Yi

the first time Rin Itoshi saw you, he thought you were strange.

not because of how you looked, or how you moved but because you didn’t look at him.

you were reading alone, tucked into the corner of a cafe. no whispering, no double takes. you didn’t even flinch when someone at another table excitedly mentioned his name.

Rin Itoshi — Japan’s prodigy, the star.

but you just turned a page.

that indifference intrigued him.

and before Rin realized it, he came back again and again. always at the same time, always at the same table, pretending to scroll through his phone while stealing glances at you. you never looked back, not once.

until one day, you did.

you walked up to his table, expression unreadable, and sat across from him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“i noticed all the looks you’ve been giving me,” you said, your voice calm but sure, eyes steady on him.

Rin blinked once, the corner of his lip twitching. “you must be mistaken.”

you smiled, just slightly. “oh, am i?”

he leaned back, crossing his arms. “you think id waste time staring at you?”

“then maybe your eyes are broken,” you replied smoothly, standing up again. “because theyve been finding me a lot.”

you left him speechless for the first time in years.

and he hated it.

but he also couldn’t stop thinking about you.

after that, Rin kept showing up and eventually, he sat with you.

you didn’t treat him like Japan’s football prodigy. you treated him like a normal person. sometimes teasing him, sometimes ignoring him completely when he got too full of himself.

that balance, your quiet calm against his quiet arrogance just worked.

three years passed. nobody knew about your relationship, except for his teammates who had long figured it out from the way Rin’s usual scowl softened when he was on his phone.

“bro’s whipped,” Bachira once laughed. Rin only rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it.

then one day, your phone buzzed endlessly, your notifications exploding like fireworks. thousands of new followers. dozens of messages. your photos suddenly filled with hearts and comments:

“So this is her?!”

“She’s actually so pretty wtf 😭”

“Rin Itoshi’s girlfriend??? OMGGG.”

“She looks too calm for him 😭😭”

“Supporting!! Power couple!!”

you frowned, scrolling through your feed. and then you saw it — a video clip going viral.

Rin Itoshi had just publicly announced, during a live interview, that he planned to marry the woman he loves right after becoming the best striker in the world.

and the internet, naturally, went feral

that night, you called him. when he picked up, his tone was low and lazy “hey” you stayed quiet for a beat. “hi”

he could already tell something was off. you were too quiet, “you saw it?”

you exhaled slowly, “i did”. there was no yelling, no harsh tone. just your voice thats calm, controlled, but carrying that sting of dissappointment that he couldnt ignore.

“you couldve told me first” you finally said.

Rin leaned back, his lips slightly curving. “youd rather i didnt tell them at all?”

“thats not what i said”

“then whats the problem? i didnt even mention your name.” he asked like it was nothing. “you didnt have to” you replied softly.

“everyone already found me”

he could almost hear your quiet sigh through the phone. “do you realize what that is like? strangers commenting on my face, scrolling through my pictures?”

Rin chuckled under his breath, teasing, “theyve got taste at least.”

you were silent for a moment, long enough to make him regret saying it. when you finally spoke again, your voice was gentler, but firmer. “Rin. im serious.”

the shift in your tone made him stop. you rarely raised your voice, you didn’t need to. your calmness was what cut through him the most.

he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “alright. I didn’t think it’d blow up that fast.”

“you never think,” you murmured, not accusing, just disappointed. he frowned slightly at that. “dont start sounding like Sae.”

you almost laughed. “maybe he’s right sometimes.” there was silence for a bit, then his voice dropped softer, quieter. “…youll be my wife anyway, right?”

you closed your eyes, leaning back against the couch. “you can’t just say things like that and expect me to melt, Rin.”

“i can if it’s true,” he replied simply.

you let out a giggle, shaking your head even though he couldn’t see it. “youre impossible.”

he smiled faintly. “you love it.”

“hmm,” you hummed

The next few months came with distance.

Rin’s schedule became brutal. matches, travel, interviews, endless media coverage. the calls got shorter. the texts, fewer.

“busy.”

“later.”

“dont wait up.”

until one day, there was nothing at all.

you told yourself he was just focused. that it wasn’t personal. but as the days turned into a week, and then two, the silence became louder.

you stopped texting first. you stopped checking for updates. your phone stayed still on the coffee table, screen dim. and for the first time in three years, the cafe felt too quiet.

until one night, the door to your apartment slammed open.

you turned from the TV, startled. “Rin?”

he stood there, chest heaving, still in his training jacket. his eyes were red. before you could speak, he closed the distance and pulled you into him. hard, desperate, trembling.

“im sorry,” he rasped, his voice breaking. “im sorry, im sorry—”

you froze. Rin Itoshi never sounded like that. “they took my phone. the team confiscated it for the media lockdown. i couldn’t call you to tell, couldn’t text—”

at first you just stood there, wide-eyed. then, as the warmth of his tears soaked through your shirt, your throat began to tighten.

you wrapped your arms around him, fingers trembling. “youre mean,” you whispered, voice breaking. “you always make me worry.”

he didn’t let go. “yeah,” he murmured against your hair. “i know.”

you pulled back slightly, eyes glistening. “i thought you forgot me.”

Rin looked at you then, eyes wet, face tense, “forget you?” his voice was steady, low, almost offended. “youre the only quiet I have left.”

that broke you. your tears overflowed before you even realized it, tears slipping down your cheeks silently.

Rin reached up, his thumb brushing your skin. “you cry too easily,” he muttered, half teasing, half tender.

you laughed shakily, your voice cracking. “only because you make it easy.”

he smirked faintly, even through the exhaustion. “youll still marry me, right?”

you sniffled, swatting his shoulder weakly. “youre unbelievable.”

he tilted his head, eyes soft but confident. “you didn’t say no.”

you couldn’t help it. you laughed through the tears. “youre such a pain.”

“and you love me anyway.”

you smiled, finally. “unfortunately.”

the next morning, you woke up to the sound of sizzling eggs. Rin stood in your kitchen, wearing one of your aprons. completely serious about it, too.

you leaned against the doorway. “You look ridiculous.”

he glanced over his shoulder, scoffing. “why didnt you lock the door last night?”

“and miss the dramatic entrance of Japan’s number one striker?”

he ignored that, plating the food and setting it on the table. you sat down across from him. after a long pause, you said softly, “you can’t just make everything better with breakfast, Rin.”

he leaned on the counter, eyes steady on you. “i didn’t make breakfast to fix things.”

“oh?” you asked, one brow raised.

he smirked. that confident, familiar curl of his lips. “i made it because you skipped dinner yesterday. cant marry someone who doesn’t eat properly.”

you sighed, a small smile tugging at your lips. “you never change, huh?”

he shrugged. “why would i? you fell for me like this.”

you met satoru again when college started.

he hadn’t changed much since childhood. still loud, confident, and always smiling like the world revolved around him. being around him felt easy, like slipping back into a familiar story you both had left on pause.

you shared some classes, and whenever that happened, youd sit next to each other. at first, it was casual. you joked around, helped each other with assignments, and talked during breaks. but as weeks passed, the two of you started spending more time together outside of class too,. grabbing food, studying late to walking home together.

in those fleeting, golden days, and somewhere between his teasing grin and the way he always waited for you after class… love quietly bloomed in you.

a month of being in love. a month of denying.

then the cough started. at first, it felt harmless where it feels just like a tickle in your throat. but it worsened quickly, it felt like something was ripping through your lungs.

2 weeks and finally, you could taste iron inside of your mouth and bloody petals started coming out from each cough

when you went to the doctor, they told you it was hanahaki disease. It was rare. something that normally didn’t happen to people in love. most people fell in love and simply moved on if it wasn’t returned. but you were unlucky. your feelings had rooted too deeply, and your body had betrayed you. the doctor said you could die if the feelings not returned.

you didn’t tell satoru.

one night, you called and confessed, youre scared of dying. scared to leave. voice trembling but holding onto a small hope that maybe, just maybe, he would feel something too. he was kind, gentle even, but he didn’t return your feelings. he didn’t know the truth behind your words, or the petals hidden behind your smiles.

after that night, the disease worsened. you started skipping classes more often. the cough became unbearable. staying at home was the only way to hide how bad things had gotten.

satoru noticed your absence. at first, he assumed you were busy. but as days turned into two full weeks, worry began to sink in. he realized how much he missed you. your voice, your presence, the way you always sat beside him.

eventually, he went to your apartment. knocked on the door and a part of him expecting your familiar “coming!” from inside. but the neighbour’s door on the right opened instead

“she’s passed,”

the words didn’t sink in right away. but when they did, everything felt unreal. he thought about every moment with you. your laugh, your soft gaze, your presence that he had taken for granted. guilt and regret grew in his chest. he wished he had paid closer attention. he wished he had noticed the way you looked at him, or asked why you were coughing. he wished he’d done something before it was too late.

this is kinda boring

pairings: gojo x reader

part 1

gojo hadn’t slept. his mind had been loud all night, replaying the way you had looked at him. quiet and unreadable. that expression had followed him into every hour of darkness.

by 6am, he gave up on even pretending to rest. he slipped out, hands shoved deep into his pockets and walked the near-empty streets until he found a pharmacy that had just opened. gojo grabbed the painkillers, then went to the convenience store to grab you a snack he knew you liked to eat when you were stressed. it wasn’t much, but it was something tangible to bring back, something to say i remembered, i care and im sorry.

now, the small bag sat on the counter, untouched. while he leaned against the sink with his arms folded, waiting. His chest felt heavier than ever.

when the bedroom door finally creaked open, his head shot up. you stepped out slowly, your steps quiet, eyes downcast. he noticed everything. how you didn’t look at him, how the redness around your eyes gave away a night of crying, how your shoulders sagged like carrying yourself was its own battle.

his throat tightened "hey"

you didn’t respond, just went to the cupboard for a glass. the silence was unbearable.

“i went out this morning,” he tried again, voice awkward, “got the painkillers. and,.. some stuff I thought you’d like.” He gestured vaguely to the counter. “It doesn’t erase last night, but…”

the words died in his throat, leaving heavy air between

you finally glanced at him, and gojo felt like he’d been punched. your eyes were swollen, and there was no heat in your gaze, just a kind of quiet sadness that made him want to shrink. he stared at the floor because facing it felt unbearable.

“i shouldn’t have yelled at you,” he said at last, the words scraping out raw. “you didn’t deserve that. you just wanted help. and instead, i-” his voice cracked, and he cursed under his breath. “i failed you. i should’ve been better.”

silence again. he braced himself for rejection, or worse, nothing at all. but then you set the glass down and murmured so softly he almost didnt hear.

“I’m the one who should be sorry.”

gojo’s head snapped up. “what? no-”

“i should’ve known you were exhausted,” you continued, folding your arms around yourself like you needed to hold yourself together. “you come home carrying so much, and i just… added to it. I couldve gotten the painkillers myself like you said. i shouldn’t have put that on you.”

he blinked, stunned. for a beat, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A humourless chuckle slipped out anyway as he dragged a hand through his messy hair. “youre apologizing? to me? after I went off on you? that’s-” He stopped himself, exhaling sharply. “god, you’re too good for me.”

before you could protest, he crossed the kitchen in two long strides and rested his hand gently on your arm. “hey, no. don’t do that. don’t make this your fault.”

you looked up at him, guilt still clouding your eyes, but he pressed on, his voice low and steady. “you had a bad day too, right? and plus, you weren’t asking for much. wanting help doesn’t make you a burden. remember that.” his thumb brushed over your sleeve, slow and reassuring. “you never have to feel guilty for needing me.”

your throat tightened, eyes burning. “but sometimes I think I make it worse,” you whispered. “you already have so much on your shoulders… and i still need you, even when you’re falling apart yourself.”

that broke him. he leaned down so his eyes were on level with yours, all traces of the cocky, untouchable satoru gojo gone. “you don’t make it worse,” he said, every word deliberate. “you’re the only reason I even have the strength to keep going. you’re the one thing that reminds me I’m still human, not just… some weapon people could use.”

your lips trembled, and this time, you didn’t resist when he pulled you into his chest. his arms wrapped around you with a desperate kind of tenderness, like he’d been waiting all night to hold you again. he tucked his face against your hair, breathing you in as if to ground himself.

for a long time, neither of you moved. you listened to his heartbeat. fast, uneven,. and he held you tighter, as though afraid you might slip away if he loosened his grip.

when you finally spoke, your voice was muffled against his shirt. “i don’t want to fight with you. not over things like this.”

he exhaled shakily, lips brushing your temple. “me neither. we’re both gonna have rough days. but I don’t ever want you to go to bed thinking I don’t care about you. not again.”

you tilted your face slightly, meeting his pale eyes. he looked exhausted, guilt etched into every line of him, but his sincerity was overwhelming. slowly, you nodded.

relief softened his features, and finally, finally, his usual grin ghosted back, though smaller, gentler. “good. because I’m not great at sleeping on the couch.”

a weak laugh slipped from you, breaking the tension. gojo grinned wider, pressing a kiss against your forehead. “come on and sit down. take the medicine. ill make breakfast. or… at least attempt it. no promises it’ll be edible.”

cw: angst

gojo came home later than usual, shoulders heavy and the playful grin he usually wore replaced by a tight frown. he kicked off his shoes with little care and dropped his coat on the couch, his whole body radiates exhaustion.

curled on the edge of the sofa at first, you looked up and sat. the cramps had been gnawing at you all day, a dull ache that only worsened after the disaster at work. your boss had unfairly blamed you for a report a coworker failed to submit, and the entire afternoon had been filled with sharp words and snide remarks. all you wanted was to curl up in bed but you waited for gojo to return, hoping for a little comfort.

“did you… managed to get the painkillers?” you asked quietly, your voice tired but hopeful. in the morning, you had asked him to buy some painkillers because the house had been running out of them. you don't really care if he buys them tomorrow or later but you just didn't expect that today would be the day you needed them most.

Gojo froze for a second, then turned sharply. his jaw clenched. “damn it- no, I forgot, okay?” his voice was sharper than glass. “you think I had time to just stroll through the pharmacy after dealing with everything today? I can’t do everything at once!”

"couldve just bought them urself can't you? just do something useful for once?"

the words hit harder than they should have. you blinked at him, stunned, the ache in your stomach suddenly nothing compared to the sting in your chest. you're not really up for a fight. you only wanted to ease the cramps, only wanted him to notice how tired you were too.

instead of snapping back, instead of raising your voice, you just looked at him. your expression was complicated,hurt, tired, and maybe even a little disappointed. Without a word, you stood up and walked past him.

gojo didn't stopped you. didn't even turn to look.

you shut the bedroom door gently and curled beneath the blanket. the tears came silently at first, hot and unrelenting. you buried your face into the pillow, muffling the sounds of your sobs. all the stress from work, the cramps, the loneliness, it all poured out of you. you cried until your throat ached, until your eyes burned, until sleep finally claimed you.

on the other side of the wall, gojo sat on the couch, head in his hands. the weight of his words echoed back at him, sharper than any curse he’d faced and yet, the damage was already done.

part 2

pairings: chifuyu x sick reader (gender neutral)

a/n: made this bcs im sick rn and im totally not in the right mind

the clock on the wall shows that it's 8pm. you sit up straight quickly but then your head started aching and your body is sore. didn't realise until now that you're covered with sweats.

you remembered getting home with your bad headache so you went straight to the couch to take a "nap" without thinking any further.

but what makes you more surprised is the lack of presence inside the house. chifuyu is usually home at times like this. "maybe hes a little late today" you thought. then just seconds later, a beeping sound echoes through the living room

the door opened revealing chifuyu panting heavily "are you okay?" surprised by your voice, he flinched before looking at you. "what do you mean?" he asked and eyed you suspiciously

he then hurries to you cupping your cheeks with both of his hands "i think im the one who's supposed to ask you that" he said looking down at your face who's still sitting on the couch.

"your hands feel cold, breathe first" you say then hold his wrist. chifuyu then pouts and his right hand reaches to your forehead "i got home and saw you here sweating like hell so I hurried out to buy medicines but then i remembered i shouldve placed a wet towel on your forehead before heading out so here i am" he rambles before sitting next to you

"im okay you know," you said smiling softly, "you're not," he said sternly. chifuyu then stands before slowly pulling you to the bed room. you have the urge to resist but your body is too weak so you just obediently follow him to the room.

"lie here and wait, I will wet a towel and cook some porridge" he said. before you could say something, he stormed out of the room. you slowly make yourself under the blanket then as time passes, you fell asleep.

chifuyu opens the door and saw you sleeping peacefully. he sighs in relief before going near you to place the wet towel on your forehead. eyeing your pale face, he would be lying if he says he wasn't even slightly shaken when he saw you lying on the couch looking so terrible because you rarely fell sick

id say he's about to faint upon seeing you. he sat right next to you on the bed then gently strokes your hair for a moment. good and bad memories appear in his head.

looking back at the time it was always you who take care of him when hes hurt or sick. for 6 years being in a relationship together nothing scares him more than you getting hurt. he treasures you so much more than anyone

"take a rest, okay? im going out to buy medicines" he said softly before placing a kiss on your cheek. he heads to the door and switches off the lights

"how am I gonna take you out tomorrow and propose if you're sick"