Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As new to life as Choso was, he didn't have much else to do than follow the orders imposed by the person who incarnated him. He didn't have much information about who she was, he just knew that the rest of his brothers were safe-kept at Jujutsu High and the promise that he was given.

Do as I say and soon I'll reunite you with your brothers. You trust me, don't you?

Choso wasn't sure what this trust entailed. He wasn't familiar with lies and schemes at the time. He just blindly believed the person who seemed to have the power to fulfill such a promise. He only cared about the rest of his family so it came easy to him, doing as told.

It was almost a little too simple to follow Suguru Geto around and note down anything important that he noticed about him. Any information about his technique, how it was used, he reported back everything that Geto did. He went as far as following him out of the city when he was collecting curses, managing to stay hidden by pure luck alone most of the time. He truly believed he was getting better at not getting noticed.

“Won’t you come out now, Curse?” Geto's smooth voice shocked him in his hiding place behind a thick tree trunk in the forest they were currently at. “You're not exactly a curse though, are you?” He continued, looking right at the place Choso was.

He was surprised to be caught after thinking he'd done so well at his task for over three weeks now but he wasn't afraid. What was there to be scared of? Suguru Geto, as strong as he was, couldn't defeat the sorcerer who incarnated him.

“What's it to you?” Choso gruffed, deciding that walking towards Geto was perfectly fine.

“Pure curiosity,” He replied, looking Choso over as if it was easy for him to see through his being. “You're half human,”

“You don't know what I am,”

Except Suguru did. He knew of the existence of the death paintings since he was a student, he was aware he was in the presence of one. The energy circulating through them was unmistakable, even though he'd only sensed them before incarnation. He just didn't know why.

“Not yet, I don't,” Suguru decided. “You could tell me your name at least,” It was a pity he couldn't introduce himself properly since whoever had sent the half curse half human after him had probably told him that much.

“Choso Kamo,” Choso didn't see an issue with it, names held meaning but his name didn't mean a thing to anyone yet. “How did you know I'm here?”

Suguru smiled slyly, making his way closer to Choso while the other held his ground, refusing to leave as he probably should've instead of conversing with an enemy. He hummed, mere centimeters away from Choso’s face, noting he was slightly shorter than him.

“What can I say? I'm good at sensing someone's eyes on me,” Suguru answered, trying to be non threatening. “And you're not exactly subtle, did you know? You should learn to conceal yourself better, your cursed energy is so sickeningly sweet even from a distance that it's hard for me to overlook it even if I wanted to,”

Most curses were foul, sweet but in the rotting corpse kind of way, purely disgusting to be around. This one though was nothing like it. Suguru wasn't a mindless rookie who couldn't tell the difference between cursed energy when surrounded by it.

Choso of course was stunned by the revelation once again. He wasn't told that detail. He found it unbelievable that the one who incarnated him wouldn't have thought it was important when it came to what he was tasked to do. That was so incredibly annoying.

“No,” Choso replied simply, unsure what he was denying first, frown deep-etched into his features. He didn't know what to do from there. His goal was simple but with this added detail, he was starting to think that he was purposely doomed to fail. But why? Didn't his incarnator care about this? He couldn't wrap his head around it. He only knew that he didn't like it.

“No? That's interesting, Choso,”

The way Geto said his name knocked his thoughts down a bit and he couldn't help but stare at the man right in front of him. He hadn't come across a sorcerer or human who looked quite as stunning as he did. Not only that but he felt strangely drawn to him without knowing the reason. It wasn't even a little similar to how he felt around his incarnator. That just felt nauseating. Geto's energy was inviting in its own way, compelling him to stay in place without speaking. His confusion must've been apparent.

Geto took a slight step forward, tilting his face towards his ear. “Let me know, why am I so interesting to you, Choso? What are you here to discover?”

Choso froze, unblinking. “I’m not… I don't know,” It was as honest as it could get. He knew he had to gather information about the special grade curse manipulation user but he hadn't cared to know the goal.

“You're stalking me without knowing the reason why?” Geto pulled away from his face, still close enough to breathe in.

He didn't have an answer to that. He didn't think it was important to know so much when his task was so simple and what was promised to him was important enough to keep him on track with it. Now he wasn't sure. He still wanted his brothers to be incarnated so they could all be together one day but maybe… Maybe his incarnator didn't care about them the way Choso did.

“Yes,”

“Curious…” It made Suguru wonder what the sorcerer behind this held over Choso’s head. Knowing himself and how sought after his technique was, he could guess it was nothing that was going to leave him unscathed. It was worth noting that he couldn't find any untruth in Choso's demeanor and it was starting to grate on his nerves a bit. He had to know more. “Well, now that I found you out, what makes you think I'll let you walk away freely?”

Choso stepped back, the blood mark on his face beginning to drip as he got ready for a fight.

“That is… unless you want to come back with me and tell me everything that you know in exchange for my help,” Suguru continued, unperturbed, shocking the blood manipulation user for the nth time.

Choso watched Geto and he seemed as calm as ever in the face of someone who very much meant to attack him at any moment. He didn't know what to make of that, he was starting to lose his mind in general.

“You can't do anything for me,”

“Maybe I can't… Satoru Gojo on the other hand, would be able to. If you're willing to cooperate with me, of course,”

Choso didn't see it coming until Geto’s hand was already gripping his shoulder tight enough to bruise. He stared at him frantically, heaving his breaths. What is happening? He couldn't move as a false sense of safety engulfed him, unfolding a fantasy in his mind. His brothers were sitting at a dining table together, laughing and talking. He was there too and so was Geto and even Gojo, the white hair and blue eyes unmistakable even though he'd only seen a single blurry picture of the man so far.

He knew deep down that it was not real but the belief in him that it could be was so strong that he fell to his knees in front of Geto, clutching at his head desperately, wondering how could that be. If Geto was lying about it all, why did he feel like that? Why did he feel so safe instead of disgusted like he felt with his incarnator’s promise even though he had been promised everything he'd wanted?

He didn't know… He couldn't trust him. He couldn't trust his incarnator even more. Even though he knew his incarnator was capable of doing what he'd said, Choso believed less and less that she was going to. The belief got warped the more he basked in Geto's presence and this odd sense of fulfillment that he'd felt nothing close to before.

Choso wasn't sure how long he'd spent reeling until Geto’s face was in his line of sight again because he was kneeling on the ground instead of Choso having stood up without realizing it.

“What do you say?” Geto asked softly, as if Choso was a flight risk. Maybe he was. Maybe he didn't want to be.

“I'll only come with you if you and Gojo can make sure my younger brothers are going to be safe, I don't care about anything else,”

Geto frowned slightly before coming back to himself. “Your brothers? The rest of the death paintings you mean?”

“Yes, there's 9 of us. So far, only I was incarnated. The rest of them are housed by the school, Jujutsu High,”

“You're completely certain of that?”

“Yes. I felt them,”

“Okay then, I assume you'd like them to be incarnated someday?”

“Ideally… Until there's a need for that I want them to survive and be safe,”

Suguru kept looking at Choso in thought, fitting the pieces of information together. Whoever had sent him to what he guessed was, gather information about his technique, had incarnated Choso into this human body of their choice and had promised him to do the same or similar for his brothers too. It still didn't explain what that sorcerer wanted with him but Suguru was starting to become extremely wary. He couldn't let Choso go back but what was the risk of that?

The eight left death paintings were in Jujutsu High’s vault, safe and sound, protected by Tengen’s barriers. Someone sneaking in there to steal them wasn't impossible but Suguru could make sure they'd up the security in that case. There was something truly terrifying out there. Something neither he nor Satoru had accounted for and the higher-ups probably didn't give a shit about. Suguru however wasn't under their thumb anymore so he could easily dig into this further with Satoru's added insider help.

He held a hand out for Choso as he stood up that the half human took without thought.

“Satoru and I will make sure of that,” Suguru said, still holding onto Choso's hand that he hadn't pulled back. “All you've got to do is tell us everything you know about the sorcerer who incarnated you,”

He could tell Choso had caved in but still waited for confirmation anyway.

“Okay, I can do that.”

_

Once he'd deemed Choso and himself safe in his room at the temple, Suguru didn't waste time dialing Satoru's number.

“You took a death painting hostage…” Satoru's voice rang through the receiver.

“I'm not… a hostage,”

“He's not a hostage,” Suguru confirmed. “He came with me willingly,”

“Anyone would, Sugar,”

“As I was saying, Satoru,” Suguru continued, unruffled. “He's been tailing me for weeks to gather information about my technique, right, Choso?”

“Yes, I reported back everything I thought important,”

“But he wasn't told why he's doing it?? Man, are you stupid? Genuinely,”

“I didn't care why!” Choso raised his voice, making Suguru flinch. “I did it because she promised to keep my brothers safe and incarnate them someday!”

“Right… I'm gonna assume you still want that?”

“Yes, that's all I want, nothing else,”

”Easy! I'll keep them extra protected for you,” Satoru sobered before continuing. ”You just tell us about the “she” that promised you something like that, can't let her roam around freely,”

Choso did as he'd said, recounting his first meeting with Kaori Itadori and her incredibly foul tasting cursed energy. She looked non threatening but Choso knew she was anything but. She was strong and felt older than she appeared even though he couldn't be sure how old she was. He didn't know where he was before he'd been incarnated, Satoru confirming Jujutsu High only had 8 out of 9 death paintings.

“Maybe she always had you on hand,”

“Maybe,” Choso nodded. “As I already said, she didn't say why she wanted to know about Geto but it was implied she wanted something from him… Or more like… She wanted him?”

“What's that even mean in this case, oddball?” Satoru interjected.

“I don't know!” Choso raised his voice again, frustrated. “She told me ‘find as much as you can about Suguru Geto, I need to be sure he'd be a useful vessel’,”

Suguru's blood froze in his veins. Vessel?

“Wow, wait, hold your horses… Vessel? You're sure that's what she said exactly?”

“Yes! I told you I don't know what this means… I know nothing else about her, except for how she looks like and what she told me to do,”

”Might be just enough to go off of… Suguru, you there?”

“Yeah,” Physically he was definitely there mentally he wasn't so sure but still, fuck. That psycho could come and try to catch him, Suguru loved the thrill of a fight. He was the second strongest sorcerer of today and the strongest had his back. He wasn't going to go down without one.

”Bring Choso to me tomorrow night, I'll put some more talismans and stuff in my apartment, before that I'm gonna do the same for the school warehouse,” Satoru quieted for a bit, gathering his thoughts. ”And Choso, don't be suspicious until then. If she calls you on the phone, just report your new findings about Suguru if you got any, just do as you usually would, okay?”

“Yeah. I call her at night usually, if I'm not meeting with her,” Choso confirmed. “I gave her my notes last night so she shouldn't be looking for me yet,”

“Good, see you both tomorrow!" The mwah was loud before the click. It made Suguru huff and shake his head while Choso just looked mildly confused. It was a cute expression, or so Suguru's first thought was.

“You're sure Gojo knows what he's doing?” Choso did believe Geto already but Gojo was a whole other thing.

“He does,” Satoru is the only one I fully trust. “I'll get you a mat to sleep on,”

Suguru wasn't particularly worried but he was wary nonetheless. He wasn't going to let Choso out of his sight until tomorrow despite his other duties and the girls. Suguru was willing to believe he meant it when he stated his motive, besides he could calm Choso down with his technique. He hadn't met anyone who was a half-curse before so he wasn't exactly sure how that had worked out earlier but he was interested in exploring it when an opportunity arose.

He lay down the mat on the floor, a couple feet away from his bed, putting down a sheet, a cover and a pillow. Choso watched him with a neutral expression as if almost not understanding why Suguru did all that.

“Thank you,” Choso said. “I would've been okay just crouching in the corner but I appreciate this nonetheless,”

Suguru frowned, refraining from commenting. “Would you like to wash up? I don't mind lending you clothes to sleep in,”

“… Really?”

“Yeah, there's towels in the shower already so, let me show you around,”

Choso went willingly once again, following Geto and finding it hard to be uncomfortable with the new arrangement even though it happened on the same day. He didn't know what it was that made him this pliable so quickly. Geto was more hospitable than anyone's ever been to him the past month and if he had to be honest he'd not been in an actual bathroom with a shower, nonetheless been offered to sleep with covers in a pleasantly warm room.

He slept on filthy, cold floors, in forests leaning on trees, on benches, even in the sewers, hidden from people and surrounded by foul smell at all times, insects and mice. He thought that must be normal for someone like him, why would anyone care if he was comfortable? He wasn't human. He didn't have to live a nice life. He didn't know what a nice life looked like yet, maybe he'd never find out… But this… Standing under the warm stream of Geto's shower, this was by far the most pleasant moment of his short incarnated life. He liked that the most.

Just for the time he could spend washing up, using the soap and shampoo after being kindly instructed how to do it, he didn't have to think he was here solely for someone else's agenda. Even if he was, he couldn't find it in himself to mind it if that was how he was going to be treated now. He could allow himself to enjoy it while it lasted.

A little too soon, the water was starting to turn cooler, Choso sighed contently and turned it off the way he was shown how. He wished he could stay there more but it had probably already been a while if the time it'd taken him to brush and wash his shoulder-length hair was anything to go by. He didn't know how Geto did it, his hair was a lot longer and looked… Choso kind of wanted to touch it just to see if it was as silky as it looked. Maybe he could ask later, he didn't really have a grasp on what was a weird thing to do whatsoever.

He found the towels soon after, putting one around his shoulders so his hair wasn't dripping down his back and wrapping the other around his hips securely. The clothes he'd come with had already finished spinning in the washing machine if the lack of noise was something to go by. He'd only agreed to put them in the odd contraption after Geto had explained to him that after that was done he'd put them in a dryer, the same looking machine that was right next to the washing machine, and they'd be ready to wear again in minutes. He wasn't sure how that worked but he trusted Geto on it. He'd treated him well so far and Choso had no reason to think he'd have an agenda over his clothes of all things. You couldn't do anything with that.

He got out of the bathroom and back into the room, barefoot on the laminated floor and slightly shivering. He didn't care to look for his boots, instead heading for the tatami mat, noticing there were clothes left out for him as promised. He couldn't sense Geto in the room so he thought it was okay to just get dressed here after drying off properly.

He put on the black underwear, gray sweatpants and black short-sleeve shirt quickly, it was baggier on him than necessary but then again those were most likely Geto's clothes and he had a larger build than him. The clothes were comfortable nonetheless, the shirt collar loose with wear around his neck. He wasn't used to showing skin like that with his own clothes that were snug and covered him neck to toe but it felt kind of… pleasant, freeing. He sat on the floor after, continuing to towel his damp hair.

Soon enough, Geto made his way into the room again, carrying some purple device in his hands.

“What's that?” Wariness building up before Geto could even enter the room properly.

“It’s a hair dryer,”

Choso frowned. “Clothes dryer, hair dryer… How many of those dryers do you own?”

He could see Geto trying and failing to hide his amusement at his fair question.

“It's just these two,” Geto replied, walking closer to him. “Personally I can't stand sleeping with wet hair so I figured it'd be more comfortable for you too, if you dried yours,”

“Oh…”

Choso couldn't describe the odd feeling that swirled inside him at the consideration but it did feel slightly warmer than Geto's usual presence did. He didn't question it any further, instead letting Geto beckon him to sit closer to the headboard on his bed where the outlet was and watched him plug in the dryer.

“Let me do it for you?” The truth was Suguru was tired and couldn't wait to let his head squish the pillow. Not without summoning a couple curses to make sure it was safe to sleep with Choso around of course. He couldn't risk it, less for him and more because the kids were sleeping in a nearby room. He watched Choso hesitate with that same cutely confused frown. Suguru couldn't begin to guess what was swimming in his head.

“Okay… That's fine,”

So Suguru did, running his fingers through his dark brown locks as he went, earning a content sigh in return. He could feel Choso relax further into it, letting him do what he pleased and Suguru loved that kind of thing. He liked offering it and especially loved his own hair getting washed, dried and brushed by someone else carefully. It had been a while since the last time he could fall into doing either of these things with the girls having learned to do their own hair by now, hardly ever asking him for help and even less so offering to take care of his. With Satoru away from him, busy teaching and taking on too many missions to be left with enough free time to spend with him.

It was a bit sad how he craved what he couldn't have but this moment right now wasn't so bad, even though Choso was nothing more than a stranger to him at the moment.

“Uhm…” Choso hesitated after Suguru was done, unplugging and putting the dryer away on the nightstand for now.

“What is it?”

“…Can I touch your hair?” It was Suguru's turn to be confused. “It looks soft,”

“Oh,” It couldn't hurt, could it? It was almost as if Choso was reading his mind even though that was an exceptionally ridiculous thought. He gave it a few seconds of thought then untied his bun, letting the dark locks flow down his back like a midnight waterfall. “Sure, go ahead,”

Suguru turned his back on Choso, which for some reason felt less dangerous than facing him for a reason he didn't want to put meaning behind this soon. He waited like that until he felt the careful brush of Choso's fingertips on the left side of his head. For someone who'd been properly alive for such a short time, he was surprisingly tactful and gentle, wary not to tug. Suguru stayed silent through it while Choso's other hand joined on his right, gathering his hair and clearly enjoying moving it around as he brushed through it with gentle fingers from time to time. Suguru liked it more than he would've liked to admit. He'd missed this more than he'd realized.

“It really is soft,” Choso muttered in barely hidden quiet wonder. “Strong though, I like your hair more than mine,”

Suguru smiled a bit. “Thank you,” He turned around once Choso pulled his hands away. “Let's get some rest,” Something tells me I'm going to need it more than previously anticipated.

Choso agreed easily, moving back to the mat on the floor and Suguru almost felt sorry for having him sleep on the floor despite his earlier statement. He settled into his bed and summoned his protection curses after explaining to Choso what it was for, sparing any details beyond that. He could almost read the need to take note of that too off his face expression but he didn't do anything except for mentally storing it away.

Suguru let that go. It didn't matter to them as long as he could keep Choso in his and soon Satoru's orbit until they found the sorcerer targeting Suguru for her own nefarious purposes.

Until then he could allow himself to sleep and look forward to a new day.

Chapter Text

It felt just like any other morning to Suguru at first, his alarm sounding at 7, mid volume and no vibration ever since Satoru had complained about it irritating his senses about a decade ago. Suguru had rolled his eyes then, but had still turned off the feature and gotten used to it so far that even now when they lived apart, he still wasn't using it.

I'll just come wake you up, Suguru! He'd huffed and puffed for exactly a few seconds before giving in to Satoru's whims.

What if you're not here to wake me up, idiot?

Impossible!

It had been very much possible but Suguru hadn't countered it. it had taken a while until that was the case, Suguru had gotten used to waking up from the sound alone by then. He still missed Satoru's obnoxious knocks on his door and yells of Suguruuu~ get up! in over the top scream-whispers.

He stirred and turned the alarm off, waking up way easier now than before. Satoru had always been the lighter sleeper. Hell, he wasn't even disoriented right after being nudged awake even if he'd been tired the night before. It used to piss Suguru off to no end when he'd tested that out a couple times just in spite and gotten nothing out of it, not even a little laugh when he'd tried to ask Satoru nonsensical things to see what he'd say.

In turn, Satoru had just looked at him like Suguru had grown a second head and asked him Suguru… It was me that got a concussion but maybe I should've asked Shoko if that kinda thing is contagious… You sure you're okay?

Suguru of his own accord, had stormed out the room pissed beyond measure. And there was that.

Satoru had still gotten the last laugh after figuring out what he'd tried to do and turned it against him, finding great amusement in Suguru's disoriented look later on.

He appreciated it as a fond memory now.

Suguru sat up in bed, not sensing anything out of place, his curses still summoned and well, a bat-looking one hanging from the ceiling and a faceless one that resembled Ditto but lacked the cuteness sitting by Choso's feet. The aforementioned was still curled up in a fetal position seemingly unperturbed by the noise just a minute ago. He looked comfortable enough, nothing pointing that he was pretending to be asleep and plotting Suguru's downfall meanwhile, even though he couldn't yet be sure if it was going to come to that or not. They had to check and see.

Getting up, Suguru decided he'd leave Choso like that, with the addition of two more curses, one at the door and another by the windows just in case he got any funny ideas while Suguru handled his morning chores.

Said chores included calling Miguel first thing in the morning and making sure he was okay with housing Mimiko and Nanako at his Tokyo apartment for a little while until Suguru was sure their safety wasn't threatened by being anywhere near him right now. He hated not knowing what was out there and wasn't willing to risk them becoming collateral if someone came directly after him.

After making sure the sorcerer would come over soon, Suguru got Manami to clear whatever was on his schedule for the day. A meeting with one of his filthy rich but otherwise useless sponsors and a couple normies looking to be salvaged from the ‘demons’ that have been haunting them. Suguru prided himself on finding a way for curse-riddled humans to find their way towards him and his ‘healing’ ways instead of him hunting the lower grades by himself outside. It was definitely more handy that way.

And he kind of liked wearing his monk robes and playing the blessed savior role in front of the ignorant. It pleased the need for flair that was undeniably part of his personality and besides, Satoru seemed to enjoy his antics too as an added bonus.

By 10 in the morning, Suguru had sent the twins off with Miguel and slipped back into his room with the intention to get in the shower as soon as possible.

He was surprised to find Choso still curled up, looking like he'd not even moved in the slightest for the past three hours Suguru had been gone. He frowned, wondering just what could've been causing that sort of peace for the other but only let himself question it once he was under the spray.

Most likely it had something to do with his technique, it couldn't have been anything else, could it? There was no visible logic pointing different. But Suguru hadn't even done anything intentionally this time. He'd only summoned his curses and slept in the same room.

It could've had something to do with his cursed energy, he didn't know what that felt like to Choso but it was possible. Just how he could sense the sweetness of the half-half being, maybe Choso felt comfortable with his energy around. Maybe it was because he was a half-curse. It could've been that he felt drawn to him, safe even. He only had one other experience so far with Toji’s worm crawling to him after being abandoned. Suguru wasn't sure how he felt about that thought but it was helpful as long as it worked in their favor.

Conditioner in his hair, Suguru let himself relax for now. His stronger suit was coming up with plans on the way instead of long term schemes, he’d admitted Satoru was better at that sort of thing, more realistic instead of led by his heart like Suguru preferred to be. That was why Satoru had chosen to teach the young generation and push reforms forward as much as he could with the old geezers still in power while Suguru worked from the shadows, keeping his family afloat and the stronger curses that the students couldn't fight, out the streets while Satoru was overwhelmingly busy somewhere far away.

It was an agreement they've come up with after Suguru defected from the school and established his life differently. The higher-ups couldn't go against it, nevermind how much it pissed them off because it did help in the end. The broken system they've established, the same one that nearly doomed both him and Satoru, that failed Haibara before they could prevent it was now held up frantically by Satoru and Suguru's willingness and averse to young sorcerers dying after being sent to wrongly graded missions. Satoru had made sure everyone had a partner as well, while the higher-ups had separated the two of them in the past, now sending off a single sorcerer to fight alone had been written and abided by rule for the past couple years.

Stopping the water, Suguru wrapped a towel around his head and dried off before putting on the clothes he'd picked out for himself earlier. No matter how many years passed nobody could make him swap his baggy pants and sweaters for anything. Wearing skin-tight pants and shirts that were criminally loose around the neck would stay Satoru's thing.

He hadn't picked up on any changes of energy but getting out of the shower, he saw Choso was now awake and sitting with his knees drawn to his chest in the middle of the tatami mat. The cover had been pushed aside and his expression was blank, his hair was still free atop his shoulders, sticking out in some places.

“Good morning,”

“Mm,”

That was about all the acknowledgement Suguru received but he didn't think it was a problem. Choso looked calm, just maybe a bit lost. He could understand in a way, his usual routine was probably far different than lounging in bed until the later morning hours. Plus that he didn't know what else he was supposed to do until Suguru decided on it since that was their agreement.

Suguru let it be for now, heading back towards the nightstand where he'd left the hairdryer last night and opening the drawer to find his detangling brush and the heat protectant spray, a whole life saver that he'd started using a few years ago and hadn't looked back since.

An exhale later, he was prepared for the process of drying his hair that was going to take from twenty minutes to half an hour depending on how quickly his arms got tired

Just as he plugged the dryer in, Choso turned towards him, while still compressed into a smaller heap.

“Can I dry your hair?” Suguru paused in his movements, finger on the button. Choso’s expression was open, waiting. It stunned him a little.

“Okay,” He agreed. “Let me show you how first, it'll take a while though,”

“That's fine,”

There was that then. Suguru beckoned him closer, putting the dryer down and taking the brush explaining how to part his hair, how close to hold the dryer, that it should point downwards as you went with the brush gliding under. He almost felt like he was giving a lecture on the simple process of hair drying but Suguru found that he didn't mind doing it. They both didn't have anything else to do until going to Satoru tonight and not leaving Choso to his own devices which may or may not have included him sitting in the same heap for hours was the nicer thing to do.

That's exactly what Suguru was doing, being nice. Everyone knew he was nice. Outwardly more than Satoru anyway. His kindness rewarding him with Choso's careful hands and expert instruction following skills was just a bonus. That was what Suguru was going to tell himself as he let himself go completely boneless while Choso worked on his self appointed task.

For his first time doing this, Choso found that he liked it. Focusing on pulling the brush down while going over it with the dryer calmed his mind in an unexpected way. The feel of Geto’s hair when he finished drying a section and moved it to the side to start the next was surely one of the nicest things he'd touched if the material of his own clothes counted. If he thought about it, those might've been the only things he'd liked touching in the past month. If he had to rank it, the clothes were a solid second.

He kept going in silence, content to be this close for a reason he couldn't explain until he heard Geto sigh. Looking at his back now, his shoulders were slightly forward, relaxed. Body language was one of the few things Choso knew how to read well and Geto's right now only pointed out that he must've been doing a good job at this.

Shortly, he was at the last section he'd parted and it felt like it was over too soon. He'd already dried the shorter strands by Geto's face and there was really no more left to do. It would've made him sad to put the brush and dryer down if it wasn't for how absolutely beautiful the sight in front of him looked. He could do nothing but stare in awe at the smooth black and the way it reflected the light in the sun-lit room.

He probably would've tried to touch it again if it wasn't for Geto tilting his head back enough to be able to look at him.

“Is something wrong?”

Choso looked at his face a bit reluctantly. “No… I just,” He was finding himself at a loss for words. I just really like your hair.

“Looks nice, huh?” Suguru teased, watching the way Choso's cheeks tinted a warmer color as he nodded. “It felt really nice too,” He chose. “Thank you for doing it,”

“I liked it,” He admitted honestly. Suguru was learning that Choso hardly had a brain to mouth filter and he couldn't help but like that about him already. He already knew he was going to miss this part of Choso's short stay with him once he left him with Satoru tonight but maybe… Maybe the positive part of the unknown they were about to face could be that he and Satoru would get to spend more time together for now. He wanted that desperately and he was only going to admit to it verbally if it was driven out of him by force. He could surely think of a way Satoru could do that.

For now, he listened to Choso unplug the dryer and put everything back in the place he'd seen Suguru take it out of earlier with surprising confidence. It was the natural reaction to be uncomfortable with strangers and at new places but in Choso's case, he noticed it was the opposite so far. Instead of making Suguru uneasy how effortlessly he navigated things, it kind of fascinated him. He fit right in as if he'd spent more than the single night with Suguru.

“I have a question,” Suguru said.

“What question?”

“About your… existence? It might sound silly,”

“Ask,”

“Did you have any awareness before you were incarnated? You know, could you grasp what was happening around you? Could you understand anything?”

Suguru knew for certain that this wasn't how fetuses worked if it was the regular human kind. They had no consciousness but in this particular case, who knew what Noritoshi Kamo had created exactly. There was little information detailing it.

He watched Choso think it over for a moment. “Not in the way I do now… Not in the ‘being alive’ way,”

“Not like a human would?” Suguru prompted.

“No, but I'm not human now either, I guess it was more of me knowing that I am alive and had a purpose I wasn't aware of,” Choso said. “I knew I had to live, that I will live, just nothing else about how or when, I couldn't hear or see anything,”

“I understand,” Or I can at least try to sympathize. “Second question,”

“Yes?”

“Come have lunch with me?” It wasn't much of a question on Suguru's part but Choso didn't seem to mind.

“Okay, I don't turn down food.”

Before going, Suguru offered Choso a brush for his unruly hair that he easily accepted. He decided to just tuck it behind his ears for now and Suguru thought it was criminal how good he managed to look so casually with a few short strands framing his face. He had to forcefully avert his gaze and busy himself with tying up his own updo because get yourself together, Suguru. That's so unlike you. He didn't get why it was suddenly such an easy thing for him to tease and think almost fondly (?) about another person that wasn't Satoru.

It wasn't even remotely close to the mutual devotion he and Satoru shared but it did come as a surprise. Yet, all he could do for now was let it be.

“I have a question too,” Choso surprised even himself with the statement after lunch but Geto took it in stride.

“What is it?”

“Will I get to see you again after you drop me off at Gojo’s tonight?” Genuinely, Choso did want to know what he was going to be doing there too but he hoped to meet any expectations as they came. Geto's expression slightly shifted after he asked but he couldn't tell what that meant because he replaced it with a playful smile quickly.

“Why? Do you like me that much already?”

“I do,”

If kicking your feet had a facial expression counterpart that was probably what Suguru had going on at the moment. He should seriously stop reacting that strongly to boldness. Or maybe it was just Choso. Oh, Satoru's going to be absolutely insufferable over this. Suguru didn't mind though. Compared to just about everyone else, Suguru liked it when he was obnoxious. Deep down he hoped Choso and Satoru would manage to get along without the former trying to attack him if he found him too annoying to handle. Not that Satoru wouldn't enjoy that.

“Yeah, I'll be around,” Suguru replied. “I have to tell you though, Satoru and I are a couple,”

The silence was loud for a moment while Choso took that in.

“A couple of what?”

Suguru coughed a laugh. “A couple of uhm… lovers? We're committed to each other,” He could tell Choso wasn't really getting the meaning but he didn't really think that he would. “You will see,” He decided, calming down.

“Okay, of course.”

It was early evening by the time Choso followed Suguru back to the room. He gave him his clothes back and let him change in the bathroom. When he was out, his hair was done in the same way as when they'd met. Tied into two high pony's with strands jutting upwards. It made Suguru wonder where he'd seen the style and how he'd decided to learn to do it. He was going to keep that question for another time.

In a split second decision, Suguru headed towards his closet.

“How do you feel about changing clothes again?” Suguru threw at Choso, who only looked at him in absolute confusion, looking down at his newly dried robes.

“Why…? Is something wrong with mine?”

“I'm getting us there with my motorcycle, so yeah, it's not safe to wear baggy clothes for that,” And that's why I've been using my car excessively. Plus, protecting his hair could be a hassle but Suguru wasn't going to say any of that. Instead, he was going to stick with his sudden change of mind and hope that Choso would go along with it. He watched him think it over for a moment before answering.

“I don't mind,” Choso said.

“Great!” Suguru desperately needed to stop getting so excited. Though it didn't prevent him from immediately digging into his closet, searching for that one pair of leather pants that he knew Satoru had thrown in there ages ago because their pant legs were too short on his mile-long legs. I can't wear them, Sugar! People are gonna think I shrunk it in the washing machine!; ... Satoru. You don't put this type of leather in the washing machine.; You don't? Doesn't matter! You should keep them. Little did Satoru know, Suguru couldn't button those pants around his waist if he tried.

He took them out, eyeing Choso for a bit. By the looks of it, they could work out perfectly. He grabbed a black shirt along with them and handed the clothes over quickly.

“Try those on while I change,”

Suguru didn't even wait for the bathroom door to click shut before he was taking his sweatshirt off and changing it for a slimmer fit shirt. He knew the exact pair of pants he was going to put on. Screw caution, he hadn't met with Satoru in three weeks, making him drool at first sight was the main goal.

He took out the pair, quickly zipping them on. They were even more detailed than he remembered, with grommets running from waist down both pant legs, laced in the middle of each leg. There were long zippers on the underside of the legs, while a pair of buckles wrapped around both thighs and shins. He took out two jackets next and slid the closet door shut, stepping away to tie his hair in the easiest low ponytail.

Just after that he heard Choso come out of the bathroom.

“I think it fits, though it feels weird,” Suguru looked at his direction and yes.

“Not too tight?”

“No,” Choso confirmed. “I don't think I'd be able to fight in those,”

“Neither would I,” Suguru chuckled, handing over one of the leather jackets. “Let's hope there's no reason for that until we arrive at Satoru's place.”

At the makeshift garage, Suguru pulled the tarp off his bike and felt just a little pleased that he'd chosen to live at a location that had good roads. Getting down the mountain on foot would've had him researching the physics of teleportation, even though he doubted he could pull that off with his technique.

He handed Choso the spare purple helmet and helped him put it on then did the same with his own black one. This is going to be so fun.

“Climb on,” Suguru said after he'd mounted and stirred the bike towards the road. Choso stayed silent as he did as told, swinging a leg over and sitting behind Suguru, clearly nervous, keeping his feet on the ground. “First, there's the footrests, get both of your feet on them,”

“Won’t we fall over?”

“I won't let that happen, don't worry,” He kept the kickstand still down. Choso followed through. “Now, your arms go around my waist, don't worry about squeezing too tight, I prefer it, good,” He nodded. “When we turn, let the movement carry you, lean with me not against the turn,”

“Okay, I think I got it,”

“When I stop at red lights, keep your feet on the footrests, okay?”

“Okay.”

The sound of the engine made Choso flinch at first. He was skeptical but he knew he wasn't fragile and neither was Geto so even if they did get into an accident, they'd be just fine. There was nothing to be afraid of, and he wasn't really. It was just a new experience on his list of few in his fairly short incarnated life and Choso let the excitement overpower caution as they accelerated.

He was holding on tightly and it felt incredible. The wind on his neck, the roar and low vibration of the engine as they went faster. The surroundings became blurrier as Geto passed a few slow cars. It felt like his body itself was buzzing underneath the layers. He hadn't felt anything he could compare it to so far. He liked it a lot.

Remembering the instructions once a red light came, he kept his feet up as they halted to a stop.

“Feeling good?” Geto asked loudly, making sure his voice carried over from under his helmet and the surrounding noise.

“Yes, incredible.”

They carried on like that for a time Choso considered too short for the second time today. He enjoyed every second until Geto entered an underground parking lot and they had to get off. He followed Geto to the elevator that was going to bring them to the last floor of the high-rise building. No one else got on for the time it took them to reach it.

“Suguru!” A loud voice interrupted the imposed silence as soon as the elevator doors cracked open.

He looked in the direction of it and saw Satoru Gojo taking strides long enough to be called leaps towards them. Not that it took that many, it was a fairly short distance from the only other door on the floor that Choso could see.

“Turn around, fetus,” Gojo looked at him for a mere second before his eyes were glued on Geto.

Choso didn't even have the time to react in any way except for his eyes bulging out his skull as he watched Gojo pull Geto towards him with a hand on his waist while the other slid over the back of his head, midnight strands slipping through the grip of his fingers.

Choso couldn't really see what was happening from that angle, him standing behind the two, but he could definitely hear the smacking noises of what he knew must've been lips moving against lips.

Oh.

Perhaps he was beginning to understand what Geto meant when he'd said they were lovers.

“Or don't,” Gojo quipped once he pulled back, giving Choso a once over. “Alright!” He took the smallest step away from Geto's figure. “Let's get inside first.”

If anything, Choso was sure he'd remember their first encounter for a long time.

”By the way, Suguru… You look fucking fantastic.”