content: Yuji Itadori x fem!reader, strangers to lovers, yuji overuses reaction pictures, reader overuses references, smau, slowburn, possible kissing, you and yuji meet through a mutual friend and become lovers... or enemies?, angst, fluff. Tips are appreciated.
a/n: ignore how the message thing randomly changed, I finally found an app for the smau. also please lmk if this is moving to fast for a slow burn
Friday, August 22 at 3:50
Two weeks later, it wasnât even a question anymore, they were already planning the next hangout.
He was already there, pacing near the platform edge, glancing up every few seconds like he was waiting for somethingâor someone. The second he saw you, he stopped.
âYou act like Iâm late.â
âYou wouldâve been,â he said. âI can tell.â
âYouâre so dramatic.â
âAnd you still came,â he shot back, falling into step beside you as the train pulled in.
This time, the ride felt⊠easier.
No awkward pauses. No overthinking.
You ended up in a pair of seats squishing each other with how full the train was. The train lurched forward, and Yuji reached out instinctively, grabbing the edge of your seat for balanceâclose enough that your hands brushed for a split second.
Neither of you mentioned it.
âYou gonna tell me where weâre going?â you asked.
âYouâre actually the worst.â
âRelax,â he said, leaning back. âItâs worth it.â
âYou said that already.â
âI donât know because we didnât get there yet, dummy.â
A few stops in, the train got quieter. Less people, less noiseâjust the steady rhythm of the tracks under you.
Yuji glanced at you. âYou got your headphones?â
You narrowed your eyes slightly. âYou just want free access to my music.â
âYeah,â he said easily. âAnd?â
You huffed, but still pulled them out, handing him one side.
He took it like it was expected, leaning a little closer so the wire wouldnât pull.Â
âYouâre really demanding today.â
âPlease,â he corrected, not sounding sorry at all.
You scrolled for a second before pausing.
ââŠDonât make fun of me.â
ââŠOkay, maybe a little,â he admitted.
You shook your head, but pressed play anyway.
The familiar opening filled your ears.
Yuji went quiet almost immediately.
Not fake quietâreal quiet.
ââŠWait,â he said after a few seconds. âThis is that song again, isnât it?â
You glanced at him. âYeah. All I Want Is You..â
He nodded slowly, like he was paying attention to something specific in the song.
âI get it now,â he said.
You raised an eyebrow. âOh yeah? Enlighten me.â
He shifted slightly, turning more toward you.
âUh because its fire? Duh.â he said.
You blinked, a little caught off guard.
âAnd,â he continued, a little quieter, âitâs catchy, but I canât let anyone know I said that.â
ââŠYouâre thinking too deep about it.â
âNah,â he shook his head. âYouâre just used to love songsâ
You looked away, but didnât argue.
After a second, you nudged him. âWhat about you then? Whatâs your favorite song?â
He exhaled like heâd been waiting for that.
âOkay, Iâve got a few,â he said. âDepends on the mood.â
âItâs a real answer,â he defended. âSome songs are for when youâre hyped, some are for when youâre just⊠sitting there thinking.â
âAnd which one is this?â you asked, gesturing slightly with your head.
He glanced at you, then back down at his hands.
ââŠThis oneâs for when youâre with someone,â he said.
Your breath caught for half a second.
âYouâre so corny,â you muttered.
âYeah,â he smiled a little. âBut Iâm right.â
When the train finally stopped, he stood up first, holding his hand out without thinking.
You stared at it for a second.
âCâmon,â he said. âTrainâs stopping.â
He pulled you up, letting go almost immediately after, like it didnât mean anything.
The place he took you this time was a small outdoor marketâstring lights already starting to glow even though the sun hadnât fully set yet. There were food stalls, random little shops, and music playing faintly from somewhere in the background.
You looked around. ââŠOkay, this is actually really nice.â
âI know,â he said, hands in his pockets. âI donât miss.â
You walked side by side, occasionally bumping into each other as the crowd got tighter. At one point, a louder song played from a nearby speaker, and Yuji made a face.
âOkay, that oneâs not it.â
You laughed. âSee? You do judge music.â
âOnly when itâs bad.â
You shook your head, smiling a little.
After a moment, he glanced at you again. âSend me that song later.â
âYou already have it.â
âYeah,â he said, âbut I want it from you again.â
You frowned slightly. âWhy?â
He shrugged, but his voice was softer this time.
ââŠFeels different.â
You looked at him for a second longer than you meant to.
ââŠYouâre weird,â you said finally.
âYeah,â he replied easily. âBut you took a whole train ride just to hang out with me again.â
And when your shoulder brushed his as you kept walking, neither of you moved away.
The lights got brighter the longer you stayed.
Not just the string lights overheadâbut everything. The music, the chatter, the way the air felt warmer somehow.
You and Yuji had stopped in front of a food stall, still arguing on what food to get.
âIâm telling you, that looks good,â he said, pointing at something fried and definitely questionable.
âIt looks like itâll take five years off your life.â
âYouâre just scared.â
You gave him a look. âOf food?â
âOf living a little.â
You scoffed. âYouâre insufferable.â
âAnd yet,â he said, already pulling out his wallet, âyouâre still here.â
A few minutes later, you were both sitting on a low bench, sharing the food anyway.
âOkay,â you admitted after a bite, âthis is actually good.â
Yuji lit up immediately. âI told you!â
âDonât let it get to your head.â
âToo late,â he grinned. âIâm always right.â
âSkill,â he corrected.
You rolled your eyes, but you were smiling.
At some point, the crowd got thicker.
Not overwhelming, just enough that people kept brushing past, squeezing between spaces that didnât really exist.
Without really thinking about it, Yuji shifted closer to you.
Not obvious. Not dramatic.
Just enough that his arm brushed yours more often than not.
Just enough that when someone bumped into you from behind, his hand landed lightly on your shoulder to steady you.
âYou good?â he asked.
âYeah,â you said, glancing at him. ââŠThanks.â
He nodded like it was nothingâbut his hand lingered for a second longer before dropping.
âWait,â he said suddenly, grabbing your wristânot tight, just quick. âCome here.â
But he was already pulling you a few steps to the side, weaving through people until you were just outside the main crowd.
A small stand tucked between two others, barely noticeable unless you were looking for it. Little handmade thingsâbracelets, rings, random trinkets.
âOh,â you said quietly.
âYeah,â he rubbed the back of his neck. âI saw it when we walked in.â
You stepped closer, looking over everything.
The vendor smiled at you, but neither of you said muchâyou were too busy looking.
Your fingers hovered over a simple bracelet before you picked it up.
Yuji noticed immediately. âYou like that one?â
You glanced at him. âI didnât say I was gonna buy it.â
âOkay,â he said easily. âThen I am.â
âItâs like five dollars.â
âThatâs not the point.â
âThen what is the point?â
âŠand didnât really have an answer.
He watched you for a second, then sighed dramatically. âFine.â
He reached over, grabbed a different braceletâone that looked a little similarâand held it up.
âThis oneâs mine then.â
You blinked. âYou donât even wear bracelets.â
âThatâs not how that works.â
âIt is if I decide it is.â
You shook your head, but you couldnât stop the small laugh that slipped out.
A few minutes later, you were both walking away from the stand.
You looked down at your wrist.
You hadnât even realized when he paid for it.
ââŠYouâre annoying,â you said, not looking at him.
âYeah,â he replied. âYou said that already.â
You glanced at him. âYou didnât have to do that.â
ââŠThen why did you?â
He shrugged, but didnât look at you this time.
âBecause you liked it.â
Your chest felt weirdly tight for a second.
But it didnât sound completely true.
The music shifted againâsomething slower this time, softer than the loud songs from earlier.
People nearby started moving differently. Not full-on dancing, just⊠swaying a little. Laughing quieter.
ââŠYou wanna?â he asked, nodding slightly toward the open space.
âDance?â you repeated.
âRelax,â he said quickly. âNot likeâcrazy. Justââ he gestured vaguely, already looking a little embarrassed. âI donât know. Itâs a vibe.â
âI literally just said that.â
âThen why are you asking me?â
He scratched the back of his neck again. ââŠI donât know.â
For once, he didnât have a smooth answer.
His head snapped back toward you. âWait, really?â
âDonât make it weird.â
âIâm notâyouâre the one making it weird.â
âYou already made it weird.â
"Okay, justâcome here before you change your mind.â
It wasnât really dancing.
Not like the kind you see in movies.
You stood a little awkwardly at first, facing each other, unsure what to do.
Yuji laughed under his breath. âYeah, weâre bad at this.â
âSpeak for yourself.â
âYouâre literally not moving.â
âBecause youâre staring at me.â
âIâm trying to figure out what youâre doing.â
âThatâs not dancing.â
âNeither is whatever youâre doing.â
He huffed a quiet laugh, thenâcarefullyâreached out.
His hands hovered for a second before settling lightly on your arms.
Not pulling. Not forcing.
then placed your hands against his hoodie, near his shoulders.
ââŠThere,â he said quietly. âThat works.â
âShhh,â he smiled a little. âWeâre vibing.â
You rolled your eyes, but didnât move away.
For a moment, neither of you said anything.
Just the music. The low hum of voices around you.
ââŠHey,â he said after a second.
âYouâre so annoying.â
But he didnât move his hands.
After a while, you stepped back first.
Not abruptlyâjust enough to break whatever that was.
âOkay,â you said, clearing your throat slightly. âThatâs enough of that.â
âYeah,â he agreed a little too quickly. âYeah, that wasââ
âDonât say anything.â
âI wasnât gonna say anything.â
He laughed again, softer this time.
ââŠWe should walk more,â you said.
âYeah,â he nodded. âBefore you roast me again.â
But this time, when you started walkingâ
your hand brushed his again.
He didnât pretend it was an accident.
His fingers hooked lightly with yours for a secondâ
Like he wanted to see if youâd pull away.
And that was enough for him to smile to himself as you kept walking.
Somewhere behind you, unnoticedâ
someone had been watching.
And they definitely werenât smiling.