CHAPTER FOUR: ERROR IN JUDICANDO ❀ HIGURUMA SENSEI SERIES
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❀ error in judicando.
Error in judicando is the type of error that occurs when a judge, due to misinterpreting the evidence at hand, wrongly apples the law to a case, therefore leading to a wrongful verdict.
wc: 6.5K ❀ pairing for the series: professor!higuruma x student!reader
❀ tags and c/w.
non-curse au. college au. slow-burn romcom. professor and college student pre-relationship. clap if you have anxiety. less comedy, a hint of angst. shit's about to get real.
❀ notes etc.
Dear God, this chapter was forged in tears. It's been a long wait, but I hope you all like it {: The new story cover in full size will be at the end of the chapter! Huge thanks to @sandsorghum who beta read most of this chapter and gave me some much needed feedback. I'll be trying to update roughly every one to two months from now on. Enjoy!
“I need to leave now. Before I go, though. I need to know if I can leave you here by yourself.”
Nanami’s eyes, which had always been so focused and sure, moved almost imperceptibly up and down, one of the telltale signs – as Hiromi had once learned – that he was concerned beyond measure.
Outside the moon hung high, and none of them expected to receive a call so late. Certainly, not a call past 3 A.M., interrupting their celebration. Nanami, who had been in his firm for only six years, was offered a partnership, and were even given the privilege of a choice. Commercial Law or Labor Law.
The silence Nanami was met with after his question only served to tense his grip on his best friend’s shoulder. Muscles trembled under his touch, Hiromi's lost gaze tightening Nanami's throat to a knot.
It was as if he was trying to keep himself from slipping away from reality itself.
“Hiromi, I need you to say something. Use your words.”
Nothing.
“Hiromi?”
***
“Hiromi.”
The chair softly creaked under Higuruma's startle as Nanami’s voice pulled him back from the tar pit of his memories. Nanami had leaned towards him, and seemed to have been trying to get his attention for a while before Higuruma came to his senses.
“I’m… I was just remembering something.”
“And what would that be?” Nanami asked, straightening back up in his own seat. “I also don’t particularly appreciate these meetings, but in this case, it’s important we have it.”
In the background, people’s voices mingled and mixed to a low cacophony of coffee cups and chewing around the meeting table, cold enough to temper a few beers atop of its chilly, pristine glass.
Five minutes to go.
Higuruma thumbed away a droplet of sweat descending its way on his left temple, hand tense in an attempt to steady it. “Just... Nothing. Nothing important. The air conditioning is just too strong, can't this room be at a livable temperature? Are we about to autopsy someone, or something?"
"I can lend you my jacket, if you must," Nanami offered.
“No need, I’m not cold.”
“Then what is this about the air conditioning? Are you feeling alright?”
Taking off his glasses to brush his face with his hands, Higuruma let out a muffled sigh while shaking his head.
“Four interns. A new criminal law department in the firm. Two new associate attorneys for said department, me and Professor Geto. Do we really need this meeting? We all know about it already. This could’ve been an e-mail.”
"Agreed!" Ino sounded from behind Higuruma, earning him the Professor's pointing finger.
Higuruma finally noticed Ino was there, not remembering when he had arrived, or if he had been in the meeting room all this time. "Why is your intern here? I thought this was supposed to be you, lawyers under which the interns will work, and that's it?"
"Junior lawyer," Ino corrected.
Nanami nodded, "and second in command if I ever disappear from my department."
Ino beamed with pride.
"I don't see that happening anytime soon," Higuruma said half in jest, half in disbelief, considering how young Ino appeared to be, and how much overtime Nanami worked, intentionally or not.
“It’s important to meet the interns, have them properly introduced to us and show them how things work around the firm,” Nanami stated. He picked up a danish pastry from the tray and put it on a napkin, “even though you’d much rather just throw them off the deep end on day one. Here, eat something, you’re looking paler than usual.” he pushed the pastry towards Higuruma, who reluctantly gave it a try.
“Hm, wow. These are good,” Higuruma remarked while brushing off with his fingers some flour that pooled around his mouth after the bite. The napkin he grabbed with his other hand was quickly crumpled and damp from the sweat on his palm, something Nanami didn't notice. “In any case, this feels like very poor time management on our part. We already have a criminal case to start working on today, don’t we? They’re already getting thrown off the deep end, whether we have this meeting or not.”
"You're truly hellbent on powering through today at warp speed," Nanami noted, a danish for himself quickly secured between his fingers. "Is something bothering you?"
"Many things.”
That caught Nanami's attention, and reminded him of what he wanted to ask about the last time him and Higuruma talked. Or rather, about who he wanted to question his friend.
"God, I just want this day to be over as soon as possible," Higuruma muffled through a mouthful of danish.
"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask-"
“Nanami-san,” Ino interjected, “I just got a message on my phone from the main desk. There is someone trying to call you.”
“That can wait, this will be a quick meeting. Now, Higuru-"
“Good morning, gentlemen,” a slightly sardonic, soft voice interjected from behind the duo, as Higuruma and Nanami turned around to meet its owner. Those fox eyes behind slim glasses gave no indication to whether he had been listening to their quid pro quo or had just barely arrived.
Calculating wasn’t quite the word to describe him, but looking at that piercing gaze, which would make anyone feel surreptitiously analyzed, no other word came to Higuruma’s mind.
“It’s good to see you both. I hope we can work well together, Professor Higuruma,” Geto stated, as he politely bowed towards his colleague.
“Of course,” Higuruma stood up, reciprocating the gesture, “I hope so too, Professor Geto.”
Geto walked around the table towards the flat screen displaying his presentation's first slide. The chit chatter died down before he put his briefcase on the floor and got the wireless remote to go through their first criminal case.
"Do I really need to be here? I just came to get my new interns, I'm not in the criminal law department," Gojo complained from the corner of the meeting room, feet propped up the black leather couch. Geto smiled.
"Stay," Geto replied, "you might learn a thing or two, perhaps something actually useful for your entertainment law department."
If the disdain was feigned, Higuruma couldn't tell.
"We'll see about that, 'human rights' guy," Gojo whispered to himself with a soft smirk pulling on his cheek, "I mean, if those were taken seriously anywhere in the world."
He whispered loud enough so anyone would hear in such a silent space.
Nanami sighed and muttered some complaint under his breath.
With a lackadaisical eye roll, Geto ignored the banter-y remark to click onto the next slide.
Keita Oe, double homicide.
"I will be presenting this firm's new pro bono high profile case to you all. I'm sure most of you have already heard about it on the news," Geto ensued, "and we’ll talk about it with the new interns after they're settled... And signed their NDAs."
"Crap, I've read about this yesterday!" Ino's voice came out louder than he expected, which earned him a shooing session from the entire room.
"Sorry."
"Ah, the autopsy we've all be waiting for," Higuruma whispered, to which Nanami discreetly elbowed him.
"Shh you too."
***
"We're running late and it is all your fault!" Nobara complained as you, Yuuji, Megumi and her trotted down the sidewalk after getting off the subway. "Why do you always have such a hard time getting up in the morning?!"
"I'm sorry! I just have a shitty sleeping schedule!" you justified yourself, bag overfilled with books uncomfortably digging down your shoulder and crumpling your suit.
"It has been worse for these past few days!" she retorted.
"It really has," Megumi pointed out, “today is already an awful day, you didn’t need to pile onto it with your tardiness.”
"Jeez, you’re in a foul mood. And how would you know how well I’m sleeping or not?!" you probed, "you don't even live in the dorm!"
"The three of us have a group chat," he shrugged, referring to himself, Yuuji and Nobara.
"And I'm not in it?! Heartbroken."
Megumi rolled his eyes and ignored your banter.
"Hey! You, Nobara and Maki have another group without us, and I don't complain," Yuuji interjected.
"Is there anything you don't tell these two, Kugisaki?"
"Hey! Friends trust friends," she quipped, "and since we are talking about trust, what has been wrong with you for these past couple of weeks? You're all over the place."
"I just..."
You still hadn't figured out how the hell you'd tell your best friend that your crush over your Professor, of all people, was what had messed up your sleeping schedule. You, who gave Nobara a full-blown sermon about how people get themselves in relationships in the worst circumstances possible after she told you she started dating Maki just two weeks following their first date, when Nobara herself was still a freshman in college.
How the mighty do fall, and I'm paying for everything I've said. With interests.
"You just? I'm waiting," Nobara pressed, and you hoped that working with Professor Geto and Megumi on a criminal case would help getting your mind off the main subject of your past three nights dreams.
"I was just anxious for today, that's all."
Not buying into your bulshit, Nobara scoffed and stomped into the building first, quickly followed by you and the boys.
"You better talk to her soon," Megumi said under his breath, and you nodded.
"I know."
"What is up with you, anyway? You are acting strange," he noted, a hint of complaint in his tone.
Megumi was your first friend in college. In a classroom filled with people who clearly had just grown out their teenage years but not that much, he'd rather gravitate towards those who had the same no nonsense approach. You and other older students — who didn't have much time to waste either — became a small group with Megumi, until you and him were the only ones who remained close after your first semester was over.
He was one of the most loyal people you knew — he'd rather die before admitting to it — and the type of person to not engage in gossip. Even if he could be unforgivably judgemental about anything that he'd consider to be, as Megumi himself put it, senseless.
Megumi Fushiguro, mature beyond his years.
And grumpy beyond his years, too. Especially today.
In his own right, he was much more perceptive than Nobara, and you knew that purely bulshitting him wouldn't get you anywhere.
You needed to give him something.
"I can't tell you, I'm sorry," you whispered back, "but it is nothing either of you need to worry about, okay? Just... Some issues I should not have with someone right now. Romance issues."
You dropped the final jab, romance issues, in hopes that it would make Megumi drop the subject.
"Oh, no, please don't tell me. I don't understand how you or anyone, for that matter, finds the time for that type of drama in law school of all places."
"What are you both talking about?"
Yuuji had no idea this conversation had been going on right under his nose, and blinked those bright eyes as if expecting for a treat.
"Romance!" you excitedly exclaimed, while exchanging your gaze between Yuuji and Megumi. "Just romance."
"Romance?" Yuuji was taken aback, darting his gaze to Megumi then you, some poorly disguised concern seeping into his voice. "What about romance?"
"Pfft. Absolutely nothing, at least as far as I'm concerned," Megumi finally replied, not noticing your wink at a relieved Yuuji. "Don't ask about her, though. That one has got some skeletons in her closet, apparently, and brought them to work to haunt us today."
"Ask what?" Nobara had picked all your badges while you and the boys talked. You nudged Yuuji with your elbow before he could say anything. "What were you talking about while I was getting these? You're all very welcome, by the way."
"Skeletons!" Yuuji blurted out, and you chuckled. Megumi sighed and pulled his badge from Nobara’s hand, walking ahead.
"God, you're so weird," Nobara complained as she made her way towards the elevator, "you are all being weird today."
"And you're being nasty, Kugisaki," Yuuji noted, as they both stepped into the elevator making faces at each other. "I still don't get what Maki senpai sees in you."
"She just has good taste," Nobara shrugged with a grin.
"Stop it, you two. We're here," Megumi remarked, as the elevator brought you all to the firm's floor.
As the doors opened, you were briefly blinded by the bright lights. The firm's logo towered opulent behind the secretary's desk, hanging from a Carrara wall. The embossed letters in steel were lined with perfectly installed LEDs. The firm was bustling with activity — printers humming, TVs following the latest news on midiatic cases, people walking around carrying chunks of paper, folders, and briefcases. You could all see the attorneys working across the glass doors. The floor smelled of coffee and deadlines.
"How can I help?" A girl asked, and you realized you knew her from class. She was the one with the crooked bangs.
"Oh, it's you! Miwa, right? We are taking criminal law together!"
"Ah… yes! I remember. You're the girl who got kicked out of class, right?"
"Not actual-"
"That's her, indeed," Megumi interjected. You poked his rib with your thumb, to which he mumbled in protest.
"So… what are you doing out here? Shouldn't the interns be in there, doing intern stuff?" You asked, trying to change the subject.
"I could only get a part time job as a secretary here… But I'm looking forward to the next labor law internship openings! I'll be the first one applying, you can be sure of that. And what are you all doing here?"
"We are the new interns. Entertainment law and criminal law," Nobara replied, "and we are almost late for our meeting. So… Could we get this thing rolling?"
"Oh, yeah! Absolutely, they're finishing up the meeting prior to yours right now. I'll take you all there. Criminal law department… That's Professor Geto, right?" Miwa said as she got up, opening the glass door to her right. "Come with me."
"Yes, and Professor Gojo is the head of the entertainment law department!" Yuuji exclaimed. "He's the top entertainment law attorney in the country!"
"He is," she agreed, getting suspiciously blushed, "he's an absolute rockstar here."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that…" Megumi whined, "he won't let me hear the end of all his great doings at dinner time."
"Dinner time?! You and him are close?!"
"He's his son!" Yuuji replied, throwing his arm over Fushiguro's shoulders. "He lives with the legend!"
"Adopted son!" Megumi protested, but before he could answer, Miwa started babbling so close to him they could feel her breathing on their faces.
"You, him… I mean… Y-Your dad… Would… Would you mind introducing us sometime?"
"I thought you said you wanted to work in labor law?"
Fushiguro still hadn't removed Yuuji's arm from his shoulders.
"Yes, of course! I just want a selfie! I'm always too self conscious and nervous to ask for it here in the firm, but I've been meaning to ever since I learned he worked here."
Megumi cringed internally, more-so because he knew Gojo would love this, and wouldn't shut up about someone wanting to take a selfie with him for at least ten business days.
"Sure… We'll see about that. I don't think I'll be here long enough for that to happen."
That comment from Megumi surprised you. "What? Why?"
He simply shrugged. "Criminal defense. Not my cup of tea."
"Oh, we're here." Miwa interjected as she made way for you to open the door. She stopped in her tracks, though, as if remembering something. "Hm… strange."
"What is?" You asked, resting you hand on the doorknob.
"I only remember seeing Professor Geto's name on the new associates' list this morning, but another guy got here before him saying he was one of the new criminal law department associates."
"Really? They hired two guys for this department?"
"Yeah! I didn't catch his name though."
"And that's why you're a part time secretary who should be an intern instead," Nobara interrupted, yanking her hand on the knob. "I will not be late on my first day in my path for glory!"
"Who do you think it is?" Yuuji questioned, curious.
As the door flew unceremoniously open from Nobara's efforts, you didn't have enough time to ponder on an answer to Yuuji's question.
Not when those familiar owlish eyes fell onto you from behind those black, thick framed glasses.
You would not be able to put your mind to something else during office hours like you had planned to.
Oh...
***
"Shit," Higuruma complained. He spilled coffee over the meeting table, and tried to dry the puddle with a tiny amount of napkins. Miwa's entrance to let him know Keita's family had arrived startled him, especially considering he had already been on the edge all morning.
"Is everything alright? Do you need help, Counsellor…?" Miwa asked with concern in her voice. Her confused gaze betrayed that she still hadn't registered his name.
"I'm fine. Just get me something to clean this up, please. And 'Higuruma' will suffice."
Miwa nodded and walked out. You could hear her muttering his name over and over to herself, trying to commit it to memory.
After you and the other interns were introduced during the team meeting earlier, everyone got a quick tour around the firm. They informed, after signing your contracts, that you'd all be working with Professors Higuruma and Geto on Keita Oe's case. You had heard about it around a week ago — Oe was arrested without bail after receiving a double homicide charge for the death of a woman and her daughter during a robbery. Both were found dead in their home the night before he was aprehended for "acting suspiciously near the vicinity", according to the police, and as covered in the news, not only did he live nearby, but the knife used to commit the crime was found where he lived.
Higuruma, you and Megumi had been waiting for his sister to arrive. She had scheduled a meeting regarding this case with Professor Geto, who, in turn, asked Professor Higuruma to take care of it.
You were trying your best to calm yourself down and pretend everything was going well. After the whirlwind of realizing Higuruma would end up as our boss — as if seeing him in college every week for the next few months wouldn't be torture already —, and being informed that the first thing you'd be working on would be such a high-profile criminal case, you were also on edge. Your right leg rocked anxiously up and down below the meeting table, and both your hands were dug between your thighs just to keep them from trembling.
"What's up with you?" Megumi hushed beside you.
"Nothing, just had too much coffee in the morning. What is up with you? You've been in a mood today," you replied under your breath.
"I don't want to talk about it," Megumi sighed, and turned his attention to Hiromi still attempting to dry out the table with one last napkin while muttering curses. Over his eyebrows shone a glisten of sweat, and a vein protruded right beside his forehead. "I don't think Professor Higuruma is doing much better either."
"You both know we are less than a feet apart and I can hear you, right?" Higuruma noted without diverting his gaze from the table. You and Megumi cleared your throats and looked away. "Where is crooked bangs? The last thing we need is for Oe's family to think we can't even keep a meeting room clean."
Higuruma barely acknowledged you at all that morning. He definitely seemed to have a lot going on in his mind.
"Professor, do you need any help?" you asked, to which he simply shook his head, his mouth unconsciously bending down to something that loosely resembled a frown, "perhaps tuning up the AC?"
He looked at you for the first time that day.
"It's fairly cold, isn't it? Are you sure we need it?"
"I mean, it is cold, but you are sweating bullets, Professor."
Higuruma paused for a moment, as if landing back on planet Earth. He slowly brought his fingertips to his forehead, collecting the dampness that had accumulated there for the past hours.
"Oh… I suppose I am."
He hadn't noticed it at all?
He blinked once. Then twice. His gaze locked on the tip of his fingers, and he seemed to slowly slip away again.
"Professor Higuruma, are you alright? Can I get you a glass of water, or anything?"
"I…"
Before he could finish, Miwa walked back in with someone from the cleaning department who sorted the coffee issue out in an instant. Shortly after, she brought Keita's sister into the meeting room. You were all surprised to see that his sister entered with a child by her side.
When she entered, you could instantly see that the woman's eyes were somewhat red and puffy. She and who you presumed to be her daughter had mid length black hair, and even though they seemed to have dressed up for the meeting, it was clear their clothes were fairly old, with hems and edges softly worn out. The girl who accompanied her held her hand tightly on one side and carried a pompompourin plushie on the other. She couldn't have been older than 8 years old.
"Good morning. I am Rin Oe, it's nice to meet you all. This is my daughter, Jun. I had no one to leave her with, I'd like to apologize for bringing her to this meeting."
"It's no issue," Higuruma politely replied, signaling for her to sit, "but if you'd prefer, considering the contents of this meeting, we could have someone tend to her in the waiting room while we talk."
Rin nodded, and she exhaled as her shoulders dropped a little. Even if Rin seemed composed, it was clear she had been carrying an enormous weight for these past few weeks — most likely due to her brother's situation.
"Jun, darling, you'll have to wait outside, okay?"
The little girl looked up at her mother, then at you, asking, "will these the people bring uncle Keita back home?"
Her voice was even softer than you'd expected. She must've been seven, at most, and was just big for her age. Your stomach felt like a brick after her question.
Her mother couldn't find the words to reply, and bit her trembling lower lip in an attempt to keep a brave face in front of her child.
Your mouth moved faster than you could think.
"Yes, yes we are. Ms. Oe, I'll take your daughter outside and be right back, okay?"
Rin nodded lightly, thankful for you taking this off her plate at that moment, and you walked around the table to offer your own hand for the girl. After an approval look from her mother, Jun took your hand, and you both walked out of the meeting room.
"Lady?" Jun called out right after you both closed the door.
"Yes?" You stepped slower than your usual pace so she could keep up with you, "the waiting area is a bit boring, but there is a television there. I'll see if I can ask that nice girl from the front desk to put a cartoon on for you, okay?"
"It's fine," she mumbled, "mom doesn't usually like me watching too much tv. Uncle lets me, though."
"Does he, now?"
"Mm-hmm."
You arrived at the waiting room, which was gladly empty. It had a row of comfortable chairs that neatly lined one of it's walls, and a small flat screen tv hung from the wall across from them.
"Oh, hey!" Yuuji greeted, coming inside the waiting room after you, "who is this? Is she your sister or something?"
"Oh, no, it's a client's niece. Do you know where Miwa is? I need to leave her here in the waiting room with someone so I can go back to the meeting."
Yuuji shrugged, "no, I have no idea."
"Damn."
"You know, I can stay here with her if you need me to."
"Don't you have other stuff to do? Other than to play babysitter?"
Yuuji scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile, "Professor Gojo told me to take the day to look around and get to know the other departments. See if there's something interesting we could learn from them. I'm not sure what I'm looking for, though, since it's my first day."
He what?
"Uh, okay, then. I guess. Let's find the remote."
Yuuji shuffled around looking for it, and you turned around to leave. Before you could walk away, though, Jun's grip on your hand tightened, and you stopped in your tracks thinking she still had something to tell you or ask of you.
"Is anything wrong? Do you need anything?"
"My uncle… I miss uncle," she replied, and you noticed a few tears pooling in her eyes, "but I don't want mom to see me cry. She already cries a lot." Apparently, even at such a young age, she'd learned — intentionally or not — to try putting on a brave face for other people's benefit.
Any reply you could have instantly choked on its way out, and you took a few moments to recollect yourself. From the corner of your eye, you noticed Yuuji too had choked up a little.
"We will do everything we can to help your uncle, okay? I promise," your said as voice cracked on its way out. You knew you didn't quite believe what you were saying.
The 99% conviction rate in Japan had been a ghost in the back of your mind ever since you decided you'd go into Law.
"That's right!" Yuuji chimed in, not noticing your wavering.
Forlorn, the girl let go of your hand, and hugged her plushie as she sat in one of the chairs. The television was already tuned to some amenities channel, and Yuuji sat not far from where Jun was, asking her about her plushie and going on a tangent about his favorite Sanrio merch.
Swallowing razorblades, you made your way back to the meeting room.
"In this case, just so we're clear, your brother has denied all accusations even to you?" Higuruma asked, crossing his hands in front of his face. Megumi was tasked with taking notes, and the tip of his pen scribbled nonstop on the yellow legal pad he had with him.
Rin acquiesced.
"Yes. I am sure he is innocent! Also…" she hesitated.
"What?"
"It's been really hard for these past few weeks. After my husband left, Keita has been the one to help us out. Now it's just me and Jun."
"Some other countries have the possibility of Habeas Corpus for requesting someone's release when they were arrested without bail in case they're financially responsible for a minor. That's not the situation in Japan, though," Higuruma explained, "so our best bet would be to try getting this case moving forward as quickly as possible."
Rin nodded, disapointed, "I see. Well, he's being held at the Iwate detention house."
"I know where it is. Since you've already been there today, and attorney registration takes one day to process, we'll have to go tomorrow. I'll also need you to sign a power of attorney for us."
"Okay, will do."
"Do you have any further questions?"
A brooding silence followed. Rin rested her hands over the table, unconsciously clenching them as she stared down. The recent image of her daughter flashed your mind, and you failed to find the words to comfort her.
What was there to say, really?
99% conviction rate.
Perhaps she wanted to ask what were the odds, but she knew that already. In all honesty, there was nothing Higuruma could tell her that she didn't already know, and that was the tragedy of it.
Higuruma adjusted himself on his chair, and inhaled deeply before saying, "we can fight for that 1% chance." He sounded steady, and you directed your gaze towards him only to find that there was no trace of that erraticness that had been plaguing him for hours. He seemed more like himself, at least for a moment.
She nodded and thanked the three of you. Yuuji brought her daughter back to meeting room and after all documents were signed, she bid you all goodbye, as you watched her and her daughter walk away to an uncertain near future. The brick that had formed in your gut ever since talking to Jun had devolved into some sort of anxiety-induced nausea.
"So, how was it?" Yuuji asked while sitting down, "did you guys already come up with a plan to help them?"
Out of all the lies you could tell, you chose a tamer version of the truth, going with "I'm just feeling bad for his sister and niece."
Bad. Terrible. Worse than I have felt in years.
"Yeah, me too. Her kid was really trying to hold it together, it's a tough thing for someone so young to go through."
"Well, are you feeling bad for his victims too? What about their family?" Megumi interjected. He sounded genuinely upset, in a way that you had never even heard before.
Yuuji turned to him immediately, "What the hell, Fushiguro?"
Megumi scoffed and rolled his eyes, "shut up, you two. Perhaps his family is better off with him behind bars, anyway."
"Why are you getting so worked up over this?" you asked with a building sense of revolt. Megumi was many things, but heartless was not one of them, and you had absolutely no idea where all of this was coming from.
"You don't even know if he's to blame or not! And his family's pain is not irrelevant just because he's suspected of having commited a crime." Yuuji sounded even more upset than you.
"Sure. Suspected. Japan's conviction rate is 99%. As far as the system is concerned, he's already guilty."
You scoffed.
"Even if he was guilty, do you think his family deserves disdain for his crimes?"
"You are all right, or almost," Higuruma said, pulling everyone's attention to him. He seemed to be pondering something, and took off his glasses to clean his lenses as he continued, "Oe is suspected of having commited a crime, yes, and two people have died. That has to be investigated. Both families — his and the victims — are currently suffering, but punishing the culprit, even though it is necessary, will not undo this crime. Japan's conviction rate is 99%, but that doesn't mean nearly everyone who's criminally charged is actually guilty. It can mean anything, from a truly zealous prosecution, as well as a justice system inclined to cater to public outcries for punishing whoever is the occasion's scapegoat in the news. As for his family," Higuruma pointed at Fushiguro, "he helped them financially, with whatever little he earned. They will be negatively impacted with his arrest, be it fair or not."
Megumi diverted his gaze elsewhere.
"Also… I have reason enough to believe he might not be guilty, which would mean we have an innocent man arrested."
"But the crime weapon was found in his room," you said.
"Not in his room exactly, no."
Megumi picked up his notes to leave the room, "and? It was in the general vicinity, in any case. It doesn't make a difference."
"It does. It makes all the difference. The devil is in the details, and so is our defense in this case, I believe."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a hunch. We'll know better when we talk to him," Higuruma checked his watch and got up, "I have to be somewhere else now. Please, organize and summarize our documents and all the notes taken during the meeting," he finally said before leaving.
With a sigh, Megumi walked towards the door, "I will go type these notes out so we can have them on file. Itadori."
Yuuji was surprised to be called out.
"Yes?"
"Did you get your login already for using these computers? I've been in here all this time and didn't manage to sort that out yet with IT."
Yuuji nodded in response.
"Okay, then help me out with this, will you?"
"Uhm, sure."
"You should go to IT in the meanwhile," Megumi suggested, addressing you, "and get our own things up and running while I transcribe these."
Megumi and Yuuji both left the meeting room, and walked around the office to find someplace they could actually sit down to sort out the tasks Higuruma had given.
After a minute of silence, Megumi exhaled sharply, "Itadori."
"Hm, yes, Fushiguro?"
Megumi stopped walking, and looked outside the window, apparently lost in thought.
"Fushiguro?"
"People don't just end up for adoption by accident, you know?" Megumi remarked, speaking more to himself than addressing Yuuji.
"Hm? What do you mean by that?" Yuuji inquired, puzzled.
"Nevermind. Come on, let's finish this before lunch time."
***
You didn't go to the IT department right away. In reality, you needed a moment — or multiple moments — just to yourself.
During the tour, you were introduced to the supply closet, and hoped it would serve you as some oasis at that time. A safe space while trying to recenter your mind.
Your feet shuffled as you opened the suply closet door, and after you went in, letting the door close behind you, the buzz of voices, keyboards, voices and printers happening outside finally dulled enough so you could hear your own thoughts.
Your thoughts.
You found a corner away from the entrance, behind some supply shelves. With your back against the wall, you slowly descended until low enough to sit comfortably-ish on the floor. Your mind wandered back to the brief conversation you had with Jun, and her voice echoed in your mind, "I miss uncle".
It finally struck you, the responsability you'd be faced with for the rest of your life if you were to choose this as a career for yourself. Did they even have enough money to get by for the next few days? What were they to do if he got convicted? You huffed at the thought of it.
The reality of it all suddenly struck you.
Yeah, Dorothy… You're not in Kansas anymore.
A few tears pooled up in your eyes, and you heaved in a feeble attempt of stopping them from sliding down.
The door swung open, and you jerked startled in response. A few heavy steps scurried around while you quietly tried to slide yourself away from view while brushing your tears off with your blazer's sleeve. After some seconds, you were able to see who had entered the closet carrying with themselves a type of despair akin to your own.
"… Professor Higuruma?"
He almost splashed the glass of water he'd brought with him.
"Oh, apologies, I didn't know anyone was in here," he replied, his voice slightly exasperated, "sorry, you startled me."
"It's fine," you said, smoothing your suit with your hands nervously, "do you need anything?"
"Don't we all?" Higuruma quipped. He glanced at you while your hands anxiously brushed the fabric, "Do you? You don't look too well."
"Oh, I…" you clenched your fists and put your hands over your lap, "I don't know. I think I just needed to…"
No words came to you.
His eyes studied your face, realizing your eyes seemed watery. Too watery. His glance finally landed on the reddening tip of your nose.
“You needed to fall apart and get yourself back together,” he noted to your surprise, and was completely right. "I know the look."
With some semblance of relief, glad you wouldn't have to explain in detail what you were going through — considering you weren't sure you could even if you tried — you smiled at him.
“Was it like this for you too?”
Higuruma walked towards you and also leaned back on the wall to settle by your side.
“No. I actually had a hard time connecting with the family, and the defendants."
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Connecting with people is something I've always struggled with, so I suppose it was only natural it would happen at work too."
You chuckled softly.
"You mean to say your jokes don't usually land well with people?"
He laughed.
"That would be an understatement. But yes, it was something hard to do for me."
Higuruma seemed better now, the disquiet that had plagued him earlier that day was surely wearing off.
"Professor?"
"Hm?"
"I'm sorry if it's not my place, but you didn't seem well this morning. Are you alright?"
That question caught him by surprise, and Higuruma uncomfortably adjusted himself while taking a sip of water.
"The thing is, I had this difficulty of connecting with the families and even the clients," he continued, "the meeting room is a place for their feelings, not mine. That was it, at least, up until…”
The Professor trailed off, silently gazing at the floor — or beyond it, apparently. At something you didn't quite know what it was.
"Up until what?"
He smiled to himself, and looked pensive. After a few moments, he took a step forward and offered his hand for you to stand up. You took it and thanked him.
“Take your time, come out when you’re ready. The world will still be out there when you do,” Higuruma said.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"I'm feeling much better, Professor. I think I'm fine to leave now, and perhaps even help Megumi. It seems like everyone is a bit out of sorts today."
He huffed with a smile.
"Yeah. So it seems."
You both stepped out of the supply room, and from across the hall, Nanami watched you smile at Higuruma before walking away.
Nanami had put this off for far too long.
Before he could do anything, though, his phone rang. His emergencies phone. Cursing at fate and God Himself, Nanami answered the call of a number he didn't know.
"Yes, who is this?"
"We had a meeting a while ago. You gave me your card," a female voice said from the other side of the line, "you offered to help us."
He searched his memory, until he remembered who this was, and what this was probably about — the settlement between a company and its employees. One that lowballed the employees big time.
"I am in the middle of something, but-"
"This is urgent. We really need to talk to you in person, privately, now. You did offer to help, or was that just an empty promise?" Nitta begrudgingly asked.
With a sigh — and the realization that other people had problems that needed his attention, people other than his best friend —, Nanami turned on his heels and walked towards his office.
"Fine, I just need to get a few things. Text me the address."
۶ৎ spoiled lazy wife energy, husbands who enable it. → Lazy positions (lying down/back/stomach), service-focused intimacy, pampering, possessiveness, oral, overstimulation, minimal effort on reader’s end. - m.list
SATORU GOJO
Gojo takes pride in the fact you don’t have to work a single day in your life. He brags about it constantly. “What kind of husband would I be if my pretty girl had to cook her own breakfast? Pfft. Please.”
He snaps his fingers at the chef like it’s second nature, piles your plate with strawberries and croissants, then sneaks bites while kissing the corner of your mouth.
It was true—you didn’t cook, you didn’t clean, and Gojo wouldn’t dream of letting you. Maids ran the household, chefs prepared everything, and if you ever dared to get up for something yourself, he’d whine like you’d just committed a crime.
At night, though? That indulgence turned into something darker. He had you on your back, head cushioned by pillows, legs spread wide as he knelt between them. “Don’t move,” he hummed, guiding his cock into you slowly, savoring the way your body gave way to him. “Don’t even think about it. Just lie there and take me.”
And you did—whimpering, arching, fingers clutching at the sheets while he used you like his personal toy. “Fuck, you feel so good,” he moaned, pace brutal but precise, sweat beading at his temples. “That’s my good girl—just keep coming for me. Don’t worry, I’ll do all the work.”Your head sank into the pillows, hair fanned out around you, thighs trembling from how long he’d been at it. Satoru had you on your back, your legs over his shoulders, his hips pistoning into yours with reckless speed.
“God, look at you,” he groaned, voice broken with pleasure. His pale hair clung to his forehead, his sunglasses long discarded. “You’re just lying there—so pretty, so lazy, just letting me fuck you stupid.”
You gasped, fingers gripping the sheets as his cock dragged perfectly against your sweet spot. You didn’t have the strength to ride him, didn’t need to—he was doing it all, sweat dripping down his chest as he slammed into you.
Satoru laughed breathlessly when you moaned too loud, angling your hips so you clenched even tighter around him. “You’re clamping down so good, baby. Don’t move—don’t even think about it. Just let me take care of you. That’s my job, yeah?”
When you whimpered his name, he bent down, folding you in half, his thrusts punishing now. “Fuck, that’s it. Be my perfect little doll. Lie there and take it, take me—don’t stop coming.” He fucked orgasm after orgasm out of you, your body twitching helplessly while he lost himself in the way you gave him everything without lifting a finger.
GETO SUGURU
Suguru’s love was quieter, steadier—but no less indulgent. He liked your laziness. He found it charming, even. You could always rely on him to handle everything before you even thought to ask.
The staff adored you because Suguru demanded it; your life was a seamless rhythm of pampering. If you sighed, a maid fetched a blanket. If you hummed, someone brought tea. Suguru orchestrated it all with a calm hand, sitting by your side as if the world revolved around your comfort.
And in bed—he carried that same energy. You were on your stomach, cheek pressed into the pillows, his hand splayed over your back as he slid into you from behind. Deep, steady strokes.
“Stay just like this,” he murmured against your ear, lips brushing your hair. “Let me do it.”
Your body rocked with every thrust, your voice cracking into little moans that made his cock twitch inside you. He loved the way you stayed pliant, letting him take all the effort, letting him give. His hand traced your spine, soothing as he fucked you slow and relentless. “That’s it. Just breathe, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
You lay flat on your stomach, cheek against the pillows, lips parted as Suguru spread your thighs just enough to sink into you from behind. His hand pressed between your shoulder blades, keeping you down, the other guiding your hips to meet every deep, rolling thrust.
“Stay still,” he murmured, voice low and even despite the sweat glistening at his temples. “I’ll do it all.”
And he did—slow, controlled strokes that filled you to the brim, dragging so deliciously against your walls that your legs quivered uselessly. You moaned into the pillow, unable to hold it back.
Suguru leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of your ear. “Good girl,” he whispered, fucking you harder now, pace steady but unrelenting. “Just relax for me. Let me give you everything.”
He lifted your hips slightly, angling you so every thrust made your back arch in sweet pain, his cock hitting deeper and deeper. You clutched the sheets, whimpering when your orgasm hit, body trembling while Suguru never faltered.
“That’s it, baby,” he praised, kissing your damp hair. “I’ll keep you like this all night. You don’t need to move a muscle. Just lie there and let me use this perfect body.”
RYOMEN SUKUNA
Sukuna called you spoiled more than he called you by your name. But the truth? He adored it.
“What are you good for?” he sneered one evening when you reclined on the chaise, silk robe barely tied, waiting for the servants to bring dinner. His four eyes narrowed, his voice dripping with derision.
And yet, when he dragged you to bed, his hands tore the robe from your body like it offended him that anyone else had seen you dressed in it. He pinned you beneath him, your legs bent painfully high as he drove himself into you, brutal and unrelenting.
“Pathetic,” he spat, watching your body give out beneath his. “Can’t even move, can you? Just lying there like a fucking doll while I ruin you.”
But the way he held your wrists down, the way his chest pressed to yours, the way his thrusts never faltered—it all betrayed the truth. He loved it. Loved the way your laziness meant you belonged entirely to him, that no one else could ever see you like this. Every moan, every whimper, every orgasm—you gave him without lifting a finger. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Pinned beneath him, you barely had time to breathe. Sukuna had your wrists locked above your head with one massive hand, his other gripping your thigh hard enough to bruise. He fucked into you with brutal precision, his hips slamming against yours so hard the mattress shook.
“You’re pathetic,” he growled, all four eyes drinking in the way your tits bounced, your mouth hanging open, moans spilling with every punishing thrust. “Can’t do a damn thing. Just lying there while I ruin this tight little cunt.”
Your body burned, overwhelmed by the stretch of him, the sheer force of his pace. And yet you couldn’t stop clenching around him, couldn’t stop the tears streaming from your eyes as your orgasm tore through you.
Sukuna laughed darkly, leaning close so his teeth scraped your throat. “Look at you—too lazy to even fight back. And you like it, don’t you?”
He didn’t let up. If anything, your body’s limp surrender only drove him harder, his cock pounding into you until you screamed his name raw. His lips curled into a cruel grin. “That’s right. Keep breaking for me. You’ll never need to move—not when I’ll fuck you until you can’t stand.”
CHOSO KAMO
Choso always told you he liked how spoiled you were. He swore he loved that you didn’t lift a finger, that you let him handle everything from cooking dinner to carrying you to bed when you fell asleep on the couch.
But in bed, sometimes—he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
You were on your back, head resting against plush pillows, legs parted lazily while he thrust into you slow and deep. Your lips parted, a few soft moans slipping out—but compared to how hard his heart was pounding, it felt too quiet. Too easy.
“Y-you can… you can be louder, you know,” he stammered suddenly, his hand cupping your cheek as his hips rocked into yours. His brows furrowed, expression almost shy. “I wanna hear you… I mean, only if you want to—fuck—”
Your eyes flicked up at him, hazy but amused, and the corner of your mouth lifted. His awkward honesty had heat rushing down your spine.
“Choso…” you breathed, deliberately moaning his name louder this time, your body clenching around him just to prove you were far from indifferent.
He groaned, forehead dropping against yours, relief crashing over him. “Fuck, that’s better,” he whispered, thrusts growing deeper, more insistent now that he knew you were melting under him. His hand slid to your throat, holding gently, not to restrain but to feel the vibrations of your voice. “Yeah, like that. Let me hear you. Don’t hold back—I need to know I’m giving it to you right.”
And as you whined louder, your body writhing despite your lazy posture, Choso’s lips curved into a rare, shaky smile—like he couldn’t believe he got to be the one making you sound like that.
Every once in a while, I'll reread @post-it-notes7 fic "In Your Dreams" and each time, without fail, it becomes all I can think about for like a month.
He's an ant-like boss monster that lives in Waterfall, hiding his face with an old CRT shell. Likes to put on performances for anyone that wanders into the garbage dump and has a fondness for doing puppet shows. It's rumored that his puppets, which he makes himself, are modeled after humans he knew on the surface.
Unfortunately, my baby Qais will die—not only because treatment is delayed or unavailable, but because many see this post, refuse to share it, scroll past his pain, and let silence become another wound.
People say about Gen AI ''well its going to be basically in every game in the next few years so get used to it" like, no... do you have any idea how stubborn I am? I will never play another new game in MY LIFE if that is the case. There are plenty of old ones I missed. "Oh what about books and TV?" SAME. I do not care. I will stop consuming new media forever if GenAI is going to be in everything.
Yes, This is absolutely the hill I will die on (AND WE WILL ALL DIE ON IF COMPANIES DONT STOP PUSHING AI AND BUILDING FUCKING DATA CENTERS EVERYHERE FUCK)
Saying “this niche, properly tagged, warned, and rated piece of fiction could theoretically hurt someone” is not a good argument. This properly labeled cookie with the allergen information at the bottom that contains gluten could theoretically harm me very badly, but only if I consume it. Tags are like nutrition labels, and warnings are like allergy information. If you know you have an allergy to something, the logic is to stay away from it. It is the same with fiction. I’m not running through stores yelling at people to take all the products with gluten off the shelves just because it could hurt me. Instead I ignore it and go to the gluten free section and find cookies that are right for me. And if running through a grocery store yelling sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. Stop doing the same with fiction.
And just like with food, what might be harmful for one person to consume could be quite *beneficial* for others. One man’s trigger is another man’s catharsis.
AND if you lack the maturity/self control/awareness to stop yourself from eating things that could potentially harm you, you either 1) are too young to be making your own food choices and should be supervised by a parent/other adult who is supposed to be responsible for you (and the store clerk who put the food on the shelf is NOT) or 2) need to take accountability for your own actions, because if you deliberately consumed something you knew could hurt you as a fully autonomous adult, then you really have no one to blame but yourself.
I’d like to add that within AO3, “Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings” is, in this food analogy, like the food labels that read “This product was manufactured in a facility where [potential food allergens] are used in the production of some products”. It’s not telling you they’re in there, but even more importantly, it’s not telling you they’re not. This is not the same as “No Archive Warnings Apply” which would be the certified [food allergen] free food. One guarantees a certain experience, the other has given you no promises as to what may or may not be included and is very much a consume-at-your-own-risk product.
