Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a testament to how worn out he was that he only noticed the hand and its owner once they were both on and in front of him. To say that the sick and manic grin displayed on the curse’s patchwork face creeped him out would be a complete lie. Oddly enough, Nanami, whilst staring death in the face, could only feel accomplished. He had done enough, hadn’t he? He could rest now, right Haibara? Why did he go back to the sorcery world? Surely, the corporate life wouldn’t have ended with such a gruesome death… Because it would be gruesome. The half charred blond man was relieved no one would witness such a sight.

As if in answer to his last question, Haibara stood in front of him where Mahito should have been and pointed towards where Yuuji just burst onto the scene. A flash of dread and regret filled his senses, knowing full well that the poor child would end up watching him die right in front of him… There was no saving him now.

He didn't want to curse him though… The last thing Nanami would have wanted to leave behind for his charge was a curse, but that didn’t stop him from calling out to him over Mahito’s own call. “Itadori-kun…”

The haunted look on the pink-haired child made his gut churn, but it didn’t make his words falter… “You’ve got it from here.” Managing a half-smile as he felt Mahito’s cursed energy course through him.

For some reason, neither Haibara nor Itadori were the last faces he remembered before being blown to smithereens. It was the white of the snow in the midst of a sunny clear day… It may have been the doors to heaven or the doors to his hell. He guessed it was pretty ironic that the thought of him could stick with him long enough to follow him to his death. As if it could change anything… As if the thought of him could be his salvation…

It started with the whispers of a legend walking amongst them. The whispers being the unending tales that Haibara sprouted about none other than Gojo Satoru and the way his mere presence tipped the balance of the world. He said they were lucky enough to get to call him senpai. Nanami argued they’d be lucky enough to see him act like one as he watched the guy try to balance himself on his tip toes while holding eggs at the top of his fingers with a lollipop stuck in his mouth. It was only a second later that most of the eggs fell on the floor, and both Suguru and Shoko shook their heads in exasperation as Gojo himself faceplanted right into the mess.

Somewhere along the way, it devolved into stolen glances and silent praise as he got closer to the second years by way of Haibara, and got to experience first hand the full brunt of Gojo’s latent cursed energy, not to mention the crystal blue of his infinitely deep eyes which seemed to hold the secrets of the universe the more you look into them. It’s why it never got anywhere higher than simple glances. Nanami wouldn’t have been able to maintain eye contact for more anyway… Because, whenever he seemed to look in Gojo’s direction, the man seemed to be staring right back.

Silent praise became silent exasperation and stolen glances became annoyed glances. It is a byproduct of being exposed to him for too long or at least that was what both Suguru and Shoko would say. Haibara, however, was too precious for him to actually change the way he acted around Gojo… Or around any of them, really. As much as Haibara respected and admired Gojo, it was Suguru he decided to look up to… Rationally, it was only natural what with how Gojo was supposedly the pinnacle of sorcery, and no one was to reach that pinnacle, no matter how hard they tried. Or so some would say. Nanami, however, wouldn’t go so far. It all came down to mindsets, and Suguru’s was way closer to Yu’s.

Silent exasperation became silent and stolen glances became stolen as Nanami lost interest. Gojo’s annoying nature and all-knowing condescending attitude being too much for even him to handle. And he had a surprisingly high tolerance. But it actually wasn't the real reason. Nanami didn’t lose interest. It’s Gojo who did, or so Nanami thought. He'd argue the signs were in the ease with which Gojo held himself and the arrogance with which he talked about himself. They were in the unattainable and untouchable coat he wrapped himself in and only allowed Suguru to see and go through. Coincidentally, Nanami knew when to put it in the effort and when not to, and this was a seemingly lost battle. And Gojo was a lost battle in and of himself. So Nanami stopped caring...

Or maybe he didn’t stop caring. At least not when he saw Gojo coming back drenched in blood and arms full of who the strongest duo needed to protect. For a few minutes, he was left there wondering whether the blood was hers or Gojo’s. He dreaded the answer. Because if the blood was his then what would that say about his opponent? If the blood was his, what would that say about the Gojo who survived that fight with barely a scratch? He faintly heard Shoko’s murmur over the pounding in his ears. “You mastered reverse cursed technique. That’s pretty awesome.” She seemed impressed, but the eerie silence that answered what was normally considered to be a dreaded ego boost for Gojo Satoru sent chills running down all of their backs. The blank look in Gojo’s eyes made something akin to fear stir up his insides.

Silent and stolen became angry and tired as Nanami lost his best friend. Sitting there, head thrown back, towel over his eyes and the lack of his constant bundle of joy weighting on his mind, the blond gritted out in response to Suguru’s advice for him to go rest. “Why doesn’t he take care of all of them?” And if the muted disappointment he felt radiating off of Suguru wasn’t indication enough, Nanami knew he fell right into the category of people who stopped seeing the human in Gojo and now only saw the god in him. With that realization came the blatant disregard to all of the hard work his senpai was putting in to perfect his technique and rapidly grow into his fate to become the strongest sorcerer alive.

Angry and tired became dejected and done. Done with the sorcery life. Done with the impact it had on youngsters such as himself, Yu, Suguru, even Shoko… Never Gojo… Gojo was as steady and immovable as ever. Nobody can touch him. But that wasn’t entirely true, was it? The only one who could was now dubbed an enemy. The news shocked them all, but it must have been supremely more difficult for Gojo who might have as well lost his only anchor… Suguru was the only one who really and truly deemed him a human. It might be why he was the only one allowed close once Gojo learned how to keep everyone at a safe distance. Nanami didn’t know how he could consider Gojo steady and immovable when he sat there on the stairs looking absolutely miserable and lost…

But fact of the matter is, Nanami was dejected and done. For this reason, he didn’t stick around long enough to see what became of Gojo. He did, however, save his number upon the other’s insistence. He was sure he wouldn’t ever need it, but something about the way Gojo’s eyes bore into his told him that it was as much for him as it was for the now subdued version of the god he came to know. The unfairness of it all didn’t escape him, but Nanami still wondered how Gojo was able to stay sane. How he was able to just stay. Then he remembered the story of Toji Zen’in and the way he took down the strongest duo only to then be felled by the newborn god. Then he remembered the look Gojo had when they returned from that failed mission. Then he remembered the fear that had settled deep in his bones when that stare fell on him among others. Then he remembered that had Gojo lost his sanity, none of them would have survived. Then he remembered that Gojo doesn’t have the luxury of taking a break or losing his sanity, the resulting circumstances of that power vacuum would be devastating. As he walked away from the jujutsu world, Nanami vaguely remembered thinking what a lonely existence standing at the top must be…

So, he lived his life away from his past, gunning for a corporate career and focusing on gathering enough money to live decently and fully. If his thoughts strayed to Haibara from time to time, nobody would know. If his thoughts strayed to Suguru from time to time, nobody would know. If his thoughts strayed to Gojo from time to time, nobody would know… He was actually thankful that everyone respected his decision to leave and didn’t contact him. He did miss Ieiri-senpai though and his countless nights with her, trying to drink each other under the table only for her to win almost every single time. He did miss Yaga-sensei and his headstrong and caring approach towards his students. He did miss the days he spent smiling at Haibara’s numerous antics. He did miss the way Suguru seemed exceptionally caring towards them. He never missed Gojo’s weird and annoying shenanigans, and how they always seemed to make them all forget this was a training facility and not the school they should have been enrolled into. Or maybe it was the thing he missed the most. For as annoying as he might be, Gojo had this way of making one’s thoughts and actions focused on him, and him only, tearing them away from all the possible regrets and worries that came with the sorcery life. With that realization came the question of whether or not Gojo had anyone doing this for him? For the second time, and despite him being away, Nanami found himself wondering how Gojo was able to function at all, much less stay sane enough for him not to kill everybody.

The corporate life was as shitty as the sorcery life. His only respite came during his daily escapade visit to the local bakery which sold his favorite casse-croute and bread. The bakery clerk reminded him of Haibara too, the big round eyes and overall happy demeanor… It might be the reason behind him always coming back despite there being other decent bakeries much closer to his work and home. The day he found a curse perched onto her shoulder was the day the very curse of the Jujutsu world began weighting on his mind once again. It had been years since he contemplated his past… Years since his last encounter with any curse whatsoever. Having one appear now and consciously choosing to ignore it in fear of opening a door he himself closed weighted heavily on his mind. The subsequent all-nighters he spent at work and the absolute loathing he had for it were what Nanami would say caused him to finally stand in front of the bakery clerk and exorcise the curse with a swipe of his hand. The resulting thankful shout and the unknown rush of something in his veins had his own muscles moving, taking out his phone and pressing the call button on the contact he thought he’d never get in touch with, again. When the line picked up, it was to a loud and carefree laughter followed by the amused baritone of Gojo. “I knew you’d eventually call, Nanami…”

Nanami could feel himself flush at that. “I’m gonna hang up now.”

“No you won’t… Wanna know why?”

10 seconds in, the blond was already annoyed. “Why, pray tell?”

“Because you made your decision… And you always follow through.” Gojo’s playful answer was spot on much to Nanami’s horror. “Don’t you?”

“You’re as annoying as ever, Gojo-san.” The subsequent laughter made a knot in his stomach ease, feeling a small smile etch its way onto his face.

“That’s not a no, Na-Nami!” He only got silence as a reply as Nanami shook his head exasperated. “Should I come to you?”

“You don’t even know what I called you for.”

“I don’t need to know.” Gojo replied instantly. “All that matters is that you called.”

Nanami did a double take, before mumbling. “I… There’s no need for you to come.”

“Oh?”

“I’m the one who’ll be coming back.”

“OH!” Gojo’s enthusiasm could be felt through the phone. “It’s that kind of phone call, then! What happened to wanting to live a normal life?”

“I had…” Nanami looked back in the bakery’s general direction. “A very enlightening exchange. Made me realize what is actually worth working for. But you don’t need to know that.”

“Yet you’re telling me.”

“You’re not exactly interrupting either, are you?”

“Touché, my sweet little kohai. Touché.” Gojo said absent-mindedly before switching back to the topic that most interested him. “When are you coming back?”

Nanami hummed. “I… Don’t know yet.”

“Leave that to me. I’ll book you the ticket. You just worry about getting your things in order.” Gojo’s voice seemed to become a bit far away as he switched Nanami to speaker phone while tapping away at what the salaryman supposed to be his laptop. “I would have offered to teleport you back but something tells me you’d have refused.”

“That something is right…”

“I guess there is no use in insisting then, besides might be a good choice, people tell me it's pretty disorienting.”

“And you don’t have to get me the ticket I can do that on my own.”

Gojo clicked his tongue. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, I’ve got it. Is tomorrow morning good for you?”

“Should be…” Nanami continued his walk back to his work.

“Handing in the resignation paper?” Nanami was surprised that the strongest sorcerer was engaging him in small talk.

“More like walking back to the company to write and submit it.”

He heard Gojo switch off the speaker phone. “I sent you the ticket… I’ll get Ijichi to prepare a room for you to move into at Jujutsu Tech.” A silent pause before he continued. “Or would you like to move into an actual house away from the school?”

“Definitely a house. Rooms at the school are too small.”

“I know right!” Gojo replied enthusiastically. “I’ll find you one and get it ready for you, Nanami!”

“Thank you, Gojo-san…” Nanami was pretty surprised at how helpful and accommodating Gojo was being.

A minute passed without either of them talking or closing the line… Eventually, Gojo huffed amusedly. “It’s good to have you back, Nanami.”

Nanami was shocked to realize that the other was completely genuine when he stated that. “It’s… Good to be back, Gojo-san.”

“Yey!!! I’ll get to see you tomorrow.” Gojo exclaimed happily, his voice turning all childish and squeaky.

“Please refrain from rupturing my eardrum.”

“You’re no fun, Nanami!”

“Goodbye, Gojo-san.”

“We have to do something about how you always formally address me.”

“I’m hanging up now, Gojo-san.”

“Throw in a little Satoru in here and I’ll be the one to cut this short.”

“Go away, little Satoru.”

“Hah! I got you to sa-” Nanami did not let him continue and instead closed the line in a mixture of both exasperation and fondness. Belatedly, he realized that this was the first time he lost track of time while heading to work… It was good to know that Gojo’s ability to suck people in and make them revolve around his existence hadn’t weaned off. The blond would go as far as to say he missed it.

Ijichi was the one to greet him when he finally reached Tokyo. He was also the one to drive him to his new home which happened to be quite close to Gojo's, walking distance really. Nanami was surprised to see that the house he was moving into was not dissimilar to the one he was in. Upon entering, he took his time appreciating the cozy and warm feel it gave. Nothing too extravagant… Fully stocked fridge. Washed out beige room. Huge walk-in closet. Big shower. The location of the house was very peaceful too… But what caught his attention the most was the neatly wrapped blunt sword with a little note on top of it. “Thought you’d like to have that back. Settle in well… I’ll see you once I get back from the mission.” He was still feeling around the grip of his sword when he was startled out of his wits, “You got yourself a sugar daddy. Good for you, Kento.” He turned abruptly and was met with the characteristic tired and smoky eyes of Shoko who was finishing up one of her cigarettes. “When he told me you were back I did not believe him. Thought you were done with the sorcery life… Why did you come back, Kento?”

“Felt like I finally had something worthwhile to do.” Then a beat later, he stressed out. “He’s NOT my sugar daddy.”

“Worthwhile to do? Are you talking about Satoru? Cause I had no idea you swung that way.” She chuckled when she saw Nanami’s mouth fall agape. “I’m just messing with you. I do know you swing that way. I also do know about your crush. But that’s beside the point.”

“What crush?!” He asked defiantly, despite knowing that his cheeks were red as tomato.

“The one you have on Satoru. I gave you my number and Yaga’s, yet you chose to call him.” Shoko observed. “And here he is showering you with gifts while you’re here accepting them with a fond smile. That’s a textbook crush if I’ve ever seen one.”

Nanami decided to ignore her for the sake of his sanity. “I hope you brought drinks with you.”

“Of course I did. What do you take me for?” Shoko huffed proudly. “We’re so gonna break this new place in.” He felt himself smile involuntarily at the whole situation while watching the reverse technique sorcerer pour them both whiskey glasses, handing him his own and raising hers. “To new beginnings?”

Nodding, Nanami repeated. “To new beginnings.”

“Na-nami!” came the voice that pulled him out of the light nap he must have taken while trying to outdrink Shoko. He knew he’d fail, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to entertain her. Speaking of, Nanami slowly raised his head to find Shoko completely passed out on his table, an empty glass still in her hand… Despite his head splitting headache, Nanami went to pull the glass out of her hand and put it away.

He slowly pulled himself up and stumbled in the voice’s vague direction only to stop short when his hunched up figure and eyesight fell on a pair of black boots. Looking up, he saw Gojo standing there with an amused smile. “You guys partied without me, I see.”

“What time is it?” Nanami asked bluntly, his head not really processing all that was happening around him. All he knew was that his eyes were glued to the hair standing up due to the white blindfold secured around Gojo’s eyes.

“Around 3AM… You sure you should be standing?” Gojo pointed at the way Nanami’s legs seemed to buckle every now and then.

“How did you get in?”

“I bought the house. Of course I have its keys.” Gojo then added with mirth in his voice. “I can also teleport, you know.”

“What’s with that blindfold?”

“What’s with that spotted tie?”

Nanami sighed, already tired out by the conversation. “You’re as insufferable as ever.”

“You didn’t change much either, Nanami.” Gojo smirked at him then softened it up almost immediately. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Is it really?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Gojo put his weapon forward. Like an offering.

Nanami stared at the weapon, before looking back up at Gojo and wrapping his own hand around its handle, more confidently now… And if Gojo’s fingers happened to brush his as he took ahold of it then nobody had to know.

“You two are disgusting.” Shoko drawled out as she pulled herself into a straight seated position. “Satoru, how was your mission?”

“Same old same old.” Gojo waved her off. “Had a little incentive to finish it up quickly and return back here.”

“Here as in home?” Shoko asked with just enough innuendo for Nanami to raise an eyebrow at her.

Gojo looked back and forth between them before smirking and leaving it unanswered much to Nanami’s dismay. Once again, he felt Gojo’s touch on his skin… This time it was the pads of his fingers trailing up his exposed forearms before settling over his neck, patting him lightly and turning his own attention back to the fridge to take out a dessert box.

Nanami took him an embarrassedly long amount of time to pinpoint what made alarms blare in his head. He never got to touch Gojo… And here he was getting to do it, twice, with zero resistance. He threw a glance in Shoko’s direction and was met with her all-knowing smirk and wiggly eyebrows, which ended up making him feel even more flustered.

To top it all off, when Gojo turned back around it was to the sight of him stuffing his mouth with cream puffs, and licking the tip of his fingers for any residue while maintaining eye contact with Nanami.

“Careful Satoru… You’ll scare him off.” Shoko mumbled while failing to hide her mischievicious cackle.

“Better now than later.” Gojo’s wide grin and the scrunched up nose made Nanami question all of his life choices up until that point.

Shoko tilted her head to the side, while raising her newly filled alcohol glass. “That totally makes sense. Cheers!”

Not a second later, Nanami had Gojo right in his personal space and leaning closer to him with a small tilt to his mouth. “But you’re not leaving this time, are you?” He chuckled and the blond could feel his breaths lick his face. For some reason, he did not step back. He could have, but he didn’t… And instead, he watched as Gojo lifted up the side of his blindfold to make eye contact with the 7:3 sorcerer through the infinite blue of his eyes.

Enthralled, Nanami realized he was absolutely wrong in thinking that he was prepared to deal with Gojo. He wasn’t. He clearly wasn’t. Disconcerted and lightheaded, Nanami's only possible course of action was to hear Gojo whisper to him, as if sharing a secret that Shoko wasn’t privy to. “You’re here to stay this time, aren’t you Kento?”

Nanami sucked in a much needed breath, feeling some of his braincells light up with renewed energy.

Despite his renewed cognitive ability, he was barely able to stutter out. “I… I do-”

Gojo interrupted him with an amused huff, letting his blindfold fall back to its place. “Even if you’re not… Even if you don’t have a reason to come back. To stay… I will give you a reason to stay, Kento. I’m not letting you go this time.”

It took some time to build up a tolerance again. Gojo was annoying as fuck, but somehow it seemed to be a lot more subdued than 4 years ago. Maybe he matured, maybe it was everything that had piled up on his shoulders till now. Nanami didn’t know. He found that he really didn’t care. Not when Gojo took it upon himself to make his life an even more living hell than it ever was.

Like the day where Nanami woke up and found Gojo leaning on his bedroom door with a shit eating grin, looking all too pleased with himself. Startled and completely taken aback, Nanami had only one logical thing to do. He got up, caught Gojo’s arm, threw him out and slammed the door in his face. Sighing annoyedly, Nanami turned back around and jolted when he found that obnoxious man standing right in front of him once again with a pout on his face. “That wasn’t really nice, Na-Nami.”

“What are you doing in my house this early in the morning, Gojo-san?”

“Had nothing else to do.”

“Didn’t you pick up teaching? Shouldn’t you be there for the poor souls that got you as their teacher?”

Gojo chuckled. “It’s still a bit too early for class. And I’m always fashionably late, they’re used to it by now.” He then tilted his head to the side playfully and exclaimed. “Besides… Spending time messing with you is far more entertaining.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“And you…” Gojo pointed his finger at him before slowly inching it closer to his chest. His very naked chest, Nanami remembered. He flinched when the contact was made, narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw in preparation to whatever nonsense Gojo was about to spew out. “Are going to make us pancakes.”

Nanami groaned. “Why would I feed you? You barged into my house uninvited.”

Gojo pulled something out of his pocket and dangled it in front of his still sleepy eyes. “It’s not barging in if I have the keys~”

His playful reply only had Nanami rip the keys out of his hand viciously. “Next time I’ll call the cops.” Before he swiveled around and headed for the bathroom. Much to his dismay, he found that Gojo was following him. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“With you?”

“To the bathroom?”

Gojo’s smirk made his stomach quiver. “And what if I am?” The glare he got from Nanami made him raise his hands and back away, laughing. “Geez, Nanami! I was only kidding…” A pause, then… “Or was I?” At that point, Nanami had all but slammed the door in his face again.

Only this time, he didn’t turn around. “You’re behind me, aren’t you?”

“Haven’t you learned your lesson?”

“You have exactly three seconds to show yourself out.”

“Of the bathroom?”

Nanami growled out. “Of the house!”

Gojo pouted. “What about my pancakes?”

“Make them yourself.”

“Okay.” The quick reply had Nanami narrow his eyes once again.

“NOT IN MY KITCHEN.”

“But Nanami…” Gojo’s whine annoyed him even more.

“Out.”

In retrospect, Nanami wasn’t sure what he’d find when he saw Gojo at the school the first time. Somehow, Nanami didn’t really take it seriously when Ijichi told him that Gojo took an instructor position in Jujutsu Tech. He couldn’t imagine what that news would entail for the future jujutsu generations. Gojo is definitely the last person he’d consider for such a position, yet he’d been one for four years now. No one seemed to know why he went down that path. Although, the principal seemed to suspect something, not that he was all that inclined to share it. So, here Nanami was, walking in the school’s hall when he stumbled upon the class of first years who Gojo was personally teaching. Expectedly, Gojo noticed him right away as his eyes darted to meet his. “Ah! Sweet pupils of mine give me a second, I have a visitor.”

Nanami crossed his arms tiredly when all the attention turned to him. There’s no getting out of it now… “I didn’t come to visit you.”

“Why so mean, Na-Nami?!”

“You shouldn’t have stopped on my account. Especially since I was only passing by.”

“Nonsense!” Gojo brushed him off and ushered him inside. “There’s no reason why you shouldn’t stay until the end of class.”

“There is actually. I have work to do.”

“Oh come on!”

Nanami sighed. “Don’t act all spoiled in front of your students.”

One of said students raised his hand and mumbled hesitantly. “Um… Sir? Gojo-sensei is always like that. We’re used to it by now.”

Gojo’s throaty laugh prompted the other students to join along especially when the strongest sorcerer ended up ruffling the hair of the one that spoke. The sight in front of him made all of Nanami’s features soften as a fleeting thought passed through his mind. “He lets them touch him…” The way the students seemed to be completely engrossed in Gojo’s antics even going as far as joining along had a second thought warm him up even more. “They don’t just tolerate him… They love him.”  And the look and lopsided grin Gojo threw his way made him loosen up his stance until he was basically leaning against one of the school tables, head down admitting defeat… “I’ll be damned… He’s a good one. He’s a good teacher.” But worst of all, it’s that next thought that made him feel like he was being flayed and laid completely bare. “That’s a good look on him…”

A couple years passed and Nanami’s visits to the school grew more frequent. So much so, he picked up a little admirer. “Ino’s been asking for you.” Gojo said with his head thrown back and his feet on the table.

Nanami barely lifted his gaze enough to skim over Gojo’s general position before continuing to read his newspaper. “Is there a particular reason?”

“You don’t seem to understand, Nanami. He’s been asking for you… A LOT.” Gojo chuckled. “You’ve got yourself a fan, Na-Nami!” Nanami stayed silent and flipped the newspaper’s page, completely ignoring Gojo. “Not gonna say anything?” The blond sorcerer continued his reading dismissively. Gojo clicked his tongue while stifling his voice to try and hide his amusement. “Guy barely comes over twice a month and he’s already going around stealing my students.”

“Stealing is a big overstatement.”

“The first years talk about you a lot and they only met you twice. Guess that time you got sent to support them on a mission had a pretty lasting effect.” Gojo sat straight and pointed at Nanami. “Especially on Ino. Kid looks up to you.”

“You’re jealous.”

Gojo laughed out loud at that. “I thought I would be… But, I’m just-” Gojo took a moment to calm his laughter before continuing. “Good for him. I can see why he’d choose you.” Nanami finally took his eyes off of the article he certainly hadn’t been able to read even though he tried to in his bid to ignore Gojo. Instead, he looked towards the strongest and raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re finally looking my way, yey!!”

Nanami frowned at the way Gojo’s voice came out too high as he gave him a thumbs up and proceeded to go back to his laid back posture from a couple of minutes ago. He didn’t know what to think of that. Gojo didn’t usually go around complimenting people. He barely ever acknowledged those with powers lesser than his. Only Suguru used to be privy to his respect and approval. Yet here he was, offering it to Nanami without any prompting whatsoever. He wasn’t as powerful as Gojo, he’d never be. He didn’t even have a Domain Expansion, yet Nanami knew it wasn’t what Gojo meant by his praise. Just like he knew that it will likely be the last time Gojo ever says it again. That was precisely why, knowing that it was his first and last opportunity to say these words and lest he regretted not taking them and Gojo seriously at this particular moment, Nanami answered. “Thank you, Gojo-san.”

Chapter Text

“Gojo has a kid?” Nanami choked on the whiskey he was currently drinking while on a bar counter with Shoko.

Shoko chuckled as she threw back a shot while lightly swaying to the music. “Two actually.” Nanami began coughing heavily as he tried to clear his wind pipe. Knowing full well that she was enjoying aggravating his situation, he threw a glare in Shoko’s direction only to find her chuckling in her hand. “You have it bad, Kento.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His voice was gruff as he drank a few sips of the water that the bartender offered him.

Shoko dismissed him with a flick of her hand and explained. “They’re not his.”

Nanami’s sigh carried all of the annoyance he felt towards her. “Couldn’t you have started with that?”

“And miss out on all of the fun?” Shoko shrugged, downing what might very well be her tenth shot. “No thanks…”

“I can see why you’re one of his closest friends.”

Shoko glanced at him with the corner of her eyes before drinking her eleventh and wincing at the way it burned down her throat. “I used to be, at least.”

Nanami tilted his head at that, watching as she took out her pack, pulled a cigarette out and lit it up. “What do you mean you used to be?”

Shoko took a long drag before letting it out. “I think I remind him too much of back when we were second years, when he had Suguru and before everything went to shit… Or what we had with him. Naturally, he distanced himself… He’s been distancing himself from everyone basically. I know it’s not personal… I just can’t help but think that way.”

“It doesn’t make sense though.”

“What doesn’t?” She frowned at the way he blatantly ignored her.

“He always seeks you out or at least passes by. I’ve heard him mention you a couple of times to those students he teaches. He always seems to look for your backup whenever Utahime-san’s around and he’s messing with her. He always manages to look even more amused when you take her side instead of his. I also heard from Yaga-sensei that it was Gojo’s personal intervention that cemented your position as a support instead of a fighter, something that apparently you requested a long time ago and only got recently. I don’t know if I’d classify that as him distancing himself from you, Ieiri.”

Sighing, she chuckled almost tiredly. “You always just chip away at my lies. How do you do it, Kento? Is it that technique of yours? Find their weak points at that 7:3 ratio of yours?”

Nanami huffed while finishing his drink and removing the pair of glasses he only recently got when Gojo decided they should have an impromptu shopping day. That white haired idiot insisted that he should invest in them, especially given that ever since he reactivated his technique all he seemed to be seeing were the ratios… It was making him extremely overwhelmed, so Gojo made a very convincing argument that the slightly tinted glasses would help, and he bought it immediately because it’s Gojo, if anyone knows how to deal with hypersensitivity it’s him and his Six Eyes. “It doesn’t quite work in that way, but I do know you Ieiri.”

She huffed and put out her cigarette. “I blamed Satoru when he began taking solo missions. I blamed Satoru when he became too busy to hang out with either Suguru or me. I blamed Satoru when Suguru defected. I blamed Satoru even more when he didn’t get Suguru to see reason.” Nanami’s hand fell on her shoulder. “For a long time, all I ever seemed to do is blame him. It was never explicit blame… I just…”

“Distanced yourself?” Nanami’s understanding smile made a bitter one appear on her face.

“Yes.”

“Do you still blame him?”

Shoko shook her head. “No, it’s more like. I know he knows how I felt about him back then… He continued being his annoying and conceited self, but he looked like he was faking it more than anything else. And it’s the fact that I may have played a part in the way Satoru proceeded to overwork himself hunting for curses and training like crazy, that is driving me insane. I blame myself because I didn’t recognize that Satoru was maybe the one suffering the most out of all of us. And that he, unlike most of us, had no one to talk to… Heck, even before Suguru left he’d been going around telling Satoru he’s the strongest. You know about these two… They’ve always referred to themselves as the strongest duo, I don’t even remember a time when Satoru boasted that he’s the strongest while with Suguru. For him to be alienated by Suguru himself must have made him feel so lonely.” Shoko’s hands came up to her hair as a troubled expression overcame her face. “Satoru failed his first mission. Satoru nearly died at the hands of Toji Zen’in. Satoru became even more obsessed in becoming the strongest. Satoru was alienated by his only best friend. Satoru lost that said best friend. And what did I do? Fucking blamed him for it all. Like he’s the all-knowing all-powerful individual everyone paints him to be.” Shoko looked up at Nanami with anger in her eyes. “I should have known better, Kento. So how could I be one of his closest friends when I wasn’t there when he was at his lowest? Why should I even be let close enough again? I certainly don’t deserve it.”

Nanami looked away, tightened his jaw and ordered two shots before calmly declaring. “You’re drunk.”

“Kento you sh-”

“I’m not dismissing you or critiquing you. It was just an observation, because you’ve never talked to me with anything other than one liners or teasing jabs…” Nanami smiled at her before offering her the new shot and drinking his. “I listened to you, Ieiri.” He noticed that she didn’t drink hers, but instead was watching him intently, precisely the tense lines apparent on his face despite the smile. “I won’t judge you. I’m not in a position to, really…” She raised an eyebrow at that, but her stance relaxed as the no judgement statement settled her nerves.

“What are you trying to say, Kento?”

“After Yu died, I kind of blamed Gojo-san. Or more like, wanted him to handle everything because after all he’s the strongest… Blamed him because he didn’t handle everything and Yu and I were sent on a mission way above our skills only for it to be a failure and for Gojo-san to then take over. I know where you’re coming from… Especially that part where you stopped seeing him for the human that he is. I did the same thing. I regret it, but I can’t take it back.” His finger circled the rim of his shot’s glass. “We were a tightly knit group… Granted, Gojo-san and Suguru were the closest, then your trio, then Yu and I joined you. We were the only two remaining. You distanced yourself. I left altogether. We both did that at the same time, at Gojo-san’s lowest.” Nanami went back to meet Shoko’s gaze. “You followed his footsteps and became a teacher, you stayed. Your mere presence might have grounded him enough not to go berserk because we both know how unstable and untethered he was then. I wasn’t even there, I never even contacted him once, until I wanted to join back. So out of the two of us, if anyone doesn’t deserve to be close enough, it’s me. Yet…”

“Kento that’s nonsense.”

“All I’m saying, Ieiri is that… It’s not for us to decide whether we deserve it or not. It’s his call. And from what I’ve seen, he deemed us worthy, now it’s up to us whether or not we put in the effort necessary to prove to him that he made the right decision.” Nanami smiled. “Don’t get stuck in the past, and miss living in the present. You’ll come to regret that, and sorcerers’ life span? Isn’t long enough to be harboring that many regrets when our time finally comes.”

Shoko considered him for a couple of minutes, before stretching her arms over the bar counter and nestling her head on top of them while turning in his direction and smiling at him. “Corporate life taught you all that?”

Nanami scoffed. “I wish… Getting your soul sucked while in the corporate life made for a very interesting soul searching experience.”

“You’re a good one Kento…” Shoko chuckled to herself, starting to look a bit sleepy. “No wonder Satoru’s enamored with you.”

Nanami blushed, but pointedly decided to ignore the drunk rambling of his lady companion, paying instead for their drinks and helping her out of her chair. “Let’s get you back home.”

“Such a gentleman.” She patted his bicep while leaning most of her weight on him, trusting that he’ll hold her upright.

As he walked them both outside and called a cab, Nanami asked. “What was that about Gojo-san having kids?”

“Yeah, they’re Toji’s.”

Nanami tensed up at that. “Zen’in Toji?”

Shoko slurred, barely staying conscious. “One and only.”

“Why did he take them in, then?”

“Littlest was about to be sold to the Zen’in… Satoru took him and his sister under his wing, instead.”

“That’s surprisingly sweet.” Nanami then remembered that Gojo was the one who killed their father. “And disturbing…”

“You should meet them… Satoru visits them whenever he has free time.” Shoko chuckled to herself. “Pretty domestic if you ask me.” Then promptly fell unconscious as they both settled inside the cab.

Much like that first time he saw Gojo giving a class and interacting with his students, Nanami was lucky or maybe unlucky enough to see how Gojo fared with the kids he took full guardianship of. In fact, the next time Shoko was informed that Gojo will be going to pick up the Fushiguros and spend the rest of the day with them, she immediately picked up her phone and called Nanami. “In for a little surprise?”

Nanami, who was just currently packing his things to leave work, answered. “What kind of surprise?”

“Remember when I told you that Satoru has kids?”

“What about them?”

“He’s spending the day with them. How about we go pay them a visit? I did suggest that you should meet them.”

“Surprised you still remember.” Nanami frowned. “Shouldn’t we tell them beforehand?”

“When does Satoru ever tell you when he’ll barge into your house?”

“I… You may have a point there.”

“Of course, I do.” Shoko chuckled. “So what do you say, Kento?”

“But won’t the kids be uncomfortable? We’re strangers, Ieiri.”

“I’m willing to bet that Satoru already told them about us… Well basically you, because they know me already.”

“They know you?”

“Of course. Satoru always calls me whenever any of them are ill. I keep telling him to go to a real doctor, but does he listen?!” Nanami could pick up the exasperation in her voice and couldn’t stifle a laugh at that. “You in?”

“Yeah… Just let me get back home, take a shower and I’ll come by your place so we can go.”

“Perfect.”

It’s a couple of hours later that Nanami found himself in front of Shoko’s door and both of them made their way to the Fushiguros. It was a twenty minutes’ walk during which Shoko brought him up to speed on the two kids, most notably their ages and names. Once they reached the place, Shoko knocked. It only took a few seconds for the door to be opened and yeah… Nanami was not prepared for the sight that greeted him.

“A-Are you in a fucking apron?” Shoko choked out before bursting in laughter, holding her stomach and wiping the few tears falling from her eyes.

In true Gojo fashion, the idiot struck up a pose and mumbled triumphantly. “Am I not rocking it though?”

Shoko nodded her head, genuine teasing smile on her face. “You look pretty tame, Satoru. Especially with the flour on your cheek and splashes of batter on the apron.” She gestured at them, eyes glinting.

“Well! I am trying to make cake.” Gojo said and scratched his cheek sheepishly, only to realize belatedly that it was smeared with chocolate batter. Huffing annoyedly, he wiped his hand on the apron and glanced in Nanami’s way. “Nanami! That’s the first time you visit, right?! I’ll introduce you to the kids.”

“I apologize for coming unannounced.” Gojo dismissively waved his hand in the air, before stepping aside to let them both in. “I only just recently discovered you adopted two kids.”

“I haven’t told you?”

“Never mentioned it.”

Gojo chuckled. “Must have slipped my mind.” Nanami vaguely heard the television playing a little deeper into the house and the sound of sweet laughter while another voice was more like grumbling. “Come along you two.”

They both followed him into the house and witnessed a little girl, Tsumiki, laughing as she held a controller in one hand and ruffled the hair of a little boy, Megumi, who was also holding a second controller, mumbling underneath his breath with a pout.

Tsumiki was the first one to spot them, and she immediately perked up when she spotted Shoko, jumping up and running to hug her. “Shoko-san!”

“Hey Tsumiki-chan!” Shoko hugged her back. “I see you’re teasing your little brother… Put it up top.” And the two high fived each other.

Megumi seemed to be more subdued and kept his distance as he greeted Shoko, only for her to huff and pull him into a hug, causing his eyes to widen. “You’re so stiff!”

Tsumiki then went towards where Nanami was standing, next to Gojo and just at the hallway’s end, and bowed in front of him. “My name is Fushiguro Tsumiki… It’s nice to meet you!”

Nanami mirrored her and bowed down too. “Nanami Kento. Thanks for having me!”

Gojo laughed. “What a sight.” He gestured vaguely in the kitchen’s direction and turned away from them. “I’ll go back to baking that cake.”

“You’re making cake?!” Tsumiki exclaimed, excitedly. Then she seemed to remember who was the one baking. “It’s gonna be a disaster, isn’t it?”

“O ye of little faith.”

“You burned down the kitchen last time. And that other time, the entire house.” Megumi’s voice was so tired, it made Shoko giggle as she let him go.

“I wrote down your track record, we relocated three times and had to renovate the kitchen five times.” Tsumiki pointed out.

Nanami’s head swiveled around so fast, it gave him whip lash. His gaze held so much disappointment, it had even Gojo avoid it. “I’m the one who pays for those. Stop whining about it.”

“Megumi and I would very much appreciate the stability of a fixed house.” Gojo just stuck out his tongue in Tsumiki’s way which prompted the girl to laugh and run up to him to give him a hug.

The sight was so wholesome, it had Shoko coo and Nanami adjust the spectacles he had on in order to distract himself from the way his heart skipped a beat at how Gojo hugged her back and buried his nose in her hair.

Nanami’s attention then turned to the little kid currently pulling at his sleeve in order to get him to look a little down.

Megumi seemed a bit shy, but determined and reproachful? Oh! Nanami forgot to introduce himself. Blushing at his little misstep, Nanami said. “Oh! I’m sorry… I’m Nanami Kento! You must be Megumi?” The kid nodded, Nanami smiled at him. “Nice to meet you.”

Megumi smiled a little back before asking. “Are you a friend of Gojo-sensei?”

“Yes, I am… He used to be my senpai when I was still in college.”

The look that he got from Megumi seemed to give off the vibes of ‘Oh you poor soul’ which had Nanami snort. After his momentary lapse, Nanami questioned the kid who seemed to be a little curious. “What’s the matter?”

“What’s your cursed technique?” Megumi asked, defiantly.

Nanami considered him for a moment before answering. “7:3 Ratio Technique…”

Megumi frowned at him, eyes never losing the curious glint in them. “What’s that?”

“I see lines on my enemy’s body, divide them up into ten pieces and strike at 7 to 3. Always gets their weakest point, it deals a lot of damage.” Nanami slowly projected his movement as he went to hold Megumi’s hand in order to lift up his arm, and with his other hand he pointed at the weakest point on his forearm. “If I were to strike you right now right where I’m pointing, you’d most likely lose a hand.”

“Geez Kento… No need to be so blunt.” Shoko reprimanded him, but only Nanami could see Megumi’s expression as his back was to her. The boy’s features and eyes looked completely elated and interested as he mulled over the information Nanami gave him…

“That’s so cool!” Megumi exclaimed a beat later, looking up at Nanami with a genuine smile.

Nanami chuckled, just as Gojo piped in, a pout on his face. “How come you never tell me that whenever I show you my technique?”

“Your technique is boring.” Megumi’s expression turned all cold as his eyes met Gojo’s hidden behind his tinted glasses.

“Megumi!” Tsumiki hissed at him, before standing on her tiptoes and patting Gojo’s back, trying to comfort the man who was currently dumbfounded and pouting.

Shoko laughed at them, before she collapsed onto one of the couches. “Never a dull moment in this household.” Tsumiki smiled happily in her direction, seeming to share the same opinion as the reverse cursed technique expert.

Nanami looked back at Megumi before tilting his head at him. “What about you, Fushiguro-kun?” That had Megumi’s attention turn back to him. “What’s your cursed technique?”

Megumi seemed to tense up and look panickily in Gojo’s direction. Nanami watched the interaction between the two happening as Gojo raised a thumbs up and nodded at Megumi while gesturing for him to go on and answer his question. “I… I have the Ten Shadows Technique.”

Of course, Nanami already knew that, but he still asked. “Ah! What does it do?”

Instead of replying verbally, Megumi instead widened his stance and brought up his two hands in a sort of hand sign as two small dogs emerged from the shadows. One white as snow and the other exactly similar to the first only with jet black fur. Nanami’s eyes widened, not really expecting the boy to already have this much control over his cursed technique… Then again, Gojo must have been training him already. “These wolves are really impressive Fushiguro-kun.” He exclaimed just as the two dogs approached him and began sniffing at him. He crouched down and petted the two almost immediately, smiling as they licked his hands.

“The dogs are out?!”  This calls for a special rendition. This one’s for you Megumi-chan!” Gojo’s excited voice sounded from where he stood in the kitchen, most likely having caught wind of Megumi’s cursed technique being released. Then he started butchering an original song. “Who let the dogs out! Who! Who! Who! Who! Who!”

At the sound of Gojo’s voice and singing, the two dogs ran up to the kitchen as both Nanami and a groaning Megumi followed them to watch as they pounced at the strongest sorcerer and licked his face all over as their tails wagged.

“I never get tired of that sight.” Tsumiki cooed from where both Shoko and Tsumiki joined the fray. “They always greet Gojo-sensei first. Should I get jealous?!” In a similar fashion, the dogs ran up to Tsumiki and rolled over to get their overdue affection from the girl. Megumi seemed a little flustered, especially when Gojo leveled him with a knowing smirk.

“What’s that about?” Shoko questioned loudly enough for Nanami to hear.

Naturally, Tsumiki was the one to answer. “First thing Gojo ever told Megumi was that his shikigamis usually shared the same feelings as their owner. They’re really obedient, but they’re also extremely attuned to Megumi’s soul and thoughts. When they began training and Megumi had to showcase his technique to Gojo, he summoned his Divine Dogs, that’s how he calls them, and the first thing these two precious good boys-” She said that while she enthusiastically gave them belly rubs. “-do is run to Gojo-sensei, lick his hands and roll on their backs, demanding belly rubs. Ever since that day, Gojo-sensei never misses the opportunity to rub it in his face and tease him. For all Megumi here says he dislikes Gojo-sensei, his dogs sure don’t miss an opportunity to show their affection towards the man.” She chuckled while watching Megumi blush in embarrassment and look away, not denying anything but seemingly absolutely disgruntled as the Divine Dogs sprung back up and went to settle by Gojo’s feet.

Half an hour later as they all settled in the living room, Tsumiki spoke. “Thank you Nanami-san for preventing Gojo-sensei from burning the house.”

Shoko snickered. “It was close, wasn’t it?” Megumi grumbled under his breath, as both White and Black barked happily while wagging their tails.

Gojo pouted. “I would have made it in time.”

“You thought there was ten minutes left.” Nanami rebuffed him insistently. “If I hadn’t set my own phone’s alarm, you would have burned the cake.”

“You just want all the credit.” Gojo crossed his arms, looking upset but the small upward tilt in his lips gave away his amusement.

“You can take all the credit for its taste.”

Gojo chortled. “Hah! The taste will blow your mind.”

“That doesn’t exactly fill me with ease…” Megumi complained which prompted Gojo to deliver a flick to his forehead.

While everyone was sitting down, Nanami took it upon himself to cut up pieces and distribute the plates. They all began eating, only to immediately spit the bite out while Gojo happily swallowed it and continued eating his piece. “Gojo-san…” Nanami muttered carefully while the rest were busy drinking down water to wash out the taste of the cake. “How many cups of sugar did you put in it?”

“Ten.”

Nanami stared long and hard at Gojo, before sighing and looking in Megumi and Tsumiki’s direction. “Why do you kids let him near the kitchen again?”

“If we don’t, he’ll whine the whole day.” Tsumiki cried out.

“I don’t whine…” Gojo whined with his mouth full.

Megumi croaked out disgusted. “How are you eating that monstrosity?!”

Shoko facepalmed and shook her head. “Your insane sweet tooth will be the death of you someday, Satoru.”

“And what a death it would be.”

Megumi turned towards Nanami looking serious as hell. “Can I strangle him?”

Nanami nodded just as seriously. “Be my guest!”

And for the first time this evening, Megumi jumped at Gojo with his hands settling on his neck menacingly, while the white haired idiot shrieked. “Betrayed by my own flesh and blood!”

Tsumiki laughed. “You’re so dramatic!”

One second, Megumi was on top of Gojo with hands sitting over his neck and the next he was thrown down on the couch with Gojo towering over him and tickling him. The boy laughed until tears ran up his cheeks, at which point Gojo was satisfied enough to settle down next to Megumi with his hand ruffling his hair as the Ten Shadows user tried to steady his breathing. Nanami watched all this, feeling uncharacteristically soft and warm. Shoko coughed next to him prompting Nanami to turn towards her and catch her upturned mouth and the knowing look she gave him.

While they were all fighting and taking hits left and right, Nanami had a wild thought cross his mind. In all honesty, it had no place in the current battle. It was completely unrelated and yet, it made him realize an answer to some of the questions that have plagued him ever since he returned, ever since he got pulled back into Gojo’s orbit. As Nanami sliced through some curses and helped Ino with his side of the chaos, he suddenly saw most of the remaining enemies retreat as the danger receded. His phone rang as both Ino and him struggled to steady their breathing. He answered, Ijichi’s voice being heard through the line. “Nanami-san… The war is over. Geto-san has been subdued.”

Unease made his stomach clench and roil uncomfortably. “What do you mean subdued?”

“Um…” Ijichi seemed to hesitate, his voice turning a bit flimsy. “We got a report of his confirmed death.”

Nanami felt dread overwhelm him as Ijichi’s half answers aggravated his nerves. “Who gave that report, Ijichi?” His voice came out harder than he meant it to be if the assistant’s trembling voice was of any indication.

“Gojo-san informed us that he found Geto-san after he escaped and finished him off himself.”

Static noise filled his ears. “G-Gojo-san was the one who killed him?”

This time Ijichi’s voice steadied itself as concern filled his tone. “Yes. This is what he said to Principal Yaga over the phone.”

“Shit.” Ino shot a worried look in Nanami’s direction, apprehension making him tense up as if readying himself for combat once again. “Where is he now?”

“Gojo-san?” Ijichi queried. “Principal Yaga requested that he comes back to Jujutsu Tech. The elders apparently scheduled a meeting as soon as the war was over.”

Nanami clenched his jaw. “I’ll come right away. Thank you Ijichi.”

“Everything alright?” Ino asked cautiously.

“Yeah… It’s done. You did a great job, Ino-kun.” Nanami patted him on the shoulder. “I have to go back to the school right away. I’m sorry I can’t stick around for longer.”

“No… No of course!” Ino waved at him, just as Nanami started to run.

By the time, Nanami reached Jujutsu Tech, it was too late. Despite having her hands full, Shoko took some time to meet with him and inform him. “He came here for like 5 minutes and then left. Yaga-sensei was pretty pissed about it. I don’t know where he’s gone off to.”

“Did he look okay?”

“Does Satoru ever look not okay?”

“Yes. After the Star Plasma mission. And whenever Suguru’s involved.”

Shoko nodded at that. “Exactly. Satoru looked like shit… I barely spotted him before he teleported himself away.” She sighed. “Do me a favor and try to find him, Kento?”

“Of course, I will.”

“I would have gone with you, but…”

“I know, Ieiri. I’ve got it from here.”

After searching most of Tokyo and not finding him anywhere near the places Nanami knew Gojo normally frequented, the former salaryman settled for waiting for the white-haired man next to his home. Which is why, Nanami was sitting on the stairs leading to Gojo’s front door, worried as hours seemed to trickle by with no sign of him. Worry and concern began gnawing at Nanami as he tried to once again call the man for the umpteenth time, only for it to go straight to voicemail.

“You know who I am. Leave a message after the beep…” Every time Nanami reached this stage he would close the line and sigh. This time, however, he took a deep breath to start talking only to realize that the beep never came. “Pretty persistent, huh? If it’s a booty call, press 1. If you’re any of my students, press 2. If you’re any of my superiors, press the red button. If you’re still listening up to this point, press 3.” Nanami stared blankly at the empty street in front of him, not doing any move to press any of the buttons mentioned. “Sorry to have kept you waiting. Leave your message after the beep… Beep.”  A beat later. “Not that beep… The next one.” The next one never came. “I will spell it out for you. I don’t listen to voicemails. If I’m not answering, it’s because I don’t want to.”  For some reason, Nanami still didn’t move to close the call, and the line was still connected, much to his surprise. A couple of seconds later, “You’re Nanami, aren’t you?” Gojo’s knowing voice and the fact that he was completely spot on had Nanami’s heart skip a beat, feeling his cheeks flush. “Of course, it’s you. If I’m not answering a call from you immediately then you should know something’s wrong.” The monotone voice in Gojo’s voicemail had Nanami’s grip on the phone tighten. “Don’t leave a message, Nanami. I’ll call you back when I can.” He frowned. “If I want to have a conversation with you, I want it to be real-time.”

The line disconnected after that. Nanami dropped his phone onto his lap and bent forward, eyes closed, having one hand run through his hair and messing it up even more after the hectic day they had.

“Nanami?”

Chapter Text

The blond haired man startled, looking up almost immediately at the sound of his name being called. There, in front of him, stood Gojo with his jacket opened and rolled up sleeves, shirt rumpled and dirtied, hair and blindfold unkempt, and burn marks over his forearms. Instantly, Nanami got up and approached Gojo, hands going to touch his arms only for him to be stopped before he could touch him.

Nanami frowned up at him, trying to get his hands to move forward and feeling as if a barrier of some sort was preventing him from ever coming close. Is this what infinity felt like?

Nanami belatedly realized that it was practically the first time he ever experienced what untouchable meant when talking about Gojo. Nanami belatedly realized that when he thought that Gojo only let Suguru touch him back in the days while everyone else was kept away by his infinity, and especially Nanami, was actually Nanami keeping away and not touching Gojo. Nanami belatedly realized that Gojo never stopped any of them from touching him because his infinity could distinguish ill-intent and good-intent, and he never saw them as a threat.

Nanami felt a pang of sadness overcome him, but he pushed through, because it’s neither the time nor the place. The pained smile on Gojo’s face was certainly not helping, though. “Gojo-san…” He retracted his hands, not wanting to stress the man even more. “I… Where have you been?”

Gojo stood in front of him for like a minute with no answer forthcoming, until he droned on. “Did I keep you waiting?”

Nanami’s frown deepened. “I don’t care about that…”

“You shouldn’t have… Waited that is.” Gojo side-stepped him and went to climb up the stairs, leaving Nanami standing there, looking stunned.

Snapping out of his stupor, Nanami turned around and went to follow him. “What matters is I’m here.”

“Go home.”

“Not until we talk.”

“You’re a mess Nanami, go home.” I’m a mess Nanami, don’t bother.

“Gojo-san, I’m staying.” Nanami’s no nonsense voice didn’t leave anything up to debate.

Gojo threw a glance behind him before going back to stare at his door. “You shouldn’t. You should be resting… You’re injured.”

Nanami looked down at his stomach, and realized there’s some dried blood on his blue shirt. Was he injured during the fight? He completely forgot about it. It was after all the least of his worries right now. “Gojo-san…”

“So go home, and clean yourself up.” Gojo fumbled with his keys.

“Gojo.”

“You should tend to your wounds, you don’t want them to scar…” Gojo’s voice turned playful, only the fakeness of it didn’t escape Nanami. “Although, scars would definitely make you look sexi-”

“Satoru.” This had the white haired man suck in a breath and turn slowly towards Nanami, looking surprised despite the bandage blindfold hiding most of his expression.

“Not fair, Nanami.” Satoru mumbled under his breath.

“You’re the one not being fair.” Nanami closed the distance between them. “I’m staying, Satoru.”

Gojo clicked his tongue, looking away and wincing. “You shouldn’t-”

“I shouldn’t. But I’m here.” Nanami insisted, as he finally stood in front of Gojo. “So stop trying to push me away because I’m not going anywhere.”

What happened next was a blink and you’ll miss moment. Nanami thought that he saw Gojo’s bottom lip wobble, but next thing he knew Gojo was pulling out his keys and opening the door behind him as if nothing happened. The blond sorcerer was unsure if he dreamed that last bit or not, but what he was sure of was the fact that Gojo heard him and was currently letting himself in and moving to the side, waiting for Nanami to follow him. “Change your mind?” Gojo asked when Nanami didn’t move.

Shaking his head, Nanami immediately crossed the threshold, removed his shoes and padded into the house, watching as the door was closed behind him. Gojo then walked inside his house, looking worn out and aimless.

“Go take a bath…” Nanami advised, looking at Gojo’s back but not making a move to get closer, lest he got blocked again by Gojo’s activated infinity. Gojo nodded, not bothering to talk as he headed towards his room. “I’ll have your clothes ready. Just go in.”

The look Gojo gave him, despite being hidden, was laced with confusion and gratefulness. So he did what Nanami said, while the other rummaged through his drawers and picked out cozy closing for him to wear. Hearing the running water and the slight disturbances in its flow indicating Gojo moving around, Nanami headed towards the kitchen and started preparing something for them to eat along with some tea.

When Gojo came out of the bedroom, wearing the clothes he had carefully placed on top of his bed, Nanami noted two things. First one was how Gojo remained uncharacteristically silent even as he walked towards the kitchen. Second one was how Gojo’s blindfold seemed completely wet indicating he had most likely taken a bath with it on.

Frowning, Nanami met him halfway, effectively stopping Gojo in his tracks. “Nanami?”

The blond sighed. Steeling himself, Nanami reached up, making sure to project his movement pointedly, while muttering. “I’m gonna take your blindfold off, Satoru.” Gojo sucked in a breath, and as Nanami’s hands became close enough, Gojo leaned closer until Nanami’s fingers brushed over his cheek. This time, it was Nanami’s turn to take a shuddery breath in as relief flooded him at being able to touch Gojo. Slowly, Nanami pulled it loose and unwrapped the bandage, revealing Gojo’s closed eyes behind it…

The blond let the material fall down to the floor underneath them in favor of having his fingers brush the wetness gently off of Gojo’s eyes. The white haired sorcerer caught one of his hands before it could retreat back to Nanami’s side and opened his eyes to meet Nanami’s all the while holding his hand over his cheek. Knowing full well that he was currently blushing, Nanami decided to ignore it completely in favor of squeezing Gojo’s hand back, keeping it in his hold but peeling it off of his cheek and instead using it to lead Gojo towards the table. He gestured for him to get seated before moving back into the kitchen and bringing him something to eat. “Eat it.” Nanami urged before settling in front of Gojo.

“You aren’t going to eat?” Gojo asked with a low voice as he contemplated the food in front of him.

“I’m not hungry.” Nanami responded.

“If I’m eating, you’re eating too.” Gojo retorted to which Nanami sighed with a small smile, before standing up and bringing his own food.

They ate quietly, and drank their tea without exchanging any words. And despite the utter silence, it didn’t feel awkward in the slightest. Nanami would go so far as to call it peaceful and soothing, and if Gojo’s relaxed posture and fleeting but calm glances his way were any indication, he felt the same way. Once finished, Nanami stood up to clean the table and wash everything, only Gojo’s hand immediately caught his wrist as he looked up at him. “I’ll do that…” Then he repeated. “I can at least do that, Nanami. I-”

“Just go and rest, Satoru.” Nanami gently interrupted him.

“You… You should go back home, Nanami. It’s really late.”

Nanami considered him for a moment, before responding. “When I decided to come here, I didn’t intend to leave, Satoru.”

Gojo frowned, “You want to stay the night?”

And more… But Gojo wasn’t asking about that now. “If you’ll have me.” Nanami nodded and waited for Gojo to respond. “You just say the word, Satoru and I’ll be out of your hair.”

Gojo’s hand reflexively tightened around his wrist. “Stay.”

Nanami huffed and offered him a small smile. “I will.”

“But…” Gojo never loosened his hold as he continued. “Lemme do the chores… It’s your turn to go and clean up.”

“Go and clean up?”

“Use my bathroom and borrow my clothes… If you’re staying, might as well be comfortable, right?”

“Right…” Nanami looked at the table before meeting back Gojo’s gaze. “I’ll leave these to you then?”

“Yes.” Gojo stood up and let go of his wrist. “I can do at least that.” He repeated again.

Nanami nodded and left for Gojo’s bathroom. Stealing a quick look back, he saw Gojo dutifully moving to clear the table and do the chores. Smiling to himself, Nanami went and took a bath, cleaning himself up and choosing some clothes to wear from Gojo’s drawer. Finally, as he made his way out, he saw Gojo wiping his hands in a towel, looking like he just finished. When their eyes met, Gojo made his way towards Nanami purposefully and had his hand entangled in his wet hair as his face slowly closed in. The look in his eyes was predatory and heated, it made Nanami flush despite himself. Yet, just as Gojo’s lips were about to brush his, he turned his head to the side and sighed, not making any indication that he’ll be moving away though.

He heard Gojo huff, amused and restless, as his head fell onto his shoulder, and his hand which was previously in his hair fell and settled over his lower back. “You’re such a tease, Nanami.” Gojo’s head turned to the side, his lips brushing Nanami’s neck and peppering it with featherlight kisses making the blonde’s pulse jump.

Nanami sighed, lifting one of his hands and running it through the man’s snow white hair. “I’m not teasing.” He let out a surprised breath when Gojo bit the junction between his neck and collarbone. “I just think we both need rest, right now.”

Sighing, Gojo pulled himself away from his neck and nodded. “Yeah… You’re probably right.” Nanami’s hand squeezed the back of Gojo’s neck before letting go and moving towards the couch. “Where are you going?”

“Want to watch a movie?”

“What happened to rest?” Gojo pointed behind him where his bedroom was supposed to be.

“We can still rest while watching.” Nanami argued, taking a seat on Gojo’s couch.

Gojo smiled faintly and followed him down. “Didn’t peg you for a movies kind of guy.”

Nanami raised an eyebrow at that. “I like movies.”

“Documentaries aren’t movies.”

Nanami flushed. “If you have time to make fun of my taste in movies, how about you choose what we’ll be watching tonight?”

“Sure, you won’t fall asleep midway?”

Nanami scoffed. “Promise.”

“Then…” Gojo turned so he was sitting sideways on the couch and relaxed back until his head was in Nanami’s lap. With widened eyes, Nanami met Gojo’s gaze in wait for him to continue, expecting an explanation. “This way I can keep an eye on whether or not you break that promise.” A small smile appeared fleetingly on his face as he finished his explanation.

Nanami scoffed, but made no complaint, just as his hand moved on its own and settled over Gojo’s forehead, going as far as to push some of his hair strands away before running his fingers delicately over his silky white hair. He watched as the man’s eyes fluttered and a slight purr escaped him, pulling a startled chuckle from Nanami. “You’re like a cat.”

Gojo met his eyes once more, but didn’t say anything instead snuggling closer and focusing on choosing the right movie. Somewhere along the way and while he was still searching through the movie titles, the scrolling eventually slowed down until it stopped altogether. Nanami frowned and looked down at Gojo to find him with his eyes closed, deep asleep. The blonde sorcerer reached over and turned off the TV, while continuing to card his fingers through Gojo’s strands. With his free hand, Nanami pulled out his phone and texted Shoko.

√√ Gojo’s all good.

√√ I’m with him now.

√√ So you don’t need to worry.

You’re at his place?

Damn Kento!

I told you to check up on him, not get in bed with him.

√√   I will ignore you.

Shame on you for taking advantage of our boy.

√√   I’ll do you one better. I’ll block you.

LOL.

Putting his phone away, Nanami looked back down at Gojo and smiled a little to himself as he settled back against the back of the couch, falling asleep almost immediately.

Ever since Sukuna’s finger made its appearance and chose his vessel, Gojo’s been a lot busier than he used to be. Most of the time, he’s either on a mission or in meetings with the higher-ups… Something about his insistence in pulling all of his influence and power to stop Itadori Yuuji’s execution irked their egos, especially since Gojo’s bet on Yuuta Okkotsu ended up baring fruit to a new Special Grade sorcerer on their side, and the strongest didn’t miss an opportunity to remind them of it. So Nanami knew Gojo had a handful of duties to uphold on top of the various missions he always gets sent to… It definitely helped that Megumi’s now one of the first years Gojo is supposed to teach. He’ll definitely make up for most of the times Gojo has to miss classes. The second years should have that covered too…

What he did not expect was to hear everyone around Jujutsu Tech talking about Sukuna’s vessel dying and a couple of days later, to get a call from Gojo telling him to come to his base because he had a favor to ask, and for this favor to be mentoring Itadori Yuuji himself.

“Wasn’t he supposed to be dead?”

Gojo with his new blindfold fashion shrugged. “He woke up a day later while he was still on Shoko’s table.”

“Ieiri knows about this?!”

“Well yeah.”

“How exactly does someone go from having their heart ripped out, and to having their heart grow back?”

“From what we can tell Sukuna’s reversal technique is leagues higher than even Shoko’s…”

Nanami frowned. “Well, that’s troublesome. Why did you want me to mentor Sukuna’s vessel?”

“He’s called Itadori Yuuji… I’m not exactly the freest right now. You can even go ahead and call me a busy bee.”

“I won’t call you that. So, it’s because you’re busy?”

Gojo stuck out his tongue as he turned a corner. “Not entirely… First of all, I’m busy. Second of all, you’re the only active sorcerer I currently trust to keep this a secret and not kill him. Third of all, Yuuji needs someone like you.”

“I don’t know what that last thing means.”

“You’ll get it sooner or later, Nanami.” Gojo grinned at him before finally sliding a door and approaching a pink haired kid. “Yuuji!”

As it is, Nanami shouldn’t have doubted Gojo’s instincts. He was a good judge of character, most of the time. It didn’t take Nanami more than two days for him to already start realizing how he was rapidly warming up to the kid. In fact, he was warming up to him so much, mentoring became effortless. He felt responsible for him. For his physical well-being, but most important for his mental stability. And when he ended up being saved by this very own kid, Nanami thought that he might understand why pairing him up with Yuuji was ultimately for the best. As they stood in the morgue, Nanami couldn’t help but see himself in Yuuji at this moment and want to break that downward spiral the kid might fall into. The words seemed to help when Yuuji came out of the room he was resting in to join both Gojo and Nanami who were discussing the mission’s details with a small but determined smile.

Normally, after their little talk, Nanami noted that Gojo seemed a bit worried about the lasting effects of this whole ordeal on Yuuji. However, a small smile played on the snow-haired man’s lips when he saw the kid’s eyes. Nanami and Yuuji both startled when Gojo opened his arms slightly, and waited patiently for Yuuji’s move. As soon as Nanami saw the kid’s bottom lip wobbling, he softened up and watched as he rushed into Gojo’s opened hold with tears in his eyes. In characteristic Gojo fashion, he exclaimed high and loud. “Group hug!” Then had the decency to look expectantly at Nanami. “Come on, come on!”

Nanami sighed painstakingly before closing the distance and joining the group hug. “For the record… This is the last time I ever let you rope me into anything. Next time you even try, I’ll ratio you.”

Yuuji blinked up at Nanami, once, twice before bursting out laughing, hiding his face into Gojo’s jacket. Both Nanami and Gojo had mirroring smiles on their face at the unfolding event in front of them.

Nanami knew that Gojo has been wracking his brain trying to figure out the curses’ real goal. Ever since, that volcano head curse attacked Gojo, he’s been running his own investigations left and right. So, when most of the sorcerers were called back from their missions and ordered to go to Shibuya, Gojo knew something was wrong and by extension Nanami and Shoko as well as most of those closely related to him. The strongest had already repeated quite a few times, that he felt like something wasn’t right, around them. He had said that something big is going to happen soon, bigger than even the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. And if that didn’t make them all uneasy, no one really knew what did.

Despite knowing all of that, Gojo was to be sent in first. Alone. Nanami bristled when he caught wind of that, but couldn’t exactly argue, not when it was their safest bet. The strongest didn’t look fazed the slightest, instead he seemed focused and ready to go fuck some shit up if his confident posture was anything to go by. But before he went in, Gojo turned back towards Nanami’s group and headed straight for them.

“Gojo-san?” Nanami questioned, unsure as to why Gojo had come back.

“I just have one thing to say…” Gojo’s hand shot up to the back of Nanami’s head, making him lean his head forwards until their foreheads touched and Gojo could whisper to him, while using his other hand to pull the blindfold off his face. “I told you I’d give you a reason to stay.” Their eyes were locked on each other, Nanami listening intently to what Gojo was telling him. “I meant it and I followed through on that one…” Nanami only nodded in response, waiting for the white haired sorcerer to continue. “With that in mind-” Gojo inched slowly closer. “Now it’s time for me to give you a reason to live, Kento.” With that, Gojo brushed their lips together teasingly before giving him a chaste kiss and moving away. Though, not before he whispered, “Stay and live for me, Kento.”

Nanami tried to clear his throat, ignoring the way he had felt all the blood rush to his head. “Shouldn’t I be the one to be telling you that?”

“Humor me…” Gojo winked at him before turning his back and walking away.

Nanami, at the time, didn’t know it would be the last time he ever saw Gojo for a long while. When Yuuji informed them that Gojo was sealed, the 7:3 sorcerer felt like having had a bucket full of ice cold water thrown at him. Never did he ever imagine that he’d have to hear these words being spoken about the Jujutsu world’s strongest. What would be powerful enough to seal him? What would be powerful enough to get him in a position to be sealed? How are they going to get him? How are they going to get him out? All these questions filled his head, until he took a steadying breath and called forth all of his remaining rationality, taking charge of the rapidly unraveling situation to enact a plan good enough to unseal their only chance of winning.

In hindsight, he should have known it wouldn’t be that easy to follow Gojo’s last request to him… How was he supposed to stay and live when Gojo himself got sealed and taken out of commission? How was he supposed to stay and live when the curses only grew in number and became even more vicious once word got out that the strongest wouldn’t get in their tracks? How was he supposed to stay and live when Shibuya was infested with unregistered special grades and most of the sorcerers on their side hadn’t mastered their Domain Expansions yet? How was he supposed to stay and live when they were all faced with the sorcerer killer Toji Zen’in who took out one of those special grade with zero effort and previously nearly killed their strongest? How was he supposed to stay and live when the world all but burst in flame while an infinite number of curses hoarded them? How was he supposed to stay and live when he was so fucking tired and worn out and a hand, the patchwork hand of the patchwork curse, was positioned so perfectly over his stomach, taunting him with a triumphant smile?

And so they’re back to where they were.

It was a testament to how worn out he was that he only noticed the hand and its owner once they were both on and in front of him. To say that the sick and manic grin displayed on the curse’s patchwork face creeped him out would be a complete lie. Oddly enough, Nanami, whilst staring death in the face, could only feel accomplished. He had done enough, hadn’t he? He could rest now, right Haibara? Why did he go back to the sorcery world? Surely, the corporate life wouldn’t have ended with such a gruesome death… Because it would be gruesome. The half charred blond man was relieved no one would witness such a sight.

As if in answer to his last question, Haibara stood in front of him where Mahito should have been and pointed towards where Yuuji just burst onto the scene. A flash of dread and regret filled his senses, knowing full well that the poor child would end up watching him die right in front of him… There was no saving him now.

He didn't want to curse him though… The last thing Nanami would have wanted to leave behind for his charge was a curse, but that didn’t stop him from calling out to him over Mahito’s own call. “Itadori-kun…”

The haunted look on the pink-haired child made his gut churn, but it didn’t make his words falter… “You’ve got it from here.” Managing a half-smile as he felt Mahito’s cursed energy course through him.

For some reason, neither Haibara nor Itadori were the last faces he remembered before being blown to smithereens. It was the white of the snow in the midst of a sunny clear day… It may have been the doors to heaven or the doors to his hell. He guessed it was pretty ironic that the thought of him could stick with him long enough to follow him to his death. As if it could change anything… As if the thought of him could be his salvation…

And it might as well have been, because if Gojo can learn how to use Reverse Cursed Technique in his dying breath, then Nanami can too. And he would be damned if he didn’t at least go down fighting… In front of him, Haibara’s sad smile became proud as he pointed down at Mahito’s hand and disappeared.

Nanami felt the area around the hand start to blow up. Coincidentally, he felt a swell of his own cursed energy and realized that he might just pull it off. He used all of his willpower to fight off the flow of Mahito’s cursed energy and break off their contact. This resistance proved to be enough because next thing he knew Yuuji was jumping in and pushing Mahito away before throwing a scared and worried glance at Nanami, watching him slowly crumple to the ground, bleeding out profusely, basically on death’s door, but still holding on.

Yuuji growled out, “Don’t die.” Before rushing back to deal with Mahito, trusting that someone will come to Nanami’s aid in the meantime.

That they did.

Because as Nanami felt his energy drain, his reverse technique flicker out and the little good it did in keeping him alive become inexistent, Akari Nitta, the assistant he saved alongside Kugisaki came to his aid and applied her own reverse cursed technique to stop the bleeding and call for help in transporting him. “Hang in there, Nanami-san,” was the last thing he heard before passing out.

When he regained consciousness, it was to Shoko’s choked up voice saying. “You fucking idiot.”

Nanami felt his awareness slipping, but still found it in himself to ask, albeit with a gruff and barely audible voice. “G-Gojo?”

“That other fucker’s still sealed. War’s still raging. Casualties are exceptionally high.” Nanami felt a pang of regret and guilt overcome him, but before he could contemplate it further, he passed out again.

“Why the hell do you keep on waking up?!” Shoko hissed at him; hands held over him as he felt her cursed energy’s flow.

“R-Restless.” The answer made her glare at him, or so he thought, because his vision was too blurry. “Si-Situation?”

“Most of the special grades have been dealt with, we’re still trying to find Satoru. I suggest you pass out for this next bit.”

And pass out he did.

“Have we ever told you that you’re a stubborn ass?” He could smell the smoke Shoko was currently puffing out as well as feel that this time he’s much more aware.

“Yes…”

“Clearly not enough because you’re still refusing to rest.” She growled out. “Kento you’re missing an eye, one half of you was charred and your core was a fucking disaster.”

He winced at the mere thought. “Could have been worse.”

“Hm… Considering who dealt that damage? You’re probably right.”

“Reverse cursed technique…”

“You used it? I didn’t think you knew how.”

“Neither did I. Still… ‘s the only reason I was still alive.”

“Give Nitta and I some credit, you piece of shit.”

“I’m still alive because of you two.”

“I expect a bottle of the world’s finest whiskey in my office as a thank you gift.”

Nanami managed a half smile before frowning again. “Gojo?”

“Yuki Tsukumo, Yuuta Okkotsu and most of the Kyoto students just joined the fight. They say they have just the thing to free Gojo, apparently our white-haired disaster had sent Yuuta on an errand that just happened to be extremely important in the long run… Also, we were able to locate Geto. They’re all heading there now.”

Nanami sighed, already feeling his consciousness slipping again. “G-Good.”

“For the love of God… Just sleep, Kento.”

“You’re awake again.”

“Do you have nothing to do besides keeping track of my state of consciousness?”

Shoko huffed. “That’s pretty presumptuous of you, Mr. Salaryman.”

Nanami blinked a couple of time and realized his vision has certainly become clearer. “I feel better now…”

“Of course, you do.”

Nanami tried to sit up, but Shoko immediately moved and pushed him back down with his uninjured side. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Join the fight.”

“Oh no you’re not! Are you an idiot?! You used to be the most reasonable of people, Kento. What the fuck’s your problem now?”

“I can fight.”

“At this stage, you’ll be a liability.” Shoko clenched her jaw. “Even Yuuta and Yuki are having a hard time right now, what makes you think you’ll fare any better? Hell! Most of the Kyoto and Tokyo students are already taken out. It’s just a matter of when they’ll be dragged here.”

“It’s not their fight to start with. Let me go. I’m a grade 1 sorcerer.”

“In your state, you’d barely be able to fight a grade 3 curse.”

Nanami winced at that. “Don’t underestimate me.”

“Kento!”

“Ieiri. I have to get to Gojo!”

“Not in this state. You’ll be a liability! Do you even realize how devastated he’ll be if you were to die saving him?!”

“I have to do something.”

“Fucking rest then!” Shoko yelled out, just as another hoard of injured people were sent her way.

Nanami wanted to protest, but he felt his own eyelids start to droop.

Chapter Text

“You did great, Itadori.” He heard Shoko’s voice say, distantly.

“Ieiri?” Nanami called tentatively as he turned his head towards her general direction.

“Feeling a bit jealous that my attention is elsewhere when you woke up?”

“Nanamin!” Yuuji exclaimed happily before wincing painfully, getting chided by Shoko in the process.

“Itadori-kun… Are you okay?”

“Yes… I just collapsed in the middle of the fight… They had to pull me out. Along with Fushiguro and Kugisaki.”

“You did hold your own, though.”

“Of course! We had to get Gojo-sensei back.” The look of determination on Yuuji’s face prompted Nanami to smile fondly at him.

“And did you?”

“What?”

“Free Gojo?”

“Yes!” Itadori announced proudly before wincing again from whatever Shoko was currently doing.

“Gojo’s out. We lost out connection with everyone in the battlefield right now. The only information we’ll be getting from now on is from those that get pulled out…”

“When?”

“Half an hour ago.” Nanami moved to sit up, and managed to do just that before Shoko could react and push him down. She still hissed at him. “Kento! Lay back down.”

He took a minute to steady his breathing again. “I’m sorry, Ieiri. But I have to go back…”

Yuuji looked worried at that while Shoko seemed pissed. “The second someone hits you, you’re dead Kento. You haven’t recovered enough. Your fucking cursed energy is drained, I don’t even know how long it’ll take for it to be back to normal.”

“I can’t stay asleep forever.”

“Nanamin… Gojo-sensei’s out. You can rest now…” Yuuji tried to convince him. Little did he know, Nanami needed to see Gojo for himself in order to be able to rest.

“I swear to God, if you step outside this safehouse, I will personally hunt you down and kill you, K-”

“Why are you threatening patients, Ieiri?”

The relief and contentment permeated Shoko’s voice as she breathed out. “Satoru.”

“Gojo-sensei!!!” Yuuji cheered, a huge grin appearing on his face. Before his expression turned conflicted, as he took in the way Gojo seemed to be leaning on both Utahime and Yuuta while looking in his general direction, but not directly meeting his eyes.

“Yuuji… They told me you’re the one who got me out.”

Utahime stepped on his leg with no real strength as she herself seemed to be pretty tired. “What an ass.”

“It is one of my best features.”

She looked at him, disgusted. “Ew! Gross…”

“Why are you bloodied, Satoru?” Shoko questioned, frowning alongside Yuuji.

“Some of it is not his blood.” Yuuta chimed in, before muttering to Gojo. “We’ll lead you to a bed, so you can sit down, okay?”

“Lead the way.”

“Satoru.” Shoko called for his attention, once again, finding that his eyes hadn’t really focused on her.

“What is there, Ieiri?”

“Pay attention, will you?”

“I am…”

“Explain why you’re covered in blood?”

“My infinity doesn’t seem to be working properly.”

Shoko almost choked at that. “What do you mean it’s not working properly?”

“Limitless’s malfunctioning. Still able to fleetingly pull off Azure, Red and Purple, but anything that is permanently activated is pretty much not…”

“Is this a joke?” Gojo winced at Shoko’s accusation, and instead opted to lift up his battered shirt and show her the huge gash to his side and the way his ribs seemed to be reddened.

“It’s not.” Gojo insisted.

Utahime added. “It doesn’t seem like he can heal himself with reverse cursed technique either. That’s why we brought him here…”

“He lost a lot of blood.”

“Where’s the rest?” Shoko nodded to herself, and moved to start tending to the strongest’s wounds, as well as Utahime’s and Yuuta’s.

“Yuki-san and her group are taking care of cleaning up since they hadn’t sustained any fatal injury. Yaga-sensei is currently handling Jujutsu Headquarters, while the rest of the sorcerers still standing are currently guarding this place in lieu of Yaga-sensei.” Yuuta relayed. “I should be getting back out there… Now that Gojo-sensei’s in safe hands.”

“Hey, Ieiri?” While Yuuta was making his way out, Gojo asked. “Where’s Nanami?”

The man in question, who seemed shocked and therefore completely silent ever since Gojo appeared, felt his jaw drop. The silence that followed was oppressing enough, it made Gojo become a bit agitated. “Why aren’t you answering? Is Nanami okay?!”

Shoko’s eyes met Utahime’s, trying to understand what was happening, but the woman turned her head away with a conflicted look in her eyes.

“Gojo-sensei…” Yuuji was the one to finally answer Gojo’s queries, looking increasingly concerned and scared. “W-What do you mean where’s Nanami?”

“I… I’m just asking. Nobody told me anything about him… I didn’t hear him either in the battlefield or here.” Gojo’s answer seemed a bit hesitant this time as if he felt like he was missing something.

“B-But…”

“Satoru, what exactly happened to you?” Shoko’s voice trembled as she looked in horror at Nanami.

At that point, Nanami finally made his move. He pushed himself off of the bed, stumbled to where Gojo sat and landed next to him on the bed. “He’s here, isn’t he?” Gojo’s voice sounded so disappointed, it made their collective hearts break. “He’s been here all along.”

“I am here, Gojo-san…” Nanami hesitated for a second before lifting his uninjured hand up and settling it over Gojo’s cheek. “You can’t see, can you?”

“No…” At that, everyone except for Utahime, who seemed to have known beforehand, gasped.

“W-Why?” Shoko stuttered out before her hands immediately went to cover his eyes and try to use Reverse Cursed Technique on them.

Utahime was the one to answer as Gojo’s mouth became a tight and tense line… “The cube… Prison Realm, it’s called. It seems that it has side effects even after you’re freed from it. Gojo’s standard Limitless technique sometimes functions sometimes not… His reverse cursed technique doesn’t work on himself. His Six Eyes apparently took the full brunt of the side effects though… Gojo can’t see anything right now… Not even cursed energy. He can’t even feel it… He’s…”

“Blind.” Nanami finished for her, seemingly entranced.

“At least I won’t suffer from hypersensitivity…”

They all winced at that, not that Gojo could know. Yuuji asked then, “how long does these side effects last?”

“I… We don’t know.” Utahime responded.

“It’s not all bad.” Gojo argued, and everyone would have bought it if the slight tremor in his hands wasn’t so obvious. The white haired man clenched one of them in a fist while the other settled over his thigh and bunched up the fabric there.

Nanami grimaced, before he moved his uninjured hand to wrap over Gojo’s. “It’s not. It’ll go away eventually. Ieiri just heal his more pressing injuries for now…”

Shoko growled at him. “You don’t have to tell me, Kento…”

He’d excuse her obvious annoyance if his attention wasn’t solely focused on Gojo. Too bad his move didn’t really help with the shivers as Yuuji proceeded to ask the question that everyone was avoiding.

“Whose blood is on you, sensei?”

All the adults in the room seemed to wince collectively, except for Gojo. He looked to be pretty haunted and emotionless. “Kenjaku’s.”

“Kenjaku?”

“He’s old… Very old.” Gojo’s voice was completely dead. “He’s only a brain at this point, and he’s been moving from one dead body to the other.”

“So that body wasn’t his?”

“No… The brain in it was… The body was…” Gojo cleared his throat as it started clogging up. “It’s the body of someone I killed a year ago.”

Yuuji frowned. “Geto Suguru?” Gojo’s face whipped in his direction, surprise written all over it. “It was the name I heard Yuuta-senpai call him. Yuki-san seemed pretty miffed too when she saw him.”

“Itadori-kun…” Nanami warned, trying to get Yuuji to drop the subject. “This isn’t the time.”

Gojo sighed, looking a bit annoyed, but at least, he was showing some expressions. “He’ll find out sooner or later. Yes it was Geto Suguru’s body… And Suguru was my one and only best friend.” The adults just looked pretty apologetic as Gojo continued. “He defected at some point and became a curse user. Last year, we had an altercation and I ended up killing him… Kenjaku took over his body, and the rest well…” He gestured around him, indicating the current state of things.

Yuuji looked completely embarrassed and saddened. “I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t hav-”

Gojo shook his head slowly. “Don’t be. It’s okay.” Nanami squeezed his hand.

As Shoko finished her treatment, she tapped the strongest sorcerer’s shoulder. “Rest now… You deserve it. You fought well, Satoru.”

“Where’s… Megumi?” Satoru mumbled tiredly, his question aimed at no one in particular.

Yuuji was the one to respond. “He said that he had something to take care off now that the fighting’s ended.”

“Cryptic… As always.” Gojo noted which prompted a laugh from Yuuji.

Nanami’s thumb caressed the back of Gojo’s hand. “Go to sleep.”

Gojo yawned. “I don’t think I can stay awake for much longer, anyway.” He laid down on the bed and as soon as his head hit the pillow he was out like a light.

Utahime sighed, hand running through her hair desperately as she mumbled. “This is… Unexpected.” She approached his bed and ran a hand over his newly bandaged side. Utahime looked up at Shoko then down at Nanami with a crazed look. “I was scared when he got fucking stabbed. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t-” She breathed in shakily. “We all expected him to get out and wreak havoc, but he was so disoriented. He didn’t even know where to look at. One of Kenjaku’s curses immediately lunged at him and littered him with blows. Yuki was the only one to really take it in stride while the rest of us were standing there reeling as the blows landed. She moved to stand next to him to help with directions and act as a shield as his own failed him.”

She clenched her fists. “Despite everything, despite him being blind and his cursed energy being disrupted, he still understood the situation and said he had enough cursed energy and control over it to finish this off. He said it wouldn’t be enough to reach Kenjaku so he needed to move closer… So with Yuki’s direction and Yuuta’s help, Gojo latched onto Kenjaku. But it wasn’t enough because the bastard was prepared and he basically slashed his insides out.” She shuddered. “God the blood… The amount of blood that was pouring out of Gojo was unreal. He seemed just as shocked and scared, just as pissed because next thing we knew, he was trading blows with Kenjaku, until he finally got his hand over Kenjaku’s face and used a weakened Red to blow Kenjaku’s brain right off.” Shoko let out a watery gasp, and her trembling hand cover her mouth. “The brain was fucking persistent, though… It was already moving to inhabitate another body, but Yuuta’s Rika caught it long enough for Gojo to use Purple on it.” Utahime sighed. “He fell down to his knees at that point, holding onto his stomach, trying to use reverse technique but not being able to and looking incredibly panicked while doing so. Both Yuuta and I went to him and stabilized him. Then we came here.”

Nanami let go of Gojo’s hand in favor of running his free one through his platinum strands. Shoko looked down at them before glancing in Yuuji’s direction, who had passed out even before Utahime started retelling the last fight. “Satoru’s okay now… It’s all over, and he’ll heal up, just like the rest of you.”

Utahime glanced at Nanami. “You look like you’ve been through the grinder.”

Nanami scoffed. “That’s putting it lightly.”

“Your eye?”

“Gone.”

Utahime winced apologetically. “I’m so sorry, Nanami-san…”

He brushed her off and looked down at Gojo. “Don’t be… Battle scars are just a reminder that we lived another day. And we all have…”

She smiled at him sadly and nodded. At that point, Shoko mumbled in a low voice in order not to wake anyone up. “Kento. Iori. You should rest too.”

“What about you?” Utahime asked.

“I’ll go check on the rest of the patients… Then I’ll rest.”

“Thank you so much Ieiri… If it weren’t for you most of us would b-”

Shoko winked at her. “Don’t be silly. Everyone had a part to play…” Then she made her leave while Utahime followed her out, most likely going to sleep in her quarters while Nanami was left in the room, sitting next to Gojo and watching over Yuuji. It wasn’t long before he felt grogginess weight him down as he pulled himself up and went to crash on top of his own bed.

This time, Nanami woke up to the sound of Gojo calling out names.

“Ieiri? Utahime? Yuuji?” As he went from one name to the next, his voice took on an increasingly panicked tone. “Is anyone here? N-Nanami?”

The man in question immediately moved, grimacing as a sharp and ringing pain overwhelmed his senses for a couple of seconds, before he reached Gojo’s side to touch his arm. “Hey, Gojo-san… I’m here. Even Itadori-kun is here. We were both just sleeping, it’s why we didn’t answer.”

“What about Utahime and Ieiri?”

“I think they’re both resting in their quarters…”

Gojo muttered with a low voice, but still high enough for Nanami to distinguish his words. “When you didn’t answer I thought I was back in the box.”

And if that wasn’t a stab to his heart, he didn’t know what was. So naturally, Nanami’s hand moved to Gojo’s hair, petting his head and slowly inching down to his undercut and neck to massage the back of his neck. The way his glassy unseeing eyes fluttered closed and a sigh left his mouth made Nanami hum. “You’re out. You’re safe, and I’m here. I’m still here, Satoru. Okay?”

“Yeah…” Gojo breathed out.

Of course, the Jujutsu Headquarters, as soon as they caught wind of Gojo’s current situation, decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to pull the rug from under their feet. A bounty update was given as the price for the Six Eyes and Limitless user’s head seemed to increase exponentially. Naturally, this made most of the sorcerers move to defend Gojo, feeling a particular viciousness towards HQ. Gojo was to lay low in a safehouse Yaga sent him to while the rest of them were to make sure no one caught wind of his whereabouts. It was agreed upon that both Yuuta and Yuuji go along with Nanami as support. Which is how the four found themselves sharing quarters.

It was during those days that Nanami realized he knew a lot of trivial things about Gojo. Like how he likes to have his pancakes and waffles and what allergies he had. But most importantly, what mood he was in, based on the color of the candy wrapper Gojo requested from him since Nanami became entrusted with his candy stash until he can gain his sight back.

When Gojo chose Red, cherry flavor, he generally felt like being alone, not being talked to.

When Gojo chose Blue, blueberry flavor, he generally felt like seeking people out.

When Gojo chose Purple, grape flavor, he generally felt like completely winking out of existence and blanking out.

When Gojo chose Orange, orange flavor, he generally felt like doing something daring that most often than not ended dramatically.

When Gojo chose Yellow, mango flavor, he generally felt like partying and celebrating.

When Gojo chose Pink, strawberry flavor, he generally felt like needing a rest, a breather.

When Gojo chose Green, apple flavor, he generally felt like pulling a tantrum, calling for everyone’s attention.

When Gojo chose White, vanilla flavor, he generally felt like staying exactly where he is forever content.

But it’s when Gojo chose Brown, chocolate flavor, that Nanami knew that what Gojo felt was exclusive to him, to Nanami.

Because he never ate those unless they were alone. Nanami never knew the reasoning behind it, and maybe he didn’t need to. He was sure of one thing though. The small satisfied and accomplished smile followed by the singsong hum Gojo gave whenever he popped that candy into his mouth made Nanami feel the weird compulsion of wanting to kiss those godforsaken lips until they were swollen red, and until he could taste the sweetness of the chocolate on Gojo’s tongue. He always ended up staring at Gojo’s glossy lips for a second longer than is socially acceptable whenever he pulled out that brown candy. Nanami had no idea if Gojo knew the effect it had on him, but if the predatory turn Gojo’s smile took was any indication, then he most definitely knew.

Eventually, things went south. Because of course they do. It was an Orange candy wrapper kind of day… Gojo complained about feeling like he was on house arrest, constrained and cooped up in a closed space for too long. And like the spoiled child he is, he demanded that he be let out. Yuuji, the poor innocent soul, immediately perked up and volunteered to take him out.

“I’m not a dog.” Gojo pouted.

“At best, you’re a cat, Gojo-san.” Nanami interjected from where he was currently cooking something for them to eat.

“Cats are pretty haughty.” Yuuta agreed, sheepishly.

Gojo seemed to be considering the statement, before grinning. “I do believe in cats supremacy if I do say so myself.”

Yuuji frowned at that. “But Fushiguro’s dogs love you.”

“And I love them…” Gojo hesitated. “Why you gotta be like that, Yuuji~!”

“Oh! I’ve still got you. I personally believe in Catoru supremacy, Gojo-sensei!” Yuuji looked entirely pleased with himself.

Gojo burst out laughing while Nanami and Yuuta were facepalming in the distance. “You’re a precious soul… Take me out then, peasant.” Gojo thrust out his hand, waiting for Yuuji to reach him, help him up and lead him out of the house.

Two minutes later, Yuuta glanced in Nanami’s direction. “Do you think we should leave Yuuji and Gojo-sensei alone?”

Nanami considered him. “It is a recipe for disaster, isn’t it?”

“Yes… There’s also Sukuna to worry about.” Yuuta looked alarmingly in the direction they went in. “That’s the first time these two are left unchecked. I have a bad feeling about this, Nanami-san.”

Nanami frowned before nodding urgently. “Let’s go after th-” Their eyes widen as soon as they detected huge amounts of cursed energy emanating from where both Gojo and Yuuji set off to. “Fuck!”

Yuuta and Nanami broke into a run, getting closer and closer to the oppressive source of this cursed energy. “That’s Sukuna’s, isn’t it?!” Yuuta questioned.

“Yes…” Nanami dreaded the state in which he’ll find Gojo, especially when he realized that both Yuuta and he just entered what looked like Sukuna’s domain.

Mirroring each other, Nanami and Yuuta pulled out their weapons and blocked an attack headed their way. Soon enough, they realized that the attacks kept on coming despite the fact that both Sukuna and Gojo were nowhere to be found. “Must be his innate technique!”

“We have to get there… Quickly! Rika!!” Yuuta called the Queen of Curses hoping she could handle the attacks.

As soon as they spotted Sukuna’s spiky pink hair, ripped clothing, dark tattoos and towering figure, they heard him laugh almost maniacally. “Guess they’ve realized their mistake.” He slowly turned around and revealed the way he had Gojo pinned down on the floor with his hand gripping and constricting his neck.

The blood was pooling down in two spots, from Gojo’s right shoulder and from the same wound he had sustained during Shibuya. His hand was trying to pry Sukuna’s open and away, but failing. Yuuta attacked first, knowing that Rika would protect him from Sukuna’s domain while he handled the curse himself with his sword… Nanami rushed to Gojo’s side and used his newly acquired and refined reverse cursed technique on him.

“You okay?”

Gojo clenched his teeth. “Fine.” He rubbed his eyes and groaned in frustration.

“Gojo-san…”

“I just…”

“I know.” Nanami continued blocking the blows as best as he can while focusing most of his reverse cursed energy on Gojo.

Glancing towards Yuuta’s side of things, he saw that he was holding his own, but struggling a bit. Sukuna had a sick gleam in his eyes, like he was preparing for something extremely evil. Nanami frowned at that, trying hard to figure out what he was planning, until…

“Yuuta, your right!” Rika was fast enough to react and block an arrow-like fire projectile sent Yuuta's way.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Yuuta cheered happily.

Nanami looked back towards Gojo, who seemed just as surprised, his face turned towards Yuuta, frowning and squinting. “Gojo-san?” He tried to touch his hand and realized he’d been stopped. He felt a smile start to form on his face as he said. “Should you always be put in a near-death situation for your abilities to awaken?!”

Gojo chuckled as he pulled himself up. “I can’t really see anything other than cursed energy. Should be enough, no?” Cocky as always, Gojo called out. “Should have killed me when you had the chance, Sukuna-chan!” Gojo teleported instantly behind Sukuna and landed a blow that sent him flying into a tree.

“You’re such a pest, Gojo Satoru.” Sukuna huffed before releasing his domain.

“Giving up so easily?”

“Don't flatter yourself. Time’s up…” Sukuna shrugged just as his eyelids drooped and his tattoos started fading away.

Gojo frowned at that, but the expression immediately faded away when Yuuji made it back. “Hiya Yuuji~!”

Yuuji’s eyes widened at that. “Sensei! D-Did Sukuna do that to you?”

“Well… He also kind of triggered my abilities back?” Gojo shrugged playfully, hoping to appease his student.

Through the tears, Yuuji hiccupped. “Y-You got… Your powers ba-back?”

“Yes.” Gojo approached the kid and patted his head, gesturing at his closing injuries with his other hand. “See? No harm done. Good as new.”

“You can see?” Yuuji sniffed, guilt slowly ebbing away from his eyes.

“Faces are still a bit blurry. But!!! I can now see and sense cursed energy.” Gojo happily announced. “Nanami and Yuuta are unharmed too. We handled it. Don’t worry about it, Yuuji-kun~” He then turned to the others and opened his arms wide. “We can go back home!” At that, he put out his hand in Nanami’s direction. “Nanamiiiin~ Gimme a yellow one?”

Nanami huffed, went to put his weapon back behind his back and pull a yellow candy from his pocket, tossing it in Gojo’s direction. “Insufferable.”

“You’re awfully accommodating, Nanami-san!” Yuuta laughed sheepishly.

It took another two days for Gojo to be able to recover his abilities again, at which point they had all left the safehouse and went back home. He still couldn’t quite see the faces but he’d always been operating more on his cursed energy sense. Gojo insisted that Nanami stay with him, going as far as whining and complaining non-stop until he conceded.

Which was how Nanami ended up sitting across from Gojo, both eating their food. Everything was peaceful and familiar until Nanami suddenly felt Gojo stop and look up at him in surprise…

Nanami raised an eyebrow at him, meeting Gojo’s gaze and waiting for him to elaborate. The other sorcerer breathed in shakily, eyes never leaving the blonde’s as a small genuine grin began forming on his face. It took entirely too long for Nanami to realize what had happened.

Too long, but just enough, for Gojo to leap to his feet, having the chair scrape against the floor as he bent over the table, hands grabbing hold of Nanami’s lapels and pulling him towards him and into a kiss. It lasted barely ten seconds before Gojo was growling impatiently, pushing the table away, enough for him to be able to cross the distance and sit down on the lap of a still stunned ex-salaryman.

Gojo, then, went back in for close mouthed pecks before retreating back just enough to look into Nanami’s eyes taking him in. At that point, Nanami’s brain processed all the events, noted the way Gojo’s eyes seemed to be questioning and hesitant after he failed to kiss him back…

Nanami needed to correct that. He needed to tell Gojo, get him to understand. He’d been refraining from making any move until Gojo could see him. He’d wanted to see himself in those sky blue eyes and feel like they held the whole universe, like they held their future, like they held their promises.

He had to show him that.

So Nanami pulled him back into a hungry kiss, urgency clear in the way he licked Gojo’s bottom lip before inviting himself into his wet mouth. Feeling his heart beat jump and pick up its pace, Nanami entangled his fingers in platinum locks, and tightened them a fraction more making Gojo moan against his lips.

All of his senses seemed to get overwhelmed, losing himself in how soft and plump Gojo’s lips felt against his, in how he parted his lips letting him in, luring him in, in how he pulled back slightly and bit at his bottom lip, before going back in for the kiss, smiling against his lips when Nanami shuddered and released a sound, that is half growl, half moan, from the back of his throat.

Nanami’s hands lowered until they settled on Gojo’s hips and pulled him closer as Gojo’s own stroked his cheeks. The two pulled away almost reluctantly to breathe heavily and try to get as much air in their lungs as possible.

“Wow…” Gojo exhaled, his breath tickling his ear and making a primal part in Nanami preen at having gotten such a reaction from Gojo.

But Nanami’s words seemed to have failed him at that point, because all he seemed to be able to do was get lost in Gojo’s azure eyes and his kiss swollen lips.

“God… You’re just drop dead gorgeous, Kento~” Gojo’s head fell onto Nanami’s shoulder, trying to hide the faint blush visible on his face, but failing miserably as his reddened ears gave him away.

Still panting, Nanami let out a huff before whispering. “Funny you would say that, because I was just thinking something along those lines… And you know,” The 7:3 sorcerer bit Gojo’s ear, causing the other man to yelp in surprise and shoot up to meet his eyes. “I wouldn’t mind falling for you if it means you’ll catch me.”

Gojo stared at him for a beat or two before saying, “I should warn you, I’m a possessive person… Once you’re in my grasp, Kento, I won’t let you go.”

Nanami smiled at him. “I’m kind of counting on it.”

Gojo grinned full-heartedly. “Oho?!” Then his voice became tinged with something darker, heavy with all of Gojo’s possessiveness and entitlement. “Now that I think about it, you’ve been mine for a long time now, huh?”

Nanami shuddered at that, pupils dilating much to Gojo’s amusement and Nanami’s dismay, as he argued half-heartedly in an already losing battle. “I wouldn’t go so far as to s-”

“You’re a little slow on the uptake, Kento~” He breathed out, teasingly as Gojo leaned in to shut Nanami’s counterarguments with a little kiss, smiling against his lips smugly. “But that’s okay… I loved seeing how you were both struggling with your feelings and trying to play hard to get.”

Nanami bristled at that, feeling himself blush. “I wasn’t…” Then he shot back. “What about you Satoru? Your actions spoke volumes about how much of a lovesick idiot you were…”

“Guilty as charged. Want me to let you in on some secrets?” Gojo leaned against Nanami’s forehead. “I recorded a voicemail into my phone as soon as you left Kento… It’s been the same for years now.” Nanami’s heart fluttered as he remembered that voicemail, he heard a while back. “I kept your blunt sword in my room with me, waiting for the right time to give it back.” Gojo breathed out a laugh. “The mission they gave me the day you came back was Yaga’s doing because apparently my skipping around the school ground annoyed him too much.” Nanami was the one to huff at that, Gojo’s eyes looking up from his lips to his eyes almost automatically. “I kicked the people who were in your house previously, just so you could live somewhere nearby.” Nanami looked alarmed at that. “You don’t have to make that face… I’m not heartless. They moved into a much bigger house that I bought for them, and I covered all of the expenses of their relocations.” Nanami still looked pretty disturbed at that, but seemed to have moved on. “On that damned night, I was so damn lost in my self-loathing and self-destructive thoughts, but you were there and I wasn’t expecting you, in all honesty, I was pretty damn sure you’d hate me for what I did… But you took care of me, Kento… And I never thanked you for it, but I am now.” Gojo kissed him fleetingly. “I was scared shitless when they told me Mahito trapped you in his domain and that you were as good as dead if it weren’t for Yuuji’s intervention.” Gojo shuddered at that. “I was scared shitless when they sent me down to an obvious trap and I had to leave the rest on you as they sealed me away.” Gojo’s gaze hardened at that. “The only thing I dreaded the most while in there was not being able to see or hear you ever again.” Gojo’s grip tightened on Nanami’s uninjured shoulder. “When I got out and I couldn’t see… It was fine. I was fine… Until I realized I couldn’t even sense you were in the same room.” This time, it was Nanami’s turn to plant a kiss on Gojo’s lips. “You can call me a lovesick idiot. I don’t mind. As long as I’m your lovesick idiot… Nay, as long as I’m yours, Kento.”

Nanami’s exhale was shaky. “D-Did you practice this?”

Gojo shook his head, looking smug. “On the spot.”

“Damn…” The throaty laugh it pulled from the white haired sorcerer made Nanami’s own heart soar and sing his praises.

In characteristic fashion, Gojo decided to change the whole mood, when he bit his bottom lip and batted his eyes at Nanami. “Now… How about you gimme a brown one?”

That pulled a surprised laugh out of Nanami… “You want me to break my hold in order to get your candy for you?” Gojo’s answer completely left him in favor of watching the laughter lines appear on his partner’s face, successfully making his heart skip a beat. Receiving no answer, Nanami continued unbothered. “Good thing I still have those on me…” One of his hands drifted towards his pocket, pulling out a brown chocolate candy.

He then looked back at Gojo, who smiled triumphantly and cockily at him. “Feed me…”

Nanami scolded “So spoiled…”

Gojo whispered into his ear. “You like it… You like spoiling me~”

The other hand which was still on Gojo’s hip tightened reflexively, giving him away, as Nanami pulled the candy to his mouth, to unwrap it from its packaging. As soon as the candy was free, Nanami caught it with his fingers, thumb and index to be exact, and went to place it in front of Gojo’s mouth, only the man’s eyes lit up with mischief as he tilted his head just so, to lick Nanami’s middle finger slowly, watching as Nanami’s pupils dilated at that. He then repeated, his voice dropping an octave lower. “Feed me, Kento.”

It finally clicked in Nanami’s head what Gojo meant, as he popped the candy into his mouth and went in, open-mouthed, to kiss Gojo’s eager and waiting lips and feed him the exact candy that had him fantasize over it ever since he figured out Gojo’s candy language.

Eventually, their make-out session ended, but Gojo remained settled over Nanami’s legs as the other’s hands stayed on Gojo’s hips, but had somehow shimmied their way under his shirt and to his bare flesh.

“As much as I hate to ruin the mood, I think I have to ask…” Gojo looked reluctant to change the subject, but he was really curious. “Did you have the eyepatch and the burn marks this whole time? And you didn’t tell me?”

“Yeah, ever since Shibuya…” Nanami nodded, mouth moving against Gojo’s neck from where his head had settled over the other’s shoulders, enjoying the way the whitehaired man seemed to be massaging the back of his head with his hands. “This whole side of my body was burned. Lost an eye to it. Shoko and my healing weren’t enough to remove all the scars and get my eye back, but it definitely salvaged enough.”

“Can I ask how it happened?”

“Toji, Jogo, Mahito…”

Gojo frowned and tensed up. “Toji?”

“This was a weird one, some kind of cursed technique… He’s dead again. According to Megumi, he committed suicide right in front of him.”

Gojo winced at that. “I should probably tell the boy he just met his father.”

Nanami’s head shot up at that. “You mean you haven’t told him yet?!”

Gojo sheepishly looked away, from Nanami’s inquisitive looks. “I kept putting it off… But anyway, enough of that, Jogo caused the burns then… What about Mahito? That’s the transfiguration technique user, right?”

“Exactly… He had his hand right up my stomach, dead set on blowing me to smithereens.” Nanami breathed in, before proceeding. “I would have… I would have died immediately, if I didn’t use reverse cursed technique at the last possible second.”

Gojo breathed out. “Reverse cursed technique.”

Nanami couldn’t hold back the half smile. “I figured that if you could do it in the face of death, then surely I can too.”

At that, and at Nanami’s playful tone, Gojo released a small laugh as some of the tension in his shoulders bled out… “I’m glad you did.”

“I’m glad I did too.” Nanami’s eyes softened as he considered what he would have missed out on if he did die that day. He looked pointedly at Gojo, moving in to brush their lips together teasingly before giving him a chaste kiss. “Besides… Someone insisted they give me a reason to live. Didn't want to break that promise.”