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Attending a school with less than ten students should make it very easy to spend time alone. In reality, this just makes Yu cling to Nanami more, eager to do everything together as a way to ensure Nanami is never subject to loneliness. It would be sweet except Yu has a penchant for getting the second years involved too, all five of them moving as a unit more often than they move apart. But some alone time is healthy and so today Nanami woke up an hour earlier than usual, all to make use of the facilities Jujutsu Tech has to offer.
As they're expected to keep in top-notch condition for class, a lot of money has gone toward maintaining the school gym, all the machines greased and oiled regularly even while the rest of the school looks like it belongs in the Heian era. However, Nanami bypasses this area entirely, giving barely a glance to the weights that he's forced to lift twice a week by Geto. Instead, he keeps going, straight into a short hallway and then through a heavy door that leads to the school's swimming pool.
It's warm in this room, made humid by the fact that there's only one window which is currently closed. Due to the large size of the pool, Nanami can be forgiven for not immediately noticing the pressing elephant in the room. He inhales deeply, letting the way the lowlight reflects off the deep blue water calm him, relief settling in as he turns to pad over to one of the deckchairs.
Then there's the splash of water.
Of course, this is out of the ordinary because Nanami is alone in here. Or, at least, he had planned to be alone. The person peeking up from the very corner of the pool proves that he's not. And while there's only a sliver visible, Nanami would know Gojo's face even if he was rendered half-blind. His hair is darkened slightly, weighed down by water and sticking to the sides of his ears, but the blue of his eyes is more vibrant than anything the water has to offer. They both remain in a stalemate, staring at each other in steadfast silence. If Nanami is confused, then Gojo must be doubly so, judging by his absolute deer-in-the-headlights expression. Though his face is cut off from the nose down, Nanami imagines his mouth is ajar.
They can't remain at this impasse forever.
Nanami drags himself closer to the pool, enough that he can see Gojo in full, and then he crouches down, resting both his hands on his knees. "Senpai, what are you doing here so early?" Nanami chews at the flesh of his cheek for a moment, deciding on something. "And why are you dressed like that?"
The that in question being like a toddler with overly protective parents. Not only does Gojo have two arm bands slotted around his biceps but he's also got a doughnut float covering up half his torso.
"Like what?" Gojo retorts, an obstinate avoidance that they both know won't work.
Nanami pokes at one armband. "Like you're about to evacuate the Titanic."
It's a lighthearted attempt to get Gojo to open up but the other boy doesn't even crack a smile. "They didn't carry doughnuts on the Titanic."
"Gojo-senpai, I'm only here to swim so if you don't want a conversation that's fine by me." The position has already gotten a tad bit unbearable, Nanami's right knee still sore from practice yesterday. "And if you want to be alone, that's fine too. I can come by later."
"I can't swim."
Nanami pauses, still crouching at this revelation.
"What?"
Gojo's very much looking at him now, fat beads of water collecting along the line of his jaw before dropping off. "I didn't learn how as a kid. My family had me doing a lot of extracurriculars but never swimming. I didn't originally attend public school and by the time I did, swimming lessons had already been concluded."
Nanami has never seen him in the pool room before, had assumed he just prefers more straightforward exercise, always on the track trying to beat his previous personal record. This new information makes a great deal of sense, another puzzle piece slotting into place.
"So, you're learning?" Gojo nods once. "What made you choose now?"
At this, Gojo huffs, his eyes scrunching shut. It's comforting in its familiarity, something he does whenever Yaga gives out detention. "Ieiri said we should all go to the beach at break. Even if I can get away with not stepping into the ocean, the resort has a pool and I know it'll seem suspicious if I don't swim."
Nanami is very intimate with the details of this trip, having been forced into a group chat to iron out the exact itinerary. Out of all of them, Gojo had seemed the most enthusiastic about going, pointedly mentioning the unlimited access to water as a plus. In retrospect, knowing what he does now, it just seems like a ploy to make sure nobody suspects his inability to swim. Nanami's chest pulses but with what, he doesn't know.
"You could have mentioned it," he says, as gently as he can. "Nobody would judge you."
"It's not about judgement. I want to be able to swim."
Of course, if that's that case then Gojo could have been doing this during the afternoon–could have been upfront from the beginning. But despite this there's also determination in his voice, as strong as when he oversees the first year training sessions. He may not be telling the whole truth, but he's not lying either.
"That's admirable."
Gojo Satoru is never shy but the way he looks now can certainly be mistaken for that. Over the course of his explanation, his cheeks have gradually darkened to a pink that reminds Nanami of candied apples, glazed with sweetness. He's endearing like this, with his hands holding onto the edge of the pool so tightly his knuckles have gone pale.
It's this, the sight of his reluctance, which has Nanami continuing, "I can teach you."
Gojo's brows knit together, a wrinkle forming in response. "Teach me?"
"To swim. I'll help you learn." The offer shouldn't be nerve-wracking but Nanami realises too late that maybe Gojo wouldn't be comfortable exposing his weakness, that even explaining it at all may have been a stretch too much for him. While he may view sacrificing his free time as generosity, perhaps it's coming across as overbearing or maybe even pity. "If you want to, that is. You don't have–"
"Okay."
Nanami tilts his head, trying to ascertain if this isn't just a coerced reply. But Gojo is smiling a little. "Okay?"
"You've found out my so-called deep, dark secret." He shrugs, exaggerated to make up for the drag of the water sloshing around his shoulders. "Might as well help me while you're here."
Rather than complicate this with unnecessary chatter, Nanami decides to act before either of them can to think to change their minds. "Get up out of the water, we'll need you without that floatie if we're going to make any progress."
At the mention of floatie Gojo's smile falters but he doesn't protest which is definitely some sort of win.
Nanami's seen Gojo plenty of times in the changing rooms, has even glimpsed him in the shower room on occasion—though he always averts his eyes—but it's different now, watching Gojo pull himself onto the side of the pool, moving slower because of how the water doesn't seem to want to let him go. He stands up with a stretch, pushing out of the pool float only emphasises the length of his body as his muscles ripple. It makes Nanami feel embarrassed, just how interesting he finds this display. For a moment his head turns to static.
"What now?" Gojo asks, and Nanami is snapped out of the strange tangent his mind has decided to go on.
"Now you get back in the pool."
The very basic request has Gojo balking. "Shouldn't we do some mock poses first or something?"
"That'll be useless unless you're actually in the water." Nanami clicks his tongue, slipping into the role of tutor easily enough considering he did it as a summer job during junior high. "I'll get in the water with you so there's no reason to panic."
Gojo's eyes cut to the side, his mouth pulled into bitterness, a pale withered tulip. "Nobody's panicking."
"Good."
Nanami hadn't bothered heading to the changing rooms before this, just throwing on a big t-shirt over a pair of swim shorts. He figured that he could take it off in the pool room but now that he's faced with an audience of one, he regrets not walking here shirtless with a towel slung over his shoulders to avoid appearing like an exhibitionist. There's something off-putting about taking his t-shirt off in front of Gojo, warmth bubbling up in his throat at just the thought. Somehow it's different from the changing rooms or even the shower stalls.
Should I face away?
After a moment of internal fumbling, Nanami swallows and decides that turning away would be stranger than anything else, the kind of move a shy maiden would pull in a regency novel, not befitting of someone about to instruct his upperclassman on how to swim. He sighs, closing his eyes as he lifts his t-shirt over his head, careful not to tug the band he's used to secure his hair back. Without looking at Gojo, he tosses it back onto the deckchair.
"Okay, shall I get in first or do you want to?" Nanami asks, looking up at Gojo whose eyes are flickering as he stares somewhere over Nanami's shoulder.
"Huh?"
Nanami frowns, wondering if he should already start regretting the offer. "The pool. Are you alright to get in?"
"Oh." Gojo drags his gaze with what seems to be a lot of effort and makes steeled eye contact with Nanami. "You get in first. Just to make sure the temperature is to your liking."
It's perhaps the weakest excuse he could have mustered but Nanami is hesitant to criticise when this must already be quite difficult for him. He nods and kicks off his sandals, rolling his shoulders back before settling down and holding onto the ladder leading down to the shallow end. Usually, he would just slip in from the edge but with Gojo's obvious inexperience, it's probably best to demonstrate the best routine for a beginner.
If this sorcery thing doesn't end up working out, maybe swimming could, Nanami thinks, only half-amused as he allows the goosebumps, which have risen along his arms, to disappear before gesturing over to Gojo. "You can come in now."
He had sort of expected whining, something he's grown accustomed to from Gojo, but instead he just nods, his jaw clenched as he commences on what could only look like a death march when taken out of context. The ladder down to the pool may as well be the gallows of a particularly nefarious ship. Of course, the effect of this is slightly diminished by the neon arm bands on Gojo's arms. But still, the point is he's putting in a lot of effort, the kind of effort which better matches a Special Grade mission and yet Gojo has faced those with considerable more joviality.
"Couldn't I have kept it on?" Gojo asks, when he's finally settled into the water. He's pouting. It's ridiculous.
"Are you planning on keeping it on at the beach too?"
Gojo stays silent, his pout flattening into something which holds much more vitriol.
"That's what I thought. Now, I want you to lay on your back. It's really easy." Nanami points at the space ahead of himself and then leans backwards until his feet have been carried upwards and he's staring at the ceiling. "All you have to do is tilt like you're about to lie down on the ground and you won't sink." He chances a glance at Gojo who doesn't seem very pleased.
"I know how it works."
"Great. That means you'll be able to do it."
It's the easiest thing for anyone to do and thankfully Gojo proceeds to lay down, the back of his head getting soaked again, like molten silver as it spreads around his head in a transient halo. It would probably be more beneficial to have him do this without the armbands but Nanami isn't going to push his luck too soon. He goes back to treading water, wanting to observe Gojo better.
"Perfect. Now all you have to do is kick."
Anyone would think Nanami had just told Gojo to shoot fire through his nose by the flabbergasted drop of his jaw. "I'll sink, he insists, like this makes any amount of sense. "Is this just a plan to have me embarrass myself?"
"I don't think I'd need any sort of elaborate plan for that," Nanami shoots back. "You won't sink." Just to make sure Gojo knows he's serious, he holds onto one of his hands which is currently palm down in the water to provide extra stability. It's warmer than the water they're in, probably Gojo's cursed energy or something else innocuous. "I've got you."
Gojo goes still, narrowing his eyes into diamond shards. "Don't let go."
If Nanami had less self-restraint then he'd definitely roll his eyes at Gojo's lack of faith. Instead, he just tightens his hold.
"Just kick up and down, it'll feel like you're propelling in place."
As pernickety as Gojo can be, he's always good at following instructions in any sort of sport. His form is perfect when he kicks, always level with the preceding movement. Nanami gives a thumbs up but Gojo's eyes are shut tight, sheets of water occasionally breaking over his face.
"Let's do this for another ten minutes," Nanami says, leaning over to make sure Gojo can hear him. It's not until Gojo opens his eyes that he realises how close he's gotten, their faces in parallel.
"Just this? We should move onto something else next."
"We need to nail down the fundamentals first. There's still time before the trip so we can afford to do this and we have to get ready for class soon anyways." Nanami senses that even with the explanation there's going to be protest and he breathes in deeply, chlorine sticking to his tongue.
"Nine days is not enough time," Gojo says, his feet no long paddling.
"If that's the case, let's take your armbands off now." At this suggestion, Nanami starts to move back but he can't, not with how Gojo's interlaced their fingers, digging his nails in hard enough to sting. He starts kicking again. Nanami hides his smile behind a cough.
***
Gojo leaves first, heading out of the pool room to the adjacent showers. Nanami doesn't even consider joining him, instead walking out the way he had come in and going to the dorm showers. He has around fifteen minutes before breakfast, in which he manages to wake up a very disgruntled Yu.
"Just a little longer," Yu mumbles, shoving his head under his pillow like that would be enough to get Nanami to leave. But past experience has shown that a little longer is enough for Yu to miss breakfast entirely and spend the better part of morning classes complaining into his textbook. It's only when he rips the covers off of Yu that he finally relents, sitting up with half-open eyes. "I'm up."
"Good morning," Nanami says, piling on faux sweetness that is borderline painful after how long his day has already been. By the time they get to the dining hall, the second years are already sat down with their food, both Shoko and Gojo looking at Geto who seems to be retelling a captivating story if his gestures are anything to go off of. Yu takes his usual place inbetween them while Nanami sits next to Geto.
He doesn't miss how Gojo's smiles dims.
"I can't believe Gojo-senpai is earlier than us today," Yu says, grinning at the little tease. "I've got to be doing something wrong."
Geto pauses in his offering of carrot sticks to Nanami, glancing at the other side of the table. "We were surprised too, he was up before us for once."
"I just couldn't sleep," Gojo says, stirring at his oatmeal without looking up. "I'll sleep in tomorrow if it's that much of an inconvenience."
"No, please." Shoko elbows him. "It's a good change."
Nanami is only half paying attention now, very aware of how Gojo hasn't looked at him this entire time. He swivels slightly just to face Geto who's given him three sticks of baby carrots but is taken aback by how Geto leans in close, his face close to Nanami's neck. "You smell different. Are you wearing perfume?" he asks, moving back and smiling. "It's nice."
Actually, Nanami is wearing perfume, an old gift that he dug out of his drawers to cover up the stench of chlorine that lingered even after a shower. He flushes at this being noticed, nodding while he chews his food. "Yeah, I thought I'd try something new."
"I knew I smelled something different," Yu says, and Nanami starts to smile at him when he chances a glance over at Gojo who's currently scowling, a gloomy expression which pulls all his features downwards. If Nanami wasn't a sorcerer he would have flinched. As it stands, he just looks back down at his food, unsure of what he's done wrong.
***
They've finally moved onto actual swim strokes, much to Gojo's relief. Just for Gojo's peace of mind, he's also put on ankle bands. Nanami had been reluctant until he'd actually seen Gojo try to execute a butterfly stroke and just ended up flailing about a bit. For now, while his feet are still on the ground, he's moving his arms exactly as instructed.
Nanami waits for Gojo's face to be turned to the side before speaking. "You were acting weird at breakfast."
"When?" Gojo manages to say, one half of his face visible.
"Just two days ago, when we first started off. You keep doing it too, whenever you see me outside of this room, you go quiet." Nanami reaches out, corrects his form, brushing at the slope of Gojo's shoulders. He goes stiff. "If you don't want to do this, all you have to do is say. There's no need to treat me like that."
"That's not it," Gojo says, in a rush of breath, like a hiss rather than anything else.
"Then what is it?" Nanami asks, unable to stop himself sounding just the slightest bit wounded, more affected by the habitual spurning than he'd like to let on. Gojo's movements falter and he stops bending at the waist, standing at his full height to tread water, once again towering over him.
"I was worried."
"About what?"
Gojo sighs, seeming to deflate and sink with the movement by an inch. "You could easily have mentioned what you saw, told them everything."
The confession is more surprising than anything else Nanami might have expected. He looks up at Gojo with a frown. "I wouldn't have."
"But you could have," Gojo says, water splashing from his hand hitting the surface and Nanami grabs onto his wrist, still frowning.
"No, I couldn't do that to you. If that's been on your mind all you had to do was tell me. I assumed you'd trust me more."
Gojo goes limp, his face pale under the yellow lights. "It's not that I don't trust you. It's that I'm embarrassed, okay? It's embarrassing that I have to use armbands. It's embarrassing that I feel the need to hide it when plenty of people can't swim. It's embarrassing that I was caught at all." He ducks down, meeting Nanami head on with eyes that could start a blaze. "But I do trust you."
"Then forget about what anyone else might think. Just swim."
"You should let me actually swim then." Gojo pokes at Nanami, a tad insolent. "There's no point keeping my feet on the ground."
Nanami folds his arms and considers it. He is right. "Okay, take off your ankle bands and try again. I'll be right next to you."
Gojo does so very quickly, clearly having gotten bored of doing the same thing repeatedly. He dips his head into the water and turns his face to the side again, just as Nanami taught him. This time, instead of billowing his arms out in a butterfly stroke, he opts for the relative control of a crawl, moving slower and taking very deliberate breaths after each stroke. It's exactly as Nanami told him to do.
They start moving toward the moderate depths of the pool, a first time since they started this. Nanami follows along at a close distance, just in case he's needed. Though, with how well Gojo has taken to this, he probably won't be.
"You're doing good," Nanami says, feeling the need to him to let him know above the noise of the waves. Gojo pauses mid-stroke, whipping his face to the side to look at Nanami with wide eyes, his arms gone still. It all happens rather quickly. One moment he's swimming the best he has so far and the next he's going under like a bag of rocks, water splashing as the crown of his head is submerged. For a moment, Nanami stares at the empty space but then there are arms around his waist, Gojo grabbing him and holding on tight. His head is warm where it presses to Nanami's ribcage but he doesn't have time to relish in this, immediately setting off into a staggering swim back to the shallows, kicking his legs furiously to keep them both afloat with only one arm capable of moving them.
"Fuck," Gojo splutters, once he's able to presse his feet to the pool ground, a laugh bubbling out as he looks at Nanami, two perfect tsunamis plugged into his sockets. "I thought I was going to drown."
Nanami can't help but grimace, the reality dawning on him. He may be teaching Gojo how to swim but he's not a lifeguard. It's only adrenaline that stopped him from sinking under Gojo's weight. "Why didn't you teleport out of the pool?" he asks, incredulous at the skipping over of this quick fix.
And Gojo, looking like a pale water nymph, so otherworldly that it's hard to believe he doesn't belong in the water, he just blinks. "Because you're here."
At once, Nanami's complaints turn to sand in his mouth, startled by the unexpected answer. It's as if he's been left dessicated. Gojo's very presence is always a whirlwind, knocking him askew until he can't remember which way is up. When he moves, there's a clear disconnect between his brain and body, Nanami's thoughts lagging a step behind while he pushes the wet strands of hair out of Gojo's eyes, too sincere, too warm for just a friend teaching him how to swim. "At least like this you're honest," he says, his lips twitching into a tentative smile, drinking in the sight of Gojo's surprise. "Are you okay?" There would be no easy way to explain in the infirmary if he isn't, a secret early morning swim quite ludicrous without context that Nanami wouldn't be willing to supply.
Gojo nods, grinning sheepishly. "You must think I'm really lame," he says in a raspy voice, probably having swallowed some pool water.
"I think you're brave for wanting to learn," Nanami retorts, flicking at the other's forehead though he doesn't even flinch.
"It's only because you're a good teacher."
Nanami is about to respond but then he looks down between them, realises they're still intertwined with a raised brow. Gojo must come to the same conclusion because he relinquishes his grip like he's been burned. The absence is a crater. He clears his throat of the remnants from the almost-drowning. "Let's go again."
He doesn't sink this time.
***
Training has been done for twenty minutes but Nanami hadn't left the dojo with Yu. Instead, he's been poring over the video their teacher had taken. It shouldn't be all that complicated a move but he keeps slipping when trying to change his lead foot, his dexterity failing him. He's found himself getting more and more frustrated with each watch of the video. It's not proven to be useful regardless of how slow he plays it.
There's a very deliberate footstep from behind and Nanami glances over his shoulder. Gojo's here, dressed in his usual gym clothes.
"Want help?" he asks, waving a heavy hand in a somewhat awkward fashion.
"Are you here to train?"
"Yeah, but I don't mind." Gojo slips out of his jacket, folding it neatly and setting it beside Nanami's. "I'll think of it as practice. Besides, I'm pretty advanced in wing chun, remember?"
Nanami does remember. Gojo's their trainer's favourite for a reason, he emulates the moves like he's not just learned them. He sinks down to the ground and crosses his legs. "Okay. Show me how to do it." Gojo pauses, looking down at him for a moment before glancing away.
"I'll do it once. That should be enough for someone of your level to get it."
Gojo extends his arms above his head in a short stretch, exposing the bulk of his midriff. Then he bounces lightly on the balls of his feet, building up his momentum in a series of mock feints. The video in question had both their teacher and Yu who'd volunteered be the test dummy. Since Gojo's not up against anyone, he's resorted to shadow boxing and despite the dark of his lenses, it's clear to see he's focused while looking at an imaginary Curse User. It's easy to visualise the enemy with how precise Gojo is, evading a kick by stepping off to the side in a three-count. It's exactly what Nanami has been struggling with, always tilting forward on the second step.
They may have been swimming together for the last few days but it's enjoyable to see Gojo return to his element. It's only now, when he's fully clothed and self-assured, that Nanami has to face the earth crushing reality that Gojo is more than just beautiful, that since the first day in the pool he's been aching for him with a desire he didn't know he had.
He wishes he was brave enough to do something about it.
"Let's spar," Gojo proposes, both hands on his waist, emphasising the taper of his body. "Think of it as payment for the lessons."
It wouldn't be the first time they've sparred. When the student body is this small, you're paired up in all sorts of combinations. Nanami would benefit from a more hands-on execution. "Don't aim for my face this time though," he says, rising to his feet.
"That was one time and it was accidental and it was immediately healed."
Still a sore spot, Nanami concludes, amused at the puff of Gojo's cheeks as his defends himself.
Usually, there'd be a third party present to give the go-ahead. Nanami waits for Gojo to finish his rant so he can address this. "Should we count to three?"
"No point. I'll be kind and give you a head start." Gojo's teeth are sharp when he gives a half-smile. It's his signature cocky look, always accompanying him in battle. Nanami bristles, tucking his elbows in as he raises both hands in a defensive stance. "Ten seconds, I'll keep count in my head. That sound fine to you?"
Nanami bounds off of his back foot, light as he reaches forward with a flat palm, striking along Gojo's sternum and shooting his other hand out to control the jut of Gojo's arm. The contact does very little to disrupt his smile and he dodges the next hit, leaning back with his shoulder. It's infuriating and the fact that the ten seconds is already nearly up has Nanami gritting his teeth and pushing to take away what little space Gojo has. There's enough time for one more move. He knocks away Gojo's left arm and lands a sharp hit with the length of his hand against his neck. If Infinity had been up then it wouldn't have made a difference but a red line blooms as the thwack of flesh against flesh resounds.
"Ten."
There's a quick flurry as Gojo's hands go up. He seems dangerous now, all easygoing charm gone, his eyes glittering from behind where his glasses hang low on his nose bridge. He must want to finish quickly, probably not enjoying the sting of pain that he isn't allowed to take care of until they're finished. There's a high kick to Nanami's side, skidding off the slope of his ribs. Then another. And another. All three are light, intended to scare rather than harm. But Gojo never stays this way for long and Nanami tracks the rotation of his hips, realises the next one will wind him.
A three-count. That's all Nanami needs to do. In his head, he brings up Gojo's demonstration and times it exactly. When Gojo's foot comes up, he starts to go one way but pulls back in a deft hop, dropping low to attempt a counterattack. That's where his luck seems to run out though because Gojo leans into the sudden gap, both his arms encasing Nanami's head as they both tumble to the mats.
Shit.
The loss of balance serves to disorient them both and Nanami pushes back with Gojo still holding him, his breathing heaving in his ear. It's no use. He's pinned to the ground in a headlock that would require a great deal of effort to break out of. His head bangs hard against the mat and the world spins for a moment before Gojo shifts on top of him, securing his throat in the kind of hold that tightens with every passing second that Nanami remains silent.
"Tap out," Gojo says, as serious as he always is when they fight. "Do it."
Nanami doesn't respond. He tries to do what they've been taught, keep his bottom arm pointed elbow down and mirror it with his free arm. The frame prevents Gojo from coming any closer, to stop his body from being flattened so he can retain space to breathe. Even with the frame, Gojo's close, his eyes focused on Nanami's trembling throat. All this will do is prevent Nanami from suffocating. He has no way to maneuvere his hips and land on top.
"Nanami."
It's with more gritted teeth that Nanami finally slams his hand down on the mat. The angle makes it awkward but he manages to do it twice and Gojo is off of him before he can even think over the concession.
"Well done," Gojo says, brushing off his front before extending a hand and pulling Nanami into a sitting position. "You held out for a while."
"Well done?" Nanami looks at the span of his reddened hands. "I lasted thirty seconds and then lost."
Gojo rocks besides him, scratching the snowy nape of his neck. "But you managed to do the blind side feint and that's what you were trying to succeed at. You should be satisfied with that for this session and start striving for more in class tomorrow."
It's a very reasonable way to view this. Nanami flexes his fingers and nods, slightly shy at how ridiculous his complaining has been. "Thank you for helping me out. It would have taken me way longer by myself."
"It's only fair, given what you're doing for me," Gojo says, looking down at his hands which are now clasped neatly over his knees.
"And what is he doing for you?" asks a curious voice from the entrance to the dojo. Nanami had been so immersed in their conversation that he hadn't noticed Geto's cursed energy, can't even begin to estimate how long he may have been standing there for.
Gojo barely reacts, just peering up through his lashes with a slow smile. "I thought you were out shopping with Ieiri."
"I was but we came back early. Haibara told me Nanami was here so I thought I'd swing by." Geto steps into the dojo, both his hands in his pockets as he settles his gaze on Nanami. "You busy?"
Before Nanami can even answer that no, he's just finishing up here, Gojo speaks in his stead. "Why?"
Geto doesn't miss a beat. "I bought groceries. Nanami offered to teach me a recipe a few days ago."
"We're actually sparring right now," Gojo says, his hair hanging in his face as he nods. Strangely, he seems more tired now than he had at the peak of their fight.
Nanami looks between them both with a degree of uncertainty before shambling to his feet. "We just finished so I'll just take a shower and head down to the kitchen." There's a disgruntled puff of air from behind him but he doesn't check, though Geto's eyes clearly track the sound, a flicker of something to his eyes which disappears as soon as it appears.
"Okay, I'll wait there. Ieiri said she's hungry so don't take too long." He saunters out without saying bye, the heels of his shoes dragging behind him. Nanami picks up his jacket and Gojo's sunglasses, passing them with trepidation.
"This was good senpai. I feel more prepared for class now."
Gojo doesn't respond, gathering himself up and slotting the glasses back into place. Nanami swallows hard, caught up on what Gojo may have been about to say before Geto showed up. They both walk in tandem to the changing rooms and he walks over to his locker, the door left open because nobody ever cares to do anything.
"Will you come to eat too? I'm pretty hungry," Nanami says, pausing in his steps to look down and fiddle with the strap of his bag. He hears Gojo walking over from his own locker and glances up to see him expressionless. Or maybe that's not quite right. The expression just isn't one that Nanami is equipped to decipher.
"Are you always just helping everyone?" Gojo asks, standing closer than he needs to. "Teaching me to swim, that's not special to you is it?"
Special, Nanami thinks, incredulous at the word choice. He tries to take a step back but finds that there's nowhere to go, just a wall to lean against. "Should it be?" he asks, his voice quieter than he'd like.
"It is to me." Gojo shrugs, his lips thinning out as he steps away, stops crowding Nanami with his body. "I just wanted you to know I'm thankful. That's all." Then he closes his eyes, shielding that all expansive blue the shines even from over the rim of his lenses. "You should shower. Suguru is waiting."
If Nanami had the chance then maybe he would take this opportunity to explain that he isn't just a Good Samaritan.
I would only do this for people I care about.
But there's a blip in cursed energy and then Gojo is gone, warping away without a second thought.
***
It shouldn't really be shocking that someone like Gojo would end up learning in such a short time frame. He just needed a bit of structured encouragement, always a glutton for praise. Nanami's sat on the edge of the pool, only dangling his feet in as Gojo floats in the water. He's taken off his armbands and the sight of just his bare arms is at once both strange and also eliciting what can only be called pride.
"Are you sure you're not going to get in?" Gojo calls from where he's treading water, barely trying but still staying afloat. "It's weird to be in by myself."
This specific vision of him has become incredibly familiar over the last few days. Nanami's lungs throb with the urge to breathe in more than just air, to check for himself if Gojo has been stained by chlorine the way he is. The realisation that his neck is still bruised doesn't help. "I'll just watch today," he says, clearing his mind of all distraction. "To make sure you don't need any more advice. Do a couple laps for me."
And Gojo doesn't hesitate this time. It's a far cry from just over a week ago. There's so much more confidence held in the way he immerses himself in the water. Nanami watches the slice of his hands cutting through the water in the most efficent way possible. Gojo moves like he was born in the sea. Nanami smiles because it's the only thing he can think to do, his lips sore from the stretch while Gojo rebounds off the pool wall to rotate and begin a new lap.
This was meant to be temporary help, a mild show of altruism, but when Nanami sees Gojo's soaked hair, he thinks of starlight and realises it's turned into something more, something he can't speak aloud.
It takes Gojo one more lap before he comes to a stuttering stop, pausing right in front of Nanami with eyes that have turned slightly red with his refusal to wear goggles. "You look bored," he says, with a pout that could melt even the most hardened of sorcerers. Or maybe just Nanami. "Just come in."
"I'm just thinking."
"About?" Gojo tilts his head, mischief lining him as it always does. "Me?"
"Yeah," Nanami breathes out.
It's almost funny, the way Gojo's carefully curated expression falls apart, appearing much the same as he did the day Nanami found him in this very pool. "Oh."
"I've enjoyed helping you. That's true. But I like spending time together too. I look forward to waking up because of it." Nanami has to stop from squirming at these words, forces himself to tell the truth because if Gojo can be honest then so can he. "This is special to me too."
Gojo flashes his teeth, a particularly pleased shark. "If it's really special to you then join me. Break is this weekend, we don't have any more time."
"I don't want to get my hair wet this–"
There's a hand on his calf, it presses firm for a split second before Nanami is pulled in. Then they're both swept under the man-made waves. He should be mad but when he blinks, he sees Gojo's eyes before anything else and instead of anger, his heart skips a beat.
It's an unfair exchange. Gojo's learned how to swim at the cost of Nanami's heart.
***
"Grab a backpack," Nanami says, standing in the doorway to Gojo's room. The boy in question had been lying down with his head hanging off the edge of the mattress, reading some magazine but at the interruption he lurches up, his face red from the rush of blood that gravity forced upon him.
"You're bossier now that we share a secret." Gojo's eyes are bright, obviously amused. Nanami hesitates, glancing behind just to make sure nobody's heard.
"If you say it like that it sounds weird."
"Weird how?" It should be impossible but Gojo looks more like a little lord than usual with the way he rises, taunting Nanami into another proverbial corner. "I'm curious."
Nanami only huffs, not wanting to pursue this line of questioning any further. "Just grab a backpack, we have a mission."
Gojo's smile disappears immediately. "This is the first I've heard of it. Where are we going? It's already late, I should have been told ages ago." His voice is deep with discontent as he clambers up from the mattress, presumably to go chew out whoever assigned them the mission but Nanami takes a step into the room.
"There's no mission," he says lowly, trying not to glare.
"What?"
Already, Nanami is exasperated. "Just grab your swimming trunks and come with me."
For a moment, it seems like Gojo might refuse but then he shrugs, opening up one of his drawers to pull out a new pair of trunks. "Wherever we're going, there better be food."
"There'll be food." Nanami turns, walking out the door. "Hurry, the manager is waiting."
By the time they're in the car, he's actually pretty unnerved by how Gojo hasn't asked any more questions. He's quiet, staring out the window while they trundle down wide roads. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just savouring this."
"Savouring what?"
It may have been a misstep because Gojo swivels his head and pins him with his eyes. "This is the first time you've invited me somewhere. And you did it by sneaking around too." When he laughs, it holds no hint of mocking, laced through with pure unbridled satisfaction. "How scandalous would it be if the others found out you made up a mission just to get me alone. What do you think they'd say?" Gojo's gaze narrows, sea salt practically spilling with every blink. "What would Suguru say?"
"I regret it already."
Gojo only smiles, softer now. "I don't."
Nanami scoffs, ducking his head when Gojo ruffles his hair out of place, turning on his phone just to field a volley of texts from Yu asking whether he'll be back in time for their show. He means to keep Gojo company during the drive but after staring at his screen for long enough, he dozes off, feeling cold glass against his head before warmth replaces it.
The stillness of the car is what wakes him up. He open his eyes to an empty driver's seat and jolts when he realises that Gojo's shoulder is supporting his weight. "Hi," Gojo says simply, not seeming at all bothered by the imposition.
"How long have we been here?"
"Not long. Sazanami-san has gone off to eat and I didn't want to wake you." He chews his lip, looking up in thought. "You were snoring."
Nanami's sleep very much disappears at this reveal and if he could, he'd shrink inside of himself. "My mission must have tired me out."
"You must have been really eager for our trip to visit the beach a day early like this." Gojo unbuckles his seat belt and Nanami follows suit, both of them shuffling out of the car into the dwindling evening sunlight. "Or did you just miss being alone with me?"
Nanami ignores him, walking down the short steps to the sand while searching for where they can change. He spots a booth in the distance and points. "I'll change first." But when he tries to continue, he's stopped by a tug on his arm, Gojo manoeuvring him so they're facing each other.
"Tell me why we're here first."
"Why else would we be here?" Nanami shoots back, the strap of his bag digging into his shoulder. "It's the final preparation. Imagine you go into the ocean for the first time in front of everyone and have to cling onto me again."
"I didn't cling–"
"Which is why it's better for you to do it today if at all." Nanami wrenches his wrist free of Gojo's grasp. "I'll even grant you permission this time."
While Gojo resorts to gawping, Nanami takes this opportunity to spin and march on down to the booth. He's glad there's nobody around because he's sure it must look like he's running away. And in a way, he is. The touch of Gojo's hand on his skin remains like a brand, searing hot no matter how cool the sea breeze may be. It lingers even after he's changed, waiting for Gojo to do the same.
"Do I just go in then?" Gojo says from behind after emerging from the booth. Nanami turns and almost closes his eyes, startled by how different he seems in this context. He's warm, the sunlight turning his pale skin into the lightest of ambers, and his hair has been swept back by the wind, just a single strand falling into the space between his brows. "Will you come with me?"
"I'll come with," Nanami murmurs, redirecting his eyes to the sand. "Don't want you being swept out to sea."
"You'd miss me too much?" Gojo tries, as they walk down the slight downward slope to the water.
"I don't want to have to trouble Sazanami-san with the news of your demise."
"Anyone would believe that you truly mean that."
Nanami angles his face toward Gojo, inquisitive as he slips off his sandals. "Don't I?"
Gojo shakes his head. "You wouldn't be doing all this if you did." And then he's distracted from his assertion, shivering as they reach the water, cold at first though it'll even out in a moment. He takes a shuddering step back before seeming to steel himself and smiling. "What prize do I get for this?"
"My praise."
With that, Gojo dives in. It's almost as if he's teleported, except that's clearly him encased in all the blue, swimming like he didn't just learn a few days ago. If this world had more than just curses, if it had the stuff of fairytales too, then Nanami might be inclined to suspect that Gojo is more than just the bearer of Six Eyes and Limitless. He could be a merman, his legs moving as one as he swims out several feet, the lack of armbands making him look mature somehow.
Neon has never suited him, Nanami thinks ruefully.
There's a gasp as Gojo bursts out of the water, the sight of his flattened hair now a comforting image. He's grinning even as he wipes at his sodden lashes. "Did you see that?" He does a slight hop. Though Nanami isn't sure how exactly since he's currently treading water. "I can hold my breath for longer, y'know."
"Impressive," Nanami replies dryly, holding back a snicker at the childish attempt to garner compliments.
"Come on, Nanami! Let's see who can do it for longer." Gojo waves both his hands over his head, calling him over. And Nanami would say no, would just stick to the shallows to better play the role of lifeguard. But it's so hard to say no to Gojo, even harder now that his own feelings have grown too large for his body.
So, Nanami swims across in just a few sweeping strokes, stopping where Gojo is before plunging under with a large intake of air. He scrunches his eyes closed, listening to the flow of water around him while counting the seconds which elapse. When he gets to the thirty second mark, it starts to get difficult and he opens his eyes to see how Gojo is faring. Only, Gojo is already looking at him, a sea wraith staring in concentration that fractures when he registers that Nanami's met his gaze. His mouth opens in surprise and he jerks back, air bubbles escaping before he works his arms and heads to the surface.
Nanami doesn't go immediately, just to show off a bit. When he does make his way up, Gojo's collected himself. "What's my prize?"
Gojo rolls his lips, blowing a raspberry. "What do you want?"
For some reason, this simple question has Nanami's brain stalling. It should be easy. He could say anything, ask for food or money or for his next assignment to be done. But Nanami trips over his own tongue in trying to answer. "I don't–"
He flounders, rotating to face the shore. "This is enough for me." A hand encircles his wrist, pulling him back.
"Me too," Gojo says. Then he lets go, diving back into the water with a splash. He starts a lap, delving further out with every controlled kick of his feet. Nanami allows him to go but then he follows, going quickly to match his pace. They end up playing like this for longer than Nanami had meant to, wasting away what little daylight has remained.
I was meant to be watching, Nanami laments, wincing at the pressure of sand grain pressing into the soles of his feet. He wonders if Sazanami-san is still eating, or whether it would be okay to call her now.
"I hope you packed something sweet because I'm starving."
"You'll have the sandwiches I made or you'll have nothing at all." Nanami collapses onto the large towel he's laid out onto a little peak in the sand. His shoulder is smushed when Gojo joins him, their damp skin pressed together.
"Sandwiches are good too." Gojo unzips Nanami's backpack, neatly unpacking and placing the wrapped sandwiches in front of them both along with the cans of lemonade Shoko insists on buying every time they go to the store. "I would be happy even if it was something gross like tuna."
Nanami bites back a laugh. "You're in luck. It's cheese and tomato."
"A delicacy," Gojo says, sardonic though he doesn't unwrap his food, choosing instead to look further out onto the horizon. The sun is making the final stretch of its descent, burning through the demarcation in a pink that reminds Nanami of Gojo's cheeks. "It's beautiful today."
"I hope the weather is this good when we all go. It's been a while since I've left Tokyo for anything other than a mission." Nanami fiddles with his can, hooking his nail under the tab as he imagines relaxing for a few days with no other obligations. "It's going to be hard to adjust to school again when it's over."
"There's no point thinking about it like that, Gojo says, flicking at his knee. "Be positive."
"You just want to show everyone how fast you can swim."
"Yeah, but you can blame yourself for that." Gojo steals the can from him and opens it, taking a swig that causes his throat to bob. "Waking up early every day for so long, Yaga is concerned about my timeliness now, thinks maybe I'm going through something." He jostles Nanami with a laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Nanami's head rings, unable to focus on Gojo for too long when he looks likes this, rivalling the intensity of the sun. "You'll go back to being late soon enough, hopefully before he tries to offer you counselling."
"Why is that?" Gojo cocks his head, confusion evident in the twitch of his lip.
The gentle ebb of the tides fills in the silence. Nanami carefully formulates his response. "You've learned how to swim. Practicing so early in the morning doesn't have a point now."
"Is that what you want?"
Nanami's mouth parts, his tongue gone heavy. "What?"
The towel gathers beneath them as Gojo shuffles, his skin almost dry now though there are dewdrops clinging to the ridge of his collarbone. "Let's not swim then."
Honestly, Gojo has always had the uncanny ability to rob Nanami of the ability to string together a coherent sentence. He's done it so much in the last week that it's no longer surprising. But Nanami freezes at the sight of his face drawing closer in increments, slow enough for either of them to back out if they wanted to. But Nanami doesn't move. He leans in, tilting his head to the right just to make sure they don't bump into each other. When Gojo's mouth meets the corner of his, he figures that one of them had miscalculated, but then Gojo is peppering half a dozen slow kisses all around his closed mouth, a smile breaking out on his face with each one
Nanami's own smile only fades when Gojo's hands touch tentatively upon his waist, much softer than when he had nearly drowned. It's only with this new leverage that he finally ducks down and captures Nanami's mouth fully, the fizz of lemonade on Gojo's tongue when he licks at the seam of his lips, pressing him open with a swallowed gasp. It's only for a moment, just one taste before Gojo sweetens the kiss again, goes back to being gentle even with his weight pressing against Nanami.
It's an embrace in the almost dark and they both have their eyes shut but Nanami swears he sees light from behind his lids. When they part, he has to subdue the part of himself that's instantly left bereft. Except, Gojo can't seem to bear it either, lifting Nanami's fist and running his open mouth along the lift of his knuckles in a rhythmic movement which speaks more of stability than it does desire.
"I want you," he says, his voice steady as he keeps their eye contact. The words rumble through the bones of Nanami's hand, like it's being inscripted within him. "Keep spending your mornings with me. Just give me your company. We don't have to swim. We don't have to do anything at all but sit if that's what you need."
It takes a lot of effort for Nanami to not have his brain melt within his skull. "What will you give me in return?"
"Anything."
Nanami smiles, leaning back in. "Another kiss then."
Always eager to please, Gojo doesn't stop at one.