#bexxli

[bexxli]

Shopping trip and inferior heart

[⚠️] Content: Anxiety, body image, body insecurities, shopping trip, protective/slightly soft dominant boyfriend, Nanami who knows you too well, reassurance, image comfort.

Summary: Your partner insists on treating you to a shopping trip after a stressful day at work, but your anxiety makes you uneasy, unable to decide on an outfit.

It was just after noon, work had finished early for the day. After a sleepless night spent tossing and turning, it was relieving to know clock-out would come sooner than expected. In all of your stress, you ran a hand over your face to wipe away the tiredness. You grabbed your bag and tossed it over your shoulder, abandoned your chair at the desk and left with an eagerness most would've said was foreign for you.

Your co-workers exchanged curious glances among one another, something you didn't pay attention to.

You were usually a dedicated employee, but not today.

A quick message to Nanami resulted in a decision that he was going to pick you up from outside the local cafe you both frequented together. A small, quiet cafe, nice and cozy with an orange glow that illuminated and emphasised the calming atmosphere. A place people often spent studying or finishing work, a place you and Nanami went for your first date.

You weren't going to buy anything, or at least you didn't intend to. Clearly, your partner had other ideas in mind. He rocked up in a new, classy beige suit with a subtle pattern; wallet, keys and phone in hand; walking with a casual, proud strut you were sure he didn't realise he was doing.

Not that he would've cared, he was nonchalant about those things - about how women, especially young women, thirsted over him.

It made you jealous and, God-forbid, scared. Your pessimism about your own appearance was rooted in the deeply engraved insecurities that riddled your brain from morning to night. How did you, an average Joe, manage to score a relationship with a man so attractive, confident, successful, as Nanami Kento? You couldn't fathom it.

Despite your queries about being in a relationship with him, despite your anxiety pooling in your stomach as your inferiority ate away at you from the depths of your being, you'd grown accustomed to his presence, his warmth and compassion. All aimed and reserved for you.

"Love?" he leaned over, his tall stature adjusting so he could see you face-to-face. His body blocked you from the busyness of the bustling street.

This man didn't want you any other way.

You smiled, it was small, clutching your bag to your chest as you perked up. It was good to see him after a stressful day, and it was a stressful day. Short, but it began with a frenzy that never slowed down. You despised high-paced environments, they were hard to keep up with, hard to catch your breath, hard to find a moment to just sit.

Nanami though, one look at him and all of your stress melted like snow shined upon by the burning sun. His pointed nose, stern eyes, his blonde hair which was usually slicked back. Everyday he took your breath away.

His arm wrapped around your mid-back, guiding you down the street. He encouraged you, though firm in doing so, to stick by the building side of the pathway. He was adamant, keeping you away from cars that got too close, keeping you away from people who didn't respect personal space. Keeping anything that didn't respect you away.

His palm rubbed up and down against the material of your long coat he'd bought you a few Christmases ago, proceeding to question you as you both entered the lobby for a shopping mall, "How was work?"

"Busy. The logistics team made an error so we ended up running around trying to fix it." you spoke with a disgruntled sigh, pausing to look at him curiously, "Did you and Satoru have fun?"

Nanami hummed. He was reserved in front of you, but you were perceptive enough to recognise the furrow in his neatly shaped eyebrows and the twitch of his lip turning into a scowl. "He's his high maintenance self, as always. He never changes, for better or worse."

An amused, brief, titter erupted from you. Your arm wrapping around his forearm, hooked like a gentleman and his lady, as you followed his lead, "I don't think you'd like him any other way."

Your partner, dear boyfriend, scowled. "No."

"No?"

"He infuriates me," Nanami was so composed, usually, but when it came to Satoru Gojo he behaved like an antisocial child, reminding you very much of his younger days which weren't spoken of often. He sighed, nudging you towards a large clothing store which he often shopped at, you used it occasionally but you didn't shop for yourself, mostly for small homely items for the house. The blonde man turned his body, pressing a fond peck to your cheekbone and gazed at you with longing, soft, caramel eyes. "That being said, I'd rather not talk about him when I came to spoil you, Hm?"

You took a moment, staring at him, enamoured. You could feel his breath against your neck as he gave you another kiss pressed against your jaw, hot, sensitive. Making you squirm. A deep hum vibrated from his chest, purring as he took in the familiar scent of the perfume you consistently used, the perfume he bought for you and you'd never changed since.

You wheezed, adjusting your head to look at the floor, avoiding the flushed stares from passer-bys. Your fingers clung to the sleeve of his suit jacket, crumpling the material in your grip. "Nanami... We're in public."

He chuckled, kissing the crown of your head. His hands beckoned you through the store to the clothes he knew you'd take an interest in. He'd studied your preferences thoroughly. "My apologies, I wanted to take you shopping. I remember you'd said you wanted a new dress for dinner, I'll pay of course."

"I really don't -"

"Ah." Nanami turned to you swiftly, taking a loud step towards you and placing his slender index finger against your lips. "None of that, Love. It's my gift to you."

"Nanami..."

"Love. If it was an issue I would have stated so. Please."

You gulped, hesitantly. You looked around, admiring the rows upon rows of isles of clothes, hanging from walls and folded on stands. Too much too choose from, but a few pieces did catch your eye. "Okay... If you promise."

"I promise."

His promise was sincere, you could wander with peace in your heart knowing that.

It didn't take long for you to choose a few shirts and a dress that caught your interest. One shirt was plain, one was white and similar to a dress shirt with a few added frills, the dress was black with a few pink flowers around the waist material. There was a nice pair of shoes you thought might look good for a date at a fancy restaurant - just another evening of Nanami spending wealth and abundance on you.

You nodded satisfied, "I'm gonna try these on, wait in the hallway?"

"Of course, change and I'll be waiting."

So you did change. You pulled the curtain closed, dropped your bag onto the bench and hung up your coat on the hook.

Only one clothing item was snug and fitted perfectly over your frame. The dress shirt with frills was flowy and would be nice for a summers day when the breeze was light. The other shirts, to your disappointment, were simply uncomfortable to wear. The tag was sewn on the seam which was relentless against the base of your neck, the material was cheap and irritated your skin, forcing you to endure a suffocating heat that formed sweat on your back.

Though, for you, the most important thing was the dress. Nanami liked the dress when he saw you pick it up, trying it on would be the deciding factor. That was far too much responsibility for you.

You stared into the mirror which was smudged with fingerprints with narrowed, critical eyes. The dress hugged your figure perfectly, highlighted your waist, hung at your ankles. The heels added a nice few inches to your height, perfect for the dress length. The material was breathable, and nothing felt too constricting.

It did make you look nice, there was a graceful elegance that came with wearing it. But could you go out in public with such a dress? You weren't sure. You barely wore skirts, nevermind a dress.

You stood for several moments. Waiting for your mind to make a decision. Yes or no? It was really that simple. But you were indecisive, unsure, uneasy. Maybe it was just your personal opinion that it looked okay, what if you were blind? What if it really didn't look at that good? Bias was inevitable, afterall!

"Love." Nanamis voice called from behind the curtain.

You gulped.

"You've been in there for a while, can I see you?"

You stammered, fumbling over your words as you reached behind your back, desperately trying to unzip the dress. "I... Don't think that's a good idea! I'll just take it off and we can leave this one behind..."

"Are you unsure?" he questioned you as if he already knew the problem. The truth was, he did know the problem, because he knew you.

When you didn't answer, Nanami pulled the curtain back slowly, subtly, a small gap only he could see through. A knowing look on his face, lips in a very small smile, proud of the fact he didn't need you to confirm anything know what the issue was. He softened, gaze dancing over your figure, from the heel you picked out to the neck piece of the dress.

"It's gorgeous, what were you worrying about?" he slipped into the changing room with you, pulling the cheap curtain back securely.

His breath escaped him, yours caught in your throat, heart soaring as he pressed his chest against your back, turning you to look through the mirror with him. One foot stood between your heels, pressing against you snugly. Once more, his eyes wandered. Up and down, lingering on the flowers of the dress around your waist and meeting your gaze indirectly through the mirror. "Breathtaking. My Angel, hm?"

"I don't know, Nanami... -"

"Is it the colour?"

You shook your head.

"The flowers?"

Another shake.

"Perhaps the length?"

One more.

"Then, Love, I think it looks amazing, and I think you're letting your mind play tricks on you again."

You sighed, nails in one hand flicking your nails on the opposite hand, making a clicking sound that filled the deep silence between you both. You were relieved, thankful for his genuine honesty and appreciative that his view on your appearance remained unchanged from the first moments his eyes met yours.

Nanami offered his thoughts freely, allowing you to lean on him in times of uncertainty. Being so used to people-pleasing to avoid conflict, you found it difficult to form your own opinion, to say no or yes. Nanami made those things a little bit easier.

Your lips formed a line, curling only slightly at the corners and gave a nod, knowing and final. "Okay. I'd like to get this dress, please."

Nanami glowed, a smile of adoration painting his face. His hand rubbed circles on your waist as a chuckle accompanied an affectionate peck to the tip of your. A few strands of your hair twirled around his finger.

"Absolutely, anything for my lady."

[bexxli]

Your Emergency Contact

[⚠️] Contains: angst, assault, stalker, no consent and touching upon sexual harassment, protective Toji, violence.

Summary: After a team celebration at the bar and two drinks, you decided to head home, not getting involved with your drunk co-workers. Instead, on your way home an unsightly man decides to take advantage of the woman who walked the streets alone.

Authors Notes: Second part to this (ex-boyfriend Toji). Takes place approximately a year before the family miniseries

Your phone screen illuminated your face as you wandered the street. You'd joined some co-workers for a drink, to celebrate a good end to a successful project. It was rowdy - not the sort of environment you'd involve yourself in regularly, still, it was a good end to the evening as dawn pulled in. The street lights sensed the darkness and turned on, leaving a nice golden glow over the buildings.

You sighed, hands tightening around the strap of your work satchel. You walked in contentment, giddiness bubbling in your blood from the few drinks you had. All of the others were plastered drunk, considering your team had a week off from work; Nanami had left early due to a disinterest in drinking alcohol and wanting to spend time with his partner.

You were left to walk home by yourself. In all fairness, your apartment wasn't far from the bar. That being said, it was still quite a trip on foot in the dark in a city busy with excited, unaware nightlife. Mostly cabs or friends were picking up drunk people, you could pick up the faint sound of clicking high heels walking on the street as the distance between the chaos and you became greater.

Soon, it was just you and the occasional motorbike – you preferred it that way. You scrolled aimlessly on your phone, checking the occasional message, disregarding anything from your parents with no hesitation. One message from Nanami telling you to enjoy yourself at the bar, one from Megumi complaining about one of his classmates, though you knew he didn't mind them that much.

You paused briefly, ears perking up at the echo of footsteps. Being as you were - not all there after a few drinks - you were sure they were your footsteps. You didn't know any better. As you continued, the dread pulled knots in your stomach, when you stopped, they stopped, when you started, they started, when you picked up the pace, so did they. One fact stood out to you, they were not the sound of heels. No, they sounded more like heavy workboots.

Onwards, one hand still clutched around the strap of your bag, one gripping your phone desperately as an anchor to your anxieties. The further you walked, the more shadows seemed to creep around corners, and any light source appeared to dim.

A wheeze escaped your chest as you paused. You searched through the corner of your eye, not daring to turn your head. If you did that, the situation would become all the more real. All it took was that one extra step which you definitely didn't take for you realise that the danger had amped up.

Really, a defenceless woman who seemed like she had a few too many to drink (you were just a lightweight), walking alone in the backstreets. It wasn't out of the question for one weirdo to take advantage of the opportunity. Your lungs heaved in half-breaths as you gathered yourself, continuing to walk down the path. There was one thing that you knew: you couldn't go straight home or he'd know your address and that you lived alone.

You pulled your phone in front of you, searching through your contacts without a goal in mind. Nanami was busy, there was no way you'd disturb him. You could call the authorities, but they were known to not be overly helpful or be too late to help. No way you'd contact Megumi and you'd be caught dead before initiating contact with your parents. Toji, whos last message was about doing a nightshift, was the only person you could rely on given the circumstances.

You pressed the call button, lashes blinking rapidly as you pressed the phone against your ear, continuing to dash down the street.

The phone beeped, and beeped, and beeped...and then the voicemail tone.

Your panic increased as you pressed on the call button again, this time more firmly as you shook.

It only rang twice before you heard his gruff tone through the sparker.

"Sunshine, I would love to talk but 'm at work"

"Toji..." You called breathlessly. Breathless all the wrong reasons. You glanced back behind you as you continued to scamper through the streets, turning in all sorts of directions just to avoid going home, to avoid the man who made it clear he wasn't going to stop. Toji noticed the urgency in your voice as you spoke.

"Hey, whats up?"

"Theres a guy - I dunno Toji," You fumbled your words, eyes dancing from sign to sign to keep track of where you were going. "Hes following me, i dunno what to do!"

"Share your location, 'm getting in the car now."

Sure enough, he was. You heard the sound of his keys, the door slam shut, the engine starting. You whimpered a string of 'okays' under your breath, index finger reaching for the share location option. You heard him hum thoughtfully.

"Ya not far from me, i'll be there soon. Stay on the phone."

Whoever was following you seemed to catch on to what you were doing, calling for help. His steps picked up, getting faster and faster until, within an instant, you felt the terrifying breath down the back of your neck.

You cried out as the strong grip curled around your wrist, digging into your joint so you had no choice but to drop the phone. Your bag was tossed aside as the figure rushed you into an alley, muffling your cries with his other hand, squashing you between him and the cold brick wall.

It was all you could do to push his weight off you, pushing out your elbow and kicking out your legs frantically as his hands remained firm on your body. His face pressed against the side of yours, smothering you with a stench of cigarettes and whisky.

Your leg booted his ankle, your heel flying off your foot, your other ankle losing balance and twisting as you fell to the floor. Your elbow grazed the path, tearing away at layers of skin and pulling holes into your black tights. You flailed around, pushing as much as you could, hoping that he'd give up and run away, that he'd leave you be, but given the smirk on his face, you couldn't help but imagine he enjoyed fighting for you.

He enjoyed the sadism of it all, of an unknowing victim, cornering them and fighting them.

You sobbed, wailing in horror, pleading for help from anyone who passed at just the right time, but no one did. You were alone with the freakshow who overpowered you so easily.

Tears stained your cheeks and your hair formed tangles as he pulled at your clothes and manhandled your body, pinning you to the floor as his legs straddled your sides. You lost all hope, there was no one around and there was no guarantee Toji would find you in time, before the nightmare even began.

You held your breath, squeezing your eyes closed tightly as you braced yourself, hiccuping as your scared mind went wild with thoughts.

Despite tensing your body, bracing yourself for the worst, in all your heightened emotions you didn't hear the painful thud of a fist connecting to a jaw. You didn't hear the rustling of clothes and the yells from the man who had tried to harass you. You didn't hear your saviour making very real, very violent threats should the criminal show up again. You didn't even recognise the raspy voice of the large man, not until he kneeled by your side.

He kneeled next to you, trying to catch your attention but all you could hear was the faint buzzing in your ears as you detached yourself from the conflict. Your nerves didn't translate his soft touches as he tried to pull you together.

"Hey, Sunshine, come on." He encouraged, sitting you up from your curled ball. He rested one arm behind your back, holding you up as you tensed your knees, bringing them tightly against your body.

You blubbered, recognising the familiar burnt wood musk that oozed from the supposed-to-be-white jumper, "Toji?"

"Welcome back."

You could've sobbed again from relief if you weren't so tired, so fatigued.

"He won't be bothering ya again, 'm gonna get you to the car. Yeah?"

You simply nodded.

He hooked his free arm under your legs and lifted you up in his arms, nuzzling you closely against his broad chest. Your hand reached out, weakly grabbing at his clothes, his bicep, his neck. Anywhere.

Stepping over the man who attacked you, he muttered something about a bastard and gouging his eyes out with his fingers if he saw him ever again. Quite literally kicking his ribs once more to pack salt into the wound. The agonising groan he let out made Toji grin like he'd won the bet of his life, picking up your bag and phone and sitting you in the front seat of his car which was parked clumsily on the side of the road. He grabbed his zip-up from the back seat, covering you as best he could with what he had and clipped in the safety belt.

"'m gonna take ya to my place, better there than alone, m'kay?" he went to close the door until he noticed the grace on your elbow. His finger traced around the graze, examining the damage but was at least somewhat okay that it wasn't an emergency injury. "Hurt anywhere else?"

You frowned, hands tugging the jacket together around your body as you nodded towards your legs. Toji seemed to understand, with your missing shoes and your grazes, it didn't take much to connect the dots that you may have sprained an ankle. He nodded, humming in the low tone that sent your heart soaring in admiration.

"I'll patch you up at home." his lips connected to your forehead, despite the peck being quick, he lingered momentarily. His arms pulled you to lean against him one more time before he intended to get in and drive. He was relieved, he may not have been able to prevent the attack but at least he was able to stop it before things got serious, before he would've pulled out his knife and killed someone, torn them apart for having such malicious thoughts about using your body.

"It's okay now, we'll go home and stay there as long as ya want."

You lip trembled, staring at him, begging.

"I've got ya, ma'."

He did. He did have you, safe in his arms. Despite the awkward past between you both he rushed to your side the moment danger was uttered under your breath. He could've ignored you, he had work afterall. He had no obligation. But he made you his priority. You'd never felt more overjoyed, more cared for than when a large, gruff man like Toji handled you with a level care many weren't confident he had.

His hand caressed your skin, fingers rubbing over every bump, graze, scar, vein, freckle on your body with pure adoration. He watched as your lashes bounced with every blink, how your lips parted with every deep breath you took, how your body rattled with every shudder.

"I'll get you home, patched up, tucked into bed." He promised and you believed him as he pulled away to shut the door so he could start the car again, "I'll take care of it all."

[bexxli]

Family Movie Night

[⚠️] Content: Toxic parents, controlling parents, themes that align with anxiety and depression, Fushiguro Family antics, pizza takeout and home movies.

Summary: After a terrible and toxic phone call with your mother, you were left feeling down in the dumps. Megumi had an average day at school and Tojis work-day wasn't eventful, the boredom left you all craving a relaxing time with takeout and movies.

The dulling ache in your chest lingered as you stared out of of the window, watching the rain patter gently against the earth's soil and paths. A cup of untouched tea grasped firmly between your hands, full to the top and cold as the hour passed by.

The room was dark, lights off, the only light being what remained from the sky covered by rainy clouds. The cushions were comfortable, and the knitted blanket rested over your legs made things a bit warmer. Still, the emptiness of the room, of the house, in a storm - after your mother had degraded you for the third time that week - it was unbearable.

You'd usually avoid your mother's calls, she never really contacted you often enough. Though, when she did? She sure as hell made her thoughts known to you, anything and all, unfiltered and malicious. The words she spat were like acid being poured over your head, sizzling away at your good mood.

You'd spent just over 16 years dealing with your mothers displeasure - acting as if your existence was merely tolerable. Shrinking away from her vicious raised voice, her insults at every mistake, her day by day expectations for how she expected you to live your life - no room for your own decisions. 16 years you felt was too long.

You sighed, for the fifth time.

Your phone blew up with messages from your friend, Satoru, who was bragging about his new partner. Nanami messaged too, but you weren't one to discuss such sensitive matters with him as he was a Co-worker, not just a friend. You would handle it as you always had, alone, ignoring the issues existence.

The squeak of the front door travelled through the hallway, followed by a gentle lift of the handle to close it. You checked the time, you wasted your time sitting on the couch for an hour in the darkness. You didn't know why it didn't occur to you that Megumi would be home at that time. You turned your head slowly, acknowledging the footsteps that approached the lounge where you sat.

Megumi grunted, face decorated in surprise, shock and a sense of urgency as he dropped his bag, preparing to summon demon dogs for a possible intruder. There was no intruder, just you on your lonesome, "Patch?"

He called you by the famailar nickname. He'd given you it when you had a jacket full of holes, patched up with a chaos of multicoloured and unorganised cloth that was slightly freyed but still functional.

"Sorry Mimi, I was in my head, didn't mean to scare you." You shook your head of useless conflict and sat upright, nudging your cup further to the center of the coffee table, next to a wooden bowl of randomised wrapped candy. "How was school?"

He shrugged, "The same as always. Did Gojo message you? Said he needed your advice."

You nodded, Satoru did message you. You didn't know what about, but your phone displayed his name as it buzzed for each message he sent. "He did. I'll reply later."

You stood up, picking up your cold cup and wandering into the kitchen. Cup in the sink, counter quickly wiped down with a damp cloth, examining the cupboards with a keen eye as you thought about what to cook for dinner. "What are you thinking about for dinner?" you asked, defeated. You had sat in wallowing self-pity and lost whatever energy you could have spared to cook. It sounded bad, but you couldn't be bothered.

Megumi watched you, blinking silently in thought. Still, he shrugged once more. "Whatevers fine."

You wanted to hang your head. Neither you nor Megumi could decide on food. That left Toji to be the deciding decision. Or...

Your eyes skipped over the shelves by the TV, mind thinking about the possibility of ordering food and watching a movie. You leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over your chest, crumpling your knitted cardigan as you thought to yourself. Toji could pick up takeout on his way home, you and Megumi could set the lounge up to watch a movie and it could be a carefree Friday night, one you all needed.

"How about a movie night? Do you have any movies you want to watch?" you pursed your lips, bobbing your head, "Or series?"

The raven haired boy sat himself down on the couch, tugging a pillow onto his lap and clutching it as if it were his lifeline. "Maze Runner?"

You grinned, brightening up, "Sounds good. I'll message your dad."

And you did, a brief exchange of hellos, how's work, asking about takeout pizza, agreement and see you laters with a few x's and heart emojis. The rest could be exchanged when he got home, after the movie when Megumi went to bed. After all, the deciding factor of continuing your relationship was communication and you'd both improved significantly, but you had to get some feelings off your chest before they weighed you further down. Your mother was infuriating like that, finding ways to wriggle around in your mind when she wasn't even around you.

Toji stormed through the door carrying several boxes and mouthwatering pizza, shoes thudding against the wooden floor, dirting the rug. His feet took turns to kick his shoes off carelessly and tossed his jacket onto the storage dresser sat by the door. "'m Home."

The famailar scent of sweat mixed with smoked wood and the bitter dark chocolate overwhelmed the hallways fresh smell of laundry detergent as he made his way through the house, entering the open plan kitchen and lounge. He grunted to himself, "And dinners served. You're welcome."

You and Megumi sighed from relief, it hadn't been 30 minutes since your messages to Toji, in that time he'd managed to get off work an hour early and pick up Pizza on the way home. Nevertheless, you almost drooled, moving the wooden candy bowl to another coffee table, placing the graceful set of almost dead but still pretty flowers and their vase on the windowsil and tugging the curtains closed in a rushed attempt to make space for pizza boxes on the table that sat in the center of the couches.

Megumi laid himself head to toe on the smaller couch, head resting against one of the larger pillows. In his grasp was the remote for the TV, low volume clicks searching through the menu for the movie he wanted. Meanwhile, Toji and his large body occupied the corner of the bigger couch, feet placed lazily on the table in front of him and one arm crossed behind his head.

"How was work?" you asked, hushed in Megumis focus, making room for yourself next to Toji. The now full lounge with the subtle TV light illuminating the room was much more comfortable in comparison to the cold eerieness you surrounded yourself with moments prior.

Toji grumbled, low and gruff. "Same as always."

You covered your mouth as an amused huff escaped you. "Sounds eventful."

"Quite the opposite, 'ma." He sighed deeply, his arm pulling you to lean against his side. Forcing you, unusually tender when compared to his pure brute strength, to snuggle against his upper body, head buried in the dip of his shoulder. His voice became quiet, a blunt whisper as his lips nuzzled the tip of your ear. "And how was your day?"

You paused, smile falling into a deep, numb frown. You shook your head, left to right, dismissing the gravity of the question. "Quiet, mildly annoying since my mother tried to contact me again."

Toji stared down at you, a certain cocktail of concern laced with annoyance as you mentioned the old hag. His thumb, large and empowering, rubbed circles from your collarbone to the curve of your shoulder. His silent attempt at soothing your uneasiness. "Wanna talk about it Later? We can enjoy the movie for now, y'know, wind down."

You briefly nodded, grateful he didn't want to discuss it immediately. You all needed time to relax, stress was not part of the agenda. You especially didn't feel comfortable discussing the topic in front of Megumi who had already gone through enough since the initial split up with Toji a year prior. Your hand rested on his knee, appreciative of his patience.

"'Kay." The man took a deep breath, "What're we watchin' Megs?"

Megumi was focused on the TV as the movie began to play. His attention wasn't even piqued by the brief notification on his phone from Yuji, probably Sukuna losing his shit and running to the raven boy to fix Yujis hyperactivity. "Maze Runner."

Toji nodded, a subtle smirk tugging on his legs. "Sounds like a blast."

It didn't take long for tiredness to settle into your bones. Lashes fluttering as your eyes battled against sleep taking over. The boys were invested, fixated on the plot, occasionally reaching for a slice of pizza. Megumi quickly slipped away to grab drinks and rushed back, hurried taps against the floor as he launched himself back onto the couch to catch the good part of the movie.

Toji was dilligent, his foot swayed from side to side on the table, his arm firmly wrapped around you. Pins and needles pricked at his nerves but he was adamant to remain still, prioritising your comfort over his own, obsessed with your soft skin and gentle warmth as you tucked against him. Your head bobbed, going limp and adjusting, neck turning, making quiet hums akin to subtle snores.

The last thing you remembered was the hushed, gruff voice of Toji whispering a compassionate 'Sweet dreams.'

[bexxli]

The Non-emergency 'Emergency Contact'

[⚠️] Contains: angst, themes of reader placing the blame entirely on themself, illness / fainting spells, ex-partner comeback. (A little softer Toji - given the circumstance?)

Summary: You: experienced a fainting spell at work. Your co-worker, Nanami Kento called your emergency contact as you rested in the company break room. Unfortunately, in all your fuzzy brainness, you forgot to change your emergency contact, you ex was about to make a comeback.

Author Notes: Related to my Fushiguro Family miniseries, based approximately a year before.

It wasn't anything crazy, really. You had just fainted from stress - it could've been far more severe. At least thats what you tried to tell yourself when you were riddled with anxiety. Your last memory was drinking coffee with your co-worker. It was almost a ritual for you both during lunch time. And yet somehow, you were laid on a couch in the break room, no Kento or other co-workers in sight. No coffee in your hand. No work at a desk.

You grunted to yourself, wincing at the harsh light as you pushed yourself forward into a sitting position. A blanket drooped from the side of the couch as you swung your legs over the side, hoping to convince yourself to stand up. The communication was cut short, your legs didnt want to listen and the door was opened with a nasty creak that made your head pound once more. Like hammers thumping you relentlessley.

"Hello." Your blonde friend spoke solmeny, quietly as he noticed your discomfort. He flicked the light switch off and offered you a cup of water and painkillers. You took them out of his hands gratefully, throwing them into your mouth and taking a swig from the cup. You could've gagged - hating having to take pills but it was either that or the ceaseless migraine and you knew which was more tolerable. "Are you feeling better? You worried me there."

"Could be better," You sighed, running a stressed hand through the strands of hair that stuck to your forehead. "I'm sorry, Nanami. I didn't mean to cause an issue."

Nanami almost scoffed, a playful roll of his eyes. He sat himself down on a chair just opposite to you, one leg rested over the other. "You didn't cause an issue, you worried me. I spoke to the manager, you're going home for the rest of the day. I also called your emergency contact, they said they'd be here in about 15 minutes."

You desperately searched through your mind in spite of the wandering thoughts, you couldnt remember who was down as your emergency contact. It definitely wasn't your parents - or your mother at least. You weren't even sure if you changed it after your...Oh.

You cringed, pressing the cup to your face in embarrassment. You hadn't changed it after the not-so-graceful breakup with your ex. You should've! after a year of no contact and getting over him, a stupid, mindless mistake was going to cause a massive inconvenience to both of your lives. You felt terrible for the whole ordeal, honestly. The breakup was a result of a combination of stress, family pressure, a total lack of healthy communication which conjured several fears and insecurities. You weren't so lacking in self awareness to say you never did anything wrong.

That being said, you definitely weren't ready to see his face, even after so much time had passed. Not from fear, you could quite happily admit your faults, but from embarrassment that you left the man who made you so happy over such ridiculous reasons.

Nanami noticed your hesitance, "Should I have called someone else?"

You thought about the question, contemplating on nodding. But when you thought deeply about it, you wouldn't have considered anyone else as an emergency contact. You weren't on good terms with your parents, you didnt have any other friends than Nanami (unless you included friends my association which would add Satoru to the mix). Ultimately, you would've had no one to change your emergency contact to in the first place.

You shook your head in response, even if it was confident. "No, it's fine. Thank you."

You debated. You could leave - but you weren't in the best physical condition. Your limbs were still shakey and your head swelled with with every beat from the headache. You could go to the toilet and wait for him to leave but Nanami was far too observant and would demand you go back home. Well, within all of your racing thoughts, the door opened once more.

Toji Fushiguro. A large, intimidating man who oozed indifference and confidence. Unrivalled, strong, and aloof. When you had first gotten to know him he was blunt, hard to talk to. But he was honest, never spoke in half truths. He said it as it was. Despite his large and well maintained frame, his touch was only ever tender with you. So, the, nervousness people usually felt in his presence didn't apply to you, especially not when he laid on the couch, you resting against his chest as he called you Sunshine and Doll.

That was in the past.

You avoided his gaze, taking another sip from the cup of water and staring at your shoes as if they were the most interesting in a world of curiosities and curses

"How are ya?" he attempted to make conversation first.

You bit the inside of your cheek. "I'm alright."

Nanami stood up, grabbing his suit jacket and heading towards the door to make his exit. "They're still out of it. They've taken painkillers and had some water. When you take them home, guide them inside and make sure they get some rest."

Toji, with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his light gray sweatpants, nodded his head with brief acknowledgement. He turned his head to look at you once more, taking a step closer to you. "C'mon, let's get ya home."

He urged you to stand up, his hand firmly grasping around your arm as he walked next to you, keeping you upright until he got you settled into his car. The same old black painted car you remembered, a large vehicle purely because of his height and size. He learned over you, reaching for the seatbelt - you blurted out words before you could comprehend them.

"Oh - you don't have to do that - I can, it's fine-"

Toji, in a glory of brazen dismissal, raised his eyebrows in disbelief and continued to do the task, eventually walking around the car to get himself situated. "You passed out 'n you're still unwell. You worry about resting, I'll worry about the driving."

The car ride was awkward, quite frankly. Neither of you had anything particularly good to say, and you felt weird asking how things had been since the break up since you hadn't made any attempt to contact him before. He did try! But the attempt was too soon and you were too in your head.

The purr of the cars engine filled the sickening silence. Your eyes danced, from the driving wheel, to the dash, to the console, through the wing mirror, out of the side window, through the front glass shield.

Finally, you coughed. "I'm sorry, I know this must've been troublesome. I forgot to change the emergency contact and Nanami didn't know."

"Don't worry about it. Happened to be in the area, Megumi goes to school around here."

The mention of Megumi piqued your interest. Tojis son. An antisocial, quiet, but sincerely diligent man. Despite his father's rough edges, he tried. You enjoyed spending time with them together in the time of your relationship, you occasionally messaged the young boy to see how he was doing but you kept it arms length due to the... Situation.

"Right... I remember." you nodded.

The silence continued. Your fingers pulled at the threads of your knitted cardigan. You noticed a broken nail, most likely from your fall.

"How's everything been?" he wondered, eyes steady on the road. There was a time he was a dare-devil driver. Something about car racing. You always scolded him, but you noticed the care he took with you in the car and it made your heart flutter.

"Fine. Work's been... Well. You can guess." you sighed, "And you? What have you been up to?"

"Freelancing here and there. Curses don't rest, even on Sunday's."

You smiled, noticing your apartment building as he pulled in the complex parking lot. "Right."

It didn't take long for Toji to park the car, help you out of the seatbelt, lead you to your apartment and stand clueless at your door. You, however, found it to be an opportunity. An opportunity to invite him in, to catch up, to talk. You had particular expectations in mind, but you thought a chat would do you both good - any kind of conversation. It was much better than the dreaded awkward tension that kept building between you both.

"Toji...-"

"I'm off. Make sure ya rest -"

"Toji!" his swift attempt at leaving didn't escape you. But you were adamant about this. Positive. You reached out to him, fingertips tugging on his loose hoodie. "Come inside? I can make you coffee?"

Toji only gazed at you. It was as if there were either a hundred thoughts running trough his mind, or none, either way, the blank look on his face did not highlight the battle he was fighting. He turned back around, nodded briefly and let a small, raspy 'sure' slip out. He wasn't sure, if we was honest, but a cup off coffee hasn't murdered him yet.

You allowed him in, stepping aside so you could close the door after you. You were relieve to be home, your legs trembled just a little less. You saw him gazing around, he wasn't exactly hiding it. Well, you had to admit that your apartment aesthetic wasn't as well put together as when you had lived with Toji.

There was a dying orchid plant in the corner of the standing shelf next to a large horizontal mirror which had a layer of dust considering you never looked at it. There were used cups littered everywhere on the wooden counter tops, a small stained circle from the bottom of the cup was engraved into the corner next to the sink. The coffee table couldn't be seen amongst the stacks of paper and pencils and highlighters. Even the laptop was hard to see with a closed lid.

The walls didn't have any pictures. You were usually photo obsessed, always keeping pictures of memories. You still had some, especially of you and Toji, hidden in a box under your bed somewhere. You never dared to hang them up, you felt you didn't have the right.

You pursed your lips, flicking the switch of the kettel on, collecting two clean cups and using a teaspoon to toss a random amount of instant coffee in. You cleaned the food counter off, encouraging Toji to sit down instead of standing like a brooding ghost.

You leaned against the fridge, taking a deep breath as all the pent up stress you felt trying to insist Toji to stick around for a little longer finally slipped away. The rush to fix the not-so-small mess in a few seconds and the desperate search for coffee was not on your bingo card. But you got through it - somehow. You glanced at him, uneasy. He was sat at a chair, in your apartment and you weren't sure what to say anymore.

What could you say? apologise again for the trouble you caused him? that would be to repetative. Immeditely talking about the relationship would seem insensitive. You could mention Megumi - you did help look after him, afterall, but talking about guardianship of his child when you had parted ways for a significant amount of time was audacious.

"Was it one of your faintin spells again?" He broke the silence. Toji wasn't usually one to stick around or beat around the bush but when he met you, when he developed an interest in you, a lot of his impassiveness withered away. You were a warm candle flame in the harsh cold he experienced more often than not.

You nodded, "Yeah. I got so caught up with work it slipped my mind."

"You should be more careful."

"Right...yeah."

"You been so busy you couldn't clean?"

Ouch. Your stomach dropped at the seemingly backhanded comment. "We've...been busy. A new project and its been more hands on."

"It wasn't -" Toji scrunched his eyes shut. "I wasnt tryna start anythin, it just looks different. Our place was neat, so."

"As neat as it could be when you left your weapons everywhere," You laughed to yourself at the playful comment, brightening up even more when even Toji had a small smile with raised brows.

"I tried."

"Even Megumi lectured you, something about non-sorcerers."

"He liked you." The hunk of a man sat up straight, looking at you directly, strongly, for the first time since he went to pick you up. "He still does. Thank you for keepin in touch."

You faltered. You never expected him to be so open or as easy to talk to as it was given the circumstance. You never expected a thank you simply for keeping in touch with his son. "I didn't really...just...didn't want it to be awkward for him. It wasn't his fault. Toji im really sorry about what happened, it was a mess, and i was wrong, especially for ignoring you after." You trailed off, not even sure what you were saying as your heart began to falter. Your feet shuffled, uncomfortable, anxious. The feeling of wanting to talk to him was less intimidating than actually doing it.

You finally poured the water into the cups and passed one to Toji, setting it on the counter. "It's wrong of me but, I dont feel like ive been moving on...I've felt a little lost since then."

Toji tried to gather the words to reply, but after a moment of not saying anything, you shook your head, scared, ashamed. Forcing a smile to make it seem light hearted, hoping the topic could move on quickly. "Nevermind, it's in the past now-"

"I missed ya."

You froze, watching your reflection in the cup of coffee in your hands, "Huh?"

He repeated himself in a slow, stern voice, emphasising each word. "I missed you."

Your mouth opened, closed. Still loading, comprehending his words. You did not expect it at all, well you didn't know what you expected but it wasn't for him to admit that he missed you after all the time spent apart, avoiding each other. Trying to heal but still longing. You swallowed nothing, air catching in your throat as you wavered, leaning back against the counter once more to stablise yourself, not wanting to fall to your knees from selfish relief. You repeated his words to yourself, as if a sacred gospel, he missed you.

You watched, still shocked, as Toji got up from his seat. He rubbed the back of his neck, ultimately stopping to stand just in front of you. His hand guided your arm to leave your cup on the counter so you didnt drop it. His hand was, like, twice the size of yours and it never ceased to amaze you. "Is it that hard to believe?"

"No-" you answered a little too quickly. "Yes! No, well, its just - its been like a year, and we left on bad terms."

"We were both shitty at talking," he grunted to himself, "Shouldn't blame yourself, i wasn't the best boyfriend an all. Im sorry too."

"You dont have to-"

He pressed further, resilient, his need to apologise set in stone. "I do." His hand continued to hold yours, even when the cup was already placed on the counter. His gesture was secure, his thumb kneading the back of your hand. "The house is kinda cold without ya. I didn't really know what to do after so i just worked. Bed felt cold."

You scoffed, "All you care about is a cold bed?"

"No. I care about you not being around anymore."

The silence hung over you both once more, his thumb pad soothing the back of your hand. Instead of being uncomfortable, it was welcomed. A silence where you had both set down your thoughts, that you both missed each other, and you were both sorry for the way things ended. A silence that hadn't fixed everything but opened an opportunity to reconnect. Though, you did stare blankly, unsure of what to do next.

"Soo..."

Toji took out his phone from his hoodie pocket using his opposite hand, his keys rustling as he checked the time. His eyes dancing over his phone screen and then back over to you, examining your face closely. It was only then when he noticed the dark cicles under your eyes. "Ive gotta get to work, but lets meet at that cafe ya like? we can talk."

You nodded, "Okay, I'd like that."

Toji nodded his head in affirmation, placing a too-soon but more than welcome kiss to the crown of your head. He backed away so he could exit through the door near the hallway by the kitchen. He didn't leave without calling after you, "Make sure to rest."

Upon his exit, your legs gave out leaving you to slide down the cupboard doors. Your hands held against your mouth, doubt riddling your veins. You took a deep breath, in though your nose and out through your mouth, repeated it several times and look at the door aimlessly.

You reached for your phone from the bag you set on the counter earlier, searching for Tojis number and removing him from your 'muted' list. You could never convince yourself to block him. His unread message left from years ago. You couldn't decide on what to type, having to delete the message several times before deciding on one, brief, vague message about asking him to tell you the time.

Toji Fushiguro, your ex, had kissed your head, showed concern for you, missed you. Maybe it was too fast, but your heart fluttered delicately.

There was no doubt, you heart still belonged to him.

[bexxli]

Humble abode

Satoru x Non-sorcerer!wife Headcanons

── .✦ Regularly visited sweet / food shops in areas that he exorcised curses. You shared his sweet tooth, it's how you bumped into each other

── .✦ Clingy. Needy. Obsessed. This man does not give you a break. Jealousy? What's that? He wouldn't let you have that experience. You were his wife, his partner, his lover. You don't need to be jealous, his gorgeous eyes are only for you.

── .✦ Too mischievous! Brings home kids he takes responsibility for or teaches randomly, encouraging you to cook for them all. Can't go a day without teasing you, he's so dramatic. Overreacts to make you feel bad and get what he wants. Really, you dropped his mug by accident and he will never forgive you - not because he's mad, but because he can blackmail you! (playfully of course, he'd never hurt you.)

── .✦ Always bragging about you. He might as well teach the art and experience of being husband and wife rather than teaching about curses and jujutsu. Megumis so done with him, Yuji wants to meet you because Gojos just so hyped about it all, and Nobara only wants to see the fashion you wear because your dear husband likes to exaggerate.

── .✦ Satoru would rain hell if you were hurt. Papercuts? Burn all the paper in the house. Knife cut from food preparation? Ban them all. Curses? Mass execution. You were his wife, and he was the strongest, allowing you to get hurt was not on his list of husband duties.

── .✦ Decisive and specific with his relationships. He knows what he wants, and when he sees it, he'll get it and he won't give it up. Screw the clan and all their traditional images of what his wife should be.

── .✦ Always buying trinkets and gifts for you. He has too much money, what's he going to do if not spend it on you? From hairpins to lip gloss, shoes, bags, house decorations, nothing is out of the question if it suits you - pricetag blindness. He definitely tried to buy you a villa. Shopping trips are like, twice a week.

── .✦ He bought a bigger house purely for you to cook large meals for all the students. He has a subtle soft spot for kids and gets baby fever way too easily. (He tried cooking once and it didn't work, but you help him so it's not as much of a disaster).

── .✦ He often hides items of yours here and there for when you need them, even putting your belongings in his own spaces. He has your hair-ties on his wrist at all times, a bottle of your perfume in his car, the specific hair wash you like in his bathroom, your deodorant in his office drawer.

── .✦ He's often away on missions so when he does get to spend time with you, he's extremely touchy. Although, sometimes he just refuses to work. It depends on the difficulty of the mission. Wrapping his arms around your waist when you walk, sitting you on his knee while you eat, or read.

── .✦ This man has an insane mind. He's not with it, really. You both have the deepest conversations about the most odd or unusual things, for example, the phrases "Put your two cents in" and "A penny for your thoughts." - he can't help but wonder where that extra penny went. Or! If everything is made of matter, what is matter made out of? Yeah, maybe a scientist could answer that one.

[bexxli]

Luxury Capacity

Nanami x Anxious!Gf headcannons

── .✦ At first, he had no idea how to interact with you because you were so skittish. He watched you closely and noticed all kinds of warning signs that you weren't comfortable. Fingers picking at your nails, eyes everywhere other than on another human being, limbs pressed together, braced, head almost leaning down to make yourself smaller.

── .✦ He was honest with you. He never particularly hid things or sugar-coated anything. If something was difficult to say, he'd warn you but still say it in a polite manner. He wasn't two-faced; he expressed his displeasure, his boundaries. He was easier to make conversation with – he made communicating simpler compared to some people who tended to scorn your anxiety behind your back.

── .✦ First date was somewhere quiet / that didn't require much socialising: a small café date, walks in a park, going to the cinema to watch some underrated movie. If people were around, he'd put himself between you and them, did the majority of the talking for you both, held your hand in his, and occasionally glanced at you to make sure you were okay. If it was a restaurant, he'd double-check the menu so you could both decide beforehand and not have to worry about waiters.

── .✦ Would always message you if he was late and made sure to confirm all details he could think of via text before you both hung out: who, what, where, when, and why.

── .✦ Would absolutely never let Satoru or his students go near you or even hear your name until you were more comfortable with the idea of meeting them; he knew Satoru was too hyperactive and pushy for his own good.

── .✦ He was the first to confess. No way you were doing that! Too many what-ifs, and what if it didn't go to plan? But he picked up on the signs that you wanted to say something but could never bring yourself to. He invited you to his place to bake – something you wanted to do with him for a while – and that's when he told you.

── .✦ When it was cold, he gave you his scarf and insisted you keep it. Never asked for it back, in fact, if he noticed you'd secretly put it back in his house, he'd wear one on the most random days and make sure to leave it behind (on purpose).

── .✦ When you moved in with him, he noticed how you'd subtly mentioned possibly adding a 'you' flare to the humble abode. Possibly. Maybe. He took you shopping to buy, perhaps, a blanket for the bed, a pillow for the couch, new plates for the kitchen? What about a few picture frames? Don't worry, Nanamis card covered it.

── .✦ Daily cuddles were mandatory. He hated work, that was a fact, so after work you both settled on the couch, covered by a blanket drinking whatever beverage you preferred. You were, without a doubt, his safe haven. A home with you in it, with items that reminded him of you? He basked in the fondness.

── .✦ Contrary to his usual boring phone settings, his background is a picture of you smiling. Your name is saved as "Lovely" with a cute heart emoji. (Unfortunately, this is how Satoru finds out about you, to Nanamis disappointment.) He even has an album of pictures taken on your dates together.

── .✦ He's so protective but keeps it subtle. Anyone makes fun of you because of a stutter, or gets mad because you don't feel like hanging out, or even if someone approaches you with ill-intent, they're doomed. He'll give them a glare with his hand on your lower back, guiding you away. He'd probably use his words to wound their pride too.

── .✦ 100% in support of you getting help with your anxiety, be it by medication or therapies, he would always support you. He'd mark sessions on his calendar, if you take meds he'd make sure you'd not forgotten them - he'd even buy the medication pill boxes for you and decorate them with cute little stickers.

[bexxli]

Okay but like, Sam winning the smash games? And even winning against DAVID?

All I can imagine is Darlins subtle but overwhelming excitement. Like, you can't tell me they weren't filled with pride. Mentally fistbumping the air.

Because like, they told Sam to win for the both of them, and he won! So they both won! And at the same time I bet Darlin was secretly teasing David in their mind like "Take that, alpha! 😤"

Also sams excitement, like omgosh. "I get to see it again?" Yes! You do 🥰

And the fact David gave Sam some tips and stuff, you're telling me they visited each other often? I'm living for that. The fact Angel and Darlin love brownie? Amen!

[bexxli]

Grief, Nightmare, Husband.

Summary: You experienced a nightmare out of fear for your husbands uncertain future in his line of work. After a short, thoughtful conversation, your husband lightens the mood with a questionable suggestion for your foe.

[⚠️] Content: Angst, reader has a nightmare, themes of death, gore, grief, [rough writing], comfort, silly ending / crack

It was impossible, surely. The strongest sorcerer laid lifeless in the debris. The man who you held so close to your heart, his silver hair stained with crimson, flesh battered and beaten, torn and sliced. Limbs so awkwardly displaced.

You heart tore, ripped, shredded. A cry stuck in your throat as you cralwed across the floor desperately. Stones sticking into your palms and kneecaps, tears staining your cheeks.

Please.

Please, please...

Pulse stopped, skin pale, blood pooling, eyes shut. No more beautiful blue, shining stars, ocean waves. No more wamth.

Sobs wrecked your body, tremors taking over your hands as you held his body in your arms. Gojo Satoru was the strongest Sorcerer, the honoured one. He was. But even he was no match for the king that resided within Yuji Itadori.

"Satoru!"

"Im here, hey-"

You had awoken with an urgent start. Breath so uneven it caught in your lungs, panting, heaving. The tears steaking down your cheeks, dripping on the blanket was a testament to your grief. That horrible, gut-wrenching scene. There was absolutely no way. One moment your being was in the middle of a battle, the next you were in your bedroom. You and your husbands bedroom, where your fond pictures hung on the wall.

Your gaze shiftted, landing on a pair of gray sweatpants. Satorus, you were sure. A plain black shirt hung loosely on the frame, pale skin, and those familar sapphire eyes that shined so brightly for you. The white locks of hair, fluffy, droopy, unstyled as it usually was. You felt like you could breathe again. Your hand raised to meet his chest, a healthy, thumping, beating heart. Gentle, steady. Alive.

"Satoru..." You repeated yourself, breathlessly. "Youre-"

"Im here." He promised sternly. A guarantee. A promise. His hand caressed the side of your face, palm rested on your cheek. His thumb-pad gliding smoothly just under your eye. A comforting gesture as his other arm curved around your mid back, pulling you towards his chest. His grasp was tight and you prefered it that way. "Easy, Im not going anywhere."

"You-"

"It didn't happen. Whatever your nightmares showed you, it didn't happen."

"All the blood, Satoru...so much."

Ah, Satoru wouldve ended the nightmares existence if he could. If it were possible he'd do it in an instant. Trauma was so easily overlooked in the sorcer lifestyle. His hand around your back rubbed repetative circles, hoping to ease your anxieties. A gentle kiss to your nose and then to your forehead before his chin finally rested atop the crown of your head.

"My sweet wife," He purred softly, "My heart is beating, my lungs are working, all my limbs are intact and I have no wounds, aside from the burn from the cooker but we'll skip past that, hm?"

You wanted to giggle at his small joke, but all that could slip out was a small amused huff as your chest returned to the normal, easy going rise and fall. Satoru leaned back, his eyes examining your face, noticing the stop to your tears and the very subtle smile that tugged on your lips.

"There she is," He nodded in approval, hair bobbing with the movement. "The great Satoru Gojo will not be known as a bad husband,"

You shook your head insistantly, your Satoru Gojo was in no way a bad husband. The man made a nice balance between work life and home life, not at all neat as the chaos always followed him. You could forgive him for that, as his playful antics opened the opportunity for you to care for all the kids he taught.

"Something must've scared you?" He wondered as you pulled back, gathering yourself together.

Something did scare you. Having visited Satoru at the jujutsu school days prior, you were riddled with unease as you watched the hard fighting, all the techniques, weapons, things that weren't normalised in the non-jujutsu world. Things that you would never get used to and things that scared you. Hearing all the news of the oh-so-malicious Sukuna Ryomen who haunted poor Yujis body, and hearing Satoru would be the only one who could compete.

The terror never left you. Your husband was the strongest. That much was true. But your husband was also a man, a human, he was not a curse, and he was not immortal. His work was dangerous and all it needed was a bad day.

You sighed, running a stressed hand over your forehead, meeting at the bridge of your nose as you closed your eyes for a moment. "You are just one man, Satoru, and all it takes is one man stronger."

Satorus sight lingered on you as you spoke. He listened, nodded, acknowledged the words you said. "I am. But I don't intend to die anytime soon."

"No one intends to die if they can help it," You answered solemly, "Yuji didn't wake up one morning and decide to eat a kings finger, and then be put on death row."

Satoru did intend to comment, but he couldn't find the words as you wre right. No one chased death, it was an unrivalled fate and no one knew when it would appear.

"I understand this is your job, and that's fine," You promised him, holding his hands in yours, "I knew what I was getting into. But I'm scared for you, for us."

Your husband watched you, unmoving for a mere moment before laying himself down on the bed, head nuzzled into your lap. "I should quit." He sighed, disappointed.

You blinked blankly, confused, curious. "Huh?"

"What about a nice cozy cottage in the countryside? away from city chaos and the old fools and the curses."

"Now, now. And what would Yuji, Megumi and Nobara do without you? You're their teacher and you're one of the only allies Yuji has, as a vessel, no?" You spoke calmly, your fingers running through his unruly hair as he pouted, already knowing just how right his wife was.

He sighed again. "Maybe I should make a pact with that stupid king, or, or, or, hear me out..." he paused to build a dramatic effect, "We find the man a wife."

You nearly slapped your face in disbelief. "Right, and what would that fix?"

"I dunno," the man shrugged, "Maybe he's a lonely guy, y'know?"

You reaised your eyebrows, rolling your eyes. "Sure. The man needs a wife, perfect solution." At your sarcasm, Satoru pulled on your nose playfully, frowning. He soon let go, staring at the ceiling.

“Lets invite the kids over for dinner tomorrow.”

“Sure, if you treat me to a piece of cake at the cafe.”

“Deal.” With a small kiss pressed to your fingertips, the content silence hung in the air and neither of you made an attempt to disturb the peace that had fallen over you.