#taygojo

[storybookforever]

My taylor swift mii got married to Gojo....

[kranktruther]

Now That We Don't Talk 2/3

c.w: shit's abt to get serious, it gets better towards the end tho, toji acc not being a dead beat omfg, emetophobes beware

w.c: 12.3k

Thanksgiving Day arrived with more chaos compared to the previous ones. Not that the Geto name isn't infamously interchangeable with the noun. Add a certain Gojo to the mix and prepare for the worst.

Everyone was there, and by everyone you mean Shoko, Nanami, Gojo and their respective parent— ones that have immediate roles in your company, your boyfriend, your mom, oh, and Suguru's baby mama, and their twin daughters. And, no, he isn't a deadbeat (most of the time), in fact quite the opposite actually, he spoils these two rotten. A whopping thousand yen for each one of them back when they lost their first tooth. One of the many reasons these two never really tied the knot and instead chose the co-parenting route. Sayuri is known for her reserved and down-to-earth nature though, how did she let your brother in her life? That's still a mystery, even your dad agrees.

"Tsumiki couldn't make it back in time, told her to book her flight months in advance," Toji managed with a half-apologetic tone.

"That's no big deal, ‘Ji,"

"And Megs, you know how he is," you nodded with a giggle. "He's gotta grow up though, that's childish as hell of him, don't y'think?" 

"He's alright, Ji, I wouldn't want my dad screwing my boss in my kitchen either, so," You took a sip of the cup of tea in your hand. "Don't wanna make it more awkward for the both of us either," He beams at you and pecks the corner of your lips. And you didn't really pay attention to the flow of the guests arriving. Until the sound of a palm covering one's eye filled your hearing. 

"Man, right in front of my salad? Literally," because he was holding his "signature" salad on his free hand.

"Uncle Toru!", Nanako and Mimiko's voice greets the round-glasses wearing man currently at the entrance. A maid follows suit and takes his salad to put away.

"Hello, missed you two, did you miss me?" He bends down to meet them and the two nodded cutely, you almost melted if it weren't for the man talking to them. Your nieces have a wonderful bond to him thanks to Suguru bringing the twins to his place whenever it was his week with them.

The three chatted for a bit until Sayuri called her daughters from a room upstairs. She's one of the many women that you envy, supportively, of course. Because despite her being a crucial figure on the trading floor of her company she still managed to make her kids her top priority. Apparent from the lack of gap she has with them. An amazing woman she is. You returned your attention back to Toji. 

"'Sup man," Gojo made his way towards you two on the couch and you had to hold back an eyeroll. Toji returned his 'bro-handshake' a little taken aback. "So how's it feel," You looked up in a haste, what bullshit is he gonna come up with this time?

"To take my usual spot on GQ's number one hot man of the year?" He asks with a grin. Toji spares a glance at you before chuckling then answering.

"Yeah, s'nothing I never experienced before, y'know. Had my fair share back then, more than happy to have it back," He responds with a slight smug. You mentally facepalmed for getting yourself in this situation. "But, we all know it don't mean anything." Gojo smirks at this.

"Yeah, well, nice to finally meet you!" Thank god he finally leaves.

Nothing out of ordinary happened in the dinner, as in your mom barely touching her meal and refilling her glass of wine several times instead. Mimiko and Nanako picking food items out of their plate and setting it aside, Suguru and Satoru with their usual tango. While the rest of you conversed with each other about everything. 

Once it was over, Toji told you that Tsumiki just landed on the country and excused himself shortly after. You found yourself joining the others back on the family lounge. Playing charades as an ode to the tradition you all shared since you were younger. You excused yourself upstairs to your room and found the door wide open, you must've forgotten you opened it in the first place.

Your mother was in your bathroom, snarkily checking out the medications on the mirror cabinet. "Mom?" 

"Ah, there you are," She begins to approach you holding some of the meds you take up to meet your eye level. "Lexapro? Oxycodone? Seriously?" Her voice void of any concern instead it was mockery that took place. You sighed.

"You know, if I had walked blindly in here and see what the owner of this room is taking, I'd assume they were borderline deranged, right?"

"When have you ever not assumed? That's a better question." You countered, crossing your arms, feeling your dinner coming back up. She hung your name on the tip of her lips with dribble of venom.

"Did that brain of yours finally wear out, so much so you decide to run into a man much older and, oh, much below you?" She doubled down with, "I had you wrong, I pegged you as the girl who knew her worth. You truly never learn, do you?" You almost barked out a laugh at that.

"Learn from where? The woman who finally decides to show up to family events because, apparently, her friends put their family higher than their little get together with their girl friends, making her have no one else to hang out with?" Your mom was briefly shut off with that, but rose back up quickly.

"This is what happens when you value your ambitions more than you are as a person, you've become a slave robot, a mere mercenary. I'm all too familiar with this, you got this from your father." She retaliates accusingly. "I'm not surprised, just disappointed that you chose to involve yourself in that liability you consider a relationship, instead of a proper and serious one. At your big age," She says again attaching your name to emphasize her point.

"Yeah, and I got that from where?"

"Not me certainly." She says with half a frown matter-of-factly. 

"Uh uh, because dad is a distant and avoidant person unlike your warm and nurturing self. Right, right." She smirks.

"You know what, take as many of these as you want. I've heard it suppresses fertility." Finally putting down your meds on the cabinet near the door. Her cruel implication left you gasping after she disappeared to God knows which country she does her retail 'therapy' in.

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, Gojo was at the top of the stairs hands clutching the railing, eyes wide open. He must've heard most of it. Although you were not sure how long has he stood there. You closed the door to your room and locked the one to your personal bathroom. Why did you come up here again? You don't know anymore. Your doctor had advised you to take lighter doses of your medicine, they looked proud when you told them you weren't taking them at all anymore just a few months ago. And now, you found your back against the locked door, on your bathroom floor washing the pills down your throat with your own saliva. Dry swallowing them. A series of knocking fell on your bathroom door, damn you for not locking the main one.

"Hey, open the door!" He knocks with futile attempts of moving the handle.

"Go home, Gojo," You stand up from the floor dismissing him boredly.

"Won't until you open this damn door!" He sounds upset now. "I'm fucking calling the SWAT team to bust in here," he calls out your name. Body thrashing against the wooden barrier between you two, you decided to open it. He stumbles in before gaining a steady footing to finally meet your eyes with his blue ones riddled with betrayal? His chests heaves huffing and puffing breaths out of his nostrils. He looks around to the crumpled up foil that used to wrap the meds you just downed in one go.

"When did you take those?" He asks referring to the mess on your bathroom counter.

"None of your business, now go." Your voice betrays you, it sounds hoarse now. Then you feel everything you've consumed in the past few hours coming back up. You ran to the toilet bowl, crouching in front of it. You feel your hair gathered in gentle manner so it doesn't get in the way of your vomiting. Your body was getting weaker by each load you exerted orally.

-

Shoko was pulled back to her doctor duty, fortunately for you, she just happens to have a stetoscope and a pocket flashlight.  The latter being used to perform extraocular exams, giving necessary information regarding your blood-pressure levels.

"This is all you took, right?" Shoko asks, her voice laced with concern. You nod. "Okay, just drink lots of water to flush them out, we don't have to pump your blood then. Don't scare us like that, ever again, fuck I thought—" She stumbles at her words when Gojo put his hand on her shoulder comforting her and signaling he'll take it from there. 

"Sis, you sure you're okay?" Your brother chimes in, not assured with the state you're currently in at all.

"Yeah, y'all should go home now."

"You sure?" The three before you asked in unison.

"Yes, I'm fine, look," You forced out a toothy smile.

"You look like chucky," Satoru says without hesitation. You chucked a pillow his way, Shoko and Suguru's out of your room by now. Satoru still unmoving on the edge of your bed.

"Go home, Gojo." You say more softly now.

"Nah, I'm sleeping over," Your eyes blew open at him. "No shit, you aren't."

"Not in this room you perv, unless you want to, though. But thanks for keeping my old room—"

"Your old room?" You barked out an condescending laugh which Gojo looks up at beaming. That's more like you. "Yeah,"

"Hate to break it to you but that's just a plain ol' guest room, probably haunted, probably got holes on the ceiling. When it rains we won’t need any bucket then, you sleep with your mouth open. That's why Suguru gave it to you,"

"Nice guess, but it was your dad that asked me to stay over." 

"Cap."

"What about your mom?"

"She went home just after Nanami and his mom and others did,"

"The fuck, how long was I out for?" You say rubbing your face with the heel of your palms.

"Long enough to miss them going I guess?" He says shrugging. "Shit, man, that's so embarrassing," 

"Yeah, coulda been worse if I had really called them SWAT guys in," He says opening his lockscreen, and he was telling the truth. He really had their contact displayed showing he almost rang them up. You were taken aback by this, but scoffed instead. 

"I'm all good now, you don't have to stay over," Because despite it all, you could see him for who he truly is. He worries about you, so do you, sometimes. Albeit that knowledge bothers you oftentimes than not.

"And pass up on the opportunity to make my goddaughters happy? No thanks," Right, Sayuri and Suguru bestowed the godparents title to you two. How convenient. He yawns then stands up from your bed, "G'night, dream of me, yeah." He pats your head before heading out.

"Great now I won't be able to sleep because of nightmares," He looks back serving you the last middle finger of the day. 

-

You stirred in your half-awake state when you thought you were seeing things (particularly lanky creature with white hair) in your dreams.

"Nanako, don't run!" He says with a small voice, the man rushed behind with her twin holding a plate of pancakes on the other hand that's currently not holding Mimiko's. You eyes opened wider now, this wasn't a dream.

"Auntie, drink! Doctor Shoko's orders!" Nanako handed a tall glass of water. "Thank you, honey!" You take the glass from her and drank half its content.

"Auntie, we made you pancakes!" Mimiko says taking the plate from Satoru. His hand hovering below the ceramic dish. Upon a closer look the pancakes had everything that you liked in its batter; blueberries and chocolate chips.

"Did you now? Thank you my darlings!" You took a bite and reveled with a delighted noise. "Whoa, I feel soo much better." You beamed at the two proudly, "What bug are you Nana?" 

"Weevil!"

"I'm a moth, auntie!" Mimiko butts in.

“Grandpa bought it for us!” But that doesn’t explain their choice of insects being other than a butterfly or a lady bug, like normal kids their age would. These are Geto babies you’re looking at.

"You guys are soo cute!"

"Oh, come here you two."

"Yeay, bug hug!" The two engulfing you in a group hug, until Satoru decided to join, too. Your palm reached his face and turned it away, "You're a roach, Satoru." While holding in a laugh.

"Yeah, a hot roach," He says tightening the hug making the girls giggle louder. Nanako looks up to the your doorway and jumps off your bed, "Papa!" 

"Heyyy," Suguru picks her up and looks at her. One hand seemingly holding his phone then pocketing it.

"Auntie ate the pancakes and she's all healthy now!"

"Uh uh, be good to her while papa and mama are shopping, yeah. Don't give her a hard time, you two understand?"

Nanako and Mimiko nods in sync and said, "Only give hell to uncle Toru!" To which Satoru pouts and all of you laugh. Sayuri came to the ruckus, Mimiko ran to her arms immediately. "Mama," She whispered timidly against her lower body.

"Are you feeling better now?" She inquires your way. You smiled and answered, "Yeah your girls healed me with their bug magic, speaking of, can I take them to the amusement park?"

"Are you sure? You still need rest, though." Sayuri counters feeling a bit guilty for leaving her kids to you.

You nod, "Positive."

"Alright, enjoy the day, girls! We'll see you later." She kissed each of their crown. "Take care you two," 

"Bye mama, bye papa!" The two walked out together.

-

"Can we try the teacup?" Mimiko looked up at you two with puppy eyes, Hanako followed suit. Satoru looks at you then says, "I'll go with them."

"Tch, I'm fine, I wanna go, too." 

"'Kay, don't blame me if I leave you vomiting over the trash can, tho." You glared at him while he just raises his hands in mock surrender. "Whatever."

The next two rounds seems to be wringing the girls' energy, they looked pretty hungry so you decided to make a stop to one of those themed diner there. Explains the booth style family seat. Mimiko sitting to your left, Nanako to Satoru's right, caging them in.

Satoru noticed you barely ordered any food and frowned. "What you want us to share now? Damn, woman if I didn't know any better I'd think you like me." You rolled your eyes. 

"I'm having early dinner today, don't wanna get too full. By the way, I won't go home with you guys, gotta make a stop at Toji's. His daughter's back in town." His gaze searched yours intently.

"I'll drive you there." He says shortly.

"You don't have to, I told Sayuri I'll only bring the girls here. They're airtagged, you know." You whispered the last part. Satoru backed down at that.

"Fine, but we finish this first, then I'm walking you to your Uber." You groaned then crashed your back to the cushion behind you. Mimiko spared a second-length glance your way before returning to her colouring book.

"How far is the car?" He asks walking alongside you three to the parking lot. He holds Mimiko's left arm, you were holding Nanako's right.

"2 minutes, probably at the entrance, I'll just walk there—"

"No chance, get in, Mimiko and Nanako probably wants to say goodbye first." You followed with a pout. Leading the girls into their seats and buckling their seat belts. 

"Let's make a pinky promise, you two will be asleep once auntie gets home," You offered both your pinky fingers to the girls, they whined in protest. 

"I'll see you two in the morning, mama and papa will probably be tired once they're home, sweetie." Satoru burned his gaze to the side of your head from the driver's door.

"What."

"What." You mocked him. "Just saying that so they sleep early, don't wanna mess up their bedtime. You should go home early, too."

Then your phone notified you that your driver has arrived, the car parked in front of yours apparently. "Oh, it's here, get home safely, girls, Gojo." You bid curtly.

"Call me when you get there!" He shouted once you got into your ride.

-

"You came!" Toji engulfed you in a muscle-loaded hug when you got to his apartment. Giggling briefly then you fixed your face to serious mode. "Where's Megumi?" You asked, suddenly feeling too aware of your surrounding.

"In his flat, Tsumiki's in her room getting ready," He goes back to attack your lips which you reciprocate and deepened by grabbing the back of his hair. Until the sound of sneakers hitting the carpet covered hallway approached. Toji groaned, "Speak of the devil," 

"How was Leicester, Tsu?" You chirped after swallowing a bite. Tsumiki is currently doing an artistic residency abroad, in Leicester out of all place.

"Super fun, and humid. But I like it, makes everything calmer, quiet in a way. I think I'm gonna miss it someday." She says with a faint smile.

"You can always go back." You suggest.

"Yeah, my friends offered to share their flat there."

"Did they?" Tsumiki nodded mid chewing. You hesitantly creaked your head towards the dark haired boy. Gulping. 

"How's your work going, son?" Toji did the honors instead.

"Work's work,"

"The hell that means," He chuckled not prying further, he knew verbal expression is not really his son's forte. Circling back the attention to his daughter, he pops a question.

"What's next for you, Tsu?" 

"Me? I'm not really sure," She says sinking into her seat. "Maybe I'll stay for a bit there then come find work here?" She posed the last part more like a question to herself.

"You wanna work here?" You continued referring to Japan. 

"Thought you'd be more interested in other countries, sweets." Toji adds.

"Yeah, well, if I got the choice then why not?" You three— yes, Megumi included— nodded in collective understanding.

"Well if you're still in the country by January 15th then I can link you up with one of my friends. Utahime, HimeFo, you've heard before?"

"No way!"

"Yeah, you can talk to her there. She collects art pieces, almost all type. She's currently fixated with haiku I've heard."

"You gotta work your way up there, Tsu, don't want you to be a nepo baby or whatever they call it."

"But—"

Your feet nudges his harshly, "Toji!" Which didn't move him at all. "It's not nepotism don't worry, I've seen your works and they're real talent. Understand, Tsumiki?" 

"Spoilin' my kids right in front of me, woman you're unbelievable." He muttered under his breath. "What was that?"

"I thought the Gala's invite only?" Megumi chimes in.

"I just invited her, no? You wanna come, too?" 

"Nah, I'll pass. Don't wanna see you two all up PDA." Heat crept up to your face meanwhile Toji's having the time of his life. 

"Oh, hold on, I got you two a present." You stand up pushing the chair backwards to make way. 

"Hand-warmers! You made this yourself?" You nodded confirming. "Thank you!" She stood up to hug you. 

"Gloves. Thanks." Megumi looked up flashing a faint smile your way. 

"Where's mine?" You glared at Toji. "You're a grown man, you can get your own." The three of you cracked up. Megumi finally warming into the night.

-

You made it home at 11 pm, you went inside expecting the girls asleep. They are, but Gojo was sprawled awake on the couch wearing graphic tee and sweatpants he probably left in Suguru's closet. Phone on the lowest volume, scrolling through tik toks.

"Why're you still here?"

"You didn't call when you get there," He states rather than asnwering. 

"Literally no correlation," 

"The girls are already asleep, Suguru and Sayuri phoned in they'll be back by midnight. I can't leave them alone." Oh, that made sense.

"Okay, thank you, Gojo. You can go home now."

"Why is it that you don't want me here?"

"What?"

"I mean, it's late, you got work tomorrow, no?"

"Forget it, I'll go home once they're back." You sighed and head upstairs, "G'night."

---

Before you know it early December breeze covered the air on your side of town. The weather miraculously moving your limbs to sort your laundry. You never liked having other people helping you, let alone be in an apartment alone with you. So whenever you needed assistance you just called for a session instead of hiring them full-time (they get full-time salary regardless). But this was holiday season, the housekeeping service people are probably back in their town with their loved ones. 

You cringed as you opened your bag containing the stuff you packed to Hawai'i late November. Catching a whiff of the stuff you smoked there, your hands searched the pockets of the surfing shorts you wore while gardening then. You felt nothing in both, turning the lining inside out, empty, nada.

You huffed in irritation, that bitch stole my stash!

The chill really must've seeped into your cranium. Because now you are slamming the door of your car to storm into his apartment. No prior calls whatsoever. 

His housemaid answered your aggression charged doorbell ringing. Opening the door and bowing to you, you were slightly taken aback and bowed back. "Mr. Gojo isn't currently in the house, but please come in, miss." She lets you in without reluctance.

Thank god he hasn't moved, you thought to yourself. Because you could've spam rang someone else's doorbell otherwise.

You're not usually rude when you're in someone else's property. But who cares, he literally broke into your compound like a hobo. Compared to you heading straight for the couch and sitting like you own the place, yours is way tame.

Not much has changed in this place, you noted. The layout, the furniture, hell this very couch last saw you 5 years ago. The glass coffee table housed multiple different magazines you saw from the spine, ranging from Time, Vogue, GQ, Nylon, and the list goes on. Some of them laid open on top as if mid-read. You even recognized all of them, being the fashion aficionado that you are. But these? Most of these are the months you were exclusively plastered on the front cover. If not, you were the topic discussed inside. The Forbes ones caught your attention, these can't be...

Four of the final editor's picks that they had consulted to you, when you made "30 under 30" at the age of 26, before you finally settled on the one where you were sitting on your CEO chair in your office styled in a cerulean Miu Miu blouse, the vintage grey Todd Oldham flare-cut pants, and a pair of fishbone Zanotti’s on your feet. Skyscrapers and a plane passing by being the backdrop. The other three, you'd reckoned were too flashy, making you look unserious and unwelcoming. 

"I'm sorry, I should've cleaned these!" The girl apologized putting the tea that you assumed was supposed to be served to you aside. Quickly stacking up the magazines neatly, by order of the months and publishers. 

"Oh, it's alright, what's your name?" You asked her name to ease the tension.

"Mizuha! It's nice to finally see you in real life, I admire you!" She says with excitement.

"Mizuha, thank you for the tea, I love it." 

"Ayo!" A booming voice interrupts the pure moment shared between the two of you. Who else does it belong to if not the owner of this house.

"You're really solidifying my suspicion, y'know that," You look around, pointing your index finger to yourself, Mizuha excuses herself after taking Satoru's coat to store it away. "Acting all housewife and shit, if I knew you were coming I'd go home early, sweetheart." He says while approaching you. You gave him an annoyed look still unmoving on the couch. Sinking further even.

"You stole my fucking weed."

He feigns a shocked look at your accusation, "ouch? What makes you think it was me?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you were the only person that broke into my compound and coaxed me into sharing my weed with you." 

"Took you that long, huh?" He's wearing that shit eating grin again you wish you could punch the life out of. "Yeah, I finished it so—"

"What the fuck? Are you bulimic?"

"No, the fuck, why would you say that?"

"You're lying, then."

"Give it, back, man."

"Told you I finished it,"

"No way, if you did you would've been seeing god now instead of me. I literally just opened that pack before you barged in, man."

"Might as well do," You hear him mutter but chose to ignore.

"Look, let's buy it again, call Shoko up," He resolves.

"Damn, I forgot you're that ignorant. Told you, shit's seasonal stuff man, the pre-autumn stuff, they hit the best."

"Might they not still have it for stock?"

"We're talking weed here, not KFC seasonal meal package, yeah. It's not available all season, paid big bucks for a reason."

He cackles instead, "Now, I wanna meet her dealer. I mean creating fomo outta weed? That's another level of petty-driven marketing strategy." Now sitting all too close in your space. Well, it’s his house so, he didn't need anyone's permission for anything.

"Thought you were here to surprise me for my birthday, sweetheart." He says sipping his cuppa.

"Don't be ridiculous, you made sure you celebrate your life every other two minutes, no way you can't wait another 48 hours. Childish as hell." You snort. Satoru is grinning ear to ear like a Cheshire cat despite the lack of mischief in his face, you remembered his birthday. He thought.

"Y'know if I didn't know any better I'd think I was walking into a stalker's house right now." You say smugly. Catching him off guard. 

"What?"

"Tch, you're the worst at being subtle you know, people walk in here, first thing they see boom my face in all of these magazines mind you. That not creepy to you?"

"Oh, trust me, there's more to this." You shiver at the thought.

"Oh, god, please don't let me think you have a shrine of me somewhere in here—" Instead of any proper response he just laughs menacingly into his cup while throwing a sideways glance at you. "I'm fucking going home before I come back in an urn, bye." He caught your arm before you could go any further. Making you fall onto him in order to avoid the glass coffee table. 

You two didn't move for one, or two beats too long. Long enough to teleport the two of you to the days you used to go back and forth in each other's apartment, well, mostly his. No maids, no one else but you two. Cooped up on the couch, laptop screen glaring back at you, probably playing the twilight saga. Which movie specifically you couldn't care less, because the heat of your ginger tea had transferred into the friction that is you grinding your lady part onto his lap. Creating slippery steam, you held onto his messy white locks as if he'd disappear if you didn't. The resulting heat helped your lips and his meld into one. Back when you two were each other's safety net. 

"Can't say I'm not enjoying this. But the guy downstairs,” He directs his chin to point downwards, “is saying a lot, sweets." He snatches you back from memory lane to current reality. You got up and smoothed your sweater down, as if the debauched scene from half a decade ago happened in the present. You stormed towards the elevator in bashful silence. Satoru didn't follow this time. Still pretty electrified by the moments that unfolded just seconds ago.

---

"I'm telling you, personal feelings aside, the guy's a weed-snitching-hooligan wearing a Prada two-piece for a guise, dad. Uncanny valley shit. Two things that can be true at the same time." Your father still giving you a doubtful look.

"He could've bought Escobar's entire stash, why would he do that?"

"See, that I don't know, the guy's a damn walking paradox!" You would've said a past repressed-unconfronted-emotionally-charged orb coming back to bite you in the ass, too, but you didn't. 

"What are you trying to say here?" He prods further trying to satisfy his suspicion.

"Put this, dad, he's a borderline barbarian hobo that broke into my compound just last month, climbed my balcony, smoked my—"

"Pause, you were smoking…?" He asks, more curious about the stuff you're smoking instead of the entire predicament.

"Uh, yeah, ashwagandha and those mild stuff," Not that your father was against recreational substance, it's just that you promised Shoko you'd gatekeep the item that's all. Your dad still unconvinced, though.

"Let me cut to the chase here, I know you're trying to turn me against him!" He points a finger accusingly.

"Listen, honey, he's one of the few people that doesn't glaze other people to climb to where he is now. He's genuinely selective about his business partners, his shareholders are top percentile dogs with commendable morale. So is he. We clicked for a reason, I'm telling you." He says slotting a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

"No way, I caught two gen alpha slangs and that's way too many for someone you're age. That can't be a good sign," Your father looks at you in disbelief, all that and that's your only takeaway from him?

"Why not, Mimi and Nana says it all the time." 

"Yeah, and they're 6. Tenth of your age, mind you."

"Whatever,"

"And you're literally bob-marley in Chanel tweed set with how much pot you're smoking. Heard Chanel and Prada goes together."

"Dad I'd rather you not talk fashion,"

"Boo, you bore." Burrying his cigarette butt into the ashtray and heading inside.

—

It was your employee’s turn to be jumpy now, well those of GoJo, too. Board of trustees even more. Satoru was relentless in terms of laying people off, he got his own list cleared already and decided that he would help you do it.

“He’s gotta go, him, him, her, oh and that one, the dusty blue haired emo.” You looked up at him from your monitor, you three were overlooking employee data in your office at the same time. Satoru and Suguru brought their laptops in. Suguru moved the ones Satoru were referring to into a separate tab. And so far, he’s managed to cut 32 people. Your, apparently neo-nazi, editor-in-chief included. Just minutes after he’d set his double-shot frappe with extra whipped cream and caramel on the table. He also almost cut 2 people from your board, by the way, before you and your twin shut him down immediately. Your dad was right, call Satoru anything you want, but a “glazer” is a far reach. And you wonder, might that glucose charged excuse of a potion be the reason?

“Slow down, man, your cream’s deflating, maybe take care of that first.” Suguru was the one who said this, but Gojo’s gaze moves to be fixated on you right now. You threw a pen his way, then the cap your brother’s way. God damn your full-of-implication family.

“Seriously, though, slow down, Gojo.” You say he shrugs. You realized, this is the first time you had seen him all so stern and unwavered in the workplace setting. As opposed to his far from serious demeanor. A certain feeling evaded your gut, you’ve forgotten this feeling existed entirely.

“This is just how I work, y’all are the ones who need to lock the fuck in,” He says taking a wide look at you two. Before hopping back on the grind, looking at a wall trying to come up with something. “Kerry, right that one,” He mutters in a low volume.

“From broadcasting?” You made sure. He nods without looking up.

“Her dad’s a shareholder, though.” Suguru checks looking at you warily. 

“So?”

This went on until lunch came up, “How does eating out sound right now?” Suguru pointed the question to you two whose eyes are still glued to your respective screens. Satoru closed his laptop and stood up, walking to you and offering his hands. “M’lady,” Which you smacked away then strutted out.

You three checked the cafetaria first, no intention of making a stop, a matter of quality control. You saw Megumi, “Fushiguro.” You called out the younger IT guy lining up over the protein section. He turned back, addressing the three of you politely. Gojo was never curious about these Fushiguro guys, but damn did they look like a carbon copy of each other, taking the snarky remarks out of his mouth leaving it slightly agape instead.

“I wasn’t aware goldfishes evolved to live on land, Satoru, close your mouth.” You say turning to the elevator with Suguru in tow.

“That’s your boy toy’s kid? Did he birth him himself?” He cackles at the proposition after catching up to your side.

-

“Chat, am I the asshole for being mad at my co-CEO for not allowing me to have my post meal hazelnut choco-latte crunch extra cream, extra caramel drizzle?” He says looking up at the phone on his free hand then clicking post, after further inspection it seems to be tiktok. You rolled your eyes.

“She doesn’t even have any tiktok, man, y’shawty’s conservative like that.” Suguru snickers.

“That’s what you think,” You both shot a look to him. “Do you two seriously not know that tiktok suggest the usernames of your saved contacts regardless of you agreeing or not?” You haven’t checked your tiktok notifs lately, but made a mental note for later.

Choosing to be the bigger person out of the three, you shifted the conversation back to him. “You literally have family ration of sugar on your left hand, Gojo, you don’t need the extra sugar lest you go feral like this morning.” Pointing at a box of fresh assorted mochi in a clear plastic bag for everyone to see. Suguru agrees.

“Yeah, man, might wanna be careful with your sugar intake. A friend of mine got a limp dick from that,”

“Pssh, my performance is exclusively affected by passion and affection,” When the elevator came to a halt, revealing your office floor. “Andmyproximitytoyoursister.” Satoru adds all at once rushing back throwing himself on the same spot he previously was on the couch. 

You lied, you didn’t wait until you got home to open tiktok. Shit, you forgot to turn your volume down, used to having an entire floor basically to yourself the volume was on the max. “Chat, am I the asshole”, immediately turning your volume down. Catching a glimpse at the engagement, it’s got a million likes and hundreds of thousands of comments and saves already. Suguru looks up from his laptop. Gojo sends him an I-told-you look.

Gojo looks up and smirks at you, “It’s an obligatory, you have to follow me, princess,”

“Hard pass,”

“Why, I'll follow you back.” He starts to fish his phone out of his pocket. “C’mon.”

You don’t know what compelled you, but you did just that. Earning a, ‘strongestsatoru requested to follow you’. Which again, your hand acted to an order not made by your brain, because the username had changed to ‘strongestsatoru - friends’. “You don’t even follow anyone, that’s crazy cocky.”

“Nah, waiting for you to follow me, I always knew you were lurking somewhere,”

“Why are your account private, huh, you a ragebaiter?” He gasps waiting a beat before adding, “Are you these girls who leave diabolical thirst comments under edits of Toji?”

“Tch, I’m not jobless.” You responded vaguely, not confirming nor denying, finally turning your phone off. Suguru mad quiet, because frankly, he’s having the time of his life watching you two bantering right now.

—

After successfully laying off approximately 180 employees from your side and his in total, he insists for you to come to his office now. Paying back the deed. You could’ve really turned that down if it weren’t him convincing you that it’s more convenient to write a joint speech with the both of you physically present, in his office. 

The Gojo heir flashed you a Cheshire cat grin once you came into view, opening and closing the clear door. You’re currently situated in front of him, “What, don’t tell me you were expecting me to bring you your willy-wonka-poop shake extra whipped cream, extra caramel drizzle?”

“No, I was expecting you, sweetheart,” He beams brighter, if that was even possible. “Please, take a seat.” He finally addresses the head of PR of your company, Yuki Tsukomo. A pragmatic yet budding woman, who just nods at him then sets her devices on one of the tables. You sent the same reverence to his side, Miwa Kasumi, a similar persona to that of Yuki’s apparent from the way she greeted you back.

“That’s not necessary nor speech material.” You heeded at the line, ‘...despite this girl’s numerous attempt at blowing the deal,’ He groaned, deleting the sentence. You two were working through google docs. Just when you thought the rest of this would unfold strictly professionally, Satoru sends a copied bunch of punctuations making out a dotted outline of male genitalia. That’s only a few of the many attempts he’s done the past hour now. 

“Just say that we’re both ready to keep the torch of modern media and technology alight,” He takes in your words. Then nods. “Not verbatim, Toru— Gojo,”

“Got it.”

The lack of laxity from other professionals in the room was one of the rare occasions Satoru Gojo grew timid. A stark contrast from his usual scene, neutrally chaotic montages. Great now he bets he’ll sound like a stammering mess proposing a lunch out to just the two of you, as Yuki and Miwa decided to try out the GoJo Tech building cafetaria. You opened your phone to a tiktok notification, ‘strongestsatoru sent you new messages’ on 11.04 am.

“You… you sent me reels on work hours?” You ask in a half offended half disbelieving tone.

“Tiktok! Reels is for lamey old folks, no offense to Mr. Geto, he makes sure to send me one before bedtime. And me, being the attentive son-in-law I am, watches all of them and gives them hearts.” He adds with a (K-idol style) heart fingers.

“That’s besides the point, you were not tuned in and instead you were scrolling through tiktoks! That’s disrespectful,”

“It’s not my fault the supposed-to-be-talkative-bunch of people that is PR people are acting the opposite, coulda sworn I heard eyelids blinking, in this big ass room no less!” You shot him a disapproving look, turning your phone off.

“That’s a subjectively weighed characterization, Satoru,” You pressed sternly, taking a breath. “Is this the reason you were able to lay off that many people that easily? Weighing their displayed behavior and their workplace performance?”

“Okay, first of all I’m sorry for misjudging Yuki—”

“Miwa, too.”

“Miwa, too. But in my defense some people really do put up a facade that so doesn’t suit them it looks painful, y’know,” You got up and put your coat on. “Where you goin’?!” He doesn’t hesitate before following you out.

“Put your coat on, Satoru,”

He says, “Yes, ma’am,” before swerving to the puffer jacket he draped over his chair.

You picked a family style restaurant, again, because they’re the only ones still open in this freezing weather. You looked around at the permanent theme they were aiming for, the pictures on the walls, the warped wallpaper, and the seasonal decorations eager to welcome customers in. You two felt welcomed alright. You just hoped that they were serving an acceptable meal so you can do something about their situation.

You had caught the wind that brought up Gojo’s name and yours back in the kitchen. Proving further the liminality of the whole diner. Not too long after, the teenage girl that took your order came out of the flappy curtains with your food and her grandparents behind her, she held it up for them. You jumped out instinctively out of your booth, feeling like you were still the age of twin nieces currently, trying to beat Suguru on being the gold-star grandchild.

“Eh, Miss Geto, you don’t have to at all,” The girl says full of guilt. Too late, you already held the tray that the grandpa brought out earlier. “Uh, it’s this way, please,” You lead them to your table.

The girl puts down the second tray, “I am really sorry about that—” She tosses her hair back before bowing to your still standing figure, that’s also when you saw her name, ‘Hitomi’. You bowed back, curtly. “Thank you, Hitomi,” Hitomi flinched and her hand fled instantly to her left chest. “Oh!” She exclaims abashedly.

“Please enjoy the meal, Miss Geto, Mr. Gojo.” Before turning her heels from the two of you saving herself from further embarrassing moments to think before bed. “Thank you, Hitomi!” Gojo half-shouts at her retreating figure, which honestly came off as a normal shout in this big and barren of a space. He found himself and you wincing at the echo. You kicked his shin lightly, shaking the table slightly before his palms dulls the effect. “Just eat the damn food, Satoru.”

“Y’know I should take you to these kind of places more often.” You continued setting your cutleries up. “You get to call me Satoru, how scarce of people does a place need to be for you to call me ‘Toru’ again?” He asks teasingly, leaning his chin in his palm. You stopped chewing your croquette.

“How about this, I report you to HR for violation of GoJo Tech’s code of ethics first, for calling me pet names?”

“I— I’m sorry alright, rolls off my tongue easier especially when I see you,”

“You’ve somehow made it worse, Gojo.”

“Ugh, ‘Satoru’, please?” You ignored him.

“Alright, I’m sorry for reals this time, uh, ma’am…?” He adds uncertain about how that might come across. You just gave him a vague look void of any certainty which he took and ran with.

“No way you got a mommy kink! You’ve grown so much!” He claps his palm into his mouth, the other wiping away fake tears under his eyes. “Genuinely, it’s like a second nature to me, old habits die screaming,” He digs into the mille-crepe.

“Hard.”

“Sorry?” He pauses mid-chew.

“Old habits die hard, that’s the proper saying.”

“Well, that’s what Taylor said.” You snort at his first name basis with the singer.

“Yeah, did you go to Eras tour?” He nods.

“In Zurich night two, my friends’ daughter swore there’d be less people there, they were right. Got a good seat, too. You?”

“We went to the one in the country, Nana, Mimi, the whole gang, including my dad. First night actually,” 

“Which seat?”

“Her lap.” He almost spurts his hojicha latte out. “Jeez woman, warn me before you joke next time.”

“I’m telling the truth, here,” You open the ‘Eras’ folder in your gallery. Hundreds of picture and videos you took of miss Swift below the ones you let Satoru go through. You were. There are enough pictures of you sitting on the same couch with the historic Midnights era lavender faux-fur shag jacket draped on you, also Taylor’s very owned toned arms, both of you looking at the camera smiling. There are also ones with the lot of you, then Taylor and the twins alone. Then there’s one where Sayuri took a candid picture of you trying on the jacket yourself, you were in the middle of adjusting your hair that was stuck under the jacket, he took every photographic detail possible to store for himself later. These were the times he wished he can airdrop these pictures to his phone.

“You’re not special, y’know. Look!” Handing you his phone after spending enough time scrolling to last year’s memory. It’s not his fault he loves taking pictures of progress that is himself. He clicked at a group photo with her and his friends daughter to show you. You snort at that. “This is a group pic!”

“Slide to the next ones before you speak, woman.” He says gruffily. You went through 4 group pictures before finding one where he takes a selfie instead with the Evermore singer. The last one was him holding up a friendship bracelet he’d gotten as a gift, you assumed. The beads read ‘CDIWGNLDARTWWSWHG’, you tried to decipher what these letters stood for, the last four leading you to:

_"Cause darling, it was good

Never looking down

And right there where we stood

Was holy ground"

Your surprise song, along with ‘dear reader’.

You knew it was the last of the six pictures in total he took of the occasion— compared to you capturing every breath the woman took— when you wandered too far and stopped at a picture of him shirtless on a floatie on a canal in Switzerland. “I bet you’re gawking at my abs right now, you’re so shameless,” He chuckles diabolically taking the phone after you gave it back.

“What were your surprise songs?”

“Huh?”

“The acoustic portion, the one before she does the stage dive thing,”

“Ohh, yeah, yeah I think the ones I recognized are the one with pots and pans in the intro—”

“Closure?”

“That one, and robin are the only ones I recognized, oh I think it was remixed with the, ’ooh, don’t you ever grow up, dont you ever grow up’ song,” He attempted to put ‘alleged’ melodies to the last portion. Earning the widest smile he’s made you yet.

“That’s literally the title, oh my god. D’you strictly listen to tortured poets department or what?” You ask fighting back a laugh.

“What makes you say that?”

“The black dog and robin are the only song you’re capable of immediately recognizing, don’t tell me you’re a tortured poet!” Your laughter finally broke out now, Satoru could’ve sworn the dimmed bulb flickered brighter. It might just be his visions though.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, s’just that you’ll come off as pretentious and performative like Matthew Healy.” He gasps exaggeratedly.

“Take your 1975 slander somewhere else, please.”

“Gladly, we run a whole established community!” You giggled even more. Then returned to your ground state, remainder of the moment still orbiting your head. You stifled a cough, “Satoru did you take pictures of the food?”

“No, videos, why?”

“You like the food?”

“I like the mille-crepes and the drink,”

“Okay, good, post about them later, yeah, on your tiktok.” You add standing up to pay and thanking the owners and Hitomi for the meal. Satoru didn’t get up right away slipping a few thousand yen beneath the tray once you were out of sight, before bidding them goodbye and following you outside.

You heard the snow crunching hurriedly behind you, you exhaled a frosty breath. “Don’t run Satoru, you’ll slip and die.”

“What if I slip and slide,” He says acting like a figure skater skating on solid ice.

“You’re such a big baby,” You didn’t even get to finish that sentence when his bottom met the snow covered sidewalk with a thud, croaking an “ouch” and he just laid there accepting his fate huffing out a laugh. You couldn’t help but join his breathy laugh, too. “Help me up!”

“No.”

“That’s laughter-tax, I made you laugh so now you have to help me!” You groaned but approached his sprawled figure on the ground eitherway. 

“Y’know in the time you managed to say that you could've gotten up instead.” You lectured him giving out a hand anyway. You knew he was mischievous! You’d slipped, too, almost eating shit if it wasn’t for him quickly pulling you on top of him. Holding you for a second longer, one hand on the nape of your neck, the other on your buttocks. You rolled off of him, he sat up and stood up offering his hands to yours. 

“C’mon, it’s for real this time!”

And so it was, because right now you are a corner away from GoJo Tech building. Still holding hands with each other as if a proprietary right. It lasted until you let go, the company building serving as a reminder of your boundaries. Before you know it, you two made it back to the warmth of his office, Yuki and Miwa still reviewing your speech and waiting for your return. You both set your phone face up on his desk next to each other’s before taking off your coats and putting them away. You snatched your phone competitively and glanced up at him smugly. He raises his hands in mock surrender. You cackled.

You threw your body to the couch, and opened the lock screen. You froze. It was you alright, the morning after thanksgiving, in a group hug with Nanako, Mimiko, and Satoru. “Delete.” You say with finality holding up the evidence.

“What? Why?”

“It has Nanako and Mimiko in here, Sayuri ought to beat our asses if she finds out!”

“Oh trust me I wouldn’t even dare if I didn’t ask their mama first, plus if she were to beat anyone it would just be me.”

Yuki coughed, “Can we circle back to some of the lines you wrote?”

The joint speech was finalized after another 45 minutes of more narrative framing, typo correction, and whatnots. 

“We’re finished here,” Yuki says appointed at you.

“Yeah, let’s go—”

“You guys have something to attend?”

“No,”

“Yes!” You turned your head to Yuki who just shrugs.

“Perfect, Yuki, the company car’s already waiting, right? She’ll be going with me, we have something to talk about.” He says with a polite smile.

“Okay, I should get going.” She excuses herself.

“The fuck?!” You say to him.

“I’ll drive you home,” Gojo says searching for his keys in his desk and tidying the stuff on it briefly.

“I’m afraid that is not necessary at all.”

He ignores you and holds open the glass door ahead of you, “M’lady.”

“That’s polite, right? No HR code red this time.”

You couldn’t help but laugh lightly at this. Cruising your way forward you made an exit with your arms crossed towards the elevator. Behind you, Satoru closes the door and did a silent celebratory gesture with his hand.

In the basement parking lot, he holds open the door to the passenger seat once again. You roll your eyes teasingly making him grin.

The drive was quiet, you would say better than you expected. The peaceful rhythm within the car was not shared with the city due to his tinted windowpanes, however you two were able to overlook the passing scenery of a slightly less busy city, approaching holiday season.

A “come to my birthday party,” a gentle cajole was weaved briefly into the silence. Your immediate response was a soft, “hm?” Your lack of bemusement takes you aback briefly.

“Tomorrow night, Infinity room.” He adds, mentioning his highly esteemed friends and invite only club. “Suguru will be there,”

“That’s a no-brainer,” To which he chuckles boyishly. “I’ll think about it, Satoru.” He grins wider this time, searching for anything other than genuinity in your eyes. None. A warm feeling spreads through his sternum. “Eyes on the road.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Before the two of you know it, you arrived in front of your apartment building. The both of you taking the seat belts off, “I’ll walk you up.” Satoru says without stopping what he’s currently doing, strangely you don’t find it in you to protest. Getting out of the car at the same time.

The doorman opens the door and bows to the both of you. You two walk inside side by side. Taking the elevator upstairs, he clicks the button to your floor without hesitance. You gulp, trying to push down whatever feeling is trying to replace you usual triviality. Your door greets the both of you. Odd how the owner of this unit is as nervous about approaching the inside as much as Gojo is right now. And Satoru Gojo, does not get nervous.

You typed in the passcode to your home, Satoru’s reflex was to look away. The door finally opens, revealing a time capsule, to Satoru at least. He hesitates for a beat, your body language welcomes him in. A sense of safety between the two of you takes every word you contemplate to tell him. You led your stride inside, Satoru pries his shoes off at the entrance hallway, the ping of the door protects whatever event is about to happen inside your home from the outside world. 

Satoru stands awkwardly near the sofa instead of sitting on it like a normal person. A flash of amusement lifts the corner of your lips, “You can sit down anywhere you’d like, Satoru,” You’d say from behind the kitchen island. Sit down he did, stiffly, back up straight as opposed to his usually playful ploy.

Finding himself acclimatized again with this entire predicament, he stood up and began walking towards you in the kitchen. Not without taking in the visible details of your apartment and matching it with the ones he has stored in memory. Your question broke his trance, “What d’you want to drink? I got, er, I don’t know, say your pick and i’ll tell you if i have it.” You say with your attention fully zeroed on the content of your drink shelf in the fridge.

He shots up and thought for a second, “Mogu mogu?” And continued thinking, that was the most you’ve talked to him outside of business. 

“Melon, apple, or lychee?” You say now looking back, holding the fridge door open. He pretends to think for a second.

“Lychee,” You threw it at him he catches it and muttered a curt ‘thanks’. Before unlocking the cap and taking a sip. “I friggin’ love these.” To which you only spare him a glance, busying yourself with your own drink you’re holding.

A few minutes pass and Satoru found himself even more relaxed, not that there were any reason to not be in the first place. You were on your phone, scrolling mindlessly back and forth through the message app and refreshing your socials. Satoru decides to walk around again, sensing the stool he was on moving you look up briefly and bit the bottom of your lips.

“You’re not gonna find a shrine of you or anything, y’know,” You say teasingly at his figure that’s currently standing a few feet away.

Satoru found himself wearing his usual impishness more comfortably, “Aw damn, that’s exactly what I was looking for!” You both chuckle at this. A ping from your phone took both of his attention and yours. You look down, an image attachment from Tsumiki. “Toji?”

“Close, Tsumiki.” He cocks a brow inquisitively. “His daughter,” you add without looking up. She sent you a picture of her wearing the hand-knit handwarmer you gave her, the follow up chat bubble reading, ‘my friend asked where i got it, when i told them you made it for me they thought i was gatekeeping’ to which you responded, ‘no way, haha’

She types again, ‘no srsly thank u sm, im gonna post a pic on insta to make more ppl jealous 👹’

‘i love these n i love youuu<3333’

‘as you should!’

‘luv u too darling<33’

“Wait, he’s a girldad, too?” You giggle at his immediate response finally looking up.

“Yeah, never really in the country, plus he doesn’t really like his kids in the public eye, so,” You feel like showing a picture of the girl was the only appropriate step. He gallivants back to the kitchen.

“Now that’s balanced, bet she looks more like her mom, the boy in your company—”

“Megumi,”

“—yeah, that one, is a carbon copy of that man it’s kinda offensive.” You giggle.

“Yeah, her mom’s gene gave up when it came to him, but his eyes tho, those are his mom’s for sure.”

“Yeah?” He chirps before reluctantly asking, “Do you know where she is now?”

“She passed away from blood-cancer when the kids were younger,” You lead carefully, making sure your verbiage held the same reverence you feel for the woman you never met. Satoru caught your gaze in comprehension.

“She raised them well, Toji, too,” Satoru clears his throat.

“Can you like, uh, go by yourself tomorrow. It’s kinda friends only, lowkey…” He confesses a bit distraught. Your lips let out a small laugh.

“Of course,” He grins at this, “Toji’s shooting his new movie.” You add playfully making him scoff.

--- 

Satoru’s Birthday Party

You were glad you had knitted a cozy maroon scarf for him the day after you confronted him about stealing your weed. On top of that, you’d bought him a 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vinyl after that little conversation you had in that diner. He was born in 1989 anyway.

You decided to put on a dusty green cashmere long sleeve, a tight fitting one, with a choker collar, exposing your dainty necklace with your initial on it. A mid-thigh jean skirt covered your lower half after you’d put on a pair of tight dark leggings. Not without a tan trench coat and an egg yolk colored scarf providing your neck warmth. 

You walked inside with Shoko and Utahime, the three of you driven to the precinct by the brunette’s driver. Once you got inside, there were people receiving presents from the arriving guests. Shoko and Utahime handed theirs but you insisted you’d gave it to him yourself saying, “It’s a vinyl record, wouldn’t want it to bend.”

Shoko and Utahime threw each other a knowing look, internally losing their minds. 

“Excuse me, Miss Geto, Miss Ieiri, Miss Iori, good evening. You three are invited to Mr. Gojo’s treehouse, we give out these bracelets for those who do.” The three of you held back a scoff at the ridiculous stunt he was pulling but lent out your right wrists for them to put the band eitherway.

Once you were in, your gaze gandered around the blue, green, and red lit ballroom. Your two friends immediately dragging your hands, heading to the bar. Getting nearer the counter you noticed a spiky haired boy, and both of his friends that you’d gave lunch the other day. “I think I see Toji’s kid here guys,”

Shoko frowned, “where?” Utahime also looks at you now.

“There, let me check,”

“Yeah, but come back here!” Utahime warned, you gave them a thumb up and approached him.

“Megs?” You blurted as a reflex. The boy turned his head to your direction, his two friends waved you hi which you returned warmly.

“Yes?”

“You’re aware this is an invite only party, right?”

“Yes.” He says now with his attention fully on you.

“Does that mean?” You question carefully making him sigh and put his drink down.

“He invited me through them, had to come as a courtesy. Gonna be my boss eventually,” You grinned with pride.

“Have fun you three!” You bid them goodbye and returned to your friends.

Just when you were about to settle back to the stool where you’d put your present on, a guy with a lanyard approached the three of you. Well, just you, “Excuse me, Miss Geto,” You turned towards him.

“Mr. Gojo would like to see you in the treehouse,” You heard your two friends scoff.

“Me?” 

“Yes, it’s this way, please follow me.” You did after glancing at your two friends with confusion.

A treehouse it was, a medium wood cottage with stairwell leading up to it, decked with neon LED light despite clashing starkly with the bleak nature of the infrastructure. You’re certain this is just the facade. The guy who brought you here led you inside. The sound of freshly mixed music, mainly Pitbull greeted your ear. You found Nanami conversing with Haibara, they noticed you and greeted you, you returned it.

You found yourself once again taking in the sight before you, not feeling out of place at all despite this famously not being your scene. But it was Gojo’s for certain. The more you wandered, you were suddenly swallowed by the crowd swarming the DJ Table. You’d focused on getting your footing sturdy when the crowd managed to bump you further inside just enough for you to look up at who was manning the turntable, is that—

“Dad??!” You managed through the loud music. The latter won obviously. You fought through until you stood right in front of the platform. Your dad having the time of his life. Glasses on and a headphone held to one of his ear. He was surrounded by Suguru, Satoru, and other people which you didn’t pay attention to. So did they, apparently, eyes closed, body bumping against each other, bouncing as if this was the boiler room. You shouted again, “Dad!” Suguru was the one who saw you and tapped your dad to look at you.

He put his headphone down and greeted you, “Hey, sweetie!” Now slightly leaning to you over the table.

“I thought you had back pain?”

“Nah, nothing a lil Pitbull can’t fix,” he says waving you off. One of his arms took Satoru, “Satoru here, keeps me young,” He patted the man’s chest then. “Thank you, son.” He ruffled his hair and gave it a peck. Satoru grinned and escaped it making his way around the table to reach you. Jumping down from the platform and leading you away from the crowd.

You stood in front of each other once you did. He looks dashing in his baby blue satin shirt top three buttons undone, revealing his chest glistening with a layer of sweat. He’d pair it with dark blue slacks. “You came,” He managed, beaming at you his breath fanning your face. You nod and handed him the paper bag.

“Happy birthday!”

“For me?”

“Nah, bought it for Mizuha.” You joked, he shoved you playfully. He finally opened the bag and took the vinyl out.

“I was born in 1989!” He quoted the singer immediately, which you giggled. He inspects the item closer, finding your little note that read, ‘happy birthday to the co-ceo of tortured poets department, p.s dont be so tortured;)’. The man is giddy and it’s not because of his booming party.

“But I think Charlie Puth is kinda underrated, don’t you think?” You looked up in slight panic, does he prefer a Charlie vinyl instead? He held back a grin at you frowning.

“Huh?” You blurted then meet his playful blue orbs. 

“But I guess I have to stop being so tortured then.” He fessed, finally grinning ear to ear. You caught the reference then smacked him lightly. Both of you letting out a free laugh, loud enough to reach each other’s ears. He searched the paperbag once again pulling out the scarf.

“Uh, do you like it?” You asked timidly feeling blood rushing to your cheeks. He was busy unraveling the article and marvelling at it then, “You don’t have to accept  it if you don’t want—”

“Fuck off, this is so cool, you made this yourself?” He says in disbelief. You mentally thanked the red lighting of the room because if it weren’t for it, you’d look as red as a steamed crab by now. “Thank you.” He says with genuinity.

He asked if you were drinking once you got to the bar inside the treehouse. “I don’t drink.” As you shake your head in refutal. He nodded with no hesitation and called the bartender.

“2 virgin cosmos, please.” Which caught you off guard.

“You can drink, I’m no party pooper.” You say feeling a little guilty.

“I can be a mule,” He takes the glasses and hands the one to you, “Your mule.” He adds while offering his glass, “Cheers?”

“Cheers!” You took a sip and returned your sight back to the crowd. Your dad still manning the DJ plates, it’s a song from Charli XCX playing now, party 4 u. Now it got you wondering, ‘when did he have the time to learn all this?’, then ‘since when does he listen to charli’, and ‘was he going to raves all this time instead of the speakeasies like you thought?’. Shaking your head and huffing out a ridiculed laugh, Satoru turned his attention to you with a weirded out expression.

“A treehouse, really? What are you? Five?” You teased making him grin.

“I’d like to be forever young, I mean, look at your dad!” Making you both laugh and you gave him a playful eyeroll.

Once you two finished your drinks, Satoru spoke, “Hey, wanna get out of here?” He asks intently.

“Why? It’s your birthday.” Which he waved off.

“Had plenty of these already, will have them some more. C’mon,” He says body facing the exit. “Plus I wanna listen to these,” he lifted the bag, referring to the vinyl.

Once you got downstairs, 21 Savage welcomed you back and bid you with his song ‘rich xxx shit’. Satoru dragged you through the sea of people and reached the final exit. He nodded at the valet once you two were outside. You paused to think.

“You’re not drunk or anything, are you?” He shakes his head and said ‘nope’ popping the p.

“Coke? Ket?” He shakes his head once again. “Okay.” 

This was the other side of the building, less paparazzi outside. Hence why his hand that held yours hasn’t loosened a bit until he walked you to his stone gray metallic speedster, holding the passenger door open.

He hopped onto the driver’s seat and put your present in the back seat, securing it with a seat belt which you found ridiculous and laughed at.

“What? It’s got my scarf and taylor.” He says proudly before driving away.

You felt your body sinking into the seat. Looking out the window, “where are we going?” You asked softly, still zeroing on the night outside.

“Home.”

“You know other roads to my home or?”

“No.”

“We’re going to my home.” He adds, a part of him worried that you would turn him down.

“Okay,” You convinced yourself you two were only going to check out the vinyl. You had told Toji beforehand, so if any pictures came out of tonight, you’d informed him yourself. He’s never the jealous type either, hopefully so, he’s an adult.

Satoru returned his focus back on the road, chest warm with relief.

“What d’you want to drink?” Satoru asks once you got inside and he’d put down his vinyl on the couch.

“Uhm, water’s fine.” You walked towards the couch to sit on it. He put 2 tall glasses of water before walking away leaving you staring out at the night sky from the opened curtain of his giant window. A trolley being rolled near you caught your attention, the vinyl player.

He opened the plastic wrapper and stuck your note to his pant pocket without you noticing. He hadn’t either, it was an instinct more like. He played the first one and walked to sit next to you, a gift bag distance away from each other before he put it on the coffee table and took the scarf once again. Styling it in multiple ways, making you laugh. Welcome to new york was playing in the background. You two talked about nothing and everything, the topics circling back and forth to taylor swift, friends, your twin nieces, ridiculous stunts he’s pulled in the past 5 years, your employees. He halted the conversation when he heard the drums of shake it off fill the air and shot up. He’s lipsyncing now, one hand holding an air mic to his mouth and the other offering for you to take.

You’re both standing and dancing to the lyrics now. The sound of your laughs filling his apartment once it moved to the next one. You drank some more of your water, so did he. An hour or some passed, the vault tracks finally playing now.

Now that we don’t talk’s first few synth overcame the two of you, you both gulped, glancing towards the player. Returning to the conversation, the song progressed.

_”I miss the old way, 

You didn’t have to change

But i guess i dont have a say

Now that we dont talk”

This song had been one of the most prominent song since you’ve first heard it when it was first out. The lyrics making your mind associate it with the man next to you now. Your breath hitched subtly when you realized both of your bodies stuck to each other. Weirdly enough, you didn’t feel like you had to move, though. So did he. 

_"What do you tell your friends we Shared dinners, long weekends with Truth is I can't pretend it's Platonic, it's just ended"

You mumbled the lyrics quietly, void of the familiar ache you thought would take place. Taylor had a knack for putting joyful beats over heartwrenching lyrics.

It was past midnight when the last song rolled away. The faint sound of the record spinning took place. You both found yourself exhaling with a sense of fondness.

“D’you wanna stay over?” He asks carefully. Startling you despite how gentle he posed and phrased it. “I’ll drive you home if you don't want to.” He adds, chest heavy with slight disappointment. You weighed his question some more, surprised at the part of you that wants to say yes. You nodded.

“That’s okay— wait” 

-

He’d handed you your clothes and a spare towel which you accepted quietly with internal panic. Not that the shirt wasn’t initially his, the pajama pants were certainly yours though, with the hello kitty prints. You had changed into them once you were out of the bathroom, the one in his room. He was already changed into pajamas too, scrolling on his phone with his back against the headboard. Looking up at you, then standing up about to walk away.

“Where are you going?”

“The couch?” He says pointing outside with his phone holding hand.

“That’s mine,” you countered. “I called dibs.” You added jokingly.

“No can do, lady, a gentleman would never let a lady sleep on his couch meanwhile he sleeps comfortably on his bed. I’m the gentleman.” He answers diplomatically. You snort.

“No chance, Satoru, I crashed your home and sleep on your bed while you sleep on the couch like a hobo?”

“That sounds familiar,” you scoffed and shoved him playfully, both of you grinning. “Well I’m not letting you sleep on the couch either, so,”

You huffed, “just take the bed, i’ll take the other side.” You then shoved him back into the bed. Taking your phone off his charger on the nightstand.

“Hey!” He screams, pretending to be offended making you giggle. He noticed you weren’t looking, so before you know it, he pulled you to fall into the bed. You screeched, giggling louder. You fell on your side of the bed.

You stared at the ceiling, pondering about nothing your hands playing with the blanket. You feel Satoru laying on his side fixating his baby blues at you. You let it on for a moment before smirking, “go to sleep perv”

“Am i not already? Feels like I’m in a dream,” you turned your head briefly at him, he was musing your features shamelessly. You huffed then snorted. “S’not like i got work tomorrow.”

You turned your back to him, closing your eyes. Before you could process a hand snaking on your waist, he pulls you flush against his chest. Disrupting your breaths for a few seconds. You couldn’t manage a single word. “Can you let the birthday boy have this again? Just this one night please.” He pleads into your hair.

You contemplated, he doesn’t look like he’d budge if you say no either. You nod. He pulls you in tighter, like you could slip away into the air at any moment. You both fell asleep like this.

The morning sun rolled in from the gap between two curtains and the gap of it between the floor. The lights bounced on the reflective surface below until it reached your eye. Satoru really hadn’t moved at all, except for his feet tangling with yours somewhere in the night. Odd. You could remember waking up with his feet on your face— oh my god shut the fuck up. The demented thought woke your eyes fully, you carefully removed his arm and stepped down. You looked at his peaceful face and smiled faintly to yourself then walked outside. 

Satoru woke on his back, he knew it was a dream!

Rubbing his eyes he groans annoyed, throwing the covers off of himself. He storms lazily towards the kitchen to drink water. Your figure slouched over your phone lost on him from the way he straight up yanks the fridge door open. ‘Does he wake up grumpy now that he’s older’ you silently thought to yourself.

He opens a bottled water with unnecessary force then slammed the door close. Chugging the bottle then turning his body to you, “You twisted your neck in your sleep or what”

He shouted, you winced. “Fuck i forgot you were here!” You shrug.

“I ordered take out, your kitchen looks too much like a prop kitchen.” He scoffs. “Seriously, you couldn’t put fake sauce bottles to make it look convincing or something?” You taunt playfully.

“Why? did you want to cook here or something?” Satoru being Satoru, he threw your questions back at you smirking. “I’m convinced you wanna play housewife for me at this point.”

“Whatever.” You say with an eyeroll.

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