𝖈

blinking in surprise, you gave a tired smile after. “could say the same to you. i thought presidents were supposed to leave at a reasonable hour.”

“i could say the same about transfer students who take on three extracurriculars in their first semester.”

a small, shared look passed between you—the silent understanding of two people who were used to running on less sleep than they should. your schedules had only aligned a handful of times since you transferred. usually it was stolen minutes in the hallway, or a brief exchange while one of you was rushing to the next commitment. today, though, the calendar decided to finally give both of you a free stretch of hours.

teru closed the folder in front of him with a soft thump. he was debating whether or not to ask this pretty bold question, but—when fate gives you a chance to be with the person that piques your interest, shouldn’t you shoot your shot?

“...there’s a café near the station that does decent coffee and stays open late,” he said casually. “if you’re free, of course.”

needless to say you did not expect that—but your smile widened a little more. “are you asking me out, minamoto?”

his expression didn’t change much; still the same composed, almost princely look he wore for the rest of the school, but something softer flickered behind his eyes. oh, and he was definitely pleased.

“i’m suggesting we both eat something that isn’t a convenience store onigiri or ramen. whether that counts as a date is up to you.”

you laughed under your breath and started packing your things. “then it’s a date.”

the walk toward your destination didn’t take too long. from avoiding teru’s intensely devoted admirers and stopping a few times by people that recognized teru, you managed to arrive in under an hour. which was great—since you thought it’d be longer.

as you walked inside, the café was quiet, tucked between a bookstore and a music shop. warm lighting, soft jazz, and the low chatter of conversations around. once you had your orders placed, he guided you to a corner table by the window.

the entire time you simply talked—about deadlines, the science fair project that was eating your weekends, about the piece you were preparing for your next music school evaluation.

and what do you know? you both found out you had much more in common than either thought. during a brief moment of silence, you saw his eyes move to the faint bags under yours.

“you push yourself too hard, huh?”

“look who’s talking.”

a smile formed on his lips at that. “fair.”

the conversation steered to a different topic after. rants, mutual complaints, even a quick debate over which subject at kamome was the most useless.

“oh, no, math has to go. most of what i’ve learned i haven’t needed to use at all.”

teru chuckled. “i guess you aren’t as much of a math lover as i thought.”

“yet i still hold one of the highest rankings in our school.”

“so do i. what a coincidence.”

...which ended into another debate of who was smarter between you both.

later, walking back toward the station under the soft orange of the streetlights, teru’s hand found yours. a smooth slide of fingers until your palms fit together. his grip was steady, the kind of touch that felt like an answer to a question neither of you fully asked yet.

“same time next free period?” he asked, trying to play it casual even though there was a bit of genuine hope across his face.

you glanced at him; the perfect student council president with his tie still neat, and felt something warm settle in your chest.

“yeah,” you agreed. “i’d like that.”

the evening wind tugged at his blond hair as he leaned against the railing, his uniform collar slightly crooked, yet holding the same perfect posture as everywhere he went. though you’ve still known him long before the smile became a mask. you’d known the boy who used to share his snacks with you under the shrine’s old tree, who whispered secrets of the adults and made you promise not to tell anyone, who used to swear that nothing—not even the minamoto clan’s expectations—would ever come between you.

that boy was still in there somewhere. you just weren’t sure if either of you still had the right to reach for him.

“you’re late.”

teru didn’t look at you when he said that. his tone was polite, calm the way he used with anyone. the one that never quite reached his eyes when he talked to you these days.

“...you’re early,” you answered, stepping up beside him. the city stretched out below, lights flickering on one by one. “as usual.”

a small, almost invisible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

you both stood in silence for a long moment, the way only people who used to know every version of each other could. the air held a tension thick with everything unsaid; the last mission where your families had nearly come to blows, the way teru’s expression shattered when he realized the curse mark on your wrist was spreading faster, the dreadful truth that time was running out and neither of you knew how to stop it.

the curse started as a rumor. a slow-acting spiritual corrosion that no one in either clan could fully reverse. it ate at the edges of your existence like rust on old iron. some days your hands trembled. some nights you woke up gasping, the mark burning hotter than it should. it got to the point you decided to just stop counting the remaining months after the last healer’s visit. there was no point.

teru found out the same way he found out most things; by being too perceptive for anyone’s good. he never said the words out loud, he didn’t need to. the way his gaze lingered on your wrist whenever your sleeve slipped up was enough.

“you’re still going on missions,” he said eventually. not quite accusation or concern. something in between.

“so are you.”

“that’s different.”

“is it?” you turned to face him fully. “because i’m from the wrong family? because my clan and yours stopped pretending to be civil three years ago? or because you still think i’m going to turn into something you have to put down?”

teru’s jaw clenched. for a second the mask cracked, and you saw the boy who used to flinch when people talked about supernaturals too casually, the one who carried the weight of his family’s expectations like a second spine.

“don’t,” he said quietly. “don’t twist this into something it isn’t.”

“then tell me what it is!” your frustration was showing now. “because i remember when you used to trust me more than anyone. i remember when we used to plan how we’d reform both clans together. what happened to that teru?”

he finally looked at you then. blue eyes tired, and far too knowing.

“he grew up,” teru said. “he learned that some things don’t get to stay soft.”

the words landed heavier than they should have. you looked away first, fingers curling into the fabric of your uniform sleeve, hiding the faint glow of the curse mark.

one beat of silence. two. then three.

“…does it hurt today?”

a short huff of a laugh left your lips. of course he would ask like that. as if the answer wouldn’t gut him either way.

“a little,” you admitted. “it’s worse when the weather turns.”

teru’s hand twitched at his side, like he wanted to reach out and didn’t know if he was still allowed. the old instinct was still there—the same one that used to make him automatically step between you and anything that looked dangerous, even when you were both too young to understand what danger really meant.

“you should stop taking the high-risk assignments. your body can’t take the strain anymore.”

“and let the weaker ones go instead?” you shook your head. “you know i can’t do that.”

“i know.” his voice dropped. “that’s the problem.”

there was something in the way he said it made your chest ache. for all the mistrust, years of distance and looks that didn’t hold recognition, teru still understood you better than anyone else alive. he knew the stubborn streak that refused to sit out a fight, the quiet pride that wouldn’t let you be seen as fragile. he knew, better than anyone, how much the curse terrified you—not because of the pain, but because of the people you would leave behind.

including him.

the wind picked up. somewhere below, the last of the after-school club activities were winding down. the world kept moving like it always did, indifferent to the two of you standing on a rooftop with too much history and not enough time.

teru exhaled slowly, then did something he hadn’t done in years, stepping closer. close enough that you could smell the faint scent of the cologne he still used—the same one from middle school, the one you used to tease him about.

close enough that if either of you moved even slightly, your shoulders would brush.

“i hate this,” teru started off softly. he knew it was better to be honest now than never. time was ticking and fate wasn’t going to play fairytale. “i hate that i still look for you in every room. i hate that no matter how many times i tell myself we’re on opposite sides now…i still end up here. waiting.”

yet despite accepting what your end will be, hot, stinging tears rose to your eyes.

“i hate it too.” you whispered. “because i still trust you more than anyone. even when i don’t want to.”

the city lights blurred a little at the edges of your vision.

then teru’s hand moved. hesitant, but still reached out and gently took your wrist, pushing the sleeve up just enough to see the curse mark. his thumb brushed the edge of it, light as a flake.

“i used to think if i just became strong enough, i could fix everything,” he murmured. “the clans. eliminate supernaturals. you. but some things…don’t care how strong you are.”

you looked at him—seeing the tiredness in his eyes. the vulnerability he couldn’t hide anymore. “then stay,” you replied. “just for tonight. be...teru. the one i used to know.”

“…alright.”

he didn’t let go of your wrist. instead, he guided you both down to sit against the railing, shoulders brushing. the silence that settled between you was different this time, like two people who spent years building walls and were only now realizing how tired they were of holding them up.

after a long while, you leaned your head against his shoulder, the way you used to when you were younger and the world still felt simple. teru’s free hand found yours in the dark, fingers lacing together.

in this night, the rivalry or past months of distance didn’t matter. not even missions or the curse mark.

there was only this; two people who had once been everything to each other, sitting on a rooftop, holding on while the city spun on below them.

what you were. what you still, somehow, were.

the more he talked, the more kinich decided that ajaw had spoken enough words for the day, for which he shut him up with,

“quiet.”

...followed by a flick of his wrist that sent the creature flying.

not having paid attention to the little commotion that just happened, you casually wiped blood from your knuckles with a cloth, then turned toward him with a soft smile that completely contradicted the carnage behind you. your clothes were slightly torn in places, though that didn’t matter when the way you moved made it seem like it was all nothing more than a warm up. when you reached your boyfriend, you gently brushed a leaf from his shoulder, expression warm.

“are you hurt anywhere?” you asked, eyes scanning him with quiet concern. “i tried to keep them away from you.”

kinich’s gaze lingered on you, lost in thought for a moment. about how most people feared you when you fought; the way you moved with brutal efficiency, whether breaking bones or not wasting time in striking to the exact weak points.

but with him, you were always soft. always gentle.

“i’m fine,” he replied with a short nod. “you took care of it before they could get close.”

you smiled, the kind of smile that made something tight in his chest loosen. “good. i don’t like when they get too close to you.”

ajaw, who somehow managed to come back, interrupted the moment by making a gagging sound. “disgusting. you two are going to make me sick.”

the saurian hunter ignored him, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear as if to piss him off further instead.

“you don’t have to fight my battles for me,” kinich reminded gently. “but…i know you will anyway.”

“i want to,” you say while leaning into his touch. “you carry enough on your shoulders. let me carry some of it.”

he didn’t argue, preferring to pull you toward him instead to rest his forehead against yours in a rare moment of softness. “you’re terrifying,” yet he said it with underlying devotion. “but you’re mine.”

you laughed softly, wrapping your arms around him. “and you’re stuck with me. got it?”

kinich’s lips twitched at that, the closest he ever got to a real smile.

“i can live with that.”

that’s when kinich realized he’d found something priceless, which is ironic when you consider how he calculates the price of many things.

uraume stood in the hallway, white hair slightly disheveled from what must have been a long, desperate run. their monk robes were torn at the edges, stained with dirt and dried blood that wasn’t theirs. their dark pink eyes met yours with the same calm, unreadable intensity they always carried —even now, despite whatever could’ve happened.

wasting no movement, uraume dropped to one knee right there in the doorway, head bowed deeply.

“master,” was the first word that spilled from their lips.

“huh? wh—”

“i am yours now. from this moment forward, i will serve only you.”

you stared, mouth dry. “uraume…what happened? sukuna—”

“is dead,” they finished, head still bowed. “i felt the moment his soul left this world. i chose not to follow him into death. instead, i came here. to you.”

you stepped back without another word, letting them inside. uraume rose gracefully and closed the door behind them, already taking in all the surroundings that’ve become familiar to them within a span of a few months.

speaking of—uraume had been visiting you in secret. long before sukuna’s full return, they had sought you out; a quiet, unassuming young man living a simple life away from the jujutsu world. at first, it was curiosity. then developed into routine. they never explained why they kept coming back. you never asked. but each visit left you more flustered than the last, their calm presence and occasional soft-spoken words making your stomach twist in ways you didn’t understand.

now they were here, declaring you their new master.

“i…i don’t understand,” you stammered, cheeks burning as you backed up against the couch. “why me? i’m not strong like sukuna. i’m just…normal.”

uraume stepped closer, their usual stoic expression softening just a fraction as they looked at you. “you are kind,” they said simply. “you never feared me. you never looked at me with disgust or suspicion. even when i told you what i am like…and what i had done…you still let me stay.”

they reached out slowly, cool fingers brushing your cheek in almost fragile gentleness. “i have served one master my entire existence. now i choose another. you.”

your face went hot. being painfully shy didn’t help either—you’ve always been, and uraume’s direct gaze made your knees weak. “you don’t have to serve me. you’re free now. you could go anywhere—”

“i do not want freedom,” they interrupted calmly. “i want purpose. and you…give me that. let me serve you. let me…” their fingers trailed down to your jaw, tilting your face up gently.

“let me stay close.”

the air between you thickened. as if to convince you further (and make things worse—or better?—on your part) uraume even leaned in, lips brushing your ear.

“i have spent centuries watching others take what they desire,” they whispered, breath warm against your skin. “but with you…i find myself wanting to give instead. everything. anything you ask.”

feeling your heart race faster than before, you pulled back a little. though your eyes were kept locked onto their pair of dark pink ones, burning with something deeper than loyalty.

“command me,” they said softly. “and i will obey. in every way.”

“then…” you swallowed hard, still a bit unsure. “stay. with me. not as a servant. as…as mine.”

uraume’s lips curved into the faintest, almost shy smile. they dropped to one knee again, taking your hand and pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles.

“as you wish, master.”

the way their fingers lingered, the way their eyes stayed locked on yours with quiet hunger, made it clear this was more than obligation. it was devotion.

+ bonus!

the days that followed were a strange, gentle dance.

uraume took their role as your servant seriously. they cleaned your apartment with meticulous care, prepared safe meals you asked for, and stood guard at your door when you slept. but there was always something more beneath the surface.

they were touch-starved.

it wasn’t long when you happened to notice; how they lingered when handing you something, watching you when they thought you weren’t looking, eyes soft in a way you’ve never seen from them before.

one evening, after a long day, you found them sitting on the edge of your bed, staring at their hands.

“...uraume?”

they looked up, expression calm but eyes betraying a deep, ancient weariness. “my apologies, master.” with hesitation, they added, “...i have served for centuries,” they said quietly. “but i have never been…treated kindly. not like this.”

you didn’t know what kind of boldness surged through you—but you sat down beside them, turning to open your arms shyly.

uraume hesitated for only a second before moving into your embrace, burying their face in your shoulder with a soft, almost broken sound. their arms wrapped around you tightly, afraid you’d disappear if let go.

“you are warm,” they whispered against your neck. "warmer than anything i have known in a thousand years.”

uraume pulled back just enough to look at you, devoted eyes gazing into yours.

“master…pardon me for being so bold, but…may i?” their gaze dropped to your lips, tilting their head ever so slightly with a openly desired look.

you may be easily flustered, but definitely not oblivious. and you knew very well what that look meant. before you could think, the words were already spoken out loud.

“...yes. you may.”

their lips met yours not even a second later, pressed tentatively at first but soft, before deepening slightly after nipping at your bottom lip—making your lips part just enough in a quiet gasp.

once the kiss broke, you could see uraume’s cheeks faintly flushed. “i do not know how to do this," they admitted, but clearly that wasn’t the case. “but i want to learn. with you.”