Work Text:
FRIDAY 04:30PM
It was snowing. The first snowflakes of that year were falling down in big fluffy little dots, making their way towards the ground almost as if dancing. Nobara had just returned from a semi-bad date. Semi-bad, because the guy had been good-looking and he had been nice and considerate. And he even asked if he could pay for the coffee for her. Also he had complimented her dress. But… Something hadn’t clicked.
Thinking back on it – she could file it as a good date under normal circumstances – everything had been good. But something was off. Something bothered her.
When returning she decided to do what she always did after a date or when texting someone new – make a beeline to Inumaki’s room, knocking in their secret code (four short raps to the sound of Mamma Mia by ABBA). Her friend knew her schedule, was always up to date about who she was with, from their names, to their faces, and shared location at all times. It was no surprise that the door was opened immediately and she was invited in. He had played Animal Crossing up until that point, pausing to listen to her retell the date.
He listened and didn’t interrupt, learning how her date had asked her what her hobbies were, and even showed interest in the latest show she watched that he had never heard of. And he was a good man, had a bright future ahead, wanting to study mechanical engineering, teaching himself Vietnamese because his grandparents still lived there, and he had been funny in an original kind of way. And he hadn’t been too self absorbed, not at all.
“But he is kinda like Yuuji,” she ended her story. Maybe that was what annoyed her, seeing Yuuji in this guy. And she loved Yuuji dearly, so much that she would die for him but also wanted to kill him sometimes, but… He wasn’t boyfriend material. Not for her at least.
Her gossip-partner, Inumaki, nodded, and was signing: >>Another fluke? So he isn’t a sorcerer?<<
“Yeah, I think that sorcerer dating app is wonky,” she answered. Her experience with that particular app had been more miss than hit. After three dates with different people (two very bad ones and one that was good but only in comparison), she had de-installed it, with no second thought. It was no good. But at least Inumaki was in the same boat as her, his dates didn’t go well as well, seeing as he didn’t have any. He hadn’t gone on any dates since crushing on her personal number one nemesis, Okkotsu Yuuta. She may still resent the guy she’d never met before in the flesh, but she was there for Inumaki. She had made up her mind about that as well, when these two would get together and Okkotsu would inevitably fuck up (like men tend to do), she could at least beat him up for more than one reason.
“News from your dearest?” she asked, and Inumaki shook his head. Okkotsu had been traveling somewhere else again that day, another mission in another country. Maybe Nobara should do something illegal too if she would then get the ability to travel…Or whatever Okkotsu had done, couldn’t be too hard.
MONDAY 10:00
Nanami walked into the classroom.
Normally Gojo would teach them the Monday class – he usually arrived 10 minutes late, so it was only her and Fushiguro in the room currently. Both the students looked at the newly arrived person with interest.
“Gojo had to be sent on an important mission,” Nanami explained, “I was asked to replace him for the next few days.”
And without any further ado, he started teaching them about analysis. Maths, of all subjects. Nobara wasn’t bad with numbers, but it still sucked. Nanami wanted them to have all opportunities for their future lives, and normal school education was part of that, and she could see and understand the appeal, but… That wasn’t what she had hoped for by coming to Jujutsu Tech.
The only funny thing about that lesson was seeing Yuuji walk in 21 minutes too late, gawking at all the neatly written numbers and Greek letters on the board and probably screaming, crying and throwing up internally at the same time but cheerily greeting Nanami and excusing himself for being too late.
“It shall be forgotten for today,” Nanami said, disappointed, “You still should not adhere to Gojo’s levels of punctuality.”
In their break, she looked at her phone, so that she didn’t need to see the heart eyes with which Yuuji stared at Fushiguro who obviously still struggled with one of the math questions Nanami had walked them through. Disgusting.
She’d gotten a screenshot from another conversation between Inumaki and Okkotsu from the former, where they’d talked about their day and Okkotsu had written something (also disgusting) sweet with the words being “Sometimes the only thing that keeps me going is seeing you again.”. Inumaki had sent her all the different crying emojis, even the cursed cat ones, but then wrote: “But it was the plural you???!!”. That may be the case, seeing as their previous messages revolved about all the students. She gave him a heads up and still said that this was more than enough.
At that moment, Maki sent her a message. It was a picture taken somewhere around the running track, outside of their school. And there was… A raccoon was going through the trash, and Maki had written: “Inumaki doesn’t know how to behave 😈”, Nobara grunted at that.
Sometimes Maki was the only normal person. And getting a message from her (a humorous one at that!) was always appreciated.
MONDAY 05:40PM
The raccoon had injured it’s first victim that evening. Ironically it was Inumaki who had wanted to throw something away, causing the raccoon inside to feel threatened, and fighting by jumping on his arm and biting him. Safe to say, Inumaki was at the infirmary and hopefully vaccinated against whatever raccoons could give humans, Nobara wasn’t in the know.
The students had naturally flocked together into the common room, safe from the cold, sharing peanuts and chips, while Fushiguro tried to consult the internet, face getting grimmer by the minute.
“They can have rabies…” Fushiguro said, “And parasites.”
Panda had been devastated upon hearing the news, slumped on the ground. He had been the first on site, seeing Inumaki’s bitten and scratched up arm and since the cursed speaker had told the raccoon to let go (And Nobara didn’t ask if it really worked on animals or the raccoon just hadn’t been interested anymore). It had run off, way too fast for Panda it had scurried away and had easily hidden somewhere else.
As their only adult at the moment disposable since not occupied with inspecting the damage the small mammal had done to one of their own, Nanami rose to the task to calm them down.
“Ieri sees no imminent threat to Inumaki’s health. He should join you soon enough,” he told them in his level headed manner, “The principal decided to consult an exterminator, who assured him that one raccoon wouldn’t wreak so much havoc, but that they’d come by in a few days. Until then I ask you to stay put and don’t get too close to it.”
Yuuji held his arm high.
“Itadori?” Nanami asked, and everything in his voice and posture showed that he knew what was about to come. And that he definitely did not like it.
“Should we not just… catch it?”
Fushiguro threw him a side-glance.
“I mean we fight curses and things ten times more scary,” Itadori continued, “This should be an easy task?”
Nanami shook his head. “You are barely educated in fighting curses. And this is a completely different scenario. Raccoons are crafty and cunning. And handling animals should always come with caution.”
Yuuji deflated, mumbling something about being offended at that. Nobara didn’t really care. Sure she had been concerned for a moment about Toge’s wellbeing, but he’d get over it. And what could happen, realistically? It was just one dumb raccoon.
TUESDAY 08:10
Ieiri Shoko joined them at breakfast the next day, at least the people present, being Fushiguro sitting next to Inumaki with the colorful Hello Kitty character plasters on his arm, Nobara and Maki.
“Good morning to you,” Ieiri began, smelling faintly of smoke, “Due to the little attack yesterday I was thinking about your safety,” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, “I went over your records, and Itadori needs another rabies shot anyway, so tell him that when you see him, and by the way… If you can catch that thing it would really be a big help.”
Nobara always sat by Maki if it was possible, so she could almost feel the girl next to her chuckle. “Nanami said the complete opposite yesterday.”
The doctor rolled her eyes. “He has always been a buzzkill… I’m just saying, I think this would be a great change of pace for once.”
Fushiguro didn’t say anything, but some gears in his head were turning. Inumaki on the other hand was fire and flame for that cause. “Salmon!” he said almost like a soldier would say it while saluting his military superior. Ieiri even smiled more genuinely at that.
“That’s the spirit. Fall off a horse and jump right back onto it,” she said, gesturing a wave half heartedly, “See you later, and don’t forget to send Itadori my way.”
With that she was gone.
“She’s scared of raccoons I think,” Fushiguro immediately said when she was out of reach. Maki rolled her eyes.
“As if she is scared of anything.”
With that, the hunt was on.
TUESDAY 03:44PM
It was Itadori’s idea to up the stakes and make a competition out of it. The one who would catch the raccoon first would get free food for a week from the others. A deal was easily made and it was no surprise that factions were built immediately. Panda and Inumaki forming a team was no surprise to anyone. Nobara didn’t even need to ask if Maki would join her team, it was also given.
“We should just trap every trash can outside,” Maki said to her, when they strolled outside, looking at the possible places the animal could live. Even though Maki didn’t care about winning the food, she strongly cared about winning, or rather, crushing her competition.
“And we should keep on the lookout for the others to sabotage us,” Nobara said.
Maki nodded, proud almost. “You learned a lot.”
Nobara thought back on the beginnings with the second year students, where Maki had thought of her not too well, but now, Nobara had shown her that she was capable of fighting and holding herself afloat. Maybe Maki had judged her exterior too hard. And Nobara was proud of being in Makis' good spirits, this wasn’t an easy task.
They found overturned trash by the training grounds where Inumaki had been attacked, a weirdly dug hole in the forest (but maybe that had been a mole or a bunny?), and a dead and gutted mouse. But if the raccoon was the culprit for all that, Nobara wasn’t sure.
On the way back they met Ijichi, on the phone with someone, waving to them when they wanted to walk by, but then they heard him talking rather upset..
“Yes, good, thank you very much, I will wait by the car!” And then the phone was pocketed, with a heavy hearty sigh and the adult slumping.
“Everything all right?” Maki asked, to which Ijichi shook his head.
“Cables of my car have been bitten through and nothing works anymore…”
“The raccoon?” Nobara asked, but Maki shrugged, thinking about that.
“Raccoon?” Ijichi asked, “I thought it was a marten.”
The only good thing about that day was sitting with Maki in the common room later, investigating the internet for ways on how to catch a raccoon. They were night owls, so it didn’t make much sense to search for them in the light of day. They decided to sneak out at night (Gojo was the only idiot trying to keep the façade of a curfew up anyways), and ended up watching a short documentary about raccoons, learning every move of their enemy. And afterwards Nobara got her will and Maki watched a new episode of the slice of life anime she’d found over the weekend, so it was a win for her.
It was refreshing to spend time like that with Maki, they should keep that up after this thing was caught.
TUESDAY 09:55PM
Nobara had taken a short nap and in that time, a lot had happened. Their teams had gotten names for once. There was a whole group chat, called “FIND EUGENE – DOA!!”, the group picture was of the raccoon, the one Maki had sent her that one morning before the first attack.
Reading through the chat, it was easy to see whose idea this had been.
FIND EUGENE – DOA
07:22PM
loml❤️ has added Panda, Yuuj, Fushiguro, Maki🗡️ and you to the chat!
Panda: THE GAME BEGINS
TEAM 1 HOT AND DANGEROUS (the best one): Panda & Toge
TEAM 2 POKÉMON SUN AND MOON: Yuuji & Megumi
TEAM 3 Toge, you’re an idiot, I’m not thinking of a dumb team name: Maki & Nobara
loml❤️: hehehe
Maki🗡️: 🙄…
🙃 Our team name is now: pro raccoon, kill toge on sight-club
Loml❤️: sad
Yuuj: that’s so fun
I’m so pumped.
But why Eugene?
Panda: it was ieiris idea. She said you need to know your enemy and give him a name if he doesn’t have one. And she thought Eugene would be fitting.
Maki🗡️: Toge is my worst enemy
Panda: TEAM 3 is now called INUOKKO HATE CLUB
Loml❤️: 😒
screaming crying
panda why r u betraying me?
Panda: sry toge, maki has powers beyond my knowledge as a humble panda
(also she said if I don’t do it, she will make sure I will go extinct)
Maki🗡️: 👿
Fushiguro: We saw the raccoon today. We figure it lived in the shed by the gardens, and due to this we decided to install a trap there. Will keep you updated.
Panda: Yes, and our team (the better one) set up a camera by the main trash can
(the one where the terrible attack on my teammate happened)
loml❤️: im hot, panda’s (en)dangerous
Maki🗡️ has left the chat
08:28PM
Fushiguro: Itadori has to drop out for today, he hasn’t recovered from his shot
Yuuj: 😭😭 Ieiri says I need to rest and shouldn’t run after the “delinquent”
loml❤️: 👀
So no fushiguro today as well?
Fushiguro: What do you mean?
loml❤️: Will you chase the “delinquent” alone?
or will you be to busy nursing yuuji back to health?
And since then nothing. Well, at least Yuuji knew how to write big words. Nobara thought to jump in on the fun, to at least give a life sign.
Me: Hope you have your credit/debit cards ready. I also take paypal. This is going to be an easy ride.
Then she got ready and dressed for the hunt. Maki always looked well put together. She didn’t wear the newest on trend clothes, but somehow that made her cooler, it just fitted better. But Nobara decided to wear her new athletic sports set, all in a nice shade of pink (“Salmon,” as Inumaki had perfectly captured it), and it was thermo, so it would keep her warm. It didn’t snow anymore, and the rest of the snow from the days before (the little of it that was left) was probably frozen, so it would be a great time. She even put on some mascara - you could hunt curses (or small mammals) and still look bomb.
10:15 PM, she was ready and outside the dorms, where she was to meet with Maki. Unsurprisingly, Maki had been there first, cleaning her glasses. Upon seeing Nobara, she said a quiet hello, and asked her: “Ready to kill our competition?”
As they walked over the grounds, Maki filled her in on the details Nobara had missed. Yuuji had gotten a little fever from his shot and apparently (gossip flew fast these days), and had somehow convinced Fushiguro to stay with him. It was obvious that they crushed on each other – or rather: It was very obvious that Yuuji had the biggest crush on Fushiguro. But Fushiguro also acted differently. Nobara had eyes for that. Fushiguro had even called Yuuji by his first name once in front of everybody and hadn’t even noticed, for god's sake! He didn’t even have the audacity to be embarrassed about that. Her stone cold Fushiguro was getting soft (but a little corner of her heart was happy for them).
Inumaki knew more but didn’t disclose yet. But Nobara didn’t need to know it from him, it was easy to see, something was up with them. And she was happy, but also annoyed. A group of three were always a problem when two of them unionized. She didn’t feel left out (and if they really were together, she wanted to be left out!!!), but it would happen sooner or later.
“Good, so self-destruct from team Pokemon,” Nobara said. Maki chuckled, a short suspended sound. They were outside already, but they had a completely different route, with their little clue from Ijichi. The car must be warm, maybe Eugene was living in there.
The car had been repaired again and upon walking up to it, they could hear a quiet albeit annoying beeping, Maki sighed. “They’ve built in protection.”
They still took a look around, searching for bite marks or general clues on anything, pawprints in the snow or leftovers from stolen food, but nothing.
“At least the sound works,” Maki said, annoyed.
They were back to square one. Nobara wasn’t happy to search through the trash, and they wouldn’t need to. Maki had brought a little box, normally used to catch curses, but it would do for a raccoon as well. And she had brought bait.
“Apparently they love dry bread, smoked fish, liver sausage and” Maki said, taking out a little bar wrapped in plastic, continuing in a celebratory tone while shaking it a bit, “chocolate.”
“Something so nice wasted on an animal that eats trash,” Nobara bemoaned, “That’s one of my favorite brands.”
Maki froze for a second. Nobara turned, there was nothing behind her causing that reaction? But when she faced her friend again, everything was alright with her, she staggered on.
“Maybe we should get bread from the kitchen,” she muttered, “Just in case.”
On the way to the training grounds they met their competition – Panda and Inumaki. These two were armed with nothing (Panda) and big gardening gloves + a cat transport box (Inumaki). Nothing was out of the ordinary, but Inumaki wore a hat, a cute knitted one. Nobara would steal that later.
“Very animal friendly of you,” Maki said pointing to their cat transport box.
They worked next to each other, Nobara was sent out for scouting closer to the forest, taking the curse cage with her, and Maki walked to every trash can and wanted to look inside the gardening shed, checking up on Fushiguro’s hint.
But Nobara got lucky. She saw Eugene…. He was rummaging through the compost (disguuuusting…), and she was able to sneak onto him, getting very close. And she thought raccoons were small, but this one was at least as big as a small dog, a Maltese maybe. She figured her box would do, she calibrated and decided to take her chance, the open side of the box rammed down onto it and yes! She had caught him.
The raccoon made a displeased nose, touching the bars, like a little prisoner, but then decided otherwise. She needed to only close it and everything would be fine… She tried to push the bar to shut, but the raccoon sat in the way and then decided to start digging his way out.
“No, you trashbear!!” she cried out, but he didn’t listen, digging deeper into the trash and a second later, she felt him skitter over her feet, which made her jump and emit a noise, a little screech.
With that Eugene was gone.
WEDNESDAY 11:09AM
Everyone but Fushiguro had been tired the next day. Most of them because they had been out and about the whole evening, and Yuuji due to his reaction.
But Nobara wasn’t tired, not really, she was just… confused. Maybe due to being tired?
After Eugene’s escape (the moment Nobara decided that the hunt would have to end deadly one for the intruder), Maki had come to help her, hearing her scream. Nobara had been embarrassed for a second, but the other girl hadn’t made fun of her. They went for a little break, drinking hot chocolate and tea, and this break turned into a two hour chat in the kitchen in the middle of the night, Nobara hidden in her blanket and Maki making new tea when needed.
They had talked about everything and nothing. About the third year students, about Okkotsu,and Maki even opened up and told her about Mai in a few little anecdotes. She had even asked about Nobara’s dates.
Nobara waved in dismissal. “Nothing good. What about you?”
“Me?” Maki asked incredulously, “I don’t go on dates.”
She had said that before, but Nobara had thought this had been a joke. Or a situational sentence, that she hadn’t gone onto dates during that time. But apparently she meant it.
“Why?”
“No time,” Maki said, “And no interest.”
“But it's fun,” Nobara said, “Getting to know new people and being in the city… I mean I understand your reasoning…”
Maki shrugged. “Yet you don’t seem too happy about it. And you've been very nervous before,” she said, “About your looks et cetera. Someone should appreciate you regardless. But it is… interesting with how great care you put into it.”
And then the topic had changed. But Nobara’s thoughts hadn’t. She needed information, and it was good that Toge was her friend.
Me: did you ever see maki go on a date?
She didn’t think she’d get a message immediately, so she turned her attention back to the remainder of class.
When lunch rolled around for them, Yuuji still contained in his room, with Fushiguro bringing him some food, Nobara was left all alone, so she checked her phone again
loml❤️: its been some time....... but i’ve seen her on a few dates before
but
She doesn’t really want to
anymore
Me: Yuuji and I are the only people in here that have game am I right
loml❤️: …
maybe
or had game I guess? Since yuuji is now married to fushiguro
Me: it would be so fushiguro to just get married and tell no one
loml❤️: But yuuji would want a big feast. I think just for him fushiguro would make an exeption and throw a big ass party.
Me: well then I am the only serial dater here
Such a burden to carry
loml❤️: poor little nobara uwu
me: stay mad
loml❤️: hoes mad (I am hoes)
It turned out that Nanami had acquired more traps to get the raccoon under wraps. He seemed to be the only adult caring for their student’s safety.
In the evening, she and Fushiguro visited Yuuji to eat some pizza together, the hunt would continue at night (Nanami had told them specifically to NOT hunt that thing down anymore, especially - and he reiterated that - especially not at night!).
“I have realized something today,” Yuuji had said, after he’d eaten half a slice of pizza (the toppings falling down on his plate) and halfway sat, halfway laid on his bed, hugging a pillow.
Fushiguro looked scared for his life. Before Nobara could cackle because of his misfortune, Yuuji in his feverish state continued.
“I have deduced,” he hiccupped, “That Gojo has been gone since Eugene has appeared.”
Fushiguro was relieved for a moment, and then sighed. “You’re suggesting-“
But Yuuji stopped him, trying to reach out for him, but missing by a landslide, arm just uselessly falling down to his side again. “No. I just think it is super suspicious. Just think of it. Gojo, the strongest sorcerer. Maybe it was a curse on him and now he is turned into a raccoon. OR he can shape shift. Like a werewolf. Wereraccoon? WERCOON!”
Nobara and Fushiguro were silently judging Yuuji. And Nobara had the high ground, since she was also able to judge Fushiguro for liking Yuuji. Idiots.
“Just think about it, I’m just saying,” Yuuji babbled on, “He must have something to do with that raccoon…”
“I think you should rest a bit longer,” Fushiguro said blankly, taking the pizza box from the bed, to put it on the table, “Your fever has gotten worse. Maybe you shouldn’t have run around without a jacket outside…”
“But it was important! Maki had forgotten her glasses! And someone needed to bring them to her.”
Fushiguro sighed and was looking at Nobara. “He found Ijichi’s glasses and brought them Maki.”
Yuuji whined. “A mistake that could happen to anyone. I had good intentions.”
“The best, I am sure,” Fushiguro said quietly, almost fondly, “We’ll let you sleep now, yes?” He looked at Nobara for confirmation.
“Sure, I still have Eugene to catch.”
When they left their classmate to his own devices (he was well cared for, water bottle next to him, a box with the rest of the pizza on his table), they heard the broken voice from Yuuji call out: “Come back, Megumi?”
Fushiguro turned, looked torn, but Nobara said: “See you later. Be a good –“ then she just waved, gesturing something she wasn’t sure of herself yet. She didn’t want to assume. Fushiguro was grateful for that as well, returning to Yuuji’s side to listen to more of his conspiracy theories, probably.
WEDNESDAY 08:20PM
Competition was laid aside when they saw what had happened in the kitchen.
A mess. Food splattered across the counters, containers spilled on the ground, noodles everywhere on the ground, cupboards opened, plastic packaging destroyed.
Team 1 and 3 decided to work together. Eugene had found a way in and had infiltrated their base. This had gotten too far.
Nanami, stressed, had begun his own search. He had contacted a pest controller, a guy from a big company that was summoned to come over and take care of this situation once and for all. And while Nanami waited for someone else to solve this problem, the students took it upon themselves. Even though their teacher explicitly told them not to (again). And Nanami really was a nice guy, Nobara liked seeing sorcerers that hadn’t gone off the deep end (yet), and he was reasonable and very intelligent. But also boring.
Inumaki was positioned in the kitchen, searching through every nook and cranny, no stone left unturned. Panda was dispatched to the cellar, while Maki and Nobara walked through the dormitory halls. They figured that Eugene didn’t want to go into the classrooms, there was no food there, but Nobara knew many students had precious reserves in their rooms (she feared for her secret stash).
Yaga had started to help, sending an army of plushies walking around, searching the housings for the intruder. It would’ve almost been comical, if food wasn’t on the line. Nobara hadn’t seen the movie, but Yuuji had told her about “Cemetery of the plushies”, maybe that would’ve been a nice sight to see for the film fanatic.
Nobara’s heart was relieved upon getting into her room with Maki and seeing her stash of sugary sweets untouched, thank god, and she would lock her room from now on, very tightly, doubly. Maki stopped Nobara before she closed the cupboard of her snacks, by saying her name. Nobara turned and saw that she was offered something.
A chocolate bar. Her favorite.
“Oh thank you!”
Maki nodded. “You don’t seem to have any anymore.”
“We can share!”
Maki seemed hesitant, but mere two minutes later they sat on the ground, hearing muffled, plushed footsteps outside, and shared the white chocolate Maki had brought.
And she even agreed: “You are right it is too good to be fed to a dirty raccoon.”
“Aren’t they known for being very clean?” Nobara wondered and somehow they got lost in the conversation from that point on.
They sat, waited for the exterminator to do his thing and they fell asleep, both on the ground, plastic packaging between them, forgotten and empty.
THURSDAY 06:40AM
Eugene had been found in the kitchen. After he’d attacked Inumaki again.
But to Nobara’s dismay (kind of), Inumaki had overpowered the raccoon, catching him and with only a few scratches on his arms and face. Eugene was taken by the exterminator. Apparently Nanami had found the two, Inumaki sitting on the kitchen floor, a hell of a mess around him, with Eugene in his lap, petting the little thing and muttering something. Eugene had been happy with belly scratches after eating all the onigiri ingredients he found. Safe to say, Nanami wasn't happy.
FIND EUGENE – DOA
loml❤️: well…
I did it
Was it worth it?
Hell no
Will I rub it into your faces till next week tops?
Hell yeah
Yuuj: shucks, well, at least this is over now
Panda: whoop whoop 🙌
Guess I was in the best team as always
loml❤️: naturally
I couldn’t have done it without you
Maki next to her chuckled. They’d woken up, everything was hurting on Nobaras side at least, the ground was too hard, next time they should just get to bed. Why hadn’t they done that? They never had sleepovers. The beds weren’t really made for that in mind, but they would both fit… Maybe close, but that wasn’t bad, not with Maki.
“Why do you have him saved as… this?”
“He did that,” Nobara explained, “I have a dumb name on his phone too. I try to give everyone I like a special name.” (He had saved her as Baestie , but she wouldn’t say that out loud without being paid for it.)
Maki seemed intrigued and/or confused.
“Besides Panda and Fushiguro,” Nobara explained, “Panda is just too good and Fushiguro doesn’t deserve it.”
“Do I have a special name?” Maki asked small.
“Yeah!” Nobara said, opening the chat, showing it to her, “The little sword.”
Even though it was something small, Maki seemed genuinely surprised.
It only took three hours for the next disaster to happen.
Nobara had just felt better, all joints at their right place again, and her schadenfreude upon seeing Inumaki’s face had been charged fully, when Nanami had walked into their breakfast ensemble, looking still very well put together, but there were cracks slowly forming and for all the world to see. His hair wasn’t made in a usual manner, rather disheveled, he didn’t wear his glasses, and his shirt wasn’t buttoned up completely, leaving the button on the top open.
“We’ve found more raccoons on the perimeter.”
Inumaki’s happiness was destroyed with this one sentence, Maki patted him on the back, indifferent.
“At least no cockroaches, right?” Yuuji asked, lying on the couch, he still was not up to the task to be with them, but he still wanted to, so he was placed on the couch to at least participate in talking.
Nanami shook his head. “We’ll evacuate tonight. Until tomorrow in the evening you will stay in a hotel in Tokyo. Ijichi will bring you there at 07:30AM. So pack your things, school is dismissed until further notice.”
So it seemed to be more dire than they had thought.
“Raccoon infestation, imagine that,” Yuuji said, “Revenge of the Eugene.”
“Maybe they’re his family, searching for him,” Panda wondered. But Nobara didn’t care about that. A night in a hotel in Tokyo! They could go out and party and see the city at night without an annoying Gojo around!
THURSDAY 10:00AM
After driving with the “family van” (the bigger car – for up to 9 people), which was Gojo’s favourite apparently, they were left to their own devices. Nanami had held them a monologue about what they weren’t allowed to do (Nobara hadn’t listened) and Ijichi just let them go after checking in, telling them he’d pick them up the next day and his number would be available all night, or Nanami’s.
Inumaki was rather down – Panda hadn’t been able to come with them. It was a heartbreaking scene they had played out, like leaving your best friend in the trenches in a war to run for your life. But Panda was the commander of the plush army, raging against the raccoons.
Yuuji at least was on Nobara’s wavelength, already planning what they could do – where to eat, where to shop, what places to visit.
They got three rooms – two for two and one with a big bed. Upon hearing that, Yuuji had looked at Fushiguro with glassy big eyes, until the other had caved in, saying: “Yeah, we can share a room,” as if it hadn’t been obvious. And Nobara and Maki would share the other, leaving the one with the big bed for Inumaki, who miraculously didn’t seem so down anymore.
With no chores to do or any homework or whatever, they enjoyed their day – it was much needed. So maybe Eugene and his friends and/or family had helped them. They strolled through the city, the markets, Nobara even bought a skirt with Maki (matching! After Maki had been rather uncharacteristically self conscious. She hadn’t wanted to buy anything, but had told Nobara that the one she had decided on looked good on her, to which Nobara told her she should try as well. So in the end they had the same skirt in different colors, Nobara’s was dark blue, whereas Maki’s was royal green.)
There was food eaten in a little corner restaurant, Fushiguro and Yuuji were almost glued together, and Nobara didn’t see it, but she was sure that they (or at least Yuuji tried to) hold hands under the table. They took some nice group pictures, but without Panda, it wasn’t really the same. They were out until the evening, then met in Inumaki’s room, playing a card game Yuuji had brought (apparently he hadn’t packed anything to sleep in, but a card game was his priority?...). Sitting together on the ground on the floor rug, they dealt their cards and played a few rounds.
Fushiguro and Yuuji always sat next to each other, Yuuji seeking closeness, whereas the black haired one seemed oblivious to that. After every round was won by Maki , Yuuji decided to change the game.
“We could play spin the bottle!” he called out, jumping up, “And raid the minibar.”
“Salmon!” Inumaki agreed.
Maki sighed next to Nobara again, helping Fushiguro clean up the card mess. “Nanami said no alcohol.”
“Nanami won’t know.”
“They pay this hotel,” Maki said, now all cards back in their packaging, “Gojo would let that slide, but Nanami… never.”
Nobara shrugged. “We can say, it was Yuuji alone.”
Maki sent a grin her way, a cunning one, teeth almost flashing. “Good idea.”
It was small, but praise from Maki was always well received.
“Hey, not against me now!” Yuuji whined, falling back down on the carpet, leaning on Fushiguro, “Also I know that Gojo handles the finances.”
“He does?” Fushiguro asked with a raised eyebrow. Yuuji nodded earnestly.
Inumaki didn’t even listen anymore, he was already at the little mini fridge, taking out an assortment of drinks, fruity alcoholic beverages and some snacks. Everyone decided on their favorite (or what seemed to be the best). Nobara chose a boring looking one, but thought that it couldn’t be too bad (it was bad). Maki also didn’t seem to be happy with her drink, so they exchanged and everyone was happy.
“Sooo no spin the bottle?” Yuuji asked for confirmation, his drink already half empty.
“You just want to kiss Fushiguro,” Maki stated, Inumaki snickered, eating some of the chips, “Also some of us are related to each other, you weirdo.”
Fushiguro sighed.
“And would that not be weird? You’re together, so you shouldn’t kiss anyone else, or is that your thing?” Maki asked, Nobara caught off guard. Oh, she had stated it, even Inumaki looked up with interest.
“That’s the rule! If my bottle lands on someone else I don’t kiss them (besides Fushiguro), but I tell them who they need to kiss (besides Fushiguro).”
Their circle was silent.
“You just thought of that yourself because you want to kiss Fushiguro,” Maki stated again, growing bored.
“Can we stop with that?” Fushiguro asked, embarrassed.
Maki wasn’t bored anymore, since hearing that. She asked, in a teasing manner: “So only Inumaki, Nobara and I play and you watch us, you creep?”
Inumaki signed something, but didn’t know the right words himself, so he added: “Mustard leaf.”
Maki nodded, then shrugged. “I guess.”
Fushiguro stopped working. He froze, just looked at Maki, like a stone statue. Yuuji, in the same boat as Nobara, hadn't understood whatever had happened there, asking: “What?”
“Nothing,” Maki said, grinning, sipping her beer.
But Fushiguro was out on revenge, it seemed, maybe that was what alcohol did to him. They hadn’t drunk much, and Fushiguro especially had not, but maybe it was enough for him. “I understood.”
“Good for you,” Maki said. Inumaki laughed, returned to eating his chips.
Yuuji inched closer, sitting by Fushiguros side, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear: “What did he say?”
Inumaki took mercy, signing it slower for Yuuji, and Nobara now took care to look more carefully.
>>Kiss Maki<< was all she got, and her fellow first year student apparently also only got these words.
“I should kiss Maki? That’s against the rules.”
Fushiguro sighed again. Poor guy. Inumaki shook his head, pointing to himself.
“You want to kiss her? But you have to spin the bottle first,” Yuuji exclaimed, still not up to speed (well neither was Nobara, but she was able to hide that fact).
Fushiguro hid his face in his hands. Embarrassed or emotionally exhausted, or both maybe.
Inumaki had the time of his life, but Maki had enough of it. “We have already.”
Yuuji’s head turned to her. “What? When? How? And... why?”
Nobara would like to know as well! All of that and more! She sent Inumaki one of her signature death glares, how could he keep something like that from her?!
Maki’s beer was already empty, second to Yuuji with emptying her drink. “Don’t remember,” she shrugged, “Was rather uneventful.”
Inumaki acted offended. >>I thought we had something special.<<
“I hate raccoons,” Fushiguro muttered from behind his hands. But everyone knew these were just empty words, that big softie liked every animal.
Inumaki offered new drinks to anyone who had finished with theirs and Maki decided to give them the story, with Inumaki embellishing it with details.
“It was when we were your age,” Maki began, Inumaki already signing >>very long ago, mom and dad have met in the school you attend as well<<.
“In our first year, we’ve also hung out with the older ones and had parties and whatnot.”
>>We are very cool.<<
“And everyone was like: Oh, Maki, you and Toge would fit together so well,” Maki recalled, giving them another voice, a high pitched annoying one.
>>Toge is such a good catch, they said,<< Toge signed, >>So handsome and thoughful.<<
Maki smacked him and shook her head. “You know when someone tells you a lie so often that you believe them?”
>>It was love at first sight.<<
It was hard for Nobara’s brain, especially with her second drink (maybe some kind of prosecco), to keep up with the different styles of communication.
“And somehow I had like two weeks where I really believed that.”
>>We were pining from afar.<<
“So I asked him out.”
>>It was very scary.<<
A blank look was sent Inumaki’s way by Maki: “Now you turn on me.”
Inumaki decided to not say something he wanted to say, just smiled, and ate another chip.
“Yeah, well then we kissed. Thanks for listening,” Maki ended the story.
Yuuji threw his hands in the air, almost hitting Fushiguro in that movement, but the black haired one was faster, probably used to Yuuji’s outburst taking a bodily approach, and could evade. “That’s it??”
Maki rolled her eyes. Nobara had never heard this story before, not one part of it, and she wouldn’t think of them fitting together. Weird, but maybe because she knew them in a completely different environment.
“Well, I would need like three more beers to compliment Inumaki, and he isn’t my type.”
Yuuji dramatically leaned on Fushiguro, whispering something, and Fushiguro didn’t change his facial expression.
Nobara didn’t know what to say and drinking her prosecco or whatever suddenly was a very good task. Inumaki was kind of cute, not her type as well, but she could see the appeal, but then.. What was Maki’s type?...
THURSDAY 10:00PM
It took the first real kiss (it was a peck BUT IT WAS INITIATED BY FUSHIGURO MEGUMI or an imposter…) between Yuuji and Fushiguro that caused Inumaki to usher them all out of his room. Well, that and the many beers they had drunk until the minibar looked very empty.
Yuuji was drunk, Fushiguro was quiet, but helping Yuuji walk, almost hanging on the black haired one. And Nobara felt a bit dizzy, but it wasn’t worth mentioning. Maki seemed normal, as had Inumaki.
They said good night with many hugs from Yuuji going around, who was terribly clingy, before they could really part. After her and Maki’s night routines, they laid in their separate bed. Lights off, ready to sleep. But Nobara wasn’t tired.
“If Inumaki isn’t your type…?” Nobara began whispering, and waiting for some answer before continuing.
“Then?”
“What is your type?”
She grunted a laugh. “Girls.”
Ah. That made sense. Nobara nodded to herself. But then realization set in: “I am girls.”
This time she got a richer laugh from the darkness next to her. “Girls who had too much to drink.”
FRIDAY 07:01 AM
She woke up alone the next morning. Maki had made her own bed and had left a note, looking hastily written: “getting breakfast with fushiguro & itadori, check up on inumaki?”
She stretched and got ready. Maybe she took a bit more time than usual, it was still vacation, right? So half an hour after her getting ready to head out of her room, they still weren’t back. She hadn’t checked her phone, the battery was empty, so she just sneaked up to Inumaki’s luxurious room, knocked and waited. Nothing.
If she was honest, what did she expect? Inumaki normally opened the door for her, but maybe he was still sleeping? She knocked again.
Nothing. Maybe he was hungover?.... She tried the door handle, and the door wasn’t locked. So… she peaked in. It was dark, the red curtains drawn shut. The empty bottles stood on the little fridge, and there was something in the bed. She sneaked up, closing the door behind her.
“Inumaki?” she asked, quietly. Then, she went up completely. Maybe he’d drunk too much? She sat down on the bed, next to her friend hidden in two blankets, only his head poking out, still sleeping, yes she had checked his breathing.
“Wouldn’t it be embarrassing for the prodigy of the Inumaki clan to die from alcohol poisoning?” she asked quietly, petting the hair away from his forehead. It was their little joke, Nobara had thought Toge belonged to the array of weird family drama surrounding the Jujutsu world, and upon learning quite the opposite, or something whatever, Nobara still didn’t understand completely, they’d just run with it.
Inumaki made a little noise, but didn’t wake.
She still wasn’t sure how early it was, it felt entirely too early, for vacation! She searched for his phone, laying on the nightstand, pressing the little button, lighting up the clock laughing at her at 07:09AM. And an array of messages. She shot him a side glance, this weirdo was more popular than her?
“Toge?” she asked more loudly, “The others are waiting for us with food.”
Toge made a grumbled noise and Nobara would jot that down as a win. And an eye was opened.
“Hm,” Toge made, then with widened eyes sat up and in the process headbutted into Nobara’s chin. Calming down from that early violence, with the pain subsiding, she glared at him.
“What was that about?” she asked, “Seeing this pretty face in the morning should be a religious experience.”
He chuckled, a soundless laugh, shaking his head and grabbing his phone, looking at something, then exhaling a sigh in relief, putting the phone down, falling back into the bed.
“Something wrong?”
He shook his head, gave her a smile.
“Bonito flakes,” he said.
“Thought you did some embarrassing drunk texting?” she laughed at him, then remembered that she had been drunk… talking? Recalling that, and realizing something.
“Inumaki?”
The disheveled head of hair looked cute on him, but she knew that this was a ruse. Inumaki was not cute at all. She wanted to ask something, no she rather wanted to know. There were many questions, first, was she undateable? Why was everyone getting their loved one (well not really, if she thought about it for more than one second, but Fushiguro and Yuuji were in her line of sight and a sore sight at that…), and she was left behind? And then… Why hadn’t she thought of dating girls? When Maki had said that the day before, that she only did so, then… Why had it clicked so much with her? And then.. how could everyone in their group of friends be… not straight?
Inumaki still waited for her to continue.
“Nah, it’s okay, get dressed, the others are getting breakfast.”
She needed to get her answers later.
FRIDAY 11:59AM
Nanami felt terrible. He hadn’t slept. The whole night, he’d been running around the grounds of the school, cursing Gojo for taking this time to be unavailable again, so that everything fell back onto him.
Ieiri hadn’t been of any help. She had barricaded herself in the infirmary, under the guise to wait there for potential victims of attacks, then she had thrown the door closed in his face.
The principal had sent his unsettling creations to roam the halls. Though their creator may have had faith in them, Nanami had caught some of them causing more ruckus, beating each other up or just walking around aimlessly.
They had completed their task, his company's former pest exterminator had been rather shaken upon seeing the “animatronics” walking around, trying to catch these raccoons, but he’d seen worse (the big silverfish drama of 2016 would haunt his dreams for years to come). And with combined efforts, the raccoons had been caught, and the exterminators would set them free far, far away.
The worst of it: There were only 6 of them. Two big ones and four small ones, and then there was “Eugene”, but they would be reunited. Many hundred kilometers away from the school.
His workday ended with seeing the big pest van drive away, and sending Ijichi to pick up the students. He wanted to go home, but there was still so much to do. He told Ieiri of what had happened and she gave him a thumbs up and went for a smoke, both very half heartedly. There were a few plushies to be collected, some imbued with too little or too much energy, nothing dangerous, just annoying.
And then the students came back. Inumaki looked sick, Kugisaki lost in serious thoughts, like he’d never seen her in school, Maki was normal, but… Yuuji was overly happy, this was normal too. Fushiguro stood behind Kugisaki still talking to Ijichi about the raccoons, the student looked tired and jumbled-up.
There was a great reunion with Panda, as if they hadn’t seen each other less than 24 hours ago, with Yuuji even starting to tear up. Nanami would’ve thought that the excitement would be the biggest with Inumaki, but the mostly silent student just looked like death, seconds away from needing to throw up.
This was the moment Nanami sensed something. A realization that slowly set in: They had broken the rules.
It was clear as day, if he hadn’t been so tired, he’d seen it immediately. He hated missing sleep, if he worked, he wanted to do a good job, even if he hated the work, he did the best he could so no overtime was needed.
Giving everyone a second glance, he saw his mistakes.
Inumaki was rather green in the face, and upon closer examination, he leaned on Panda, who didn’t pay him any mind, but watched Kugisaki with great interest. She was still somewhere in her own head, kind of dazed. Maki still, upon second evaluation was normal, nothing worrying happening with her. Yuuji was grinning like he’d won the lottery but his eyes had eyebags as big as Nanami’s felt after that night.
Fushiguro was the biggest offender. Hair a mess, face didn’t betray anything with his usual blank expression, but his neck … a bruise horribly similar to a hickey poked out, as if laughing at Nanami’s face.
Nanami Kento had strong beliefs. He didn’t believe in chastising a bunch of teenagers for going off the rocks or whatever they called it these days. He understood the situation, they had sent them away, and the students had at least consumed alcohol (clear as day with Inumaki), probably stayed on their phone all night (Kugisaki?), hadn’t slept for the full 8 hours as needed (Itadori) and doing whatever Fushiguro had done to get this … thing on his neck. It was dark purple, Nanami had seen curses and even worse things (Gojo in different states of undress for example), so he averted his gaze. Choosing peace for once.
Gojo should take care of that.
But he would either give them high fives and congratulate them or taunt them. That wasn’t fair, they were just a bunch of teenagers still. Nanami decided he would just give them a one on one, ask them if everything was okay and still tell them that he was disappointed they had broken the rules. He could find a middle way to say that.
“HA! Nice hickey, Megumi-chan!”
Nanami’s as well as Fushiguro’s head snapped to Gojo getting out of a car with Nitta. Speaking of the devil… The businessman sighed. He still had his old boss's number. He could always call and jump right back into doing mundane business, far away from Gojo and his antics, he could save up and just run away.
Gojo swaggered over, tried to throw an arm around Fushiguro, who stepped away, so Gojo settled on Itadori.
“What did I miss?” Gojo asked, grinning at them. Nitta didn’t look happy as well, gaze flitting between Ijichi and Nanami, as if trying to get information without using words.
Panda stood up straighter, almost putting Inumaki off balance, but catching him by throwing an arm around him as well, a very clever maneuver. “Everything was all right. The raccoons are eliminated.”
Gojo crackled a laugh. “That’s a new saying,” he started to annoy Nanami already.
Ijichi, bless him, jumped in, explaining the situation rather nervously. Gojo’s grin got wider, so Nanami turned to the kids. “You’re dismissed. I’ll talk to you later. Especially Inumaki and Fushiguro.”
They moved as a unit, leaving Itadori behind with the adults, still in Gojo’s death grip.
“So you decided to get shit faced?” Gojo laughed, “Like we did when we were younger, Kenny! Remember that night in the old barnhouse where you and my fav-“
“This is over now. I am going home,” Nanami interrupted. It was not nice to interrupt people. But Gojo barely counted as a person.
He needed to get back home, get some sleep and rethink his life choices.
FRIDAY 04:29PM
Nobara thought about it a lot. About dating women. Sometimes driving off to thinking about dating Maki. She’d once said she wanted to date something stronger than her. So she would stay single, in Nobaras not so humble opinion. Maybe this Okkotsu weirdo was strong, but stronger than Maki? Impossible.
Momo? No, she even lost against Nobara, who counts herself as strong. She thought she was stronger than Inumaki but less strong than Itadori… Maybe she needed to reevaluate that ranking. But there weren't many others… Or maybe someone from the year above them? Nobara didn’t know the people, but if they wanted Inumaki to date Maki… There couldn’t be anyone for Maki…
Fushiguro always roamed the halls – either doing laundry or getting a new book from the little library they had, or on his way to a run, but that day, nothing… He had lamented about Yuuji being a drunk snorer and keeping him up all night, to which Maki and Inumaki (even though the latter regretted it immediately shown by his uneasy impression) loudly made fun of that phrasing. Fushiguro’s face, red like a tomato, looked to Nobara for help.
She hadn’t helped him. How could she? He had dug his grave while dating Yuuji, now he needed to lay in it.
Inumaki was sick and sleeping again, so she couldn’t annoy him. Yuuji was annoying, and would probably only talk about “Megumi this, Fushiguro that, have you SEEN the eyelashes?” and Panda… Mh, maybe she could hang out with Panda?
Sure Maki was on her mind as a hangout partner always, but… she didn’t want to overstep her welcome, they’d share the room that day and been together the whole day (with the others) and Maki seemed like a person wanting private time a lot.
So Nobara decided to just walk out of her room, into the common area. No one was there, but from the kitchen she could hear someone doing things. Peaking in carefully (if it was Gojo trying to cook again, she needed to run), she saw Maki, who looked at her.
She was bad at peeking.
“Hi,” Nobara said, stepping in, seeing Maki’s creation, she had cooked noodles with some kind of curry.
“Hey,” Maki said, turning, getting a plate, then asking, “Already up again? Wanna eat too?”
Nobara decided, yes it was time to eat something, they sat down opposite each other, ready with their food that Maki brought them and Nobara stared at her. She knew she did, yet she couldn’t stop.
“Do I have something on my face? I haven’t even started eating yet.” Maki said, an amused edge on it.
“No, I just thought about … things.”
“Aha.”
While starting to eat, Maki always found the right balance between spicy and enjoyable, Nobara asked: “Do you think Yuuji and Fushiguro are dating? They haven’t negated it yesterday.”
Maki chuckled, “Sure, have you seen the… monstrosity on his neck this morning? Looks like he lost a fight against a vacuum cleaner.”
“Eww,” Nobara said, “I hate this somehow.”
“That you’re in their class and they are a unit now?”
“Well kinda,” she replied, “They both wouldn’t like to leave me out of things that aren’t their dates, I guess… But… It's sad.”
Maki seemed more invested now: “That Itadori gets a boyfriend before you?” She cocked an eyebrow.
“Nah, that’s fine, maybe. He just has no taste.”
Maki bellowed a laugh, but then, when Nobara watched her from the sidelines for a while, added: “And you have great taste.”
“Yeah I do.”
“Mhm,” Maki made, not convinced at all, “Tell me about it. The guy you went on a date with who showed you his sneaker collection? Or the other that had a dead lobster in his backpack just without any package?”
Nobara sighed, “Good – but-“
Maki interrupted her: “Or the guy who stood you up after he thought he was a better sorcerer?” She seemed more angry, “And the one I still want to beat up for not paying and expecting you to pay for his stupid expensive meal.”
“Okay, that was my dignity,” Nobara muttered, but it wasn’t that bad. Well thinking back on it, it was bad.
“But I have good taste now,” Noabra said, “It formed over time.”
Maki was propped up on her elbows, “Shoot, who’s your next date?” waiting for her to fail probably and say something crazy like… Todo or something.
Nobara used that perfect transition: “I thought we could go on one.”
Maki froze, didn’t even blink anymore. So much for being bold. Nobara had eaten up, maybe she should go and let this rest. “Well, I guess that was a no, so I-“
“No,” Maki said standing up.
“Yeah, I got that,”
“No,” Maki interrupted, sighing, sitting down again, almost slumping.
Nobara felt a little question mark forming above her head like she was a nintendogs dog not understanding the input through the shitty microphone. She should check up on hers, they were probably dirty or dead. Or both.
Great. Maki just said no to a date with her and she thought about nintendogs. What was happening? Maybe she just tried to deflect and get her attention on anything else, so she wouldn’t be … sad about that. She had halfway meant it as a joke, but seeing that Maki wasn’t interested still hurt.
“I wanted to ask you first,” Maki said, looking at her, “I had something planned.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Nobara felt herself grin like Yuuji had done that morning. “What did you plan?”
“It’s a surprise, if you still are in on it?” Maki asked, biting on her lip.
Was she… For the first time… Hesitant? And scared of… Nobara….?
“Hell, yes!” Nobara said.
“Good, yes,” Maki said, uncharacteristically aviding a gaze, cleaning up, “You’ll see it then soon.”
SATURDAY 02:10PM
Maki wanted her to come get groceries. They had a little list from Yuuji and Inumaki with out of this world demands of things they should magically procure, but other than that it was harmless.
Nobara had been on guard the last hours, waiting for the big question. It was like having a hunch for getting the “will you marry me” question, seeing things at every corner and knowing it’ll happen soon. Not that that ever happened personally to her, but she watched enough shows.
But Maki was normal, stoic, nothing out of the ordinary. Until they didn’t go the normal route, Maki saying: “Let’s take this shortcut.”
Normally they walked by the street, until the little shop was in sight, and now Maki wanted to walk through the forest… Luckily Nobara had opted for sneakers that day, they crossed through the mossy ground and crunching grass under their feet, making fun of Fushiguro and gossiping about him having to have “the talk” with Nanami (Both looked like they had hated it).
Nobara didn’t realize that they had arrived.
Not at the shop, but at a mall.
Her excitement was gone in a second. It was an abandoned mall. Creepy. (There was a second where she questioned, maybe that was Maki’s idea for a date - exorcizing a curse?...)
“Let’s check it out?” Maki said, a bit shaky. Nervous.
Ooooh, Nobara grinned, nodding. As if she’d say no to Maki.
They breached through a broken window, slipped carefully inside.
And were standing in an arcade. A few machines were broken beyond repair, probably none of them working. Maki cleared her throat, walking over to a machine, looking at it curiously.
It was whack a mole. Well not really, the part where “mole” was supposed to stand, a little paper was stuck over it, reading “PANDA”, so… whack a panda?
Maki gave her a little squishy hammer. “Up for a round?”
Nobara took it, it was light, she would need time to adjust, “As if that thing works.”
Maki pressed the button. It lit up. It really worked. A little panda head looked up from one of the holes, and Nobara missed it, it was gone in a second.
Her anger was inflamed, she nodded at Maki and they hacked at the little panda appearances. They didn’t look the same, every one of them was personalized. One wore a bow, another a little bell around the neck. One grinned, another cried. It was cute.
They got a score of 254 after the timer. A high five was exchanged and another round started.
- 298, and then the whooping score of 303.
Maki had brought some chocolate and smoothies, both sitting down on an old kart racing arcade machine, sharing the food.
“I thought this would be a good idea, since you still wanted revenge on Panda after he ate the muffins you made for Inumaki’s birthday.”
Nobara laughed. She’d already forgotten about it.
They stayed there the whole afternoon, only deciding to walk back once the sun was already setting, Nobara confused that they hadn’t brought anyone anything from the shops, Maki explaining that she had tasked Inumaki with it anyway. (So they all knew and had still written a list…?) And Nobara was grinning the whole way. In her dating experience, this was a full win. She had fun, could let out her violence, and there even were snacks! And funny banter with Maki, so… A perfect experience. She wouldn’t have thought she’d like a date at an abandoned arcade, but oh well…
Maki got more nervous the closer they got back to the school grounds, and Nobara thought it was cute. Maki showed how she was affected like that, but Nobara didn't tease her. It started snowing again, Nobara dug her hands deeper into her jacket’s pockets. When arriving at the grounds, no one was around to be seen, everyone probably cooped up in various blankets in their rooms. Maki awkwardly shifted, when they took off their jackets inside, Nobara could peek inside the common room, where nothing was happening, no one was around.
“Eh – Nobara?” Maki got her attention, “Want to watch a movie?”
“Yes!”
They secured snacks, and went for the cellar, looking in (also no one here – weird… normally this was a highly frequented location in the evening…). Maki chose a movie – an animated one Nobara had never heard of. They shared popcorn, Maki sometimes turned her attention back to the movie’s details, it seemed to be a favourite of hers, and Nobara just sat back, relaxed, their thighs were touching, since Maki sat cross-legged. The end of the movie was a tad too sad for Nobara’s liking, but she saw how it was needed, looking at Maki when the credits rolled, who was still transfixed on the screen.
“It was good,” Nobara said, stupsing her, “The movie, but also the whole day, thank you.”
Maki turned now, a small smile on her face. “I think the same.”
“Next time I can take you out!” Nobara said, making Maki flinch (due to the volume?), so she added, “If you’d like.”
“Very much.”
That whole evening, she couldn't get rid of a smile and a new feeling bubbling up in her stomach - she had done it! A good date at last, and one with someone so dear to her.
SUNDAY 09:22 AM
She knocked on Inumaki’s door. Maki was out, jogging with Fushiguro. And it was time to update her friend.
He opened the door and looked terrible.
“You look terrible,” she stated her thoughts. Inumaki’s hair was ruffled, and he wore mismatched clothes, but let Nobara in. He seemed to have slept just until that moment, his bed wasn’t made. He sat down, yawned, and put a blanket around himself, then looked at Nobara expectantly.
“I had a date.”
>>You don’t say.<< Inumaki signed and grinned.
“It was good. And now I need an idea for another one.”
Inumaki looked taken aback for a second, then added: >>That’s good. I'm happy. For you.<<
They talked through some ideas, did some brainstorming, but in the end Inumaki fell asleep again, and Nobara took pity on him, putting blankets on him and leaving for the day.
SUNDAY 05:30PM
When Fushiguro entered his own room, he was met with a head of pink hair snapping to look at him.
“Megumi!” Yuuji called out, jumping up from the chair, walking over to hug his boyfriend, “I missed you.”
“I just went showering,” Megumi said, but couldn’t put any bite into that sentence. Yuuji gave him the shortest, but softest peck on the lips, before looking at him.
“The tea?” Yuuji asked.
Fushiguro, confused, “You want tea?”
“Yes.”
“I can… bring you some.”
“No – I mean the proverbial tea.” Yuuji said, smiling fondly.
Fushiguro waited for an explanation. Their foreheads were touching and he was able to look into the other’s eyes.
“The date!” Yuuji finally explained, “What did Maki tell you?”
“Oh,” Fushiguro understood, “I can’t tell, yet.”
“But –“ Yuuji began, “I’m – It’s just me.”
“She’s going to kill me,” he said, but caved in rather fast, when met with Yuuji's puppy eyes. Megumi decided to give him a few scraps of information for the exchange of a pinky promise to not tell anyone ever over his dead body even.
MONDAY 06:01AM
Inumaki Toge liked sleeping in, staying in bed until midday, playing on his phone or reading a book or taking care of his Animal Crossing village (where only bears lived, for Panda). But he also liked waking early, seeing the sun come out, seeing the messages Yuuta had sent him early, going out, being productive or enjoying the quiet.
But he didn’t like being woken. At all. He let it slide if it was Panda or Nobara, but other than that – there was no one who was allowed to do that.
This morning he woke up with a start. Someone whispered. “Sorry Inumaki – I need to hide here.”
He opened an eye to see Yuuji barricading his door with a chair. What the hell.
“I made a mistake,” Yuuji explained happily after building his barricade, hiding by the wall, pressed up against it. “I’m not here.”
Inumaki laid down on the pillow, tried to fall back asleep. It would’ve been successful, if there hadn’t been a clack – and a whoosh of wind coming in, almost slapping him in the face.
When he opened his eyes he saw Maki standing in the middle of his room, armed, the window stood open, useless. Inumaki hid in the blankets.
“Kugisaki is too lenient with you,” Maki almost growled, “This time you will pay.”
She stepped closer, “Why do you spread rumours about me and her? To Gojo of all people… He has been non-stop annoying me since yesterday.”
Yuuji tried getting the chair away, scared words being jumbled out, “I – listen- it was Sukuna, it was not my fault. He is – he likes to put his nose in things he shouldn't… You know, he’s a curse, they do cursed things…”
Inumaki sat up again. He didn’t want to witness a murder – not in his own room, especially not at six in the morning.
“Salmon,” Inumaki said.
Maki turned and threw him a death glance. This moment was the one Yuuji used to slip out.
“This little – raccoon!” Maki decided and ran after him.
So Inumaki was left alone in his room, window and door open, sadness only leaving when a message popped up on his phone.
Yuuta: Good morning Toge!
How are you?
(And also: Should I be concerned? Why is Gojo sending me his last will?
What is happening?)
??:?? AM/PM ??
“Watching them run after each other and try to take revenge always puts me in a melancholic mood,” Gojo said, “They grow up so fast.”
Nanami ignored him, but Ieiri was apparently in the mood to amuse him, adding: “You just like seeing the world burn.”
“Ah, don’t flatter me too much,” Gojo said, waving at her, and due to this she also ignored him, rather opting to drag on her cigarette. Nanami had wanted to accompany her, it was important to have a good relationship with your colleagues (minus Gojo), but the menace had joined them outside, far off from the main building, sharing a bench.
Ieiri watched two squirrels chasing each other on a tree nearby. Gojo was following her gaze, then something was crinkling. The man with the sunglasses had taken out a little bag, throwing little pebbles of food in the direction of the two squirrels. They could watch the little mammals cautiously get close to the offered pebbles, stealing a few before running off to probably hide and forget them somewhere.
“I love feeding the animals around here,” Gojo said, “They’re so peaceful.”
Ieiri smiled, small and hidden, and continued watching the squirrels. But Nanami wasn’t fooled.
“Which animals exactly do you feed?” Nanami asked, the worst feeling setting in.
“Bird, squirrels, I’ve seen a red panda around, or maybe it was a fox, I don't remember.” Gojo answered almost proudly, “Too bad the raccoons are gone, they were the funniest.”
Ieiri let her cigarette fall, taking a few seconds to step on it, putting it out. “You did what?”
“The racoons, I’ve fed them,” Gojo said, not feeling Ieiri’s whole manner changing, into something dark and menacing, “They were so cute, little baby racoons, I couldn't leave them out here by themselves, could I? Without food and shelter, they would’ve died. I even installed a cat door, so that they could get into the school at night.”
Nanami stood as well, adjusting his glasses. Looking at his clock, it was stuck. Next to him he could hear Ieiri cracked her knuckles.
Gojo chuckled a nervous laugh. “Guess I’m needed elsewhere?”
“No, no, don’t worry, we just need to talk,” Ieiri said, a sickly sweet smile painting her features, changing her expression into something unhinged.
There was no one coming to save Gojo now.