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Another Valentine’s Day and another day he was trapped inside the office. Ijichi swore this year would be different. He put in extra time throughout the week to ensure he would have the night off, yet a mountain of reports landed on his desk the night before. Gojo destroyed an entire city block to kill a curse. Sure, it saved people, but he had no idea the kind of paperwork it caused. Sensing Ijichi was angry, the man rushed off to get a gift to make it up to him. While he was away, Ijichi’s office became busy with people dropping by.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Nitta said at the door.
She put a small package on his desk and accepted a bag of cookies in exchange. Ijichi baked when he had the time. He knew how depressing it was to be alone or working on this holiday. He made sure that his co-workers all received a small gift from him. Soon, it was a tradition for everyone to drop by his office to pick up their treat bag. Most gave him some chocolate as a thank you, even though he never expected it from them.
“I look forward to these every year. I swear they taste better today.” She said unable to help herself from munching on a cookie.
“Oh, do I see a little romance blooming?”
They turned their heads to see Gojo stroll inside, a pile of boxes in his hands. Setting them down next to Ijichi’s computer screen, he made a show of opening one, revealing the chocolates inside. Sixteen small pieces painted to look like peaches gleamed in the light. Nitta dismissed his earlier comment, her eyes lighting up at the new treat.
“Are those the super-limited peach chocolates from the new Paris Cafe?” She asked, hovering around to get a better look at them.
“Sure are. I know how much Ijichi loves peaches. I made sure to get as many as I could for him.” Gojo proudly stated.
“Thank you, but I still don’t forgive you for all the paperwork.” Ijichi sighed and handed over the extra-large bag of cookies.
If Gojo didn’t get a special bag, they would never hear the end of it.
“Can I try one?” Nitta pleaded.
The new Cafe was all the rage. She couldn’t afford to go even if she could take the time off. Ijichi nodded and let her have one. After seeing her happy reaction, he gave her a few more. He had a couple boxes after all. Gojo swiped a few without permission. They all needed to get back to work. He was thanked, and Gojo left first to cause trouble elsewhere.
“You should hide those before anyone else sees them,” Nitta said before she also left.
It was just some chocolate. How popular could they be? Ijichi made a grave mistake by leaving the boxes out.
Nobara arrived next. The students already had their cookies delivered to their rooms. She heard a rumor of a certain treat from an expensive, trending Cafe being in the building.
“Unlike my peers, I wanted to thank you in person for the cookies. As much as I liked them, I gotta say. A young lady needs chocolate on Valentine's Day. It'd be a tragedy unless she does.” She said standing next to his desk, watching him type away.
“Did any of the boys give you some?” Ijichi asked, not looking up.
He heard a disgusting sound from her. Even if they had, she wouldn’t enjoy it.
“If you’re alright with getting some from me, you’re free to have a few of these-”
He didn’t even finish before she took three of the small peaches. Sliding back toward the door now that her mission was finished, she thanked him a few times and fled the scene.
Only five minutes passed before a fluffy head peeked through the open doorway. He waited for them to speak, unable to focus on his work, with eyes staring him down.
“Hey, Ijichi, remember when you used to nap with me? We're still friends, right?”
“Tuna.”
Panda and Inumaki watched him with begging expressions. Sighing, he stood up with a new box to give them three each. It didn’t feel fair to give them less than Nobara. Would he have enough if everyone came by expecting some? Should he just leave them in the meeting room and be done with it? All these people were keeping him from finishing his work.
The students left happy with the offerings. Who would be next to bother him?
“Can you file these for me?”
“Oh, Kusakabe. Thank you.”
Accepting the papers, he put them aside to be put away. The other man was studying the fancy box of chocolates, his hand taking a single one again, not asking. He assumed that since it was open on Ijichi’s desk, it was free for anyone to try. He soon found out that peach-flavored chocolate wasn’t his thing.
“Let’s go fishing next weekend. I found out about a good spot.” He offered, unaware that he just stolen a piece of very expensive Valentine’s Day candy.
“If I’m free, we can.” Ijichi nodded.
“What else are you going to be doing? Working? Or do you have a date lined up?” The last part was added as a joke.
Dark eyes darted to a closed desk drawer. If things went well that day, he might score a date. But no one needed to know his plans in case they failed. Another person left, passing by two students waiting by the door.
“We heard you have special chocolates,” Yuji said with Megumi next to him.
He may really need to give up on eating any of these himself. Six more were handed out, hoping that there wouldn't be too many more distractions.
“When you have a chance, go by the lunchroom. There is a mega cake in the fridge that we stayed up all night making.” Yuji proudly said.
Megumi silently shook his head as a warning.
“Mega? What makes it a mega cake?” Ijichi asked, a bit curious.
“We couldn't decide what to put in it, so we added everything,” Yuji explained, hinting at the disaster they created.
“Please don’t eat any of it. Maki was the only one brave enough to try, and she’s still puking.” Megumi sighed, regretting his choice in friends.
“She was looking pale before the cake. I bet she was already sick. Don’t listen to him. Just try it.” Yuji pestered.
Knowing they were keeping him from his job, Megumi grabbed Yuji’s collar to drag him away. Ijichi lied about trying the sweet mess and made a mental note to have it disposed of before it could do any more damage.
He was able to finish a single spreadsheet before soft footsteps nearby made him stop. A green hand reaching for the chocolates paused when it realized he was caught. Smiling, Ijichi leaned over to give the cursed doll a few of the treats to share with the rest. If the doll was nearby, that meant only one thing. A certain trauma he tried every year to forget appeared again.
Yaga came into his office looking for the missing doll. Heart-shaped glasses replaced his regular ones. They did not at all match his stern expression. His tie was also covered in pink hearts to match the day. If he was dressed up, then the students were in for a world of horrors.
“Is it Sex Ed day for the students?” Ijichi asked, having flashbacks to his high school days.
“Yes. If any come banging on your door, do not let them in, no matter what you hear.”
He swore to do so, hating that he would be turning his back on his students to go through what no person ever should. The principal gathered his dolls, planning on using them for demonstrations. He shut the door behind him in an attempt to block out future screams echoing through the hallways.
Looking back at his screen, he realized there was no way he would be finished with work that night. When Ino came inside his office, Ijichi wasn’t surprised at all.
“I signed these for you.” He said proudly of his hard work.
Ino was the rare person who got his reports done on time. He also asked permission before he took a chocolate, which was nice.
“Tell me when you’re done tonight, and we can go out drinking. We, single guys need to stick together on a day like this.”
“Thank you for the offer. I’ll let you know If I'm busy. If I am, Shoko will always jump at the chance to go to the bar.”
Both sighed, feeling depressed at their high chances of spending the night with each other, pitying themselves for not finding a date. It was just how things went in their line of work. Unless you were in a clan, sorcerers didn’t have the time to find a partner. Their romance prospects were slim and their futures bleak.
“Hey, so um, are you going to do the thing today? Maybe you should pick a day with less pressure attached to it.” Ino spoke vaguely incase anyone was listening.
The younger man was the only person who had any clue about Ijichi’s plans. It was an accident that he found it. Ijichi went to him for advice, and his little crush was discovered right away.
“I’ve already set my mind to it. If I don’t do it now, I might not be able to gather my courage again.” He admitted, fingers fidgeting with each other.
“I'm not saying you’ll get rejected. You know what he’s like. It might take him a few days to gather his thoughts.”
Nodding, Ijichi agreed, fearing what kind of embarrassment he might be walking into. Maybe he should take Ino’s advice and back out while he still has a chance.
“Do you want another chocolate?” He asked to distract himself.
“No, I’m good. I ate some cake I found in the lunchroom fridge. I’m a little tapped out sugar-wise today.”
An amazed look came over his face. He knew Ino had a strong stomach but had no idea it could withstand some of Yuji’s more inventive creations. Checking his phone, Ino smiled at the messages.
“He’ll be getting back into the city soon. I’ll be sure to send him straight here. Good luck!”
Ijichi waved while watching his friend leave. He needed as much luck as he could get. Taking a peek in his desk drawer to strengthen his resolve, he got back to work, determined to finish his backlog so he could go out for dinner that night.
As it turned out, a lot of assistants needed his help. Hours passed with the sun setting. Regardless of his effort, the interruptions kept him from making any progress. When his door opened once again, he groaned, letting his annoyance be known.
“Is it important?” He asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I can leave if you’re busy.”
Shooting out of his chair after hearing Nanami’s voice, he stuttered an apology. This was not how he wanted to start their conversation. His hands flew to his desk drawer, picking up two things, and then he hid them behind his back.
“Sorry, it’s been a long day,” Ijichi admitted, his stomach rolling over the thought of what he was about to do.
“I heard a little bit about it. Do you know why Ino is puking rainbows?” Nanami asked, wondering if anyone had an answer to that mystery.
“Stay away from the cake in the lunchroom. I haven’t had time to get rid of it.”
That gave him more questions than answers. Dropping that train of thought, Nanami leaned a little to try to see what Ijichi was still holding. First, the expected bag of cookies was given to him. They felt different though. Opening it to glance inside, he saw they were shaped like small clocks.
“I wanted to make watches, but they were hard to do,” Ijichi said, color rising to his face.
A perfect smile came over his long-time friend’s face. He could have stopped there and would have been happy. Just being the cause of that kind of expression should be enough for him. Taking a deep breath, Ijichi held out the last gift in both hands. His head went down in a slight bow.
“I heard you were looking for this.”
Nanami had started a series of books. The third and final one was sold out everywhere. Not being able to find it was a major annoyance. Not only that, but it became a popular series. He has been dodging spoilers for a month now. Another smile came to him when he accepted the thoughtful gift.
“How did you find this?” He asked, feeling a sense of relief having the book in his hands after so much trouble.
“I have connections.” Straightening up, Ijichi’s eyes glanced to the side, unable to look directly at the kind smile.
“Thank you. If you’re finished work, would you like to go out for dinner? I didn’t have a chance to eat yet.”
Ijichi’s body stiffened up in a way that Nanami thought he said something wrong. He wasn’t expecting the man’s ears to turn red. It took him a second to realize he just asked someone out on Valentine’s Day. He was completely unaware that was exactly Ijichi’s plan.
“Yes!” He spoke before he let himself think.
The computer screen taunted him. He was, in fact, not even close to finishing his work. His face fell, accepting that he needed to refuse the offer.
“I mean, yes, I would like to. I still have a lot to do. Let's postpone our date for a less busy day.” Ijichi suggested that his hands be folded in front.
Silence came between them. His eyes landed on Nanami, glasses hiding most of his expression. Sweat started to form at the back of his neck. Did he say something wrong?
“Date?” Nanami asked.
Ijichi wanted to roll over and die. Leaning back, he tried to avoid the hidden gaze staring him down.
“I misspoke. Our dinner. Not date.” He sputtered, glasses sliding down his nose.
“What a shame.”
Turning his head so fast, he thought he heard his neck snap. Lately, he had been sensing some signs from his friend that their feelings started to go beyond platonic. Longer gazes, suggestions to go out for meals, and careful lingering touches. For a while, Ijichi thought he was misreading the signs. It was driving him insane. Was he just being teased, or was something really there?
“It can be a date. If you want. Do you want it to be a date? Should I even ask that?” If he wasn’t stopped soon, Ijichi would be lost on a tangent.
“Do you want it to be a date?” Nanami asked calmly.
“Yes!”
Again, Ijichi wanted to roll over and die. In one swift motion, he turned his back on his friend, placing his hands over his mouth, and he let out a muffled scream. Once he recovered enough, he turned around, nearly bumping against Nanami, who took a step closer. Startled, Ijichi stumbled back, his feet tripping over each other. Hands caught him from falling backward, then pulled him closer. The other person was so gentle and warm that it almost kept Ijichi from freaking out. Lifting his head, he did his best to read the expression directed back at him.
“I can help you with the reports so we can go out tonight.” Nanami was very pleased at the new flushed and frantic expression.
He knew it was wrong of him to wind up poor Ijichi. He secretly enjoyed the reactions. No matter how many hints he dropped over the course of the past few months, Ijichi hadn’t called him out on it.
“Out... like, on a date, Date or a friend date?” Ijichi said, mentally kicking himself for how many times he used that word.
Seeing him so flustered made it hard to control himself. They were pressed together in an empty office. Most people have already left the building. If he wanted to start something, he doubted anyone would interrupt them. The book Ijichi worked so hard to find was tucked under Nanami’s arm, reminding him to take things slow. If he acted too rashly, he would scare the other person away.
“A real date, if you’ll have me,” Nanami confirmed.
He heard Ijichi swallow hard, eyes wide, then he quickly turned away. His sleeves rolled up, ready to get down to sort out the mess on his desk, so they could get the hell out of his office. Unable to hold back another smile, Nanami went over to the computer screen, reading what was left to do.
He saw a peach chocolate sitting alone in the open box. He heard rumors of them being hard to find and quickly figured out that Gojo got them to cause Ijichi some grief.
“You can have that one. There should be more.” Ijichi offered.
He lifted a lid off another box at the same time Nanami placed the chocolate between his front teeth. The box sat empty, along with all the others. Due to a miscalculation, Ijichi just gave away his last chocolate without trying one himself. Disappointment was clear on his face, yet he didn’t speak up.
Full well knowing what kind of mistake he was making, Nanami leaned forward as he took hold of Ijichi’s chin to gently guide it closer. Holding him still, he pressed his lips against an unexpected pair. Every muscle in Ijichi’s body froze when he felt something against his mouth request to slightly open. As it turned out, he was able to taste the peach chocolate after all.
After getting past the shock of the moment, his hands flew up to run through blonde hair, refusing to let them pull away. Even without experience, Ijichi was good enough at guessing what he needed to do. His head tilted to avoid their noses from getting in the way. Each kiss was chased by another. He could have gone on for hours if his shaking legs hadn't given out from under him.
Utterly dazed over what just happened, he was guided into his office chair, face red and glasses crooked.
No wonder Gojo teased the manager so much. The sight of Ijichi processing what they just did was strangely cute. Leaning down, another kiss was put on a flushed cheek.
“Was that too much?” He asked softly, the voice so close to his ear caused a chill to run down Ijichi’s spine.
Shaking his head, arms locked around his neck, bringing him down with strength the thinner frame shouldn’t have had. Sitting down prevented his legs from interrupting them. For months, he wondered if there was something brewing between them. And for months, he dared to let himself briefly think about what he would do if his feelings were returned. Just a few kisses didn’t feel like enough. Nothing felt like it would ever be enough.
The issue wasn’t his legs but his lungs this time. His breathing became far too rapid. Soon it turned to gasps, chest heaving strugging to find enough air. How long had it been since he last had an attack? Thankfully, Nanami found the old inhaler tucked away in his desk before it got too bad.
Breathing slowly, returning to normal, the taller of the two bent down to look at the strained, pained expression, realizing just how close a call it was. He nearly tossed out the inhaler, thinking he wouldn’t need it. A hand gripped his, concerned they had taken things too far already. Once he knew he didn’t need to haul Ijichi to Shoko, he started to stand back up. The hand tried to pull him closer to finish what they started.
“No more of that tonight. You almost died.” Nanami said, gently refusing the offer.
“Worth it.”
A very rare laugh came from above him. Collecting the suit jacket hanging by the door, Nanami helped Ijichi get it on.
“And no more work tonight. It'll be here tomorrow. Do you want to go home, or would you rather stay in the spare room tonight?’
Since there were so many empty rooms in the school building, Ijichi claimed one for when he was too lazy to drive back to his apartment. He let himself be guided to the door, arms locked together, and Ijichi’s head almost resting on the other person’s shoulder.
“Spare room. Sorry, I know you haven’t had dinner yet. I can get there by myself if you want to go get something to eat.” Ijichi sighed.
“I would rather stay with you tonight, just in case.”
Again, his head snapped over, unable to believe what he had just heard. Stay the night? Together? All night?
“Don’t get any ideas. I don’t want to become a murderer.” Nanami said, still guiding them down the hallway.
“I only have noodle bowls and whatever is in the vending machine to eat.”
He doubted a person who loved food as much as Nanami would dare to eat something as lowly as instant noodles.
“That sounds perfect. Oh, here.”
Reaching into his pocket, Nanami pulled out a wrapped chocolate bar with a pale pink heart. Ijichi’s name on the pink paper made it clear who the Valentine treat was for.
“I almost forgot, happy Valentine’s Day.”
Sure, teasing and dropping hints were fun. But Nanami had decided to finally put an end to it and confess his true motives behind them that day. He had no idea if the feelings would be returned or how well the confession would go. He doubted Ijichi would take him seriously, let alone them ending up walking down the hallway arm in arm to spend the night together.
Accepting it, he peeked inside to see the peach-flavor text along the front. It may be hard to ever think of anything peach-related without triggering another asthma attack.
“Happy Valentine’s Day.” Ijichi meekly returned the words.
A shy, pleased smile was plastered over his face the entire way back to his room, wondering how much they could get away with now that he had his inhaler tucked away in his pocket.