#sensei temple

[cyanide-sippy-cup]

Thinking about how Ninjago S2 is probably one of my favorite pieces of television I've ever watched. It flows so well off of season 1 and allows those arcs to spread and grow.

It gave us the Mega Weapon, the Stone Army, the Overlord, lore for the Destiny's Bounty, let us actually meet Zane's dad, Misako, cured Garmadon, gave Lloyd his best arc (which the movie pretty much pulled from and the show still does), still is the Overlord's best defeat,

The characters actually have interesting dynamics with each and every one of each other that allows them to truly feel like a found family with history (and both Jay AND Kai get to react to things that happen to Nya, not just her Yin),

We got one of my favorite 3D-animated fights of all time,

And let's be honest, the show peaked right here (in a positive way).

[unofskylanderspages]

Seen above: Concept art of the Sensei Life Realm by Bill Tiller

[iliveilove]

Why did the Ninja stop using Sensei Yang's Temple as base for them?? I thought it was great but after Hands of Time it was like literally never shown again.

[k-star-holic]

Yang Ik-Joon Director, Gaslighting Damage Confessions ⁇ The Black 2 Soul Destructors

[the-foxbat-adventures]

Temple Walk, the second Foxbat story!

[asdfghjklmals]

TO BE PRESENT✩༶‧˚

GENRE + T/W: sfw, angst. hurt and comfort. WORD COUNT: 4.6k words. TAGS: satoru gojo x fem!oc. boyfriend!gojo. stsg break up.

SYNOPSIS: suguru geto is sentenced to death by the jujutsu society, and oc gojo girlfriend is left to pick up the broken pieces of satoru gojo's heart, but will she be enough? AUTHOR'S NOTE: lots of dialogue from the actual anime/manga. i tried to shorten the dialogue and add lots of emotion and descriptions. in the manga, gojo actually finds megumi and tsumiki after suguru leaves, but in this au, we found the kids first. the vibe is the song ‘no good’ by dvsn. REMINDER: if you want to imagine yourself in oc gojo girlfriend's character descriptions instead, please do!

suguru geto was the balance to satoru gojo. the yin to his yang. they were vital to each other, mutually complementing each other, needing each other to coexist. there was the calm and rational suguru, and there was the bold and rash satoru. their bond so strong that together, they were known as the strongest.

when you joined the school less than a year ago, it was always 'sashisu'. satoru gojo, shoko ieri, and suguru geto were the three musketeers. they were inseparable. they welcomed you into their little trio with loving arms (it took awhile for satoru, but we're here now).

when you first met suguru, you thought he was the nicest human being you had ever met. you questioned how such a gentle and caring man could be bestfriends with someone like the insolent satoru gojo.

suguru had been acting strange a couple weeks after the incident with toji fushiguro. he looked tired, worn out. almost dissatisfied with how things were going. he questioned himself as if he was going to be left behind in terms of strength and growth as a sorcerer. satoru’s powers were increasing by the day, and if satoru was getting stronger, so were the curses that they had to exorcise. this was draining for suguru, absorbing curses wasn't the most appetizing thing, and it was tiresome to him.

the day that yaga-sensei had brought satoru into his office for a chat was the day you and shoko eavesdropped from outside his office to find out more information about your absent friend. suguru geto had gone missing after his mission in a small village outside of tokyo. the jujutsu society had sent their team to investigate.

“what?” satoru gasped. he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“don’t make me repeat myself, satoru… suguru fled after killing everyone in the village.” yaga-sensei buried his face in his hands. he started to massage his temple.

“i heard you, sensei.” satoru sighed in disbelief. there was no way suguru would do that, he knew his bestfriend. at least, he thought he did.

“his parents’ home is vacant as well. however, from the blood stains and residuals… it seems like he might have killed his family.”

yaga-sensei and satoru had no idea what to think. they were also at a loss for words.

**************************************

suguru’s vile act alone would deem him as a curse user and a death sentence was the punishment from the jujutsu society. he was now the enemy. satoru couldn’t believe it, he didn't want to. he slammed his dorm room door shut after he heard the news, leaving you and shoko alone to deal with the aftermath. you had never seen satoru like this since you joined jujutsu high. (a/n: it’s actually a death sentence that’s the punishment, oops!)

“shoko, i—” you were going to start word vomiting out of nervousness.

“(y/n), it’s okay. you don’t have to say anything.” the medical student put her hand on your shoulder. you pulled her in for a hug. you could hear her sigh. she was the bridge between satoru and suguru.

throughout the years of being their friend, shoko ieri was the middle ground, the center, the happy medium. whenever satoru and suguru fought, she was the mediator. whenever they experienced the best of times together, she got to bare witness and experience it with them too. you could say that shoko ieri was the glue to satoru gojo and suguru geto.

“i know where to find suguru. let’s go meet him.” shoko motioned quietly to you.

“should we let satoru know?” you questioned her. you worried about your boyfriend, would he be okay being left alone? should you go to his side to comfort him instead?

“no, let him brood for a bit. he might bite you if you try to open his door.” she teased.

shinjuku, japan

“how did you know he would be here in shinjuku?” you asked shoko, you both watched as suguru walked towards you both. she just smiled before calling out to him.

“need a light?” she asked the banished sorcerer, holding up her lighter.

“hey you two,” he greeted the both of you as if he didn’t commit mass murder two days ago.

“well, well, well, if it isn’t the culprit himself. are all the accusations about you true?” she interrogated him nonchalantly while lighting a cigarette for him.

“i’m afraid they are. shoko, (y/n), i'm going to create a world of only jujutsu sorcerers. and i don’t need everyone to understand that.”

“sulking because no one understands you… sounds childish if you ask me.” shoko took out her phone and dialed a number, “hey, gojo? geto’s here. yeah, me and (y/n) are in shinjuku.” she hung up the phone and turned to you.

“come on, (y/n), we don’t want to get caught in this crossfire.” she took your hand and started to lead you away from suguru.

“hold on,” you let go of her hand and turned to walk back to suguru.

his face full of surprise, “(y/n), what’s on your mind? i’m surprised you’re not with satoru right now.”

he scratched the back of his head with a smile. he knew that satoru relied on you for comfort and solace. you and satoru we’re always with each other. if satoru wasn’t with suguru, he was most likely with you.

“uhm, i—” you stumbled over your words, “i wanted to thank you, uh, for being so nice to me when i joined jujutsu high. you always had my back during our missions together, and you made sure i was okay... you even defended me when satoru was being a jerk to me when i first started at the school. thank you for being his bestfriend. i’m sorry things turned out this way, suguru.” you reached towards him to hug him. this would most likely be the last time you would see him.

suguru hugged you back. you two were still friends after all. you felt a strong, but familiar cursed energy, it gave you the chills. you let go of suguru and patted his chest, giving him a soft smile. you turned to walk away as you saw the face of your distraught boyfriend looking at you.

you looked into his eyes, he wasn’t wearing his typical circular black sunglasses. his eyes were solemn and dull, the opposite from his standard blazing bright blue. his white hair wisped just below his lashes. he didn’t say a word to you, even though you could feel his all emotions wanting to explode from him. you reached for satoru’s hand and gave him a soft, encouraging squeeze. he swallowed as you patted his shoulder and you walked away with shoko. you knew that this was between satoru and suguru, and no one else.

**************************************

“suguru. explain yourself.” satoru called out to his bestfriend.

“you already heard, didn’t you? that’s all there is to it.” suguru said in a very cordial manner.

“that’s all you needed to convince yourself to kill non-sorcerers and your parents?!” satoru couldn’t believe what he was hearing, couldn't fathom what was coming out of suguru’s mouth.

“it wouldn’t be fair if i made an exception for my parents. besides, my family now consists of more than just them.” suguru had thought about the twin girls he had saved from the village. they were the ones he wanted to protect now.

“that’s not what i’m talking about. you were the one who said pointless killing is useless.” satoru was losing his cool. what had happen to his reasonable bestfriend?

“killing all non-sorcerers to make a world of only sorcerers is impossible.” satoru argued.

“you could do it, satoru. you’re trying to convince me that it’s impossible when you yourself could do it if you wanted to.” suguru believed that his goal of making a world of only jujutsu sorcerers was something he could make happen, which is why he was willing to give up everything to do it.

satoru’s eyes widened. what in the world was suguru talking about?

“are you the strongest because you’re satoru gojo? or are you satoru gojo because you’re the strongest?”

“what the hell are you trying to say?!” satoru shouted in frustration. he still wasn't understanding.

“if i could be you, wouldn’t my impossible ideals become possible? this is the life i’ve chosen, all i can do now is give it all i’ve got. if you want to kill me, kill me. there would be meaning in that too.” suguru turned away to start his journey, without satoru by his side.

and that’s where satoru gojo had to make the decision between killing his bestfriend or letting the curse user walk freely. satoru held out his right hand, slowly connecting his thumb and his middle finger. he’d never successfully used this cursed technique before, it was one of the strongest moves in the gojo clan that only a few clan members knew about. hollow purple.

he couldn’t bring himself to do it. he curled his fist and retreated his hand in defeat as he watched as suguru walked away from him in pursuit of his own goals in life. even if that meant that they wouldn’t be present in each other’s anymore.

tokyo jujutsu high

again, you and shoko stood behind the school's front entrance where satoru and yaga-sensei were talking, listening in on their conversation after satoru had returned from shinjuku.

“why did you let him go?” yaga-sensei asked as satoru grumbled on the cold concrete steps of tokyo jujutsu high school.

“are you really asking me that?” satoru couldn’t tell him that he didn't have the guts to kill his bestfriend.

“no, you’re right. i’m sorry.” he apologized. he knew it would be hard for satoru to cope. suguru was his bestfriend after all, his one and only.

“sensei... i’m strong, right?” he asked his teacher.

“yes, you are. in the impudence department too.” yaga-sensei bantered with him.

“it seems like just me being strong isn’t enough. i can only save those who want to be saved.” satoru said while looking out into the distance. he was tired of being the one who had to do all the saving. he wished he could ask for help. he didn't want to be alone anymore.

later that night

you made sure that megumi and tsumiki were sleeping soundly before you left your dorm room to return to satoru's. it had been three months since satoru brought them home to you, and two weeks since suguru had left the school.

things between you and satoru had felt strained due to the lack of communication. however, he never failed to show you affection in a hug or a kiss, or even just by holding hands. you felt the tension climbing, distance between you both growing. even though you slept next to him in his bed every night, it still felt cold. the warmth from the love you two shared had started to die down.

you understood that suguru meant the world to satoru. he was important to him, he loved him. one of your very first conversations as a couple was about the people he cared about in his life, he mentioned shoko and suguru's name. that was also the night he told you that you were one of them too. someone that he cared about.

"can't sleep?" satoru softly asked. your tossing and turning must have kept him awake.

"i'm worried about you." you knew he was going to deflect in 3... 2... 1—

"well, you don't have to worry about me, babe. i'm fine." satoru downplayed his emotions and you hated it.

"you are not fine, satoru." you argued as you stared at the popcorn ceiling above you.

you could feel his eyes studying you, he shifted his body to face you. "whoa, what's with the government name and attitude?" he joked.

"now's not the time for jokes. i'm being serious. we need to talk." you sat up in his bed abruptly.

he could hear in your tone that something was upsetting you. "what's wrong, (y/n)?"

"everything…” you whispered quietly.

tears started to form in your eyes. satoru sat up in his bed, the tone of your voice alarmed him. his heart started to race as he felt an uncertain feeling in his chest. was this fear he was feeling?

"you aren't okay and you won't admit it. it's distracting you from being present. you missed tsumiki's dance recital at school, you forgot to pick up the kids two days ago, and you aren't all there when we spar at jujutsu practice. i've never been able to land any of my cursed techniques on you before, and you got hurt because of that."

satoru had been so absentminded and distracted that you caught him off guard with his infinity off, your ice shard grazed his arm during the spar. you had to heal him with your reversed cursed energy that day.

"and what hurts the most is that i can feel you shutting me out every time i try to talk to you. i'm supposed to be your partner in life, satoru. i don't want you to push me away. if you’re not okay, i’m not okay.” you expressed as tears streamed down your face.

satoru didn't have any words to say, no excuses to come up with. he acknowledged that you tried to talk to him multiple times since suguru had left, but he didn't want to add more to your plate. you were taking care of the kids, taking on missions alone, all while trying to keep up with your studies to make sure you made it to graduation. he didn't want to burden you any more with his ridiculous bestfriend drama.

"i'm not allowed to be sad or weak. i have to be strong, (y/n). i don't have time to be caught up in my emotions." satoru said. you swear you heard his voice waver even though he was trying to 'be strong'.

"just because people call you the strongest, you think you can’t be sad or weak? satoru, that doesn't mean you can't confide in me. i promised you that i would be there for you. for whatever you need." you wiped your tears.

"satoru..."

"yeah, baby?"

"do you love me?"

"of course i do. i love you so much." satoru replied quietly.

"then can you just tell me what you're feeling right now?" you asked through your quivering voice.

and for the first time in 18 years, satoru gojo did not have any words to say. not a joke. no innappropriate comment. not a speck of sarcasm. nothing. he couldn't tell you how he felt, as much as he wanted to scream and shout and tell you how he was hurting and that he didn't want to be alone. the little voice in the back of his head told him not to, that he didn't deserve to.

you have had enough tonight. you got up from your side of the bed and put on your jujutsu high robe, "i think i should go check up on the kids." tears still streaming down your cheek as you quickly brushed them away. satoru couldn't even watch you leave his room. he knew that once you left his room tonight, you wouldn’t be coming back to it. the door shut behind you and he felt his heart breaking more.

**************************************

you opened the door to your room quietly, trying not wake up the kids, but megumi was a light sleeper. he woke up instantly and looked at you. tsumiki was a heavy sleeper and nothing could wake her up. you sniffled and collected yourself. you didn’t want him to know you were crying.

“(y/n), did you and gojo-sensei fight?” megumi rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand to wake himself up. he shifted his body over to make room for you on your king sized bed.

"that obvious, huh?" you scoffed.

you thanked god that megumi and tsumiki were still tiny and that three people could fit on your bed or you'd be sleeping with shoko right now. you laid down next to megumi and got under the covers. he was the most observant 5 year old ever. megumi was intelligent, calculated, and strong. gojo had a blast training with him. you both knew he was going to be an amazing sorcerer when he grows up.

“there are just some things that we aren’t agreeing on right now, megumi.” you patted his head, his blue hair slipping through your fingers.

“i think he just needs some time alone to think. he's been busy.” the child spoke on behalf of satoru.

“busy enough that he forgot to pick you guys up from school?” you were so angry with him for that. it was his job to pick them up that day because you were on a mission.

“it’s okay, we just called nanami to pick us up.” megumi tried defending him with his own little peculiar statement. you never thought you’d see the day megumi would be defending satoru.

“it’s not okay, megumi. i want him to be there for you and tsumiki. like we promised. i want him to be present.”

the next morning

the next morning was awkward and the air was still filled with tension. satoru always accompanied you to get the kids ready for school. he knocked on your dorm door to find you doing tsumiki’s hair while megumi was sitting patiently, waiting for you two to finish.

“oh… you guys got started already.” he said, trying to hide the hurt. he felt a little betrayed as this was supposed to be your morning routine together.

“here, you finish putting the clips in her hair.” you gave him the jar full of different colored butterfly clips and got up to retreat to your bathroom so you could finish getting ready.

satoru sighed and looked at tsumiki and megumi. they were awfully quiet this morning, their usual selves would be chirping back and forth at each other. laughter was always present in your morning routine, but not today.

“she’s still mad at me, huh?” satoru asked the children.

tsumiki smiled awkwardly at him and nodded while megumi snapped at him, “just tell her how you feel, idiot.”

“whoa, what’s with the attitude, megumi?” satoru asked, he was surprised with the 5 year old’s tone.

“i just don’t like seeing (y/n) cry.” satoru knew that you were megumi's favorite guardian, in fact, everyone knew.

“yeah? me either, kiddo.” satoru frowned. he attached two pink butterfly clips in tsumiki’s hair. he heard you shuffling through your bathroom drawers, afraid to turn around to face you once you exited the bathroom.

he took a deep breath and looked over at you. he could see through your makeup that your eyes were still swollen from crying last night, skin glowing from the flushed cheeks. god, how could you still look so beautiful after crying?

“ready for breakfast?” you asked your unconventional family. tsumiki smiled and nodded, trying her best to brighten up the room. megumi grabbed your hand to hold (and comfort) as he led the way to the dining hall. satoru felt envious that it wasn’t him holding your hand instead. but what could he do?

later that afternoon

after you dropped the kids off at school, you and satoru walked back through the jujutsu high courtyard. the cobblestone walkway felt cold and the surrounding trees felt like they were about to swallow the both of you into a dark abyss. the only thing you could hear was the wind and your soft footsteps.

you and satoru didn’t hold hands. you didn’t even link your arm through his like you usually did. and he sure felt the bitterness from you today. you walked side by side together. the silence was deafening until you broke it.

“satoru… i’m going to take megumi and tsumiki back with me to my clan’s estate for the semester break… and i don’t think i want you to come with us. i’ll tell touya you’re going to see your family instead.” you held back your tears. satoru stopped in his tracks, you were two steps ahead of him.

“but baby, i—” he began to say.

you turned around to face him, “ever since suguru left, you’ve changed. you’ve been distant, you avoid every conversation i try to have with you. and you’re the type of person who always tries to talk things out right away… even though you know i'm usually the one that needs time. so now, i’m giving you the time you need so you can decide what you want to do with your life and where your priorities lie…”

“that’s not fair, (y/n).” satoru snapped at you. how could you take the kids and leave him alone?

“what’s not fair to you?!” you lashed back at him. you saw the defeated and distraught look in his face and it crushed you. it was the same expression he had when he spoke with suguru in shinjuku.

“just—don’t. don’t start crying again.” he mumbled. it was always game over for him when you started crying. seeing you cry was one of the worst feelings next to his favorite kikufuku stand running out of his favorite flavor. it was too late, the tears started to flow again.

satoru took a step closer towards you, testing out the waters on if you would let him approach you or if you would push him away. once he didn’t sense any resistance from you, he pulled you into his arms, hugging you so tightly you couldn’t breathe. he didn't want to let go. everyone knew that you couldn’t be without each other, so why was he feeling like you were leaving him behind, just like suguru did?

when he finally loosened his arms around you, you gently caressed his cheek with your left hand. satoru had finally felt your warmth again. he melted into your hand and closed his eyes. you could see a layer of tears forming on his white lashes.

you kissed his cheek and softly said, “take the time you need to figure things out during the semester break. me and the kids will be here when you get back. i promise.”

two weeks later

satoru had spent two weeks with his own clan during the semester break. it was refreshing for him to speak with his clan elders to get a little insight on what he could work on next, he spent time perfecting his techniques, and just finally relaxed for once. during this time to himself, he was able to combine blue and red to perform a successful hollow purple. he even mastered his long distance teleportation. there was one person who he couldn't wait to tell about his success, it was you.

although he was busy training and enjoying the time with his own clan, he spent a lot of time thinking about suguru's betrayal and how to be present for the kids like you had asked him to. but there was one thing person that wouldn’t leave his mind, it was you.

after a couple days of brooding, satoru came to the conclusion that he would never get over suguru's actions, but he knew that he wanted to be better than suguru. he was going to become a teacher at jujutsu high as soon as his third year was over, and he was going to raise strong and intelligent allies. with no hesitation, he knew who his first ally would be, it was you.

satoru still felt like he was missing something someone in his life, even though he was surrounded by his clan. you, megumi, and tsumiki were 6 hours away in osaka with your clan, but satoru still felt like his heart was 247 miles away (the distance between osaka and tokyo). he knew what his heart was missing, it was you.

satoru gojo didn’t care for many things in life. he kept his circle small, his family was very prominent but low key, and he was pretty private about his own life. he didn’t care about protecting anyone until he met you, (y/n) from the osaka (l/n) clan. the most beautiful water and ice cursed technique user he had ever laid his pretty blue eyes on. satoru was never shy at telling you he loved you, but today was the day he realized just how much he did. satoru called out to his grandparents before he teleported to your clan's estate, "gramps, grams, i'm heading out to (y/n)'s. we'll see you at the next semester break. and we'll bring tsumiki and megumi to meet everyone too!"

satoru gojo knew who he wanted to see, and it was you.

osaka, japan

"(y/n)!" tsumiki cried out for you frantically.

you rushed out of your family's minka to see what the 6 year old was shrieking about. your heart skipped a beat to see a white-haired, blue-eyed sorcerer holding her in his arms as she was hugging him tightly. tsumiki had the biggest smile on her face. she had missed her partner in crime these past two weeks... you and her both.

"(y/n), it's gojo-sensei! he came to see us!" she waved towards you, signaling that satoru was there and for you to come over quickly. satoru was actually here. he was present.

your brother looked at you and smiled, "it looks like someone missed you, sis." he patted your shoulder before standing up from the steps of the minka, "i'll have the housekeepers get a spare room ready for him."

you smiled at your brother as he left your side. you stood on the steps of your family estate. your hand perched on your hip, a laugh breaking through to show your pearly whites, hiding your eyes with your cheeky smile. it had been awhile since satoru saw the smile that he loved so much.

you gave up your solid front and started walking towards satoru. he put tsumiki down and did the same. soft footsteps started to turn into a brisk walk, the brisk walk started to turn into a sprint, the sprint towards each other turned into a colliding embrace.

"what are you doing here, satoru?" you mumbled in his chest as you tried to catch your breath from your sprinting.

"i missed you, (y/n)." satoru said with his eyes closed, inhaling your scent. he missed your nectarine and honey blossom perfume that always lingered around him too.

"i missed you too."

satoru leaned down to kiss your forehead. you smiled softly as his lips trailed down to your temple and then to your cheek. you held his face with your hands and pulled him in for a kiss on his soft pink lips. he broke your kiss to look down at you. he had something he wanted to say.

"babe, the past two weeks i took a lot of time for myself to think. the one common denominator that always came to my mind was you. i'm sorry for the way i acted. i'm going to try my best to communicate with you from now on. i won't leave you in the dark anymore." satoru pledged with his heart.

"thank you, satoru." you whispered. you held him a bit tighter.

"you pinky promise?" megumi asked out of the nowhere. you and satoru looked down at the blue haired child with tsumiki by his side. you both started laughing as your intimate moment was interrupted by your adopted children. (read ‘pinky promises’ here)

satoru flashed his signature grin at megumi, "yeah, i pinky promise, kiddo."

megumi and tsumiki approached you both to join in on the family group hug. you and satoru crouched down to embrace them as you kissed the top of their heads.

satoru softly said to the kids, "from now on, i promise to be present."

© 2023 ASDFGHJKLMALS — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PLEASE DO NOT COPY, TRANSLATE, OR REPOST MY WORK.

DIVIDERS PROVIDED BY @/ANLIAN-AISHANG

[satorustyles]

you can't fall asleep (sukuna x reader one shot)

pairing: sukuna x reader

warnings: none, just so much fluff! and soft sukuna, maybe? he's just not the typical angry and super duper evil dude in this one.

word count: 1,512

GOJO VERSION OF THIS ONE SHOT HERE!

NANAMI VERSION OF THIS ONE SHOT HERE!

It was game night.

It's the one night of the week when you, Yuuji, Megumi, and Nobara gather in the living room for an endless evening of video games. The PS5 was a present given to the four of you from your ever-loving, mostly annoying sensei Gojo Satoru last Christmas. Since then, it was tradition for the four of you to spend an evening together, with pizza and burgers and a shameless amount of slander against each other.

But tonight was different.

You won't be able to join them because you're sick. Headaches. Nausea. Dry coughs and the flu. It was all because of the most recent mission you've been on alone, and it already took its toll on you. Your three friends insisted on moving game night to a different date, but you didn't want them to postpone further. You've been sick for three days already, and for three nights, they adjusted for you. Tomorrow was the start of a new week, meaning you could likely end your streak of having weekly game nights. And you didn't want that.

"Guys, it's just one night. I won't die if I miss one." You told them with a shaky laugh, the cough in your lungs threatening to bark its way out your throat with every huff of your breath.

"y/n," Yuuji started as he walked over to your weak body on your bed, patting your shoulder gently. He had the most serious, determined look on his face. "I'll win this for you."

You smiled at how adorable he was and decided to play along. "Thank you, Yuuji. You're my hero."

The evening stretched on, and as you stayed on your bed, your friends yelled over each other in triumph and defeat, followed by loud laughs that would jerk you awake. Your head pounded at the loud sounds coming from the living room. Despite the closed door, you could still clearly make out their voices and their stomping across the wooden floor.

It only made your head hurt more.

But you didn't have the heart to get out of bed and ask them to be a little quieter. It's been a long week for everyone, not only for you. Megumi and Yuuji completed a mission before you, and Nobara was sent to accompany Toge after your expedition. It was a busy week for all of you, and game night was a way of easing everyone from their exhaustion.

"Megumi you prick!" Nobara shrieked, and your head pounded at the high-pitched tone. "I'm going to fucking kill you on the next round!"

You sighed to yourself, massaging your temples while your other hand struggled to pull your blanket closer to your chest. It was freezing. Your socks and the thick covers didn't help your case at all.

"That's how a game works, you loser!" Megumi shot back just as loudly. Then thuds. You could picture the two of them on the floor strangling each other.

Oh how you love them so much.

"Shut up, you brats!"

Your heart stopped. Silence followed after the sudden and unexpected outburst.

Despite your current state, it didn't take long for you to recognize Sukuna's voice coming from Yuuji's body. He seemed to have taken over while the other two were arguing.

Considering the abrupt silence, Megumi and Nobara must have also been shocked. The only sound that could be heard was the background music that still played on the screen.

"Not even an ounce of consideration for your poor comrade. Even an old man and a newborn baby would startle awake by your gaudiness!"

Your heart hammered against your chest when you realized that Sukuna was talking about you. Then, footsteps padded across the floor before your door was opened, and you froze in your place, closing your eyes and hoping that your breathing didn't sound too erratic.

"Just cut the act. I know you're awake." Sukuna mumbled next to you and you slightly flinched, surprised that he was immediately by your side. He turned your night lamp on, illuminating the darkness of the room.

You realized there was no point in even pretending. You sighed, opening your eyes and coming face to face with the King of Curses himself, his red eyes staring down at you and his lips curled in a slight smirk. 

"What do you want." You croaked out. Your throat was already dry.

"Here to help you," He replied nonchalantly as if it was the most normal thing to do. "It was about time that brat brought me out. Couldn't even think about helping or at least leaving you a glass of water."

As if on cue, he places a tall glass of water on your bedside table before gesturing for you to sit up. "Have a drink. I brought some painkillers."

You slowly sat up, leaned your back against the headboard and took a pill before popping it in your mouth. Sukuna then handed you the glass, and you were quick to gulp everything down in seconds. The liquid felt satisfying running down your dry throat.

"Thanks." You sighed. You then nodded at the door. "You can let Yuuji out now. I'm sure he wants to play more. You've done enough."

You didn't mean to sound like a jerk. Technically, you were still confused about where you stood with your—friendship? Relationship?—with Sukuna, after Yuuji has been teasing you that Sukuna wouldn't stop talking about you in his head when you first encountered him. He would find ways to take over Yuuji's body, even resorting to bribery and negotiation just to get himself out. He wouldn't admit it himself, but he's been so taken by you that he always craved your presence.

"The brat and I made a deal. He won't let me out for a week starting tomorrow if I could have an evening with you."

Your stomach fluttered. You tried to shrug it off as the occasional nausea that you felt, but deep down, you knew that you had a soft spot for the King of Curses as well.

"I—" You tried to say something after a moment's silence, but Sukuna was already up and going over to the other side of the bed. You could only stare up at him, dumbfounded.

"Move over a little, yeah?" He muttered quietly, and you found yourself obliging. You could only watch as he made himself comfortable next to you, the black markings on his face and shoulders more prominent underneath the light of your lamp. The tight black shirt that Yuuji wore emphasized the muscles on his arms and chest and you could feel the heat slowly creeping up to your neck. You were subconsciously imagining what it would be like if Sukuna had a body of his own.

It would be chaos for everyone.

For you.

"Come on now, don't be shy." Sukuna teased with an amused smile as he stretched one arm over your head, urging you to get closer to him. But you could only stare at him, still processing everything, asking yourself whether or not you had fallen asleep and were already dreaming.

He sighed in defeat before letting his arm wrap around your shoulder and pulling you closer to his body. He then took your arm and let it rest across his stomach, guiding your head to rest on his chest.

"Better?" He whispered. In fact, it was better. The warmth radiating off his body helped alleviate the coldness you felt, and he also took the liberty of pulling the covers above the two of you.

You felt rigid against him and you knew that he thought it as well.

"Come on, you little brat," He sighed, but he sounded fond and soft, unlike his usual, annoyed tone. "Relax yourself. I'm not going to bite you. Unless you want me to, of course..."

He received a weak slap across his stomach and laughed lightly, taking advantage of hugging you closer to him. He let his longer legs intertwine with yours, exuding warmth down your feet and ankles. His hand then reached up to run his fingers through your hair, softly massaging your scalp while his other hand held onto your arm and kept you from pulling away from him.

You've never felt so relaxed tonight. Everything felt so much better, warmer, cozier...

You were finally dozing off, happy that your body found the comfort and peace it sought hours ago. You couldn't even bring yourself to feel so reserved around Sukuna anymore, and you found yourself nuzzling closer to him, rubbing your cheek against his chest.

"Thank you," You mumbled sleepily, your hand sliding underneath his shirt and feeling the warmth of his stomach on your trembling palm. He just exudes so. Much. Warmth.

You felt his lips on your forehead, keeping it there for a long time. His hand rested above yours, just outside the cloth of his shirt.

"Sleep, my darling." He whispered against your skin. "Recover. I'll keep a look out for you tonight."

It was safe to say that you didn't want the evening to end. 

[chuluoyi]

UNHOLY MATRIMONY — 01

✩°｡ ⋆ to be wed

- fushiguro megumi x oc/reader - oc/reader's character name is hara sena, pronouns still refer to “you” and i won’t mention it often—just for the sake of aesthetic rather than repeatedly writing "y/n"

in another life, in which fate is still screwing his life over, Fushiguro Megumi finds himself in an arranged marriage―with you.

genre/warnings: arranged marriage au, family drama, angst to eventual fluff in later chapters, slight profanity (hopefully)

notes: in case you are wondering―no. this isn't a love triangle between you, megumi and naoya. naoya is an antagonist side piece to make this story spicier.

✩°｡ ⋆ unholy matrimony (masterlist) | prelude <- previous ✩ next -> chapter two : unholy matrimony

Megumi had known it all along, that sooner or later, his checkered past would come back to bite him.

When Gojo told him that the Zen’in had called to make him reclaim his birthright, he was at a loss for words. And when he further explained that to stake his claim he had to make his standing clear and strong by marrying a girl he barely knew, he was angry.

"I don't want a place in that Zen'in hell. Forget it, you're making no sense."

"Megumi," Gojo started, crossing his arms and looking at him with a meaningful smirk and Megumi so badly wanted to wipe it off his sensei's face. "It's yours by right. All those things you've endured until now? It's for this precise moment. They covet your Ten Shadows Technique, and so you already have an advantage against Naoya. You have the chance to save your sister, Maki and Mai from that hell."

He shot him an irritated look. "I like my current life now, why would I go back there? And how do I save Tsumiki by fighting over inheritance against Zen'in Naoya? Are you right in the head, Gojo-sensei?"

"When you have a clan as prominent as Zen'in at your disposal, you can find an easier way to break her curse," his teacher said, visibly proud with his suggestion. "And that's why I'm telling you―the Hara girl is your key for that. Naoya wants to marry her, but if you do it first, then everything is yours for the taking."

Megumi recognized you as the girl from Kyoto Jujutsu High in his school days. He remembered seeing you during the goodwill event, and the only lasting impression he had of you was that you managed to befriend Inumaki, even though he just babbled a bunch of random onigiri ingredients.

Aside from that, he knew too little about you to draw a conclusion on anything.

"Don't you want to save Tsumiki?" Gojo was playing with his weakness, and Megumi knew it. He was trying to get him to do this insane bidding, but found himself unable to reject him outright the second time.

Did he want his birthright? No. Of course not. Megumi had enough of shit in his life already, and he was content with the way things were now.

But to save Tsumiki?

Apparently he was crazy enough to go with this.

And that was how he found himself walking by the temples in the Zen’in compound with you.

“Do you despise this arrangement?” you asked him warily, trying to gauge his emotions at all, because ever since the talk inside he had been nothing but a straight face. Even faced with Naoya’s boiling fury, he merely kept his silence. Now only Gojo stayed inside to broker the agreement with the Zen’in for your hand in this marriage with him instead of Naoya.

He stopped walking, and paused a moment to look at you, before sighing. “Would it make a difference if I was?”

“I suppose not.” You looked away, suddenly feeling guilty. He didn’t know that you have forced Gojo’s hand, and for a long time, you certainly didn’t want him to know. Your cover story was your clan wanted you to be betrothed to the Zen’in who inherits their signature fatal technique. “But you’re still human, and have feelings. You must feel something right now, like resentment towards me.”

Megumi scoffed. He had learned from a long time ago that people didn’t care about his feelings, or about him as a person at all.

“Hating you doesn’t make it any better for both of us, does it?” his gaze remained impassive.

If he was already this prickly, what would he do when the truth did come out? You swallowed your worry though, and put on your brave face.

“I know you don’t want this. Neither do I. But I think it’ll do us better if we can get to know each other first.”

“Right now?” he looked at you incredulously, having the expression of someone whose patience was being tested. “What more do I have to know? You’re Hara Sena. You went to Kyoto High, we were in the same year. And Naoya seems to have some sort of obsession with you by the way he keeps glaring at me for this.”

You widened your eyes at the blatant refusal. “Fushiguro Megumi, you’re as unfriendly as everyone says,” you retorted, now vexed at his biting tone. “You certainly live up to your reputation.”

“I know.”

For the first time after meeting him today, Megumi's mouth twisted into a genuine smirk. A chuckle escaped him as he looked at the boring lengths of the trees around him.

"How did you live all this time without Zen'in clan's intervention?" you cut through the awkward silence beside him.

"Why do you care about how I grew up?"

"Nothing, just curious is all. You are to be my husband and we must at least be on talking terms."

He let out a groan. "You're really going to be this way the whole time, won't you?"

"Come on, answer the question. I'll answer too if you ask me next."

Megumi paused on his tracks, arms on his hips. "Gojo-sensei took care of everything. You've heard how the story goes―that's all there's to it. I owe him my life." He tilted his head to the side, his hands now deep into his pockets. "What about you? What drove you into this?"

You held back a smile. "You might hear it already, my father's principal wife isn't my biological mother. I'm a product of my father's affair. Now I'm plucked as a chess piece to marry into the Zen'in to do my duty as a daughter. We're not so different, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we're just alike..." he mumbled to himself with a heavy tone, continuing the walk. "But then you wouldn't know. I'm not some mistake that got kicked around. There was a purpose behind my upbringing. Gojo-sensei didn't take me in for free."

"Hah," you barked a satire laugh. The nerve of him. "A mistake, huh? True enough."

He side-eyed you, so you elaborated further. You were not above being petty too. "No, I mean I'm the mistake. But you have a grander purpose―that is to serve the purpose of the Zen'in, whatever it is."

Megumi rolled his eyes. He was irritated, but not just because of your snide remark. "Can't have me dying without an heir, apparently," he said dryly, but then his expression changed again to one of disgust. "This whole thing is gross, you know? Us being wed just for a cursed technique. Or filial piety. A bunch of bullshit."

"That's one thing we can agree on," you shrugged, now clearly amused. Hey, maybe a life with him won't be so bad after all. He's quite sarcastic and relatable.

Megumi grunted, and both of you walked in silence for a while. His pace had slowed down a bit and when he spoke, his voice came out softer. "So, you seem pretty level-headed with all of this, and you seem eager to get to know me, why? Not that I'm totally opposed to it, but it's not like we're going to become bosom friends or anything."

You threw him a look. "I'm telling you―I don't want a marriage in which we yell everyday. I don't expect us to fall in love or anything, but the least we can do is become friends, don't you think?"

"Friends?" Megumi wondered out loud. He thought over what you said for a few moments. "Ah, I get it. If you married Zen'in Naoya, you'd spend the rest of your life miserable," he concluded with a click of his tongue. "I am the lesser of two evils, that's why you're fine with this."

"More or less, yes." You shifted your gaze from him to the gardens. "Glad to know you caught on that quick."

"So that's that. And you're right about one thing... we can't just yell at each other every day." He paused for a moment for a dramatic effect and then he chuckled. You were quite scheming, changing sides the moment he was called back into the Zen'in, he thought. "Yeah, now I can see why Naoya was so cranky. You have a way to annoy people," he joked.

"I'm not! I'll have you know I'm quite prim and proper."

"Really? You sure don't come off like that."

You whipped your head at him, halting your steps. Okay, now it's on. You're going to take him with you whether he likes it or not. To hell with what you did behind his back. "Well, you will, dear husband."

You almost let out a snicker when he froze at your usage of that endearment. Oh, so he gets shy easily.

His grip on the fabric of his pockets tightened. "Don't you call me that."

"Why? You are, though."

"I'm not your dear anything!" Megumi snapped, his voice becoming harsher. "I'm forced to enter this shit of a marriage and nothing more."

"Are you blushing?"

He froze again and this time you really laughed at his face.

How could he be blushing right now? Why? He tried to deny it but his face felt hot. "No... I'm not."

"Ahh, so you're that type... Well noted, dear," you winked, and Megumi swore your bright face did something to his insides that made his heart beat a tad bit faster. "I'll make sure to express myself often so you won't have to."

He turned his face away, effectively embarrassed. You were getting on his nerves. "I hate it when you say that."

You literally beamed, peering at him. "No, no. You'll come to find it tolerable."

He frowned. This girl... no one would've expected that you were caught in an unwanted arranged marriage with how freewheeling you seemed. And all in all, you still resembled the happy girl in his memories who tried to make a conversation with Inumaki some years ago. If all he had to do to save Tsumiki was marrying you, then he supposed it wasn't a bad deal after all.

Megumi muttered something under his breath, grumbling to himself.

"...yeah, maybe. We'll see."

"You damnable woman..." Naoya hissed under his breath. His hands clenched as blood seeped between them.

He was a step behind! He could've lost his status as the heir! All because that Gojo Satoru and his very presence insisted that he'd be the sponsor for that washed up bastard Fushiguro!

And that scheming Hara wench... Even you wriggled your way out of his grasp. What sort of ridiculous notion was this? How could he let his pride be stomped twice over the course of one day?

All his life, Naoya was led to believe that he was groomed to be the head of the clan. He was praised, cherished and deemed as the most promising. Everyone else was like ants he could stomp all over. He was born to rule over them.

And he still believed that until now, even as his inheritance was slipping away from his grasp.

He stared at the dead body of a servant girl who just got him his tea with a blank look, and raised his chin up. Undiluted hatred shone right through it.

No one gets away after scratching his back. Maybe Gojo Satoru can, but certainly not a girl from an insignificant clan or a bastard who tried to usurp his place.

Starting from Hara Sena, he thought with a snarl. You might've gotten away from your marriage with him, but he wouldn't let you go so easily. He'd make your life so hellish even when you were not with him.

And then, Fushiguro Megumi. He already had plans for him right from the moment the clan elders showed approval for his claim. He had plotted a way to get rid of him.

A sneer cut through his lips as he kicked the mangled corpse away. "Heh."

✩°｡ ⋆ next -> chapter two : unholy matrimony

🏷️ taglist

@moonmalice @hellothere9597

[maapllee]

All The Stars~ PT.3

BAKUGOU X SECRET ADMIRER PT.3

A/N: I love this part n I love writing for y'all, you guys are so sweet. I know I said this part would come out a few weeks ago, but my kitten contacted parvo virus. I hope you guys understand :<

P.S: I'd like to add that one of the next parts will have slightly suggestive themes, nothing too descriptive.

ALL THE STARS PT.1 | ALL THE STARS PT.2

You groaned, jolting awake from what you thought was a short nap. The sun was blazing, hot on your skin now. Your head and throat throbbed- you were dehydrated and miserable. Propping yourself up on your elbows, you took in your surroundings.

Bakugou shut the door to his dorm so hard the walls shook. His muscular back rested against the wooden door. He closed his eyes, panting. The book in his hands felt like concrete, heavy and cold. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down. Opening the book, he took in the pages- pages and pages of sketches of himself sitting idly in class. He had to admit, you had some real talent there. He looked so calm, taking notes while resting his chin on his palm.

Meanwhile, you pulled your knees towards yourself, taking a minute to recall the past few hours. Eyes widening, you frantically searched around as you remembered you had set your sketchbook down- it would be no short of a disaster if anyone opened that book. Maybe it wasn't THAT great of an idea to carry said book out of your dorm room. Shit. Bakugou pulled Kirishima into his dorm room, his heart beating in his temples now. "Woah, I didn't think L/N would be the one who was putting those gifts in your locker! I can't say I'm surprised though, you guys are so thoughtful with each other." Kirishima nodded. "Thoughtful with wHO, I can't fuckin stand her. She's so annoying and dumb and stupid, almost stupider than Deku." Bakugou shouted, hands on his cheeks.

"Yeah, totes bro." Kirishima deadpanned, patting Bakugou's back. "So, when're ya asking her out? There are a couple good movies in the theatre or that new cafe down the street... We should ask Denki, he looks like the kinda dude to have this kinda experience", Kirishima rambled on and on, which all went over the blond's head, too busy calming the thumping in his chest, his head steaming.

Shaking his head, Bakugou took a deep breath in. "Fuck that, We have training at Ground Beta in half an hour. We'd better start heading over and warming up." Bakugou said, ushering Kirishima out of his room. Closing the door shut, He put his forehead to the cool wood at the thought of facing you at the Ground- knowing you, you must be having a panic attack at the mere thought of your sketchbook being missing- fuck- now that he thought of it, that was fucking selfish of him to do. He wondered if he could slip it into your dorm room while you were on the ground- he could fake an injury or a fever or something, he'd just have to convince Aizawa Sensei. A tough task in itself.

☾

You stood next to Uraraka at Ground Beta. You shifted your weight from one foot to another as your fingers fiddled with your hair, still anxious over how you couldn't find your sketchbook this morning. Bakugou was stretching with the boys in some distance, taking note of how you couldn't hide how anxious you were. Almost in tears, you thought about the possible scenarios. What if someone had taken your book? What if they'd shown Bakugou? What if they'd leaked it all around UA? Your hero career was as good as over.

Aizawa Sensei walked onto the ground, patting your back as he took notice of how down you were. Aizawa Sensei started reading off the pairings for training. You shook your head, taking in deep breaths while steadying yourself to get your head in the game. UA wasn't for the weak and you weren't going to let something as small as this drag you down- they were just sketches and you could always claim the book wasn't yours, un-named as the book was.

"YN/LN and Bakugou Katsuki, please make your way to the centre of Ground Beta."

You physically flinched as you grimaced at the pairing. Uraraka gave you a small push, urging you to step forward. Aizawa Sensei gave you the side eye, wondering what kind of argument you and Bakugou had again, prompting this kind of reaction from you. Little did he know, huh?

TAGLIST: @lovra974 Thanks so much for keeping up with the series~

[bokutizer]

Summary : The Iwaizumis are not very good at expressing their feelings

Tags : fem!reader, fluff, just iwa and his daughter being tsunderes

"She did what?!" 

You wince at Iwaizumi’s loud voice, especially once you feel your daughter's grip on your pants tighten. Despite his hotheadedness, him raising his voice at either of you two is not something that occurs all too often.  Except when it comes to his daughter’s short temper…

"You can’t just pull other people’s hair!" Iwaizumi exasperatedly plops down on the couch, the piece of furniture creaking beneath his weight as he sternly glares at your daughter. 

"I think you're being a little too rough there-"

"Trashykawa, don’t. Just- don’t."

Of course Oikawa had to visit you today, and of course Oikawa has something to contribute to this conversation.

"B-But, daddy. It was not my fault!" her voice is a little shaky as she speaks up determinedly, emphasizing her words with a final stomp of her foot. 

"What do you mean? Did she hit you?" he watches her shy back and her face redden with embarrassment. His curious eyes now switch back to you, and this entire situation seems to make less sense to him when he’s met with that mischievous grin of yours. "What?"

"It was a boy." you admit finally, biting your inner cheek while trying to contain a laugh. "The teacher said she walked up to him and suddenly started pulling his hair." 

"Oh." Iwaizumi’s frown softens the slightest bit, and when the gearwheels in his head start turning, putting two and two together: "Oh." 

"Well, I wonder where she got that from." Oikawa mumbles rhetorically with a teasing smirk that the athletic trainer so desperately wants to wipe off. Not in front of the child. Not in front of the child-

Iwaizumi sighs audibly and squeezes his eyes shut momentarily, composing himself before looking back at his mini-me. As soon as his arms are open, she’s throwing herself in his embrace, letting him pull her up on his lap. "You’re not mad?" she asks quietly. 

"No… I-I mean, yes!" he sighs again. She might have his temper, yet your ability to wrap him around her finger without even trying. "Princess, you have to talk to me or mommy when someone or something's bothering you, 'kay? Hurting your classmate was wrong, very so. Promise that you won’t do that again." 

"I promise!" she seals her words with a final hug and tightly wraps her arms around her dad's neck. You can ground her later, Iwaizumi thinks to himself while pressing a kiss against her temple.

"Iwaizumi-kun, you can’t just pull her hair!" his sensei scolded, her stern gaze making the five year old deflate visibly and stare at his shoes in shame. With a final gesture of her arm, she points to the little stool in the corner of the classroom before tending to you. 

"Stupid." Iwaizumi grumbles to himself, frustratedly stomping his feet with each step towards the corner. "Stupid, pretty Y/n."

[unofskylanderspages]

Did you know? The Sheep cannon and the defending fortresses in the Sensei Life Realm are similar to the ones used in Sheep Creep's villain quest.

[ponderingmoonlight]

Hello, could you write something about toge inumaki where the reader comforts him after the loss of his arm in Shibuya (I need content about my baby, almost no one writes about him) 💗😸

Comforting Toge Inumaki after he lost his arm in Shibuya

Pairing: Toge Inumaki x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,4k

Synopsis: see request above

Warnings: loss of arm, hurt to comfort, Toge deserves all the love, this is not proofread bc it's my birthday and I have to meet up with people urgh

dear anon, I hope you like your request even though it took me some time <3

Your feet carry you down the dark hallways on their own, mind racing. You weren’t there when it happened. In fact, you didn’t even know what was going on until Yuta arrived by your side.

“He’s severely injured, (y/n).”

There was no doubt that he talked about your lover, the boy who swept you off your feet. Toge Inumaki, severely injured? This has to be a bad dream, you will wake up every minute-

But you didn’t wake up. No, instead Shoko confirmed your worst nightmares. When Sukuna launched his sphere, Toge got caught in between. You swallow hard, desperately try to keep yourself from hyperventilating, from losing your mind completely. Your wobbly legs carry you down the halls of jujutsu high, hot tears stinging in your eyes. It is said that he lost an arm and a severe amount of blood. Is he awake, shocked, depressed? What exactly happened? The sheer wave of thoughts that roam around your head makes you feel dizzy and almost trip over your own feet.

You have to see him, have to make sure he’s alright.

“Shoko?”

Your call fades into the darkness unanswered. What time is it? It has to be far past midnight. After all, you yourself were busy the whole night fighting off curses in Shibuya.

“Fuck!”

Over and over, you slam your fists into a nearby wall. Suddenly your house of card collapses. This is a nightmare, the worst that could have happened. Nanami-sensei and Nobara dying. Panda, Maki, all the others…Toge.

You swallow hard, a toe-curling scream escaping your trembling lips. He promised to come back when you had to separate, promised to meet you back at Jujutsu High when everything’s over.

“I don’t want to leave you like this”, you admitted, heart almost pounding out of your chest.

He said nothing, he didn’t had to. Instead, he wrapped his arms around you and caressed your hair gently.

“Tuna tuna.”

A soft kiss on your temple, a last warm smile.

Then he disappeared in one of the tunnels, straight into darkness. Was that the last time you saw him? Your numb body glides down the wall, life forcing you onto your knees. You always knew how dangerous this job is, that every day could be your last. And still, you never admitted it to him. You didn’t even get the chance to tell him how you truly feel, that all those innocent touches mean the world to you.

“I love you”, you whimper into the night.

“I always did.”

“What the hell are you doing here, (y/n)?”

Your widen eyes search for her voice. Oh, there was never a moment you were more excited to hear her, to feel her presence. In the matter of second, you get back on your legs and start running. Towards the woman who means hope, towards her white doctor’s coat splattered in blood.

“Please tell me he’s okay, tell me you were able to fix him”, you mutter against her chest.

The smoke of cigarettes follows Shoko no matter where she goes, stings in your nose like venom. But you couldn’t care less. No, that she’s here means he has to be alright. That she’s here is your last straw of hope.

“Calm down, kid.”

Her free hand brushes through your hair while she puffs on her cigarette.

“This was a rough night, okay? And to be honest, you look like you could use a treatment to-“

“Shoko.”

Your eyes find hers, clouded in sleep deprivation and an unwavering sadness. And then she…smiles.

“He’s alright, (y/n).”

The weight of what feels like the whole world collapses from your chest onto the floor. And for the very first time since Yuta told you what happened, you are able to finally breathe. He’s alright. That means he’s alive, he’s save, he’s still there.

“Can I see him?”

“Just to let you know…I wasn’t able to save his left arm, okay? He’s well otherwise, but I wasn’t able to fix that. Just don’t be surprise when…y’know, it’s gone”, she explains while starting to move towards the hospital wing.

You simply follow her like a lost puppy, the news of his lost arm making your guts turn. You already heard what happened but still you hoped Shoko might be able to somehow fix this…How does he feel? This news must be devastating for him. Does he already know about the others?

Just when you’re about to drift off in your panic thoughts all over again, Shoko comes to a stand in front of your door. Your heartbeat picks up in an instant, glossy eyes staring at the closed door.

“Is he in there?”

“Take the time you need, okay? And (y/n)?”

Your turn around to look at her, shaky fingers already positioned on the doorknob.

“Just go ahead and finally tell him about your feelings, okay?”

You swallow hard, mouth so dry you aren’t even able to respond with words. Instead, you nod at her, heart pounding so roughly against your ribcage that you threaten to faint.

And then you open the door.

For a moment, your body isn’t really sure what to do. Are you about to pass out, are you relieved, scared, miserable? Toge just sits there, a weak smile forming itself on his lips when he realizes it’s you.

Something inside you snaps. Before you are able to help yourself, you storm towards him. Despite the horrible pain in your injured shoulder, despite all the bruises that cover your legs, despite the fact that you just want to cry and go to sleep, you sprint. Your body falls onto the sick bed he lays on, collapses into his already opened invited arms. Tears of joy, guilt and agony start to stream down your face in rivers, soak the bandage that covers his chest.

“Mustard leaves.”

“Are you alright?”

He eyes you up and down, inspects the wound on your forehead with his fingertips.

“I should ask you this”, you mutter against his chest.

“I should have never left you alone down there. I-…I’ll never forgive myself for this. We should have stayed together. Maybe we would have been able to prevent this from happening, maybe-“

“Fish flakes.”

“That’s not true, (y/n).”

His eyes are filled with emotions you can’t read, his thumb caressing your cheek oh so gently.

“I love you, Toge. I should have said it sooner, but I’ve been to afraid to fuck it up”, you cry out.

You never expected those words to come off your tongue so easily, that you’d be able to finally admit your feelings to him. A gentle smile lights up his face, eyes still fixated on yours.

“Salmon.”

“I love you too.”

Somehow you always knew. Deep within your guts, you always had this feeling that he might like you back. But hearing it from his very own mouth, seeing the glimmer in his eyes, that oh so precious smile. You are so lost in your train of thoughts that you startle when the boy you love more than anything else suddenly sobs.

“Fish flakes.”

“I’m scared, (y/n).”

His sudden confession almost sweeps you off your feet, the pained tone in his sore voice breaking your heart into tiny little pieces. Out of all people in Shibuya, he deserved this the least. But you have to be strong. Not only for yourself, but especially for Toge.

“We’ll get through this together, okay? I might not be able to take your pain away, but I’ll be there for you non-stop.”

He wraps his arm around you. Longingly, passionate. As if you’re air and he can’t breathe, as if you’re sunshine on a cloudy day, like water in the desert. You bury your head in the crook of his neck, silent tears still streaming down your face. Oh, you can’t imagine how painful it must be to lose your arm. Let alone…all the horrible things he saw in Shibuya. This night showed every single one of you that the real fight just started, that you had absolutely no idea about the real jujutsu world.

You gaze up at him, his glossy but loving eyes set on you.

“We can do this, Toge”, you whisper into the night.

“Salmon”, his shaky voice replies before he presses his lips against yours.

Tags: @arehzhera @ploylulla @tzubaki @beatrexworld @kenstarsworld @dazaisdick @hellkaiserinphoenix  @lauv4chuuya @shadowfoxey @starlightanyaaa @sindela @kayleegomez @sunshine7queen @magalimachete @mokoartpost @gatitam @idontknow1123 @creative1writings @sanicsmut  @mynahx3 @sad-darksoul @chilichopsticks @chuyasthighs0 @ynackerman9499 @keepghostly @wxwieeee @lovelyluna1 @froufrousnowman @hidazinie @tomiokathedepresso  @gojosrealwife  @coffeeluvr96 @mahi-tamashi @weebotaku21 @chaoticwinnercupcake @lees-chaotic-brain  @risuola  @sugurulefttesticle @wordskeeper @baku2345 @polarbvnny @ruixrei @bam-bam-bam-bame-blog @lavenderdrxp @localhehecat @alicerhr @kayleegomez @belovedvamp @wifenanami @chilichopsticks @dlwlrmas-world @oikawarz @darkstarlight82 @satoreo @luwumii @tachiharazsstuff @kentocalls @cheesemachine44 @ryva @kenjakusconcubine @komelrebi-san @deezy12299@busyreader17 @4pgletter @okay-it-is-ivy @iluvtoru @starlightanyaaa @bonnie-tz @bookcluberror @sillygoose3082

[kaleldobrev]

I’ve Got Ya

Pairing: Dean Winchester x F. Reader

Feat. Character(s): Reader & Dean Winchester

Summary: Dean trying to comfort you after a nightmare

Word Count: 162

Warnings: No dialogue from reader or any use of Y/N

Authors Note: I’m really loving how these drabbles have been coming out, and I hope you are too | If you liked this, don’t forget to like & reblog. I really appreciate it! Feedback is always welcome ♡

“I’ve got ya,” Dean said, holding you tightly in his arms as you softly cried into his chest; the sounds of your cries slightly muffled. “It was just a nightmare. It wasn’t real Sweetheart,” he whispered, kissing your temple.

“Never gonna leave ya,” he whispered again into your hair, reassuring you. “I love you. Always have, always will,” he added.

Your crying and tears never let up. He didn’t know what you had a nightmare about; but he knew it was one that really hit hard on your insecurities.

"Whatever it was, you can tell me, I'm here." He started rubbing your back now, his t-shirt starting to get slightly damp from your tears. "Whenever you're ready," he clarified.

He didn't know if you were ever going to tell him, or when you would stop shedding tears. But what Dean did know, was that one of the things that he hated most in the world besides the monsters, was seeing you cry.

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[k-star-holic]

Yang Ik-Joon, Gaslighting Victims "Crawling Under His Legs" (The Black 2 Soul Destructors)

[bsd-bibliophile]

Happy Birthday Yosano Akiko-sensei!

To celebrate Yosano Akiko’s birthday here are her top three quotes from my blog:

Quote #3:

O my dear brother, I am in tears for you: you should not be killed. You were the last born, most adored by your parents. Did your parents teach you to wield the sword to murder other people? Did your parents raise you for twenty-four years to kill and to die?

- Yosano Akiko, “You Shall Not Be Killed, Brother!” from River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko

Quote #2:

So all alone beside the temple bell: I stole away to secretly meet you here. But now the fog has cleared.

- Yosano Akiko, River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko

Quote #1:

Mistaken again! I thought, for just a moment, I saw my lover’s face- but mischievous, capricious, all the little gods of love.

- Yosano Akiko, River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko

[seoafin]

dog days are over | chapter seven

pairing: gojo satoru x fem!reader x geto suguru warnings/tags (for this chapter): no word count: ~6.8k

fic masterlist read on ao3

You listlessly play with the spread book in front of you, tugging at the corners of the page as you mindlessly stare at the text. Nothing is comprehended. After a few more minutes of trying to pull your concentration together, you give up. Pushing the book back, you lean back, bleary eyes fixed on the dark ceiling of the library, and sigh.

Your temples throb, and you squeeze your eyes shut. 

It's been a while since you’ve been pressed for sleep like you are now. You stay awake through the night, catching an hour or two of sleep when exhaustion overtakes you. Through it all, Go stays awake with you, and the two of you have taken to watching animal documentaries together.

The nights are long and constant, but you aren’t alone.

You’re thinking about getting another fruit shaped bed for Go and a few other enrichment activities, when a giggle draws your attention back to reality.

You blink.

Another giggle soon joins the fray. 

Smiling, you get to your feet and follow the badly stifled laughter. You finally peer around a tall stack of books to find Mimiko and Nanako crouching down, hands pressed to their mouths as giggles wrack their bodies.

You attempt some semblance at being stern. “Did you girls escape Yaga-sensei again?”

A wide, mischievous grin stretches Nanako’s lips. “We did!” She announces, delighted. “I bet the old man’s running around wondering where he lost us!”

She and Mimiko dissolve into giggles once more. 

The old man…

You can’t help but be fondly exasperated. Undoubtedly Satoru and Suguru’s influence. Their words rubbing off on their young, impressionable minds. You should expect better from Suguru, but you don’t.

You kneel down to face them. The delight on their faces is palpable. You can’t help but feel a little better, seeing them laugh like the children they are. If the two of them are here then that means…

They must have been dropped off in the morning. Your heart quickens at the thought of encountering them. They must be upset at you, over your nonsensical outburst, and at the thought of it all, apologies instinctively jump to your tongue. You bite them back.

Mimiko and Nanako exchange a glance. The motion makes you think of Satoru and Suguru, and for a sudden you think you’re seeing doubles.

Nanako momentarily lowers her gaze before speaking. “Are you and papa fighting?”

You blink at her. 

Nanako’s eyes are wide with a sadness that wouldn’t look out of place on a beaten dog. “Papa and Satoru are really sad you’re mad at them.”

Mad…

Your mouth is dry. “That’s…”

They stare at you, forlorn expressions matching. “That’s not it,” you force out. “It’s…a lot more…difficult to explain. I’m not mad.” Anger has always been a foreign emotion to you. You’ve never had the means to sustain something as ever permanent as anger. You’re ill suited to it. 

Nanako brightens immediately. “Really? When are you going to move into our apartment?”

Mimiko asks, “Are you going to have babies?”

“I want a younger brother!”

“And a sister…”

“That’s not…” your face vigorously heats. It seems you weren’t as discreet as you wished. You’d have to…talk to Satoru and Suguru about being more careful. After you build up the courage to face them. “We’re not…” You clear your throat. Better to clear up any misconceptions right now. “It’s true that something happened, but it’s not like that,” you say firmly. “I promise.”

The two of them go momentarily silent, understanding the weight of a promise from your lips.

Mimiko gazes at you discerningly, in a way that has always reminded you of Suguru, her quieter disposition making her no less of a force. “You don’t love papa?”

Nanako leans into you. “Or Satoru?”

“Of course I love them,” you answer truthfully, even though your stomach tightens.

“But…not like that?” Nanako leans in closer, gesturing for you to lend her your ear. You incline your head down. In your ear she whispers, “Nao-kun at school told Kana that he loves her and that they're going to get married. Do you love Papa and Satoru like that?”

You stare at her, eyes wide. The twins tilt their heads to the left in one synchronized movement you’re sure they aren’t even cognizant of. You feel sick all of a sudden, hands sweaty and head spinning. “It’s not like that,” you say quickly. It’s not like that. Not like that. You’d never…not with Satoru and Suguru. Never with Satoru and Suguru. You’re sure they’ve never entertained the idea either.

“If Satoru and Suguru got married to another woman, I’d support them,” you say plainly. You’re unsure how to articulate it any other way. “Because I love them. I want them to be happy.” Their happiness makes you happy. Despite it, you smile, reaching out to ruffle Mimiko’s hair, and then Nanako’s. They light up at your touch. “This is something for the adults to worry about, okay?”

They don’t look convinced. When Nanako, once more, opens her mouth, you hurriedly rush to change the topic. “Have you two eaten?” Suguru would’ve sent them off with breakfast, but it’s already nearing late afternoon. They must be hungry.

Mimiko nods. You notice that her long dark hair is styled with her pretty silver clip. Nanako's blonde hair is tied into a slightly curled ponytail, complete with a pink bow. Suguru must have done their hair this morning, just as he does most mornings. Both accessories must have been gifts from Suguru. He spoils them. The thought brings a smile to your lips.

“Alright,” You jump up. “Shall we go get lunch?”

Mimiko and Nanako stand, the two of them taking your hands on either side of you as you make your way to the cafeteria. Nanako is recounting her week at school and the messy love lives of her elementary classmates, including the three boys that had confessed their love for her and asked her to be her girlfriend to which she responded that no boy would be able to match her papa in any way. Mimiko nods seriously in agreement. 

You’re in the middle of asking which suitor suits her tastes the best when you hear your name from behind. You turn.

Sasaki is in a dark emerald kimono that reminds you of Megumi’s eyes. The delicate fabric is decorated with embroidered auspicious cranes, one of which spans the length and curve of her leg, silver colored, eye black.

“Sasaki-san,” you greet with a smile. Of all the places to see her, you didn’t think you’d see her at jujutsu tech. “It’s been a while.”

“Please,” she replies, “Call me Kumiko. It seems wrong to have a friend of Geto-sama and Gojo-sama’s to address me with formalities.”

“Kumiko then,” you agree. You look down at Mimiko and Nanako and lightly squeeze their hands. “I’m not sure if you’ve met, but these two are Mimiko and Nanako.”

“Hello,” Nanako says, gazing from Sasaki to you. When you smile encouragingly and nod, she says, “I’m Nanako, and this is my sister Mimiko.”

Mimiko stares at her quietly.

Sasaki beams. “I’ve heard of you two. Geto-sama’s wards.” She kneels down to their height. “My name is Kumiko. Please feel free to refer to me as such. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other more often from here on out.”

“We were just about to go to the cafeteria to get some food,” you say. “Would you like to join us?”

Sasaki brightens. “Of course.”

The short walk to the cafeteria is in silence, Nanako having fallen suspiciously quiet, and your attempts to get her to recount her story about Kouta-kun getting in trouble for not feeding the class fishes shut down.

“They’re a little shy around new people,” you explain as the girls have gone to get lunch, trays in hand. The cafeteria is empty, save for a few auxiliary managers milling around. “But they get over it quickly. When Nanako gets going she doesn’t stop.”

Sasaki is understanding. “Of course,” she says. “It’s only reasonable considering their…” something like sympathy dabs at her face, “history.”

History.

You suppose that’s what it is now. You can only hope the scars on their hearts have mostly healed, but you also know that sometimes they wake up in cold sweats, scrambling into Suguru’s arms and clutching him tightly. They love him. They adore him with a hero worship you’d be more worried about if you hadn’t known Suguru to be the good person he is. In their eyes, Suguru can do no wrong, so when he holds them close and tells them that the ghosts of their past are just that, ghosts, they believe him. 

But you also know some things never heal. 

They’re still young, you think. Unlike you. You never learned what it means to leave things in the past. They’ll learn from your mistakes.

“Are you here on business?” You ask.

“Oh my, the only business I’d ever be conducting here would be marriage talks,” she says goodnaturedly. “I’m with my elder brother. He’s here for a meeting with the elders that came in from Fukuoka. I was told to accompany him by my father, but I’m afraid even I cannot wait several hours with immunity,” she smiles, and you are once again taken by her good looks. She simply doesn’t look human, even more up close. “I was bored,” she states, mirthful. “I was hoping Geto-sama or even Gojo-sama would be here today.”

“I see…” you glance at the clock towards the entrance of the room. “If you wait until a little later, I’m sure you’ll catch them when they come to pick up the twins.”

She looks surprised. “They personally come to pick up the children?”

“On most days. Sometimes when Suguru and Satoru are busy, I drop them off. Or Shoko if she finishes a shift early. But usually either Satoru or Suguru try to make it.” Sometimes, when it was impossible for anyone, an auxiliary manager. But Suguru doesn't like the idea of strangers taking the twins home so often times than not Ijichi is made to drive the twins home. He doesn't mind it too much. You made sure to talk to him about it. In fact you'd say he's fond of the girls when they aren't tormenting him.

“Most men wouldn’t take the time out of their day.”

You can’t really speak to that, but you suppose the elites have always had their own way of doing things, far removed from your own experiences. Either way, you’ve always been alone. You don’t remember your father’s face. Not anymore. Only the hurt he left you with.

She studies you, dark eyes intentful. “Geto-sama is a kind man.” A light smile touches her lips. You can’t help but think it looks sad. “My brother was…” she hesitates, “not pleased when Gojo-sama did not come to the marriage talks our families arranged. If it weren’t for Geto-sama…” Clearing her throat, she forces a smile. “I thought he was lovely.”

You can’t help the pride blooming in your chest. Suguru is lovely, you think. The kindest and one of the best people you know. You shouldn’t have blown up at him, at Satoru. Your heart grows heavy.

“Suguru’s a good person,” you agree. “Satoru too.” Although people may not think it at first, too cowed by his presence.

“That’s…reassuring to hear,” she says. Her gaze turns contemplative. “The two of them make quite a pair…”

Before she can finish her train of thought, the twins return with bento boxes.

Nanako pushes a third box in your direction. “This one’s yours!”

“Oh, I’m fin—”

“Papa says it’s important to make sure you’re eating,” Mimiko says, opening hers. “He and Satoru say you always forget.”

“Is that right…” you say, exasperated. Luckily, there’s an extra chopstick inside. You offer a pair to Sasaki. “Hungry?”

“I’ve eaten,” she politely inclines her head. “Thank you for offering.”

As you start on your tempura, Sasaki asks the twins about school. “Do you enjoy it? School with civilians. It’s not…odd?” To be leading separate lives, she seems to say.

Nanako shrugs. “It’s just school. Megumi’s school seems more fun though. Megumi once beat up a sixth grader for picking on Tsumiki when he was in fifth grade! And the bully came back with middle schoolers, Megumi beat them up too!”

You sweat. You remember that particular incident, and the accusations of delinquency flying out of several mouths. Satoru and Suguru had shared a long laugh over it. In front of the principal, and the offending student’s father.

“The Zenin heir,” Sasaki mulls. You’re glad Megumi isn’t here to hear that. “The three of you don’t attend the same school?”

“I thought it better for Megumi and Tsumiki to stay at the school they were originally enrolled in. We enrolled the twins at a school closer to the apartment,” you say. “But you two want to get into Tsumiki’s middle school, right?”

They nod. Megumi didn’t care as much, something that chagrined Tsumiki. But to you, it only seemed natural he would follow his older sister. The three of them would easily test into the school. It wasn’t as much of a worry.

“Forgive me for being curious,” Sasaki says shyly. “I was only ever homeschooled so the likes of regular school is beyond me…”

You don’t think she missed much, but then again, your own memories of elementary and middle school don’t inspire any great, memorable feelings within you. 

Mimiko looks from you to Sasaki. “Are you two friends?”

You’d hate to presume. “Sasaki-san is much more a friend of Suguru’s than mine.”

Nanako perks up at Suguru’s name. “Papa’s?”

There’s a light blush on her face. “Oh,” she breathes out. “I would hate to be presumptuous…or take advantage of Geto-sama’s kindness…”

You smile. “That’s nothing, I wouldn’t be worried. Suguru’s a lot less formal than he seems.”

“I see…” a pleased expression settles on her face.

You feel someone approaching, and in your peripheral you see a man in a suit.

Sasaki straightens immediately as the man bends down to whisper into Sasaki’s ear. Expression formal, she stands. 

“I’m afraid my brother is calling for me,” she says apologetically. “I have to take my leave, but thank you for entertaining me.”

“Anytime,” you reply.

You can’t help but think her steps look heavy as she walks away, the man trailing after her.

When you turn back to the twins, you say, “What did you think of Sasaki-san?”

Nanako shrugs.

Mimiko eats her bento.

“It's important for you to meet new people,” you say softly. You wonder how you can phrase it in a way they can understand. “One day, there might be someone new in Suguru and Satoru’s life.”

Mimiko peers up at you. “Not…you?”

“Not me,” you agree. If not Sasaki-san then someone else, but you’re sure Suguru is fond of her. Maybe he’s playing coy. Satoru would endear himself to her soon enough. The three of them make an unearthly attractive couple. You think of married Meiko-san, an unhappy bride, and you wonder if marriage is even worth it after all. Love is enough, and to you, it’s always been enough. 

But Meiko-san too, you think, is beautiful in a way that wouldn’t look out of place at Satoru and Suguru’s side. You’ve never personally met one of Satoru and Suguru’s partners before, but suddenly it’s real. You wonder if they slid their hands over her body, if they held her, if they kissed the moans from her lips. Your face goes warm. And suddenly it feels all wrong, like you’ve done something you shouldn’t. Satoru and Suguru aren’t meant for you. You’re content just to watch them, to see them happy. A sudden feeling of shame washes over you at how you had faced Sasaki so brazenly, and innocently watched her face fill with joy at the mention of Suguru.

The food goes bitter in your mouth.

“No,” Nanako says plainly, lotus root caught between her chopsticks. “I don’t think so.”

You force yourself to smile, despite the horrible, sinking feeling in your chest. Maybe this would be an easier topic for Suguru to broach with the girls when it’s time. “Is Suguru picking you up today?”

Nanako nods eagerly, waving the screen of her lit phone. “Papa said he’d be here soon!”

Apprehension swirls in your gut.

“Mimiko! Nanako!” A deep voice exclaims from behind you.

The twins go suspiciously silent, looking anywhere but at the man behind you. 

You blink at him. “Yaga-sensei, there you are.” Your old sensei’s appearance is in unusual disarray, lips sternly pursed. You wonder what wild goose chase the girls had led him on. Well, you’d feel better leaving the kids in his care until Suguru came anyway. You're relieved. 

He straightens, crossing his arms in that imposing way that makes you feel as if you’re in high school again, seated in seiza, wondering what Satoru and Suguru had gotten up to that you were also getting punished.

“You didn’t think to call?” He asks gruffly, gaze imperceptible behind his sunglasses. “I thought the girls had run away.”

They had, you think. But it might not be in your best interests to mention that.

Call…

Ah. Right. You could’ve done that. You should’ve. You reach into your pocket for your phone and come out empty. Yaga-sensei stares at your hand.

He closes his eyes, thoroughly exasperated. “Some things…”

If you squint and turn your head, you could almost swear he looks fond.

As you walk away, you hear Yaga-sensei clear his throat. You recognize it as a precursor to a long lecture. 

You speed up. 

—

You are engrossed in a book on Heian deathbed rites when Shoko marches into the library. Your paper is on the Shoen system, but you had found a peculiar scroll — a first hand account written by a Gojo clan historian focusing on Gojo-specific funeral customs and before you knew it, you were nose deep into a whole new topic. 

“This is a kidnapping,” she says. “Get up, I’m taking you home.” 

Not really, you think. You’d follow Shoko anywhere, without much prompting at all. So you obediently close your book, tidy your paperwork, and pack up everything while Shoko watches with her arms folded. By the time you’re done, your eyes are blurry from the strain, and Shoko watches in dismay as you unsteadily walk over to her.

“What time is it?”

“Two in the morning,” she replies, as the two of you exit the campus and walk to the street where she’s called a taxi.

When she opens the door, you wordlessly get in. You must have slept on her shoulder, because a hand gently wakes you up soon after you think you closed your eyes. You blink dazedly, straightening, recognizing the apartment complex outside the taxi as Shoko’s.

You immediately think of Go.

“I have to go home to check—”

“I already sent someone over,” she says, opening the door. A bemused look on her face. “Your cat doesn’t seem to like men, you know that?”

You’re worried at once. Alert. “Did something happen?”

Shoko raises her phone in your face. You take her phone and scroll through the twenty pictures of a contented Go lying on a female auxiliary manager’s lap in your apartment. You breathe a sigh of relief. You don’t recognize her, but if Shoko sent her, then you trust her.

You give her phone back and wordlessly exit the car. You let Shoko lead you up the elevator and to her apartment. Standing in her chicly decorated apartment, you’re at a sudden loss of how to proceed.

“Shoko, why am I here?” Sometimes, oddly enough, you are overcome with a peculiar untethered feeling. You felt a little of it at Meiko’s wedding reception. A feeling in your gut saying you shouldn’t be here.

“We’re having a sleepover. Just like we used to.” She disappears down the hallway and returns with clothes. “You can borrow these.”

The knot in your stomach unravels, just enough that it becomes easier to breathe. Just like we used to. The two of you have been busy. You with your classes and assignments and missions and Satoru and Suguru. Her with medical school, her jujutsu duties, and everything the higher ups feel fit to assign to her as the resident medic. 

You stare at the bundle of clothes in your hands and will yourself not to cry, but you can feel your eyes become watery. Everything is easier when you’re with Shoko, you think, and everything for the last few months has been too hard.

You wonder where everything went wrong.

“Thanks,” you say hoarsely, unable to meet her eyes. You abruptly turn towards the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower.”

In the bathroom, you lift the bundle in your hands to your face. It’s soft and smells faintly of Shoko. Her clothes. You shower, wash up, and change.

You walk out back to the living room to find Shoko eating a tub of dark chocolate ice cream on her couch. Settling down next to her, she hands you a spoon and you take a large bite of it.

“I haven’t been seeing you around the campus much lately,” she says nonchalantly.

“I’ve been busy,” you reply, shooting her a weak smile. “Lots of work.”

There’s a glint of momentary suspicion in her gaze. It passes quickly as she answers, “I guess so. It’s Satoru’s birthday soon. Wonder what he’s going to ask of us this year.”

The reminder of it makes you internally wince. “A twelve tier birthday cake?”

“A life sized sugar sculpture.”

You smile. “All that and a long vacation.”

She snorts. “He’ll take you and Suguru and never come back.”

You go quiet, smile fading, and Shoko's gaze is on you.

You hold your breath, but Shoko only puts her ice cream and spoon on the coffee table, and settles back into the couch. “I haven’t met your cat yet. ‘Go’ was it?”

You might cry all over again. “He looks like Satoru,” you say. “White fur and blue eyes. I’m not sure what kind of cat he is, but he’s big.” You demonstrate how big he’s been getting with your hands, feeling your spirits lift as you tell her about how Go is the prettiest, most beautiful cat you’ve ever seen, all his habits and quirks, and how much you enjoy brushing his fur. You think he’s a little vain, gently butting at your hand until his fur is glistening and smooth to his liking, but you love that about him too. You tell her that he’ll love her as much as you do, and that she should visit when she has time.

You miss him, you realize. You’ve grown accustomed to expecting someone when you go home. You come back to your apartment and scoop him into your arms, and Go nuzzles into your neck like he’s welcoming you home.

Shoko smiles. “Next time you should bring him.”

You brighten. You think Go could do with a change of scenery. Sometimes you wonder if your apartment was too small for him. You don't want him bored. The other day you found him sleeping in one of your cabinets.

It’s been a while since you talked this much. You suppose without Satoru and Suguru, the amount of people you can confide in have dwindled. You don’t know many people, not like Satoru and Suguru and Shoko. You’ve never been good at conversing, or making friends.

The two of you talk about everything and anything. The classmate at medical school that asked her out for drinks after their exam next week. Med school relationship drama. One of the Gojo elders had approached her earlier in the week, asking for the reverse cursed user Ieiri-san, and had been disappointed upon the realization that Ieiri-san was the woman right in front of him. You tell her that it had been with Hideo that you chanced upon Go, about Haibara’s mistake, and seeing Sasaki-san at the school.

“I think Suguru likes her,” you say, thinking about Sasaki’s face softening at the mention of Suguru. “She really likes him.”

If she’s at all interested in the state of Suguru’s love life, she doesn’t show it. You don’t expect her to be. “Is that right.”

Your gaze falls to your hands. “I…” I messed up, you want to say. You had an outburst, spurred on by exhaustion and your own shame, but the words die on your tongue.

“They’ve been sulking, you know,” Shoko says plainly.

You blink, looking up at her.

“I’ve seen Satoru standing outside your library these last few days.” She gives you a look. “I saw him earlier today. He was there for over an hour looking like a pathetic, kicked dog.”

This is news to you. You thought Satoru had been in Kamakura today. “He…was…?”

You didn’t know Satoru had been anywhere near your vicinity.

“And Suguru,” she looks faintly amused, “has been just despondent in my office.”

You feel sick. “Really?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” She’s using her doctor tone, you think. Pragmatic, self assured, and confidently right. 

As awful as you feel, that brings a mirthless smile to your lips. “You don’t even know what I did.”

She raises an eyebrow, daring you to disagree. “I don’t need to.” Her hand reaches out to squeeze yours. Your eyes grow wet once again as you feel the weight of her gaze on you.

Meeting Suguru, Shoko, and Satoru had acquainted you with the discomfort of being seen. Before them, you had never felt particularly bothered by anyone’s opinions of you, not even when others complained to Yaga-sensei about the audaciousness of your gaze, your bluntness. But maybe that was because nobody had bothered to pay you any attention in the first place.

You didn’t understand back then, why it had even mattered in the first place. Why Satoru had thought you to be a challenge when you first met him. Maybe you still don’t. You still seem to say and do all the wrong things. Maybe you haven’t learned a single thing.

Now you can’t help but think the floor is a familiar sight to you.

You don’t want them to look at you. Maybe a part of you is afraid they’ll see you for who you really are. And Satoru and Suguru are nothing if not discerning. 

Shoko moves closer to you, and you let yourself lie down, rearranging yourself so that you and her are comfortably lying down, face to face.

A comfortable silence overtakes the two of you. Shoko presses closer to you, and you can feel her breath on your shoulder before she moves flat on her back.

“It’s okay to be a bother,” she says. “You’ve always been the type to keep everything to yourself.” 

You’ve never thought it necessary to burden others with your problems and mistakes. You hold them close to your heart, and hope they never hurt you again.

Shoko snorts at your silence. “You’re doing it again.”

Troubled, you say, “I’ve never really known what to say…”

“I know,” her voice goes soft. “It wouldn’t hurt to be more forthcoming with the things troubling you. I want to know, and I’m sure they want to too.”

Shoko wants to know about your problems. She wants you to talk to her. Your throat grows thick. And yet…

“It’s getting harder and harder to talk to…” Them.

You feel horrible as soon as the words leave your lips, it feels like a weight off your shoulders. You’re terrified, wanting, and self loathing. You don’t want to know how Satoru and Suguru feel about the new direction of your relationship. You don’t think you’d be able to come back from knowing they regret it. You’re already keenly aware of what you can offer them, and that already isn’t enough.

Maybe that’s why you feel choked by words every time you see them. They’re so far away from you. You’re not sure when the distance between you and them had grown into an insurmountable gap. But that’s okay. You’re content to watch them. 

Shoko sighs in a manner that reminds you how she breathes out cigarette smoke, bottom lip slightly jutted out. “Yeah, well, they’re idiots.” There’s something forlorn in her gaze. “They’ve never known how to handle fragile things.”

“I…I suppose…”

She rolls over on her side to face you. “Forget about them,” she says decisively. “You shouldn’t waste another second on those idiots.”

S-scathing…

Her lips twist. It almost looks like a smile. “But you won’t, will you?”

“...”

“I know it’s been hard for you these last few months.” She throws an arm over her face and groans. “They’ve been working me like a dog. I wish they’d at least keep me at Jujutsu High,” with you . “When we were in high school, they barely sent me out on missions.” A note of distaste enters her voice. “Those two are doing their jobs too well.”

You smile, always touched. There are so many things you could say. There are important people in need of her help, just like they need Satoru and Suguru’s help. Jujutsu society relies on her. You know she secretly enjoys the work, and helping people. That’s who Shoko is.

Instead you selfishly say: “Me too. I wish I could see you all the time.”

Her lips curl into a genuine smile. She scoots closer to you, resting her head in the space above your shoulder. The air becomes drowsy, almost dream-like in the low light of a lamp resting on a cabinet, next to a vase of flowers emanating your cursed energy.

“Shoko,” you say quietly, like you're releasing a secret into the night. “When I was in Nagoya…”

—

When you leave for your apartment the next day (sad to be leaving Shoko, excited to see Go), you are in high spirits. Light-hearted happiness for the first time in months.

You slow to a stop. There's someone waiting in front of your building.

You hadn’t realized it that day, at her wedding reception, or even at Satoru and Suguru’s apartment, just how long her hair is. Down, Meiko’s hair reaches her waist. It’s styled into neat waves today, instead of being tied up.

She smiles at you, bundled up in a brown trench coat, and waves. Long fur gloves adorn her hands. She looks wildly out of place in front of your decrepit apartment building.

“And here I thought I had been lied to,” she says cheerily as you approach. “You do live here!”

“That’s right,” you answer politely, curious about her sudden appearance. “Is there something you need of me?”

“Oh nothing so serious.” She waves an easy hand. “Just wanted to invite you out for dinner next week.”

“Me?” You think this may be Meiko’s roundabout way of asking you to also invite Satoru or Suguru to the dinner too. You aren’t sure why Meiko wouldn’t ask them herself since they already seem to be acquainted (in more ways than one), but why else would she invite you in the first place? There’s not much else than you can offer her. You’d have to make clear that the most you can do is float the suggestion. You’re sure she’s overestimating how much sway you hold over your friends in the first place.

Satoru and Suguru could be a little selfish in that way. 

“That’s right. How does six work?”

“Six works fine,” you pause. Next you settle on: “I’ll be sure to invite them.”

That’s as much as you can do anyway. You wonder if you’ve conveyed the sentiment well enough. If she pulls back the invitation, you wouldn’t embarrass her. You gauge her expression. 

She makes a face. “Oh no. Not them.”

You blink.

“Just you, thank you very much!”

“Just…me?”

“Just you.”

“Oh,” you say, a bit awed. You hadn’t expected that.

“Besides,” she huffs. “They’d only intrude on our time together.” She takes your hands with her gloved ones. This is the second time you’ve felt the warmth of her hands. Your throat goes dry. You can’t feel the brittle chill of the weather. She smiles. “I want you all to myself.”

You swallow, stomach flipping.

Your words come out breathlessly. “Me?”

“That’s right,” she hums. “You’ll come won’t you?”

“I will,” it sounds more eager than you intended. You draw back, slightly embarrassed. "If...if you want me."

"Of course I do," she answers without a hint of hesitation.

She squeezes your hands once, before dropping them and letting you go. You’re a little disappointed. You shake yourself out of it.

She tells you she’ll text you the restaurant name. You hadn’t noticed the unmarked car waiting by the road until it pulls up close. The driver gets out of the car to open the door for her. With a wave and a wink, she’s gone, leaving you wondering if you had imagined her.

The air is oppressively heavy at Jujutsu tech. You’re unsure what the occasion is, but it must be of the utmost importance if the private cars and suited men and robed elders tell you anything. From your vantage point on the balcony of the top floor of an unused storage building overlooking the main courtyard, you can see members of the upper echelons of jujutsu and civilian society crossing to the main building, gathering for some event or meeting. Did they come from Kyoto? 

Suguru and Satoru would know. The two of them are too important not to be involved somehow. A meeting discussing a wave of crimes perpetrated by the rise of curse users in Kyoto. Discussing the national security of Japan. Discussing the maintenance of Tengen-sama’s barriers. There are so many things the meetings could entail. You can expect Satoru, Suguru, and even Shoko’s schedules to be stacked for the rest of the week. Meeting after meeting after meeting. 

You feel for them. In your case, you had the perfunctory meeting here and there, involving Tokyo matters on a smaller scale. Your presence isn’t required. You usually blanked through them anyway, unless they were actually important in some way. In your opinion, you believed it was better than Satoru sleeping through his. 

Well, you wouldn’t be needed here. Not for the week anyway.

Your stomach is sore from your position pressed into the railing of the balcony. You figure you should head home. The clouds above you are darkening, and you can feel a storm coming on.

You straighten when you catch a glimpse of white. It’s Satoru. 

Satoru’s face looks distinctly annoyed in a fashion that reminds you of his high school petulance as he heads towards the direction of the Torii gates. You squint. There are two older and shorter men dressed in robes behind him struggling to keep up to his long strides, perhaps calling out to him. Satoru ignores them, but they end up catching up to him anyway. Your gaze is glued to the scene as the men try to stop Satoru from leaving, gesticulating wildly. 

That’s when you see Suguru calmly making his way to Satoru. He places a hand on his shoulder, and you see Satoru slightly relax.

Satoru raises his head. Your stomach plummets at once, and you drop to the floor, immediately erasing your cursed energy. You’re unsure if it worked. Satoru is excellent at sensing cursed energy and even better at controlling his own. Even at the distance you’re at, you’re sure he has an inkling. But you’ve always been good at knowing how to disappear. Your fine control over your own cursed energy isn’t something to casually disregard. 

You decide to leave. You crawl into the storage room and don’t bother shutting the door to the balcony. Then you stand, brushing yourself off. Waiting until you’re sure the courtyard has been evacuated, you walk down to the first floor.

It’s not that late, you think. You could still take the train home instead of calling a taxi. You wouldn’t mind the walk from the school down to the city. It would only be a mild inconvenience if it rained. The thought strikes you as you’ve already made your way down the long steps and the winded road to the main road. As you contemplate retracing your steps back to the campus to grab an umbrella, a long sleek black car pulls up to the road.

You don’t pay it much mind, ultimately deciding to brave the rain. No big deal. You’d have to take a shower and dry before indulging in your daily cuddle sessions with Go though. He’s not a big fan of water. You start on your path to the train station, passing the man who had gotten out of the car flanked by two men in suits. 

“You.”

You keep on walking.

“Woman.”

You stop, turning back to face an unfamiliar man. You blink. “Me?”

His nose crinkles, face easily conforming to a look of distaste. “Are you deaf?”

“No,” you reply. Not yet at least. Your eyesight might be a little impaired though. All those constant nights in the library haven’t done you any favors. If glasses are inevitable, Satoru is going to make fun of you. Suguru will be polite about it, but he and Satoru will laugh about it later. The thought both slightly depresses and tires you. 

Something about the look on his face tells you he wasn’t looking for a reply. Oh.

He replies with your full name. You blink.

“—Class of 2008.”

“Yes, that’s me.” You glance at the men behind him. You had noticed them as body guards before they had even left the car. Not jujutsu sorcerers. Enough control over their cursed energy to regulate their own, but not refined enough. A higher up? Someone from an important clan. You hope he’s not expecting you to recognize him. You’ve long given up on trying to memorize things like that.

The two of you stare at each other in silence. His face tightens. “Sasaki Ichiro.”

This must be Sasaki’s older brother. Now that you think about it, they share the same hazel gaze, and the fine slope of their noses…

However, his features are encompassed by a coldness not present on Sasaki’s own.

You wonder what he wants.

“Did you need something?” You are pressed by an urgent need to hold Go in your arms. Preferably as soon as you can. You’ll make him a nice dinner tonight, in the strawberry bowl you bought just for him the other day in a ceramics shop in Ginza.

“I don’t like your tone,” he clicks his tongue, eyes raking over you with a scrutinizing edge. He must not like what he sees because a frown digs at his lips. “Are you always this impertinent with those above your station?”

You thought you had been polite, but not enough evidently. For these types, it’s always better to keep quiet and let them talk. They like to talk.

He continues. “I was merely curious. I believed there were only two others in the esteemed Gojo head’s class.”

If you’re being honest, you would’ve preferred he kept on believing that. You hadn’t corrected people when they assumed you to be in Nanami and Haibara’s class. It happened in high school often, except Satoru had been deeply offended for no reason at all, and made it a point to introduce you as his classmate to every single higher up and elder and jujustu sorcerer the two of you chanced upon, forcing you forward with a rough hand that made you almost stumble over your feet.

What? You prefer Nanami and Haibara over us or somethin’? You’re ours.

“It seems there are exceptions to be made everywhere,” he says coolly. “The exception in an exceptional class.”

With that, he doesn’t spare you another glance as he turns on his heels towards the campus of jujutsu high.

Exceptional, huh.

You watch him disappear into the trees following the path to the school. You wonder if he’ll see Satoru or Suguru or Shoko later today. He’ll offer them his respect, and probably his deference with an expression that doesn’t look like he’d like to spit at their feet.

Oh well, better you than them.

You wonder if he’ll broach the idea of marrying Sasaki to them. You hope it’ll be at least to Suguru, not Satoru. You remember the softness of her gaze, the pink blush on her cheeks, the slight, shy curl of her lips when mentioning Suguru. A lovely flower you think, made even lovelier by love.

You’re not sure how Satoru and Suguru feel about flowers, but they’ve always kept the ones you’ve given them over the years. You think it might mean something.

A droplet of water hits your cheek.