Chapter Text
White snow sat on Yuuji's pink hair, only to melt immediately and dampen them, creating small curls at the ends. Despite being a hockey team captain, he despised winter. Astronomically, it was still autumn, but the crispy leaves had already disappeared from under his shoes, and he could only look forward to the cherry blossoms blooming in spring and imagine the taste of the salty sea during summertime.
Maybe he was biased towards the other seasons, but he couldn't find similar things to say about winter. It could be Christmas, but it was only a few days of joy in full three months of slush of dirt and melting snow. Besides, it was a whole three weeks away, a lifetime for a seventeen year old.
He couldn't keep that mood up for long though, as he snapped back to reality by almost walking into the closed door. His practice was still fifteen minutes away, so naturally the figure skaters were still on the rink.
There were two rinks at the Ice Zen Arena — one for figure skating and one for playing hockey. However, the freezing system in the latter one broke down and while it was being repaired, they had to work their schedules around and share the smaller rink. It wasn't perfect, as the ice seemed to be softer than what he was used to, and there was no blue-red layout covering it, but at least they didn't have to stop practicing entirely.
Using his free time, Yuuji took a seat at the bleachers and watched the skaters gliding on the ice effortlessly. How come he's never once stopped to just watch them in action before when they were so talented?
Furthest away from his seat was a couple practicing a throw jump, the green haired girl landing safely in her boyfriend's arms, kissing his cheek, which immediately made the guy's ears turn bright red. Yuck, but kinda cute.
Another girl, strikingly similar to the one with a boyfriend, was teaching her ginger friend some double spin, helping her up when she fell on her butt. They laughed it off and started circling around the rink.
Yuuji's eyes finally stopped on him — hidden in a half-shadow from where the light from the broken lamp wasn't reaching once corner right, performing a double Axel as if it was nothing. Safe to say, it captivated Yuuji like nothing else did for a while now. The stranger's moves were so subtle, yet firm, and with his lean build, porcelain skin and contrasting dark, spiky hair, he could easily pass for a music box figurine. He watched him land gracefully and perform a few more spins on ice.
It was silly how Yuuji's heart fluttered in that one, unmistakable way at the mere sight. He wasn't the one to develop crushes easily, especially not on strangers. Sure he was outgoing and extroverted, but never bothered himself with relationships or anything similar.
Before he got a chance to contemplate love at first sight and similar matters, two girls stopped next to his seat, at the other side of the railing.
“Looks like we have a spectator,” the taller one said smugly.
Yuuji answered with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck. He stood up and leaned over the balustrade, offering both of them a handshake.
“I'm Itadori Yuuji, the hockey team’s captain,” he introduced himself. “I didn't mean to interrupt your training.”
“Zen'in Mai,” the taller one reached his hand first, quickly followed by her friend.
“Kugisaki Nobara.” After introducing herself, the ginger one started to introduce the rest of the small crew to him.
“The couple over there is Mai’s sister, Maki, and her boyfriend, Okkotsu Yuuta,” saying this, she leaned in closer with a wicked grin. “And the guy you've been olging is Fushiguro Megumi.”
Yuuji's head snapped in the other direction quickly, but he caught a glimpse of two grinning faces looking his way. Heat began creeping up the back of his neck despite the low temperature next to the rink.
“I— I wasn't olging anyone,” he stammered, eventually turning back to face them again, mentally clinging to the name. Fushiguro Megumi.
“Whatever you say, Itadori.” Mai shrugged, both them looking at him like they knew better. “We're leaving now, but it was nice meeting you.”
They skated away without a goodbye. Right, it was almost five and his own practice was about to start. He rushed to the changing room, seeing most of his teammates already changed in their hockey uniforms.
“You're late, brother.” Todo patted his back as Yuuji threw his bag next to his, quickly stripping down and throwing the uniform on.
As usual, the locker room was filled with chatter and once everyone was ready to step on the rink, Yuuji counted all the people present.
They were short on two teammates, meaning there were eighteen of them.
Their coach, Geto Suguru, divided them into three teams of six and made them play matches against each other under his sharp gaze, occasionally noting something in his notepad.
Yuuji stood as the center during the first match, scoring most of the goals leading to his team’s win. Despite that, he felt like he performed weaker than usual — not on purpose. His eyes just kept wandering into the corner where Megumi used to spin only ten minutes ago.
Unfortunately, they got off the rink with one person less. His teammate got a mild injury near the end of the game despite Geto reminding him to take it easy during training.
Sitting on the bleachers and watching the other two teams play was far worse than playing, especially when he couldn't focus on the techniques and tricks the others were using — he couldn't focus on anything else than the broken light in the right corner of the rink and the shadow it casted.
Was that how it felt to be in love? Him and Megumi were strangers, so it should feel more like a crush, but it definitely ran deeper than that. Before today, Yuuji didn't even consider his sexuality. He just assumed he was straight, because everyone else was, but it never sat right with him. Maybe that's why he felt the way he did about Megumi?
“Hey, Itadori.” He got snapped back to reality by a pat on his shoulder. “Let's go. We have to focus on the game.”
Right. He must be a huge sucker already if he got so carried away that the quietest guy in their team, Noritoshi, had to snap him out of it.
“Yeah, yeah. We got this one,” Yuuji agreed with a quick nod, standing up as they both stepped back on the ice.
Maybe it was the embarrassment of getting caught daydreaming, or the fact that he had to cover for the injured left wing while still being the center, but he felt more present now than he did during the first match. This play ended in a tie, as their ‘opponents’ goalie, Aoi Todo, stopped the puck every day he tried to score a goal.
After the last game Geto made some quick announcement about announcing the main six for their nationals in two weeks, and then they all were free to go.
Everyone rushed to the shower immediately, but Yuuji thankfully got there first. He didn't take any more time than needed, just enough to wash the sweat off his body. Public showers disgusted him, whether they were at the skating centre, his favourite gym or anywhere else. He'd much rather take a proper shower at home.
To his relief, his older brother’s car was waiting for him in the parking lot, as promised. Choso had just finished his college classes and took a longer way home, just to pick Yuuji up. This generosity wasn't rare for him, especially after their grandfather, their only guardian, got sick and eventually ended up in the hospital — from that day on, Choso promised to always take care of Yuuji.
To cut the living costs and get the man a better treatment, his son — Choso and Yuuji’s uncle — Sukuna took over one room in their three bedroom apartment. Wasuke forbade anyone to sleep in his room as long as he was alive, so the two brothers ended up sharing a room, just like when they were younger.