Archive of Our Own

Nobara didn't think it was that bad, to be honest.

Okay. She has never driven nails into her own arms for fun, but at the moment she was so charged with adrenaline that she barely felt the pain. Never underestimate her. She may not have the gorilla strength that Yuji has. Or the Megumi's shikigami. But she's strong. She doesn't hesitate. She didn't think twice before using resonance on herself, something inside her screaming that it would work.

She barely felt her flesh being torn away. A smile crept across her face as those curse users went into agony. They wanted to hurt them, so it was only fair that they suffered. Or so she convinced herself. It wasn't their fault.

She didn't feel the pain. She feels it now, though. It's like her arm is soaked in hot iron, rising with a blistering throbbing that makes everything in her stomach turn and wants to leave.

Shoko-san said it would hurt a little for the first few days. But she didn't specify how much and now Nobara really regrets not taking those weird painkillers she offered her.

She watches her own bandaged arm with a scowl. There is a strange wetness around the wounds and she simply hates it.

She hates that she still came out so wounded. It's a sorcerer's life. She knows she needs to get stronger. She will get stronger.

The girl lets out a sigh of frustration. Her head can't calm down. She won't sleep tonight. Adrenaline. Pain. And restlessness. Not a good combination.

Nobara throws her feet out of bed. Moving her arm brings a few warm tears that she refuses to shed. The floor is quite cold under her feet, which makes her assume it must be late.

It's not wise. They all went through hell tonight. They deserved a rest. She doesn't want to care anyway.

She stops in front of Yuji's door and knocks with her good arm a few times.

"Oi. Are you awake?" There is a sound like something falling to the floor that sounded a lot like a body and then footsteps. Nobara watches the door open to find a tall boy with black hair. Her eyes slowly lift up only to find Megumi with a raised eyebrow.

All right they were terrible at disguising how much they were head over heels for each other but she hoped they were at least a little more discreet.

"We thought you were already asleep." He has the decency to look embarrassed as she enters the room, without asking if she could.

Itadori is sprawled on the bed, his hair looks a mess, as the usual. There are cookies and some snacks around him as well as soda cans. It's a mess and she doesn't care. Nobara simply sinks down next to him. Her head falling into the stupidly soft pillows.

The air here is cool, but still warm for the summer night and it feels quite comfortable. At least she can stop thinking here.

"Shoko-san said we shouldn't bother you."  Yuji completed as he flipped through the movie catalog on the television, but not before stroking her hair with his hand gently, as if caressing a baby bird. A gesture Nobara would have growled at if she had the presence of mind to do so.

She just lets out the air between her teeth this time. Apparently, they were going to watch a horror movie tonight.

"It hurts too much to sleep." She didn't want to make that admission. But at the same time it hurts too much for her to even care. Yuji frowns and his eyes actually glow in the darkness of the room. It's kind of touching how concerned he looks.

"I'm sorry, Kugisaki. If I had thought of something faster..." She bangs her head against his shoulder hard, hard enough to make him hiss. She's not in the mood to tolerate Yuji's hero complex.

"If it wasn't for you carrying me I'd have died back there." Another thing she didn't want to admit. But fuck it. It's the truth.

"Coke or Sprite, Kugisaki?" Fushiguro asked as he held up the two little cans. He has a bandage around his head, but overall he looks pretty good for someone who was passed out in the mud a few hours ago. Nobara nodded to Sprite and he promptly grabbed a straw for her.

They settle in then. Yuji on her left side. Megumi on her right side. She doesn't even need a blanket because these guys look like two furnaces. And it's like... It's like so many things make sense.

She takes a deep breath for a moment and the pain seems a little more bearable.

Noabara hates to admit it. She really hates how vulnerable she seems in these moments. How easily malleable. But they...They're the best thing that has ever happened to her in a long time. These two oblivious idiots who will one day get married and have two golden retrievers are the best friends she could possibly ask for. They are the people she has learned to love.

Home.

Just sitting here and watching some dumb horror movie that Yuji selected, eating crap, and listening to their breathing. It's like everything comes down to this.

No curses. There are no mutilated arms. There's no rope wrapped around her best friend's neck. There's just them. Their dumb jokes. Their laughter. Yuji's failed attempts at trying to fix her hair and the cute way Megumi always painted her nails perfectly.

She really hadn't expected it. When she set foot in Tokyo and got her first look at those two. She didn't expect them to grow on her so much.

They sank so firmly. Pulling her into this bubble of calm that was their relationship. In a world so chaotic and so grotesque...She had them.

Her eyes get wet for a moment, and she is forced to take a sip of her sprite to keep tears from welling up. Shit...They really need to act like normal teenagers more often.

They really needed a break after all that.

"Do you guys think we can make it to the beach this weekend?" The idea slides off her tongue so easily and the two boys stare at her with smooth curiosity as she leans over to steal a cookie from Yuji's hand.

"Like beach beach?" Itadori asks and Nobara has to hold back the urge to roll her eyes.

"You know sand, sea...Even an idiot like you knows what beach is." Yuji pouts with the reply which makes her chuckle softly before rubbing his hair with her good hand.

"It's almost too cold to get into the sea." Megumi adds reflexively, but Nobara just shrugs. They deserved it. After all they'd been through the past few weeks they certainly deserved a few days out.

A little sun on the face, salt water, sea air, seagulls, and refreshing foods maybe.

"It could be fun. We could even invite the second-year students too." Now she can almost see Megumi raising his eyebrows. Itadori isn't as observant as he is so he just nods in agreement. Fushiguro wouldn't dare say anything though.

Especially since Megumi was in Itadori's room before she arrived for starters.

But he certainly thinks. And the thought is loud enough.

You don't exactly want the second-years, you want her.

But Nobara pushes the thought away like an annoying little gnat. She doesn't want to think about it today. She's had enough of analyzing her own feelings for one night.

She wants to stay and watch that awful movie and probably sleep comfortably with her head on Megumi's shoulder because he has good shoulders to sleep on.

"I think that's a good idea, Kugisaki." She smiles then. Yuji just got his entire chin dirty by turning the chips bag into his mouth.

"Are you sure you want this one? We can get you a better one." She murmurs to Megumi and the boy's eyes widen before blushing to the tip of his ears. It's cute how he looks so stoic all the time and then she just has to hint at something to get him to go tomato.

"What?" The other boy asks with his mouth full and Nobara actually rolls her eyes this time. One day who knows, maybe Megumi will get the guts to tell him. And then he'll realize that Itadori is as much of a gay ass as he is.

Itadori finally decides on the first Friday the 13th. They liked those trashy movies. They were fun to watch.

Yuji's bedside clock alerts her, it's 3:14 in the morning. Great moment.

She settles better between the pillows and then lays her head on Fushiguro's shoulder. He smells a little minty now, probably from some lotion for sore muscles, but it doesn't really bother her. It calms her mind. More than she'd like to admit. She closes her eyes and sleep seems to creep under her senses, coming in gentle waves, licking her feet gently.

They're here. You've won for today. At least for today, you can close your eyes.

There's a knock then. Nobara's eyes widen and she doesn't move. Not a muscle. Neither do any of the boys. Because it's three in the morning. And there's no reason for anyone to be in Yuji's room at three in the morning, except, of course, for those who are already there.

There is a minute of silence where they just stare at the silhouette below the door in the dim light of the hallway.

"Mmm... Itadori?" Nobara's mind seems to receive a cool breeze. Because she recognizes that voice. She doesn't hesitate for even a second before jumping over Yuji, not caring about the pain in her arm from this stunt to then reach the door.

"Maki-san!" She exclaims in recognition as she opens the door. The taller girl looks much like she remembers from a few days ago when she left Jujutsu High with Panda and Toge to investigate a curse. Her eyes that can't decide between brown and green stare at Nobara's figure for a brief moment, which seems much longer in the redheaded girl's mind.

Kugisaki watches her senpai compress her lips and then lets out a brief sigh.

"You're fine." She notes and Nobara almost immediately frowns.

"Mm..." She can feel Yuji and Megumi's curious eyes behind her, so she takes a step forward and closes the door behind her. She can almost hear Itadori's dissatisfied groan and knows she's smiling like an idiot for it. "I...I'm fine yes." Her senpai's eyes drop to her bandaged arm and Nobara thinks her heart is really starting to beat hard.

It always works that way, doesn't it? She just needs a more appraising look to have you wrapped around her fingertip.

"I went to Shoko-san and..." Nobara raises her head again. Her eyes unconsciously searching for any sign that Maki was hurt. She observes her face which looks as beautiful as ever, sharp and delicate. Glasses put on almost intentional. Her shoulders are covered but look fine. Her arms and the outline of her muscles. She has such beautiful hands... "It was Toge." She said simply. A small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she notices what the other girl was doing.

Nobara's cheeks seem to burn now, enough to make her avert her eyes.

"Anyway he only had a few scratches, but Shoko-san told me what happened. Special grade, huh?" There's that slight tone of pride in her voice. Yes. They faced powerful enemies on this night and survived to tell the tale. And Maki-san was proud of her. Something very warm rests in Nobara's stomach and she can't control the pathetic smile on her mouth before nodding.

"We almost died, but I stuck some nails in my arms and it seemed to work." Maki actually frowns at that, her eyes immediately dropping to the bandage again. "Anyway, did you want to talk to Itadori?" She knows she's not the least bit subtle about changing the subject. But that was already hurting enough without her needing to talk about it. Maki compresses her lips once more as she diverts her eyes. The dim light in the hallway makes her look a little shyer than she actually feels.

"I wanted to know if you were okay...When I found your room empty I got worried." Her heartbeat speeds up. Very suddenly. Now Noabra is hearing its beating against her own ears, seems to be carrying too much blood to all the wrong places.

Maki-san was worried about her. She went to her room at 3 in the morning just to make sure she was okay.

Sure, she'd probably do it for any of her Jujutsu High classmates, but it doesn't stop her from feeling all flustered inside. Because it's Maki.

Nobara's lips dry and suddenly she thinks the ground is a very comfortable place to look.

"I'm fine." She repeats. For lack of what to say. For not knowing how to say what she wanted to say.

The truth is that Nobara has been dancing around these feelings for far too long.

Yes, she... She adores Maki.

Maki who is an extraordinary person and a very talented sorcerer. Maki who will one day become head of the Zenin Family. Maki who listens to her without interruptions and never takes it easy with her in training. Maki who is so beautiful that she makes Nobara's heart feel like a drum and a grape at the same time.

She adores that Maki. She would do anything for that Maki.

She wished she could.

At the end of the day, Nobara couldn't judge Fushiguro. Not when she was as much of a coward as he was.

It's hard enough to have a crush. Having a crush on another girl is like a constant smack upside the head. There is no easy way to ask that.

There's no way she could walk up to Maki-san and just ask if she's into girls or something. It's just so embarrassing, and even if she was, what are the chances of her looking at her?

She knows she's just overthinking and probably staring at her senpai with the world's dumbest face.

She feels so stupid now.

She hadn't expected it, though. She hadn't expected the touch. She hadn't expected Maki to reach out to touch the palm of her bandaged hand. Nobara chokes. She widens her eyes as she watches her senpai run the back of her hand with her thumb.

It's a simple touch and yet it makes Nobara's breath hitch in her throat. She has a very warm hand that is a little larger than hers. They look good together.

"Maki-san." The doubt is quite evident in her trembling voice. She shouldn't sound like that. She only touched your hand, for fuck's sake.

"Does it hurt?" The question makes her look at the taller girl again, well aware that her face might be all red now. Maki has her eyebrows slightly twitched and her head tilted towards her, just enough so that their eyes are at the same height.

She... She truly cares about her. And that... This realization makes Nobara's insides so astonished that she can barely think of a coherent response.

"Just a little scratch." She tries to smile, but it comes out as a grimace and it's no surprise when Maki twitches her lips. She looks like Megumi when she shows annoyance like that. Nobara knew she couldn't lie to her.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" She asks then, sliding her fingers over her skin one last time before moving her hand away. Nobara misses the warmth almost immediately. It sings under her skin.

"Can you come in and watch a trashy movie with us?" Because, honestly, that was the least corny thing she could think to say.

Maki smiled, though. Just a slight twitch of her lips and it looked like the younger girl had just received a warm breeze directly in her face. It's her smile.

"I don't want to get in your way." Nobara almost rolls her eyes. Yuji was almost as much Maki's puppy as she was and well she and Megumi were related.

It was true that everyone at Jujutsu High got along, but everyone seemed to have a soft spot for Maki. Which wasn't surprising.

"You never get in the way, Maki-san." She mutters then, instead of "I want you here." She needs to settle this soon. Before she says something she'll regret.

Nobara isn't really known for thinking before she speaks, and that can become a real problem when she's around her very pretty and very talented and very everything senpai.

Maki's smile is now a little wider than usual. She can see her teeth glint in the halfway soft light of the hallway. It makes Nobara's whole body feel like jelly. She knows that smile is reserved.

Maki didn't smile like that to the vast majority of people.

"Next time." She leans in then, and before Kugisaki could have one of the biggest gay panics of her life, Maki pushes her hair away with her hand to touch her lips on her warm forehead. Her lips are stupidly soft. "See you tomorrow, troublemaker." She offers her a little goodbye wink.

Nobara still watches her walk away down the hall for a minute, only to rub her forehead with her fingers.

Did that just happen or did she really take Shoko-san's painkillers?

Maki-san...did Maki-san just kiss her?

If this was an anime she'd have a nosebleed.

(...)

Back when Nobara thought about going to the beach. She imagined it would be something between them, students, you know, young people. But the word was spread too fast, so here they are pushing bags in a van, driven by none other than Nanami towards Gojo-sensei's beach house. He's currently sitting in the passenger seat, looking very pleased with himself in his Hawaiian pineapple shirt.
 
Panda, Toge, Megumi and Yuji are already in the back seats, talking loudly.

She can't control her frustrated sigh as she pushes her handbag inside. 

She just wanted a quiet day at the beach with her friends. Now she has won a guided tour. Nobara yawns and she knows she will be daydreaming about her bed for the next few hours.

"All set?" She jumps in place, turning to face the person whose voice she already knows all too well. 

Maki-san.

Nobara almost slaps her palm to her forehead for coming up with such a dumb idea. 

She's wearing a black long sleeve thermal blouse and shorts with white edges. The redheaded girl hardly knows where to look. Everything looks so interesting.

She's starting to blush, isn't she? The warmth around her ears seems quite substantial.

"Mmm...Yeah, I guess?" She tries to mumble, moving her eyes to her already perfectly placed handbag. Maki just pushes her bag the same way and then closes the trunk. 

Nobara knows her eyes lingered too long on the movement her senpai's forearms made. 

"So?" She's smiling like that again. Strands of her hair adorn her face as she walks side by side with Kugisaki, almost brushing her shoulders. The sun is still low, but the few rays that sneak through the trees shine on Maki's dark hair. 

Nobara thinks she looks like an entity. Too beautiful to be real. 

"So?" She tries not to sound stupid, like she'd missed part of something, which wouldn't be surprising considering she was now trying to figure out how Maki-san could smell like vanilla and wood at the same time.

"So, are you ready to spend a weekend with me, Kugisaki?" She steps into the van, pulling her by the hand. Delicate, yet firm hands. Nobara just watches as her senpai takes the seat next to her, still smiling that way. A little too smart for her own good. She already knows the answer.  

No. I'm not.

(...)

The truth is that as soon as Nobara sees the sea, she completely forgets about the obvious problem before her. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining high when they reached the white sand, and the sea looked perfect, so blue and so scary. Majestic. 

There is this cool breeze and the sea scent around them. The warmth embracing their bodies so gently, as if it had always been like this.

Yuji was the first to rush out to the water. Obviously. But eventually even Nanami couldn't resist. 

For a moment. And maybe it was the only thing they needed. They were young. Sometimes they forgot that, but they were just teenagers.

Teenagers with the skills to help others, but still teenagers.

For that single day as they jump into the ocean and get dirty with sand and salt...There is nothing. She doesn't see the heavy aura that is forming around Yuji, removing the smile he always carries. He is laughing and pushing Megumi's head into the water. She sees Fushiguro laughing out loud for the first time and for some reason it loosened a lump in her throat that she didn't even realize was there.

Gojo-sensei just hit a sand ball into the back of Nanami's head, and Toge seemed to have fun with that somehow.

Maki-san's grinning. She's sitting on Panda's shoulders. And it seems that this is enough.

Nobara thinks that's more than enough for now. 

She dismissed volleyball, though, because honestly, this sand is warm and she just wants to lay on her beach towel until she dies. Fushiguro seems to think the same. He's currently lying next to her, reflexively watching their parasol from behind his sunglasses. 

But she would be lying if she said she wasn't watching. They formed two teams. Panda, Maki and Nanami against Gojo, Toge and Yuji. It was pretty even if you think volleyball needs a lot of different skills. 

Gojo-sensei's team was winning by three points, though, and this was the fifth and final set, which brought an involuntary pout to Nobara's face. Sure, she should be rooting for her best friend, but rational thoughts just seemed to slide out of her head every time Maki-san made some fancy move and demonstrated how disproportionately strong and fast she was. Plus she had thighs...Beautiful thighs. 

In short, she had more interesting things to look at than Itadori and his gorilla-like physical bearing. 

"You'll end up drooling, Kugisaki." Megumi commented, not moving a muscle from where he laid.

Nobara growls feeling her ears burn with how obvious she was. She can't help a sigh before pushing her glasses up to the top of her hair. 

"Don't you dare." She whispers, turning to face the dark-haired boy lying next to her. He looks like a black dot in that white sand, especially since he's also wearing a black thermal shirt. It runs in the blood.

Megumi opens one of his eyes behind the glasses and then the other to stare at her with minimal amusement. Nobara thinks she hates it a little when he gets all smart like that.

"Do you trust me?" It's a very out of context question to say the least so Nobara frowns.

"No." She answers simply, which actually makes Megumi chuckle softly before sitting next to her, pushing sand into Nobara's bare legs which she receives with a disgruntled snort. 

"She likes you." If human eyes could pop out of their faces like they did in cartoons, Nobara's would have flown straight towards Megumi's face.
 
"What?" She asks, even though she understood perfectly. She just doesn't want to. She doesn't want to give that little push to what was already so on the edge. Her heart begins to beat fast again, even at the mere possibility. She takes a deep breath, bringing her own hand to her chest, as if to calm herself. 
 
The light shirt over her bikini seems to do a poor job at reducing the heat.

"Maki-san. She likes you." Nobara denied with her head, pushing the thought away so hard that she got a little dizzy. 

"Don't talk shit, Megumi." The boy contents himself with shaking his head negatively.

"Can you keep a secret?" She raises an eyebrow as she watches him remove his glasses. A curious eye meeting Megumi's blue eyes that were very reminiscent of the ocean now. He has a small smile at the corner of his mouth that tells her she'll regret this.

"What?" Fushiguro stretches his arms behind his back and then rests his palms behind his torso, his eyes going to where Nobara's were, the volleyball court. He likes the little power he has now.

"Maki-san hates sand." He comments, simply. It should be something completely random, if it wasn't Nobara who had suggested that trip. "She only came because you asked." Megumi completed the thought for her, shrugging with a a slight smile. As if that information alone wasn't enough to create a short circuit in Kugisaki's restless mind. 

"She might just want to get out for a bit. We all need it from time to time." Megumi twisted his lips at her stubbornness, but soon after smiled in a way that raised all the hair on the back of Nobara's neck.

"You may have to work that out today." He said as he gently leaned towards her. Nobara just frowned in confusion and Fushiguro smiled with the corner of his lips, the information unknown to her seeming very amusing to him. "Girls in a room and boys in the other. Nanami's orders." She blinked. A few dozen times, trying to get used to the absurdity that just fell on her ears. 

"What?" She basically shouted, which only increased Fushiguro's amusement.

"You and Maki-san will be sharing a room." She took one breath. She took two breaths, trying to bring some more oxygen to her brain. It was simply too much in her head at once. She...Would she share a room with Maki-san?

Oh that was just great.

That was a shitty idea. She should have settled for a day at the mall. But no. She had to suggest going to the beach.  

Panda is currently lifting Maki in one arm, so Nobara assumes they must have won, which would have made her excited if Fushiguro wasn't an idiot who just dumped so much shit in her lap. 

It would be a great time to be at school, so she could hide in her room, away from so many people. Away from the idea of sharing a room with Maki-san. Fucking idea, Kugisaki. 

Why the hell didn't you just settle for a walk in the park? 

"Do you guys have any water?" The voice makes her raise her eyes and she immediately regrets. 

Here's the reason for her headaches. Messy hair. Red face. Sweat dripping down her forehead. A bright smile on her lips that makes her feel like jelly melting on a piece of bread.

Oh man, has she always been beautiful like this or is it the sun and the sweat and the bright eyes?

"Su-Sure." Nobara manages to stutter as she takes the small cooler and then holds out a bottle to her. The girl smiles broadly and her fingers completely aren't shaking. She leans in again and Kugisaki is barely aware when she steals a kiss from her cheek. 

"Thank you, Kugisaki. You're the best." Nobara opens and then closes her mouth like a fish as Maki sits down next to her, too busy drinking the entire bottle at once to notice the other girl's completely red face. Sure. Friends acted like that. Fushiguro choked out a laugh, and the redheaded girl gave up halfway to hitting his shoulder with a punch. 

She stares at her own fingers. It seems better than staring at her friend fully aware of her ridiculous crush on her senpai and even better than staring at her sweaty, pretty senpai sitting next to her. 

She doesn't miss however when Maki hits the sand in her legs with a grimace.

"Enjoying the beach, Maki-san?" Fushiguro asked and Nobara could almost feel the smile on his mouth. But then Itadori is approaching in a very similar condition and Megumi isn't even waiting for an answer anymore. 

That doesn't stop Maki from denying with her head, setting the small bottle aside. She looks at Nobara then. Eyes glowing and skin too hot. Nobara has to take everything within her to sustain her senpai's gaze.

"Pretty much." She says simply. Moist lips. Her eyes looking very much like the most beautiful thing she's ever seen as they fall on hers.

Ah. Nobara was so fucked up. Why the hell did she suggest a trip anyway? 

She shot herself in the foot a million times.

(...)

The beach house is cozy, to say the least. There was dust and sand in many places, which indicated that it had not been used for some time, but it was warm. 

The room Nanami gave them was the only one with a private bathroom, which was actually sweet of him if she thinks about it. But Nobara just doesn't want to think about it. She wants to kick that asshole in the balls for putting her and her not-so-secret crush in the same room. 

"Do you want to shower first?" Maki asked as she dragged her bag into the room. Nobara watched the two single beds with a small frown. Okay. The part of her who always read fanfictions was really expecting a double bed. But that was okay. She was already having a collapse just thinking about it. 

"Mmm...You may go first." The taller girl nodded and then began to pull her shirt over her back as she walked to the bathroom. Nobara still caught a glimpse of her muscular back and a shiver ran down the entire length of her spine. A thousand times shit. She muttered to herself as she turned onto her back and closed her eyes tightly. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought. Her heartbeat was already so fast that she could barely breathe properly. 

She has to get out of here. Before Maki gets out of the bath, wrapped only in a white towel and smelling of vanilla.

That's why she grabs her pajamas and runs to the bathroom in the hallway.

(...)

"Aren't you coming to the bonfire?" Nobara opened one eye and then the other to stare at Itadori with the best killing look she had. She had just showered and had already put on her favorite pajamas and after a day at the beach, the last thing she wanted to do was go on a bonfire, especially with how soft that couch was. 

She decides to simply ignore his presence as she spins on her back.

"C'mon, Kugisaki." He complains as he pulls on her arm. It's not the one she recently nearly yanked off, thankfully, or she'd kill him. But that doesn't stop her frustrated sigh.

"No, Itadori." She says simply, and she doesn't need to see it to know he's pouting.

"But everyone will do it, Kugisaki." She wished she could say that everyone was there only because no one could take Itadori's insistence for long. Not even her.

"What's in it for me?" She muttered pulling her arm back into the warm cocoon that was the couch. The sun was almost gone, she can only imagine how cold it is outside. Considering the heavy, moss-green coat Itadori is wearing she can only assume it's freezing.

"Well...Maki-san's out there." She stops herself from turning directly with a kick to Yuji's most vulnerable parts. She didn't want to talk about that. It wasn't possible that even the idiot of the group discovered her crush. The main reason why she was taking a nap on the couch in the living room and not in the shared room. She's really trying to avoid staying there for longer than necessary. Before she did something really stupid. 

"What do you mean by that?" She stared at him menacingly under her eyelashes and the boy stepped back a few paces, raising his arms in a sign of surrender.

"Well, she's your friend, isn't she?" Nobara sighed defeatedly. It would be so much easier if she was just her friend. If Nobara didn't look like a dumb gay ass every time she walked into the room. 

"I'll get ready." Itadori celebrated with a shout that made her roll her eyes and punch him in the stomach with restrained force before heading for the stairs. He didn't even blink.

"We'll wait on the beach." She just waved her hand, determined not to make this any longer than it should be.

(...)

"Oi. That's so weird!" That was the first thing she heard. From Panda, not Itadori, incredibly. 

She approached with slow steps to find shoes and two backpacks delicately laid out in the sand, including a pair of boots she already knew well. 

She recognized Maki-san's back. The ponytail. A purple bomber jacket with a tiger print that simply looked like it was made for her. Megumi was not far behind, Panda and Toge accompanying him, equally dressed for the cold. Panda is wearing a scarf, which she finds comical actually, considering the amount of fur he has.

Gojo-sensei and Nanami can't be seen anywhere nearby, but she figures they're not far off. If there's one thing Gojo-sensei wouldn't reject, it would be a chance to strike up a conversation with them. 

"Hey." She announced her presence as she removed her sneakers and her colorful socks. Because they were too cute shoes to get filled with sand. 

Everyone nodded at her in acknowledgment, but only one turned their head toward her.

"You came." Maki-san noted and she just nodded. Yes, she came. Because Itadori insisted. She feels a bit out of place now. It would be so much easier.

It would be so much easier if she was simply your friend. Nothing more than that.

It would be so simple if you didn't feel that way. 

Nobara takes a deep breath, watching the sand slip between her toes. It's cold now, but still comfortable. 

"Do you want to try the water?" She raises her eyes to find Maki again. Maki and her corner-of-mouth smile that seems to make everything about her feel a little warmer than it should be.

How could she? When she looks at her like that...How could she not fall in love?

"It must be freezing, Maki-san." Megumi was right, it was almost too cold to get into the sea. But she grabs her hand, and suddenly Nobara doesn't care. Her fingers are warm and seem to wrap around hers so gently. As if they were meant to stay that way. Her heart is beating hard again.

"Just the tiptoes." They move closer to the water and the ice hits her fingers. The shiver shakes her whole body. Nobara jumps out, but incredibly Maki follows her. Their hands parted once again. "UH! It was truly freezing. Sorry about that." Nobara just chuckles, maybe because of the cold. It must have affected her. She laughs and Maki does the same for some reason. And it sounds beautiful.

Panda is now lying in the sand while Toge traces his outline with a piece of wood. She frowns for a moment before turning her eyes to Maki. The taller girl has her eyes on her. Bright in the fading light. Elegant. And focused only on her. The way she smiles. Oh, that just wasn't fair.

Nobara swallows hard without even realizing it.

"Hey, where's your boyfriend?" She turns to Megumi to ask. Trying to regain control of this whole situation. Megumi blushes to the tip of his ears before pointing to where Yuji was standing with his cell phone in hand. "Hey idiot, if you don't hurry up we won't get anything to eat." She waves one of her arms for him to come back soon. 

She needs them. She needs them around her to stop her from saying something stupid. That's what friends are for.

"SELFIE TIME!" It's Gojo-sensei who is coming running towards them with his cell phone in hand. Nobara wants to roll her eyes. She giggles instead. 

They crowd around so he can take a selfie with everyone. Yuji slips an arm over her shoulders and she leans on Maki's. She feels it then. Fingers that seem a little hesitant before wrapping around her waist over her jacket. 

She smiles at the photo, really hoping that her face doesn't look as red as she feels it does now.

(...)

Nanami and Gojo-sensei brought a sufficient amount of wood for a fire, as well as goodies to be roasted. They helped them stack the branches a little closer to the house. 

And then Nobara sat down between Megumi and Itadori on a wooden bench. Because it was the safest place for her at the moment. Watching Maki-san on the other side of the fire with Panda and Toge. The distance was an advantage for her. She doesn't know how long she'll be able to manage being around this girl with all her touches and smiles without going crazy and banging her head on the nearest wall. 

"So?" Megumi whispers to her as Gojo-sensei supposedly tells a very interesting story. It doesn't look that interesting from the look on Nanami's face. The girl frowns as she spins the marshmallow on the fire. 

"So, what?" She whispers back and it's funny to watch Fushiguro roll his eyes. 

"You still haven't solved that, Kugisaki?" She wants to roll her eyes and tell him to mind his own business. But she sighs instead.

"It's not that simple, okay?" She retorts, simply wanting to pull the collar of her jacket up a little higher. Protecting herself from anything and everything. Megumi sighs deeply then before pulling out a piece of chocolate and crackers to top the marshmallow she just pulled from the fire. 

He leans in then to almost put his mouth against her ear.

"I thought Maki-san's insistence on maintaining physical contact with you would give you a hint." Nobara compresses her lips, taking a long breath. 

"Friends do that." She says in response, only for Megumi to let out a giggle as he hands her the perfect s'mores. 

That is what she has been telling herself all day. It's safe to think so.

"Whatever you say, Kugisaki." She bites into the candy, just to avoid thinking. She doesn't want to think. She doesn't want to entertain the possibility that a girl like Maki might have some sort of interest in her. Maki was simply the most talented and hard-working person she had ever met...What are the possibilities? Why her?

She's talking to Panda now. And the smile on her face is particularly beautiful. Nobara's grateful for the fire that separates them because her tongue itched. Her tongue itched to say something she would probably regret. 

For how long? How long will she be able to keep it up?

(...)

"Good night, girls." Gojo-sensei nods as he passes their room, and Maki resigns herself to slamming the bedroom door before he gets some dumb idea, like trying on their skirts.

Well. It's not like she wasn't expecting this, but now that she thinks about it...She has never been in a closed room alone with Maki-san. There was always one more person and maybe she's panicking while brushing her teeth. The paste suddenly feels bitter in her mouth.

 
Maki, on the other hand, looks very peaceful as she makes her bed. Kugisaki watches her through the mirror in her dark pajamas. She puts her glasses on the bedside table before lying down under the blankets. And then she pulls on the hair tie and Nobara finds her jaw dropping. No, that's not fair.

She spits the paste into the sink, lowering her face completely red. It's not fair that she can get even prettier with a single gesture.

Nobara still takes the time to leave the bathroom, trying to calm down. And then she walks to her own bed.

"Are you okay, Kugisaki?" Maki asks, simply. Nobara's eyes widen because she hadn't even thought that maybe she was staring at her senpai a little too much.

"Su-sure." She stutters, feeling stupid a second later. The girl crawls under the blankets, only to receive a slightly questioning look from her senpai.

"Can I turn off the lights?" Nobara just nods. Yes. Maybe sleeping. Sleeping would be the key for sure.

The lights go out then and she closes her eyes.

But she can't sleep. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. Half an hour. She turns from side to side and stares at the ceiling.

Why? Why on earth did she have to fall in love with Zenin Maki? And why the hell did Nanami have to put her right into the next bed? It's such a tiny distance.

And Nobara doesn't handle tiny distances well.

She...She just wanted to have the guts. She just wanted to be strong enough to actually say what she wanted to say. Yet she apparently isn't and she's doomed to mentally torture herself until she passes out from exhaustion.

"You know I can tell when you're restless, right Kugisaki?" She doesn't know why she's amazed, to be honest. It's not like the source of her crisis isn't lying in the bed next to her. But still. It's her slightly husky voice, something that made Nobara's thighs tighten together almost unconsciously. Damn voice. If she couldn't sleep before, how did she expect to be able to sleep now?

Maki turns to her in the darkness of the room and the light coming through the window allows her to see her eyes.

"I can't sleep." She didn't calculate the words, not really. Her voice also sounded a little hoarse, like a whisper getting lost halfway through. It was only an attempt. The single sliver of moonlight coming through the window seemed to land exactly on her senpai's forehead.

"Any particular reason?" She whispered then, looking really curious as she yawned. Nobara wants to shake her head and say no. No special reason, but...How much longer is she going to be able to sustain this?

What she wouldn't give for Yuji and Megumi to be here now and stop her. This could go down paths that she simply has no way back.

She might lose Maki's friendship and it would break her in half.

"Nobara." Maki whispers and Kugisaki blinks her eyes several times, trying to return to this reality. It's her name. And it doesn't seem like anyone will ever pronounce it the same way as Maki does. Gentle and yet so firm. She sighs. Her senpai was probably already thinking she was a weirdo staring at her for absolutely no reason. "Do you want me to lie with you?" The question caught her off guard, to say the least. The girl's eyes widen in her face as her heart starts a real race in her chest. "I used to do that with Mai. She liked company when she was tense." Nobara opens and closes her mouth, feeling like a fish. But she can't add anything, so she just nods.

Because she would never deny anything that came from Maki-san.

Maki stands up and Nobara moves so she can take up the space next to her. It's a large bed, but not large enough to keep her from feeling the warmth of her body as soon as she lies down.

Close. Very close.

"What do you think Toge, Itadori and Fushiguro are doing right now?" She whispers the question and her breath touches the tip of Nobara's nose. She can even count her eyelashes now. Long and perfect.

"Probably watching a bad movie and making out." Maki laughs softly and Nobara can swear she feels the vibration of her laughter. Close. She only needs to get a few inches closer for her mouth to touch her face, or her lips. Her heart's beating in her ears again.

She won't sleep tonight. Obviously. Fushiguro was right from the start. She would trap herself in a dead end, sooner or later.

"Maki-san." The girl tilts her head, just enough to show that she was listening. The question seems to swirl around in Nobara's head, but it doesn't feel right. It doesn't seem right to ask it out loud, especially when...When her eyes are so fixed on hers. There are little black and gold stripes in her irises that seem to blend together. They're beautiful eyes. "Can you close your eyes, for a moment?" Maki frowns, opening her mouth to ask, but giving up halfway through. She shrugs before obeying her request.

"Okay." With her eyes closed it's a little easier to handle. At least that's what Nobara tells herself.

She takes a deep breath, closing her own eyes. There's nothing to be afraid of. Not when Maki is also the kindest person she's ever met.

"Do you like me?" She whispers the question. Her voice drops an octave and she thinks her heart could easily burst out of her chest right now. If Fushiguro is wrong she swears she'll kick his balls until he vomits them up.

Nobara knows that Maki frowned, even with her eyes closed.

"Of course, I like you Nobara." Her fingers are trembling now. She has to clench them into a fist to keep them from doing so. Sweat seems to be gathering on the back of her neck. "I wouldn't have gotten into a van with Gojo-sensei if I didn't like you." There is a chuckle that fills the room with warmth. Nobara avoids laughing. She needs the confirmation.

She needs to know now.

"It's just..." She continues, reaching for words she'd been thinking about for weeks now. "I don't like you the way I like Yuji and Megumi." Different. She loved her best friends, with all her heart. But Maki...Maki was different. More than a friend. Because her heart didn't seem to know what to do when she was around.

"Oh." Maki whispers, not surprised, just a little confused.

"It's not that I like you any less... It's just different." Because when you're around I feel a little dumber than usual. And when you touch me...When you touch me it's like all the gentle, restless things come inside me at once. "I just don't know how to say this. I've never said this to anyone. But you are special, in a good way." It sounded much better in Nobara's head. She opens her eyes now, but her senpai remains with hers closed, as she asked. There's nothing on her face that says she really understood and it makes the girl hold her lower lip between her teeth. Her stomach sinks at the prospect. "I didn't want you to...I don't know...Hate me." Her whisper is a little heavy now. Above anything else. She would never consider a world where Maki isn't her friend.

If she could never be something more, then she was fine with being her friend. Maki's just that brilliant.

Just being her friend...It's already so extraordinary.

That's why. Please don't hate me. Please don't hate me.

Her eyes close again. Just for a second. Long enough for a firm, gentle hand to touch her cheek. She would have widened her eyes. If she'd had the time.

The pressure of her lips comes next. Nobara could have cried. Soft. Maki's lips. Maki's lips pressing hers gently, almost fearfully.

Just for a second and yet it seems like everything in this world makes sense. Everything could explode now, she doesn't know if she cares.

"Is that how you like me?" She asks then, her mouth still pressed against hers. Her breath makes every bone in the girl's body feel like jelly. Nobara nods, repeatedly, and Maki giggles. And the sound of her laugh. She doesn't have to think about it. She just loves it. "May I open my eyes now?" She adds then, tracing her face until she can tuck a lock of orange hair behind her ear.

"Y-yes." And when she looks at her. Oh, it's just not fair. All the girls and boys in Tokyo will always be looking at her girl. Nobara will become the jealous girlfriend so easily.  "That's so unfair." Maki frowns, amusement shining in her eyes. The unspoken question. "You're just too pretty." The girl laughs softly, and Kugisaki loves to notice that her cheeks and nose redden when she's embarrassed. She'll compliment Maki every day if she can see that.

"That so?" The tone of voice is the same. That takes her back weeks. Her first days in the Jujutsu High. I respect you, Maki-san.

She doesn't just respect her now. She worships her. She would do anything for her.

"You should know...You always distract me quite a bit, Kugisaki." She knows she's grinning like an idiot. But how could she not? Heat rises to color her cheeks in equal measure. But she doesn't want to care.

Not when Maki leans in again. Her bright eyes hovering over hers before she meets her lips again. It's long this time. Long and deep.

Her senpai's free hand rests on her throat and Kugisaki thinks she loses some of her neurons along the way. Her fingers clutch at the hem of her pajamas almost desperately. She can feel Maki's smile on her lips, but she doesn't pull away, she moves forward.

Her kiss is like falling into a pool or allowing an ocean wave to hit her. Her lips glide over hers gently, but also with enough intensity to tell that this was something she wanted. For a while now.

When her tongue finally slides across her bottom lip Nobara feels herself trembling from head to toe. Maki would have smiled again, if she herself wasn't distracted by her taste right now. She's warm and soft. As she expected her to be and her taste, like toothpaste and a bit of chocolate...The older girl can't stop the urge to slide her tongue across her lips, reaching for hers.

She feels it when Nobara grabs the sides of her hips. She anchors herself to it. Maki thinks it could very well be her resting point. For whatever she needed.

She has no idea how long they stay like that. Kugisaki knows her lips will probably be swollen the next morning, but she doesn't want to care. She just wants to curl up in her senpai's lap until her death comes. Why didn't she do this before? Why didn't she just tell her sooner?

Maki pulls away when she realizes her breathing was failing, though. Nobara has to stop herself from complaining out loud.

"Now who's not being fair?" She asks amused as she runs her thumb down her cheek. Nobara sighed before tilting her head so that her forehead can rest on the curve of her senpai's neck.

Maki has a small smile, somewhat too pleased as she wraps her arms around her back.

"We should get some sleep. I bet Gojo-sensei will be blowing some kind of trumpet at 5:30 in the morning." Nobara nods, but her fingers remain firmly around her hip as the girl tries to pull away to her own bed. She knows that Maki's stronger and could get rid of that grip easily, but she doesn't. She just rolls her eyes for a moment before placing one last kiss on her hair.

"Stay." And how could she deny anything Kugisaki asked of her in that voice?

Maki closes her eyes, resting her chin on her carrot head.

She has good reflexes and usually wakes up before the sun comes up anyway. They'll be fine.

(...)

"What do you guys want for breakfast?" Panda asks from the kitchen. Yuji mutters something that sounds like "eggs" from the couch and Megumi simply doesn't answer. Maki just waves her hand, saying she would eat anything as soon as she enters the room. No one was particularly active after being awakened by a car horn at 4:45 in the morning.

Gojo-sensei really crossed the line sometimes.

"Rice." Toge said lying on the carpet as he makes the peace sign to say two bowls.

The girl sat down at the coffee table, watching Panda begin to prepare the orders, with Nanami by his side. He seemed to be unpacking bread. It's making a cool day, and the sunlight through the kitchen windows looks very cozy.

Maki stretches for a moment. She should probably offer to help them, but her attention wanders.

Kugisaki enters the room grinning. She's smiling at her. Why such a bright and kind girl decided she was worth her time was something Maki still wondered, but she was happy. It was summer and she had a girlfriend now.

A girlfriend who is wearing a particularly pretty mini-skirt this morning.

She watches her walk to the cupboards. Only to lean over to grab the cereal from the top shelf. It's not fair when she just woke up and is still a little sleepy enough not to care about much.

The redheaded girl turns around with a bowl in hand. Her gaze met her senpai. She raises an eyebrow and that gesture makes Maki's eyes narrow. Kugisaki's smirking as she gets just close enough.

"Seeing something you like, Maki-san?" She asks in a whisper. For someone who was so unsure about confessing last night...Looks like she just needed a little push.

Maki thinks that attitude is kind of a stimulus though. So she pulls Nobara by the hand, forcing her to sit next to her.

Nobara barely had time to formulate the question before a hand presses her waist, pulling her until they were close enough so Maki could meet her ear with her mouth.

"Do not tease me, Kugisaki." She says then, low enough that it sounds cooing. Nobara swallows hard without even realizing it. Her lips are close again. And it would be so easy to kiss them. Again and one more time. "Especially when I can not touch you." She continues, her breath touching her cheek almost too gently.

"Get a room, you two." Itadori shouted from across the room, but with a chuckle in his words.

"Oh, don't come to me with that shit Itadori Yuji not when you'r..." She is interrupted by Maki's mouth, which is a good thing because she was about to say he was in love too. And it wouldn't be a good thing if she gave away her best friend's crush.

But now...Now she doesn't think she cares about anything other than the girl pressing her lips to hers. Not even the shocked scream that probably came from Gojo-sensei.

She giggles against the lips of her tall and beautiful and talented girlfriend and she contemplates...It's so good to be young. And it's so good that it's still summer.