Chapter Text
Yuuta’s in the middle of watching Maki and Toge argue with each other when his phone goes off.
He excuses himself from the table, smiling weakly when Panda, the only one paying attention to him at the moment, waves him off. “Don’t worry,” Panda snorts, looking back at their friends. “I’m sure they’ll still be arguing when you get back. Do you want us to order for you?”
“Nah,” Yuuta smiles, already knowing who’s on the other line due to the ringtone. “I’ll be taking mine to go. I’ve got plans later, but I’m sure I’ll catch up at some point! Don’t wait for me, please. I’ll be back on campus by the morning.”
Panda squints, but nods and lets him go. Maki and Toge still haven’t noticed him leaving, but that’s perfectly okay. Yuuta breathes a sigh of relief and answers as he leaves in the cool autumn air, twisting the ring on his finger. “Hello? Yes sir, I’ll be there. Thank you for letting me know about her condition, I really do appreciate it…”
Orimoto Rika is fifteen when she’s struck by a car and put into a coma. It takes her approximately three years to wake up, and another two to try and regain cognitive function. She’s missed a lot in the time she’s been gone, but Yuuta is persistent on getting his first and at the time, only, friend back up to speed and fully functioning by the end of it.
It also means that he’s had to navigate a lot of life events by himself, but he always, always goes back to the hospital to tell Rika what’s happened. When he got into college, when he went to his first party (by pure accident, honestly), and when he managed to stumble into a group of friends that didn’t seem to mind his presence. Rika, of course, takes all of this in with a smile and a listening ear.
The thing is, Yuuta and Rika are pretty damn protective of each other. He rarely tells people of her condition as it is, much less her existence. Rika also doesn’t want any pity for her sake, and simply chooses to talk to Yuuta, her doctors, and her nurses. It’s just the way it is. (Yuuta also suspects that she’s being selfish in hoarding his time but lets it slide, since, y’know, she’s incredibly important to him.)
It means that in the two years that Yuuta’s been friends with his group, he hasn’t mentioned Rika a single time. It’s not to say that he’s embarrassed of her, but…it’s different, when you can’t protect your only friend from the outside world. He hasn’t found the right time to bring them over, especially with his newfound confidence with his friends.
“Well, why haven’t you?” Rika demands from her hospital bed. She crosses her arms, long brown hair fluffed up from a recent shower. “It’s been long enough, Yuuta; I want to see if your friends are nice! Are they treating you well? I don’t have to ask the opposite; you’re always too nice to others!”
Yuuta shrugs from where he’s sitting, scarf wrapped around his neck. Rika’s doctor already came and talked to him a while ago, hence the phone call, but he still worries for her. “They are fairly nice, and I love spending time with them. I’m sure you’ll love Maki’s headstrong personality, she’s been fighting with Toge about dinner for—”
“Who’s Maki?” Rika cuts in, raising an eyebrow. “Sounds awfully familiar rather than a family name. Are you already that close to her, Yuuta? Gosh, you move on fast then.”
“Hey,” Yuuta lightly scolds, getting closer to put a comforting hand on her head. “Maki doesn’t like going by her family name, so she’s asked all of us to use her given name instead. We’re close enough with each other that it’s fine. If I bring them by next week, do you promise to behave?”
“I’m always well-behaved,” Rika sniffs, leaning into the touch. “You think they’d let me out on good behavior, but nooo, I’m still stuck here! But bring your friends with you, I want to meet them! I’ll give ‘em the shovel talk if they’re assholes.”
Yuuta’s phone vibrates to let him know he’s got a text. He pulls it out of his pocket and blinks down at the group chat, trying not to smile when he sees a text from Maki. Rika, leaning over his shoulder, snorts at the suggestion. “Okay, I’ll give her that; it’s a pretty good idea to go scare your friends while they’re in a horror movie marathon. I think you should go do it; you’re really suited for the job! You even look the part!”
“Great, thanks,” Yuuta says sarcastically. “I’ve been getting more sleep actually, so I was hoping my dark circles would be gone by now. Maki’s girlfriend has been trying to get me more moisturizers for my skin, but it’s still too soon to see results. But I’ll head on out and bring them with me next week. This is a big deal for both of us.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Rika asks, sighing. “Just go home, Yuutaaaa. Come back with your friends and more stories to tell me.” The drawn-out slice of his name is familiar in his ears, and Yuuta knows she’s being dramatic on purpose. He ruffles her hair and smiles before taking his leave, politely nodding to her doctor as he heads out.
It does indeed take a week, but on the day that Yuuta’s scheduled to bring the entire crew, Panda flags him down on an outing to an art museum with free admission thanks to Megumi’s final project. “Yuuta,” he says carefully, clapping his shoulder with one large hand. Yuuta barely winces at the force behind it. “I wanted to ask from last week, but are you okay? You seemed in a hurry to leave, and sometimes you come back smelling like…well, I can’t place it.”
“Sterile and clean,” Yuuji supplies, popping into the conversation. “When I used to visit my grandpa in the hospital before he passed, that’s what it always smelled like to me! So I’m guessing you’ve got a relative in the hospital or something like that? Are they doing alright?”
“Nah, Yuuta doesn’t really have any relatives left,” Maki joins in, letting Nobara curl around her arm. “I’d say maybe Gojo, but even that’s a stretch. What’s going on Yuuta? Are you in trouble?”
“No, nothing like that!” Yuuta frantically waves his hands around. The action draws Toge and Megumi over, who both raise eyebrows at the group crowding around Yuuta. Toge waves his right hand and starts signing. ‘Is there someone we need to kill for you?’
“All of you can be so worrisome,” Megumi sighs, putting a hand to his forehead. Yuuji looks at him, pouting a bit. “I’m sure it’s not that bad. I only have one qualification in mind though; is this plot twist worthy of a Gojo-type reaction?”
Yuuta does have to think about it. Even if Gojo’s erratic behavior leads to phone calls at three in the morning, and Megumi looks like he loses his will to live every time he has to deal with his adopted dad, it’s a reasonable request. Does never speaking about someone that’s important to you for several years warrant such a reaction?
He opens his mouth, thinks of Geto Suguru, and closes his mouth again. Damn.
Megumi exhales through his nose and plops his head on Yuuji’s shoulder, who lovingly pats him before whirling on Yuuta. “So you have someone super important to you in the hospital, and we had no idea?! Yuuta! This is the kind of stuff we gotta know about—only if you’re okay with it though—so we can help support you!”
Yuuta grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck. “It never came up? I’m actually planning on taking y’all to meet her today, if that’s okay. The hospital’s allowing visitors during hours today, and she wants to meet all of you too.”
“Only if you’re sure,” Panda says, while everyone else nods. “If she’s important to you, then she’s important to us. We care for you very much, you know that right? Especially when half our group likes to rag on you constantly.”
Maki, Nobara, and Toge all look away as Yuuji snorts. Yuuta lets out a quiet laugh; he knows that his friends do care for him, and thanks to them, he’s been growing a backbone. He’s proud to say that he’s able to join in with their teasing and roast them back, whereas in middle school, he would’ve cowered away and hid.
“Of course I know,” he reassures them. “If it’s alright, can I take you guys in the next hour or so? I’m not gonna lie, my anxiety is at an all-time high with this. I’ve never introduced anyone to her before.”
“Aw, so we’re the first ones?” Nobara asks, grinning as she lightly smacks Yuuta’s arm. The group starts making their way around the museum so Megumi can finish up his notes and head out. “You must care about us, you big softie! Is she a family member?”
“Kind of?” Yuuta spins the ring on his finger. “She, uh, actually proposed to me when we were kids, but we’ve mellowed out to just really important friends now. She’s…all I have left from my childhood, at least. I would count Gojo as my distant relative but at this point it’s safer if I don’t.”
“That’s for the best,” Megumi says solemnly. Maki raises her phone in a silent agreement.
Yuuta laughs, and their entire group relaxes. Toge pretends to shield his eyes from the brightness that’s Okkotsu Yuuta’s smile and fails miserably, letting out a sharp sigh as Panda pats him on the back. Megumi and Nobara, used to Yuuji, whip out individual pairs of sunglasses and put them on, ready at all times.
The walk to the hospital isn’t far when they leave from the museum, thankfully, and the receptionist knows Yuuta incredibly well at this point so she merely smiles at him as he brings the group in and signs his name down. “Are your friends here to see Orimoto?” She asks, and beams when Yuuta nods. “Oh, wonderful! I’m sure she’ll be delighted to meet new people. Have a good day!”
“You too, ma’am.” Yuuta slightly bows and leads his friends upstairs in the elevator, following his routine as always. Rika’s room isn’t far from the elevator, but he still stops right as they reach her door. Everyone bumps into him, colliding at the sudden stop. The nameplate reads ‘Orimoto Rika’, and they all commit her name to memory.
“Give us a warning next time,” Maki complains, rolling her eyes. They’ve all noticed the faint tremor that’s running through Yuuta’s body, so she’s doing her best to defuse the tension in the air. It apparently works; Yuuta snaps out of whatever funk he’s fallen into, giving her a weak smile. “Right, sorry. Anyways, let me introduce you to my oldest friend. Hey, Rika, I brought guests!”
The moment everyone spots Rika, she huffs and dramatically sprawls herself in her hospital bed. “Yuutaaaa,” she sighs, using the back of her right hand to press against her forehead and pretending to swoon. “You brought your friends! Wow, there’s a good number of you. Hey, Yuuta, can you go get me a snack from the vending machines?”
Yuuta sighs and puts a hand on his hip, trying not to smile. “Your doctor said the chocolate chip cookies aren’t good for you.” Maki nods in agreement, but Yuuta still takes the time to get out his wallet and take some cash from it. “I’ll be back,” he warns all of them. “Don’t do anything rash, please, or anything to get us kicked out. Toge, Nobara, I’m looking at both of you.”
Nobara’s jaw drops while Toge frantically signs, ‘Shouldn’t you be talking about Yuuji?!’
Rika watches them with interest as Yuuta gestures at his friend. “He’s been a visitor in hospitals just as much as I have, so I know he knows hospital etiquette. You two, however, make me worry. Please don’t burn the place down while I’m gone.”
When he leaves, closing the door behind him, Rika fixes all of them with a sharp glare. She beckons the entire group forward and crosses her arms, confident as Megumi sweatdrops. “So you’re the friends of my beloved Yuuta,” she states, and looks satisfied when all six of them immediately nod. “Good. I’m going to be blunt about this, and I’m going to be cruel because I’m the one who needs to be. What are your intentions with my Yuuta?”
“Your Yuuta?” Maki asks, but Yuuji straightens up and says cheerfully, “We’re his friends! We all met through classes and activities in college. He’s a really cool guy, and we’re really happy to have met him.”
And in the case of Okkotsu Yuuta, Maki, Toge and Panda may know him best, but Yuuji’s attitude is going to save them here. Majority of the crew is high-strung, ready to snap at people without a moment’s hesitation (which isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, but when it comes to figures of authority, perhaps not the best approach), but if you want charisma and getting into places, it’s Yuuji you want to get results. Yuuta’s a bit too awkward for people to deal with.
So Yuuji’s the one that stands tall for Rika, confidence burning in his veins, and Rika says, “So what, are you using him for class projects? Is he someone that can be your designated driver while you go drink and leave him alone?”
“Never in a million years!” Yuuji grins. “If Yuuta doesn’t want to party with us, then we stay in and play video games. We’re always making sure our plans involve him or if he’s okay with it, and it goes for the rest of us too! Sometimes Megumi doesn’t want to go shopping or Nobara doesn’t want to go to a bookstore—”
“It’s just not my vibe, let me live.” Nobara mutters.
Rika studies all of them carefully before giving her worst smile. “And if he’s weak and can’t say no?” She says, smirking. “If he caters to my every whim, what then? If I tell him that you guys suck, and he drops you because he trusts my word over anyone else’s? Are you gonna say anything? Or just let him go—”
A calloused hand slams down on the bed rail; Maki, furious, narrows her eyes under her glasses. “I know he cares about you, and that’s perfectly fine,” she growls through gritted teeth. “But don’t you EVER, EVER, talk shit about our friend like that. I know you’ve probably known him for years, but he’s worked his ass off to grow stronger and become more confident.”
Toge’s angrily signing while Panda nods. Nobara stomps one of her sneakers down, tapping her painted nails against the rail. “I have no qualms punching anyone regardless of their circumstances,” she says sweetly. “Yuuta may have only been with us for two years, but we’d all lay our lives down for him. He keeps the peace, and he’s a fantastic beard at the bars. He’s one of a kind!”
“I don’t think the matter of how good Yuuta is at being a beard is the concern here,” Megumi mutters, but he rolls his eyes and gives Rika a baleful look. “They’re right. Yuuta’s a damn good person, and I honestly don’t think you know him well enough if you’re telling us this.”
With no warning, Rika bursts out laughing. “Oh man,” she giggles, wiping away a tear. “You guys are serious about him! Good, good. I wanted to interrogate y’all to see if you actually cared about him, and I’m glad I did. I feel like he’s in safe hands now.”
“This was a RUSE?” Yuuji gasps, eyes wide. Panda sags against Toge and Maki with relief. “Oh, damn. You were testing us to see if we’re good enough for Yuuta? Are you always this mean, or is it just to us since we’re his friends?”
“Oh no, I’m always mean,” Rika says cheerfully. “Yuuta’s the one who has enough patience to deal with it, though. And I may be a bit jealous, since I can’t see him all the time like you guys are able to, but I’m genuinely happy that you’re his friends. He needs a good support system when he’s always been mine. I’m sure he’s already taken care of all of you at some point, so please take care of him.”
Before the group can say anything, Yuuta comes back in with two bags of chocolate chip cookies. He goes to hand one to Rika and she effortlessly rips it open, chowing down in a spray of crumbs. “Fanks, Yufa,” Rika mumbles around the cookie. Yuuta just beams at his oldest friend and looks up at his friends, questioning them with his eyes. The unspoken question —is everything okay?— is clear as day in his eyes.
Surprisingly, it’s Maki who steps up. She looks at Rika, and they have an unspoken agreement. “She’s cool, Yuuta,” she smirks, leaning over to give Rika a quick fistbump. “We can come back and hang out with her, yeah?”
Yuuta’s smile is blinding, and everyone in the room averts their eyes again. Toge gently punches Megumi and cries silently. “And Rika can tell us all your embarrassing baby stories,” Nobara adds, and everyone in the room cackles as Yuuta sighs, putting his head in his hands. Whatever comes his way in life, Okkotsu Yuuta knows he’s got the support of his friends by his side, no matter what happens.
(And maybe he should keep an eye on them, especially since Maki, Nobara, and Rika all have the same matching grins, and Yuuta knows they’re going to be trouble in the future. Worth it, though.)