if Shouto was currently the one holed up in my apartment with a major concussion after losing a fight to my kitchen counter, my head was the one pounding. With the 'excitement' of this morning, I was too distracted to be on my usual A-game for my next meeting with Yuna—which was set to take place in....yeah, one minute.

But, there's just no way to focus.

When I realized my own feelings for Shouto, I never expected him to actually return them. And while that complicates every single thing on our upcoming agenda, right now, my meeting with Yuna takes the cake. In a fit of sarcastic rage—and also because I had a major deadline—I submitted an entire report to my boss last night about the 'success' that was Shouto and Ella. You know, before I realized Shouto's insane point of view of the night.

The date. The kiss. All of it so sickly sweet enough to give even a dentist cavities. Oh yeahhh, that date couldn't have gone better, and I'm too mentally exhausted to figure out how I'm gonna get out of this one. Usually, I'm a pro at bullshitting...

But, the more Shouto's 'shouto-ness' rubs off on me, the harder it gets to lie. That's a bad habit I can't afford to steal from him.

My phone dinged once I was one more door from Yuna's office, and after seeing the name that popped up on the screen, my shoulders physically dropped to the floor.

I don't have time for this right now....

Text Message From: Eiichi
Interesting morning, huh? That was a nice kid who showed up on ur doorstep. Was he looking for the daycare center across the street?
2:47pm.

I sneered in disgust and immediately ignored the message, and it's almost as if the snake himself sensed it when my phone dinged again.

Text Message From: Eiichi
We can talk about it more tonite - Mizuchi wanna talk to us about a big deal. Meet me in the usual spot at 9 and we'll head there together. Don't be late.
2:47pm.

Great. My two worlds colliding. I dunno how Hannah Montana did it. But, then again, her second identity also wasn't a drug dealer—you know, except in that one mafia fanfic I read when I was twelve.

Ignoring Eiichi's message, I pocketed my phone and entered Yuna's office, feeling my brain fail me once more for any excuses I could use to get Shouto out of Ella's ratchet clutches—except, she's so proper, I bet her clutches are classy as ever—waxed, polished, and spotless, even.

But, I'm the opposite of classy, and I'll do whatever I can to save my myself. So, I'll go with the next weapon I have in my arsenal—ass kissing.

A lax smile played on my face as I closed the door behind me, giving Yuna a little finger gun when she looked up at me from her desk. "Boss Yuna. Hey, you're looking extra good today. Is that a new girdle?" I buttered her up with a gasp.

She hummed dryly and continued typing on her computer. "I'm both flattered and offended you noticed. Give it a few years and you'll have one of your own."

Stalling time, I wandered around her office and touched all the hero figurines the commission requires each employee to keep on their desk, squinting my eyes to see closer between Hawks' legs. "Eh. Considering I eat cigarettes for breakfast, I'm sure I'll be dead from something else before we cross that bridge. Huhhh? Am I right?"