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It’s another hot and humid summer day. The kind where his body can’t seem to stop sweating making his clothing damp and heavy, subsequently clinging to his body. His hair is also damp and matted to the nape of his neck. Everything is so damn sticky and gross.
He looks up, not a cloud in the sky to help shield his sensitive eyes and alabaster skin from the blistering sun. His skin is literally itching for a shower, begging for some relief from the heat.
He wishes he hadn’t lost his glasses. He’s been fighting a migraine for the past few hours. It probably doesn’t help that he hasn't had anything to drink besides a few cans of Coke.
It wasn’t often that Satoru felt uncomfortable in his skin but today was just one of those days where everything felt wrong. Even his coke wasn’t as refreshing as he was hoping for, which is why he bought a second one, and then another. In fairness, he really needed the caffeine, he’d been up for almost 31 hours straight at this point without a wink of sleep.
Usually summers were pretty light in missions so he’d intended on staying up late to greet his favorite person back. This summer though, was unusually active. Needless to say his plan ended up biting him in the ass because a little after 2am his phone rang. Another mission. No, it couldn’t wait and he’d have to go solo. Semi grade one.
Exorcizing it was easy, catching it was the hard part. When he saw it was in a desolate area he thought he’d just be able to blast it to oblivion. Turned out it was actually a rail yard. There’d be no blasting of anything. Normally he’d have no qualms about blowing everything up regardless of what orders the higher ups tried to impose on him, but having numerous containers of hazardous materials hanging out quickly threw that idea out the window. Physics is his thing, chemistry, not so much. He had to admit he didn’t know how any of these chemicals would react with his techniques.
The curse was small, quick, and quiet, perfect for evading Satoru’s attempts at catching it for hours on end. To say the sea of metal containers gave the curse a field advantage was the understatement of the year. It moved so quickly his six eyes had a hard time pinpointing its exact location. Satoru knew this would boil down to a game of endurance.
After hours of jumping, sprinting, climbing up and down containers, and falling in the mud a few times, he finally managed to corner it. He was so aggravated by that point he had every intention of taking his frustrations out on it. He took his time crushing it with Infinity. He didn’t want to give the curse the satisfaction of a swift exorcism. It was almost alarming how gratifying it was to watch the curse thrash around in pain, he could’ve done without the howling though. He wasn’t feeling the theatrics.
He’d have to tell Suguru about how gnarly it was to watch the curse’s body contort under the pressure becoming an amorphous blob before finally disintegrating into smoke and vanishing for good.
In truth, he’d been in a sour mood since early yesterday morning when he and Suguru had to scrap their plans for the day because their underclassman, Haibara Yuu, had requested Suguru supervise their next mission. Just his shitty luck that Haibara and Nanami would get a mission at the crack of dawn on his first shared day off with Suguru in over a week.
It wasn’t out of the ordinary for the duo to be sent to finish missions others had failed. But usually the other sorcerers would at least make an attempt. Honestly, it was like Haibara wasn’t even trying. He sought out Suguru every chance he had. Shoko had told him she thought Haibara had a thing for Nanami but Satoru wasn’t so sure.
Just then a horrible thought came to him. One that made his skin crawl and his stomach feel like the core of a black hole. What if Haibara was just putting up this helpless, naive, damsel in distress front to garner more attention from his Suguru.
“Welcome back. Took you longer than usual.”
He’d been oblivious to how hard he’d been clenching his fists. So hard his nails had dug into his palms. Luckily, Shoko’s voice snapped him back to reality before he broke skin.
“That’s what happens when I follow directions.”
“Hmmm.” She takes a long drag of her cigarette.
Amongst the chaos that is the Jujutsu world, Satoru would consider Shoko a rock in his foundation. They weren’t best friends but she is a solid friend nonetheless. Shoko is consistent in every aspect. She’s always fair, able to give an unbiased POV for his fights with Suguru. She never favors one over the other even though she and Suguru had been friends first.
She’s chronically nonchalant in the best way imaginable. She is direct but never in a mean way. Must come with the territory of becoming a doctor. She almost always looks the same too. Brunette, hair cut just above shoulder length, and dressed in modest plain clothes when out of uniform. Today was no exception in her lavender skater dress and white slip on vans combo. Just like it was no exception that he found her smoking behind the library. She could be found smoking there whenever she had a moment to spare.
“You’re rank, maybe take a shower, yeah?”
“I don’t know how you can smell anything besides cigarettes” he fake gags.
“It’s not just the smell, your cursed energy is funky too. Maybe taking a nap immediately after would do you some good too.”
He sighs. His limbs feel heavier by the second. In earnest, he doesn’t feel like Satoru Gojo so he’s not surprised his energy is “funky”.
“Where’s your boyfriend?”
Heat rises to his face. If he wasn’t bright red before he definitely is now, ‘Suguru is not my boyfriend.”
Shoko’s poker face breaks into a smirk, ”Then how’d you know I was referring to him?”
He feels like he’s on the verge of combustion. Every cell in his body is yelling.
“Am l?..He stumbles over his words, his brain is short circuiting and can’t calculate how to get himself out of this with words. “ Gaghhhh! Did I die and go to hell?”
“You’re so dramatic.” Shoko giggles. “Maybe if you kept your emotions in check they wouldn’t betray you.”
“It’s just so fucking hot. I feel like I’m melting, brain included.”
“Yeeeeaaahhhhhh.” She gives him a once over and scrunches her nose. “So are you going to take a shower orrr?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going.” He takes a few steps towards the locker room when he realizes something that stops him dead in his tracks. “Have you not seen Suguru?”
“Not yet. They got in pretty late. I sent him a text to see if he wanted to smoke with me 15ish minutes ago but he hasn’t replied.” She shrugs.
This information sends a wave of panic through him. His last text from Suguru was around 10pm last night to let him know they were finally on their way back to the school ETA in 5ish hours. It was now 1pm the next day. 15 hours since he’d last had contact with him. That was the longest they’d gone without communicating in recent memory.
Satoru changes his course, he’s making a beeline for the dorms. On his way there he sees the first years lazing around in the courtyard. He ignores Haibara’s waves as he passes them. The closer he gets to the dorms the more heightened his six eyes becomes. He’s desperately searching for Suguru. He finally picks up on his residuals but they’re faint. He hasn’t been here for a few hours.
He decides desperate times call for desperate measures. He swallows hard, pulls out his phone, ignores the several missed calls, and text messages that aren’t from Suguru and calls the bastard.
He listens to thirty excruciating seconds of ringing. No answer. He snaps his phone closed as aggressively as he can without breaking it. He abso-fucking-lutely does NOT want to leave a voicemail.
He needs to think. Where is Suguru and why wouldn’t he answer his phone? Where would he go without him? The training grounds? Nah probably not, they’ve been so busy lately, he’d probably opt for something relaxing. Maybe he’s showering? Yeah, that’s got to be it. Suguru loves being clean. They make it a point to go to a bathhouse at least twice a month because he likes it so much and Suguru deserves it.
His residuals are stronger here. He’s getting closer. Still not there though.
He has a decision to make: does he continue his search or can he spare a moment to take a much needed shower?
He thinks about the exchange he had with Shoko just moments ago, maybe he is being a little dramatic. Suguru is strong, he can take care of himself. It’s not like someone would try kidnapping him and actually be successful. He had to be somewhere close.
Shower it is, a quick one.
The hot water helps soothe his body but doesn’t alleviate his frazzled mind as much. It helps calm him down just enough to formulate a plan on where to search next. He decides that If Suguru hasn’t replied by the time he finishes washing up, his first stop will be the library. There’s always the chance he showed up to smoke with Shoko after their talk.
Normally, he’d stay under the hot water long enough for his hands to prune but he can hear his phone buzzing as notifications are coming in. He’s anxious to see what they are.
Whatever relaxation he’d managed while showering was immediately lost because his anxiety skyrockets when he sees there’s still no reply from Suguru. He haphazardly gathers his things, throws them in his bag and embarks on his mission.
He finds himself trudging through the courtyard again. Every Jujutsu Tech student he cares to recognize seems to be gathered there. Shoko, Utahime, Mei Mei, Ijichi, Nanami, and Haibara. Everyone except the only person he wants to see. He scowls.
“Gojo! Hey!!” Haibara calls out.
He rolls his eyes.
“Watch out, Yuu. Gojo’s in a mood.” Shoko mocks.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He decides this warrants a slight detour.
“It means you should probably get some sleep, genius. You’re 10 times the menace when you’re cranky.”
“I’m not cranky.” He snaps. His face is boiling hot again.
“You have the worst attitude right now. Go get some sleep.” Shoko’s normally nonchalant tone is firm. This is definitely an order not a suggestion.
“No, I don’t wanna. What’s everyone doing out here anyway?”
“We all got today and tomorrow off! Just got the message 20 minutes ago and we’re gonna go watch a movie! Would you like to join?!” Haibara’s twinkling eyes and cheery tone are too much. He feels like throwing up.
“Hard pass.”
This immediately deflates the younger boy and Satoru almost feels guilty before Nanami interjects.
“Gojo can’t sit through movies, he has the attention span of a goldfish.”
“And the memory of one too.” Adds Utahime. This garners a collective laugh from the group.
“You say I’m the menace but here you are bullying me. How fucking rude!”
“I hope you’re not being serious. You deliberately ignored Yuu not once but twice.” Nanami argues.
“Ehhh?!”
“He probably already forgot he did that.” Utahime muses.
Before he can react to her, Haibara tries to moderate.
“It’s ok Gojo, you probably didn’t see me. I noticed you don’t have your sunglasses and I’ve been told you get really bad migraines without them.” Haibara continues, “I’ve been trying to get your attention because Geto wanted me to relay a message.”
“Suguru? Where is he? What did he say?” He’s demanding answers but he’s not getting them fast enough.
“Uh, well. All he said was, don’t forget.” Haibara practically whispers the last part once it dawns on him that it wasn’t much of a message.
His eye twitches. “What kind of cryptic bullshit is that?”
“Seems like you forgot.” Shoko deadpans.
“What do you know about this? And why are you conspiring against me!?” His body is shaking; he can't discern if it’s from exhaustion, rage, or worry. His lack of sleep and the heat are really getting to him. His six eyes technique is dwindling fast and his vision is tunneling.
“Calm down, geez. No one is conspiring. Please get some sleep.” Shoko hardens her tone.
“Shoko, no!”
“Gojo, stop.”
“SHHHOOOOOOOOOOOKKKOOO-”
A low sultry voice interrupts his meltdown. “Satoru, why are you yelling?”
Satoru has never snapped his head around so fast! He’d recognize that voice anytime, anywhere. A huge smile erupts on his face and he thinks he might actually cry when he sees Suguru.
It’s jarring to see him out of uniform. He’s wearing light wash jeans that compliment his figure well. Not tight because Suguru hates tight pants but not too loose either, pant legs tucked neatly tucked into his Doc Martens. He’s wearing a band t-shirt. It’s a well loved shirt, most evident in its color. It used to be black when it was new and has faded with every wash. Even a year ago it was darker than the medium gray it is now. A memento of Suguru’s first concert. In his attempt to salvage it, he had made it into something like a muscle shirt when it had become obvious that he was outgrowing it.
Satoru was there when he took a pair of scissors to the sleeves and neck line. “Wow, I didn’t think your head could get any bigger.” He teased his friend.
“Shut the fuck up. Like you’re one to talk.” Suguru chuckled, kicking him off the bed.
“Listen, it’s not egotistical if it’s fact. We’re the strongest!” He explained as he stood from the floor and rubbed his tail bone.
“I mean, I was talking about the massive melon you call your head, but if the shoe fits.” Suguru smirked.
“What are you talking about!? My head isn’t big, I’m perfectly proportioned! My hair is just super fluffy! Here, touch!” He’d reached for Suguru’s hand in an attempt to make him feel his hair. That did not go as planned because moments later he was pinned to the ground with Suguru’s full body weight on top of him. Not necessarily an L in his book.
He wonders if he should feel embarrassed about how much random information he hoards in his head pertaining to Suguru. They’ve only known each other for about 20 months but he swears they’ve actually known each other his entire life. He remembers the most mundane things about him, like how even though he has seemingly hundreds of hair ties, he really favors one in particular. Or how he has a whole sequence of cracking his joints with morning stretches, he always starts with his fingers and toes first then moves on to his neck and lastly his back.
He remembers countless other idiosyncrasies about him but what he doesn’t remember is when he started getting so muscular. Or when his skin started glowing like that? It’s not even golden hour yet. And when did his hair get so long, it was almost as long as Mei Mei’s. It was much easier to see the length of it when he let it flow freely like today. It was mesmerizing watching it bounce with every step he took towards them.
He’s wearing a pair of slim square sunglasses that complement his sharp features well, but honestly everything looks good on him and his stupidly symmetrical face. That coupled with his long powerful strides are, in Satoru’s mind, giving “model off duty” vibes.
“Suguru! They were being so mean to me!” He pouts.
“Seems to me you’re the one terrorizing people. Half of them look mortified and the other half look like they’re about to jump you. Nanami looks like he’s about to put you in a headlock.”
A rare Nanami smile emerges.
“Lucky you showed up, Geto. I was about to inject him with a sedative” Shoko giggles.
“Deservedly so, I’m sure.” Suguru chuckles, he takes his sunglasses off and passes them to Satoru.
He welcomes the gesture and perches the glasses on his nose. “Where were you!?” Satoru dials it back when he hears the desperation in his voice. “I called you. Suguru. I. Called. You. Me, I made a phone call.”
Suguru flashes him his handsome sharp toothed smile and taps his teeth. “Dentist. ‘Member?”
Satoru blinks at him. Well fuck. He forgot.
“Your appointment was supposed to be after mine.The office called you twice, left a voicemail, twice. I called you a minute ago and you didn’t answer.” Suguru crosses his arms across his chest. “Did you lose your phone again?”
Is he for real? He must be flexing, the veins in his biceps are popping. He wants nothing more on this earth than to squish them and maybe give his biceps a good squeeze while he’s at it.
He wrangles his last working brain cells and realizes that he, in fact, does not have his phone. “I’m like 99.9 percent sure it’s in the locker room. So it’s technically not lost, it’s just not in my posession.”
“I’m leaving, the movie starts in half an hour.” Nanami announces.
“What movie?” Suguru asks.
“Howl’s moving castle! I know it’s been out for a bit but the theater has midweek matinee deals where you can watch a movie and get a large Slurpee for 500 yen. So really you’re getting to see the movie for free!” Sunshine boy exclaims.
“That sounds awesome! Can I come too?” Suguru is matching Haibara’s energy and Satoru doesn’t like it one bit.
“Yes! Please joi-“
“I wanna go too!” He blurts out.
Utahime had had enough of his antics. She marches right up to him and gets in his face.
“Gojo, you asshat! You literally just turned down the invitation to go with us. What the fuck is wrong with you, why are you like this!?”
“First of all no one had mentioned there were gonna be slurpees. Second, I’m allowed to change my mind!”
Shoko gets between them. ”Gojo, you need sleep, not a liter of frozen sugar water. I wasn’t kidding about the sedative!”
Satoru opens his mouth but quickly closes it when he can’t think of a good rebuttal. His mind is fried and he can finally rest now that his best friend is within reach again.
He feels an arm snake around his that begins to gently tug him away from the group.
“Come on Satoru. Let’s go find your phone.” Suguru gives him a warm smile and then addresses the group. “We’ll catch up to you later. Maybe we can have dinner together, yeah?”
“Are you sure? If we all help look for Gojo’s phone we’ll find it in no time and still make it in time for the movie.” Haibara offers.
“I’m sure. We appreciate your offer, Yuu. Have fun!”
Satoru and Suguru are quickly out of earshot from the rest of their classmates.
“Thanks for staying with me. You didn’t have to do that.”
“As much as I like Studio Ghibli movies and frozen treats in the summer, I like you more. Even when you’re being the most insufferable brat on earth.”
Satoru is definitely blushing again, but this time he’s not embarrassed about it. He wants Suguru to see what he does to him because he never knows how to adequately articulate the love he has for him.
“I’m sorry.”
Suguru freezes in place, shocked.
“Wait, did I just get an apology from Satoru Gojo? Who are you? No way this is really happening.”
Saturo closes the gap between them, he wraps his arms around Suguru’s torso and rests his head on his shoulder.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Suguru reciprocates the hug and turns his head to brush their faces together.
Satoru wants to melt into him. He lives for moments like this. He’s an addict for these little cuddles. He wants so badly to share that fresh from the dentist, fluoride taste that’s lingering on his partner’s lips.
Suguru breaks away “I’m calling your phone, it better not be dead. Oh, and I rescheduled your appointment for next week.”
A beat later his digimon ringtone is sounding off. His phone was on the floor right by where he’d “collected” all his stuff earlier.
He glances at the clock on his phone as he picks it up. “I’ve been awake for 32 hours. I should really get some sleep.”
“Please do. Your energy is so manic, I almost mistook you for a curse when I walked up to the school.”
“You calling me a curse?”
“I think I’d be ok with you being my curse.”
“Would you swallow me?” He immediately regrets his phrasing.
Suguru is laughing so hard he’s lost his composure and has to lean against the wall. He’s laughing just as hard but has to sit on the floor so he doesn’t topple over. Once his fit of laughter finally subsides he finds he can no longer stand without almost blacking out.
“Want me to carry you?”
“Yes, please. And read me a bedtime story?”
“Pfft, no. Best I can do is big spoon you.”
“Even better.”
True to his word, Suguru carries him, they cross the threshold to his room like a newlywed couple. They turn on all 3 fans he has, close the shutters and lay in bed in a mess of tangled limbs. As he begins to doze off, he can’t help but smile at how perfect the day turned out. What on this earth could be better than a nap in the arms of his one and only.