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Fushiguro never cared to make a big deal about his birthday. It didn’t really seem like that big of a milestone, but he supposed that, being a sorcerer and all, it was a fortunate thing to be able to celebrate another year. It was just never something he liked to parade himself around about.
Gojo, however, loved the birthday stuff. Each year it was big presents and extravagant meals, all topped off with a criminal amount of sweets. After entering high school, birthdays meant big parties in the common area, second years and staff in attendance, with a ridiculous amount of décor and an entire day filled with conversation and socialization.
But this year was different.
This year was the first birthday that Fushiguro had a boyfriend. A ridiculously sweet, insanely charming, and breathtakingly handsome boyfriend, who also loved an excuse to celebrate even the smallest things. Mini-anniversaries, successful missions, Itadori even liked to celebrate the shikigamis’ birthdays, which were just made up dates that he had come up with when Fushiguro had told him that they didn’t have birthdays.
No, there was no way that this year would be like any other birthday that Fushiguro had ever experienced. Not only was he turning 16, which had Gojo overdramatically tearing up and making a fuss over, but he had the corniest boyfriend in the entire world who was sure to pull out all the stops to make sure that it was the best birthday ever.
Which was exactly why Fushiguro found himself being woken up to a small knocking at his door and a smiling Itadori on the other side when he finally answered it.
“Happy birthday, Megumi,” Itadori beamed, holding up a plate of food and a cup of coffee. The plate held some of his favorite dishes, no doubt homemade by the one who brought it.
Fushiguro rubbed his eyes, still waking up and adjusting to the light. “Yuji?” he asked, stepping aside to let him in. “Uh, thanks.”
Even in his slow rising, a blush crept its way onto his face as he looked at his boyfriend, who was smiling widely. He took the plate and coffee from Itadori’s hands as he walked into his room, and they both made their way over to the bed.
Setting everything down on the bedside table, Fushiguro rubbed his eyes again and said, “Sorry, I just woke up. What time is it?”
“It’s a little after 9:30,” Itadori answered, placing a light kiss on his cheek. “And I know you just woke up. I wanted to surprise you with a little birthday breakfast.”
Fushiguro blushed again, picking up his coffee to hide his face as he took a small sip. It was perfect, just the right temperature and a plain, black, dark roast. “Thank you.”
Itadori went on the explain what all he had made and how he prepared the food. It was a simple breakfast, knowing that Fushiguro didn’t ever like to eat a lot just after waking up, but was exactly the kind of food that he liked to eat in the morning—some eggs, some rice, and a bit of nori.
“You didn’t have to do all of this for me, you know,” Fushiguro said, taking small bites of the food. It was delicious, as always, and he couldn’t help but notice that Itadori had made the rice exactly how he liked it—the same way that Tsumiki always made it, fluffy, light, with just a dash of soy sauce and ginger.
“I know that, silly,” Itadori said, rolling his eyes with a smile. He gave a small nudge with his shoulder as he said, “But it’s your birthday, and I want to make sure that it’s special.”
Fushiguro nudged him back and set the plate back down on the bedside table, switching it out for the mug. “It doesn’t have to be special if you’re with me.”
He smiled softly as his boyfriend blushed, taking a small sip of coffee.
“Well, I hope you don’t mind me making it even more special,” Itadori said. “Because I have one hell of a birthday planned for you.”
Raising an eyebrow at him, Fushiguro set the mug next to the plate. “Oh? Like what?”
“It’s a surprise,” Itadori answered with a smirk.
He leaned in to steal a kiss, eyes fluttering closed. Immediately, Fushiguro blocked him with his hand, furrowing his brows.
“No way, I just woke up and ate food,” he said, frowning. “At least let me brush my teeth first.”
“You never care when I stay over,” Itadori pouted, voice muffled by the hand.
“I do care,” Fushiguro clarified. “You’re just too convincing, and I’m too tired to argue.”
Itadori pulled away from his hand, smirking as he crossed his arms. There was a mischievous look in his eyes as he said, “So, how convincing do I have to be to kiss my boyfriend silly on his birthday?”
Fushiguro blushed and turned away, standing up quickly and keeping his back towards him. “Not very, if you let me brush my teeth first.”
He started to make his way to the bathroom, ignoring the overdramatic groans coming from the bed. Itadori didn’t make any move to argue though, and Fushiguro could hear him fall back onto the mattress.
He shook his head as he walked, smiling softly to himself and blushing wildly.
One hell of a birthday, huh?
The two of them walked through the city, freezing a bit from the December cold, but content overall. Itadori and Fushiguro had gotten a ride from Ijichi and were now making their way through different Christmas markets and shops. There were lights strung up around the city, and despite the overcast sky, a warm glow still settled around them from the city life.
Itadori planned for them to get lunch together, spending some time in the city before heading back to watch movies together at the school. It wasn’t like they didn’t do this already, but the difference was that Itadori was being extra attentive, going so far as to even open doors for Fushiguro, no matter what. You would think that Fushiguro had just saved the world from the way that Itadori practically worshipped the ground he walked on, but every raised eyebrow was met with a lopsided smile and a “happy birthday!”
“What were you thinking for lunch?” Itadori asked, pulling Fushiguro from his thoughts.
He looked to his boyfriend, admiring the way that the warm Christmas lights made his pink hair glow with a golden color. He blinked for a moment and said, “I’m not sure. What would you want to do?”
Itadori rolled his eyes and nudged him with his shoulder. “Silly. It’s your birthday, so you get to pick.”
“I don’t even know what I want,” Fushiguro said, sighing. He pulled out his phone to check nearby dining options.
“Get whatever,” Itadori insisted. “I’m buying.”
Pulling away from his phone, Fushiguro raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Well, Gojo-sensei is… technically,” Itadori admitted, raising a hand to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. “I did save for us to be able to go somewhere nice, but he practically insisted that he pay and told me to take you wherever.”
“Is that so?” Fushiguro inquired.
“He said not to worry about the price either.”
Yeah, that sounded like Gojo.
They continued to walk more, eventually deciding on a nice Italian place nearby. It wasn’t something that they usually got, but Fushiguro figured that with Gojo’s money and it being is birthday, he could stand to branch out a bit more. Besides, Itadori seemed to be excited at the idea, so it didn’t take too much discussion before they were making their way over to the restaurant.
It was nice, just being able to spend time with Itadori. Between school and missions, it had all gotten a bit tiresome, to the point where Fushiguro wasn’t even really expecting his birthday to come around so soon. It was weird, turning 16, it felt like it was some sort of big milestone, as if they were passing something significant, but it was just like any other year.
They sat and ate together, talking and drinking in each other’s presence. Itadori loved being able to celebrate his boyfriend, and he was excited for the rest of the day. He had planned for them to be able to go out to some markets, enjoying all of the holiday festivities, and spend some time together. The late lunch was part of the plan, but he also needed to continue keeping them away from the school a bit longer.
Sitting across from Fushiguro, all he could think about was how much he loved him, how much he wanted to keep standing at his side, protecting him and growing with him. It was almost crazy to think how a year ago, he didn’t even know this kind of life existed. He could have been alone, in an empty apartment, having to go through the holidays by himself for the first time since his grandfather died, but Fushiguro had all but crashed right into his life, bringing him to whole new world and a family of his own.
Fushiguro had saved him in more ways than one, and Itadori wanted to make sure that he knew just how much he loved and appreciated him.
“What is it?” Fushiguro asked, furrowing his brow.
Itadori flushed, a bit embarrassed to be caught staring. He just couldn’t help it though, not when the boy sitting across the table from him looked at him like that. “Nothing. I just love you.”
He smiled as Fushiguro blushed, turning his head away. “Shut up, idiot,” he grumbled. It was quiet, but a small “I love you too” quickly followed.
They continued their time together, finishing their meal and paying happily. Itadori was excited and nervous at the idea of using Gojo’s card, but Fushiguro rolled his eyes and assured him that it was fine. Of course Fushiguro would say that, someone who was definitely used to using Gojo’s card. When Itadori had pointed that out, Fushiguro simply blushed and scowled, telling him to shut up and to pay for their meal.
Exiting the restaurant, they quickly bundled back up, with Itadori increasingly checking his phone more and more. The two of them wandered the streets, walking a bit closer for warmth as the sun started to set. He was waiting for a very specific text, and he wanted to make sure that everything was perfect before he called Ijichi to pick them up.
“Is there anything else you wanted to do while you were out?” Fushiguro asked, turning to him as they walked.
“I think I’m happy just walking around and looking at the lights,” Itadori said with a smile. “Though, we should probably head back soon. We’ve been out all day, and I’m sure you’re cold.”
Fushiguro shrugged, bumping into him as they walked. “I’m fine. I’m with you, so I don’t mind what we do.”
Itadori chuckled, blushing. His phone pinged before he could say anything, and after confirming the we’re ready text, he quickly stopped in his tracks, turning to his boyfriend with a smile. “Perfect, then would you like to head back?”
Raising an eyebrow, Fushiguro nodded. “Sure.”
They quickly called Ijichi, who told them that it would be a bit before he could reach them. They agreed on a meeting spot a bit further from their location, just so they could keep walking together and moving in the cold.
The ride back was silent, a comfortable, cozy atmosphere that stemmed from the soft Christmas radio of the car and settled from the warmth of their bodies as they sat together in the back seat. Itadori was a bit nervous, barely able to keep himself from bouncing his leg as they rode back. If Fushiguro suspected anything, it didn’t show.
Before they knew it, they were quickly approaching the school, with Ijichi dropping them off by the doors and wishing Fushiguro another happy birthday. As they made their way inside, Fushiguro was prepared to go back to the dorms.
“Do you want to come keep me company while I make some dinner for us?” Itadori asked, tugging on his hand from where they had started the split.
“Oh, um, yeah,” Fushiguro said. He turned back towards him, and the two of them started towards the common area. “Sorry, I just figured we’d wait a bit before dinner.”
Itadori tried to hide his blush, hoping that the rosy tint on his cheeks could just be chalked up to the cold weather they had just stepped out of. “I just thought I could go ahead and make it.”
Fushiguro hummed in response but didn’t say anything else, walking alongside him silently as their footsteps echoed in the hall.
They just needed to go a bit further now.
Reaching the door to the common area, Itadori dropped their hands pretending to adjust the tag in his shirt. Fushiguro eyed him for a moment before turning to open the door.
“Surprise!”
The entire school — students, staff, managers, everyone in Fushiguro’s life stood — around the common area, which was decked out with party streamers and balloons and had various finger foods, entrees, and desserts spread on the tables.
Fushiguro stood, genuinely surprised.
Sure, Gojo liked to do this thing every year, but when Itadori had managed to steal him for an entire day, he thought that there wouldn’t be a party.
“What—” he couldn’t even properly speak.
“Surprise, Megumi,” Itadori said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He wore a party hat, which Fushiguro wasn’t even sure where he had gotten it from, and looked at him with a bright smile.
“The big 1-6!” Kugisaki beamed, walking up to them. “How does it feel to be so old?”
Fushiguro sneered at her, but a small smile ghosted his lips. “Shut up, Kugisaki. You’re older than me.”
“And cooler,” she said with a wink, before forcing a party hat on him.
Frowning, he adjusted the string. “How long do I have to keep this on?”
“If you take it off, Itadori will be sad.”
He turned to look at his boyfriend, who was giving him the most exaggerated puppy dog pout he had ever seen. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe, but you love me,” Itadori said.
Yeah. I do.
Rolling his eyes, Fushiguro shoved him away, but caught his hand with an interlocking grip. “So, a big surprise party, huh?”
Itadori laughed, scratching at the back of his head. “Yeah… Gojo-sensei said that he usually does all the planning, but I wanted to be the one to do this for you this year.”
Fushiguro hummed, walking further into the room. Seeing everyone gathered around, all of the birthday decorations mixed with the Christmas decorations, everyone he ever knew talking and laughing and celebrating, made him feel warm inside. It reminded him that he wasn’t alone and he didn’t have to be alone. He thought about how Itadori had planned all of this for him, going so far as to plan a day out for them as well, as if he knew that having some time alone would make this day extra special. Sure, Fushiguro was used to the parties and he didn’t mind to see everyone, but knowing that that pocket of time to themselves was intentional caused him to blush.
Fushiguro had never felt so loved.
“You ready then?” Itadori asked, nudging him with his shoulder.
He nodded, nudging him back.
They joined the group, conversing and talking about their day. Kugisaki wanted to know if they had bought anything while they were out in the city, and Itadori said that he might have found her Christmas gift while they were shopping, to which Kugisaki immediately started the interrogation process to figure it out.
Nanami had also approached, giving Fushiguro a pat on the shoulder and wishing him a happy birthday. They talked for a bit, but most of it was generic small talk, catching up and discussing basic topics. At one point, however, they did start to get into a conversation about art and art history, something that Fushiguro had started reading about recently. Nanami was surprised that there was someone else he could talk about the subject with, and they spent a good amount of time going back and forth on their favorite historic art styles and notable pieces from the time.
People continued to mingle, and it wasn’t long before the food was gone and all that was left in the center of the table was a cake. Fushiguro had tried to duck away, not a huge fan of being the center of attention, but Gojo was clapping him on the back, pushing him towards it, before he knew it.
Fushiguro stood before an overly decorated cake and every single student and staff member from the school beaming at him. This was to be expected, another year of Gojo smiling down at him with a camera in his face while everyone Fushiguro ever knew standing around him.
Itadori was standing at his side, flush against his shoulders, smiling as if he were the entire world. It made him blush, standing under that gaze, wondering if there were ever a time where he wasn’t so far gone for the boy next to him.
Overall, it was a nice party.
As Fushiguro blew out the candles to his cake, the cheers and laughter from around the room filling the air, he thought about how content he felt. There was a lot more than he could have wanted, and there was one thing that he wished he had, but standing there, next to Itadori, surrounded by friends and the people that he loved, Fushiguro thought to himself that maybe, just maybe, this life wasn’t so bad.
“Hey, kid,” Gojo called, pulling him away from the cake. It was fine, Fushiguro wasn’t too big on the mountainous concentration of sugar radiating off that thing anyway. “You too, lover boy.”
Itadori turned swiftly, red in the face. “What?”
Gojo jerked his head, indicating for them to follow. The three of them made their way to a corner of the room where Gojo stood, hands on his hips, shit-eating grin and all.
“What is it, Gojo-sensei?” Itadori asked as they approached.
On the other side of the room, Kugisaki was running from Inumaki, who was holding a bundle of mistletoe with an evil glint in his eyes. Panda and Maki were laughing at the scene, trying to figure out who Inumaki wanted Kugisaki to kiss. Nanami and Principal Yaga were standing off to the side, either choosing to ignore it all or too busy conversing to notice.
Fushiguro turned from the others in the room back to his teacher, who was still smiling like he knew something he didn’t. Gojo reached a hand out and gave a light pat on Itadori’s shoulders, raising his blindfold as he said, “I don’t think anyone would notice if you two disappeared, you know.”
Immediately, Itadori flushed, glancing back at a confused Fushiguro, who raised an eyebrow. “What do you… what do you mean?” he asked, glancing between his teacher and his boyfriend.
“I don’t know,” Gojo replied, grinning like an idiot, sauntering off.
Fushiguro scowled as he turned to his boyfriend, who was even more red in the face than before. Itadori watched Gojo walk away like he had just lost a bet or something, shoulders deflating as he turned back towards him.
“Yuji,” Fushiguro started, “the hell was that?”
“Um,” Itadori swallowed, averting his gaze, “I have a surprise for you, but we don’t have to do anything right now.”
A surprise? For him?
Fushiguro nodded, face flushing. Itadori had already gone through the trouble of planning an entire birthday party for him, begging Gojo and Kugisaki for help and getting everything together. He had another surprise for him now? Fushiguro wasn’t used to this kind of unconditional love, it was overwhelming and all-consuming in the best possible way.
“It’s okay, Yuji,” he breathed, and when Itadori looked his way, eyes bright and reflecting all of the Christmas lights as if they were stars in the sky, he had to take a moment to gather himself as he continued: “We can go now.”
Itadori’s eyes widened, a smile growing on his lips, turning stars into galaxies — bright, colorful, and full of life. “Are you sure?”
Fushiguro nodded, breath still caught in his throat, trying to fully grasp that the boy before him loved him just as much he felt. Sure, he loved the party and he loved the people at the party; Fushiguro had a lot of people in his life that he was thankful for and wanted to spend time with, but everything, everything was telling him that Itadori had something special planned for him, and he wanted to see what that was. He wanted to know, to let himself fall fully into space and be enveloped in the worlds behind those brown eyes.
Itadori beamed, grabbing his hand and pulling him back towards the dorms, sneaking away from the laughter and the crowded common area. “You’re going to want to grab a coat, we have a bit of a walk.”
They quickly made their way to their rooms, getting ready to go back out into the cold. Itadori excused himself, saying he wanted to grab a few things from his room before meeting him back by his door. Fushiguro stood and waited, both intrigued and excited at what was to come. He and Itadori had already spent the day out, and wherever they were going, they were walking there. He wondered just what exactly did his boyfriend have planned.
Not too much long after, Itadori was stepping out his room, carrying a few items and trying his best to be inconspicuous about it. He turned quickly, making his way over to Fushiguro, smiling as he asked, “You ready?”
Fushiguro returned the smile, nodding. “Lead the way.”
Fushiguro and Itadori walked silently up the worn path and further from the school. The climb was a little more taxing than either of them would have liked, but Itadori was insistent on them going up there to look out at the city of Tokyo and up at the night sky. He had packed a small bag with some snacks and a blanket that he held rolled up under his arm.
Fushiguro was cold, and he wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of staying outside in late December, but the look in Itadori’s eyes made him fold nearly instantly.
Still, he shivered, and Itadori was quick to catch it.
“It won’t be that long, Megumi,” he assured, turning so he could flash a bright smile. “We’re almost there.”
Fushiguro bit back his own small smile and tugged his coat together a bit tighter. “Yeah, but how long are we staying there when we get there? You really didn’t think this weather through.”
Small flurries started to flutter from the sky, causing Itadori to chuckle and Fushiguro to scowl.
“Not too long, I just wanted to give you your gift somewhere beautiful and private,” Itadori answered.
“Your dorm room is private,” Fushiguro pointed out, huffing, watching as his breath dispersed into the air.
“It’s not beautiful,” Itadori argued. “I wanted this to be special.”
He turned to look at his boyfriend, who was staring at the ground as they walked.
It was a moment before he mumbled, “Tonight was already special.”
Part of him was hoping that Itadori hadn’t heard him, but it was a lost cause. Itadori blushed, nudging Fushiguro with his shoulder as he said, “This is even more special. Sap.”
Fushiguro scowled, looking up at him to meet his smile with a glare. “I’m not a sap.”
“Right,” Itadori drawled. “And you also totally didn’t have Kugisaki distract me for hours while you cooked me a special meal and made Gojo go and get my favorite snacks because I was sad one day.”
Blushing, Fushiguro turned away and said, “Whatever, idiot.” Looking back and catching Itadori’s smug grin, he furrowed his eyebrows and continued: “If anything, you’re the sap. Kugisaki told me all about your plan from back before we started dating.”
Itadori’s smile dropped from his face instantly, a look of slight horror and a blazing red blush taking its place.
“‘Itadori Yuji’s Totally Foolproof Plan to get Fushiguro Megumi to Fall in Love With Him,’” Fushiguro quoted, stifling a laugh. He smirked as he then nudged his boyfriend’s shoulder. “And here I was thinking I was being obvious.” He smiled to himself as he watched his boyfriend continue on the path, head down, ears and face red.
After a moment, Itadori looked up and said, “Oh, look, we’re here.”
Fushiguro grinned wider, shaking his head, as he looked ahead. There was a small clearing and an overlook surrounded by trees. There was a slight breeze, and snow flurries swirled around in the wind. There were some lights that were turned on, leaving a warm glow that contrasted with the blue night. Below, the school was lit up like a beacon, and in the distance, the city of Tokyo shined.
Itadori walked over to the lookout, setting his bag down on an old, rotting picnic table. He beckoned for Fushiguro to join him and covered him with the blanket when he did. They stood by the railing of the overlook, pressed together and huddled under the blanket. Fushiguro shivered a bit, and Itadori smiled and wrapped an arm around him to pull him closer.
“This is a nice view,” Fushiguro said, looking out at the lights of Tokyo.
Itadori was looking over at him. “Yeah, it is.”
They stayed together, looking out at the mountains and the night sky. The sounds of the city were deafened by the distance, and the school was silent. They shared small, light kisses and drank in each other’s company in the privacy and the intimacy of the mountains. At one point, a snowflake landed on Fushiguro’s nose, and Itadori laughed, brushing it off.
After a bit longer, he stirred, removing his arm from around Fushiguro and untangling himself from the blanket. “I have a gift for you.”
Fushiguro buried himself in the blanket so that his face was only visible from the nose up. “You know, I had said that you didn’t have to do that. There wasn’t anything that I wanted.”
Itadori grinned, grabbing the bag from his table. “I know, but I just wanted to give you something special.”
“You already said that you got me something for Christmas, Yuji,” Fushiguro complained. “How am I supposed to get you a gift too?”
“This one is special, because it’s your birthday,” Itadori explained. “And you don’t have to get me anything in return, because it’s your birthday, Megumi. Just get me a Christmas gift!” He walked back over to the lookout with the bag in his hand, beaming.
Fushiguro huffed, still burying half his face in the blanket. “I suck at giving gifts.”
Itadori walked up to him and placed a kiss on his nose. “Then you can be my gift.”
He smiled as his boyfriend scrunched his nose, rolling his eyes dramatically.
“Here,” Itadori said, holding up the bag. He opened it and slowly pulled out a book, one particular book that he had been working on since Halloween. “Happy birthday.”
Fushiguro eyed the gift, still bundled in his blanket. Itadori only smiled, holding it up.
Slowly, the blanket began to unwind as Fushiguro’s hand peeked out from the fabric to take hold of it. Itadori stepped closer and readjusted the blanket so that they were both huddled together once more. He watched intently, holding onto his boyfriend and rubbing his arm for warmth, as Fushiguro opened the book.
Itadori grinned as the sight of the first photo caused his breath to hitch.
The gift was pretty simple, really.
He had went out and gotten a plain, brown journal. It was a fancier one, with a ribbon attached for bookmarking and a small band that held the cover shut. It was pretty cheap, nothing too flashy, but Itadori had a plan to make it the best gift that Fushiguro had ever received.
As soon as he bought it, he had filled it with printed photos.
Photos from Gojo, photos from Kugisaki, photos from his own phone, every source he could think of. He compiled so many pictures, asking people for any and all photos with him and Fushiguro in them or any solo ones that may have had too.
With every photo, Itadori had written a note.
“‘I remember this was the first time you smiled in front of me,’” Fushiguro read aloud as he stared at the photo in the book. It was a picture from before they had started dating, long before the Exchange Event, long before the detention center. Gojo had snapped it, a picture of Itadori, Fushiguro, and Kugisaki all walking around the city of Tokyo. Itadori and Kugisaki were laughing in the picture, their mouths wide and their heads thrown back. Fushiguro was standing next to them, smiling softly at the scene.
Itadori nodded, snuggling closer to his boyfriend, resting his head on his shoulder. He looked at another photo on the page and smiled. Itadori himself had taken that photo. He had managed to sneak a picture of Fushiguro while they were in his dorm room one evening. He was walking through the door, coming back inside from where he had left to take their dishes to the kitchen. Itadori took the photo mid-stride, his sweatshirt riding up as he pushed some of the hair out of his face. Despite the casual demeanor, Itadori thought that Fushiguro looked like a model in that picture.
“‘I thought that you looked hot here,’” Fushiguro read, voice deadpan. He dropped his arms, letting the back of the notebook hit his legs, and looked over at his boyfriend. “Really?”
Itadori blushed and buried his face further into his shoulder. “You do.”
Fushiguro shook his head and nudged his shoulder lightly, causing Itadori’s head to rise and with the motion. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You love me.”
Fushiguro huffed a small laugh. “I love this gift.”
“Wait, really?” Itadori asked, raising his head. He was worried that it was too cheesy of a gift, or that it would have come across as low-effort. The gift itself was cheap, but it was filled with so many happy memories that they shared together, each photo accompanied by a small anecdote, acknowledgment of who took the picture, and Itadori’s personal thoughts on the memory.
That was a good gift, right? Definitely not low effort.
“Really,” Fushiguro said, lifting the book back up to hold it against his chest. “Thank you.”
“I thought it might have been too corny,” Itadori mumbled.
At that, his boyfriend laughed, nudging him with his hip under the blanket. “It is, but it’s also really sweet. I’m sorry, I just don’t really know what else to say.”
Itadori smiled at him, holding him close and shifting himself so that they were standing face to face. He stared at his boyfriend, drinking in the sight of him under the pale moonlight. His eyes drifted down as he said, “You don’t have to say anything.”
Fushiguro’s breath hitched, slowly peeling the book away from his chest so he could instead wrap his arms over Itadori’s shoulders.
Itadori smiled. “You can show me.”
Fushiguro nodded, leaning in and diminishing the small space between them. He kissed gently, slowly, savoring every moment as he poured all of his emotions into his actions. Itadori sighed, holding him tighter as he kissed back, letting the blanket fall to the ground in their movement. His stomach swirled with overwhelming emotion, the events of the day catching up with him as all of his anxieties surfaced and washed away.
He had wanted this day to be perfect for his boyfriend, and he thought that he got about as close as he could for it.
Fushiguro shifted, using his free hand to softly brush the hair of Itadori’s undercut. His heart was racing, and his chest was filled with a sense of love and devotion. The journal that Itadori had gotten him was the best thing that he had ever been given. Every moment, every good, loving, emotional moment between them was now tangible. It made his heart swell as his kissed him harder, wanting to show him just how much he appreciated the thoughtful gift.
As they slowly pulled away, Fushiguro’s hand came down to cup Itadori’s cheek. He smiled softly as he said, “Thank you, I love you.”
Itadori smiled back, grinning widely as he turned and pressed a kiss into his palm. “I love you too. Happy birthday.”
They stood together, wrapped in each other’s arms, until Fushiguro caught a gust of wind and shivered. Itadori laughed, untangling himself to bend down and grab the blanket that had fallen to the ground.
“Let’s get you inside, I’ll cuddle you until you’re warm again,” he said, gathering their things.
“Just until I’m warm?” Fushiguro teased, wrapping himself in the blanket once more.
“Until you kick me out for running too hot,” Itadori corrected.
Fushiguro rolled his eyes, turning to start down the path. Itadori smiled to himself and followed, but not before he stopped to take phone more photo on his phone: an image of Fushiguro, wrapped in the blanket, basking in the soft light of the trail. The high school was in front of him, further down the mountain, casting a welcoming glow in the middle of the winter night.
It was perfect.