i couldn't help but fall for you || Takuto Maruki x Reader

tonight got me thinking about it all

In the days following your 'confession,' you were wracked with a certain anxiety of Takuto somehow discovering it. Your texts seemed normal for the most part, though you wouldn't actually see him again until the congratulatory dinner—which would be happening in only a few hours. It could very well be the case that he'd decided to reserve such an intimate conversation for such an intimate night, under the guise of a candlelit homemade dinner. For all intents and purposes, this dinner was drenched in a romantic pretense, one shared between longtime lovers, not one between a researcher and his pupil. Takuto's sheepishness toward the event—a heavy fear of ruining the food—was nonexistent; instead, he was rather nonchalant and unbothered. Therein lies the true meaning of the evening you'd share together, shattering the outward appearance of the romanticism you clung to and hoped for so badly. Even as the night would drone on, the tension between you sure to be discernible, you somehow knew you'd continue to hold tightly to this dream of yours.

Your entire day was spent getting ready, working tirelessly over your appearance and fretting over proper color coordination. Every time you thought you were satisfied with your chosen outfit, you'd pass by a mirror, sneak a quick scrutinizing glance in, and end up reworking it entirely. Sometime around 2 PM, you decided to use some spare sheets to cover any place where you may see your reflection, for the sake of your own sanity. Even then, however, you still painstakingly wondered if any of your previous outfits were better than the one you finally settled on...

The time, too, passed by torturously slow—the hours were even more drawn out than what you'd feel working the store. Was time even real? Is this real? Were you really going to Takuto Maruki's home to cook and have dinner with him? As blood quickly rushed to your face, you lightly patted your cheeks to get a hold of yourself before you indulged in more, for lack of a better word, inappropriate thoughts. You knew you shouldn't imagine Takuto in that way, but the idea of him touching you in a way he never had—and likely never would—was too enticing to pass up on. Admittedly, you were also deathly curious of the figure beneath the lab coat and cheap-looking button up top. Oh, and just how good it would feel to pull him closer by his tie—

The ding of your phone was enough to pull you from delving any further into those fantasies, for better or for worse.

Hey! Sorry if you're busy, but would you mind doing me a favor? read Takuto's message. You only felt an additional embarrassment that he would be the one to text you as you pictured such amorous actions, like God himself was calling you out and wanting you to feel ashamed of it.

After a brief moment of deliberation, your thumbs tapped across the screen. Sure. What's up?

I was prepping some ingredients when I realized I forgot to buy cabbage. Another text soon arrived: Can you believe that? Lol

You let out a puff of air through your nose, a small smile on your face. Lol did you want me to grab some on the way?

Plz. It's absolutely essential! And just a few seconds later: I'll pay you back btw.

Don't worry about it. you quickly replied, glancing at the time. It was time, oh God it was almost time. I think I'll head out now. Gimme an hour and I'll be there.

I gotcha. See you soon.

You nearly fell over when you stood up, as if your body were anchoring you to this place, reluctant to leave the safe and secure confides of your bedroom. Of course, you wanted to go see him, but the anxiety he lacked was something you carried in over-abundance.

There was one thing that puzzled you: how would you hold the succulent without him seeing it? You definitely didn't want to just throw it haphazardly in your backpack without a second thought—not only was that uncaring, but soil would spill everywhere. But if you held it and stuffed it in the bottle holder right before you knocked on his door, then casually draped your coat over it to hide it? That was a genius plan if there ever was one. Your hands continued to tremble even as you exited the tiny apartment, and your lungs seemed hesitant to breathe in the crisp November air. As you pushed on further, you insisted, your unease would subside eventually.