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Nobara’s arm itched.
At first, she dismissed it as nothing more than a fleeting discomfort, a minor annoyance that would dissipate with time. But as she laid in bed, trying to drift off into sleep, the sensation intensified.
It wasn't a simple itch; it felt like tiny needles pricking her skin, a relentless reminder of the battle she had fought just weeks ago.
With a frustrated sigh, Nobara tossed and turned, attempting to find a position that would help with the discomfort. She pressed her fingers against her arm, trying to find relief from the phantom pain that seemed to have taken root in her very bones.
But no matter how hard she rubbed or how she wished for the sensation to fade, it remained a constant presence.
Memories of the fight flooded her mind, unbidden and unwelcome. She saw the faces of the cursed spirits, their voices echoing in her ears. She felt the sting of the poison blood technique, searing through her veins like fire. And she remembered the moment when she had plunged her weapon into her own flesh to escape the grasp of her enemies.
The nightmares came next, crashing over her like a wave. She saw herself trapped in an endless loop of ‘what-ifs’ and worst-case scenarios. She saw Yuuji lying motionless on the ground, his face pale and lifeless. She saw herself, alone and abandoned, swallowed whole by the darkness that lurked at the edge of her vision.
Tears pricked at the corners of Nobara’s eyes as she curled into a tight ball, seeking solace in the safety of her embrace. She felt raw and vulnerable, exposed to the harsh realities of a world that showed no mercy.
As the phantom pain throbbed relentlessly in her arm, she couldn't help but wonder if it was worth calling out for help.
She let out a weak gasp as she reached over to her nightstand, her uninjured arm mindlessly searching for the feel of her phone. As she grasped the familiar feel of it, she slowly lifted it, wincing at the bright blue light. 1:34 am the time read.
She sighed, turning to rest on her back to stare at the ceiling. She wondered if it was worth calling her friends to sleep with her. But she knew by now they were both out like a light, oblivious to anything outside their peace. A ripple of envy stung her side.
Slowly, Nobara raised herself from out of her bed. Pink crocs which were a gift from Yuuji were on the floor, staring at her. She resisted the urge to laugh at the stupid gift, stuffing her feet inside them and lifting herself carefully. There was a small ache on the side of her face and ribs that refused to go away, but she stubbornly ignored it as per usual.
She stumbled to the nearby lounge, running her hand across the walls to find her directions in the dark of the empty school. Finally, after a few touches of recognizable picture frames and windows, she found the cold wood of the door to the lounge. Gently, she slid the door open with her good arm.
The light inside the room was on, making her close her eyes and wince sharply. Immediately, she stretched out her arm, fumbling against the wall trying to feel for the shape of a light switch. Fingertips brushed against the smooth surface, and with a quick flick, the room plunged back into darkness, the harsh light gone. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she stood in the darkness.
“Nobara?” A confused voice called out, and she blinked a few times, trying to get used to the sudden darkness and find outlines of the room. Though she recognized the voice effortlessly, a soft glow near a window confirmed it. “What are you doing here?”
Two glowing pairs of eyes glanced over at her as she listened to the rustle of a small bit of fabric being taken off. She felt it before she could see it; Six Eyes roaming through the room before they locked onto her, scanning her to make sure she was okay.
She watched as four more blue shimmers of light appeared under and above Satoru’s normal eyes. Nobara wondered why she was able to see them now.
“What are you doing here?” She muttered back in response, her voice barely above a whisper. As she shuffled toward the nearby sink the dull ache in her side intensified, sending a jolt of pain through her body even though she shouldn’t have felt it. Suppressing a groan, she reached up, her fingers grazing against the edge of the sink as she searched for her cup.
Immediately, Satoru was by her side, his concern palpable in the air around them. His hands hovered anxiously, as if unsure of where to touch or how to offer comfort. “Are you okay? Where does it hurt?” His voice was gentle, filled with genuine concern that tugged at her heartstrings.
“I'm fine,” She spat out, her tone sharper than she intended as she grasped onto the sink’s edge for support. Despite her attempt to brush off his concern, she couldn’t shake the feeling of his eyes boring into her, searching for any sign of weakness.
“You don’t seem fine,” He replied, his voice tinged with worry. Nobara could hear the furrow in his brow without even looking at him.
Carefully, she filled her cup with water, her hands trembling ever so slightly. The cool liquid soothed her parched throat, offering a momentary pause from the odd pain coursing through her body. She could sense Satoru’s presence lingering nearby, his concern a comforting presence even as it threatened to overwhelm her.
“I’m going back to bed, goodnight,” She announced, placing the cup in the sink and turning to leave.
But before she could take a single step, Satoru blocked her path, his expression determined as he crossed his arms over his chest.
His lips pressed into a fine line, his gaze unwavering as he looked down at her. Despite her attempts to push him away, he stood his ground, refusing to let her retreat into the darkness alone. “Nobara, is something wrong with your arm?” Satoru asked carefully, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow. “Let me have a look, I can-”
“I’m fine,” She pressed, resisting the urge to scowl. She knew he was worried and just trying to help, but she couldn’t ignore the tired annoyance in the back of her head.
He let out a small sigh, his frustration mingling with genuine worry. “You’re clearly not. Shoko should’ve helped with the poison, right? You won’t be able to sleep if you’re in pain-”
“I won’t be able to sleep if you’re keeping me awake. Goodnight, Gojo-sensei,” She interjected, cutting him off before he could continue.
With a determined stride, she pushed past him, ignoring the ripple of phantom pain coursing through her side as she did so.
At the close proximity between them, Satoru couldn’t help but glance down at her. Her hair, usually meticulously braided before bed, now hung in a messy ponytail. And her clothes, instead of her usual pyjamas, seemed to be the same outfit she’d worn earlier in the day.
The sight of her dishevelled appearance only deepened his concern, a pang of guilt tugging at his heart.
“Nobara, wait up!” He called out desperately, his voice echoing off the walls of the room.
But she was already halfway to the door, her pace quickening as if trying to outrun the worry in his voice.
Ignoring his pleas, she hunched her shoulders, in a futile attempt to shield herself from the words he was hurling at her.
“Nobara!” His voice grew louder, more insistent, but still, she refused to acknowledge him, her focus solely on escaping the suffocating atmosphere of the room.
Just as he was about to reach out and grab her, she paused, her hand instinctively trailing up and down her left forearm, her nails leaving faint red marks in their wake. Satoru’s chest tightened at the sight, his worry intensifying with each passing moment. A strange wave of deja vu flew past him.
“I said, wait!” He repeated, his voice tinged with frustration and concern as he finally reached her side.
His hand found her shoulder, applying the slightest pressure in an attempt to gather her attention, to make her see the depth of his concern.
But before he could say another word, a shout pierced through the air, shattering the tense silence of the room.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Nobara screamed, her voice filled with raw fear and anguish, as she recoiled from Satoru’s touch, her eyes wild with panic. Her chest heaved with each laboured breath, her body trembling uncontrollably as adrenaline surged through her veins.
As she stumbled away from him, her movements erratic and frantic, she collided with various pieces of furniture, sending packets of pencils flying through the air, and papers fluttering to the ground.
The room spun around her, a dizzying maze of chaos and confusion. She found herself slowly sinking towards the ground, curling into herself tighter and tighter.
She couldn’t remember how to escape, couldn’t find the way out of this nightmare that seemed to be closing in on her from all sides. All she knew was the overwhelming sense of dread, the feeling of impending doom that clung to her.
Satoru’s eyes widened in shock and regret, his hand recoiling as if burned by her words. He watched helplessly as Nobara’s breathing grew more ragged, her desperate attempts to flee only serving to fuel her panic further. Tears began to form in her eyes.
Like a reflex, his Infinity surged to life, the barrier forming around him in a desperate attempt to shield himself from whatever harm he’d done to his student.
The hum of his Infinity filled the air. For a moment, they stood frozen, their hearts pounding in tandem, the weight of their panic pressing down on them like a suffocating wall.
“I-” Satoru hesitated, his voice trembling with guilt and remorse. “Sorry, I didn't mean to-”
But before he could finish his sentence, Nobara cut in, her words strained and choked with emotion. “My arm hurts,” She confessed, her voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. “My arm hurts but it also doesn’t hurt and I feel like I’m going to die.”
The weight of her words hung heavy in the air. Satoru’s heart ached at the sight of her pain, his own guilt gnawing at him like a relentless beast.
Without hesitation, he crossed the room in quick strides, dropping to his knees beside her. “I’m so sorry, Nobara,” He murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t mean to scare you, really.”
“I know, I know,” She sobbed back, her body still shaking as she brought her knees up to her chest. Satoru gently brushed her tears away, his touch tender and reassuring. “I just don’t know what’s wrong with me and I want it to stop, but I just don’t know-”
“Phantom pain, right?” Satoru interjected, his voice calm and steady as he reached out to comfort her. He carefully pushed her sweaty hair away from her forehead, his touch soothing against her fevered skin. She nodded weakly, her breaths still ragged and uneven.
“This kind of pain sometimes happens after a really bad traumatic incident when you’ve been badly hurt, okay?” Satoru continued, his voice gentle but firm.
Another nod followed, accompanied by a sniffle of acknowledgment.
“Exactly,” He affirmed, his gaze unwavering as he met her tear-filled eyes. “And your arm and side hurt now because of the last curse fight you were in with Yuuji, mhm?”
“Y-yeah,” She choked out, her voice trembling with emotion. “But it’s not missing, so I don’t know why-”
“Your body’s traumatized,” He replied softly, wrapping an arm around her back and carefully pulling her closer to him. “So it’s trying to balance out your mental pain,” He placed a careful finger on her temple, “With your physical pain.” He dragged his finger down, just hovering over her shoulder.
She nodded slowly, the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest gradually calming as she leaned closer to him. Sensing her discomfort, Satoru gently lifted her, settling her onto his lap with her injured left arm pressed against his torso. She nestled against him, her head finding a comfortable spot on his chest, the steady thud of his heartbeat a soothing lullaby in her mind.
“Why’d you put up your Infinity before?” She eventually murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as the tension began to ebb away, replaced by a sense of quiet calm.
Satoru glanced down at her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He hadn’t even realized he turned off his Infinity when approaching her, “Force of habit,” He admitted with a shrug, his gaze softening as he met her eyes. “I don’t know, I just... threw myself into the past when I saw you so scared.”
Nobara threw him a curious glance, her brow furrowing slightly in confusion. “To what?”
He hummed softly, “To when I died.”
Her breath caught in her throat. But as she stared up at his blank expression, she saw no trace of fear or sadness, only a quiet acceptance of the past. And in that moment, the guilt that had weighed heavily on her chest began to melt away, replaced by a sense of understanding and acceptance.
“How’d you get over it?” Nobara whispered, her voice barely audible above the gentle hum of the room. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t stop herself from succumbing to the overwhelming fatigue that threatened to pull her under.
Satoru continued to rock her gently, the steady rhythm of his movements a comforting presence against her skin, “Time.” He said simply with a small smile that seemed to hold far more than he’d ever displayed. He met her gaze with warmth in his eyes, his expression tender and reassuring. “It’s not the most helpful, I know. But give yourself time, yeah? You’ve got lots of people to help out.”
Nobara sighed softly, her exhaustion weighing heavily on her. She tore her gaze away from him with a curt nod, her eyelids drooping with weariness. “You better not tell anyone about this,” She muttered halfheartedly, attempting to muster some semblance of menace despite her vulnerable position pressed against her teacher’s chest.
He chuckled softly, “Rest, Nobara,” He urged gently, his voice laced with something soft and gentle.
With a final nod, she allowed herself to surrender to the darkness, her mind drifting into a blissful oblivion as she sank into the comforting embrace of sleep.
As the room fell silent, the only sound the soft rhythm of their breathing, Satoru couldn’t help but smile to himself.
She pretended not to hear a camera shutter for both their sakes.