#hakari defends reader

Hakari defends shy!reader ( ˶>˶˶<˶)  cw: fluff, bullying (not by Hakari), people pleaser!reader note: hi, yesss. this one takes place before Hakari leaves Jujutsu High, for context. this is also just based on my experiences as a quiet person.

“She said the information is classified.”

Hakari’s deep voice rumbles through the almost empty hallway. He uses the same tone he does when correcting the worker behind the counter at KFC when they get your order wrong, the same tone when making the rude guy trying to cut in line apologize.

He crosses his arms as he steps up beside you, sizing up the two girls standing opposite you.

The girls’ attitudes shift the second their eyes land on your tall (and objectively handsome) classmate. Their brows smooth out and their lips curl into pleasant smiles.

“Classified?” one of them repeats, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “But you guys look our age. I don’t think you have access to classified information. Besides, do you even go here?”

Before Hakari arrived, you’d been exploring the second floor of the school, looking for the curse, when you ran into them.

They had left something behind and, defying the rules, snuck back in, even though the building was supposed to be evacuated.

Hakari tilts his head to the side with a sigh he doesn’t bother to suppress.

“It’s, like, totally fine,” the other girl says, slinging an arm around your shoulder. The feeling is similar to being forced to wear wet socks. “My friend was just about to show us what cool stuff that binder hides. It has such cute charms and everything.”

You instinctively tighten your hold on the DIY-decorated binder and lean away from her touch.

When they first approached you, it didn’t take long to realize they didn’t have good intentions.

Sure, their words and tone were sweet, too sweet. The kind that rots teeth. More condescending than kind. You’re used to that attitude, people talking to you like you’re a pet. It’s easy to take advantage of your introverted personality. It’s common for orhers to speak over you and you’d stand up for yourself but don’t want to raise your tone either.  It’s hard. Your palms sweat and the space around you seems to shrink.

Their phrasing is deliberate now, too. You definitely weren’t planning on showing them the reports Ijichi supplied you with.

It’s so embarrassing when Hakari has to witness one of these weak moments. He’s always so cool and strong, and you’re… well, Gojo-sensei says you’re strong in a different way. That doesn’t sound comforting.

“I… I can show you the stickers on the binder, some are limited edition,” you finally offer, hoping for a compromise.

“Aww, isn’t she cute?”

“Totes.”

“But I think the inside would be way more interesting. Maybe it’s like a journal, where you write about your feelings for this guy, right?” What? The icky feeling of humiliation spreads through your chest like a sticky web, squeezing your insides.

Hakari is already tapping his foot impatiently. You once asked him not to always intervene, so you could try handling these situations yourself but it’s getting hard not to snap.

It’s two against one right now. Not exactly a situation you can handle. You’re too shy. Too much of a people pleaser. The signs are there, the nervous lip biting and your weird posture.

Nah. Hakari’s just too impatient.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, love poems and pictures of us makin’ out passionately. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, could you lovely ladies please turn around and fuck off?”

The first half of Hakari’s sentence flusters you so badly you barely register the second half or the stunned irritation on the girls’ faces as they grumble and storm off, their ponytails swinging aggressively.

You make a strangled noise, still frozen in place, but Hakari is already walking away.

“You comin’?”

There’s enough soace around you again. You nod to yourself before hurrying after him, your face probably red as a blazing sunset.

An awkward silence settles between you. The sound of your footsteps echoes down the hallway.

“You try to make yourself so small all the time. It kinda makes you stand out. You’re like a deer with a target painted on its forehead.”

Rude.

“I really tried this time,” you mumble.

The soft, defeated sound of your voice makes something in Hakari falter, but he doesn’t comment on it.

“You know, no matter what you do, you’ll always think you’ve done something wrong. I know it. If you’re nice, if you’re rude, if you’re neutral… you’ll never be satisfied.”

For a moment, it sounds like that’s all he’s going to say. An unsettling final thought.

“So you might as well do what you want.”

Oh.

Well.

Yeah, that makes sense.

But it’s not that simple. And you’re still hung up on the “pictures of us making out passionately” part.

You don’t have a crush on Hakari. That’s stupid. Even if you did, you wouldn’t stand a chance.

You glance up at him, taking in his appearance. Looking at Hakari is like staring at a massive, majestic mountain. All that muscle, the confident stride. And the way he talks to you as if you’re on the same level as him strength-wise is actually… nice. The best is when he makes you feel included. When you go non-verbal in a group and he turns his attention to you or speaks up for you.

“Mh?”

Shit.

You were checking him out. Worse, he noticed.

You quickly avert your gaze toward the end of the hallway, where a set of large double doors likely leads to the gym.

“Just zoned out. Sorry.”

The image Hakari planted in your brain—making out with him, passionately—is now permanently burned there. How would he handle that? He’s patient with you but you have a hard time thinking of him being gentle in bed too. Oh, god, your brain needs to shut up.

It’s moments like this when Hakari’s quiet kindness shows. He doesn’t mention your wandering eyes. He doesn’t comment on how red your face is. He refuses to make it awkward for you.

“Alright,” he sighs, lips curling with mild amusement. “So what do the reports say?”