jas ᢉ𐭩

MASTERLIST ಄ MY HERO ACADEMIA ⪩ ⪨ ꠹

highschool sweethearts — izuku midoriya

the art of beauty — katsuki bakugou

MASTERLIST ಄ JUJUTSU KAISEN ૮ • ﻌ - ა

too deep into oblivion — yuji itadori textfic series

-> written portion near the middle and end, marked with a photo stating ‘written portion below’ !!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

“it’s pouring, how much longer are they gonna take?” you mumbled.

you and yuji were standing idly under the umbrella he held. you were wrapped up in one of his hoodies, keeping warm as you curled a hand around his bicep.

yuji glanced down at you. “you know your mom hates driving in the rain.”

“yeah. i told her we could always come when the weather clears up, but she said not to worry about it.” your mom had been insistent, wanting to see you both without school or anything else getting in the way.

“sounds like her.”

just then, you noticed the familiar car turning in. as much as you didn’t want to admit it, you really did miss them.

you ran up to the passenger seat’s rolled-down window, dragging yuji along by the hand. as you reached it, you bent down, leaning in just enough to wrap your arms around your dad in an awkward half-hug through the window.

“hey, kid,” he laughed, patting your shoulder. “miss me that much?”

“obviously,” you mumbled, pulling back with a small smile.

your mom leaned over from the driver’s seat, already looking between the two of you. “oh, so i don’t get a hug?”

you stepped back, giving them space as your dad opened the door. yuji stayed close behind you, his hand still loosely holding yours.

your mom stepped out next, brushing rain off her sleeve before her eyes landed on your intertwined hands.

she paused. your dad noticed a second later, following her gaze.

you blinked, then looked down, like you hadn’t even registered it yourself. your fingers tightened slightly around yuji’s.

instead, he gave a small, casual wave with his free hand. “hi.”

“hi?” your mom repeated, raising a brow.

you felt heat crawl up your neck. “we were literally just— it’s raining so, uhm yeah.”

“and?” your dad said, way too amused.

yuji glanced at you, then back at them, and for a second he looked like he might actually get nervous. it lasted about half a second.

then he straightened a little. “we’re dating.”

you turned to him so fast you almost slipped on the wet pavement. “yuji!”

“what?” he said, like it was obvious. “they were gonna find out eventually.” he rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from you, “and i don’t like lying to them.”

your parents just stared. your mom’s eyes flicked between your face, your hand in his, then back up again. “since when?”

“a bit,” yuji said.

“a bit?” your dad repeated, already smiling.

“it’s not like that.” you started, then stopped. you let out a small breath. “we were gonna tell you. just not now.” you glared at yuji.

your mom crossed her arms, though there was something softer in her expression now. “so all the hand-holding before wasn’t just you two being weird?” she patted your dad’s arm excitedly.

your dad laughed, shaking his head. “i knew it. i literally told you,” he said, looking at your mom.

“you say that about everything,” she shot back, though she didn’t look upset. if anything, she looked like she was trying not to smile.

rain continued to patter against the pavement, the umbrella barely covering the four of you now that you’d all crowded together.

your mom sighed, waving a hand. “okay, okay. get in the car before we all get soaked. we can question you properly somewhere dry.”

“question?” you repeated.

your dad was already getting back into the passenger seat. “i’ve got a lot of questions.”

you groaned quietly, but you didn’t let go of yuji’s hand.

he squeezed yours once, leaning a little closer. “it’ll be fine,” he said under his breath.

you glanced at him, then at your parents, then back at your still-linked hands.

“…shut up.”

he grinned in response.

“so,” your dad finally started, dragging the word out as the car slowed into your street. “a bit, huh?”

you dropped your head back against the seat. “please don’t start again.”

“i’m just saying,” he continued, way too entertained, “that’s not a time frame.”

“exactly,” yuji cut in.

you turned your head toward him. “you are not helping me.”

“i’m helping,” he said. “just not you.”

your mom let out a small laugh under her breath as she pulled into the driveway. the house looked exactly the same, lights warm through the windows, the porch’s wood soaked from the rain.

“okay,” your mom said, turning the car off. “everyone out. shoes by the door, and don’t track water through the house.”

you pushed your door open, immediately hit with the cooler air as the rain had slowed to more of a steady drizzle. yuji stepped out right after you, automatically moving the umbrella over both of you again without thinking. you didn’t even question it, stepping closer into his side as if it were muscle memory.

the walk up to the door was quick. your mom unlocked it, stepping inside first and flicking on the hallway light.

“towels are in the bathroom,” she called out, already slipping her own shoes off.

you stepped in after her, kicking yours off near the door. the familiar smell of home hit you instantly, a mixture of sweet vanilla and cleanliness, if that could be a smell, that made you smile.

yuji lingered a second behind you, slipping his shoes off before stepping inside. he paused, taking it in.

you glanced back at him. “what?”

“nothing,” he said, quiet for a second. “it’s just nice to be in a home.”

you stared at him. “whatever that means.”

he shrugged. “it’s true.”

your dad walked past the two of you, shaking rain from his jacket. “alright, lovebirds, get out of my doorway.”

you flushed, grabbing yuji’s damp sleeve and tugging him further inside. you shot him a look, but your hand found his again anyway.

the living room looked the same too, couch slightly shifted from the last time you were here, a blanket thrown over the arm. your dad dropped onto the nearby recliner with a relieved sigh, stretching out like he’d been waiting all day for that moment.

your mom reappeared with a couple of towels, handing one to you and one to yuji. “dry off before you drip everywhere.”

“thank you,” yuji said, taking it.

you rubbed your hair with yours, then glanced at him as he awkwardly tried to do the same, hoodie still half-damp.

“you’re gonna have to take that off,” you said.

he blinked. “huh?”

“the hoodie,” you clarified, already reaching to tug lightly at the sleeve. “it’s soaked.”

there was a pause. then, you froze.

yuji looked between you, the hoodie, and your parents, then back at you.

“…right,” he said slowly, a teasing smile already appearing onto his face.

you dropped your hand immediately. “i meant, like, because of the rain.”

“mmhmm,” he hummed.

“oh my god,” you muttered, hitting him with your towel.

yuji, completely unfazed now, just pulled the hoodie off anyway, running a hand through his hair after. “where should i put this?”

“uh,” you pointed vaguely. “the hamper in my room is fine. do you remember where it is?”

he nodded, “ofcourse i do.”

he walked down another hall, going into your room to toss his hoodie before stepping out again, going over to plop himself beside your mom on the couch.

he looked over at you, patting the other side of him, the vacant one, you huffed before walking over and taking a seat.

your mom crossed her arms, and she wasn’t hiding her smile anymore. “you two want to explain properly now?”

you glanced at yuji.

he glanced at you.

you looked between your parents, “who wants to play a board game?”

your mom leaned over yuji, swatting at you, “don’t avoid my question!”

-> written portion in two different parts, will be marked with images that state “written portion below” !!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

you mumbled against yuji’s chest, “so stupid.”

yuji glanced down at you, still half-lazy from just waking up. neither of you had moved much since, just staying tangled together without really deciding what the day was supposed to be.

his attention drifted from his phone when he noticed where your eyes were. he tilted it slightly, following your gaze until hiro’s name sat clear at the top of the screen. his expression shifted, a quiet huff leaving him.

he kept reading anyway. you hadn’t taken the phone back, so he figured you didn’t mind.

a second later, a soft laugh slipped out of him. “he tried sliding into nobara’s dms too?”

“yeah,” you muttered, voice still pressed into him. “i guess he really is that desperate.”

yuji hummed in agreement, his hand settling loosely against your back as you shifted closer, your face pressing further into his bare chest. you let out a long sigh.

“just block him for me, yuji.”

your words came out muffled, and even without seeing your face, he smiled at your request.

he would never say this outloud, but he really liked when you had, dare he say, domestic moments like these. just the two of you with nothing to do except stay like this. when you were close and nothing else crept into his mind besides you.

if only he had the ability to freeze time, because if he could he would. being kept in a time where he could do nothing but just soak in your presence.

he really did love you, huh?

yuji dragged you by the hand. “c’mon, i wanna show you something.” normally, when you walked past a stray animal you would both slow to pet it. but, today he completely disregarded the cute black cat you had encountered.

“where are we going, yuji?” he rounded a few more corners, it felt like you had been wandering around for ages now.

“be patient, alright? we’re almost there, i promise”

you sighed, he said the same five minutes ago. but, you decided to listen and just let him lead you. you had walked farther into this city than you’ve ever seen, so your surroundings were completely unfamiliar to you.

“alright! close your eyes!” he said, his voice was shaking, you couldn’t rule out if it was nerves or excitement. his chest pressed against your back as he pressed a hand over your eyes, the other snaking down to your hip.

you whined, “yuji, can you just let me see?”

“alright, alright!” he lifted the hand from your eyes, still keeping himself holding your hip.

in front of you laid the prettiest sight you’ve ever come across. splattering along the ground were cherry blossom petals, as you stood in the center of a gazebo that had dim fairylights surrounding it.

you couldn’t even put to words how gorgeous this all was, a faint rush of surrounding water was all you could hear before yuji leaned down against your ear. “do you like it?”

and, before you could answer your eyes landed on the sign laid in the center of this all.

‘will you be my girlfriend?’ is what it read.

“yes!” you were beaming, turning around in his arms to hook your hands around his neck.

his smile grew wider, if possible, “is that to the sign or liking this?”

“both, obviously.”

after you stared at each other for a moment, the dim pink and yellow lighting caught over his face. should you just do it?

yeah, you should.

you slide your hands up, holding his face. he goes still for a second when you pull him down, his breath catching right before your lips meet.

his hand at your hip tightens, pulling you closer until there’s barely any space left between you, and you can feel the way he exhales against your mouth. you tilt your head just slightly, pressing in deeper, and he follows without hesitation now.

there’s a warmth that settles in your chest instead of racing through you. when you finally pull back, it’s not far. your foreheads almost touch, his grip hasn’t loosened at all.

and he’s smiling again, softer this time, like he’s still stuck in that moment with you.

-> written portion at the very beginning only!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

“sorry, what did you say?”

you blinked at him. had he not just heard you confess your feelings to him? all the second thoughts started to pour in. does he really like you back like nobara said this morning?

should you really be doing this?

“nothing, nothing.” you looked away, glancing down at the ground beneath you, your foot lightly bouncing against it.

yuji instantly noticed something was wrong. “come on, you can say it. i don’t care if you’re upset with me, i just want you to tell me, okay?”

you glanced back into his eyes again. you didn’t know what had gotten into you lately, but you hadn’t been able to think about anything except your best friend.

did you really like him, or was this just admiration for having someone like him in your life? he was always by your side, and you couldn’t imagine what things would look like without him there.

when you told nobara about all of this this morning, she didn’t hesitate. she looked you in the eye and told you, not suggested, that you were most definitely in love with your best friend.

it felt strange hearing that. unfamiliar. neither you nor yuji had ever dated anyone before, so trying to figure this out now felt overwhelming. part of you had hoped he would bring it up first, so you wouldn’t have to.

“are you okay?” his voice pulled you back, his face closer to yours now. there was a faint flush across his cheeks, like cold air had gotten to him, even though the weather around you was warm.

you hesitated, your thoughts still tangled.

he’s still right there, closer than before, waiting in that way he always does. patient, but not really. like he’s holding himself back from shaking the answer out of you just so he knows you’re okay.

your foot stops bouncing.

“i just said something dumb,” you mumble.

yuji frowns immediately. “you don’t say dumb stuff.”

you almost laugh at that, but it gets stuck somewhere in your chest. “i literally do all the time.”

“not like this,” he says, softer now. “not when you look like that.”

your fingers curl into the fabric of your sleeve. you hate how easily he reads you, how he knows what you’re feeling from looking at the small details in your face alone.

for a second, you think about backing out completely. laughing it off, changing the subject, walking away so the moment slips past you both. it would be easier.

it would also stay like this forever, though.

he tilts his head slightly, lowering it to try and catch your eyes again. “did i do something?”

“no,” you say quickly. your head shakes, “no, you didn’t.”

he watches you for a second longer, like he doesn’t fully believe you, then exhales through his nose. his other hand moves, brushing against yours before let’s go of one of your hands to reach under your chin, lifting it until your looking at him.

and as it leaves, sliding back to hold ypur hand once again, it doesn’t help.

if anything, it makes everything worse.

your fingers tighten around his without thinking, and that’s when he notices. his thumb shifts slightly, pressing into the back of your hand.

“then tell me,” he says, quieter now. not trying to push, “please.”

your heart is beating so loud you’re convinced he can hear it, and you can practically feel it against your ribcage.

you look at your hands instead of him, at the way they fit together so easily. like they’ve always been like this. like they were supposed to be. that thought makes your chest ache.

“i said…” your voice trails off again, and you almost stop there. almost.

you force yourself to keep going, even if it comes out stuttered. “i said i think i like you.”

it’s quiet after that.

you drop your head again, you don’t look up right away. you can’t. your grip on his hand loosens just slightly, like you’re already bracing for him to pull away.

he doesn’t. instead, his hand tightens.

“…oh,” he says.

it’s not what you expected. not a rejection, nor a joke. what does oh mean? should you just get up and leave now? you finally look up.

his face is still flushed, but now it’s different. a deeper hue is spreading across his cheeks, nearly down his neck. his eyes aren’t avoiding yours, but they’re not looking at you either.

your stomach twists. you’ve never seen him like this before.

“like,” he starts, then stops, dragging his now free hand over the back of his neck. “you like me, like me?”

you stare at him for a second, then let out a small laugh. “there’s not really another version of that.”

“right,” he says quickly. “yeah, okay.”

he looks down at your hands now, like he’s just realizing he’s still holding yours. his thumb moves again without thinking, slow, back and forth.

“i thought you were just, i don’t know, being you,” he admits, quieter. “like, i didn’t think it meant anything different.”

your chest tightens. “yeah. i didn’t either.”

that makes him glance back up at you, something in his expression shifting.

“but now you do?” he asks.

you nod, even though it feels strange to say it out loud. “i think so.”

he goes quiet again, but it’s not the same kind as before. his grip on your hand doesn’t loosen.

“okay,” he says after a second.

you blink. “okay?”

“yeah.” he lets out a small breath, like he’s trying to calm himself down. “i just needed a second, sorry.”

you wait, your heart still stuck somewhere high in your throat.

he looks at you again, properly this time, like he’s decided something.

“i think i like you too.”

your fingers twitch in his. “you think?”

he huffs out a quiet laugh, a little embarrassed. “no, i know. i just didn’t realize it like that until you said it.”

“so nobara was right,” you mutter before you can stop yourself.

that earns a small grin from him. “she usually is. don’t tell her i said that, though.”

you shake your head, a tiny smile finally slipping through. “i won’t.”

“i’m so happy,” is the last thing you hear before he lunges at you, trapping you into a hug.

“so, what does this mean?” he asks.

you glance at him, then his face sitting close to yours. “i don’t know.”

“okay,” he says again before smiling. he squeezes you tighter before you push him off, because all those passing by are looking at you.

──── .✦ only written text above:

-> written portion at the very end!!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

──── .✦ only written text below:

“oh, shit, sorry, accidentally posted on the wrong account,” yuji muttered, his thumb hovering over the screen to delete it. but then his eyes caught your comment, and his hand froze.

slowly, he looked up, his chest tightening. you were sitting so close on the bench that he could feel the warmth of your leg against his, and your fingers were still loosely woven through his.

“you’re all good,” you said softly, offering a reassuring smile. “even if it’s just our friends who see it, i really don’t mind.”

yuji just stared at you, his mind completely blanking out as he blinked slowly. his mouth opened, then closed, before he finally managed to swallow the lump in his throat. “i didn’t know you were, uhm, on my private account?”

you nodded gently, but as you looked closer at him, you noticed the sudden tension in his shoulders and the look of worry clouding his eyes. “you good? is this about that picture you posted the other day?”

“what?” he tried to laugh it off, feigning innocence, but his voice cracked slightly. in an instant, his mind raced through a dozen worst-case scenarios, bracing himself for the moment you’d call him weird or walk away.

you squeezed his hand. it grounded him enough to reluctantly lift his gaze and meet your eyes. “it’s alright, yuji,” you whispered, your voice being nothing but genuine.

the hard knot of anxiety in his chest finally loosened, just a little. he let out a breath and his grip on your hand tightened. “okay.”

-> this is kind of rushed, THE FIRST FEW PHOTOS ARE FROM YUJI’S POV!!!!!!! I REPEAT, YUJI!!!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

-> written portion at the very beginning and at the very end!

smau! series masterlink: linked here

after just waking up, you stayed curled into the warmth right next to you. it feels familiar in a way of comfort, and you can’t help but close your eyes again for a moment to savor the moment.

yuji’s right there, closer than you remember falling asleep. sometime during the night he must have moved, because now he’s turned towards you, one arm draped loosely over your waist. his hand rests flat against your side. his face is pressed slightly into the pillow, his hair messy, and his breathing slow and even.

it’s normal. it should feel normal. you’ve done this before. but there’s a small, uneasy pull in your chest that makes it feel different anyway, and you can’t quite figure out why.

you move your hand to his wrist first, just enough to lift his arm without waking him. he stirs a little, but doesn’t wake up, just leans further into the pillow.

you ease his arm off you and pull the blanket up in its place.

you sit there for a second after, then finally push yourself up and out of the bed.

by the time you’re at the door after carefully moving around to get ready, you glance back once. he’s still in the same spot, just slightly shifted, one arm tucked under the pillow, the other half stretched where you were. you don’t stay long enough to think about what that makes you feel.

as you turn down the halls to the common area, thanks to yuji showing you last night, nobara’s already there.

the second she sees you, she smiles and meets you halfway through the room.

“wow, you dress really well” she says, “also, i’m surprised you agreed to room with him.”

“you do too! and everyone’s been saying that. he’s still asleep.”

“shocker,” she says. “i’m sure he’ll manage without you for a few hours.”

you roll your eyes, but there’s no real bite to it. “i wasn’t—”

“mhmm.” she cuts you off, already grabbing your wrist. “anyways, we have things to do.”

she starts pulling you down the hall before you can argue, her pace quick, like she’s been waiting all morning.

“first place we’re going,” she starts, “has these boots i saw last week, and if they’re gone i’m actually going to lose it, so we’re going there before anything else.”

──── .✦ more written text after all the photos

──── .✦ only written text below:

the second the door swings open, yuji’s eyes find yours. it’s instant. nobara is standing right there beside you, clearly putting on a show of stalling just to buy him those extra few seconds to arrive.

“you’re late,” you begin, the words barely leaving your mouth before the distance between you vanishes. his arms wrap around you, pulling you against him in a sudden hug.

his palms press flat against your back, holding you in place. “missed you,” he murmurs, the words low and casual, like it’s nothing at all.

when he finally pulls back, he doesn’t really let go. his hand slides down your arm, brushing past your wrist until his fingers slip smoothly between yours, locking them tight.

standing on your other side, hiro watches the whole thing, an expression of pure annoyance crossing his face.

yuji finally shifts his gaze to him. “hey.”

“hey,” hiro replies, his tone dry. “didn’t expect to see you.”

“yeah.” it’s short, and flat. the air between them instantly thins. nobara steps in before the silence can stretch. “okay, guys. movie. now.”

“you’re so bossy,” yuji mutters, though he doesn’t let go of your hand.

once inside the theater, yuji moves without a single second of hesitation. he claims the seat directly on your left before anyone else can even think about it, forcing hiro to take the seat on your right. nobara drops into the chair next to yuji, letting out a sharp scoff. “this is already irritating,” she whispers under her breath.

then, the lights dim. through the darkness, yuji’s grip never wavers. he doesn't let go of your hand, not even for a fraction of a second.

from your right, hiro leans in a little closer, tilting the bucket toward you. “want some popcorn?”

“i’m okay,” you whisper back.

“you sure?”

“yeah, i’m fine.”

the movie screen flashes to life, but the plot becomes background noise almost instantly.

hiro keeps leaning in, offering quiet, hushed commentary right near your ear, close enough that you can feel the faint warmth of his breath.

when you tilt your head slightly toward hiro to catch what he's saying, yuji’s grip on your hand suddenly tightens.

“what?” you whisper, turning back slightly.

“nothing,” yuji says quickly.

a few minutes tick by. hiro leans in again, his voice dropping even lower this time, forcing you to lean just a fraction of an inch closer to hear him.

yuji reacts before his brain can even process it. his arm glides along the back of your seat and sweeps over your shoulders, pulling you flush against his side.

you don’t fight it. you let yourself settle against him, the heat of his shoulder steady against yours.

on your right, hiro goes completely quiet.

from the other side, nobara lets out a tiny muffled laugh.

yuji ignores both of them. his eyes are entirely fixed on you now.

he watches the flickering light of the screen bounce off your face, catching the reflection in your eyes. he knows he shouldn’t be staring this intently, but he can't look away.

and then, his eyes shift. he catches hiro doing the exact same thing. hiro isn't looking at the screen either; he's looking at you.

something sits wrong in yuji’s chest immediately.

hiro doesn’t even know you like that. does he know what keeps you up at night? or how you like your coffee made? no. he doesn’t even know those things, so why does look at you like that?

yuji pulls you a fraction closer, if possible. his fingers tightening around yours, the muscles in his arm tensing up against your shoulders.

hiro tries one more time, leaning across the armrest to comment on the scene playing out in front of you. you begin to turn your head.

yuji cuts him off before the sentence can even form. “it’s not even that good,” yuji says aloud. hiro glances past you, his eyes narrowing. “it just started.”

“yet you have so much to say?” the silence that follows is heavy.

you look between the two of them, “are you two good?”

hiro lets out a dry laugh. “i didn’t even do anything.”

yuji shrugs, “didn’t say you did.”

“you’re acting like it.”

“i’m not.”

“you absolutely are,” nobara chimed in, leaning forward in her seat so she could glare at yuji and hiro. “it’s been like ten minutes and you both have already interrupted the movie twice.”

yuji clicks his tongue, keeping back what he wants to say.

hiro leans back into his own seat, raising his hands in a brief gesture of surrender. “i’ll just watch the movie.”

“good,” yuji mutters.

a silence settles over the row. it isn't comfortable, but the talking stops. yuji forces his eyes back toward the screen, trying to focus on the plot, but it’s completely useless.

his attention keeps snapping back to the space between you, pulled entirely off course every time you breathe, or every time hiro shifts in his seat, every time he thinks hiro might try to speak to you again.

so he keeps doing it. pulling you closer to his side. holding your hand tighter, tapping your knee against his.

and then, he freezes. the realization hits him all at once, sudden enough to make the rest of the crowded theater completely vanish. his grip goes still. his arm remains heavy around your shoulders, but he completely stops moving. the breath catches in his throat.

why am i doing all this?

his eyes flick down in the dark to your interwoven fingers, then to the way he has practically pressed your entire body against his.

the answer is already sitting right there, sitting beside him in the dark. he just sits there, completely frozen, staring straight ahead at the flashing screen as if the movie suddenly matters again.

oh.

should he just ignore this? is it truly how he feels, or is he just playing the role of an overprotective friend?

-> this is just photos! I was gonna add this to the last part, but I had to get ready for work (really short, which is why it’s a half part)

smau! series masterlist: linked here

-> written portion at the end!

smau! series masterlist: linked here

──── .✦ only written text below:

by the time you get back, the building is quiet and your footsteps echo a little louder than before. yuji’s hand is still intertwined with yours, warm and a little calloused, like it’s been all day. he swings your hands slightly as you walk without even noticing, the same way he used to when you were kids. he’s never really thought twice about it. you’ve always been like this. sharing a bed, falling asleep during movies, your parents laughing about how neither of you knew what personal space was.

when you get to the door, he nudges it open with his shoulder and steps back just enough for you to go in first, his hand only slipping from yours for a second before he catches it again.

the lamp by the bed is still on, casting that soft yellow light across everything. your bag is exactly where you left it, his hoodie still thrown over the chair.

your eyes land on the bed again as your hand finally slips from his.

you don’t react right away. you just take a few more steps inside like nothing’s wrong, setting your phone down on the desk.

yuji shuts the door behind you with his foot and immediately drops onto the bed with a long, exaggerated exhale, arms stretching above his head like he’s been holding that in all day. “finally,” he says.

you look at him, then at the bed again. “stop being so dramatic.”

then back at him.

he follows your gaze this time, before looking back at you. “what are you thinking about?” he asks.

you press your lips together. “nothing, just it’s the first time in awhile we’ve shared a bed.”

he sits up a little, scratching the back of his neck, eyes flicking to the wall, then the floor, then anywhere but you for a second. “oh. yeah.” a small laugh slips out. “sorry, I just kind of assumed it would be fine. just,” he gestures vaguely between you, “us, y’know?”

you walk over and sit down beside him, leaving a little space between you. the mattress dips under your weight, the sheets shifting.

“it’s fine,” you say.

“you sure?” he asks right away, turning fully toward you now.

“yeah.”

“like actually sure,” he adds, leaning closer like he’s trying to read your face better.

“yuji.”

“okay, okay,” he says quickly, hands lifting in surrender before dropping back to his lap. he lets out a small breath. “just checking. i don’t wanna make it weird or anything.”

you lean back on your hands, looking up at the ceiling for a second. “what were you gonna do if i said no?”

he answers immediately, like he already decided. “sleep on the floor.”

you turn your head toward him. “no.”

“i mean it,” he says. “there’s worse, floors aren’t that bad.”

you both sit in a comfortable silence. his hand ends up resting near yours on the bed, close enough that your fingers brush when you shift. neither of you pulls away. you just leave your hand there, your fingers lightly hooking against his without thinking.

he glances down at it for a second, his expression softening in a way that’s easy to miss, then looks back up like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

“i missed this,” he says, a little quieter. then, like he needs to clarify, he adds quickly, “today was fun, but just being here with you. i missed that.”

you nod in agreement.

right after you do, he suddenly leans forward and pulls you into a hug, a little too fast, a little too tight, like he couldn’t wait any longer. you fall back against your back from the impact, laughing under your breath before wrapping your arms around him.

“seriously,” he mumbles into your shoulder, squeezing you once more. “i missed you.”

there’s a knock before either of you says anything else.

yuji doesn’t even move from where he’s half laying on you, one arm still around you, when he calls out, “come in.”

the door opens right away.

gojo leans against the frame, one hand pressed against it, sunglasses still on like always. his eyes move from yuji, to you, to the way you’re both tangled together on the bed.

“…sorry to interrupt,” he says, not sounding sorry at all.

yuji barely reacts, just turns his head slightly to look at him. “you’re not.”

gojo gestures lazily toward the bed. “anyways…” he drags the word out, tilting his head. “you know, there are other rooms. i could get you one.”

you shake your head. “i’m okay, thank you though.”

he looks at yuji for a second, then back at you, then he smiles, a little amused. “alright.”

gojo claps his hands together once, the sound loud in the quiet room. he then asks about going to get dinner in a restaurant you’re not familiar with.

yuji lifts his head just enough to look at you, still not letting go. “we can go,” he says, then quickly adds, “or not. seriously, whatever you want. we don’t have to.”

you hesitate for a second. you haven’t met them. it’s a lot all at once. but yuji’s already looking at you like he hopes you say yes, trying not to look like it matters too much.

“we can go,” you say.

his face lights up immediately, no hesitation this time. “yeah? really?” he grins, sitting up a little more, energy coming back all at once.

gojo nods toward the door. “come out in five minutes.” then he steps out, the door clicking shut behind him.

you and yuji stay like that for a second longer, hands still loosely tangled, his arm still around you.

then he lets out a small sigh. “…we should probably get up.”

“probably.”

then you both stand, your hands slipping apart for a brief second before he reaches for yours again without thinking, fingers sliding back between yours like it’s automatic. he gives your hand a small tug toward the door.

“c’mon,” he says, a little brighter now.

I’m about to continue it, I worked the closing shift so I was sososo tired oops

-> written portion at the end (8k words..)

smau! series masterlist: linked here

──── .✦ only written text below:

by the time morning comes, it feels like you never really slept. the two of you stayed up for another hour or two on the phone, your voices fading lower and lower until it was just soft replies and quiet breathing before the line finally went dead.

the sky outside the backseat window is still pale, the sunrise passing by without much of your attention. your bag sits at your feet, the zipper slightly open from when you checked it earlier. your phone is clutched in your hand, and every time the screen lights up, your grip tightens.

9:00 a.m.

that’s what you told him.

your mom glances over from the passenger seat. “you’re going to burn a hole through that screen.”

“i’m not even on it,” you mumble, though your thumb taps it anyway, opening your messages. nothing new. you stare at his name for a second longer than usual before locking your phone again.

your dad chuckles from the driver’s seat. “he’s probably been up all night. kid used to eat everything in our fridge and still had energy at two in the morning.”

you huff out a quiet laugh. “he still does.”

that earns a soft smile from your mom. “we miss him. i’m glad he still gets breaks.”

you nod, though she isn’t looking at you.

your dad hums in agreement. “good kid. always polite. even when he was tracking mud through the house.”

“he said he misses you guys too,” you say, your voice quieter now.

your mom hums. “of course he does.”

your leg starts bouncing before you notice it. you force it still by pressing your palm flat against your thigh, then catch yourself tapping your fingers against your phone instead.

why are you so nervous?

it’s just yuji.

you’ve known him forever. you’ve seen him cry over dumb movies, argue over snacks, fall asleep mid-conversation. you’ve seen him drool, for god’s sake.

“what if it’s weird?” you blurt out.

both your parents look at you.

your dad raises a brow. “what if what’s weird?”

“like what if it’s different now? what if we’re not even best friends anymore.”

your mom’s expression softens immediately. “honey. people don’t just change overnight. besides, your dad and i went months without talking during my internship.”

you nod, but it doesn’t fully comfort you. “but me and yuji aren’t like you and dad.”

your parents glance at each other, your dad squinting at you through the mirror like he’s trying to figure out how to tell you you’re such an idiot.

“five minutes,” your dad says instead, turning onto a familiar road.

he’s already outside. you see him before the car even fully turns in.

he’s standing near the entrance like he’s been waiting a while, hands shoved in his pockets, shifting his weight back and forth. his hair looks a little messier than usual, like he kept running his hands through it. there’s a faint crease in his shirt, like he changed and then changed again.

then he looks up. the second the car pulls in, his whole face changes. his eyes go wide for half a second before they brighten, his shoulders straightening like he forgot what to do with himself.

your heart stutters. the car barely stops before you’re already reaching for the handle.

“wait—” your mom starts, but you’re already out.

you don’t even close the door. you just run. your shoes hit the pavement harder than you expect, your bag slipping off your shoulder as you move. you don’t care. he’s right there.

“yuji—”

you don’t even finish his name before you’re in his arms. he catches you without hesitation, like he was ready for it.

your arms wrap around his neck, his around your waist, pulling you in tight enough that you feel it in your chest. you can hear him laugh, a little breathless. “hi,” he says, right against your shoulder. his voice is exactly the same.

you tighten your grip. “hi.” tears slide down your face, just like when he left.

for a second, neither of you moves. you can feel his hand press more firmly against your back.

he pulls back first, just enough to look at you, his hands sliding up to your face.

his eyes move over your face like he’s trying to catch up all at once. his fingers brush under your eyes, wiping away the tears.

“you’re actually here,” he says.

you blink up at him. “well no shit. obviously.”

he lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head “you look the same.”

“you don’t,” you say automatically.

his brows lift. “what?”

you gesture vaguely toward him. “you’re taller. or something. i don’t know. it’s weird.”

“i’m literally the same height.”

“shut up.”

the car doors close behind you, and your parents walk up.

your mom is already smiling. “yuji.”

he turns immediately, letting go of you, his posture straightening in that familiar, respectful way. “hi, it’s great to see you.”

she cuts him off by pulling him into a hug.

he freezes for half a second, then hugs her back just as tight, his hand pressing flat against her shoulder blades. he glances over her shoulder at you again, smiling like he can’t help it.

your dad claps a hand on his shoulder when your mom pulls away, pulling him into a quick, firm hug. “you’ve gotten bigger.”

yuji laughs. “i get that a lot.”

“we miss you around the house,” your mom says.

he rubs the back of his neck, a little shy now. “i miss it too. the food was way better.”

“don’t you eat out at expensive places a lot?” you say.

“it was better,” he insists.

your parents laugh.

something warm settles in your chest, easing the tightness that’s been there since the drive started.

your dad checks the time. “we’ll let you two go. don’t get into too much trouble.”

“no promises,” you say immediately.

your mom squeezes your arm before heading back to the car. “text us when you’re settled.”

“i will.”

they wave once more before getting in, and then it’s just you and him again.

yuji looks at you, then away, then back again, like he’s deciding what to say first.

“so,” he says.

“so,” you echo.

he exhales through a small smile, then jerks his head toward the building. “c’mon. before the others wake up.”

you grab your bag from where it slipped, and he reaches down at the same time, your hands brushing for a second before he picks it up instead.

“i got it,” he says, already swinging it over his shoulder like it weighs nothing.

“you don’t have to, yuji. I can carry it.”

“i know.”

you walk inside together, your steps falling into place easily. the halls are quieter than you expected, lights still dim in some places. he walks a little ahead at first, then slows down so you’re next to him again.

“i didn’t know if you’d actually start crying again or not,” he admits, glancing over.

you look at him. “oh my god, can you jusy never mention it again?”

he shrugs, a small smile pulling at his mouth. “i don’t know.”

he stops in front of a door, pulling a key from his pocket. there’s a pause before he unlocks it, like he’s about to say something, then he just opens it instead.

“we’re sharing by the way,” he says, stepping aside so you can walk in first. “they don’t have any other rooms with good beds or anything, so i just assumed we could share, you know, like old times or something.”

you step inside, taking it in. in the corner of the room is a hoodie tossed over the chair, and a half-empty water bottle on the desk.

you set your bag down besides the bed, your hand smoothing over the blanket without thinking.

“you sure that’s okay?” you ask, glancing back at him.

he leans against the doorframe, watching you. “yeah,” he says. “it’s better.”

you look at him. “better?”

he nods once, pushing off the door and stepping inside, closing it behind him.

“i don’t have to wait around to see you.”

you sit on the edge of the bed, looking around one more time, then back at him.

-> written portion at the end, after all the photos! also the photos are weird on mobile, and the first is minimized so pls swipe back to the first picture for context

smau! series masterlist: linked here

──── .✦ only written text below:

“ah, yuji, this pretty girl just followed me, really cute account!”

there’s a faint shuffle on the other end, his voice a little quieter now. “that’s nice, what does she post?”

you’re already tapping into her profile, thumb slowing as a picture loads. yuji’s there and another guy you don’t recognize, his bright smile catches your attention first, making a smile ease onto your face, the second thing you notice is his arm slung around the both of their shoulders.

“isn’t that the only girl in your year?” you murmur.

“…sorry?” his voice remains soft-spoken.

you squint at the username again, recognition settling in. “nobara. that’s who followed me.”

there’s a small beat before he continues. “you remember that? god, i told you so long ago…”

you hum softly, leaning back into your pillow, phone propped up against a nearby stuffed animal, your face completely on display. “mhm. of course i remember.”

“she’s really pretty.” a yawn slips out before you can stop it, words going softer around the edges. 

on the other end, yuji lets out a quiet laugh. “something like that.”

you both drift into the half-asleep mumbling, where replies slowly get softer and start to make less and less sense. every now and then, one of you mumbles something about a random tweet or a post you just saw, barely making sense, but neither of you mind.

“…look at the one I just sent you,” you whisper at some point, though you’re not even sure if he’s listening anymore.

there’s no response.

you blink, shifting a little. “yuji? are you with us? yoohoo!”

you pull the phone a little closer, listening to the his breathing fan out as you click back into the facetime you swiped away previously.

he laid there, only his nose and mouth visible as he drooled onto his pillow.

you snort, trying to hold it in. “oh my god.”

“you’re actually knocked out,” you mumble, smiling despite yourself.

your voice drops, softer now.

“see you tomorrow, yuji… sleep well.”

-> very short introduction, expect longer parts after

smau! series masterlist: linked here