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Thank you, Yoshi

(One shot for @flufftober )

(Word count: 5,822)

The keyboard echoed in Suguru's office with a mechanical, tedious rhythm, almost like an instrument in one of those repetitive songs. The words on the screen blurred together, and every time he reread them, they made even less sense. The damn PhD thesis that had been stuck in his head for years had to eventually become words, but without him realizing it, the deadline was coming at him like a tsunami, and every time he looked at a calendar, his chest tightened, his teeth clenched, and his back stiffened. Rarely had he ever felt this much pressure.

Sighing heavily, Suguru rested his elbow on the desk and ran a hand through his messy dark hair, pulling at it as if that would ease the pressure in his head. He had no idea if the clock on the wall showed four in the morning or six in the evening; he barely registered time anymore. All he felt was the constant weight on his shoulders and one nagging thought: "Hurry up, Geto Suguru."

Suddenly, the sound of his door being flung open made him jump.

"Suguru!"

Of course, it was him. The owner of that carefree, masculine voice was the only one who would dare interrupt him like that.

Suguru sighed and kept his eyes fixed on the screen. The looming deadline didn’t allow him to give in to the electrifying energy of that magnetic man. If he kept falling for Satoru’s distractions (like he had been for the last few months), he wouldn't become Geto Suguru PhD before turning forty, and that was far from the plan he’d laid out back when he became a sorcerer at the tender age of fifteen.

"Not now, Satoru..." he muttered, jaw clenched, trying to ignore the automatic desire that washed over him whenever his partner’s familiar scent hit him. "I'm not in the mood."

Gojo Satoru, bearer of the Six Eyes, user of the Limitless technique, head of the Gojo clan, and full-time professor of *whatever-is-needed-today* at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School, wasn’t going to take that for an answer. He’d expected it, sure, but he was convinced he could change it. He strolled into the office with that confidence that could be as intimidating as it was annoying, and the smirk that drove Suguru crazy. Casually, he tossed a small stack of papers aside and perched on the desk. He pulled a candy from one of his pockets, unwrapped it, and started eating.

"That’s why I ditched my students to come see you," he said, not bothering to take the candy out of his mouth. "I don’t like you spending the night working."

Suguru didn’t respond. He’d been sleeping in the school office to avoid wasting time going back and forth. He’d explained it to Satoru, and he’d sworn he understood and wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.

"And I don’t like these interruptions. You know that."

Gojo kicked his legs, like a mischievous kid, to hide his worry. When Suguru decided to chase his academic dreams, Satoru knew he'd see less of him and that his boyfriend’s intellectual side would kick in, but he never imagined a PhD would be this much work or involve something as barbaric as sleeping on the deputy director’s couch. Besides, the truth was he couldn’t enjoy his four hours of sleep without Suguru next to him. If he didn’t feel his rhythmic breathing, or catch his sweet scent, he just couldn’t relax.

He watched him. Those feline eyes were glued to the screen, his nose practically touching it, and his hands typing like stopping meant the end of the world. That couldn’t be good for his mental health. And Satoru needed Suguru’s mental health to be okay. He didn’t even want to think about seeing him slip back into a dark place.

"Hey, look at me, Suguru."

Geto glanced over, blinking excessively, partly to rest from the monitor's light and partly to emphasize his annoyance. He lit a cigarette and sighed again. He loved that sugar-proof man, but boy, did he know how to get under his skin.

"What are you trying to pull?" he asked.

Satoru answered with a cryptic smile. Geto rolled his eyes. He didn’t have the patience for his boyfriend’s childish games.

"I have stuff to do, Satoru. Wish my thesis would just write itself."

Satoru lifted his blindfold and stared at him for a few seconds. Suguru looked exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, dry skin, messy hair. "Stress is taking the best of my boyfriend," Satoru thought, "and I’m not gonna let it."

Suddenly, he scooped him up. Suguru was stunned for a few seconds until he realized what was happening. He started flailing his legs.

"Satoru, put me down!"

"Nope. You’re getting some air."

Suguru tried to wiggle free, but Gojo was faster.

"I have to write, you idiot!"

Satoru slung him over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

"Well, you’ll just have to wait, dumbass! I’m not asking, I’m telling you!"

If anyone had any doubt about how strong Gojo was, it probably vanished when they saw him running around campus, carrying a six-foot-tall martial artist who looked light as a feather and was screaming like a baby. The shouts of "Satoru, put me down, you massive idiot" and "I’ll never forgive you, you moron" echoed throughout the school, even drawing Yuuji, Megumi, and Nobara out of their curse class.

"What do you think’s going on?" Yuuji asked.

"Isn’t it obvious? Gojo-sensei’s kidnapping Geto-sensei to lock him up somewhere shady. I knew he was a yandere," Nobara said with disgust.

"Could be. He’s been whining about how he never has time anymore because of that whole PhD thesis thing," added Megumi, who had appeared behind Yuuji.

Itadori started laughing, and Nobara rolled her eyes.

"Where do you think he’s taking him? The basement? A storage closet? The abandoned cabin in the woods?" Kugisaki asked, eyeing Megumi.

"They’re probably headed to the roof of the main building," Fushiguro replied casually, staring at his phone. "They’ve got like a million ugly selfies up there."

Megumi wasn’t wrong. Satoru was heading with determination, ignoring Suguru’s complaints, toward his favorite spot. At first glance, it might not seem like much, but for him, that place held a special mysticism. The first time he stayed overnight at Tokyo’s school, unable to sleep after a long day of training, he had snuck up to the traditional rooftop to lie down and gaze at the stars. Breathing deeply and letting the night sky cover him, he realized that place had a calmness like no other, and from that moment, it became his personal sanctuary.

Until he met the one person he wanted to share his nocturnal sanctuary with. With Suguru, he discovered that not only the dark hours had that special charm he had first loved, but that peace also filled his soul at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, and of course, during the orange sunsets.

Or maybe it was just sitting there, side by side with the person he loved.

Anyhow, the rooftop was a small piece of paradise that he had decided to share with who, to him, was the only angel that had fallen from heaven. That's why he had gone to great lengths to make it comfortable for both of them. After all, what was good for Satoru was good for Suguru. It couldn’t be any other way for two people who shared the same soul.

He was thinking about this when he noticed Suguru had stopped yelling. For his part, the curse manipulator had figured out what his boyfriend was up to. And, as tired and stressed as he was, he decided to let himself be pampered by his beloved two-meter albino. As soon as Satoru jumped onto the roof, Geto rested his head on his shoulder and hugged him, feeling tender.

With that strange mix of bluntness and awkwardness that defined him, Satoru set his boyfriend down on the ground. Smiling at him, he sat beside him.

“No one can stay mad at that smile,” Suguru thought.

“You always do whatever you want,” he muttered, his voice carrying a false toughness.

Satoru, without saying a word, leaned on his legs. He took off his blindfold and, playfully, started waving it in his face.

“Being grumpy doesn’t suit you like it does Megumi. You’re not 15 anymore.”

Suguru shook his head, pulling out a cigarette. He was right. Those years when his only responsibilities were the missions, his only problems not having the highest exam score, and his only interest holding the hand of the man next to him, were gone, never to return.

Before he could take his first drag, Satoru snatched the cigarette from his mouth and tossed it far away.

“Hey!”

“I can feel your cortisol levels. Cosplaying as a chimney isn’t helping.”

Suguru fixed his eyes on the horizon. The first colors of sunset were beginning to appear.

“It helps me calm down.”

“How about you calm down by putting something else in your mouth?”

Suguru blushed. Twelve years together and he still wasn’t used to his boyfriend’s direct ways.

He stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. He was there. Better to just go with it.

“Is that why you brought me up here? Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not putting anything of yours inside me in a place where Panda might easily find us.”

Gojo started laughing. He hadn’t brought him up there for that, but it didn’t hurt to hint at how much he wanted to feel Suguru’s mouth in his cock. It had been a couple of days without Suguru’s touch. He understood his reasons, but that didn’t make him miss it any less.

“You’ve done it before.”

Suguru let out a mischievous, embarrassed laugh. That was true.

“The last time must have been the night we graduated.”

Gojo sat up and looked him in the face. He smiled at what he saw in front of him. Even with the obvious signs of sleep deprivation, he was beautiful. He took a deep breath and kissed him on the cheek. He couldn’t believe that fortune had favored him so much as to gift him the love of such a creature, for so long. What had he done to deserve it?

“Suguru, do you realize how long we’ve been together?”

Geto kissed him softly on the lips. Yeah, he realized. He had been walking alongside the great Gojo Satoru since he was fifteen years old. Sometimes it was hard to grasp how much time that really was, and he couldn’t help but wonder how things would’ve been if he had broken up with him, as he’d considered during his darkest moments. Obviously different, but never better. When he saw the loving look in his eyes, he couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t regret spending half his life with the albino. In fact, lately, he’d been seriously thinking about spending the rest of it with him.

“Yes. It’ll be thirteen years this summer.”

Satoru’s eyes widened.

“What? No, no. This spring.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember how hot it was on our first date?”

“You’re counting our relationship from our first date?!” he exclaimed, with exaggerated drama.

“Since when do you count it from?” Suguru asked, raising an eyebrow.

Satoru grinned, showing all his teeth, and gave him a shove.

“Well, from the day we met, you absolute idiot. Don't you remember?”

Suguru shoved him back.

“How could I forget, you absolute moron?”

April, 2005

Masamichi looked at the chaos that Yoshi, his sister’s hyperactive Kishu Ken, had caused in his office. He had only been taking care of him for an hour out of the three days he had promised, and he already felt on the verge of a breakdown. So when he heard his two students laughing in the hallway, the idea of handing over the puppy to them seemed pretty tempting.

“What? But we were about to leave!” Satoru exclaimed, while Shoko laughed, amused.

“Come on, Gojo. It’s not like we’ve got any hard classes tomorrow or anything,” said the sorceress, petting Yoshi.

Masamichi ignored his student’s hint and simply handed them the leash and the dog’s food.

“It’ll just be for a couple of hours. I’ve got something important to finish before tomorrow.”

With that, Yaga walked away from his students as fast as he could. He couldn’t stand Shoko’s ironic laughter and Satoru’s complaints.

“If these two are already making me age faster, I don’t even want to imagine how it’ll be with the one arriving tomorrow,” he muttered to himself as he left the academy.

Shoko waited until their teacher was out of sight and quickly handed the puppy to Satoru.

“I’m meeting Utahime, Gojo. You’re on dog-sitting duty.”

Satoru felt like he was about to explode with rage. That wasn’t fair. He had plans too. It was his last free afternoon before the first day of school, and of course, he intended to spend it with his best friend—the Nintendo Wii.

“You’re leaving me alone with this flea bag, you traitorous bitch?”

Shoko burst out laughing.

“I’d love to spend the afternoon with a nerd who calls me a traitorous bitch, but I’ve got other plans, Gojo,” she said, waving goodbye and tossing the dog food to Satoru.

Gojo stood in the hallway, dumbfounded, with the puppy in his arms. Never in his life had he taken care of another living creature. He had no idea what to do. He looked at the puppy, who started licking his face.

“Ugh, stop it, you idiot,” he said, pulling him off and putting him on the floor. “You’re kinda gross, you know that?”

Yoshi tilted his head, as if he couldn’t understand how someone could feel grossed out by something so cute. He barked, demanding attention.

Satoru looked at him in surprise, his eyes widening. Who did this furball think he was? The dog barked again, as if he could read his thoughts. Satoru glanced at the bag of food and shook it in front of him.

“Food? Yeah, well, go to hel—”

Before he could finish the sentence, little Yoshi had snatched the bag of food and, taking advantage of the fact that Gojo wasn’t holding his leash, bolted towards the exit, barking all the way. Satoru, shocked by the dog's audacity, took a few seconds to realize that the furball had escaped.

“You little son of a bitch!” he shouted as he began chasing after him.

Sure, Gojo Satoru was the strongest and his legs were probably a meter long each, but much to his annoyance, Kishu Kens were a hunting breed, known for their speed. Not only that, but Yoshi had a couple of paws and a few seconds’ head start.

Yoshi, in an obvious attempt to get away from the boring, stuck-up human, dashed towards one of the academy’s large courtyards. With his 35 km/h speed, he turned left, then right, and then sprinted straight toward one of the many koi-filled ponds that decorated the gardens. It’s not common for a dog to have an accident, but this particular one was so eager to escape from Satoru that he didn’t manage to stop in time. With a loud crash, he knocked someone into the pond, both puppy and person falling in with a splash.

Seconds after Yoshi’s high-speed disaster, Satoru appeared, panting. His breathing became even more labored when he saw a boy, broad-shouldered and about his age, who, despite being soaked from the muddy pond water, was laughing loudly while Yoshi playfully licked his face. The boy suddenly noticed Satoru’s presence and gave him a sweet look; not only were his sensual lips smiling, but his gaze was too, with feline, narrow eyes that held a mesmerizing violet color. He waved with his right hand, while his left stroked the mischievous puppy.

He was probably the most beautiful thing Satoru had ever seen.

“Uh… could you give me a hand?” the boy asked, motioning to stand up.

Satoru, startled by this strange feeling of admiration for someone of the same sex, didn’t respond. He just stood there, looking at him with a perfectly stupid expression.

The boy waited a few seconds for Satoru to help, but when he realized the guy in front of him might have some social issues, he decided to get up on his own. However, the task was complicated by the fact that the dog had his front paws resting on his lap.

“Well, if you won’t help me, the least you could do is take care of your furry friend,” he said, pulling Yoshi off him.

The boy got out of the pond and stood in front of Satoru. He let his hair down and shook it, letting a small strand fall over his left eye. Satoru stared at him intently, with only one word repeating in his mind, over and over.

“Bangs,” he said, unknowingly, out loud.

“What?”

Gojo blushed and looked away. Picking up the disobedient Yoshi in his arms, he said, “I asked who you are and what you’re doing here. You’re not a student. I don’t know you.”

The boy, also slightly blushing, leaned against the nearby willow tree.

“And how do you know everyone who comes to this school, huh?”

“Pfft. I’m Gojo Satoru. Of course I know everyone,” he said arrogantly, petting a reluctant Yoshi on the head. “And everyone knows me.”

The boy tied his hair back up and gave him a mischievous smile.

“Well, I’m Geto Suguru,” he said with a small bow, “and I don’t know you.”

Satoru took a deep breath and decided to act like he didn’t care, masking the rage he felt at this Suguru guy’s insolence.

“Doubt it,” he said, inspecting his nails. “But if you really don’t know who I am, what are you doing here, Geto Suguru?”

Suguru looked at the ground, searching for an answer. The truth was, few things had excited him as much in his short life as the prospect of starting his journey into the world of sorcery. Ever since Masamichi had found him and explained what his talent and power meant, he hadn’t stopped thinking about the institution he’d be part of for many years. That’s why, as soon as he arrived in Tokyo, he headed straight to the place, determined to see it, even though the official start was the next day.

Surprised at how easily he’d wandered onto the grounds, he began exploring, marveling at the traditional architecture and lush gardens. When he came across an old willow tree by a pond, he couldn’t resist standing there to smoke. That’s what he had been doing when Yoshi crashed into him, dragging him into the water. While he wasn’t embarrassed about that, he was a bit ashamed of the fact that he had been “illegally” smoking cigarettes in the garden of his future school.

He looked again at this Gojo Satoru. His white hair and exceptional height made him instantly unforgettable, at least to him. Or maybe it wasn’t those things, but his mysterious sunglasses and that soft yet masculine voice. Either way, he didn’t feel the need to make any excuses. For some strange reason, he felt comfortable around this arrogant guy.

He opened his mouth to reply, but instead, let out a loud sneeze. The dog mimicked him.

“Would you mind lending me a change of clothes, Gojo Satoru? And a bath for me and this little one would be nice,” he asked with his best smile, petting Yoshi’s head.

Satoru felt a strange tingle at the thought of Suguru bathing. He blinked several times, shaking away the impure thoughts, and as he took the puppy’s leash, he said,

“I’ll get you dry clothes, but only if I help with the bath.”

“What?”

Gojo turned bright red as he realized what he’d said.

“Help me! With Yoshi’s bath! His bath, not yours! Ah!” he exclaimed, pointing dramatically at the dog.

Geto might have felt uncomfortable with that Freudian slip if it had come from anyone else, but from his future partner, it just made him feel an inexplicable fondness. He laughed, instinctively flirtatious, and started walking.

“After you, Gojo Satoru.”

***

Satoru leaned against the locker room doorframe, arms crossed, chewing one of his many strawberry-flavored gums furiously. He was inexplicably nervous. The only sound he could hear was the water falling with that distinct rhythm of a shower. But that wasn’t what was driving him crazy—it was those brief moments when he could hear the soft movements of Suguru’s body under the water. That image seemed more interesting than he’d ever dare admit.

He turned and walked toward the exit of the locker room. From the moment he saw Suguru’s rebellious lock of hair, he realized he hadn’t felt this way about anyone. Sure, it was true that his short sixteen years hadn’t been free of dates with girls or the occasional teenage crush, but to be left speechless? Nervous? Saying stupid things? That was new to him. And Gojo Satoru was anything but stupid. It was a simple matter of adding two and two—this Geto Suguru confused him. Despite knowing him for less than an hour, something about him immediately mesmerized him: Suguru was calm, yet didn’t put up with any nonsense, and definitely wouldn’t let himself be intimidated. That made him a challenge. And Satoru loved challenges, the first of which was to stop thinking about how, just a few meters away, that attractive boy was naked, water running down his body, with an expression of pleasure that only cleanliness can bring.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Satoru?” he muttered under his breath, glancing down at Yoshi, who was watching him from a comfortable spot at his feet.

“And what are you looking at?” he asked the puppy. The little dog wagged its tail and looked at him with a playful, curious expression, as if he knew exactly the sea of confused thoughts swirling around the albino’s mind.

Gojo snorted, letting the puppy’s cuteness win him over. He petted him and, making sure Suguru couldn’t hear, spoke to him as if he could understand.

“This idiot’s bangs have gotten in my head because of you, Yoshi.”

The dog barked and wagged its tail, which to Satoru was a sign that not only was he the strongest, but he could probably talk to animals too.

A few seconds later, he heard Suguru turn off the water. He sighed, imagining him stepping out of the shower. He felt really dumb. He was thinking about that when he saw him come out with a towel, his black hair wet, falling straight over his broad shoulders. Discreetly, and shielded by his dark glasses, he glanced at his body.

“He’s fucking perfect,” he thought, swallowing hard as he tried to tear his eyes away from his sculpted abs and strong pecs.

Suguru wasn’t dumb either, and being the owner of such a savage, enormous beauty, he knew what he stirred in others. Usually, the lascivious stares from people he had just met disgusted him, but from this peculiar albino, they filled him with a strange sense of pride. Smiling, and calmly as he wrung out his hair, he thanked him for letting him use the shower.

“Yeah… well… you asked and…” Satoru coughed, in an exaggerated and ridiculous attempt to seem nonchalant. “…there’s your clothes.”

Suguru, still with the towel wrapped around his sculpted body, arched an eyebrow at him.

“You mind?” he said, gesturing toward the towel.

Satoru felt extreme heat rush through his body. Grumbling things in a language that didn’t exist, he turned around.

“You look… different without mud in your hair,” he said, immediately regretting it.

Suguru laughed heartily as he buttoned the pants Satoru had lent him, which were especially tight around his rear.

“Thanks?” he said, trying not to sound too ironic. “I’m ready. It’s your furry friend’s turn,” he added.

Satoru turned back around, picking up Yoshi in his arms.

“He’s not mine. He belongs to some old idiot who… ah, never mind.”

“Either way, you don’t want him to keep smelling like a pond, do you?”

Satoru shook his head. The dog really did smell bad, and while he hated playing babysitter and had no desire to bathe him, the truth was, doing so meant more time with him. Surprised by his own thoughts, he waved his hands as if to shoo them away and headed to one of the tubs. He turned on the hot water and placed his hand under the stream to check the temperature.

Suguru watched him closely and crouched down beside him. Without understanding where the gesture came from, he also brought his hand to the stream of water. Inevitably, their fingers brushed for a second. Startled, Gojo pulled his hand away.

“I think it’s…” he began nervously.

“Yeah, I think it’s perfect,” Suguru interrupted, embarrassed.

They both looked in opposite directions, their cheeks flushed. Slowly, Suguru glanced at Satoru, only to find him looking back. They locked eyes for a few seconds, until Yoshi barked loudly.

“Okay, time for the real deal, Gojo. You hold him, I’ll soap him up.”

Satoru nodded and placed the playful puppy in the tub. Yoshi, clearly enjoying himself, wagged his tail energetically, splashing both sorcerers with water.

Suguru let out a small smile. The brushing of their hands was inevitable, and it made him feel a spark he didn’t know existed. He tried to focus on the puppy’s white fur, but it was impossible. The soft touch of Satoru’s hands was becoming irresistible; he was holding back the urge to just grab his hands in his own.

“You’re good with animals, Geto,” the albino suddenly said. Of course, he felt that tension too. Time to break the ice.

Suguru smiled.

“Well… I’ve always liked them. They don’t bother with unnecessary things. If they don’t like you, they let you know and…” his heart started racing as he locked eyes with Satoru, “…if they like you, they let you know that too.”

Gojo let out a nervous laugh, but covered it with his usual arrogance.

“Or maybe they just know how to ask for shelter and food.”

Suguru raised both eyebrows, surprised by the albino’s response. “So that’s his game,” he thought.

“Well, a relationship can start from something as simple as shelter and food,” Suguru said, brushing his hands against his again.

Satoru swallowed hard. He didn’t know what Suguru meant, but he was almost convinced he was flirting with him. Geto, for his part, started whistling nervously. He didn’t know what he had meant either or why he had started flirting like that.

Suddenly, Yoshi shook himself energetically, spraying water and soap over both sorcerers. They couldn’t help but laugh. The puppy’s gesture had helped break some of the obvious tension. Still laughing, Satoru turned to Suguru.

"Hey, can you help me take off my glasses? They're covered in foam, and I can't clean them while holding this flea-ridden thing."

Suguru nodded and carefully removed the glasses from Satoru's face. Seeing him without them, he stifled a gasp of admiration. Nothing had prepared him for those eyes. The albino looked at him, smiling, and Suguru nearly fell backwards. In that brief time next to him, he had noticed his extravagant attractiveness, but he had never imagined, in a million years, that just seeing him once without his mysterious glasses would make him fall head over heels.

Satoru laughed again when he noticed Suguru staring at him with his mouth open. He gave him a playful nudge with his shoulder.

"You seriously don’t know anything about Gojo Satoru and his Six Eyes?" he said, in a smug voice.

Embarrassed, Suguru shook his head. A few seconds later, he returned the nudge.

"Geto Suguru doesn’t care about people who talk in third person."

They both looked at each other and burst into synchronized laughter, while Yoshi kept shaking himself. Satoru continued to hold the puppy with one hand, and with the other, wiped some foam off Suguru's face. Geto, stunned by the gesture and the never-ending beauty of those eyes, smiled like a complete idiot, until he realized how much he was giving himself away.

He coughed discreetly and rubbed his hands together. Grabbing the towel Satoru had left next to him, he started drying him off.

"I think this guy’s clean. And he needs a walk."

Satoru wasn’t a shy person at all, but he had to muster all his strength to ask:

"Would you come with me?"

Suguru checked his watch. He had orders to present himself to the school board the day before starting and was already running late. He glanced at Satoru. Oh well. At that moment, he couldn’t resist those eyes. And he wouldn’t be able to for the rest of his life.

"Yeah... why not?" he replied, standing up.

***

The afternoon air was warm, though the soft breeze carried a freshness that indicated spring was in full bloom. In the distance, the cherry trees in the courtyard were starting to blossom, decorating the scene with their delicate pink petals swaying in the wind. Yoshi trotted happily in front of them, gently tugging on the leash Suguru held in his hand.

Satoru walked beside Suguru, their steps in sync as they crossed the school yard in silence. But it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. There was something about Suguru’s presence that calmed him, and at the same time, made him nervous. Who was this guy really? And more importantly: was he here to stay?

"So," Satoru began, breaking the silence with his usual carefree tone, "You’re here as a student, right? I mean, you were snooping around and you’re radiating cursed energy. Pretty strong, too. I’m guessing you already know that."

Suguru looked ahead, his gaze calm and his steps steady. He took a second to respond, as if carefully choosing his words.

"Yeah, seems that way. I’ll be here…" he glanced at Satoru from the corner of his eye, "... for a good while."

Satoru couldn’t help but smile, though he tried to hide it. The fact that Suguru was staying brought an unexpected relief. There was something about having him around that made him feel an emotion he didn’t quite understand yet, but it was there, present in every exchange, every glance.

"I’m glad," Satoru said, looking up at the sky now painted with a soft orange hue as the sun began to set. "I mean, it’s cool. I figured you’d stay anyway."

Suguru glanced at him sideways, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Oh yeah? And why’s that?"

Satoru shrugged, pretending a nonchalance he didn’t feel.

"Call it intuition. Or maybe it’s just that I can’t picture you anywhere else."

Realizing what he’d said, he felt a slight warmth rise to his neck, but he kept his expression casual.

Suguru observed him silently for a moment longer, and though he didn’t say anything, Satoru could feel that his words had struck a chord. There was something between them, a tension in the air, but neither seemed willing to break the fragile balance they had.

Yoshi, oblivious to any tension, stopped to sniff the grass, and Satoru took the pause to look at the cherry trees around them. The petals were slowly falling to the ground, floating gracefully through the air. One of them, with almost poetic precision, gently landed on Suguru’s head, getting tangled in the dark strands of his hair.

Satoru smiled, amused by the sight, and without thinking too much about it, he stepped closer. He raised his hand and, with care, removed the petal from Suguru’s hair.

"You’ve got a guest," he said in a playful tone, holding the petal between his fingers before letting the wind take it away.

Suguru looked at him, surprised by the gesture, and for a second, the space between them seemed to shrink. The closeness of Satoru, the way his hand had moved with such care, caused a strange warmth to settle in Suguru’s chest. It was as if, suddenly, the air around them had grown heavier, like every small movement and every word carried a deeper meaning.

"Thanks," Suguru murmured, lowering his gaze slightly, something he didn’t usually do. Satoru, in his awkward but charming way, disarmed him in a way no one else could.

Satoru, aware of the tension but not wanting to break the moment, cleared his throat.

"No problem. Though, if you’re staying at the school, you’ll probably end up covered in petals all the time. It’s kinda a tradition." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood, though his blue eyes remained fixed on Suguru’s.

They started walking again, this time in silence, but the atmosphere had shifted. Each step they took brought them closer, not just physically, but in a deeper way, as if without needing words, they were both acknowledging something they couldn’t quite name yet. Yoshi ran ahead, happy to be outside, unaware of the little dance his caretakers were playing.

The sun kept sinking, and the sky had turned to shades of gold and pink, creating an almost surreal scene, perfect for the moment they were living. The shadows were lengthening, and as they walked, they both felt that time had slowed. The usual noise of the school had faded, and all that could be heard was the soft rustle of the leaves and Yoshi’s playful barks.

Satoru, gazing at the sunset, couldn’t help but feel like he could get used to this. To Suguru’s company, to the way his presence filled the silence without needing words. There was something warm about being by his side, something he hadn’t experienced before and didn’t want to let go of.

"It’s a nice place to stay," Suguru murmured suddenly, his eyes lost in the horizon as the sun finished setting behind the mountains. "I think I could get used to this."

Satoru glanced at him, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, me too. I mean, probably."

He wasn’t sure if Suguru was talking about the place or something else, but in that moment, it didn’t matter. They were both sharing something, something beyond words. The attraction they felt for each other was still there, present, but there was no rush to name it or act on it. They just wanted to enjoy the moment, the shared silence, and the quiet companionship they had started to build.

As the last ray of sunlight disappeared, Satoru sighed, feeling strangely at peace. Maybe, he thought, it wasn’t so bad to let himself go with what he felt. Maybe, with Suguru by his side, everything would start to make a new kind of sense.

And yet, nothing had made him realize he had just met his first love.

The one and only.

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Art by https://x.com/C_WOLFxx1