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The ground around him was littered with petals, fallen from the Sakura cherry trees that were now in full bloom. The warm, rose colour contrasted with the pavement cast in darkness now that Gojo was in the quieter parts of the city, where the neon lights had stopped shining a while ago. It wasn’t an unusual path, he took it once a year, and at all other times tried to avoid the familiar trek.
Once Gojo reached the right temple, he took a moment to stop before it. He could handle any mission or special grade curse the higher ups threw at him, but doing this always made a familiar dread coil inside him. Dread may have been the wrong word, anticipation was more accurate. Anticipation not only to see him, but also as if he had something to prove, to show that he hadn’t fallen behind all those years ago when Geto left him in Shinjuku.
After watching the temple for a moment, a temple that looked like any other in Tokyo, not particularly hidden or ominous, Gojo used his infinity as he always did to levitate and hover outside the window of Geto’s temple, where he knew he would be this time in the evening. The curtain’s were shut, so Gojo would have to examine Geto’s living space once he was allowed entry. He’d seen it before a few times, but that was a whole year ago so Geto easily could have changed things since then. Gojo doubted it though, seeing as Geto liked consistency and all. In their three years together, he’d never once seen Geto re-organise his dorm. It got a little messy towards the end sure (maybe a warning sign Gojo should’ve picked up on now he was thinking about it), but he’d never seen him change it.
Gojo was saved from his thoughts when the curtain was finally pulled back and the window was opened. Geto gave him a somewhat apathetic look, but Gojo could read easily the emotion beneath it. Geto never could conceal his emotions very well, at least that hadn’t changed either. Gojo wasted no time in hovering outside any longer, and climbed through the window that hadn’t been all the way opened. Geto probably got some satisfaction in having the strongest sorcerer literally crawl to him through a half opened window.
“You couldn’t have used the door, Satoru?”, Geto complained as Gojo made a show of dusting himself off and looking around the small quarters Geto kept as his living space. As expected, it hadn’t changed at all since he’d seen it last year. He glanced at Geto, also relieved to see he hadn’t changed. One of his worries coming here was always that Geto would have made some change to his appearance in the time Gojo hadn’t seen him. He’d just die if Geto cut his hair, or worse, shaved it off like the monks, worshippers, or whatever they were, in this temple.
“Of course not, where’s the fun in that, Suguru,” Gojo responded, shooting Geto a bright grin. Truthfully, he enjoyed showing off his skills to Geto, now that he could only do it once a year. He remembered coming to Geto every time he mastered a new aspect of his cursed technique back in high school, enjoying the genuine praise he got by the only person he ever cared about hearing it from.
Geto, unfortunately, did not look that impressed, but humoured Gojo anyway with a small nod and a faint smile that Gojo swore to himself was genuine.
“Well I’m relieved I sent Mimiko and Nanako to bed. If they had seen you outside of the window like that it would have given them nightmares for weeks,” Geto let out a soft laugh and closed the window now Gojo was inside. There was no reason for it to, but the action made a small shiver run through Gojo, now that they were alone and Geto was clearly accepting of his presence. Gojo followed Geto to sit around the Chabudai and made himself comfortable on the mat.
“Come on, Suguru. I’m not that scary. Plus, I know how to handle kids now,” Gojo supplied, looking rather proud at how he could now relate to Geto’s parenting. Granted, Gojo was more like a fun, distant older brother to Megumi and Tsumiki than an actual parental figure, he could still pretend he was more involved to Geto. Though, Gojo may have to avoid mentioning Tsumiki around Geto. While he put up with Suguru’s crazy beliefs, he didn’t want the girl he looked after and had come to care for to be referred to as anything derogatory due to her lack of a cursed technique.
Geto poured himself some sake, and a glass of soda for Gojo, obviously remembering the times when Gojo drank alcohol with him all those years ago, which hadn’t at all ended well. Geto looked up at him when he heard Gojo’s words, looking a little caught off guard. Gojo could tell because Geto tried to hide it with the false, pleasant expression he showed everyone else.
“You have kids?” Geto asked, a little sceptical and raised an eyebrow at Gojo as he slid his drink over to him. Gojo wasn’t surprised at the reaction, he hadn’t exactly clarified that the kids weren’t his, which might have been a little mean considering he knew how possessive Geto was, even if he was quiet about it.
Gojo just smiled and gave a small shake of his head, content at seeing Geto’s subtle signs of jealousy, even if it was just for a second. “In a way. I guess I’m more their benefactor than anything. Still, I look after them occasionally.”
Geto seemed placated at that response and took a sip of his own drink. After a moment, Geto looked up, analysing him the same way Gojo had analysed Geto's changes when he first came in. Geto made a somewhat distasteful expression, “Your blindfold looks ridiculous by the way.”
Gojo probably should've expected that, seeing as it was the first time he'd come to visit Geto while wearing a blindfold instead of his usual sunglasses. Still, Gojo couldn't resist reciprocating the insult and a smirk pulled at his lips as he spoke, “Do you really think your cult robes look any better?” Gojo drawled, he’d had that one in him for a while. He couldn’t help laughing though, when he could fall into the familiar banter with Geto like they’d only had a few days apart due to a mission rather than a whole year.
Geto shook his head and nudged Gojo under the table, giving Gojo a moment of electricity shooting through his body. He’d turned his infinity off for Geto, he always did, it was the one person he could let his guard down around after all.
“At least I had the decency to change out of them before you came,” Geto pointed out, and Gojo had to admit he was grateful that Geto changed out of those hideous robes and into something more normal. The robes weren’t even flattering, though Gojo wouldn’t make the mistake of voicing that again.
Gojo huffed in amusement and lifted his gaze to meet Geto’s, he was always struck a little dumb by Suguru’s dark eyes looking at him with too much fondness for what their situation was. Gojo replicated the look in his eyes, though. He always would when looking at Geto.
***
Geto couldn’t help but to fall into old patterns with Satoru, the looks that lasted too long, and the conversation that perfectly mimicked the ones they had back in high school. He tried to be wary, tried to keep his guard up every time he felt Gojo’s presence outside his temple, but he was weak for him and Geto could never keep up a front for more than a few minutes. Perhaps it was a good thing they never had any time together in their third year of high school, Geto eventually would’ve spilt everything to Gojo, and he couldn’t do that to him. Geto knew he couldn’t burden Gojo with his beliefs. He didn't back then, and he wouldn’t do it now.
Geto knew they had these scheduled visits, but every time a large part of him didn’t think Gojo would actually show up. He always thought Gojo would’ve come to his senses and realise he didn’t need him anymore, or that he had every reason to hate him and it would be easier to start doing that. Geto would question it later, for now he just wanted to enjoy the few hours he had with Satoru before he’d disappear back to Jujutsu high and pretended he had no idea where Geto was.
Geto noticed Gojo change just a little every time he showed up, whether it was the new undercut he had, or the way his demeanor had softened to something less arrogant and more sure of himself. Geto thought that Gojo suited being a teacher now, his students were lucky. This time, the change was that Gojo looked much more tired. Even though Geto couldn’t actually see Gojo’s eyes with his blindfold on, he knew if he did see them they would be heavy with exhaustion, rimmed with dark circles.
Geto cocked his head and gave Gojo a knowing look, “I’m guessing you haven’t been sleeping much, have you, Satoru?”.
Gojo had the decency to at least give Geto a sheepish smile, shrugging like he always did when Geto scolded him back in high school for not resting enough, being too disrespectful or whatever it was.
“It’s fine, Suguru. Reversed curse energy, remember?” Gojo grinned, like that was a perfectly fine excuse for only getting probably two hours of sleep.
Geto returned an unimpressed look, and leaned forward a little over the table, “Satoru, you know that isn’t the same”. Geto didn’t really know why he bothered pointing it out, it wasn’t like he was going to actually get more sleep just because Geto suggested it. Before Gojo could argue back, and Geto could already see him opening his mouth to, with a somewhat indignant expression, he interjected, “Why don’t you just stay here tonight? That way you’ll be getting at least one proper night of sleep.”
Geto was a little surprised when he wasn’t immediately met by a smirk or Gojo raising an eyebrow at him. Instead Gojo was quiet, seeming contemplative, his blindfolded gaze focused on the floor, lips pulled in a straight line.
Gojo looked up after a moment, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth in thought, “Are you sure?”
Geto nodded, wondering if maybe he’d made a mistake with the offer. They used to spend the night together frequently in high school, Gojo crawling into his bed after a mission and Geto not having the heart to send him away. Secretly, he’d always enjoyed being encased in Gojo’s strong arms and pulled tight to his chest. Gojo always made him feel protected, even now, maybe Geto was a little selfish for wanting it back again.
Gojo took a deep breath, thinking it over for one more moment, “Alright, I suppose there’s no harm in it.” Gojo nodded once again and gave a more playful smile that Geto was overly familiar with, “It’ll be just like old times.”
***
Gojo really should have refused the offer, leaving Geto after even an evening was difficult enough, let alone a night together. As much as he knew it was a bad idea, Gojo also knew he would never be able to refuse any offer from Geto if it meant spending more time with him, even if he had actually wanted to. Plus, a proper night of sleep sounded too tempting to his fried brain which was currently running on sweets and little else.
Gojo followed Geto into his bedroom, eyeing the few decorations Geto kept up. There were some plants dotted around various shelves, which looked well taken care of, a digital camera, and a couple of books...about parenting. Geto must really be taking the whole looking after Mimiko and Nanako seriously. It didn’t surprise Gojo, Geto always had a soft spot for kids. It was no wonder he took this path really. Even without the star plasma vessel mission, or Haibara's death, at some point Geto no doubt would have defected anyways.
Gojo shook himself out of his thoughts and took a seat on the edge of the futon, waiting for Geto to finish getting ready, probably finishing some meticulous hair routine. Geto joined him eventually, and Gojo immediately took note of the way Geto’s hair had grown, which was more obvious now Geto had taken it out of its usual half up, half down style. Gojo must have been eyeing the ink like strands that fell long past Geto's shoulders for too long, because Geto caught him looking and quickly told him to knock it off.
“Stop staring, Satoru,” Geto uttered, and Gojo quickly glanced up to see Geto blushing and settling into the futon beside him. Gojo chuckled and lay down with him, deciding not to tease Geto about his flustered state.
It didn’t feel as strange as Gojo thought it would, sharing a bed again. They settled into the familiar embrace of Gojo’s arms around Geto’s waist, holding him from behind. Gojo breathed out a small sigh, closing his eyes behind the blindfold and letting himself focus on just holding Suguru for a while. He clung onto him a little tighter than he did back when they were students, not wanting this moment to be over. It was tempting not to sleep actually, just to take in this moment of having Geto back in his arms until the sun rose.
As if reading his thoughts, Geto interjected and spoke quietly in the darkness of the room, “Get some sleep, Satoru.” Gojo heard the concern in his words, it was sweet how Geto still cared about him enough to badger him into actually getting a decent nights sleep. Even after more time apart than together, they could still read each other better than anyone else could ever hope to.
Gojo just smiled at the words, one of his hands finding Geto’s and squeezing it lightly, “I will, g’night, Suguru.”
Gojo heard a small “good night” muttered in reply before he could tell Geto had fallen asleep. Gojo eventually joined him, after about an hour of just holding Suguru in the darkness. He would finally get a proper sleep, and have Geto in his arms, even if it was just only for one night.