a/n: I will tolerate ZERO Tanaka slander in my house, get with it or get out 😤

prompt: (Y/n) hears some of her friends gossiping about her friend Tanaka

warning: strong language

word count: 689

.・-: ✧ :-　Second Person Point of View　-: ✧ :-・．

You felt heated. Your fists were clenched and your breaths almost coming out in scattered pants. You were angry, obviously. Their blatant disregard for empathy and sympathy made you sick. Their venomous words lit a fire inside of you. How dare they so unabashedly insult your friend. Their words and actions gave you a sense of rage you couldn't control. A rush of emotions led you to lash out, but you didn't regret it. Their words echoed in your skull.

"He's so pathetic."

"Tell me about it, he's chasing after a girl who wants nothing to do with him!"

The sound of their taunting laughter made you sick. Why would they think it was okay to talk so horribly about someone behind his back? Tanaka was one of your closest friends, you have known him since middle school. You knew he wasn't all the thing your "friends" said he was. They didn't know him like you did, so how dare they speak about him in the fashion they did. It made you angrier than you thought was possible. So, in what an outsider may consider a lapse of judgment, you gave them a piece of your mind.

"What is wrong with you? You've never even talked to him! So what if he likes a girl who can't love him the way he deserves? That doesn't make him any less, so don't talk about him like that!"

Now, as you stormed out of the room in a rage-filled haze, you halted to a dramatic stop. You looked forward, a sudden and strange sense of embarrassment creeping over you. A stunned Tanaka stood around the corner, appearing to have listened to the whole conversation. He looked shocked. Was it because of the things the others had said about him? Or was it because of what you had said?

"I don't think I've ever heard you yell in anger before," Tanaka muttered, still looking surprised.

"I take it you heard everything?" You asked, staring at your shoes.

"I-I just came by so we could walk home together," He stated. There was a moment of silence. It felt tense to you, but Tanaka didn't notice. He was too busy gazing at you, a subtle dazed expression lingering on his face. Something about you standing up for him made him feel... loved. You cared about him enough to stand up for him, even to those who called themselves your friends? You had no idea he overheard you, so you really did it out of your own moral compass.

"Let's get you home," He said, reaching out to gently tug on your sleeve. You followed him in silence, still feeling sheepish. The walk to your home wasn't far, thankfully, but the feeling of uneasiness in your stomach made it feel longer than it actually was.

"You don't gotta be ashamed, (Y/n)," Tanaka told you, arriving at your front door. "It's good to know you're willing to defend my honor." You chuckled, Tanaka grinning at the chance to see your beautiful smile.

"I did it because I know you'd do the same for me," You told him honestly, feeling more comfortable in the situation. 

"Hell yeah I would! To the death!" He quickly exclaimed, making you laugh once again. Tanaka thought for a moment, a question burning in his head. He just had to know,

"Did you mean it, though?" He asked, carefully tucking his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Of course, every word," You stated seriously.

"Even the bit about Kiyoko--that I deserve someone who'll love me," He clarified, nervous to tread forward with his line of questioning. You nodded your head. Tanaka was a good young man, he was hard working, loyal, strong, passionate about what he loves, and an amazing friend. He wasn't the smartest or most complex person, but you liked him that way. You liked him.

"Someone... " Tanaka paused, he wasn't sure how these next few minutes would play out, but he was willing to take the risk. "Someone like you?"

"I... " You looked at his kind eyes, filled with worry and anxiousness. "Yeah, someone like me." The young man grinned.

"I'll see you tomorrow (Y/n)," He told you, very gently kissing your cheek.

"Goodnight, Ryunosuke."