track twenty-five: if you're gone | prev track< | setlist
three rockstars! one you!
synopsis: your best friend has always been an asshole - whether it's in his band or in his bed. him ditching you? nothing new. but when one bedroom door closes, another one opens
pairings: rockstar!Suguru Geto x f!Reader x childhood fwb!Sukuna (+ rockstar!gojo!!)
content: mdni, angst and fluff, rockstar au!, complicated relationships and messy emotions, avoidant attachment, HEAVY PINING AND YEARNING, denying feelings, reader is a mess, conflicting emotions, more of all them suffering, tension and teasing
a/n: art by @torucider !! div by @/tsumiinum
There had to be an ending to the seemingly bottomless pit of bad decisions you'd been making lately.
But every day you were more fucking scared you weren't at rock bottom yet.
How much lower could you go?
Especially when you were already sitting at your ex's dining table and ignoring the constant buzzing of your phone on the closest counter.
Why look when you knew what would be waiting there?
Sukuna asking you to come back. To speak to him like a mature adult instead of acting like an avoidant child who couldn't handle confrontation.
But if you did, would that be it?
Inviting the real ending you'd been desperately trying to ignore?
"Shoko said she'd keep the girls tonight," Suguru called out, examining a bottle of wine before putting it back on his nice rack and grabbing a different one.
You were surprised he still bought the brand you liked.
A little stunned at how smoothly you seemed to slip back into the old swing of things. He had picked you up from the street less than ten minutes after you called, hurrying to open the door for you and asking you what felt like a hundred questions all to confirm you were really okay before bringing you back home.
You lied, of course.
Okay was no longer a word that could be applied to you. But being back with him was about as close as you could get.
He took you back to his place, half-shoved you into the bathroom with that stern stare of his, insisting that you take a warm shower and get changed while he washed your wet clothes. By the time you got back out, food had already been delivered. Sit out all nicely on the table as if this was some pre-planned get together instead of him rescuing you from yourself once more.
"I'm sorry for calling you like that," you awkwardly apologized, curling up in the seat as you opened up your to-go box, a comforting scent wafting up from it.
"You can always call me," he casually replied, unbothered by you just intruding on his evening. "If you need me-"
You didn't want to need him.
To need any of them.
You used to be completely fucking fine on your own. And here you were, shivering and feeling like a total stranger in someone else's home because you couldn't handle your problems by yourself.
"You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch," Suguru continued, offering up even more assistance as you tried to train yourself not to let the heat rise to your face at his unnecessary generosity.
"I'm really-"
"I'm not trying to be an asshole, but do you really think you should be alone right now?" He asked, arching up an eyebrow as he poured himself a glass of wine.
You hesitated, swallowing your pride as you considered the unfortunately not entirely unlikely possibility you'd end up on the phone with Satoru or Sukuna if he returned you to the lonely apartment thatstill didn't really feel like home.
"Just pour me a drink too," you muttered.
Suguru was too nice to say no to you.
Even though he probably knew as well as you that you weren't going to find what you wanted in the bottom of a wine glass.
You watched his hands when he grabbed you the cup you used to like back when you practically lived here, how the veins and tendons flexed as he carefully poured a pitiful amount in, like he didn't want you to think he was trying to get you drunk.
Your cautious man still playing his own games. Still preoccupied with how things looked - and you got stuck in how things were.
How were you ever supposed to get to how you wanted them to be?
"Can I ask why you called me?" Suguru finally asked the one question he'd been avoiding as he took the seat next to yours, taking a sip out of his glass as the hard edge of the table pressed into your calves. Knees scrunched close to your chest, stabbing purposelessly at the food in your box as you tried to think of an excuse that wouldn't make this whole thing, well, messier.
"You were who I thought of," you shrugged your shoulders, biting your lip as the scent of him clung to your skin. His t-shirt hanging loose on your frame, skin still damp and sticky as you shuffled in the familiar kitchen seat.
For a second, you felt like you were back in the therapist's office, heart laid bare for someone to break, feeling the scrutiny of his dark stare, no matter how much he softened it for you.
"Does Sukuna know you're here?" He carefully asked, like he was trying to decide if he was going to get assaulted again just for playing your knight.
"No," you muttered. Even if he could probably guess it if he went back to the apartment he bought you and discovered it empty.
He had predicted it too, hadn't he?
That you'd run off to someone else? Seeking comfort in places you shouldn't be instead of finding it in yourself?
"Should I make sure the door's locked?" He tried to joke, and you didn't even have it in yourself to smile.
"I might deadbolt it," you dryly muttered, stabbing at the food and popping it in your mouth.
His small smirk faltered, and you wished you could make it easier for him.
You wished you could make it easier for all of them.
Sure, they hurt you. Okay, well, Sukuna and Suguru had. But it was getting harder and harder to hold onto it. Not when all of the anguish felt like acid on your tongue, seeping down your throat and burning your stomach the longer it sat inside of you.
If you weren't so fucked up, if you had your shit figured out a little more, wouldn't you save all four of you so much heartache?
"What happened today?" Suguru pressed, and you could only shrug your shoulders.
"I, uh, went to therapy," you mumbled, biting down on the inside of your cheek before admitting the tougher part, "With Sukuna."
"Oh."
Yeah.
You supposed you should've seen it for the monumentally awful idea it was from the start instead of just accepting to acquiesce Sukuna after the whole 'surprising you with a brand new fucking apartment' thing.
"Guess it didn't go well?" He wryly replied, and you almost rolled your eyes.
"That obvious?" You exhaled, pushing the food around before forcing yourself to look up at him. "I kinda ran away."
"You tend to do that," Suguru unhelpfully remarked, your lips pressing in a thin line as you found yourself tempted to fling a forkful of food back at him.
"You're so funny," you sarcastically commented, squinting at him just for him to give you that annoyingly charming smirk you wouldn't admit you missed.
"And yet you're not saying I'm wrong," he hummed, bringing his wine glass back to his lips.
Taking a swig of your own was better than agreeing with him.
Letting the bitter taste takeover your tongue so you didn't have to stew on the regret festering there already. All the what-ifs being back in his house brought up, wondering how things might have played out if you just made a few different decisions back then.
"You know," Suguru continued when he carefully placed his glass back down. "Shoko knows a couple good ones, if you didn't like the therapist or-"
It was sweet of him to assume the therapist was the problem instead of you.
"You might benefit more from some solo sessions," he kept going, still trying to take care of you long after you left him. Picking up all the broken pieces and doing his best to glue them back together.
Was it guilt?
Or had losing you simply made him a better person?
Jesus, this fucking sucked.
How come they only got their shit together after you? Why couldn't they work it out when you were with them? Why were you the only one still shattered?
You never asked for either of them.
They had given themselves to you and fucking screwed you over once it was done.
"Can you be, like, awful for five minutes?" You huffed, scowling at him as you forced a sharp exhale out of your nose.
His lips parted in a surprised 'o', dark eyes narrowing like he was trying to work out what you meant by that. "Why-"
"It's so annoying that you get to be all mature and perfect after we break up," you admitted, picking at your cuticles beneath the table as you glanced back to where your purse was laying on its side.
"Perfect?"
"It's so infuriating sometimes," you mumbled under your breath, shaking your head as you interrupted him, about to reiterate that he was infuriating before he let out a low chuckle.
"Do you want me to be mean to you?" He offered in that honeyed voice of his.
"I want to be mad at you," you muttered, feeling a lot more defeated than you expected.
"You can be mad at me," he calmly accepted it, evenly meeting your stare as if you being upset was better than the alternative of you feeling nothing at all for him.
You tried to switch to ignoring him.
Finishing your food with a tight-lipped frown and polishing off the wine even though it just left an uncomfortable heat compressing your chest. You slipped out of your chair to go throw away the styrofoam box, but Suguru just had to get up and do it for you, leaving you awkwardly standing there and swallowing your feelings.
Tempted to ask what now?
Were you supposed to sit on the couch together and watch tv like old times? Ask him to just take you back home anyway? Go back to the bed he used to fuck you in and pretend you couldn’t smell him on the sheets?
You ended up awkwardly leaning against the wall while you watched him clean up, trying to find something wrong to bicker about.
But god, he’d forgiven you for fucking his best friend.
Comforted you and came when you called and took care of you even when you weren’t his anymore.
“Maybe Shoko could refer me to someone,” you muttered.
You needed help.
The kind that you had to find on your own. With the help of a licensed professional.
“I’ll text her,” he replied, a hint of pride bleeding through his voice as you folded your arms across your chest.
What happened to the independent girl you used to be? The one who was too stubborn to admit it when you were out of your depth? What happened to everything you used to be?
The strangest part was that you weren't even sure you wanted to go back to being her. She let Sukuna break her heart. And then handed over what was left of it to Suguru so he could take a few swings at it too.
But even now, being around him like this, watching him walk around like you were reliving in an old memory, you were the tiniest bit tempted to go back to the old days. Just for one night.
You could see it now.
Almost feel how solid his hands would be on your waist, how warm his chest would be when you were pinned underneath it.
It would be so simple, wouldn't it?
To let him pick you up and cradle you close? To call him by his name and let him whisper yours in that tender voice of his?
He wouldn't feel like home. But he'd feel close enough to safe to settle the storm still wearing you down and ripping through your rattled bones.
Suguru caught you staring as he finished up, thin brows knitting together as he walked over to you, one hand reaching for his pocket for his cigarettes before he remembered that they weren't there anymore.
"I'm not sleeping with you," he murmured softly, as if he wasn't looking down at your lips as like he could still remember the taste of them.
"I didn't ask you to," you whispered back, like you weren't looking at his either. And then he reached out, like he was going to cup your cheek and caress you the same way he used to.
"Angel," he gently spoke, sighing as his palm stopped just shy of your cheek. "You know you have to pick."
"I know," you confessed.
You couldn't keep doing this.
"I will still do whatever I can to support you and fix the mess I made," he reassured, swallowing hard as he steeled his resolve. "But you're just hurting yourself."
And he was too selfless to say you were hurting him too, even though you could see the pain shining in his deep stare.
You wanted to play it off.
Pretend that you weren't painfully aware that no matter who you chose, you'd still be second guessing yourself for maybe forever.
If you chose Sukuna, and it crashed and burned, would you spend eternity wondering what would've happened if you mustered up the courage to kiss Suguru right now?
And if you did kiss him, would you just wish it was Sukuna's lips instead?
"I wish I never fucked us up to begin with," Suguru murmured, maybe loosened up from the wine to be speaking so plainly about what you both lost when his face was hardly inches from yours. "But I guess I know how Sukuna feels now."
"You're making it so much harder for me," you defensively mumbled, trying to keep your breathing steady when he was looking down at you like he wanted to memorize the view.
"That's because I want you to pick me," he smoothly replied, your mouth twitching up into a smile you had to push back down.
You had to make yourself slip away from him, turning around and walking around the corner to go back to his living room. About to come up with the excuse that you could watch a movie or something to pass the time and avoid the topic at hand when you spotted a stack of papers across a side table where the coasters usually were.
And noticed your name neatly printed at the top of one.
"What's this?" You asked, picking it up the moment you were close enough, eyes already scanning the page as he started to hurry over.
"It's nothing, just a stupid fucking idea Satoru's dad was-"
"It's about me," you pointed out, turning around and refusing to let him have it back, swatting at his outstretched hand while you squinted at the fine print.
"Baby, it's bullshit, I didn't want to worry-"
"I can make decisions for myself, Suguru," you scolded him, a lump taking shape again in the back of your throat as you realized what it was.
An offer.
"This is the PR relationship thing, isn't it?" You frowned, flipping the page as you started scanning the terms. Satoru had been telling the truth.
His dad wanted to throw a fuck ton of cash at you to get you to do what he wanted.
An apartment with 24/7 security. Biweekly paychecks for playing pretend girlfriend. Health and dental insurance. New clothes for required public appearances.
God, why the fuck was it a better job offer than anything else you received?
Six months.
Half of year of hanging onto your ex-boyfriend's arm in public now that your private life had been dragged out for everyone to see.
It was long enough for the album and press rollout but right before their tour would start. Enough for them to turn the PR disaster of a leaked sex tape into something slightly less scandalous the media could sink their teeth into.
You'd be dropped once they sold out all their shows.
Suguru was silent, just staring as you studied the stapled sheets in front of you, waiting for you to say something.
To say it was stupid and to shut it all down.
"Is he actually serious?" You asked, a hard lump in your throat as your stare drifted back to the promised paycheck, wondering what price you could put on your pride.
You were clearly losing this game anyway.
They weren't going to leave you alone.
"You don't need to do this," Suguru softly said, not answering your question as you glanced up from the papers to see his conflicted expression.
Would Sukuna hate you if you did?
Satoru might.
How much could making a deal with a devil cost when you already lost everything you cared about?
You weren't replying to his texts.
Go fucking figure.
The harder Sukuna tried to have you, the more you pulled away from him.
Still, he knew he shouldn't be doing this.
Leg bouncing impatiently as he stared down at the phone screen in his hand, trying to work up the willpower to either swipe everything away or shut it off.
That's what a more mature person would do.
Someone who had his shit together.
But that had never been him.
Jin had called, told him to come over and just crash there. Kaori had snatched the phone from his brother and told him to go find you and fucking fix it.
Like it was so goddamn easy when you were too hurt to see how hard he was trying. Too broken to even want him to put you together.
And despite what his therapist tried to say otherwise, he couldn't stop blaming himself for being the one to fuck it all up in the first place.
All the same thoughts looping in his head, replaying a million moments he wished he could go back and do differently. The thousand nights where you were in his bed, beneath his body where you belonged, his hands skimming over your side and his teeth sinking into your soft skin when he should've been kissing you and asking you to be his girlfriend.
Not his best friend with benefits.
Not some unnamed third thing you both swore wasn't that serious.
He wanted to be your man. To get to marry you one day and have a stupid little chubby baby with your eyes and his hair.
Sukuna didn't want to just be some fucking asshole you used to sleep with.
Someone you used to know.
A page in a book you shut and shoved on a shelf to be forgotten.
Maybe bringing you to his therapist was a mistake, something that he should've waited a little longer for. But he didn't know how to help you himself.
No matter how badly he wished he could.
And honestly, what he was about to do was probably an even bigger one in the making.
But fuck, he wanted to prove you wrong.
Show you that what you were scared of wasn't going to happen.
He could watch you having sex with your ex-boyfriend and not strangle him for it. He wasn't going to leave you.
And by no means, was he going to stop loving you.
No, instead, he just nearly threw up when the sketchy site on his phone finally loaded and he saw you splayed out nude in soft blue sheets, touching yourself and looking at the camera all lovestruck.
Asking Suguru for help.
You didn't do that with him.
It was different. Knowing that it had been serious with Suguru and actually seeing it for himself.
The trust shining in your eyes before all the light in them had been stolen from you.
He almost dropped the phone.
Pacing the floor and swallowing the bile threatening to flood his throat as your soft voice replayed in his ears.
Sukuna was greedy. Selfish. Used to taking what he wanted and never needing to justify it.
Until he realized what he wanted the most was what was best for you.
synopsis: Gojo comes to ur dorm to ask you to go to the party with him… wait im not very good at describing it so i guess you HAVE to read it 👀👀
authors note: oh wow guys I’ve been posting a lot recently 😳 got motivation from uh idk lowkey I hope yall liked it!!
cw: mentions of drinking, use of (name), no smut, sfw, fluff, cursing, crude humor, rumors, mentions of sleeping around, frat!jo is a warning himself… im lowk thinking that in this story he’s secretly nerd!jo bc idk im very bad at writing….💔💔
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Gojo and the boys slammed the locker room door open, “holy moly it’s hot outside” haibara said whilst clutching his heart. “You all stink, did none of you think to put on deodorant before going outside?” Geto asked with genuine disgust. All the boys lifted their arms and sniffed their pits, “ur actually disgusting go wash up now before i genuinely get mad.” Sukuna walked in with a towel wrapped around his neck. “Ay satoru let me know if you’re going as soon as possible.” Gojo nodded, “alright”
After three minutes of pure yapping coach gege walked in, “HURRY UP I WANT TO GO HOME TOO” all the boys flinched as they got startled. “Coach shut up” sukuna said whilst taking a shower. “Ryomen im not in the mood for your attitude.” Sukuna chuckled, “course you’re not” coach gege walked out and slammed the door whilst mumbling to himself.
Gojo opened his duffle bag and began searching for his clothes. Gojo stood up and got in the wash. The whole time he was thinking of how to invite you to go to the party with him. “hm no that’s too blunt..” “ehh nah that’d be awkward.” Eventually Gojo realized he spent his whole shower just thinking of how to talk to you. Gojo wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. “Satoru what in the world? Why are you so red??” What Gojo hadn’t realized was that he had the water on hot. A bit TOO hot… Gojo walked to the mirror to see what the person was talking about. “shoot I didn’t notice the water was that hot.” Gojo quickly got dressed and left. Not wanting to make coach gege even more upset.
Gojo started walking to the exit and heading to his frat. however in the middle of the hallway he decided that he’d very much rather ask you to go with him to the party on Friday. He knew if he didn’t he likely wouldn’t be able to sleep at all, due to being extremely anxious about you saying no and deciding to stop being his partner.
Gojo stood infront of the door fidgeting with his hands before knocking. You opened the door slowly, “oh hey gojo” you said waving whilst opening the door faster. “Sorry for coming so suddenly I needed to uh ask you something..” Gojo said whilst tugging at his sleeves. you gestured to the table, “oh come in I was just making dinner.” Gojo placed his shoes infront of the door and pulled a chair. “Uh so sukuna asked if I wanted to go to his party this Friday… but uh I don’t want to go if you’re uh not going to be there. So like do you wanna come with me uh please.” You looked at him embarrassingly, “I’ve never been to a party before..” he choked on his water, “im so sorry. But what? you’ve NEVER been to a party??” You shook your head, “nope I usually never get invited or im studying.” Gojo rubbed the back of his neck, “well I promise it’ll be fun, you could uh just stay next to me the whole time.” you thought about it.
these parties are the same parties that gave him a bad reputation. what if he ditches you? what if he leaves you to go hang out with someone else. but what if he stays with you the whole time. what if he proves to you that he’s not as bad as he seems. You didn’t quite know what to say. However you decided to take the risk.
“Sure, I’ll go”
gojo looked up with a huge smile on his face, “YAY” Gojo stood up and hugged you. Caught off guard, you froze. After about 4 seconds you eased into the hug. “I’m genuinely so happy, yeah we just met but you’re honestly the best” gojo began hugging you tighter. you giggled, “you’re crushing me!!” Once he let go the two of you ate dinner together. “This is delicious did you make it yourself” Gojo asked with awe in his eyes. you nodded, “thank you! And I did!!” Gojo insisted on washing the dishes. Whilst he did that, you wiped the table. You and gojo high five. The two of you were proud of the fact yall were able to clean up your dorm within an hour. Gojo began heading back to his frat. This time with this calming feeling knowing that you said yes to going with him.
Headcanons of Satoru Gojo as your knight in shining armour...
☆Knight!Gojo who was honoured to be assinged to guard the princess. To protect this kingdoms most precious treasure, their future monarch.
☆Knight!Gojo who soon realised this task wouldn't be so simple when you started to test his resolve.
☆Knight!Gojo who has trained with the kingdoms most powerful warriors, who has survived battles and won glory in bloodshed. And yet finds he is weak to the flutter of your eyelashes.
☆Knight!Gojo who discovers something much more important than his assignment when you kiss him under the stars.
☆Knight!Gojo who had given you his heart before he even realised it. Who's armour couldn't protect him from falling in love.
☆Knight!Gojo who sneaks into your rooms after nightfall. After all, what better place is there to protect you than right by your side?
☆Knight!Gojo who is soft when the armour comes off, who smells of iron and citrus and something unique, who's eyes are impossibly blue under the visor.
☆Knight!Gojo who smiles after you fall asleep in his arms, all while whispering vows against your temple. Vows to protect you with his life if it ever comes to it.
☆Knight!Gojo who finds it amusing when you dance with princelings from other kingdoms. He is not jealous, for he knows he's the one who will end up in your bedchambers in just a few hours.
☆Knight!Gojo who knows he cannot be yours in the end, that someday you'll have to choose someone else- for the kingdom.
☆Knight!Gojo who is grateful he gets this time with you regardless. He will cherish it forever.
The Kori clan had always been a cult posing as a clan. Operating in the deep shadows of the jujutsu world, their existence was known only to corrupt higher-ups and the members sworn to their secrets. They practiced various rituals forbidden in the jujutsu world. Prohibited because they were used entirely for self-interest, which included aiding others only in exchange for something greater. A deep sense of superiority permeated the clan; after all, they held knowledge that most of society remained blind to.
In order for the rituals to work, the clan needed an heir capable of absorbing negative energy. It was a hereditary trait, and only through such an heir could the rest of the clan achieve the ability themselves. Most members possessed weak and unstable absorption. They could perform simple rituals, but the more significant ones remained entirely out of reach. Even basic rituals demanded grueling effort and constant practice. None could compare to Hina and her younger twin brother, Hikaru; The heirs of the Kori clan in the modern era.
Rituals were not the only thing their absorption could accomplish. Birth of local curses could be suppressed, though it was nowhere near enough to combat the overwhelming number of curses in the world. It barely made a dent. Still, their absorption possessed a secondary, involuntary effect: they acted as emotional sponges, inadvertently soaking up the misery of those nearby and leaving them with a hollow, fleeting sense of peace.
For Hina and Hikaru, the ability came naturally.
Yet the gift was far from a blessing.
It was forbidden for a reason, wreaking havoc on both the mind and the body. Unless one could utilize the Reversed Cursed Technique, the ability was essentially a slow poison— and even then, it was a harrowing power to possess. Although absorption came with a healing factor, it was like a dimming light fighting against the wind; a constant struggle to endure the filth.
Clan members had to go through it too. The only reason they survived it at all was because of their heirs. Not only did they gain power through them, but they also relied on them like a renewable source, their own negative energy continuously drawn in by the heirs like a vacuum.
Once the inheritors died, however, the clan would not lose their abilities immediately. Instead, the accumulated negative energy would slowly consume them from within.
Agonizingly.
***
The Kori clan is governed by a strict triumvirate: the Executor, the Advisor, and the Overseer to ensure everything remains in order. They genuinely believe they will rule jujutsu society one day.
Hina harbors a deep resentment toward their objective. Well, it doesn't really matter what grandeur they promise when it strips you of your rights, or of the things that make you feel human, reducing you to a mere source for others' gain. She tries her best to keep her brother from falling into their twisted ways.
Even though she possessed the hereditary technique and traits, she was never considered a candidate for heirship, simply because she was a woman. Hikaru met enough of their requirements for them to eagerly shape him into the future face of the clan.
There was only one problem: Hikaru was weaker.
Being twins only made things worse. In jujutsu society, twins were considered a bad omen—two souls dividing what should have been one. As a result, neither could ever reach their full potential. Because of this, it was initially proposed that Hikaru be executed. Their mother was the one who begged endlessly for her child's life to be spared, pleading a case to compromise and use them both for different purposes: Hina would act as the official powerhouse and heir, while Hikaru would handle the clan's operations from the underground.
Even so, growing up Hina and Hikaru didn't receive much of their mother's love. Yet, not even for a second did Hina truly blame her. Their mother had been forced into this life at a young age, her own years sacrificed for children who couldn't even relieve her of her pain. Ungrateful children. Hina had thought many times, "well she's a human too right? Or...?"
No human deserved something so cruel.
Abuse was not always direct violence: sometimes it was being forced to harm others. It could be handled by both: a human and a weapon. The only difference is that a weapon could not confess the sins it had witnessed nor speak of the atrocities it had committed, willingly or not. Complaining was not an option. It was a curse.
So what did that make her mother? A weapon, or a human? The answer was not clear. She only knew her mother deserved better.
Being a human is much nicer, though. That way, feelings are not a weight you must carry. As someone's tool, however, you must face whatever nature they wield to defend themselves with. Their true selves.
***
Actually there's more I wanted to reveal about Hina and her clan. But I decided it's not something I wanna tell in one go. This chapter was also supposed to have a second part, but I could not finish writing it yet. I don't wanna rush it and try to write my best. Thank you for your patience!
(Guys, English is NOT my first language. SO, it won't be the best. It could be overexegrated too because I dug into a lot of words and stuff to make it sound fancy or whatever.😭)
***
Jujutsu High wasn't taking in enrollments at the moment. However, they made exceptions for training heirs from influential clans. The higher-ups, after all, had to maintain their standing with the families. That's where Gojo Satoru and Kori Hina come in. Being a sorcerer meant learning how to call devotion by a different name: Weapon.
Gojo Satoru had the six eyes and Limitless technique. Hina had Redaction.
They met when they were children. Never talked much though.
June, 2003.
Gojo had a reputation for getting beaten up often by the second and third-years. He never fought back, even though he easily could. Hina, who was well-known around the school, saw him getting bullied frequently.
He was called a freak and worse; "albino weirdo" was one of their favorite names for him. Hina found it odd. So what if he had white hair? It suited him. Besides, everyone's characteristics were unique to themselves.
But he never fought back. That was the thing Hina noticed most, and it pissed her off. He was the Gojo Satoru. No one would bat an eye if he taught those punk-asses a lesson. So, what was wrong with him?
Maybe it was because of how long they had known each other, but she felt a strange obligation to intervene. Usually, her "help" consisted of simply passing by while he was getting beaten, muttering for them to stop, and walking away right after.
It was no surprise when Hina heard the familiar sounds of mocking laughter on a random Saturday. Following the noise, she found him bleeding. It had never gone this far before.
Ironically, Gojo looked like the crazy one here.
Hina had finally had enough.
"Fuck off, yeah?"
The second-years didn't even have time to react before she was kicking their asses. They fled as fast as they could. Hina rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Fuckasses..."
She extended a hand to help Gojo up. He stared at it like a dumb chicken for a while before finally taking it. The cold touch of his skin contrasted sharply with her warmth, grounding him more than words ever could.
She was too annoyed to even ask, yet the question slipped out anyway. "Why wouldn't you defend yourself...?"
Before he could answer, she turned on her heel. As usual, she left.
***
(I'll add Hina's appearance and a cover to this story later. Y'all are free to imagine yourself as Hina! Also I know I'm not writing Gojo perfectly and there might or might not be mischaracterization...but, I'll try to make him stay in character as much as I can.)
