It happened again.
Yuki wrapped an arm around your shoulder, leaned in close, and—
"You did good today, kiddo."
You stiffened.
Not again.
Your eye twitched as she ruffled your hair. "What? No sarcastic comeback? I thought you'd whine about it like usual."
You inhaled. Slowly. Calmly.
Then?
You grabbed her wrist. Firmly.
"Stop calling me that."
Yuki blinked. "Huh?"
You turned to face her.
Dead serious.
"I mean it. Don't call me 'kiddo.'"
She blinked again.
Then she grinned.
"Oh? You're getting bold."
She leaned in. Close enough for her breath to brush your cheek. "What should I call you, then?"
Your throat dried.
You swallowed. Hard.
Then?
You took a step forward.
"Anything but 'kiddo.' Figure it out."
She stared at you.
A slow smirk spread across her face.
And that's when you knew.
You just made things worse for yourself.
You should have seen this coming.
The next day?
She doubled down.
"Hey, kiddo—"
You whipped around.
Yuki? She was grinning.
She was doing it on purpose.
"Oops. Did that slip out?" She grinned wider. "Sorry, kiddo."
Your eye twitched.
"Yuki—"
She ruffled your hair again.
"Aw, come on. It's cute. Like a little brother thing."
You froze.
Little brother.
Your soul left your body.
You were never recovering from this.
Yuki saw the devastation on your face.
She laughed. Hard.
"Relax, relax," she waved a hand. "You're fun to mess with."
She winked. "But hey, if you want me to call you something else—"
She stepped forward.
Close. Too close.
"You'll have to earn it."
Your brain short-circuited.
And then?
She turned around and walked off.
Like she didn't just ruin your entire day.
Yuki thought she won.
She thought you'd just sit there and take it.
But no.
You weren't letting this go.
So you walked up to her, crossed your arms, and said—
"Bet."
Yuki blinked. "Huh?"
You smirked. "You said I have to earn a new nickname? Fine. I'll earn it."
Her lips quirked. "Oh?"
She leaned in. Dangerously close.
"Then do your worst, kiddo."
Your smirk faltered.
Because damn it.
You weren't prepared for that.
You had one mission.
Make Yuki regret calling you 'kiddo.'
So?
You stepped up your game.
You leaned on doorframes when talking to her. You made sure your voice was low when you spoke. You gave her looks. Long, slow ones that made even other people pause.
And Yuki?
She just grinned.
She saw through you immediately.
"Trying to seduce me, kiddo?"
Your eye twitched. "I told you not to call me that."
She smirked. "And I told you to earn a new one."
You held her gaze.
And then?
You stepped into her space.
Close. Too close.
"Fine," you murmured. "Then let me prove it."
Yuki blinked.
Just for a second.
And in that second?
You saw it.
The tiniest flicker of surprise.
But then?
She grinned.
Her hand shot out, grabbing your collar.
And she pulled you in.
"Go ahead, kiddo," she murmured.
"Prove you're man enough."
…Oh.
Oh, she wasn't playing around.
You were not going to lose this.
So?
You smirked.
You tilted your head down. Just a little. Just enough to make her think—hope—that you were actually about to do something.
And then?
You stopped.
"Not yet."
Yuki froze.
Her eyes narrowed.
You stepped back, grinning.
"Not gonna make it that easy for you," you teased.
She stared at you.
Then?
She chuckled. Slowly.
"Wow," she murmured, shaking her head. "You're getting cocky, huh?"
You shrugged. "You asked for proof. Gotta make sure it's fun for both of us."
Yuki smirked.
And then?
She lunged.
You barely had time to react before she grabbed your wrist and pinned it behind your back.
Your eyes widened. "The hell—?!"
She leaned in.
"Who said you get to have the upper hand?" she murmured, lips brushing your ear.
Your entire brain short-circuited.
Damn it, Yuki.
She chuckled. "Nice try, though."
Then she let go and walked away.
Like she didn't just ruin your entire existence.
This wasn't over.
Oh, not even close.
You watched her go, jaw clenched.
She thought she won?
Nah.
This was just the beginning.
You smirked.
"Next time," you muttered under your breath.
"Next time, you're mine."
And?
You could have sworn—
Yuki was already looking forward to it.
You didn't hesitate this time.
The second Yuki smirked at you, you moved.
Fast.
Before she could react, before she could taunt you again, you had her backed against the wall.
Her eyes flickered with amusement. "Oh?"
Your hand pressed to the wall beside her head. "Enough games."
She tilted her head, voice low, teasing. "Who said I was playing?"
Your breath caught.
She was so close.
Warmth. The scent of jasmine and something dangerously sweet.
Her lips just barely parted.
Your pulse pounded.
"You wanted proof?" you murmured.
Yuki's smirk didn't fade.
But her fingers?
They curled into your collar.
"Then show me."
The second your lips met?
Everything burned.
You had her trapped.
Or—maybe she had trapped you.
Your hands slid down, gripping. Her breath hitched, but—god, that smirk.
"Not bad, kiddo," she murmured against your lips.
You growled.
"Say that again," you muttered, fingers tightening.
She laughed. Low. Sultry.
"You gonna punish me if I do?"
You didn't answer.
You just pressed closer.
And when your lips brushed her throat, the sharp inhale she took?
That was your victory.
Somewhere between the teasing, between the tension and heat, the air shifted.
Yuki's fingers ran through your hair. Slower this time. Gentler.
"Not just a kid anymore, huh?" she murmured.
Your head rested against her shoulder, breath ragged.
Her heartbeat?
Loud. Fast. Just like yours.
You lifted your head.
She met your gaze.
Something warmer in her eyes.
Something real.
You smirked. "Took you long enough to realize."
Yuki huffed a laugh.
Then?
She pulled you back in.
The next morning, as you stretched, feeling sore in a way you definitely weren't complaining about, Yuki lazily glanced at you.
Smirking.
"Good morning, kiddo."
Your eye twitched.
And when you grabbed her wrist, yanking her right back down onto the bed—
She laughed.