A/N: heres number 4!
Thursday
"What do you think?" Gojo adjusts his dress shirt, looking in the mirror a little self-consciously. "Do you think this is alright?"
"No."
"Aw come on, Nanamin."
Nanami looks at him deadpan through his glasses. "You know that's not what I was talking about."
"I brought you over to help me get ready for my date, not chastise me on my life choices," Gojo sighs, running a hand through his hair.
Nanami narrows his eyes. "I can't not chastise you when you potentially ruined one of your only friendships, Gojo."
Gojo looks down. "I know I fucked up. But he-"
"When I mentioned a while back that he might still have feelings for you, I didn't expect you to shove it in his face like that. That's just..."
"He kept on saying shit about Sukuna, alright?" Gojo grits, frustrated. "I don't like when people who don't know him talk shit about him."
"And you do?" Nanami raises a brow. "You trust this man who you've met a few days ago over your friend of several years?"
"Well, when you put it into perspective it sounds bad-"
"That's because it is, Gojo," Nanami huffs. "You should go apologize."
"No. Not until after my date." Gojo faces the mirror and fiddles with his hair. "I want to prove to him that Sukuna is a nice person."
"You're making a mistake."
"Am I?" Gojo questions sarcastically, turning to his friend. "You're someone who thinks with their brain rather than their heart. I'm the opposite."
"I'm well aware," Nanami sighs. "But that doesn't mean you just go with your gut all the time. Precaution is a must."
"I know what I'm getting into." Gojo frowns in his direction. "Why does everyone think they know what is best for me? I'm a fully grown adult who can make decisions on my own."
"Geto was just worried for you," Nanami tries to explain.
Gojo snorts. "For no reason, is what I'm trying to say."
Nanami watches on in silence as Gojo puts the finishing touches on his outfit. The florist doesn't look at him as he finishes getting ready, fastening on a watch and slipping on his shades. When he turns with a flourish to Nanami, the man only rolls his eyes.
"How do I look? Truthfully?"
"Fine," Nanami grumbles, and Gojo flashes him a knowing grin.
"Thanks Nanamin!"
"Just to let you know, I'm on your side," Nanami says as Gojo grabs his wallet and keys.
Gojo turns to him, holding his heart. "Nanamin-"
"So I'll only say this once." Nanami levels him with a serious glare. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Gojo meets the stare with just as much intensity. "I do."
"Great." Nanami stands and dusts himself off. "So when something inevitably happens and you come to me, I can laugh at you without feeling bad."
"You're so mean!"
Gojo knows what he's doing isn't a mistake the moment he makes Sukuna laugh.
Butterflies. Butterflies everywhere.
Sukuna chuckles across the booth from him, swirling his drink with a straw. "And then? What did you do?"
"I told the guy off of course." Gojo crosses his arms and leans back in the seat. "Geto gave me shit for it later though."
"Geto?"
"The store owner. Said it's 'unprofessional' to curse out a customer, and I told him to kiss my ass." Gojo pops a crab rangoon in his mouth, chewing angrily. His voice lowers to a murmur. "And he probably would've done it, too."
Sukuna shakes his head, a smile stretching his features. "Well he's got a point."
"But you weren't there!" Gojo protests with a frown. "That guy was so rude- like dude. It's a flower shop. Not much can go wrong."
Sukuna chuckles again and takes a hefty bite of his chicken, licking his lips of the sauce. Gojo tries really hard not to stare.
They took up a booth in a Chinese place not far from either of their work, eating while sharing random recollections from their past. It's fun taking a break from it all, relaxing with the object of his affections. Gojo feels himself heating, just being in Sukuna's presence.
He looks as devilishly handsome as ever.
He wears a floral gray short sleeved button down with a deep V neck, delving down into sculpted pecs and even more tattoos. It was tucked into dark jeans with a chain dangling on his hip, combat boots situated on his feet. A matching chain was shining around his neck, and he wore his usual sliver piercings in his ears and nose.
He looked stunning.
"Your customers seem even rowdier than mine," Sukuna notes with a smirk.
"That's because your customers are too busy crying out in pain from their tattoos," Gojo points out, rolling his eyes.
Sukuna huffs through his nose. "You aren't entirely wrong."
"So how come you're here in the middle of the day?" Gojo questions, "did you just leave the Malevolent Shrine to Yuuji?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Sukuna responds with a shrug. "There weren't any appointments so I was free to leave. How about you? Everything okay at Infinite Flowers?"
Flashes of his fight with Geto flicker through his mind, and he purses his lips, looking down. "I...no. Not really."
"What's wrong?" Sukuna looks honestly worried.
"I had a fight with Geto yesterday." Gojo forces himself to drink his soda, just to do something with himself. "It didn't end well."
"Oh man, that sounds tough." Sukuna chews thoughtfully. "Have you tried talking to him about it?"
"We haven't spoken since."
Sukuna grimaces. "Ouch."
"Right?" Gojo sighs. He slurps his noodles, that guilt coming back to seize him up. "It sucks, cause we're really freaking close. And now I can't even go into work, let alone talk to my friend."
"He told you to leave?"
"Yup. And not to come back until the end of the week."
"Jesus," Sukuna murmurs, "a little harsh, no?"
"Well, I wasn't exactly an angel, either," Gojo mutters, swallowing down his food.
Sukuna hums. "Well I hope you guys work it out. I'd hate to be the cause of your friendship ending."
Gojo's eyes snap up to him. "How did you know we fought over you?"
"I had a feeling." Sukuna slips his drink. "That guy, I've seen him around. He didn't exactly make his animosity towards me unknown."
Gojo shakes his head. "And he's the one that told me to be nice towards customers, the hypocrite."
Sukuna laughs lightly. "I don't know what you guys talked about, but I hope I'm still in good standing with you two."
"Oh, you'll always be with me," Gojo answers without thinking, and his face heats without it meaning to. Sukuna raises an amused brow, but doesn't get the chance to say anything, as Gojo quickly follows up with, "I mean, he was only cautious of you because of your tattoos."
Sukuna snorts. "So nothing I haven't been through before."
"You get shit for your tattoos?" Gojo wonders.
"All the damn time," Sukuna answers. He puts both arms on the table, showing off the ones around his wrist and bicep. "They aren't even that flashy, but I still catch heat for 'em."
"People suck," Gojo says under his breath.
"That they do," Sukuna agrees.
Gojo studies the dark lines with curiosity, then moves to study the ones on his face. "Holy shit, are those eyes under your eyes?"
Sukuna touches the tattoo under his eyes with a small smile. "Yes."
"Woah, that's fucking cool man," Gojo marvels, leaning forward to look at them closer. "They match your eyes. Makes you look like some demon king. Or like a curse. The king of curses."
"Oh stop," Sukuna smiles and pushes him away playfully. "I was young and thought they looked cool."
"Do you regret them?"
"No," Sukuna says quickly. "I don't."
"Then good. They suit you." Gojo tilts his head in thought. "I've always wanted to ask, but...what do your tattoos mean?"
Sukuna's eyes widen for a second, then lower. His entire demeanor changes in the span of one second, and Gojo feels that awkward feeling again, that he's crossed into personal territory. Sukuna works the muscles in his jaw, brows furrowing, and seems as though he's thinking about something. Hard.
Gojo reaches out to his hand. "Listen, if you don't wanna talk about it it's okay."
"No, it's..." Sukuna trails off, then shakes his head. "They don't have any meaning."
Gojo blinks in surprise. "Wait really?"
Sukuna turns his attention to his meal and nods slowly. "Nothing important, anyway."
And that signaled the end of that conversation.
They eat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Gojo decides to speak up again. "So does Megumi help around the shop too?"
Sukuna flinches the tiniest bit. Gojo doesn't catch it. "Ah, sometimes."
"I've only seen him once but he seems to balance out Yuuji well," Gojo says between gulps, "I can tell they're meant for each other."
Sukuna levels him with a hard look, then averts his gaze. "Yeah."
"Are you excited for the wedding?" Gojo asks.
The artist purses his lips, then shrugs. "I'll be losing Yuuji, so no, not in particular."
"Aw come on, you've got to be happy for them!" Gojo laughs. Sukuna doesn't.
"Finding someone who can take Yuuji's spot will be more work on my end." The artist clutches his utensils with enough force to break it in half. "It won't be easy."
Gojo hums in understanding. "Will you attend at least?"
"I have to," Sukuna grits, "I'm Megumi's best man."
"Oh shit, really?" Gojo's eyes widen. "That's awesome!"
Sukuna's voice drops several decibels. "I think it's more cruel if anything."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Gojo grins and eases back into eating. "Sounds like Sunday is going to be a blast. Shame I can't be there."
"And why not?"
The florist blinks. "I...I can come?"
"Of course. Consider this your formal invitation." Sukuna partakes in his own meal. "My brother has taken quite a liking to you, after all."
His cheeks redden, and his eyes come alive. A wedding. When's the last time he's been to one?
"I'm so excited!" Gojo grins to himself, elation filling him in earnest.
"I'm happy you're happy," Sukuna says honestly. "At least one of us is."
"Okay seriously," Gojo reaches out to intertwine their hands. "You're really that adverse to the wedding?"
Sukuna only looks at him. "I'll be losing Yuuji." As if it were simple. Spells it like it's elementary.
Gojo frowns slightly. Gets the feeling that Sukuna isn't telling him everything.
Ignores his gut.
A/N: thanks for reading.
