cassanova

A sudden yell disrupts your thoughts and you jump into position, nocking an arrow and aiming towards the scream. You hitch your breath at the sight: Geto is striding into your school alone, leaving a trail of headless assistants behind him. One of the bodies is familiar and you recognize her as the assistant that gave you chocolate with a bright smile after a mission with unfortunate timing left you covered in curse blood and your own. She didn't flinch or offer pity - just a single chocolate kiss. Now she is covered in gore and blood, her previously pristine white shirt coated with her own brain matter.

You feel your resolve hardens. Geto is a curse-user, a human at his core, but he also is a monster. The arrow flies an accurate course but the man dodges, leaving it to embed itself into the wall instead of his torso. He turns to your rooftop, calling out, “Ah, (y/n)! And here I thought your brother would lock you in a tower.” Geto unleashes a grade-one curse that looks similar to a wolf and sends it after you. He is infuriatingly unbothered by your presence and continues his steady gait into the school grounds.

You start running across the rooftops, jumping over gaps and dodging the curse’s attempts to bite you. The rooftop tiles bite into your hands and knees. It faintly registers that a nail broke when you almost missed a jump, narrowly avoiding falling to the ground.

Satoru didn’t say how long to keep this secret, but you assume now is a good time to give Maki and Yuta a heads-up. You spot Maki stepping away from a classroom, so you run there, drawing the curse after you. On the roof next to where she stands, you plant your feet and turn, suddenly drawing your katana and slicing at the wolf. It draws back, avoiding your attack before lunging suddenly. Its claws sink into your leg. You cry out in pain, falling to your knees. When the curse lunges again, this time aiming for your throat, you fall on your back and thrust your blade into its stomach. You force the blade down its body with a grunt, disemboweling the creature. The teeth around your throat loosen, but the dead weight of the curse dropping on you prevents you from getting up immediately. Guts slide out and onto you and you suppress a gag. You feel a lot like Carrie on prom night.

When you finally stagger to your feet, you see Maki has engaged Geto in a fight that she’s obviously losing. You cry her name and rush to her side. She doesn’t get a chance to acknowledge you as Geto, in one fluid moment, breaks her weapon and sends her flying. She falls to the ground as a ragdoll, bleeding heavily from her side and head. You watch her body land, horrified, before you’re snapped back into the fight rudely.

Geto is now the closest to you he’s been since you were a child, frightened and unable to communicate with the people around you. He feels some long-forgotten sense of pity as he slides the blade of his knife further into your stomach. “W-wh-?” You look at the handle sticking out of your body curiously, blood starting to leak from the corner of your mouth. The pain hasn’t begun to register but your body understands that you are unable to fight. You faint, missing the entrance of Panda and Toge by a few precious seconds.

When Yuta comes out from the classroom, he isn’t sure what he’s expecting to find. He felt a few earthquakes and thought it best to find you and Maki to wait out any aftershocks together. Yuta was sure it was to be a little awkward after his rejection, but also wanted to be sure you were okay. He didn’t expect to find you covered in blood, the same cute gym clothing you were wearing that morning when he rejected you ruined. A quick glance around and he sees the rest of his classmates, his friends, in similar form. Inumaki is clinging to consciousness.

Geto, the one who grabbed Yuta months earlier, stands surrounded by the bodies, hardly winded. “I truly wanted you to live, Okkotsu, but this is for the future of jujutsu.” Yuta wonders how he can fight this man. How can he protect his friends, the only ones to give him a chance since Rika, when Geto already destroyed the strongest people he knew. He was so, so weak compared to each of them.

Inumaki desperately calls a slurred version of his name and says, “Run away.” The fact that the command does nothing, that Yuta feels nothing, breaks him from his spiral. He summons Rika in a rage.

“I am going to kill you!” He declares. Yuta doesn’t think he has ever felt such anger and despair, the feeling of watching Rika die now multiplied by four.

Geto simply says, “You are going to die.”

-

A sudden pull on your stomach wakes you harshly. “Shit!” Your eyes snap open, to see a sheepish Panda holding the knife that was previously in your stomach. You automatically go to apply pressure on the wound but your hands find Maki’s already there, dressing the wound. “What happened?”

“The fight’s over, but we need to find Yuta,” Maki explains. “He must have healed all of us, but you still had the blade in you. It needed to be removed before you get up. All of us are going to be fine, (y/n), you can rest now.” She helps you to your feet and you cringe looking at your ruined outfit. Maki catches your pout and smiles, glad some things never change.

Toge comes to your side to take Maki’s place as your crutch. You hug him tightly, unable to express in words how relieved you are. He hugs back, equally overwhelmed after seeing what seemed like your corpse. Toge helps you limp along as you all start tracking Yuta’s residuals. Panda clears his throat and asks, “When did this happen?”

“Only a few days ago. Don’t act like you didn’t see this coming,” you explain with an eye-roll.

“No, I totally did. Just curious who won the bet.”

“If we didn’t just fight for our lives, I would kill you.” You four continue to try to have a light conversation until you come upon Yuta’s unconscious body. Toge helps you sit on the ground and you move his head onto your lap, muttering about checking for a concussion. All of you needed medical attention but you were desperate to help any way you could now.

Yuta begins to blink his eyes open and sits up urgently. “Your wounds… Panda! Your arm!” He seems to be working himself into a frenzy. You place a comforting hand on his shoulder as Panda explains that everyone will be okay. Yuta urgently looks over you, trying to determine how much blood was yours, before he seems satisfied.

“Thank you for saving us,” You whisper. His eyes fill with tears and you wonder how scared he must have been. You maintain eye contact, hoping to communicate how much you admire him, before Rika’s jumbled voice makes the both of you jump. Yuta stands, leaving the circle your class formed around him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Rika,” he says, approaching her.

“What’s wrong?” Maki asks, a little fearful at how resigned Yuta looks.

Yuta hums a little before answering, “In exchange for her power, I promised to go with her.”

“What?” You screech and the suddenness of the yell pains your wound. Your classmates join a chorus of disagreement. Panda and Inumaki both grab fistfuls of his shirt to prevent him from walking any closer to Rika. Instead of her usual retaliation for someone restraining Yuta, her form just falls away to reveal a young girl. Four of you are confused but Yuta just mumbles, “Rika?”

A clapping distracts from the drama. You turn as best you can with a hole in your stomach to see your brother without any eye wear approaching your group. “Congrats. You broke the curse,” he continues to clap and stands next to you.

“Who’re you?” Yuta and Maki ask, causing you to snort before you groan at the pain.

Your brother pouts before replying, “Everyone’s favorite good-looking Gojo-sensei. Do you not see the sibling resemblance?” He gestures between your face and his, before carefully putting you on his back. He doesn’t even flinch at the grime covering you transferring onto him as well, relieved to see you awake and alert. You rest your chin on his shoulder and listen to him explain.

“I thought Yuta was interesting, so I looked into his lineage. Apparently, you’re a descendant of Michizane Sugawara. So, super-distant, but we’re relatives!” You groan and hide your face in Satoru’s neck; the teasing to come will be unbearable.

Your classmates look dumbfounded at the information while Yuta just goes, “Who?”

“One of Japan’s big three vengeful spirits.”

“A big-shot sorcerer.”

“Tuna.”

“The annoying side of the family,” you add.

Your brother takes back control of the conversation. “Yuta, you’re right. Rika isn’t cursing you, you cursed her. When the curser severs the bond tying servant to master and the cursed doesn’t desire punishment, the curse is broken. Though it seems you figured that out by yourself.” He gestures at the little girl and Yuta.

“Oh my god,” Yuta collapses in tears. “It’s all my fault…. Hurting so many people, Geto coming after me, it’s all my - all my -” He begins to hyperventilate. Inumaki takes a step to comfort him, but before he can, Rika approaches and hugs his trembling form.

“Thank you, Yuta. For giving me time and letting me be by your side. I’ve been happier these past six years than I ever was alive. Good-bye, be well. And don’t come over too soon, ‘kay?” She gives a bright smile, toothy and pure as she dissolves into bright ashes. Yuta stares at where she stood, long after all the ashes disappeared and everyone else walked away.

“See you,” He says to himself, before getting up to follow his friends to Doctor Ieiri.

Everyday as a sorcerer is spent wondering if it’ll be your last. You see horrors far beyond any normal person’s imagination, all to protect people who will never know you exist if you do your job right. To do this job, to be a jujutsu sorcerer, you must constantly be ready to die. You have seen plenty of colleagues' horribly mangled bodies already as a first-year. It’s common. In fact, the fact that your entire class is still alive is an anomaly.  And after meditating on the ever-increasing likelihood that death will touch your life far closer than it ever has before, you decide there is no need to hide feelings that Satoru insists are reciprocated.

You approach Inumaki first, since he was also raised in the jujutsu world and likely to be open to your proposition. You explain all of your reasoning before taking a deep breath and getting to the heart of the issue, “I-I like you. Maybe even love.”

“Salmon,” he beamed, markings exposed in the sanctuary of your room. He’s especially beautiful in the soft glow of the Christmas lights, clutching a stuffed animal he had won for you at a festival years ago.

“But I also like Yuta. I haven’t talked to him yet, but I’m interested in trying this between all of us.” Your hands twist over each other in anxiety. Even with the decision to no longer try to deny feelings, it is hard to be so open. How on Earth did Satoru manage to be so aloof about relationships? You see Toge’s hand cover yours.

“Salmon, bonito flakes,” he reassures, leaning down to catch your eyes. A weight lifts off your shoulders. You didn’t fuck up your friendship and he’s equally interested in a relationship. Inumaki watches you smile for the first time since you dragged him from the hallway. He slowly places a hand on your chin and lifts your head to face him. “Salmon roe?”

You nod, but don’t wait for him to close the gap. Leaning up, you lightly kiss his lips, eyes fluttering close at their softness. There’s a small tingling sensation, one you have long associated with the surge of cursed energy mixing with yours. It's an exhilarating feeling when copying someone's technique, but like this, you think it's addicting. You pull back first, sighing happily with your eyes still closed. You wear matching blushes and smiles.

“I know you have to get back to preparing to leave….” You bite your lip reluctant to let him leave after finally getting a taste. You had known Toge since you were both children thanks to clan meetings. Only in the past year, working closely and interacting frequently, have you realized your feelings for the boy. Now there is a chance to have him and Yuta, if you are able to explain how polyamory isn’t so strange for sorcerers (though historically, it has been accompanied by power imbalances in favor of the strongest sorcerer in the relationship).

“Tuna?”

“Just happy,” you nuzzle your forehead into his neck before sitting up straight. “I’ll talk to Yuta, since we both will be here at the school. Then, if he agrees and when you get back,” you poke a finger in his ribs, “all in one piece, we can talk about how this will work.”

“Salmon,” He gives one more last, quick kiss before leaving your room. You slide to the floor against your door, sighing happily. God, Satoru is going to be so smug. You bite your lip to hide your lovesick smile, pulling your phone out to text him an update on your lovelife.

You didn’t get a chance to talk to Yuta for a while. When you had finally collected yourself enough to leave your room, he was nowhere to be found on campus. The next morning, your class ate breakfast together before everyone left for their posts. Yuta had been there, of course, but he hesitated before sitting across from you and Inumaki (strange on its own - you three often all sat together). Even then, Yuta blushed and avoided eye contact with you and Toge, looking especially flustered at the casual, platonic skinship you shared with everyone. Not to mention the heavy atmosphere of a looming battle. You resolved to find him after everyone left; less people on campus meant less people interrupting, anyways. You sent everyone off with a hug, but your brothers and Toge got an additional kiss on the cheek.

(Megumi made a show of wiping it off and snarling at you. You wonder how long his rebellious phase will last.)

It took a while, but you were finally able to track Yuta’s energy to the empty training room. He was comparing his katana’s blade to a few other swords kept by the school. “You know, half of those are technically on loan from the Gojo clan. The other half is almost entirely from the Zen’in clan, but there’s one or two from Toge’s family and other small clans.” You muse, tracing the intricate design on the handle of one you recognized as belonging to your family. Yuta jumped from your sudden appearance. “Wanna spar? It seems like maybe you’re avoiding me but I wanted to talk to you. If I did something wrong you can get that aggression out before we talk,” You offer.

“No! I-I mean, no, I’m not avoiding you. Yeah, we can spar if you want.”

You smirk a little, “Alright.” You grab one of the wooden staffs next to the actual blades and shrug off your jacket. Gesturing to the center of the room where a circle marks a training ring, you say, “No cursed energy. I haven’t warmed up any.”

Yuta nods and takes his position opposite you. “Ready?” He asks. He waits for your nod before rushing forward, catching you off guard. You click your tongue, surprised at how fast he moved to attack. Your staff connects with a harsh clash, blocking his before it gets too close to your body. He retreats slightly, clearly analyzing you for any weak spots, and asks, “What did you need to talk about?”

“Toge and I and you…. Maybe” Grunting, you move to attack but Yuta side-steps. You plant your feet and use momentum to change your direction to where he now stands. He grits his teeth when you connect a hit. “I know you grew up normally, but we like each other and you.” You take a few steps back, knowing this possible mental blow is best delivered without a physical one. “And I think you like us, too.”

Yuta’s mouth hangs open, gaping at you and loosening his grip on his staff. “W-what? Like - like all three of us -?” He seems unable to complete the sentence.

“Yeah,” You nod, moving forward to sweep his feet out from under him. It’s a simple move, one he learned to avoid months ago, but he seems defenseless right now. You stand and pin him to the ground with the end of your staff against his forehead. “I know it’s somewhat strange out there,” you wave your hand dismissively, “but sorcerers have done it for ages. Toge and I know that, but you don’t have the same background.”

“But I thought - you two kissed!” He points an accusing finger.

“How did you know that?” You frown, cocking your head to the side. You shake the question away, deciding it didn’t matter, and offer a hand to help him up. He ignores it. “I mean, the first hurdle here is knowing if you like both of us.”

Yuta blushes furiously but doesn’t refute you. It takes him a second to recover from how blunt you said it but eventually he manages to spit out an affirmative. The brightness of your smile takes him longer to recover from.

“Great! That’s really good. Toge-kun will be excited to hear that.” You wipe some sweat off your forehead and try to contain your excitement. “Since he’s away right now, I think we should wait to have this conversation in person. Neither of us want you to feel pressured to agree for whatever reason either, so it’ll give you some time to think about it.” You move to leave him alone to do just that, but you can’t stop yourself from giving one last big smile. “I’m really happy you’re even thinking about this, Yuta.”

You spend the rest of the day with your head in the clouds, completely over the moon at the idea of your new relationship. Satoru loses his mind when you call to give a status update, which causes you to dissolve into a puddle of lovesick goo. At dinner, where it’s just you, Yuta and Maki, you can’t help your puppy-dog eyes. Maki kicks your shin several times, embarrassed just from looking at you.

You keep to your word though, so much so when Yuta approaches you on the next day, you ask several times if he is sure he wants to talk now. You hadn’t even had much time to think about the logistics of a poly relationship, too focused on how to keep your preparations a secret. It was surprisingly hard to hide your smuggled bow and quiver until you reached a rooftop near the entrance. Eventually you yield though, and he drags you to an empty classroom. “(y/n), I really want to tell you not to take this the wrong way, but honestly, there’s no right way to take it.” You feel your stomach drop, but he continues, oblivious. “I just can’t be in a relationship.”

“Like, in a relationship with Toge and I specifically?” You’re not sure where the strength to ask that question came from. You’re not even sure you want to hear the answer.

“Yes,” He finally makes eye contact. “I mean, no! God,” Yuta runs a hand through his already disheveled hair. “I’ve never had to reject anyone before, jeez. You two, both of you,” he blushes heavily, “are the only ones I see myself in a relationship with. I just can’t be in one when I have Rika. It doesn’t feel right.”

You nod, trying to hide the hurt and embarrassment you think you just might drown in. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Yuta sighs.

“Well, I guess I’ll tell Toge then. Unless you wanted to?” You offer hopefully, but he shakes his head. “Alright. I hope we can still be friends, Yuta.” You instinctively go to hug him but stop yourself halfway. Muttering a soft apology, you brush past him to leave.

You go straight to where you had hidden your bow, bringing along a sword for close-ranged fighting. All borrowed from the school, but you made sure to take ones originally from the Gojo clan as an extra reassurance. You really needed that reassurance now.

Satoru had briefly explained after the campus attack that he was in the same class as your brother and Auntie Shoko. He told you about how Geto was his best friend and included the details on how Geto massacred a village for the sake of two young girls with cursed energy. You still felt uncomfortable about how closely Satoru was to going a similar route; the story was eerily similar to how your family formed. You could tell Satoru felt the same unease. Even at the meeting now, your brother’s leg bounced out of anxiety and he clutched you slightly too-tight to his side when you sat down. You were the only student not on the other side of the table.

“I believe we should discuss what roles you, as students, will have on the night of the twenty-fourth,” Yaga begins after the typical pre-meeting formalities. “Firstly, you all are still children.” He raises a hand to silence the immediate protests and levels a stern look at everyone. “It is a fact; even Hakari-san is only just barely seventeen. Thus I wanted to give anyone who wishes an out now. You have taken on missions by yourselves or as a group, but this will be far more dangerous than anything you’ve experienced before. Stepping away now will have no effect on any schooling, grades, or how you are perceived here. In fact, it’s likely the smartest option.”

It seems no one even breathes for a second. Maki makes a point of crossing her arms and settling further into her spot. A clear sign that she (and the rest of your peers) aren’t going anywhere. Satoru beams.

“I didn’t expect any of you to bow out, anyways. Now based on what Suguru Geto said, there will be two areas of attack that will need sorcerers. Obviously, both of these spots will have other sorcerers, but I am sure they won’t decline the help. Inumaki, as a high level shaman, you will likely be most needed at Shinjuku. Gojo-san can escort you there.”

“Salmon,” he nods eagerly.

“Hakari and Panda will be positioned in Kyoto with their students. I will be their escort.” The two nod resolutely. You and Maki wait for your assignments. “Zen’in, Gojo and Okkotsu will be left on campus.”

“What?” You explode in anger, standing up and dodging your brother’s attempt to grab you. “No! You all know I’m a great asset, especially paired with either of my brothers.” You suddenly turn back to Satoru and ask, “Where’s Gumi assigned?”

“(y/n),” He tries to plead.

“Where is Gumi?” You stress. “The fact I can copy ten-shadows or limitless should mean I’m right there fighting with you. I cannot just sit here on campus and let other people put their lives on the line when I can help! Even if I don’t fight, you can have me copy Auntie Shoko’s technique and I can be first-aid!” You know you are throwing a child’s tantrum, but you can’t help it. All your life, your brother has been in your corner, telling you that you could be just as strong as him. He never, ever pushed you to the side or doubted you. So why now? Why, when the fight is not only important for jujutsu society but personally for him?

You sniffle and wipe your eyes, cursing yourself. Satoru stands and gently pulls you into a hug, tucking your face into his neck. Even in anger, you melt in his arms.

“Gojo, we believe you are best positioned to protect the school. I ask you to believe me when I say this is not an underestimation of your strength or a move to keep you from a fight. I assure you, we,” Yaga gestures vaguely at the faculty surrounding you, “considered all the points you brought up. That doesn’t change the decision we made.” You sniffle again but nod this time, burying your face deeper against your brother.

When he guides you both to sit back down, you’re still upset but now largely embarrassed at your outburst. Maki must be equally crushed yet she didn’t feel the need to scream and cry. Yuta even seems content with his assignment. You tune out the rest of the meeting, lost in your feelings of shame. Most of what is discussed is logistics for the people that get to fight, anyways. Decidedly not relevant to you.

When Yaga dismisses everyone, Satoru gestures for you to climb on his back. You oblige, knowing it’s his attempt to make you feel better. He carries you towards one of his personal cars, intending to take you to the apartment rented nearby. Though teachers also have rooms at Tokyo High, Satoru said that you both needed a place as a family, and because the Gojo property is not near Tokyo, he keeps an apartment. The drive is silent, save the sounds of your music coming low from the speakers; he even makes the effort to drive only slightly faster than the speed limit for you.

Neither of you break the silence until you’re sitting on the couch you both had argued about for a week until Megumi stepped in. “(y/n), I need you to understand why I’m not taking you with me.” Satoru begins. “Trust that I know how much you want to help and that I know how valuable of an asset you are. But I believe Tokyo’s campus will also be attacked, and not just the campus, but Yuta as well.”

“Why not tell us this? Why did Principal Yaga frame it as me protecting Tengen and not let Maki or Yuta know about any potential danger?”

“Because it’s best none of you know. I’m telling you as your brother, not as a teacher or official of the school. You must act as if you do not know there is a chance of attack, but you also need to be prepared to fight.” Satoru is serious, trying to impress upon you how you must treat this mission with the utmost sensitivity. You nod slowly, letting the information sink in.

“So… be prepared to fight without letting Yuta or Maki know that I’m preparing?”

“Exactly. If either of them know, my plans won’t work. This plan was made with the promise I wouldn’t tell you either, but Principal Yaga isn’t that dumb. The point is, I’m asking you to trust me.”

“Okay.” There isn’t a moment's hesitation. You trust Satoru Gojo’s strength as a sorcerer, but more importantly, as your brother. Everything he has done since taking you in as a Gojo has been done in consideration of your well-being. The etiquette classes, the language lessons, the training sessions, even what toys you had as a child: all were carefully considered and chosen by Satoru in regards to what would help you become just as strong as him. There is never, has never been, a doubt that your brother loves you and wants what’s best for you. You trust him.

Satoru gathers you into another hug when you agree. “Now, before we go off to war, I wanted to give you your Christmas gifts! There’ll be no time to exchange when taking on curse users so Christmas has been officially moved to December nineteenth,” He declares, finally releasing you and moving to the luscious tree in the corner of the room. He tosses the first wrapped box at you. You laugh and catch it out of the air. Leave it to your brother to pull you back from the cusp of a breakdown in less than thirty minutes.

“You can have it. I can’t believe that Mai chick is your twin.” Mai had been particularly subtle in insulting you and your classmates, to the point poor Yuta had asked if she understood how rude she was. Maki rolls her eyes and continues to huff while digging through her bag for toiletries. You wince when the light catches on a bruised section of her thigh - though the bruise took up more space than unblemished skin.

The tournament yesterday went largely in Kyoto’s favor, with you winning against Momo, only to lose against Todo-san. He had been annoying about winning too, prattling on about a Takada-chan and at one point called you ‘boring.’ Your fellow classmates were equally beat-up, but Inumaki had secured second-place.

“And why did they think it was a good idea to put us against each other? Because we’re twins? That’s like putting Mechamura against Panda just because they’re not human! It’s not right!”

“Maki, that’s exactly what they did,” you roll your eyes. “Anyways it doesn’t matter now; let’s focus on today! Todo-san may have gotten the most points for winning first in the tournament, but Nii-chan showed me the scores, and we can still win.” Since the event today would be a relay, every person on a team had to be able to hold their own, something you felt confident that Tokyo could pull off. Well, you were slightly worried about Yuta, but you were confident that you’d be able to get enough of a lead he wouldn’t need to stress.

Your class’s strategy meeting came to the conclusion Panda would start, Maki following him, then you, Yuta, then Inumaki. You or Panda would complete the last leg depending on who was in better shape, in order to match with Kyoto’s six students. You would be imitating Inumaki’s technique, hoping to exorcise curses as you run. The less time you spent fighting, the more time you could give Yuta. Inumaki had the same plan with the hopes of gaining any footing lost. Yuta seemed slightly depressed at how you all planned around him not doing well. You reassured him that it was just because he was the newest at the whole sorcerer thing; you decidedly didn’t mention Satoru gave strict instructions for you to do your best to keep Yuta and Rika calm.

All of the students were taken to a wooded area, where Principal Yaga explained there was a mix of grade one through three curses released. To complete a lap, one had to loop around the forest and tag the next student in. There was no guarantee how many or what level curses a student would encounter during their lap, which Yuta and Panda seemed nervous about. Miwa seemed equally anxious, but you decided it would be best to just ignore the Kyoto students today; light sabotage was permitted, of course, but it would take too much time to focus on others.

Panda and Miwa stepped forward as each team’s respective starter. At the whistle, both darted into the forest, with Miwa disappearing into the underbrush. “Go, go, Panda!” You cheered, jumping up and down. Inumaki and Yuta clapped encouragingly and Maki kept an urgent eye on him for as long as possible. After around ten minutes spent talking idly and stretching, Panda emerged opposite from where he had entered, bleeding and groaning. He seemed relieved when he slapped Maki’s hand and she ran into the woods.

“I must’ve gotten all the grade-ones. Hopefully, at least,” Panda reports. A minute or so later, Miwa also emerges, covered in scratches. She sends Momo in next, who just takes off on her broomstick. You huff in irritation when Momo is able to send in Mai in under two minutes; since there was no rule saying you had to exorcise a curse during your lap, she just flew above everything.

Maki finishes her lap in just over five minutes. As soon as you catch a glint of her glasses, you double-high five Inumaki and reach a hand over for Maki to slap. You’re off into the woods, so intently focused you don’t hear your classmates’s encouraging words. A minute of running through the forest and there doesn’t seem to be many curses left. You suppose that’s an advantage of going later; four talented sorcerers have already been on this path. A sudden rustling on your left catches your attention. But your stride doesn’t even break when you spit out a, “Run away.” A group of small curses that all look like a kind of mutated squirrel dart from their hiding place, running opposite of you.

A sudden bang causes you to stumble slightly. You whip your head around and catch a glimpse of Mai battling a large curse with her signature revolver. Satisfied you can steal a lead, you sneak by without gaining either’s attention. You smile victoriously when you spot the clearing again, having only spoken twice more since you ran across Mai. Yuta still looks nervous, but you slap his hand with a reassuring smile. Mai emerges, still lagging a few feet behind, and sends Kamo into the forest.

“You good to go again, (y/n)?” Panda asks. He has a new bandage around his head and you nod. You hold three fingers up and shrug. “Seriously?” He groans, “Lucky, lucky.” Satoru, standing to the side with the principals and Utahime, gives you a thumbs-up.

You move to the side where Inumaki is doing some dynamic stretches. He holds both hands out and you grab them to restart the timer on your technique. You shake the tension from your arms and jump around to loosen up again. The atmosphere is broken when a large presence of cursed energy suddenly surges from the woods. Kyoto’s students all wince and step back; even Utahime seems scared. Meanwhile, everyone affiliated with Tokyo rushes forward to follow the residuals Yuta left.

Satoru makes a point to grab your hands, changing your technique from cursed speech to limitless. Him and Yaga lead your peers to a similar clearing where Mai had been fighting. The event must have been designed with the idea students would follow the path directly into these fields where a grade-one curse lingered. Which seems to be exactly what Yuta and Kamo did.

Except now Yuta was curled into a ball on the ground, obviously panicking. The panic likely rooted in how a curse’s guts are splattered across an otherwise beautiful field of wildflowers and Rika is leering over an unconscious Noritoshi calling him a bully. Panda, Maki and Inumaki move to drag him away while Principal Yaga and Satoru work to distract Rika. You break from the position you initially froze in and rush to Yuta’s side.

“Hey, hey, deep breaths,” You drop to pull away one hand from clutching his chest and guide it to your own. You take a few exaggerated breaths in cadence with your words. “It’s okay, Yuta. You’re safe. Your classmates and teachers are here now - there’s no more danger. But I need you to calm down, okay, Yuta?” He looks like a cornered, feral animal but nods after a few more exaggerated breaths. There’s the clash of a battle behind you and you speak louder to try to drown that noise out. “You gotta call Rika back, Yuta.” His breath catches in panic. “Keep breathing, it’s okay. We just need her to calm down too.”

“Rika.” It’s barely audible, but it’s there. And it’s enough for Rika to listen. She dissolves into the shadows and the cursed presence dims considerably. You praise Yuta and keep his hand over your heart. Inumaki and Satoru rush over to you both, pulling Yuta and you up to your feet. You four are the only ones left in the clearing. You sigh at the disaster and make eye-contact with your brother. Satoru discreetly nods which you know means he will have to handle this situation as the Gojo-clan head; it would be better than sending you as a representative. You try a small smile of appreciation. Now you could focus on Yuta.

You really didn’t want to be here. Here being Tokyo, here being Nerima ward and, most importantly, here being the hallway of your new school. The uniform is itchy and you’re being dragged along by some student council member because, apparently, first years can’t be trusted to walk around themselves.

He was nice enough, though he certainly seemed more excited to show you around when he got a look at you. Then he got more excited when he found out your mom’s occupation was what brought you to Nekoma High halfway through your first-year. “So, what’s it like having a famous mom?”

Your eyes darted to the side instinctively. What kind of question is that? How are you supposed to answer? Like having a mom except you get asked things like that. “Uh, fine. She’s really not that cool.” Especially for moving you so late into the school year because her animation studio decided working distantly wasn’t working. “I get spoilers sometimes.” It’s exactly what he wants to hear.

You can hear the next question already, so you cut him off before he gets a chance to ask about the upcoming episode of the anime your mother was working on. “Ah, it seems we made it to the classroom. Thank you for helping me, Senpai.” You bow half heartedly and knock on the door before he gets a chance to respond.

This is exactly what you told your mother would happen. Even as you introduce yourself to the class, there’s a few people who instantly recognize your last name. Those students turn to whisper or pass notes and you know by lunch, you’ll be crowded by people hoping to become your friend purely for bragging rights. The teacher seems tuned to your inner angst, as she gracefully directs you to a seat in the back of the class, where you can watch instead of be watched.

The first subject of your people-watching is next to you - the one person who did not look up as you introduced yourself. A curtain of dark hair kept you from seeing any details of his face (and you can only tell it’s a he because of the uniform). What you can see is the screen of his handheld console and the bright features of one of your favorite games.

Which is why, during break, instead of making eye contact with any of the students striving to talk to you, you turn to him to complain about the latest update.

congrats, you befriended a wild kenma!

he’s the first person you’ve met in a while who doesn’t care about what your mom does, or how much money you have

he literally only cares about your ability to hard carry a team through a dungeon

a few weeks go by, with you basically just coming to school, talking to Kenma, and going home

until the student counselor comes to you and says you have to join a club

even though it’s the end of the year - some policy to ensure you have a club going into next year

“I hate this,” your complaint comes out severely muffled thanks to how you buried your face into folded arms. Kenma gives a noncommittal hum.

“Are you going to finish that?”

You glare at him but still shove the snack closer to his desk. One hand breaks away from his controller to snatch it, before it gets glued back to his PSP. “I’m serious - if one more club tries recruiting me, I’ll scream.”

He answers, sparing a side-glance towards you. The only hint he actually is listening. “Just warn me when that happens.” You groan and go back to your folded arms. It’s been hard to make friends despite people seeming desperate to be your friend. Well, that’s the problem, you think. You don’t particularly want friends who are planning what questions to ask before even greeting you, you want friends like Kenma who can treat you like a normal person.

Minutes before break ends, the president of the Anime Club approaches for the third time this week. “Hello, (l/n)-san. Have you thought any more about joining our club?”

You feel bad for the instinctive grimace. Really, she’s quite nice. It’s just an anime club is the last place you wish to be. Before you can find another polite way to let her down, Kenma interrupts. “Sorry, Sato-san. (y/n) is joining the volleyball club.”

“I am?” You can’t help but question. He shoots you a look, slighting narrowing his eyes.

“She’ll be meeting the captain at today’s practice.”

Sato-san tilts her head suspiciously but doesn’t press. “I hope to still see you around, (l/n)-san,” she says before flouncing off. You take a moment to reorient yourself.

“I am?”

Kenma sighs, saving his game and shoving the console into his bag. “Yeah, you are. Don’t worry, Kuroo will just be glad a girl is there. Coach Nekomata won’t decline help either.”

You blink at him. “Are you aware the only rules I know about volleyball is to not let the ball hit the ground and to only use your hands?”

“The last one isn’t true.”

“Do you see my point, then?”

yes he does, but he simply chooses to ignore you

it…. does not go well

Kuroo was awkward around you, which turned into a mischievousness when he realized Kenma was the one who brought you in

he kept insinuating you and Kenma were dating which like… no you were just a girl (space) friend

Yaku and Kai were normal-ish though Yaku straight-up asked if your mom was the (l/n)

he let it drop after confirmation at least

then… there was the students in your year

Kenma hovered near you, feeling responsible for putting you in a situation nearly identical to what Kuroo did to him

Yamamoto seemed flustered by your presence and also irritated that Kenma already was your friend

Fukunaga just kinda waved and went back to practicing

it took a while for everyone to get over their initial awkwardness, mostly being helped by having to constantly explain what was happening

but the time spent together meant you quickly found friends

friends who, similar to Kenma, dgaf about anything besides your personality and ability to quickly refill water bottles

Maybe you should have realized sooner what joining the volleyball club entailed. It’s not like you ever really participated in an organized sport though, so these summer practices were kicking your ass. The early morning and heat.... You felt pity for your boys; at least you weren’t having to run. Speaking of, the new members of your team just rounded the last bend.

“Come on, babies,” Kuroo cups his hands over his mouth to ‘encourage’ the first-years. “Even (y/n) could beat that!”

“Don’t say that; Lev’s gonna wanna see it!” you hiss, hitting his side.

Speaking of, the giant, silver puppy heads straight to you. After introductions, his upperclassmen quickly understood Lev required a, well, firm hand. Something you lacked which made you the target of his affections. “Woahh, (y/n)-senpai must be fast! Why don’t you actually play any sports?”

Yaku’s eyes level a harsh glare on him, “Are you trying to insult our manager?”

Shibayama steps forward, saving Lev from having to repeat his run. “I am curious why you chose to be a volleyball manager. No offense, but… you don’t seem to care about the sport.”

“Ah, none taken,” you easily wave off his concern. “Volleyball’s cool enough, but you’re right that I’m not passionate about it in the same way as others on the team. I mostly joined because of Kenma, actually.”

The first-years felt confused. How could their quiet, cat-senpai pull in one of the most popular girls in school? Even last year, when they were in Nekoma's middle-school, they had heard rumors of you. When you joined the volleyball club, even teachers started giving the once-golden club attention again. It was how the club received funding to travel to Miyagi next week. (In addition to a large donation from your mom, who was overjoyed you actually made friends.)

“He was my first and only friend at Nekoma for a long time,” you explain. Lev gasps dramatically. It seems impossible to imagine you without lines of admirers. “It doesn’t matter now since everyone in the club is my friend! Take your bottles and get in the gym; we need to talk about the logistics of going to that camp with Karasuno.”

the ones who stay behind are upset </3 cough cough lev

you’re pretty surprised you do get to go

but you’re excited - from what you understand it’s a rural area and you’ve been in Tokyo your entire life

maybe you'll even see a cow!

except you get there, walk a few feet and then notice Kenma is missing

excitement: ruined

Kuroo panics while repeating that he is not panicking

then you both get a text that’s just “in a playground”

when you find him, you scold him on talking to strangers

anyways the rest of the day is spent familiarizing yourself with the gyms and rooms

you run into Kiyoko while preparing dinner for your team

she explains she’s the only other manager at the camp, but she won’t be staying with you

You’re a lil upset bc sleepover ruined but it seems weird to complain about getting your own room and bath

(you still spend most of the time in the team’s room because it got really lonely without your boys :( )

the next morning, the day of the actual match, you get to wear your Official Manager Clothes

which is really just the track jacket, but it makes you feel cool

meeting karasuno is,,, interesting

you’re starting to think you’ll never find a normal volleyball player

From the corner of your eye, you spot Yamamoto attempting to intimidate some Karasuno players. With a sigh, you go to fetch him.

“Tora-kun, can you please help me bring in some supplies? They’re too heavy,” you whine. It’s you’re tried and true method to keeping him on a leash. If he’s helping you, he’s with the team.

Except you don’t just get his attention, you also get the attention of the boy he was staring down. Tanka startles at your sudden appearance behind Yamamoto and loses the harshness in his face. “G-girl-”

You make eye contact with Kenma who looks amused. He ignores your plead for help. Yamamoto takes the opportunity to flaunt you. “This is (y/n). Talk to her and you’ll learn how much pain a volleyball can inflict.” As he finishes his threat, he gets distracted by Kiyoko’s appearance over Tanka’s shoulder.

You decide it’s a lost cause and subtly inch away until you’re walking with Kiyoko. The boys are unable to hear what you’re talking about, but both stare dumbfounded as the only two girls in the entire camp gossip and laugh. Tanka and Yamamoto share a look; maybe there’s something shared between the two they didn’t see before.

“Is your idiot always like that?”