Chapter Text
Ieiri Shoko sat outside at a picnic table on the Tokyo campus grounds, enjoying her lunch out in the mild spring weather for once. She took a sip of her green tea and ate the last bite of her tonkatsu sandwich.
What a perfect day, she thought.
And then there was Satoru Gojo on the other side of the table.
"Ooooo, homemade lunch today? I didn't know you could cook."
"Ha, like, cup noodles and microwave meals. No, my dear Satoru, this is leftover from last night. Nanami invited me over."
Gojo's goofy smirk faded in an instant. "He...made you dinner?"
Shoko opened another small container. Gojo leaned over and breathed in the scent of chocolate.
"And dessert," she said. "Mousse. Chocolate and raspberry. Perfectly balanced, just the right amount of sweet and bitter."
She placed a spoonful in her mouth, turned the spoon over, and popped her lips as she pulled it out.
She could feel Gojo's stare. She thought he might burn through his blindfold with the intensity of it.
Maybe I'm being just a teensy bit cruel, Shoko thought, but it's not often I have something Gojo wants.
"It's not what you're thinking."
"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Gojo said with a sniff. "I am an inscrutable God, the most powerful--"
"Yeah yeah, I know you've carried a torch for him for years. But seriously. All we do is have dinner, drink excessively, and bitch about work. No romance at all. Can you even imagine? Why would I even look at him like that with Utahime around?"
"He's never invited me over before," Gojo muttered, pouting.
Shoko thought back to the previous night.
("You can never tell him," Nanami said, face flushed as he downed another beer. "If Gojo finds out that I like, even lo-"
He stopped himself. "He'll become Insufferable and pick on me all the time. I'd have to start a new life in…Latvia."
"Why Latvia?" Shoko asked as she swigged the last of the whisky from the bottle.
Nanami paused, stared at the wall with a drunken intensity.
"I've always wanted to try rye bread pudding, and I hear theirs is the best."
Shoko choked on her drink and laughed as Nanami smacked her on the back, trying to help her breathe.)
"Aw, poor Gojo. Would a bite make you feel better?" she teased.
"Maybe," Gojo replied.
He took the offered bite, but Shoko forgot to watch Gojo's hands. He pulled back, spoon in his mouth and the container of mousse in his hand, and popped out of existence.
"You...you thieving bastard!" Shoko shouted at the empty air.
---
Gojo sat on the roof of the school, enjoying his stolen treat.
If he ate it with his eyes closed and savored every bite, he could pretend, just for a moment, Nanami made it for him.
---
Two Days Later
Ino Takuma never considered himself the smartest guy in a room. He knew he was of average intelligence at best, and that was probably giving himself too much credit.
But even he thought it odd when Gojo of all people sat down across from him at lunch. Sure, Gojo was always nice to him and had even saved Ino's ass a couple of times.
But he'd also heard what happened to Shoko, and was not about to let that happen to him.
"Afternoon, Takuma. Lovely day, isn't it?" Gojo wore sunglasses today, and peeked over the edge of them at Ino.
"Uh...hi Mr. Gojo, it is very nice out today." Stunned for a moment at the weird, blue depths of Gojo's eyes, Ino soon regained his composure. He moved his lunch (homemade curry from Mr. Nanami, not only was he the best mentor a sorcerer could ask for, but he was such a good cook too) and shoveled it into his mouth.
"You seem to be enjoying your lunch today. What kind of dessert have you got there? Did you buy it from a bakery? You have to let me know which one."
"It's a strawberry shortcake Mr. Nanami made, he's so talented…" Ino stopped and realized he'd replied without thinking.
He used my admiration of Mr. Nanami against me!
"Oh he did? He really is talented, isn't he? On a completely unrelated note, I happen to be in a very giving mood today. What do you say we have a little trade. You trade me your cake there for...mmm...a favor. I hear you're aiming to become a Grade One…"
"Mr. Gojo!" Ino said as he slapped his chopsticks down on the table. "I respect your rank as the strongest sorcerer, but I will only accept a recommendation from Mr. Nanami! Plus, he made this for me and it would be disrespectful to trade it away!"
Gojo shrugged. "Fair enough. I see I'm up against a man of principles."
Ino bowed stiffly. "If you'll excuse me." He snatched the container of cake and took off across the grounds.
Gojo blinked once, twice, and set off after Ino at a leisurely pace.
---
Nanami looked down at his watch and saw it was time for him to take his lunch.
He stopped by the vending machine first to get an iced coffee.
As he went to make his selection, Ino Takuma rounded the corner and leaned against one of the machines, out of breath.
"Takuma? What on earth are you running from? And why…"
"Mr. Nanami...you gotta…save...it's Mr. Gojo!"
Nanami put a hand on the younger sorcerer's shoulder. "I understand. Let me handle this. You find somewhere to cool down and--" He pushed the button for a green tea instead and handed it to Ino. "Enjoy the rest of your lunch."
"You're the best, Mr. Nanami!" Ino disappeared into a grove of trees.
---
"Na-naaa-miiii~"
The blond sorcerer turned to Gojo, face impassive.
"Oi, you're really starting to hurt my feelings, Nanami."
"Is that why you've resorted to terrorizing my dinner guests in some ill-fated attempt to make me pay attention to you? I don't reward bad behavior."
Gojo slunk over, hands in his pockets. "What just happened with Takuma was a lil' misunderstanding! I just wanted to trade. Shoko though...she deserved it! She kept teasing me about how close you guys are!"
Nanami sighed.
"Don't you like me?" Gojo asked.
More than you know, and definitely more than I should, Nanami thought.
"Gojo--"
"I've been your friend for the better part of a decade now, and you know how much I love sweets, especially homemade ones--"
"Gojo--" Nanami could see a small group of students walking towards them.
"And another thing! I hit on you all the time and you just ignore me! I'm a catch and would treat you so well!"
Seriously? He wasn't just joking?
"Satoru!"
Gojo stopped mid-rant. "Yes?"
Nanami pointed to the small audience gathered at the edge of the concrete.
Megumi looked nonplussed, Nobara had her phone out filming, and Yuji had his hands over his mouth.
"Are they filming a drama or something here, geez," Megumi grumbled.
"Awww, it was just getting good, why'd they have to stop?" Nobara said with a pout.
"Nanamin, your face is...really red," Yuji said. "Are you running a fever or something?"
"My office, away from here, NOW!" Nanami grabbed Gojo's arm and dragged him away.
"Goodbye my lovely students! Study hard and forget what you just witnessed or else!" Gojo called out.
"Okay bye!" Itadori said.
"You should definitely keep that video," Megumi whispered as he leaned towards Nobara.
"Uhm, duh. How else am I gonna show it to Maki? Who knew old guys could be so dramatic? I mean, Gojo-sensei yeah, but Nanami...didn't know he loved clowns." Nobara grinned as she sent the video to Maki with a few hearts and emojis for good measure.
"Nanamin can love who he wants!" Yuji said.
"Of course he can," Megumi replied. "But I don't see the appeal. Also, Nanamin? He seriously lets you call him that?"
---
Nanami shoved Gojo into his office and shut the door behind them. He remained facing the door and rested his head against the cool wood. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, considered booking the next flight to Latvia, leaving everything behind…
But that won't resolve the situation at hand, now will it? collided with oh he wasn't just lying he wasn't just picking on me he actually MEANT IT when he hit on me oh God--
"Are...you okay Nanami?"
"No," he replied, still unwilling to face Gojo. "It's a lot."
"Oh. I guess it is, huh. Well, sorry I forced my feelings on you. If you're not into it--"
"That's not the issue. I didn't…" Nanami sighed. "I didn't know you actually meant it when you were flirting with me, and I have feelings for you, I have for a long time, and didn't want you to treat them like another joke."
Gojo went silent, and Nanami finally gathered up the courage to turn and face him.
He didn't quite know what to expect. A smug smirk, gloating and a bit of mockery?
Nanami did not expect tears.
"...I'm sorry," Gojo replied. "I didn't know I was hurting you this whole time."
Oh.
It seems there’s only one way to fix this…
Nanami stepped forward, took Gojo’s hands in his, and said:
"Please...come over for dinner tonight!"
---