Work Text:
No one knew why Taiju chose to always pray despite the kind of person he was. He would come by every Christmas and pray. Anyone in the church would think he was a very noble person.
As for you, you were always spending Christmas at church because you liked being in the church it calmed you. It gave you another reason to live for.
You were part of the choir. Of course you also came by every Sunday if you were free or when you were desperate for lord to hear you out.
You lived nearby and you knew all about the gang violence and all. Your younger brother was arrested in Japan.
You just finished up with the Choir. It was Christmas and a lot spent it with their families or traveled to other city. Your family were not in a good state to celebrate with you. So You were alone for this Christmas once again.
but you looked forward to seeing (him)
You sat down at the left side of the room and waited for him to arrive and he did. He looked relaxed for some reason. He holds his hand together and closes his eyes.
You watch him with admiration he looked very handsome. You also went to pray as you had your own share of troubles in your life. You needed to seek for guidance.
By the time you were done you felt a presence infront of you and it was him. He was infront of you with the expression on his face it was not peaceful like earlier he was angry.
“Why were you watching me?”He asks
“Um i- I was just, I thought you looked very beautiful that’s why”You said.
You have never been scared before in your life. The grip he had on your wrist was painful that you think he would leave a bruise. After hearing your response he lets go of your hand.
“I have always been watching you and today is the only day you take notice of me?”You boldly say.
That piqued his interest. Not many females approached him because he is seen as a threat and those who do they show the fact that they only wanted to be pleasured.
But you, you were in the church the place where he is most relaxed at. He laughed after what you said. You were surprised and confused as to why he laughed.
“Don’t worry I have taken notice of you multiple times before”Taiju says
He remembers that time where you were giving food and blankets to the homeless outside. You touched them like they were normal you were not disgusted of them at all.
The next time he saw you was when he was on the way to got to church. You have made a stall where you gave people free food. He came over to you and asked for a plate.
Despite him looking like he has a lot of money you still smiled at him and gave him a plate filled with warm food.
“Merry Christmas”You said as he nodded.
He was planning to throw away the food but the smell has gotten to his nose. He ate bits of it and wondered if it was your home cooked food. It was a very delicious he cried as he hadn’t had a good food after his mother passed away.
Then on another day he saw you scolding kids for almost getting driven over a car. He looked skeptical as you have also endangered your life for the kids.
You were the opposite of him and he was slowly realizing how wrong he was and how unfair he was to his own family that he was supposed to protect.
He hadn’t just taken notice of you, he have fallen for you before he knew it.
Then came the day he felt very defeated/devastated, he doesn’t want to believe it untill his whole gang was beat and his two family members left him with hatred towards him.
it was too late
“It’s never too late to ask for forgiveness”You said
Taiju looked up to see you giving him a hand. He was beaten up and the church will need proper fixture because of him. He was on his knees crying and bleeding.
You of course wanted to be there for him after all helping others is a good deed. You believed he could even be the father if he wanted to he had potential. You helped him clean up after the fight. You cleaned his wounds. You washed his hair and his whole body as he was quiet during it all.
“Tomorrow you are going to be Taiju”You said
“That is already my name woman”He replied
“I know I was just saying you start a new life after this”You said
Taiju smiles as he watched you struggle with him asking obvious questions everytime. He likes how frustrated you looked. You huff before flicking his head only for your fingers to hurt instead.
“What is your forhead made of?”You ask hissing in pain.
“I don’t know maybe iron”Taiju says as he laughs and you smiled as he was interacting with you more than before.
You really couldn’t get the man to be serious at all.Despite that you loved him and wanted to support him fully.
Ever since that day Taiju would visit the church every Sunday and Christmas with you. You asked him if he had a place to stay and he said not anymore like it was no big deal.
You let him move into your apartment as you had another bedroom to share. You set many rules but he was following it after all you helped him more than anyone. You cooked, cleaned and worked as well.
“Why do you work what about school?”He asks and you frown immediately at his question.
He didn’t wanna pry and annoy you. You sighed as you sat down next to him.
“I couldn’t go as my sister got in accident”You said.
He listened to you carefully while rubbing your hands. It seemed you were also taking care of your siblings just like he did. For him to think you were just like anybody else. He was truly ashamed. You could feel him change his tone with you so you asked him.
“About what happened at the church”You said giving hints of your oblivious question Taiju hesitates for a moment but then he decided to open up.
He talked about his relationship with his family of how he hasn’t noticed that he was abusing his own family. He was very worried about making his younger brother grow up to be strong.
It made you think of your siblings that were in Philippine. You haven’t contacted them and you know of your brother Izana being in a prison. You put your hand on his shoulder rubbing it
“You did your best Taiju”You said as tears starts to fall off his eyes. You hug him tightly.
Since then you two grew closer to each other. Your neighbors would often say that two of you should get married.
“Oh Y/n you look very beautiful today”Your neighbor says as you blush
It wasn’t a lie that you have started making yourself beautiful so Taiju would see you. You two were living together yet at a distance. You wanted more but thought it was better to give him space.
He found a job in a club as a bartender. You raised an eyebrow when he mentioned it.
“I thought I said no drinking I at least let you smoke”You said as he sighed
“I know and that’s why I am not drinking I am
Making drinks”Taiju says
You never understood why he had to work when you did most of them. Paying pills, buying groceries and worked half of the day at office.
“Why though? You have had enough time of working I want you to rest and find out what you like”You said
“And let you work for everything?”Taiju says
“I mean I have always been doing that?”You said
“You think I didn’t know about how you were saving up to buy ticket to see your sister”Taiju says.
“Ho- how did you know?”You ask
“I saw it while i was using your laptop”Taiju says
You sat down on the couch. He sits next to you and holds both of your hands. You look at him
“Don’t you worry about anything I have paid for two tickets already for the next holiday”Taiju says as you smile hugging him.
“Thank you Taiju”You said
It’s when you break the hug do you realize he said two tickets
“Wait, why two tickets?”You ask
“I want to come with you”Taiju says and you obviously blush hearing his response.
You look the other way to avoid his gaze but he grabs your chin. Turning you to look at him and you looks at him. You see an unreadable questionable expression.
You never understood him as he made the same expression all the time. He looked grumpy most of the time. This time his eyes were your reflection.
His hands caresses your cheek and you could feel the tension so does he. He looks at your lips and wonders how it tastes. He then looks at your eyes hoping you weren’t leading him on.
You two come closer to each other to the point where you two could feel each other’s breath. He wiped your lips with his thump as if it was kissed before he pulls you in for a kiss.
You don’t hesitate to kiss him back. Arms wrapping around him and his arm going to your waist closing the space between you two. It was as if the both of you were magnets.
You two breath out as you broke the kiss. You decided to tell him now.
”I love you” the both of you say at the same time surprised by each other’s confession.
Your eyes softened as both of you went for a kiss again but with this time you both could feel the other’s affection.
you were sure after that, that with things tough there is always great things right after. You had someone you loved and cared for you.
he had someone to call family and this time he won’t fail like last time.
never again