#f.jjk

When would he have had the time to do so? He lost the last semblance of normalcy in his life when Rika died. But (Name) didn’t make him feel isolated for it. “It’s always one of my favorite things to do this time of year! I’d say it’s about as fun as Halloween. Well— probably not. But, it’s definitely healthier!”

(Name) had an infectious excitement that pierced through Yuta even when he was at his most exhausted. He should have probably stopped by the infirmary first after getting back from his mission, but, in his opinion, (Name) had a healing effect that was good enough for him to feel content.

He had never been apple picking before and couldn’t say he’d ever thought of doing it, but (Name) wanted to go, and Yuta couldn’t imagine saying no to them when they looked so happy.

“I don’t have a mission tomorrow. We could go then, maybe? Unless you need more time to plan,” Yuta said.

(Name) bounced on their heels and scoffed. “No planning necessary! We can go to the apple orchard I always went to as a kid. It’s only a short train ride from here.”

“Okay, that’s great. It’s a date, then.” Yuta always liked to say it, even if it was unnecessary at that point. Their relationship could hardly be considered new, but it boosted his mood every time. A date, sacred free time away from the cruelty of their work. Yuta embraced happiness whenever he could, at any opportunity.

When he leaned in, (Name) met him halfway. Yuta could feel their smile against his lips, and he thought there wasn’t anything more that he could ask for in life.

(Name) knocked on his door the next morning, and when Yuta opened it, he was delighted to see them in all their splendor. “You look so nice.”

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” they countered, but still beaming all the same with his compliment. It was what they usually wore during this time of year, when they didn’t have to wear their uniform. Yuta thought they looked wonderful in anything. (Name) locked arms with him and leaned into his side. “You’re pretty handsome yourself!”

Yuta was also not wearing anything out of the ordinary. That love went both ways.

There was a chill to the breeze that (Name) took as an excuse to huddle as closely to Yuta as possible as they walked to the train station. 

They talked very animatedly about apples, to which Yuta couldn’t say he had any strong opinions on until (Name) started making arguments like they were being put on trial. Occasionally, he chimed in with a is that so? Or a that’s good to know, but for the most part, Yuta was content to listen.

What Yuta cared more about was how excited (Name) looked at his side. They were doing a remarkable job at hiding their exhaustion; if Yuta didn’t know any better, he wouldn’t be able to tell that they had been on non-stop missions for the last two weeks, only to spend an entire day training on their first day back.

Yuta took their hands into his own, brushing his fingers across the knicks and scratches upon their skin as they continued to talk. In the past, Yuta used to try and convince (Name) to take longer rests, but he found out rather quickly that it was a futile effort. The best he could manage was getting (Name) to take a short nap, before they were out on the training field again.

Their energy was insatiable and they always wanted something to do. Yuta learned it was better to redirect their energy towards something else— like apple picking.

At their stop, (Name) whisked him off the train and down a grassy path with determination. There was a skip in their step that Yuta matched as he trailed behind them. In the autumn sunlight that Yuta could have mistaken for a halo, he decided that he would gladly follow (Name) wherever they went, so long as they would let him.

Apple picking was as mundane of an activity as Yuta expected it to be, which made it one of the best experiences in his life. The apple orchard had a steady stream of people walking between the rows of trees, but it wasn’t crowded, leaving plenty of space for (Name) and Yuta to walk along the paths like they were the only two people in the world.

“I can carry your bag,” Yuta said, already reaching for it, but (Name) shook their head.

“It’s your first day off in forever, stop trying to be helpful!” (Name) pulled their already half filled bag away before he could grab it. He pouted, just a tiny bit, but enough for (Name) to notice. “If you want something to hold that badly, here!”

They held their hand out, and Yuta couldn’t help but laugh and interlock their hands once again There wasn’t anything else that fit as well together as they did.

They picked an apple from every tree, a few from the ones (Name) recommended, and none from the ones (Name) hated with a passion. Upon reaching their favorite type of apple, their eyes sparked with mischief.

“These are my favorite, so we should get a bunch!” (Name) swiped a few from the tree in an instant and gestured for Yuta to come closer. Once he did, (Name) stuffed several apples into the pockets of his coat.

Yuta blinked. “What are you—?”

“They’re gonna weigh our bags to figure out the price. It’ll be cheaper this way!” They put apples into their own pockets, too, without much care. Yuta wouldn’t particularly consider himself a stickler for rules— though, if he was compared to the rest of his classmates, he might appear like a saint —but he felt bad about stealing.

Then he looked at (Name), and all their excitement towards something as simple as an apple, and decided the ends justified the means. Even if it meant smuggling apples in his pockets.

With their bags full and paid for, and their contraband successfully making it past the register, (Name) dragged Yuta to a quiet sitting place on the edge of the orchard, nestled between larger trees. An orange leaf fell from the branches and landed on (Name)’s head, which Yuta plucked and admired before tucking it into his pocket.

“This is a lot of apples,” (Name) realized, in between bites of their favorite. “I guess we can share with our friends. We shouldn’t let Gojo-sensei have any, though. He’ll definitely take more than we give him.”

Yuta hummed in agreement, finally tasting the apple (Name) had praised the entire train ride over. It was crisp and sweet with a tang that lingered and amplified with each subsequent bite. The flavor embodied (Name)’s spirit, and Yuta thought that maybe he did have a favorite apple after all.

(Name) nestled up to his side, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “It’s a great apple, right?”

He pulled them closer, his arm around their waist to keep them firmly in place while his other hand traced circles along (Name)’s elbow. Yuta was sure his promised break would be cut short as soon as tomorrow came around, but he could ignore that foreboding dread as long as (Name) smiled at him. “It’s perfect, just like you.”

Terribly cheesy, even for Yuta. (Name)’s laugh was quickly muffled as Yuta kissed them properly, moving his hand to run his fingers along their jaw, down to their neck, before finally resting on their shoulder.

Neither of them pulled back. (Name) only leaned further into him, impossibly close, clutching onto the fabric of his coat. Yuta wasn’t the only one aware that their time was always shorter than they wanted it to be. They had to savor those moments when they could, etching each other into their memories

The sky turned shades of orange and pink before the pair finally ended their day at the orchard, hands and hearts entwined.

Yuta thought that the autumn leaves didn’t have the same color they used to. The reds, oranges, and yellows were duller, helped in no part by the gloomy and overcast day.

The breeze sunk its cold teeth into Yuta’s skin as he navigated well-worn paths, dead leaves crunching under his shoes. This path was familiar to him now, and he let his legs carry him without much thought. He didn’t like to think about it.

But he couldn’t avoid it when he finally reached his destination. A tall stone engraved with (Name).

Yuta knew well how short a life could be. He thought he did his best to cherish every moment he spent with (Name), enough that their death wouldn’t leave such a gaping and insurmountable void in his heart, but he realized that no amount of time would have made it hurt less.

He didn’t like visiting the grave. Not because he didn’t want to honor them, but because he didn’t know how to smile for them when he did. (Name), though, would probably tell him he didn’t have to. Yuta didn’t know for sure. They were gone.

“It’s autumn,” Yuta started. He pulled a freshly ripe apple from his coat pocket and placed it on the stone. “And, you always go apple picking.”

(Name) hadn’t even taken their shoes off when they found themselves in the crosshairs of a squabble between Gojo and Megumi. Not the first time, and certainly would not be the last time. Gojo practically launched himself at the door as soon as (Name) walked in, throwing his arms around them to bury his face in their shirt. He seemed much more upset than the actual child; Megumi stood at the entrance with a scowl too mature to take seriously and crossed arms.

He wasn’t crying, at least— but that might be a result of having freshly turned 12 and deciding he was a real adult, now. Gojo and (Name) wondered if that declaration meant he would stop being so fussy and difficult, but, so far, it seemed like quite the opposite.

That wasn’t to imply that Megumi was always difficult. He was a kid after all, and everything in his life had been shit from the very start. (Name) much preferred emotional outbursts over him developing a habit of bottling up his feelings, even if it resulted in being yelled at by a child. Gojo usually received the brunt of the anger, anyway, for his annoying tendency of pushing Megumi’s buttons without recognizing where the line should be drawn. Did Limitless come with the drawback of him being unable to read the room?

Megumi seeming nonplussed at worst while Gojo’s crocodile tears soaked into (Name)’s shirt gave them a pretty clear idea of what likely occurred. It took some force to push Gojo off of them, but once his face was at arm’s length, (Name) turned their attention to Megumi. “What did he do, Megs?”

In their periphery, (Name) saw Gojo dramatically flail his arms. “You’re ignoring me, too!? Is everyone in this house against me?”

It was difficult not to laugh at his antics, but (Name) managed as they waited for Megumi’s answer. Someone needed to take him more seriously if Gojo wasn’t going to. A few beats of silence passed before Megumi decided to spill some feelings through quivering lips. “… He won’t stop bothering me.”

“He yelled at me, (Name)! He told me to get the hell out of his room, then I told him to watch his damn language, then-!“

They had heard enough. (Name) sighed and removed themselves from Gojo’s grasp completely, much to his disappointment, and beckoned Megumi to come closer.

“Okay, I understand,” (Name) nodded. Gojo looked up at them, attempting to use a shining yet pathetic display of Six Eyes as some strange form of emotional manipulation. If (Name) had to pick who in this room was the most childish, it would be a difficult choice. They spared a single glance at Gojo. “You’re on timeout.”

“I’m the one in timeout?!” Gojo latched onto (Name) once again. “But, Megumi swore at me!”

(Name) shrugged, “you deserved it. Timeout. Apologize when we get back. Megs, c’mon. Wanna go to the convenience store?”

No child can resist the promise of a nice treat for their troubles. Megumi’s eyes lit up but he held back a smile with all his might. He rushed past Gojo to put his shoes on. Gojo, on the other hand, did nothing to hide his cry of despair. He had half the mind to grab onto (Name)’s legs and stop them from leaving, but he felt their hand card gently through his hair— some reassurance so that he wouldn’t die of neglect. With a huff and a pout, Gojo relinquished his grasp and gave (Name) enough space to open the door for Megumi.

“We’ll be back in a little bit. Think about what you did.” Once Megumi was out the door and out of the line of sight, (Name) pressed a chaste kiss to Gojo’s cheek. “Seriously, stop bothering him so much. Love you, we’ll be back pretty fast. He doesn’t seem too upset.”

He moved fast enough to kiss the corner of (Name)’s mouth before they were able to move away. “Everybody is so mean to me…”

Times like this were when (Name) remembered just how young they were. Gojo was a brat, and it could be annoying, but how could (Name) blame him? They were only in their mid-twenties, with their childhood innocence ripped away in exchange for the world of jujutsu sorcery. Surrogate parents in their early 20s and the threat of death always looming over their shoulders. Life sucked sometimes, so if this was what Gojo was upset about for the day, it meant it was a good day.

“Maybe you should reflect on that, then…” (Name)’s words trailed off as they shut the door behind them. Gojo waited like a sad dog at the window for their car to disappear down the street before he traded his slippers for sneakers.

Gojo would not be reflecting on anything.

Even when (Name) was paying, Megumi didn’t like to spend much on himself. He placed one bag of chips on the counter, despite being encouraged to get whatever he wanted. (Name) found out quickly after taking in Tsumiki and Megumi that part of parenting was taking the initiative for quiet and stubborn children, so they added 2 cans of soda and three different flavored onigiri while Megumi wasn’t looking.

The weather was just warm enough to comfortably sit on the bench just outside the convenience store. It was the perfect size to fit their family of 4, even if it was a little crowded when they did. But with Tsumiki hanging out with her friends and Gojo in timeout, there was more than enough space for just Megumi and (Name). Megumi made himself comfortable on one end of the bench as (Name) paid the cashier with some cash straight from the mission they were just compensated for.

Truth be told, (Name) was exhausted as shit and returning from a mission when they walked into Megumi and Gojo’s petty squabble. They were looking forward to flopping onto the couch and passing out instantly. Gojo would throw a blanket over them, Megumi would enjoy the silence by getting some schoolwork done, and (Name) would wake up when Tsumiki got home so they could cook dinner together. But for as exhausted as they were, spending some extra time with Megumi was just as nice.

(Name) took their place on the opposite side of the bench and placed the snacks between them. He raised his brows at all the extra food but wasted no time opening the bag of chips he picked out. At first, neither of them spoke. That was one of Megumi’s favorite things about (Name); they could sit in comfortable silence, spending time together without wearing down either of their social batteries. Where Gojo was energetic and arrogant, (Name) was quiet and gentle.

Which was why Megumi struggled to understand what (Name) liked about that guy. Between bites of his food, Megumi spoke his thoughts aloud. “Why did you marry him?”

They think that Megumi might have been more bitter about their disagreement than (Name) had initially decided if he was asking a question like that of nowhere. (Name) shrugged, “‘cause I love him?”

The corners of (Name)’s lips curled up when they saw Megumi’s disgusted reaction. “But, why?! He’s annoying.”

“He’s annoying,” (Name) agreed with a laugh. He had annoyed them ever since the first day they met. Utahime liked to joke that (Name) only married him because Gojo had spent years wearing them down, and (Name) liked to entertain that theory because it was funny (for everyone except Gojo). But for as grossed out as Megumi was acting, (Name) assumed he was asking genuinely— if only just barely. “He’s annoying to the people he cares most about. He’s clingy and has no concept of personal space, which is ironic given his cursed technique.”

Megumi, mouth full, tilted his head to the side. “You just listed a bunch of stuff you don’t like about him.”

Again, (Name) laughed. “Those are the things I like about him, though. He’s always there, so I know I can rely on him. He’s been by my side for years and he’s never let me down. He’s a great guy.”

It was perhaps too earnest of a statement for the young boy to fully comprehend— especially since it was something so difficult for him to believe. Satoru Gojo? Reliable? That guy couldn’t even reliably cook eggs.

While he pondered that idea, he felt (Name) pat the top of his head. “For the most part, I’m like you; I like my space, I like my privacy. I wanna get left alone a lot. But, for me, it’s nice knowing someone is always there. That they care about me.”

Megumi squirmed under (Name)’s hand. Not because he was uncomfortable, but because he was forced to think about how much the people in his life cared for him. Tsumiki never stopped doting on him, even as he got older. (Name) always treated him the way he wanted to be treated, letting him feel independent while always knowing they were there for support. And Gojo, for everything about him that Megumi found annoying, never stopped trying to make him laugh or make him have fun.

With a huff, Megumi leaned into (Name)’s touch. Some part of him that was already being drowned out by tween angst reminded himself how lucky it was to be so loved.

“Still, he’s gotta actually listen to you when you’re upset.” (Name) gestured down the street, and following their gaze Megumi caught sight of familiar white hair just before the person turned the corner.

All the goodwill in his heart dissipated immediately and the same scowl he was wearing when he was arguing with Gojo reappeared.

(Name) rolled their eyes. One would think the greatest jujutsu sorcerer could realize that, at over 6 feet tall and sparkling white hair, he was not exactly the stealthiest person in the world. Not that it really mattered; (Name) had already guessed Gojo was going to follow them, and that he likely wasn’t trying to stay too hidden. (Name) handed one of the extra onigiri they bought to Megumi and sighed, “go tell him he can sit and eat with us if he apologizes.”

They knew Megumi wasn’t upset anymore when he rushed down the street to scold Gojo.

(Name) was ecstatic at the revelation, even if it didn’t show much in their initial reaction to Megumi’s words (they stared in disbelief long enough for Megumi to ask if they were alright, to which they vehemently shook their head, saying, ”ah, no! I mean-- I’m alright! I’m great, actually!” before happily Megumi’s offer for a simple lunch date). That was a dream come true, and it seemed like nothing could go wrong. They spent Thursday at the library with Megumi and friends, spent Friday after class buying a new outfit for the occasion, and now, Saturday, they arrived fashionably early at Megumi’s favorite restaurant.

As the minutes passed by, their excitement began to fade away, only to be replaced with a much more unsettling set of feelings as the time started inching closer to noon. 

Do I look alright? (Name) glanced down to their outfit. They had just bought it yesterday. Yesterday they thought it was nice. Now, out of nowhere, it wasn’t. The colors were too much. Or, maybe the it was all too tacky. Maybe it was a good outfit, but it was themself who looked bad in it.

Are people looking at me? No, no one was looking at them. (Name) knew that, yet that wasn’t how it felt. Their breath caught in their throat at the thought of people looking at them. There were so many people around. They could all be staring behind their back, they could all be judging them harshly.

On the table, (Name) watched as the clock on their phone moved from 12:05 to 12:06. In their endless cascade of thoughts, they didn’t even realize it was past noon. There could be a million good reasons for Megumi being late, but wouldn’t he have texted them by now? Their mind, already moving faster than they would’ve liked, began to race. Did he bail? No, he would never. Before any romantic possibility came up, they had been close friends for years, and Megumi wouldn’t hurt one of his friends like that. But no matter how many times (Name) countered their irrational thoughts with sound reason and logic, their mind continued to spiral. 

The quiet chatter of people around them suddenly became distant mumble of judgment. The bright and sunny day was suddenly cloudy with the unknown. It all was becoming overwhelming and (Name) couldn’t see a way out and--

“(Name).” Megumi’s voice broke through their abysmal thoughts. Though it was like an abrupt crash into a brick wall rather than a peaceful end to (Name)’s continuing spiral. He was holding a tray of food as he walked out of the door of the restaurant towards the outdoor patio (Name) had been waiting at. Locking eyes with them, Megumi’s gaze softened and (Name) felt their heart swell with adoration. “Sorry I’m a little late. I saw that you got here before me, so I went ahead and ordered our food.”

He took the seat across from (Name) and placed the tray onto the table. (Name) noticed that Megumi had gotten their usual without even having to ask. “Thanks, Megumi. How are you?” (Name) prayed that Megumi didn’t pick up the tremble in their voice as they choked back their earlier unease.

“I’m okay,” Megumi said, before his eyes widened in the realization that he should be saying more to the person he was on a date with. His gaze fell to the table as he scratched at the back of his neck. “Um, I’m good. I’m happy you’re here.”

In the face of one of the nicest things (Name) had ever heard, all they could do was force a half-smile. They hated when that happened— when their anxieties overpowered all of their other senses. Instead of being excited for the date they had always wanted, they could only think about how high his expectations might be.

They couldn’t possibly meet those expectations.

(Name) suddenly felt out of place. Like someone else should be sitting in this chair, someone better looking, someone more interesting. Megumi was just... a great guy. So much better than (Name) ever thought of themself, so much so that they couldn’t help but not believe Megumi when he asked them out. They stared in shock, because why would someone like Megumi even bat an eye at them? They were friends, yeah, but what made them someone worth going on a date with?

“(Name)? You okay?” Megumi, setting down his cup after taking a drink, looked at (Name), concern growing in his eyes.

(Name) blinked. “Huh?” Their worries had surrounded them to the point that they nearly forgot where they were. (Name) had no idea how long they had just been staring off into oblivion, but it was long enough that Megumi had started to take notice. Not wanting to worry him, they shook their head. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Megumi raised a brow, and (Name) could tell he wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t like they did a good job of acting the part, but they still lamented not being convincing. “Are you sure? You’ve been so quiet the whole time. You haven’t touched your food.”

(Name) glanced down at the table to see their meal untouched and wondered where their appetite had gone. Probably escaped at the same moment their anxiety took over. Why couldn’t their mind be quiet? All (Name) wanted was a nice, enjoyable day, but they sabotaged themself by thinking everything was going wrong before Megumi even made it to the table. (Name) wanted to be here. They wanted to be here with Megumi. But they also wanted to be anywhere else.

Standing up, (Name)’s chair scraped backwards across the floor. They didn’t even look at Megumi. “I’m... I’m okay. I just… need a moment.”

Before Megumi could say anything, (Name) hurried off. They didn’t walk far down the street before turning onto an empty alleyway, out of sight from anyone else, and nearly crumbled down onto the ground. Deep breaths, ground yourself; they repeated the instructions repeatedly, yet all they could manage were shallow, shaky breaths that did nothing to calm their rising heart rate. Their mind screamed at them: hurry up! You’re taking too long! But that only made the panic arise more. They couldn’t find a reprieve. Even alone in some random alley, they felt overwhelmed. Tears pooled in the corner of their eyes, threatening to fall if—

An arm wrapped around their shoulders, and (Name) startled, their back crashing into Megumi’s chest. “It’s just me.” Like always, hearing Megumi’s voice was a comfort. (Name) glanced up at him to see the worry written all over his face before locking their eyes onto the ground. It felt bad to have someone, especially Megumi, witness them in a vulnerable state. “What’s wrong?”

“... My outfit is ugly.” Not the truth, not even close it, but it was the easiest thing for (Name) to say. 

Megumi was surprised at the answer. “What? You look… good.” He cringed at another terrible response. Flowery language was probably one of his worst banes. “You always look good.”

The kind words were lost on them. (Name) was overwhelmed with anxiety and embarrassment all at once. They wished they could just fade away into nothingness, but Megumi wouldn’t let them go. “I— I’m ruining our first date!”

“... Huh?” Megumi’s brows furrowed.

“I— I came too early. I thought everyone was staring at me. I thought my outfit looked ugly. I thought you bailed on me. Even though I knew I was being unreasonable, even when you arrived, I just couldn’t calm down. Now, we’re in some dirty alleyway… I’m so sorry for ruining everything, Megumi...”

Pouring their heart out like that, (Name) expected the worst, as they had been doing since they got here. When they felt Megumi’s arm leave their shoulder, they thought their fears were realized.

Until Megumi suddenly pulled them into a proper hug.

“You didn’t ruin anything. I’m sorry I got here late and made you worry…” He hoped he could express what his words couldn’t convey through the embrace. He pat (Name)’s back, thinking of the way Tsumiki used to comfort him through his temper tantrums when he was younger.

(Name) didn’t quite melt into Megumi’s touch, but tension bled from their body with each movement of Megumi’s hand. “You don’t have to apologize… I shouldn’t have freaked out.” Their voice was muffled against Megumi’s shoulder, and if they hadn’t already crossed the anxiety event horizon, they would’ve been more embarrassed about this whole situation.

Megumi pulled back and mustered enough courage to look (Name) in the eye, one hand still lingering on their shoulder. “A first date is… scary. I was nervous, too.”

It wasn’t a light confession, especially coming from someone as stoic as Megumi. His face bloomed in a light shade of pink and his lips twitched with words unspoken, but he squeezed (Name)’s shoulder in lieu of what he wasn’t capable of verbally. And (Name) wasn’t alone in their thoughts anymore.

“It is scary,” (Name) agreed, finally able to offer a genuine smile. “... Our food is getting cold.”

Megumi let out a breath, lips curling up just enough for (Name) to notice. “Right.”

When they walked back hand-in-hand, (Name)’s heart could rest easy.

Gojo was untouchable. All the other jujutsu sorcerers weren’t. So even when a mission went well, injuries were to be expected. When there was a possibility of dying on any given mission, (Name) was satisfied to limp away from a fight with bruises and a sprained ankle.

They were bandaging a cut on their hand when Gojo grabbed the bandages and took over the work for himself. He couldn’t help himself, though, and kissed the back of (Name)’s hand before continuing the bandaging. “Poor angel. Sorry I didn’t get here sooner!”

“Like I said before, my mission went as planned,” (Name) rolled their eyes, but the subtle upturn of their lips let Gojo know they were happy to see him. “And because of that, I know you weren’t sent here to check in. Why are you all the way out here?”

Finished with the bandage on their hand, Gojo pulled (Name) into a tight hug. He buried his face against the crook of their neck with his arms circled around their waist, like he was clutching a pillow. (Name) often woke up in a similar position.

“So cruel!” Gojo whined. His lips tickled (Name)’s skin and they were pretty sure Gojo was taking the opportunity to lazily kiss their neck. “Be happy to see me! I got sent out to a mission in Aomori and I knew my precious beautiful partner was in Hirosaki! There’s no way I wouldn’t come to visit!”

His words were punctuated by an actual kiss to (Name)’s neck. Another followed, and (Name) leaned their head to the side to give him more access. A sort of appeasement for Gojo’s whining, which he was glad to take.

Gojo kissed up the length of their neck, up to their jaw, ending with his lips pressed against (Name)’s. It had been a few days since they last saw each other, but in Gojo’s opinion, it had been a lifetime. “You need to put ice on your ankle. Let’s go home!”

He had already picked (Name) up before he finished speaking; Gojo tucked one arm under their legs and the other bracing their back and shoulder. But (Name) shook their head.

“No, we can’t leave yet.” Gojo pouted, pretending that he could smother (Name)’s sentiment under another kiss. They mumbled against his lips, “there’s a cherry blossom viewing right now. I wanted to grab some souvenirs for Tsumiki and Megumi.”

Gojo took out his anger by gently swinging (Name) around a little. Without injuries to worry about, Gojo would’ve thrown them over his back and refused to take no as an answer. “Angel,” Gojo whined. “You have a sprained ankle! There’s cherry blossoms at home!”

There was an annoyed smack to his shoulder. “Please. You’re the last person who gets a say in this, with how often you leave your students to fend for themselves while you go shopping!”

(Name) had a point, so all Gojo could do was laugh in response. He would never leave his precious first years alone if there was real danger, especially with Megumi among them! They were more than capable of handling things on their own and as a team, and Gojo could reward them for their good work by giving them a stupid souvenir and paying for dinner.

In theory, Gojo had all the power in this situation. He could teleport them back to Tokyo right now if he wanted to, and (Name) wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. In reality, though, (Name) would give him the silent treatment for doing that. And that was a fate worse than death.

Gojo was never going to be able to say no to them. He let out a big sigh. “Fine… But it’s your fault when we get back and Ieri yells at us for not treating your ankle faster!”

Shoko’s wrath was another fate worse than death.

It took about 5 minutes of enduring Gojo’s whiny protests for (Name) to convince him to abandon the princess hold. “But I love carrying you like that! It makes me feel powerful! And like I'm protecting you!”

“You are literally the strongest. You don’t need to hold me like that to feel that way!” (Name) pushed him back with their forearm as he tried to squeeze them closer. After arguing between over his shoulder like a potato sack and using Blue to make them float, Gojo eventually relented and settled for the piggyback. It stood out less than the princess hold and Gojo could make his own fun by squeezing their thighs as he walked.

The sun had set a while ago, but Hirosaki’s cherry blossom festival was famous for lighting up the trees at night. The trees glowed pink against the night sky and illuminated the water; stars sparkling in the ripples were indistinguishable from fallen cherry blossom petals floating in the water.

As a teenager, Gojo didn’t care much for the scenery. He liked to play around when he found himself exorcising a curse in a city, throwing away money at gacha machines and arcades, but nature was never really his thing. The first time he really enjoyed it was probably when he took Riko to the beach in Okinawa, and that was a distant bittersweet memory by this point.

But things changed, and Gojo fully immersed himself in the cherry blossoms now. Forgoing his blindfold, he took in the sights. He took a long, deep breath of the spring air. He thought of calmer times long past.

The sight Gojo was most enamored by, though, was (Name). He kept turning his head just to watch (Name)— their eyes gleamed with admiration for the view and were as beautiful as the cherry blossoms (in Gojo’s objectively correct opinion).

(Name) turned to say something, only to have their lips captured in an instant. Gojo kissed them with an infectious smile that (Name) couldn’t help but copy when they pulled away for air. “I’m glad you’re here with me. The cherry blossoms are really pretty.”

“You’re prettier,” Gojo mused.

It was like they were teenagers again. For them, the honeymoon phase wasn’t one and done— it was a state that their relationship fell into any time they weren’t dealing with curses. Which was rarer than either of them would like, so moments like these were precious.

(Name) tugged on his collar, still smiling. “Let’s stop by the food stalls. I was thinking we would get hanami dango for Tsumiki and inari sushi for Megumi.” Sweet and savory. Gojo would enjoy them when he stole a bit from the kids later on. “And let’s get some food for ourselves. I’m hungry.”

Gojo straightened up as soon as (Name) said hungry. “Can’t let you starve! Let’s find something warm to eat!”

They stood out from the crowd a bit, so (Name) was relieved they had convinced Gojo against the princess hold. The sweet old lady preparing Tsumiki’s hanami dango asked why (Name) was on Gojo’s back, and he proceeded to spin a tale where (Name) tripped and sprained their ankle deep in the forest. Everything was hopeless until their handsome boyfriend came to their rescue and decided to cheer them up by going to the cherry blossom festival. (Name) almost corrected his recollection of events to something more ordinary, but he preened at the old lady’s praise, so they simply said they were glad to have such an amazing boyfriend. Gojo couldn’t have looked more proud if he tried.

They found an unoccupied bench near the water after their shopping spree. Their bags were a little heavier than expected— Gojo thought Yuji and Nobara would enjoy some sakuramochi and (Name) ordered extra inari sushi for the second years. For their own dinner, (Name) got enticed by a takoyaki stand and Gojo hoped 3 orders would satiate their hunger.

“Open wide, (Name)!” They looked away for one second and Gojo was already pressing a hot piece of takoyaki to their lips. If they were back in Tokyo having to deal with judgmental students who cringed every time Gojo was affectionate, (Name) might have refused. But they were exhausted after a mission with an injured leg. Cherry blossom petals floated past them and Gojo was grinning from ear to ear. Pampering was nice every once in a while, (Name) thought to themself as they bit the takoyaki off the toothpick. “How does it taste?”

(Name) took their own toothpick and held up another takoyaki to Gojo’s lips. “It’s really good. You try.”

He maneuvered around the takoyaki to press a chaste kiss to the corner of (Name)’s lips. “My precious angel feeding me? I can’t believe I almost made us go home!” Gojo nearly bit off the toothpick and continued talking while chewing, “this is the best day ever.”

“Ew. Stop talking with your mouth full!”

Having taken off his coat and his shoes, Nanami walked into the foyer, footsteps quiet in a deliberate effort to avoid waking (Name), so his eyes widened upon seeing them sitting at the couch, looking up at him with a sleepy smile.

“(Name)?” Nanami meandered his way towards (Name) in the dim light. “What are you still doing awake?”

He reached his arms out to them, and (Name) met him halfway, bringing his hands to cup their face with a gentle touch. Even in their sleepy state, they leaned into his touch, an action that was instinctual by this point in their relationship.

“I feel like I should ask you the same question, especially since you told me you’d be home around 8.”

Nanami sighed, brushing his thumb against (Name)’s cheek. Even in the dark, (Name) could see how tired Nanami was. He was still as handsome as ever, but his hair was disheveled, and there were bags beneath his eyes. It wasn’t the first time he’d been home late (and probably would not be the last), but 3 AM was certainly pushing the line over what (Name) would reasonably accept.

“I would’ve been home on time, but Satoru didn’t have his paperwork done. I foolishly offered to help him before knowing just how much work he had.” The annoyance in his voice wasn’t hard to miss. To say that he didn’t have some sort of soft spot for the nepo-baby that was Satoru Gojo would have been a lie; had anyone else asked him for help, he would have most certainly declined.

It was cute. (Name) leaned forward, pressing their forehead against Nanami’s, just mere centimeters from their lips meeting. “Helping your friend is far from foolish,” they said, their lips ghosting against Nanami’s. They pulled back before he had a chance to close the distance, much to Nanami’s chagrin. “That being said, I wish you at least called me about being late. I fell asleep on the couch, waiting for you!”

There was a small part of Nanami that longed to pull (Name) back towards him, to find comfort in the soft feeling of their lips against his after a stressful day of near endless work, but wondering if that was a proper, gentlemanly action to take made him reluctant. His heart, however, had the reigns with his mind being tired, and he leaned in himself to steal that kiss anyway. “I’m sorry, love. Time got away from me.”

“No, no,” (Name) chided, turning their head slightly so that Nanami’s kiss landed on the corner of their mouth instead. Nanami furrowed his brows, giving (Name) a look that just screamed let me have this, but his pouting was only met with a cheeky grin. “As responsible and wonderful as I think you are, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit upset with you! You’ve been coming home late all week, but this finally pushes the line. I think you need a day off.”

(Name) could tell their words came as a surprise to Nanami in the way his eyes widened at the thought. He pursed his lips, evidently not fond of the idea. “While a break from certain slackers might be something I appreciate, I have too much to do to just miss work for a day.”

“It’ll only be for one day, Kento! You really deserve a break, y’know. You’ve done nothing but work hard since I met you, and I can’t recall a time between then and now where you set aside a day to relax. It’s not healthy, and I’m worried for you.” (Name)’s stubbornness and determination was something that Nanami fell in love with, but he absolutely hated how these traits of their’s were now being used against him. Of course a day off would be nice, but Nanami wasn’t exactly in a position to take many breaks.

On the other hand, his thoughts came to focus on (Name), as always, and he thought about how often he had left them alone in recent weeks. It seemed as though the paperwork never ended, and Nanami would remain glued to his desk until the pile was no more. He felt accomplished every time he managed to finish before leaving work, but the day had ended long before then, and by the time he’d get home, (Name) had already spent the majority of their night alone. Eating dinner by themself, settling down by themself; there were many times they were already asleep by the time Nanami got home.

And, looking at (Name) now, with their eyes bleary and filled with concern for him, well, Nanami felt his heart swell.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I’m sure my boss would give me a hard time over it, but--” (Name)’s eyes it up as Nanami began to concede. “A day off, spent with you, would be wonderful.”

His charming smile and sweet words were almost too much to handle. (Name) pulled Nanami towards them excitedly to press a kiss to his lips. Nanami, caught off guard by the quick action, regrettably did not have enough time to savor the moment before (Name) pulled away to bury their face in the crook of Nanami’s neck. Their words tickled Nanami’s skin as they spoke with such relief in their voice, “thank goodness. I was worried that getting you to take a day off would have involved more convincing than that!”

Nanami let out a laugh, carding his hand into (Name)’s hair and pressing a kiss to the top of their head. “For you, love, I don’t need much convincing.”

A joke was a good sign, but something was clearly on Utahime’s mind. (Name) would be remiss to let it go. “So, what woke you?”

She wasn’t one to keep secrets, especially not from (Name), but silence wasn’t the same as a secret. It was a different confession from the back of Utahime’s mind and one that lingered across the scar on her face.

Sorcerers who lived as long as she did were had marred bodies that showed their years of experience (except for that jerk, Gojo). Utahime was no different, and for someone who didn’t even have an offensive cursed technique, she was lucky that the worst she had experienced was her scar.

But, (Name) knew it was a little more complicated than that. A scar was both a testament to survival as well as a memory of something awful. Utahime was adept at pushing that memory away— it had happened so many years ago, after all —but random things could bring it back to the surface. (Name) knew them well.

“... It’s that time of year again, huh?” (Name) reached over to Utahime, their palm sliding from the base of her neck to the edge of her jaw, fingers lightly brushing against her scar. 

She sighed, not moving but some tension released from her shoulders at (Name)’s touch. “Isn’t it stupid? I should just be happy I’m still alive.”

“If it were that simple, most sorcerers wouldn’t leave their jobs.” (Name) leaned closer to Utahime and kissed her temple, thumb tracing the outline of Utahime’s scar. Utahime was often composed and elegant, especially in front of her colleagues and students, but in the early summer morning, melancholy overtook her stoicism. 

She welcomed (Name)’s touch that time, turning her head to press a kiss into their hand. Utahime never acted like her scar bothered her— because, for the most part, it didn’t —but there were memories she didn’t like to dwell on. Memories that reared their ugly head right when the weather got warm enough.

Finally, (Name)’s hand fully caressed Utahime’s cheek. Their palm was warm against Utahime’s scar, soothing phantom pain from the ghost of a memory long past. Resting their forehead against Utahime’s, they offered her a smile.

The pair gazed into each other’s eyes; despite all the struggles Utahime had been through in her life, (Name) was glad that her eyes still sparkled in the moonlight. 

“No matter how you’re feeling,” (Name) whispered. “I’m here for you.”

To be a sorcerer was to carry heavy burdens— the world’s burdens but also your own. And, in (Name)’s embrace, Utahime was reminded how much lighter those burdens could be when there was someone to share them with.

No matter how many times she returned home sore and sorry, (Name) would help her pick up the pieces. Even if her scar could still cause her pain, Utahime knew (Name) could wash the hurt away with her loving presence alone.

Utahime didn’t say anything because (Name) already knew what was in her heart. Instead, Utahime tilted her head and kissed (Name), pouring all her love and affection into her universe. 

(Name) held her close until the sun peeked over the horizon again, and Utahime knew there was no safer place than their embrace.