Nothing is said on the car ride home. With the sun setting on your silence, you stare out the window at cloud patterns reflecting in orange and red. The natural beauty of this seems so sarcastic for the occasion.
There's a light touch on your shoulder. It's Megumi silently offering his support from his seat behind you. Returning the gesture with your hand over his, you wordlessly thank him.
He had come to your rescue today with absolutely no reason to do so. You've never had sne do anything like that for you before. You bite the inside of your cheek to distract yourself from the tears building up. You're much too cried out.
Arriving back at your school well after darkness has settled, you offer your gratitude to Nanami for tolerating your emotional outbursts. It's becoming almost routine for you.
"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused today. I don't know why I do it. Really."
Fuck, that sounds pitiful.
"You weren't much trouble at all. Don't be so hard on yourself. You can't expect to make progress if you're wallowing in your mistakes. You'll only hold yourself back."
Nanami's words resonate deeply. It was definitely something you were needing to hear. You excuse yourself to your dorm, and Megumi walks with you.
"You sure you're gonna be alright?" He waits until your out of earshot from Nanami to ask you.
"Yeah. Eventually I'll be just fine. I have to be. Right?" You give him a slow, sad smile.
"Thank you again for being there for me today. It would have been so much harder without you with me."
"Of course. I just want you to be safe."
He stops at his door.
"You'll let us know if you need anything right?"
"Of course I will. You're all the best friends I've ever had." You mean every word of what you say, but it sounds so defeated. Megumi takes his time watching you continue down the hall and enter your dorm. He's going to keep worrying about you and he knows it.
Once you've returned to your room and are finally alone again, you breathe an exhausted sigh.
Trudging to the bathroom sink, you turn on the water. When the last bit of makeup washes away, you meet your reflection's gaze.
"Ryomen, please come here," you whisper.
Almost before you complete your sentence, you hear him.
"My wonderful pet, you have so much more malice in you than what I had given you credit for! I watched every moment, fighting all urge to interject myself, just as you had requested, my love. You've truly purged yourself haven't you?"
He must've been chomping at his metaphorical bit the entire drive home to say that. It was almost considerate of him to wait.
You don't answer him. It's a horrid compliment.
"Such cold continence you've developed. I recall when you were paralyzed with fear from a mere centipede curse. You've grown so much..." He is once again met with your silence.
Empathy is not his strong suit, but your declining mood is sobering his malicious buzz. You can feel his questions forming. Why so you look defeated? Isn't this what you wanted? You got your closure, didn't you?
"Ryomen...open your domain, please," you request.
"As you wish."
The seeping darkness of his domain bleeds through the reality of the room, and engulfs your surroundings entirely. The void of nothingness feels oddly comforting tonight.
"Ryomen. You're going to be passing along everything you stole from the Jujutsu sorcerers to me."
"It would be my greatest pleasure-"
"So I can transcribe it and give it back to them in writing." His expression falls as you complete your thought.
"We're replacing the records you destroyed."
"Aw, fuck that! You can't be serious? Those books were rotting away. You saw they hadn't been cracked open in years!" His voice booms around you, coming from every direction at once.
"Well, they were there for a reason. And maybe if we replace them, Masamichi will let me stay enrolled."
He looks appalled as he manifests himself in front of you, stepping through the thick darkness.
"You really want to stay here? In sorcerer land?" He clarifies.
"Yeah, I think I do."
You had made your choice earlier in the evening when Fushiguro had made his surprise drop in. There were other factors as well that had helped you decide too. Itadori and Kugisaki, even Nanami had all shown that they cared greatly about what you were going through. Their thoughtfulness had made today so much more tolerable. Besides, you spent more than an hour surrounded by your blood relatives and only felt like an imposter in a room full of strangers. These new friends are showing you more love and kindness than those dicks ever did. You don't want to walk away from that.
Again Ryomen huffs, crossing his arms and concealing his hands in the sleeves of his white kimono. He's obviously displeased by your decision, but there isn't much he can do about it.
"Fine, fine. Whatever." His teeth flash in an angry snarl.
You lean in, resting your chin on his chest, palms sliding softly over his muscular forearms. Dragging the tips of your nails around those jet black markings at his wrists, you smile sweetly to soften his mood.
"How about this, you do things my way... and afterwards, I'm all yours."
His multiple eyes stare deeply into yours, hypnotized by your words. His chest rises noticeably beneath your chin, though he still has no heartbeat to pound wildly for you. He doesn't need one. There is a creaking clench of his jaw paired with that deep rumbling growl only you can hear. His eyes narrow and he takes your chin between his enormous fingers.
"You're all mine regardless."
His words spark a tingling sensation that rattles your brain. The delighted hum now escaping your throat is completely involuntary. He always knows what to say to brighten your spirit. You reward him with a kiss that quickly loses its innocence when his searing tongue demands that you open up for him. He refuses the integrity of your sealed mouth. Again your body obeys on its own accord, twisting and grinding against him. He's working hard to distract you, and he's nearly successful.
With an anguished sigh you push him back with both hands,
"After!" You bark with authority. It takes all of your self control.
"Aww, you're no fun." He grumbles, looking so disappointed. His secondary eyes glare at you with pouting indignity.
"So what did you find so fascinating on that library that you had to steal it?" You ask.
"Oh, you're going to love this! They had records of abominable cursed techniques. I made sure to get every scrap of that."
"Abominable techniques?"
Well, that sounds unpleasant. Of course your Curse is drawn to something with "abomination" as its descriptor.
"Yes, my pet. Cursed techniques used to raise and manipulate the dead. Creating temporary vessels for souls, and restoring them to their rightful vessels as well."
That explains alot. Soul restoration sounds like what you did before with Aikiko's body. Ryomen's intentions must be regarding his own body and regaining autonomy once again.
"See? Look how easily you catch on." He chuckles as he reads your mind.
"It's not going to come easily, even with your incredible talent. But we'll have lots of opportunity to practice, don't fret."
"Uh, I wasn't. Because I'm only learning all this so I can replace what you destroyed. Remember?"
"You're first commitment is to me, however." He reminds you.
"As per our second rule of our agreement, you will help me restore my body."
"Wait! I thought that was just collecting your fingers..."
"Correct," he confirms,
"Which is step one in restoring my form. Once I have all twenty pieces of myself those sorcerers dismembered, we can get to work on re-creating my true body."
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" You swear with anger. He's tricked you again! Ryomen only cackles at your outburst.
"Hahahaha! Rest assured, you'll be compensated in ways you've never thought possible once I've been restored. So you could say it is 'for fuck's sake' in a way."
He's making this sound like it's all for your benefit in the end. Surely he must have other plans for himself though. What would he do with a physical body? He can't possibly want to live a normal human life. He's made far too many critical judgements on mundane human existence for you to believe he would be satisfied with that.
"You're going to want me to help resurrect you fully... But you're still under our initial contract, so even at full power, you can't kill anyone. Right?"
He arches his brow at you.
"Our contract doesn't change," he confirms.
"It's for life."
You're thinking out loud as if you have a choice otherwise. As always, this life with Ryomen is a chess match of your rules and his vices, but you feel as if you're playing with only pawns.
You can only agree. There isn't any other choice.
"So...how does one go about raising the dead?" You ask.
.
.
There's a ring at principal Yaga Masamichi's office phone. This almost never happens since anyone of any relevant importance has his cell number.
It's past 10 pm. There is no way in hell this could be good news.
He stares at the receiver with increasing annoyance.
Riiiiing...
Riiiiing...
Riii-
"Masamichi speaking. Who is calling this line?"
There's a pause, then he leans back in his executive chair.
"I see...go on, Officer."
He reaches in his desk drawer, fumbling for a specific file. He opens it on his desk. Inside is your photograph and very brief student record profile. As he listens intently, his face slowly drains of color.
"I'm sorry, what's happened?"
.
.
There are so many stipulations and conditions to remember for necromancy! Of course it wouldn't be an easy task, raising the dead is a miracle of godlike ability. Your confidence may have been greatly overestimated.
Ryomen is a haughty lecturer, expecting you to retain everything though only hearing it repeated a few times. Though he'd prefer to only say things once, you keep stopping him to ask clarifying questions.
Humans can only be resurrected within one year of their death. Their souls are very fragile and wither away over time of they are not nourished by family members partaking in their care.
A deceased human soul divided from their body can be reunited within one day be healed.
Any other non human life force has no time limit for re-animation as long as an appropriate vessel is created.
Ryomen is trying to be patient, and of course he wants to make sure you retain everything. It's mandatory for his benefit that you understand everything in order to execute these rituals later on. The prospect of being given flesh is now close enough for him to actively plan out instead of haplessly fantasizing in the void.
How long would it take for you to master these techniques? A year perhaps? Or less? With your natural ability, he has complete faith you won't disappoint him. Which of course only adds onto the pressure of retaining every scrutinous detail.
With the promise of a physical form this near, his excitement is quickly getting the better of him. He can't control his urges much longer.
Soon the warmth of your skin will be surrendered to him. The thought of ravishing your body and tasting you, actually tasting you on his tongue, and squeezing parts of you between his teeth. The real taste of your blood, just the faintest hint, to make your coupling all the more intoxicated by the wine of your life force. The fantasy prompts a stirring in his loins. Your taste and touch are muted from him as his vessel, though your reactions are what he relishes in most of all.
He ia unable to restrain himself any longer from you.
"That's enough for now, I think. We both deserve a break from the dredge of this boredom."
"Already?" It didn't feel like you'd learned much.
"There's plenty of time," he reassures you, extending a hand to cup your cheek.
"You're a fast learner. I'll teach you everything you need to know..."
Ryomen's soft touch on your cheek forces your eyes to flutter closed.
His talons slide languidly through your hair, resulting in a tremulous shudder. He rewards you by squeezing his hand into a fist firmly and pulling your head back to look straight up at him.
"My perfect student...Sweet little lamb." he leans down and claims your mouth with his.
The searing heat of his kiss is already hazing your judgement. There's so much more you need to learn to replace what was destroyed by him...but the throbbing of your pulse between your legs is slamming each responsible thought further back into the recesses of your mind. Your eyes are closing by themselves before you even realize it. His tongue swipes the seam of your lips demanding entrance and they part for him immediately. There isn't a single hope of you denying him.
There will be plenty of time to pick up where you left off with your studies. Besides, how can you hope to remain focused any longer? When his other hand slips beneath your shirt, gliding up to your chest. You moan into his open mouth when his teeth clip your lower lip. The taste of your blood on his tongue when it slides over yours only excites you further. He would never truly hurt you, but pain is a language he speaks fluently.
His claws press lightly into your nipples, teasing them until they tighten. He forces more mewls of pleasure from you when his second mouth opens in his palm to suck at your supple skin.
"So fucking sweet," his voice vibrates up your spine when you whimper.
"That's right, louder for me?" he requests, his primary mouth meets the side of your neck with shocking heat before the scrape of his fangs makes you leap in his arms.
"You-you're such a p-pain sometimes," your words are clipped short by your distraction, but your head falls forward onto his shoulder, unable to resist his sweet torture.
"What's that? I can't hear you over the sound of your pathetic little moans of joy. I'm barely trying and your body is practically screaming for this cursed cock of mine already. Hahaha!"
You blush and squirm at your lover's lewdness. He isn't wrong at all. He barely needed to trail his finger up your spine to claim your full attention, but he didn't have to remind you like that! It's embarrassing how easily your resolve crumbles whenever you're alone together.
"Just a quick study break," you insist again.
"Then we get back to business."
He chuckles in pure amusement as he reclines you onto your back, pinning his knees on either side of you.
"Oh, you absolutely are my business... Now, tell me how you want me to desecrate your gorgeous body..."
"Ryomen!"
"Don't act like you're innocent, it doesn't suit you in the least."
Sukuna slides between your legs, wrapping them around him on either side. His kimono slips off, revealing his chest and shoulders, but he is too impatient to fully undress.
It's you that reaches to position his tip at your entrance, but he's the one without a shred of control who presses inside. Your body welcomes him with passionate sighs and murmurs into his neck. Immediately he starts his rhythm, heavy and desperate for you.
"AH! AH!"
His hand wraps around your neck, holding you steady and rocking you down into him, impaling you further onto his throbbing cock. His eyes are burning embers, glaring into yours.
"You're all mine, you know that? Every part of your body, every spark in your soul. No matter what fancies you humans entangle yourselves in, you'll always belong to me!"
Your Curse slams into you faster, relishing in the song of your bleating cries of helpless pleasure. The sweet tension of your orgasm is already winding tightly, threatening to burst at any moment.
"Ryomen! Ah! Please," you beg pitifully for your completion, you're so close. So, so close.
His hand reaches between the two of you, manifesting his secondary mouth in his palm, he greedily licks up your fluids. His tongue graciously presses and sucks your flesh with such fervor that you are forced over the edge at last, leaving you spasming beneath his body. He isn't through with you yet though.
His hips slam into yours harder as he pursues his own orgasm. You slide your arms around his neck, kissing along the black markings adorning his strong jawline. You're just able to reach his ear, tracing its shell with your tongue before whispering softly between the impact of his thrusts,
"...I'm...yours."
He moans, clutching the back of your head in his massive hand and holding you flush against him as he collides into you one final time, pressing and grinding himself as far into you as he can possibly reach.
The crimson glow leaves his eyes as he regains control over himself. You sigh happily and make a motion to kiss him, but he doesn't allow you to.
He goes still, barely sitting up suddenly.
"Something's not right," he pants, then regretfully pulls away.
"Someone ...someone is here."
"Here?" You ask in surprise.
What could he possibly mean? Who could interrupt the solace of his domain?
"You should return now." His hand waves in a dismissive motion.
"And say nothing," he warns cryptically.
"Wait!" Your words are cut off as he vanishes into the shadows once more, and his domain rapidly closes around you.
.
.
Your eyes slowly come to focus as Ryomen fully releases his domain.
What was that sudden switch about? He's never once interrupted your time alone together. It was his only respite in fact, so what would make him stop?
Then your breath hitches when you realize something. You can feel that you're indeed not alone. He was right.
"Who's there?" You mumble, shaking your head to clear your swimming vision. There's a figure standing in front of your closed door. They don't respond at first, but shift slightly.
"It's...Your sensei. You alright there?"
Oh, God no!
Satoru Gojo.
How long has he been here? Isn't Ryomen's domain supposed to suspend the passage of time? How in holy hell did someone walk in on you? What did he see?!
You're mortified and unable to answer him. Thank fuck your clothes are still actually on. Ryomen never needed to physically undress your body in his domain, he would project the sensations into your mind as he wanted you to experience them. You've never been more grateful for that before tonight.
"You seemed like you were in a trance. You weren't responsive after a minute or two."
Oh, fuck. No.
A minute or two?! How do you act when you're in Ryomen's domain? You hope it just seemed like you're sleeping deeply, nothing more.
But there is a seriousness in his taught grimace along with a heavy silence between you that only grows. It's this out of character holding of the tongue that betrays his embarassment.
He saw.
He knows.
"Gojo, I don't-" you try to protest but he won't allow it.
"Oh, I think you do. Whatever it is you're about to deny, it's absolutely true isn't it? I was watching long enough to get the idea of what's going on..."
The air escapes from your lungs, all of it at once. You're frozen in place waiting for his reaction. Which surprisingly is not immediately leaving the room to alert Masamichi, though he didn't strike you as the type to tattle. Satoru Gojo is far more likely to take your secret and pry into it himself. Slowly he musters the nerve to ask his questions.
"How long has this been going on? Your... relationship?" He supplements a title for the two of you. You definitely weren't expecting to hear that word.
Tears sting your eyes but you're able to blink them back for the most part. You manage the smallest nervous laugh of relief just to release the building pressure in your chest.
"Umm...Ever since...Ever since I found the first piece of him. We, uh clicked right away I guess? That sounds stupid now that I'm saying it outloud."
"So... what exactly is this?" Gojo folds his arms, studying you carefully.
"Well, I'm not entirely sure. We just...enjoy one another? He helps me with my jujutsu training too."
This intrigues him.
"What ...what is he like when it's just the two of you?" Gojo inquires.
"I'm assuming his personality is different than when others are near. Is that correct?"
Now Ryomen's voice cuts in, directed only at you,
"That's enough. Don't give him anything more," he instructs.
"You've said too much."
But for once, you hesitate on his orders. Gojo is acting very strangely, and he doesn't seem like he's upset by your "relationship." God, that term feels so odd to acknowledge. It's so human.
"I...I think we should trust him," you meekly attempt.
Your Curse is not convinced.
"These meddlesome sorcerers will only try to separate us," he warns.
That thought gives you incredible anxiety.
Noticing your changing demeanor, Gojo speaks gently, keeping his voice to a bare whisper.
"He's talking to you now, isn't he? I can tell. He's telling you to stop talking to me, I bet."
You clench your eyes tightly, unsure of what to do. You don't want to disobey Ryomen, but Gojo might be someone to help you maintain your place here. If he didn't expose you.
"It's okay," Gojo assures you.
"I'm not going to say anything to Masamichi."
"But...why wouldn't you? Isn't it your job?"
Your sensei leans against your door, looking amused.
"Reporting young love? Not in the least. Please don't give it another thought because I always keep my word."
You can't help blushing. You wouldn't have described it that way, but the flutter it gives your stomach is undeniable. Young love?
From your mind, Ryomen makes a hacking sound like a cat with a hairball.
"Hey! Why did you come in here in the first place?" You ask suddenly.
He looks back over his shoulder, sounding just as secretive as he is nonchalant,
"Just checking in on my favorite student. Nanami mentioned that today was rough on you. I hope you know, you have alot of people who care about you here. And we don't want to see anything bad happen to you if we can help it."
Your sensei has his own motives for keeping your secret to himself for now, and it sounds like it might keep you safe, too. You relax finally, for all of five seconds.
"Oh, Nanami asked me to give you this, too." He hands you a thin slip of paper from his back pocket. Your mother's memorial service leaflet. You had forgotten all about it.
"Again. I'm just glad to see that you're feeling better," your sensei says warmly. He shuts the door after him, and a pang of guilt falls heavily in your gut like a stone.
You stare at mom's printed image on the memorial. The last time you saw her she looked so different. So at peace.
That's what upsets you the most.
It flops limply between your fingers. Whoever designed them hadn't sprung the extra cash for laminate, fancy fonts, or bold colors. It looked like standard printer paper. So cheap.
"That was not an ideal situation." Ryomen complains from his place on your cheek.
"That sorcerer is going to run his mouth."
His concern wasn't catching on with you though. Part of you still held Gojo to some odd level of respect and, though you hated to admit it, you did trust him. He's one of the few tenured faculty that isn't holding the library mishap against you by the sounds of things. Or even the finger you stole from Megumi. Everyone else on the faculty staff must be in favor of you being under house arrest like this. Or worse.
You are suddenly very aware of how quiet it is in your little room.
"Maybe we can pick up where we left off with studying later... Is that okay?" You mumble.
"Of course. What can I do to cheer you up, my pet?"
There's a sensation of warmth creeping up your back and spreading across your shoulders. It feels just like his chest is fully pressed against you. You glance over at the door that separates your room from Yuji's. He's most likely fast asleep but would wake up for you.
Ryomen sighs in your head with.
"Is that what you want?"
A nod is your only response.
"Fine. See the brat." He agrees, though he doesn't sound thrilled about it.
"He...makes you happy doesn't he? Your heart leaps around his annoying face."
"Well, sure he does..." Is he jealous?
"And that Megumi...He makes you happy, too." Ryomen points out.
"He looks for excuses to touch you when he thinks I'm not present."
This only makes you burn with embarassment. Why was he so interested in that sort of thing now? He'd said before your human interactions didn't interest him. Unless he's jealous for different reasons.
"You like when Megumi touches us, don't you?" You ask.
"What? I wasn't meaning... anything..." he trails off. It's very unlike him to complete a thought. Only Megumi worked him up like that.
"Megumi might grow to like you if you show him the side of you that I know, Ryomen."
"You see...That is precisely why I will require my own separate body eventually, my pet. There are certain parts of me missing that I need to have again to fully appreciate and handle delicate little beauties like you and that Megumi." His response is tinged with his overpowering lust.
"Four arms would hold you so securely, little lamb. Don't you want to feel that? How I miss feeling whole with each of them gone. And my diphalia...That's the biggest atrocity of all that those sorcerers committed. Cutting me off from myself like that."
"Diphalia?" You repeat, not knowing the meaning.
Di means two in Latin. And what is phallia? It sounds like phallus. Which meant... Oh!
"You mean..." Your eyes grow comically large as realization hits you.
"See, it's something you'd like restored too. I knew it would be." He chuckles.
"Well...It is something to look forward to, I suppose." You blush again.
"That's the spirit." His voice is dripping with approval.
"Now then...Shall we see your little friend now? I liked the herbs he gave us last time to smoke. That was your intention anyway, right?"
Itadori mentioned his Sukuna was partial to it too. His vices were probably the same for all of Ryomen's facets.
"Sure, I'll ask him." You approach the door that joins your rooms.
You knock lightly, unsure how heavy of a sleeper Itadori might be. There's the sound of movement behind the door, then footsteps. Yuji's voice is thick with sleep as he says your name.
"Hey there. You needing something?" He rubs his eyes and yawns.
You nearly regret waking him up, until you discover he sleeps shirtless. The sight of the deep V of his stomach makes your blood leave your brain.
"I'm...sorry. I couldn't sleep?" That didn't sound convincing. And why did you ask it like a question?
Ryomen groans with secondhand embarassment.
"Goddamn idiots." He swears with no real anger.
"I bet. Today must've been really hard. Did you need to talk about it? I was hoping you'd wake me up actually." He gives you a sunny smile that eases you instantly.
"You were?"
"Of course. I worried about you all day. I think Fushiguro only left to check on you because I was driving him crazy here."
"I was wondering if you might possibly have any weed?"
You ask without beating around the bush. It's been a few days since the last time, but you aren't sure if he's the type to smoke every day or not.
"I just need something to calm my nerves." You say.
And I still have this paper that needs burning, you add silently. It's not going to sgick around and become your gruesome keepsake.
"Sure! Anything for you." He's already going for his secret stash, all too eager to deliver whatever it is that you need.
You flinch at the sincerity of his words. Sweet Yuji...he didn't need to get involved in your bitterness. The thought of flaunting your idea for the world's most therapeutic rolling paper is beginning to sour. Maybe you'll just keep it to yourself afterall. Your fingertips begin nervously tearing the edge of the leaflet before he can turn around. You're fairly certain you remember how big the rolling papers were from last time.
Yuji returns to the doorway you share, shuffling on his knees. Humorously, he dips his head, presenting his weed box to you on flat open palms as if it was a precious heirloom instead of an old yellowed cigar box. You snort and accept it just as graciously, returning his bow in the same manner. You both giggle atrociously afterward.
"You act like you already smoked," you jokingly accuse.
He gives a sneaky expression now, wiggling his eyebrows high.
"Oh, I definitely did. That's the only way I get any rest when I'm worked up."
"Should we smoke in my room?" You offer. You didnt want to get in trouble by leaving where you're supposed to stay. Being the model student while tiptoeing around the established rules. What's the difference between you and Ryomen again?
"Sure, that's fine with me. Wow, your room is super clean." He steps through the threshold and slides your window open to vent the smoke out. You thank the stars above that he didn't choose to put a shirt on when he had gone back for his weed. Then you ponder if that was an intentional decision.
Still seated on the floor, you begin breaking up the weed in your fingertips and crumbling it over the paper scrap you had torn off. The rest of the print out you discreetly fold up while Yuji has his back turned, and slide it under the gap beneath your dresser. You're going to try your best to put it out of your mind now. This is your last act of defiance you can possibly get away with.
"Yeah, I don't have much stuff. Just clothes and a change of shoes. A few books. Bare necessities you know."
"Hey, that reminds me. One second! Be right back." He vanishes back into his room. The sound of him rummaging and muttering to himself makes you even more curious. What is he up to?
"Got it!" He grins triumphantly, holding something behind him out of sight.
"But you gotta close your eyes! It's a surprise okay?"
"What? Oh! Uh, okay?" Obediently you wait with your eyes closed. A tickling sensation slides around your neck.
"Whoa! What's that?"
"Sorry, I was trying to be romantic I guess? You can look now." He says finally.
Opening your eyes, you see he's clasped a thin gold chain around your neck.
"Yuji! This is so pretty," you twist it between your fingers, admiring the way each of the links fit together. No one has ever given you real gold before.
"It was my grandfather's." He says softly.
"I never wore it. It always made me too sad. But...I think seeing how happy it makes you would be a much better memory for me to have. So please keep it?"
"Keep it? I'll never let it of my sight!"
Your arms open wide, wrapping easily around his shoulders. You're all too aware of how warm his bare skin feels under your palms. He laughs and picks you up in a bear hug, swinging your bare feet in the air. He's so strong.
"Thank you so much, Itadori. I'm so glad you're here."
He sighs and puts his forehead into your shoulder. He says your name, drawing it out slowly.
"You have no idea how happy I am that you're here."
None of this pleases Ryomen. He manifests himself on the side of your face closest to Itadori, no doubt to intimidate him.
"Bleecchh! All this sincerity is making me want to puke my guts up! You humans are so unnecessarily emotional." He gripes
"Well compared to you, of course we are." You shoot right back at him, not allowing his negativity to ruin your happy moment.
Yuji sets you down, though completely unbothered being so close to Sukuna like that. He motions to the joint you rolled, now lying abandoned.
"Is that ready?"
"It sure is!" You pluck it up from the floor and hold it for him to see closer.
"Oh! I forgot a lighter." He swats his empty pockets.
"No need." You reassure him, turning it upside down.
The joint rotates slowly in your fingertips as you spin it, the gentle friction of your thumb sparks, and it ignites quickly.
"Whoa! That's cool! I wonder if I can do that too." He muses out loud, taking the spliff from you and bringing it to his lips. A little too hastily.
"Wait a sec, we should sit by the window." You shove him back and he goes easily, allowing himself to be pushed against the wall by you.
A little too eagerly, his head hits the wall with a thunk.
"Ouch," he laughs.
"My bad," you giggle, taking the joint back and enjoying a long drag. Yuji smokes good weed.
"You feeling better?"
Nodding, you hand it back. You exhale out the window carefully.
You smoke in silence, passing it and forth and thinking nothing of how close you're standing. And yet at the same time, unable to think of anything else. It's so bizarre how much he looks like Ryomen. Albeit a more human version of course. You wonder if Yuji gives any thought to your facial markings looking so similar to Sukuna's. If it bothers him, he conceals it well.
"Is there something wrong?" He asks, noticing that you're staring at him even in the dim moonlight.
"No...I just enjoy looking at you," you answer honestly.
"Itadori..."
"You know, you can call me by my first name," he offers.
"I know. I like calling you Itadori because it has more syllables."
He laughs, you feel his arm brush against yours as he comes closer.
"That's what I mean, it's more work for you."
"Not at all," you argue.
"I want to take my time saying your name."
He exhales.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Say the right things like that? I'm lucky if I can piece two thoughts together with you around."
What does he mean? Does he find you distracting? His gaze always seems to linger the longest on you out of anyone else you've met here. When you were in danger, it was Yuji who was first to put himself between you and the threat, risking himself to assure your safety.
His hand comes up and cradles your cheek, exactly as Ryomen had done earlier. You allow him to pull you in closer, abandoning your concerns. His kiss is gentle and slow, and he feels so warm against you. Then the steady rhythm of his heart beats in time with yours.
"You should stay here tonight," you whisper.
There's a moment of silence. Had you been too forward?
You hear the sound of him gulping nervously, eating away at the seconds between his response.
"I...I'd love that very much," Yuji replies.
.
.
To be continued...