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The sound of equipment shuffling in a closet and being sorted out on the floor drew the attention of Yuuta and the third years.
“Are we all heading out so soon, Maki?” Yuuta piques as he rubs the webbing of his hand between his thumb and index finger, an anxious habit he had kept at bay until recent weeks.
“You got a reason to sit on your ass?” Her response makes him wince. He’d be willing to dedicate himself to defeating Kenjaku and Sukuna until there was nothing left of him, and especially if it meant those he loved were finally safe. But at the moment, there was an unfortunate conflict of interest where he stood, an uncertain amount of “what-if’s” rooted his feet where he stood.
“I need like 5 minutes to get ready.” Luckily, there was someone who knew about his situation.
“Take all the time you need, kid.” Shoko gave a small smile as she walked by. Within the weeks spent together, acting as healers to the sorcerers who managed to make it back to the campus, it meant they also had time to stop and chat amongst themselves in the creeping late hours while the others rested; Yuuta suffering from the time change after living overseas for a year, and Shoko…well she never mentioned what exactly kept her up. He assumed it was the work, the way she couldn’t ever rely on one person because she needed to be there for others. It’s probably been some time since she’s had time to small talk, let alone share the same space like this, so she didn’t know what else to do other than use the opportunity to do so. Yuuta didn’t mind filling the silence, and Shoko insisted she didn’t mind it being filled. And at some point, Yuuta had nothing else to share except the way he felt for Toge.
*
“Oh? The blond one?” She mumbled around the cigarette that bobbed between her lips without looking up at Yuuta, busying herself with cleaning her portion of the infirmary.
“Yes, the one with cursed speech. Though we didn’t have a lot of time together before I got sent to Africa, I’ve always thought about saying…I dunno, what do you even say to someone you haven’t seen in a year?” Yuuta rubbed his face and slumped over a counter, shifting his weight from one foot to the other now that the discomfort from standing was beginning to set in.
“Long time, no see?” Shoko shrugged, intending for it to be a joke, but noticed it wasn’t read as such. “Kid, don’t overthink it; your eyebags are worse than mine.” She then gestured to his side where a stool was standing, and he pulled it under himself.
“Have you ever confessed?” Yuuta crosses his arms over the table and rests his chin there, watching her move about the room.
Shoko chuckles to herself. “Sure.”
“How did that go?”
She nudged a small, weathered desk chair on wheels next to her and sat across from the special grade, but not before finally pulling her cigarette from her lips and reaching behind her to put out the bud of it in her ashtray and blowing out her last inhale over her shoulder.
“Work-place relationships are frowned upon, but she insisted she didn’t mind filling out some paperwork, and I shared the sentiment.” She then reached into a cabinet, rifling through it and offering an opened pack of gum to the student. “In the end, the worst thing he can say is no.”
*
He gives her an appreciative nod. “I’ll just need 5ーInumaki-kun?” Yuuta’s eyes meet the other sorcerer’s, and he instantly feels his cheeks burn knowing what he was seconds away from doing. He nods his head toward the makeshift infirmary, slowing his pace down to follow Toge inside. The second they cross the threshold, Yuuta nudges the door closed behind himself, cups Toge’s face when he turns around and leans down to plant a clumsy kiss over his semi-chapped lips. His eyes are shut so tight, he’s really only able to process the fist that’s made in his uniform from the awkward angle he’s forced Toge into, unaware the sorcerer was fighting to keep himself upright. When he pulls back, Yuuta feels the pressure of his confession going awry.
“Sorry,” He says on impulse, and because he doesn’t know what else to say after potentially ruining his friendship; Toge’s expression is still unreadable to him. He wouldn’t know it at the time, but the sorcerer was reeling from the surprise of a first kiss being stolen by Yuuta of all people, regardless of how good it was. He still managed to pull it off, holding Toge like he was some gentle thing, but still endearingly awkward.
“Why are you apologizing?” Toge attempts to sign, though it’s slightly difficult with one hand.
That question seemed to trigger a lot of the things Yuuta ruminated on and regretted, things out of this control because of circumstance, but still feeling helpless. “Where to start; for leaving so soon, for not being back soon enoughー”
“Don’t, Yuuta.” Toge’s eyes grew sharp as he put a hand to Yuuta’s chest and nudged him back enough to regain some personal space.
“It was my decision to stay and help in Shibuya. Don’t rob me of that.” Toge signs resolutely, like he’d give anything to use his words instead to tell Yuuta off at that moment.
“And that kiss was so awkward, I literally had one shot and blew it.” Yuuta groans into his hands.
Toge snapped his fingers to regain the special grade’s attention. “You’re also wasting your 5 minutes.” Yuuta’s entire frame jolts, realizing this.
“You’re right.” Yuuta’s sneakers squeak with how quick he moves across the room to where he well knew by now Shoko kept protein bars on days she needed an energy boost, grabbing his sword by his bedside, and feeling for the chain around his neck for Rika’s ring.
“I’d like a do-over on that kiss too. That okay?”
Yuuta freezes in place mid scrambling around the room, his cheeks reddening as he processes Toge’s sign. “R-right, ‘course.” Yuuta thinks it’s the least he can do.
He’s stunned watching Toge’s hand reach up to his collar and pull him down against his lips with no intention of letting him pull off this time. Their noses bump at the initial angle, but Toge tilts his head that allows their mouths to meet and pulls him in even more and Yuuta feels his nerves firing off all at once, moving sluggishly in hopes to reciprocate how good it feels. He tries mimicking the way Toge’s lips push against his, leaving stray pecks where one of his sigils are, losing himself further the deeper their kisses get. He then feels Toge proceed to pull Yuuta towards him, his own back meeting the door, but wanting to prevent himself from falling, braces his hands on either side of Toge. The visual is enough to distract him when he finally loosens his grip on Yuuta’s uniform, really noticing how the special grade towers over him.
“Too tall.” Toge giggles, sheepishly looking anywhere else that isn’t Yuuta’s eyes.
It’s a relief to know that his feelings are required, and Yuuta allows himself to laugh with him. “We’ll make it work, I don’t mind bending down.”
Their moment is interrupted with a knock on the other side of the door.
Yuuta can’t miss the anxious look on Toge’s face and cups his jaw again. “I’ll be back soon.” He whispers.
“You better.” Toge nods before giving him one last kiss, then stepping aside for him to open the door.
“Very subtle, Okkotsu.” Maki gives a haughty laugh at the crumbled front of his uniform and an unfastened collar.
“Shut up, Maki, you have lipstick smudged on your mouth.” Yuuta huffs. Though he respected her more than anything else, he wasn’t about to let her walk all over his high from winning Toge’s affection. He hated already having to leave him too, but if it meant he was safe, it was worth taking more time apart. Kirara was in close pursuit of her kohai but was sure to wave back at Toge as he emerged from the room.
“Well I think you guys are super cute togetherーmakes you nostalgic, doesn’t it, Kin-chan?” Kirara beams and lightly bumps into Hakari’s side as they walk.
“Huh? To what?” Hakari pretended not to know any better and cackled when his girlfriend gave an unamused scowl up at him.
“Ha- ha .” She jabbed at his side causing him to yelp.