->Here youâll find mostly smaus, reader insert and character ship reblogs, occasional writing, plus brain rot to cope with canon events- because yikes.
->Life is hard as an adult and Iâm enjoying the smau format more lately.
->Semi inactive due to adult life so no post schedule.
#Elleâs Brain áááą is all my little plot bunnies and ramblings
đž Part of @maplewood-valleyđž
âą JJK Masterlist âą Series âą smau list âą Love & DeepSpace âą
Most Divider Cred: @saradika-graphics and @thecutestgrotto
đF!reader, pet names: (pip/squeak, my girl, sweetheart,) suggestive but not smut, fluff, hurt/comfort, brief miscommunication and lots of groveling but it works out.đ
Notes: I struggle with editing. This is totally separate from canon bc Iâm heartbroken. Itâs also my first lads fic, Iâll ALWAYS be a Sylus girlie but Caleb broke my brain for a minute đ
Poll for a possible part 2 -> Taglist signup for part 2
Caleb joining the DAA wasnât the problem at handâŠNo, it was the fact that you were going to be separated. Spending his last night before he leaves wrapped around each other like you always did when things were tough was the best comfort you could get.
âIâm gonna miss you so much, do you really have to go?â This was going to be the longest youâve ever been apart since you were kids, and even worse, he wasnât allowed to have his phone.
This wasnât any easier on him but he couldnât just back out. âIâll be home before you know it, donât worry too much.â Caleb brushed the hair from your eyes and held you closer, âplus, you get to have six months free of my constant nagging.â
That was absolutely the wrong thing to say, the tears you were holding back finally fell. Your hands that were originally wrapped around his waist were now at his chest, between your bodies and fisted tightly in his shirt. âBut I love you and your nagging!â You inhaled like you were suffocating. Perhaps you were, under the weight of his impending absence.
âShh I know, I love you and being a pain in your ass.â That earned him a wet chuckle. âI swear, as soon as Iâm home Iâll fulfill my promise and I wonât leave your side. Youâll never have to worry again, about anything.â A soft kiss to your temple solidified his vow.
It took you a few long moments before you were able to get in a proper breath and process what he said. âYou made a promise?â
âDonât remember? Hm that wonât do. Think back to when you were 18, and that boy you had a crush on rejected you and broke your heart.â
âIâd prefer not to remember that, actually.â
âBut remember after? When you still hadnât come home by dinner and I found you alone at the park?â Large hands ran down the length of your back to help soothe you while he spoke.
Youâre still lost but itâs coming back to you. Confessing to your crush in the park was supposed to be perfectâ except he not only rejected you, but he made fun of you. You could respect rejection, but the way he humiliated you and made a scene wasnât something you wanted to think about. âThat day was awful.â
âYou were so upset. I wanted to beat him to a pulp but you didnât want to be alone. Remember what I told you? The pinky promise we made? Itâs only been four years you know, Iâd hope your memory isnât that bad yet.â
The moment flooded you then with a gasp, âYouâll never be alone as long as I live sweetheart, and when itâs time, when I finally graduate and become a pilot, I swear Iâll marry you myself to prove it.â And at the time it made you giggle, because surely he was just joking to cheer you up, right? âYou meant it?â
Caleb chuckled and lifted your chin to look at you directly, âof course I did, itâs always been you and me. Donât you know that?â
A fresh wave of tears formed as you surged forward to meet his lips with yours- and stopped out of embarrassment before you could make contact. âSorry, I didnât- I think Iâm just being emotionalââ
But the space between you closed once again and before you could overthink it, Caleb was kissing you the way heâs wanted to for years. His lips were all consuming and tender. His palm cupped your face like it was glass and you couldnât resist running your fingers through his hair. Kissing Caleb felt like home, like everything was right.
He tried to break away to bring you both air but you refused to let him, instead pulling him closer and closer until he was on top of you, spreading your legs to accommodate his size. âSlow- slow down, you still need oxygen.â You shook when he started dragging his kisses down your throat, letting out soft moans when gentle sucks were left behind.
âC-CalebâŠâ
He pulled back and grew tense as if he was afraid he scared you away, âwhatâs wrong, you tired?â He was trying to give you an out if you wanted it.
You were certain your cheeks were flushed, you shook your head. âI want⊠moreâŠâ
Caleb groaned and buried his face in your neck âyouâre killing me, Pip.â
Had you said something wrong? âSorry- I didnât mean to make you uncomfortable⊠Iâll just-â you loosened your arms from around him, thinking you somehow embarrassed yourself yet again.
He stopped you. âYouâre not going anywhere, sweetheart. Youâre killing me because you have no idea how badly I want you; how long Iâve wanted you.â
âReally?â Having someone like Caleb love you was the best feeling, but him being attracted to you left you wanting him even more.
Deciding to just show you, he ground his hips into yours. And god, it felt good against you. Just that little bit of contact felt better than anything you ever achieved on your own. âYouâre-â hard went unsaid. He grunted when you spread your legs wider for him. âYeah, I am. And if you want me, then you have me. But you canât take it back, so if youâre not ready for that commitmentâŠâ
âCan I tell you a secret?â
âThis really isnât the time for thatââ
âShut up, itâs important.â He sighed and let you continue. Your arms dropped from his neck to hold his face in your hands, brushing the stray hairs from his face. âThat guy I had a crush on? I only liked him so much because he reminded me of you. So Iâm yours, too. If you want me, then you can take me.â
Words were lost on him so actions took hold, âare you sure?â His kisses resumed their path after meeting your lips, the room grew hotter with each new brush against your skin.
âI trust you, Caleb,â you had no idea your neck was so sensitive, your gasps talking for you. âbut I should let you know Iâve never done this before.â
âIâd kill anyone who ever touched you if you hadâ
âIsnât that hypocritical? Should I hunt down your past lovers?â You worked his shirt over his head, the dog tag necklace you gave him mere hours ago dangled in front of your face.
He chuckled and discarded your top, your sleep shorts were next. âItâs funny how you think Iâd ever want someone that isnât you.â His revelation hit you full force: he loves you so deeply, thereâs truly no doubt to have. âIâd never do this with anyone else.â
Two things happened that night: your bond was solidified, and unbeknownst to you, a life was created
The goodbye was brutal the next day, already missing him terribly before night fell again.
You managed to fall into a routine, though. You would go to work, occasionally spend time with friendsâ Tara spent the night with you at least once a week to keep your mind off of things; and the days she didnât you laid in bed desperately wishing he would be by your side.
Your routine was solid, until a month into your separation when you were sick almost every single day. You were fed up by the time a week passed and the day after that you made your way to visit Zayne- who congratulated you because in his words, âhe and his wife were expecting as well, perhaps theyâll be friends, too.â Finding out you were pregnant without Caleb with you was difficult, there wasnât a way to reach him and share the news.
But you werenât alone anymore. You spent the time you felt lonely talking to your baby now, who definitely couldnât hear you yet but that didnât matter. You were kept company with a perfect blend of you and your Caleb.
According to the official statement released last week Caleb would be home any time today, any minute, any second.
The anticipation left butterflies in your tummy, your baby moving with your nerves. It didnât occur to you that he might not be happy to be a father, that you mightâve been presumptuous that heâd be ready to care for another life so soon.
And when the door flew open, as much as you wanted to jump into his arms (carefully, of course,) you held your breath and waited for him to notice. And of course, because he was your Caleb, it was right away. His happiness and relief fell away to shock andâ was that anger? You didnât expect angerâŠ
âWelcome home, Iââ
âWho else has been here?â
âWhat? I mean Tara has been keeping me company a few times a week but thatâs it.â
âWhat man has been in our home, pipsqueak.â He didnât phrase it as a question, just a demand. Heâs never been so terse with youâŠ
His tone made you anxious, âNo one, other than Zayne and his wife for dinner occasionallyâ Caleb what are you talking about?â
Caleb dropped his bag on the floor with a thud, still not moving from his spot. âIâm talking about the fact that I came home after six months and you didnât seem to miss me at all, nothing like the way I missed you. How else would you be pregnant? So who is he? Someone from the Hunters Association?â
Oh⊠he thought⊠âOh my god how could you think- Iâd never cheat on you Calebâ EVER how could you even thinkââ
âWell, I certainly couldnât have knocked you up in the time Iâve been away.â
A knife cut through you at his words, the accusation, the betrayal of thinking youâd ever be with anyone else. And how vulgar it was⊠Did your first time mean so little? Was it something he just wanted to get out of the way before he left? A sob escaped you, tears spilled over. âYouâre an asshole, Caleb.â
His eyes went wide, âIâm the asshole here?â
âYes! Youâre a fucking asshole! I expected you to be shocked but accusing me of cheating on you? Thinking that night was nothing? Thatâs low. I canât believe you!â
âThat night means everything to me!â
âAsk me how far along I am! Go on, fucking ask!â
That stopped him short, âyou mean?â
âSIX MONTHS!â Standing there while he dropped to his knees was barely satisfying. âGod I canât stand you right now! You mustâve lost your damn mind and all your common sense!â
His silence was angering you further, stomping off to the kitchen for a drink of water and trying to calm down was a better use of your time; crying from this much stress wasnât good for you.
Once he gathered himself he followed you, âSweetheart⊠youâre telling me that nightâŠâ
âFinally used your brain, did you?â
âIâm so, god Iâm so sorry. I donât know what came over me.â His hand reached out to bring you in for a hug but you denied him.
âDo. Not. Touch me.â His audacity made you seethe. No way were you going to give in so easily no matter how much you desired to be in his embrace and reassured.
âSweetheartââ
âYouâre sleeping on the couch. We can decide what to do later.â
His emotions began to overflow, the guilt crushing him; the ring in his pocket practically burning into his flesh. âDecide what?â
âDecide if I should even let you stay.â Your throat felt tight but you continued to hold your sobs back. âYour dinner is in the oven by the way, itâs your favorite so I suggest you donât let it burn.â
A few hours rolled around before he couldnât hold himself back anymore hearing your sniffles. You hadnât eaten dinner, who knows if you had any water, and no matter how (rightfully) mad you were, you still needed to eat.
Grabbing a few of your favorite snacks with a glass of juice instead of the untouched dinner he put in the fridge was his safest option, unsure if seeing the meal would upset you further.
âPip squeak? I know youâre awake.â Crouching by your side of the bed and setting the snacks on the nightstand, âplease talk to me?â
âGo away.â
âYou know I canât do that, you have to eat something.â
You poked your head from the blanket, âoh so you care now that you know itâs yours?â
The jab was deserved but it still earned a wince. âIâd still care even if they werenât.â
âHow noble of you. Sticking around to raise a kid thatâs not yours before I even have a ring.â
âWho said I didnât have a ring?â This time you accepted the comfort of his hand brushing your hair behind your ear and gently cupping your cheek.
Curiosity was a bitch, but you werenât ready to forgive him yet. âYou were really mean.â
âI know, Iâm so sorry, sweetheart. So sorry. I canât imagine you being with anyone else but I didnât expect to come home to a family eitherâ and Iâm beyond happy to be a dad. Itâs not an excuse though, never okay to talk to you like that.â
A few leftover sniffles came before he pulled a tissue from the box on your nightstand, opting to dry your tears himself. âBlow,â He said, holding the tissue to help you blow your nose; then offering you the straw of the juice so you could hydrate.
âI missed you so much, I thought youâd still be happy to see me.â
âIâm over the moon, actually. But I hurt my girl, gotta make things right. Think you can forgive me? Iâll earn it forever.â
âCaleb if you ever, I mean ever, speak to me like that again I wonât hesitate to let you talk to the front door. Youâll be out.â
âIâll cut my tongue out myself.â
âSo dramatic as always.â You rolled your eyes, âyou mentioned a ring?â
A smile lifted the corner of his mouth, âthereâs my girl. You sure you still want it? Or should I earn it first?â He dug into his pants pocket to show you anyway.
âIt wouldnât hurt your efforts.â
He couldnât help but chuckle fully before presenting the velvet box to you, âIâm pretty close to the ground but if you sit up for me Iâll get on one knee.â
Sitting up to stretch was good for your back anyway, âI think Iâve waited long enough.â
The velvet box opened and your jaw dropped, âpicked it out in Skyhaven. Gideon and I helped the elderly owner of a small shop with some boxes he was struggling with in front of his door. Knew it was perfect right away, gorgeous and one of a kind like you.â
âYouâre ridiculous, but I love it.â He slid it on your finger and sealed it with a kiss, and you fell into his arms like youâve wanted to for the last six months.
Pulling away after many minutes of hugs, âI love youâsâ and kisses wasnât welcomed by you. âNow, how âbout some dinner? I donât think snacks are enough, they were backup. Gotta keep you healthy.â
âDid you like it?â
You were pulled to your feet and carried out of the room. âDidnât eat without you, sweetheart. Having dinner without you and the baby felt empty.â
âGood. You can reheat it then.â You waited for the perfect moment to drop your bombshell, which happened to be when he was carrying a full glass pitcher of water for the table. âWeâre having a daughter, by the way.â
The pitcher fell so fast his evol barely managed to catch it before glass hit the ground. It left you feeling smug.
You couldnât help but cackle at his shocked spluttering, âA WHAT?â
Iâm so flattered, Iâve never had so many people interested or had a taglist this long: @pixelcafe-network @kentochronicles @sashisuslover @lunia-likes-pomegranet @elli4ever @mysssticc @kaemaybae @kamisatoaiko @midiplier @jamseashell @llamabois @boba14 @crimsonspring @angrychinchillanoises @ali-shiii @kazbae95 @ifistoptherain @c-I-stinnett @nephelesthoughts @etherealzi @jjoppees @keithkoganeirl
I feel like if toji and his wife (you, the eventual mamaguro) was struggling with infertility, he would be at an absolute loss for what to do. He definitely thinks itâs his fault, reassuring you that you arenât the problem, but secretly telling himself itâs him. After all he has been through, he never thought a family would be possible for him but if itâs with you, he wants it so bad.
He only recently got a regular job as a mechanic, no way you guys can afford IVF between both of your incomes. So you track your ovulation cycle down to the day, even the hour; and every month when the tests are negative youâre both devastated. Maybe his face doesnât show it, but itâs comes out in his action. Toji becomes clingy, refusing to leave you alone afterwards because maybe if he hovers enough he can fix everything. He can protect you from the heartbreak if heâs right next to you, ready for comfort.
It takes 3 years after you got married for it to happen. He doesnât understand how people donât care for their babies, itâs eye opening exactly how cruel his clan is. He already loves his child, his blessing, and he canât imagine not being connected. How had his clan become a group without love?
Toji never had anyone to love him as a child, so when those two little pink lines come up on the 10 tests (just to be sure before an appointment) donât blame him if he cries from relief. Your blessing is coming.
Might need to expand on this but ik itâs a sensitive topic. Also Mamaguro doesnât die, I refuse to not give that poor man a happy ending.
I donât know whatâs happening in the JJK community right now, and I donât want to know, but Iâd really like to escape life in peace without drama on my dash.
Something more positive: is anyone else really enjoying the new Tomodachi Life right now? I put stsg in my game and theyâre soulmates, married for 26 days now đ„č
you can't be more than ten minutes away. ten minutes. and he knows this because you'd texted him when you left work â your first shift back in seven months â and now you're probably driving home, humming to yourself, thinking about what to make for dinner, thinking about the baby, completely unaware that your apartment has more or less turned into a crime scene.
gojo stands in the center of the living room, still. too still. like if he moves too fast, he'll miss something. a sound, a shift, a clue. something that explains where the hell the baby went.
"okay," he says out loud, voice thin and stretched with panic. "okay, okay, okay â "
he retraces. couch? no. playpen? all toys, no baby. crib? untouched since he took the little squirt out of it this morning.
his stomach sinks so violently it feels like his organs are trying to escape his body. lovely.
"oh my god," he breaths. "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."
this is it. the last of his days. you're going to kill him. not metaphorically, not lightly. literally end him.
"she's gonna kill me," he mutters, dragging his hands down him face. "she's gonna kill me so fucking hard â "
his brain does that thing it does. that awful, vivid sprint ahead of reality.
door. windows. did he lock them for sure? of course he did. he always does. he checked them twice. three times. he lunges for the front door anyways, and sure enough, it's locked. windows, also locked. sliding door to the balcony, also locked up tight.
so where the hell â
"heyyy," he calls, softer now. like maybe he's been approaching this wrong. like his volume is the issue. "c'mon, little man, this isn't funny. it's actually the complete opposite of funny..."
his voice cracks. that's new.
but gojo doesn't let himself think about it for too long. instead, he drops to his knees, then fully to the floor, flattening himself like a damn sniper as he shoves his head underneath the couch, cheek pressed to the hardwood and scans every inch of shadow.
nothing.
nothing.
more nothing.
then, his phone rings.
it startles him so much he smacks his head on the stiff underside of the couch. "ouch! fuck, oh my â "
your name lights up his screen. he's dead. so fucking dead. but against his better judgement, he answers anyway.
"honey!" he chirps, way too bright and way too fast, voice pitching up as he continues army-crawling across the floor.
"hi, baby," you, his beautiful-stunning-kind-sexy-very-forgiving-and-hopefully-merciful wife. but despite the it all, the words come out tired.
his stomach twists. "god, it was such a good day," you continue. "i feel like i spent half of it just showing everyone baby pictures and sitting around. i swear, they were treating me like i just popped him out." you giggle.
and he tries to match it, but expectedly, it comes out strained, weird, wrong. you notice.
"is everything alright?" you ask, slower now. "how is he?"
gojo freezes. don't panic. don't panic. don't â
"oh, he's so great! just great!" he says quickly, scrambling up and yanking back an elephant-patterned blanket like it's going to magically reveal your child. it doesn't.
it reveals a stupid stuffed plush of yuji, a gift (from yuji) at your baby shower.
"h-he's..." he swallows, hard. "just finished a bottle, actually, and i, uh, just set him down for a nap...the usual, y'know."
there's a pause. too long.
"are you sure?" you ask. "you sound a bit â "
"ah! wow!" gojo blurts, volume spiking as his brain short-circuits. "look at that! blown out diaper, gotta deal with it right now, iâllseeyouinabitloveyoubye â â before you can respond, he ends the call, lowering it like a bomb that might go off.
he looks around the apartment again â the toys, the mats, the empty spaces where there should absolutely be a baby.
he claps his hands again, sharper this time.
âalright,â he says, forcing something like determination into his tone. ânew plan.â
a beat.
"...what the fuck is the plan?" gojo straightens slowly, dragging a hand through his hair, eyes sweeping the apartment again. toys everywhere. play mat. couch. blanket. kitchen â
kitchen.
his head snaps toward it. "...no," he mutters. "no way." but he moves anyway, steps quick, then faster, then borderline tripping over a plastic set of keys as he rounds the corner. the kitchen is quiet. too quiet.
his eyes narrow. âhey,â he calls, softer now. cautious. like heâs approaching a wild animal instead of his own elusive child. âhey, buddyâŠâ
nothing.
then â
a faint sound. a tiny thump.
gojo freezes. another thump. quieter this time. followed by a soft, muffled noise that is very distinctly not silence.
the cabinet. the bottom cabinet.
the one he definitely closed.
the one that is now â
slightly.
open.
gojo stares at it. the cabinet stares back. he crouches slowly, like heâs defusing a bomb, fingers hovering over the handle for half a second before he yanks it open â
and there he is.
a baby. a wide-eyed, drool-covered, perfectly intact baby. sitting inside the cabinet like he pays rent there, surrounded by a tupperware lid, a wooden spoon, and what looks like a very enthusiastically chewed-on measuring cup.
he blinks up at gojo. then smiles. like this is the funniest thing that has ever happened in his life (it is).
ââŠyou,â he says finally, voice hollow. âyou have got to be kidding me.â
his son giggles. giggles. gojo exhales so hard his entire body practically deflates, forehead dropping forward until it taps gently against the cabinet frame.
âdonât laugh at me, you little punk,â gojo mutters, reaching in and scooping him up, checking him over in rapid, frantic passes. âyou donât get to laugh. i just saw my entire life flash before my eyes â "
the baby grabs his shirt collar, gumming it with his little mouth til the fabric turns dark.
âyeah, yeah, youâre cute, whateverâ gojo sighs, pulling him close, pressing a quick kiss to his head. âyouâre lucky youâre cute. otherwise iâd be fu â uh, in...a lot of trouble with mommy."
he moves fast now, grabbing the play mat, tossing toys back into vague, acceptable positions, kicking a stray pacifier under the couch (heâll find it later, maybe), adjusting the blanket. he places him back in the pen strategically, like he's been there the entire time.
because he has! of course he has!
gojo points at him, then zips his fingers over his lips.
ânot a word,â he warns.
the door unlocks just as he sets himself down on the foam-padded floor.
âhey, you twoâ you call, slipping your shoes off. âiâm home â â
your husband smiles back instantly. âhey,â he says, like he didnât just experience the worst ten minutes of his life. âfeeling okay?â
you hum, stepping further inside, gaze flicking to the playpen. âhe looks happy.â
âyeah,â gojo says lightly. âwe had a great day. didnât we?â the baby squeals. gojo nods once, like that confirms everything. smart kid.
âyep,â he adds. âsuper chill.â a beat.
then, you narrow your eyes slightly.
"baby," you tilt your head. ââŠwhy is there a measuring cup in the playpen?â
I feel like if toji and his wife (you, the eventual mamaguro) was struggling with infertility, he would be at an absolute loss for what to do. He definitely thinks itâs his fault, reassuring you that you arenât the problem, but secretly telling himself itâs him. After all he has been through, he never thought a family would be possible for him but if itâs with you, he wants it so bad.
He only recently got a regular job as a mechanic, no way you guys can afford IVF between both of your incomes. So you track your ovulation cycle down to the day, even the hour; and every month when the tests are negative youâre both devastated. Maybe his face doesnât show it, but itâs comes out in his action. Toji becomes clingy, refusing to leave you alone afterwards because maybe if he hovers enough he can fix everything. He can protect you from the heartbreak if heâs right next to you, ready for comfort.
It takes 3 years after you got married for it to happen. He doesnât understand how people donât care for their babies, itâs eye opening exactly how cruel his clan is. He already loves his child, his blessing, and he canât imagine not being connected. How had his clan become a group without love?
Toji never had anyone to love him as a child, so when those two little pink lines come up on the 10 tests (just to be sure before an appointment) donât blame him if he cries from relief. Your blessing is coming.
Might need to expand on this but ik itâs a sensitive topic. Also Mamaguro doesnât die, I refuse to not give that poor man a happy ending.
The problem is that he doesn't realise its potential. He thinks his domain is incomplete because a proper domain has to have properly closed barriers that compress space around it. If you don't go through this strict formula, then what you have is half a failure.
That's why Megumi goes out of his way to find compensation for his lack of barrier mastery. Of course in this case it was warranted, but that just goes back to how he doesn't understand the kind of power he has and how to use it.
To hammer it home: Megumi could've expanded his domain in the open street. He's capable of doing that, just like the King of Curses and a 1000 year body hopper. But unlike Sukuna and Kenjaku, he has no idea what to do with an open barrier domain; he still thinks its a mishap what he's producing there.
Just like in the beginning of the story, Megumi's mindset regarding these things is what holds him back. Who says he can't make that kind of domain expansion work for him in the open street? Sukuna annihilated Shibuya with it by using binding vows to expand his range because it was open. And who says Megumi can't create his sure-hit with that arrangement? You don't need a closed barrier for the sure-hit.
Of course in part, Megumi's problem is that he just doesn't know things like that are possible. From history he has no idea, and the strongest sorcerer he knows can't do something like that either. Megumi also has no idea what Sukuna did in Shibuya; these boys have not exchanged information on that in any way.
But as Sukuna said once (paraphrasing): You have to go all out and take everything. I'm sure if Megumi had the time, he would figure his power out.
to make it clear, it was his idea at the beginning.
you were sitting in your comfy couch, rather asleep, laying warmly beneath the summer sun, the soft breeze of the heat searching through the living room, while wind blew calmly and rustled within the dewy trees; which had been softly caught up in the gentle summer rain. the alluring note of leaves brushing against each other lingered in your ears, it was a lovely weekend with full of summer elements you adored. not the fierce heat or dry wind creeping across the room, but the soothing lull of the season. well, it was soothing enough, and you were merely existing circled with your calmness, until a loud âbangâ filled the room, quite familiar in its chaos.
âand there goes my peace.â you mumbled to yourself while you were already lifting your head off the velvety surface of the couch.
your gaze caught the puffy pink hair first, resembling the sweet cotton candy you ate yesterday while he sulked about how sugary those did taste. and then his smug expression came into vision, wearing the slight smirk of his as decoration to charm the sharp face.
âhey baby.â he talked with the usual grunt he carried within his voice, now slightly soaked with tenderness, the gesture being reserved for you only. he was back from the gym, he tossed his keys onto the couch, right next to you, his duffle bag following it right after. he bent down to press a quick kiss to your lips, also grinning at your dazed state from nearly falling asleep.
âhey,â you replied to him, returning the soft kiss.
his sweat clung into his skin, appearing as shiny and dewy as if he also got caught under the rain. his muscles twitched under your warm palms once you held onto him to raise from your rather cozy position.
âbaby, iâm gonna shower real quick ân then share my awesome plan with you,â he said in his hurried state, and turned his way back to the bathroom, taking his damp top with quick movements, pacing around the hallways. you giggled to yourself wondering what this is all about, and grabbed your phone while waiting for him to shower.
sukuna, as you could observe within years youâve been with him and his grumpy self, was not exactly the one to get enthusiastic often, so it was quite surprising to see his mood so uplifted, and you loved these moments since you adored the expressions he wore whenever he couldnât secure the stoic face he cherished and his red eyes glimmered with excitement under his âtryna-keep-it-coolâ facade, a very well known expression of his which contained his sharp gaze and flexed muscles. muscles he worked hard for too, which he would also sulk if you hadnât made that clear.
so when he came back from his shower nearly ten minutes later, with his revealing top clinging to his moist figure, with his damp pink hair still dripping from sides, you were even more excited than he was, kicking your feet on the couch with a soft smile.
âsooo, kuna, tell me about that awesome plan of yours,â you said grinning to his face. âhope itâll happen at home âcause iâm quite comfy right now.â
he stood right before you with his wet hair dripping to your bare legs, and took your face into his hand, squeezing it slightly with a smirk.
âdonât worry baby, youâre going to love it.â
and now, you were standing in front of the kitchen counter with flour scattered all across the floor and hanging onto your bodies, cinnamon lurking beneath your nose and making it all itchy, causing you to sneeze constantly.
âi canât believe youâre making us bake cinnamon rolls when you called cotton candy too sugary yesterday and made a whole speech about how you hated anything with too much sugar.â you sighed before grabbing the brown sugar from the counter, his snicker made you turn to him with a sharp gaze.
âbaby iâve been craving it since the morning. thought i was losing my mind in the gym, i could smell the cinnamon.â the great help he is, he put his floured hands on your waist and traced your back while you poured the sugar into the bowl.
âsmell the cinnamon while benching between countless of sweaty men?â you asked laughing.
when he said he got an amazing plan, you deemed it would be a calming movie night, or maybe a late night driving session, maybe swimming considering how wonderful the weather was, basically you thought of a cute date, but never baking cinnamon rolls which he craved madly.
well, truthfully baking cinnamon rolls could also be considered as a cute date.
and from the moment the words left his mouth, you just knew, that you would be the one doing all the baking and he would just linger around. also, to be fair, he did help preparing the dough for the rolls, then started to rant about his day without even sparing a glance on the war zone he just created himself.
you turned back abruptly and lifted your finder, holding it right before his face threateningly while he grinned upon you.
âyou asshole, you better start helping me now or the only thing youâre gonna taste will be from the flour you clean off the floor.â
ââkay baby, getting right to work,â he said while holding a laugh and pressed a light kiss on your nape. the sun had started to burn a little fiercely, the kitchen heated beneath its lingering warmth, but not enough to bother. instead, it gave you a pleasant tone and your skin melted under the atmosphere.
âyou prepare the topping,â you said simply while he didnât move from his spot beside you.
his kisses traveled from your nape to your cheeks, pressing tender pecks and the kisses tickling where they land.
âkuna do you want the rolls or not,â you asked while giggling when his arm slid to grab your waist. he also laughed while he turned you around and pressed his forehead into yours and nuzzling tenderly.
he kissed your nose with dewy lips, moist from the water he just drank. then pressed a kiss to your lips, only lingering for a second, to pull back and press another one.
âbabe,â you said between your giggles. he hummed into your lips, and his warm palms stroked your waist, fingers caving there with an unexpected softness. âaffectionate we are,â you whispered while a soft smile captivated your lips. the soft breeze crept upon the wide open windows, relieving the slight heat across the room and blowing the flour scattered around, causing it to cling onto your clothes with white traces looking as if fairy dust adorning wherever it lands with a graceful shimmer. with the orange glimmers of the sunlight spreading on your figures, and the flour circling around, it truly felt as a magical moment with his unending kisses.
âhmm,â he mumbled without pausing his fond kisses. he usually didnât express his affection this raw, bare and all stripped from his tough image, so you savored the moment with a glowing smile.
âcinnamon rolls-â not letting you finish the sentence, he pulled you into a deep kiss unlike before, the quick pecks, and his hands trailed down to your hips, gripping there with sharp touches. one of his hands lifted from your hips to your hair, tangling itself in there and pulling the strands faintly.
he pushed your body to the counter and pressed himself to you, your hands found their way into his pink locks and gripped them lightly, the baking all forgotten and your hot breaths entwined with the heated kiss, his pulse beating fiercely against your body.
âdonât give a shit about them right now,â he said, commenting on your protests before.
âbut kuna you said you were craving themââ one more kiss, âcraving them so bad.â you breathed out.
âcrave you more now.â he groaned against your moist lips.
before he sought your lips again, the âdingâ sound from the oven startled both of you and caused him to stop on his ground. âbabe, the rolls are baked.â you declared while putting your palms into his firm chest to push him away. âwouldnât dream of pushing you away,â you walked to the oven, unaffected, âbut you made me crave those too.â you said, smiling innocently.
his gazed followed your figure, hands all empty and confused with the same puzzled look on his eyes, before groaning and his palms finding his face in despair, the sweet scent of the rolls filling the air pleasantly.
the moon was shining through the dark sky with stars scattered all over it, framing the glistening facade of the moon, the strands of white lights falling through the night scenes and lazily brightening the room across the window it crawled in from. you were tucked against your boyfriends side, a movie you both loved playing without you two even paying attention to it, the dim lightning of the room falling upon his sharp frames and highlighting his features, his gaze now settled on the dessert before him with a glint behind it, a faint smile visible on his face.
âit tastes really good,â you commented without looking at him, cheeks pressed against his biceps and eyes on the tv. he nodded while taking another bite and leaning into your body faintly.
âyeah, worth the mess.â he said, making a grimace upon remembering how he cleaned all of it. you snickered silently to the biting tone of his voice.
he also smiled after a moment, and leaned over to press a kiss to your temple. the soft breeze circling your figures, and the soft cinnamon scent lingering in the air, you also turned to him, beaming with pleasure.
the first cinnamon rolls ever sukuna had made (and probably the last): success!
It's yet another one of those nights where Toji managed to go to sleep early, only to wake up a couple hours later, disrupted by something nonexistent. The problem this time is, he can't move. Once again, made a victim of sleep paralysis, he's conscious and able to feel, but unable to open his eyes and access control of his body.
It's not scaryâmaybe a little, because it's a suffocating feeling to not be able to voluntarily move, but all in all, it feels like the process of trying to get to sleep, only without the control.
He decides to just let it happen, resigns to let this pass like it usually does. The eeriness is all in his head. He went to sleep alone and once he properly wakes up, he will still be alone. Nothing his mind conjures up right now is real. It's just a seemingly necessary part of this annoying process.
Then, his phone rings, loud enough to make his heart pang. His eyelids are heavy as he tries to open his eyes, and his fingers feel like they have tight rubber bands around them, just barely moveable.
The phone rings again, Toji's frustration continuing to fester at his inability to move, fluidly. Progress is being made, but it seems nonexistent due to the time limit he has to answer the call creeping up on him.
The phone rings a third time. Toji slowly gets more control over his body. He can move his feet, and stretch his hands, now. His eyes are open, blinking away the heaviness.
By the fifth ring, he's turning onto his side and reaching for the device. Your contact is displayed on the screen, the picture of you bringing back some of the peace he felt when he was actually sleeping.
"Baby?" He answers, before you get sent to voicemail.
"Hi, Toji," you respond, softly, like you were asleep too. "Were you sleeping?"
"Mm... something like that," he says, willing his shaky hands to still, even after he regained his ability to move. "I woke up a few minutes ago and got trapped in that... sleep paralysis crap for a bit."
"I'm sorry. I hate when that happens to me. I don't understand why it's a thing to begin with," you say. You've researched this experience plenty, after being left startled by it way too many times.
"Bodies and brains are weird," Toji responds, smiling at the sound of your quiet, agreeing laugh. "So, what's up, baby? Why aren't you sleeping?"
You hum, the way you always do when you want to tell him something but don't have the words properly formulated. "Well, I woke up and I was thinking... You know how tomorrow is Valentine's Day?"
"Mhm. What about it?"
His gift for you is sitting on the top shelf of his closet. It's been hidden for a while now, because while he does love giving you gifts, he also loves when you sleep over, and he can't just leave your gift out in the open if it's meant to be a surprise. He figures you're not going to be snooping around his closet, so what better place to hide something so important?
"I wanted to know if you'd be my Valentine?"
There is a pause. Just a few seconds, but enough to make you believe that the call may have dropped.
"Toji?" You call, checking to see if he's still there.
"You're asking me to be your Valentine?" He says, a tinge of amusement in his tone. "At... two thirteen in the morning?"
"It's stupid," you say, your voice lighter, as if you're trying to brush it off and discard of whatever plan you had for this call. "It's so stupid. I just woke up and thought of you- I'm so sorry I called. I'll let you go so you can get back to sleep."
"Don't go, doll. I'm not mad about it. You have to know that if there's any voice I wanna hear this early in the morning, it's yours. Alright?" He says, ensuring that you don't get consumed by unnecessary guilt.
"Okay," you agree, smiling. "I just wanted to ask, anyway."
"Yes, I will be your Valentine, but you have to tell me what that entailsâyou know how cautious I am, and you, my girl, can be the most dangerous thing in the world," Toji murmurs, a little smirk growing on his face at the sound of your giggles.
"Um, let's see... I'll give you a kiss."
Toji laughs on the other end. "Just one?"
"Lots. As many as you want. There is no limit or expiration date for what I give you."
"Sounds good to me. Tell me more."
You hum, again. The things that pop up in your head are things that are a given. He must know these things already, as your love.
"You get unlimited hugs and warm meals. And I'll be your weighted blanket more often when we sleep together. I'll play with your hair if you want me to."
"Mmm..." Toji groans, vividly picturing all of it. Your head on his chest as you both doze off, your tight embraces that leave him smelling just a little bit like you, the loving look on your face as you give him a plate of food you made, and the way his body overly relaxes when his head is in your lap and your hands are in his hair.
"Okay," he says, encouraging. "Love it. Go on."
Giggles escape you at his enthusiasm, a soft smile settling on your face. "The biggest perk to being my ValentineâI thinkâis that I'll love you forever."
The fact makes Toji's heart beat faster. He knows this. The way you look at him says everything you struggle to say sometimes. It's the twinkle in your eyes and that smile that doesn't lie. It's the things you do, like calling him at two in the morning because you were thinking of him. You love him, and Toji couldn't deny for the life of him that he knows it.
"Yeah?" Toji says, a dazed little grin on his face.
"You already know that, though. Right?"
He hums, like he's remembering the way you verbally say it. The softness in your tone, the excitement, the fear and anxiety that stills finds its place at times. It's something you feel so strongly, but you say it to him like it's the most fragile offering. Like you're saying, "For you. Please don't break it."
"Of course, I do. It's one of my favorite things to hear from you." He sighs, longingly. "Bet it sounds just as good now... even if your voice is a little softer 'cause you're sleepy."
The way he set up his request is silly, but you get the hint.
"I love you, Toji," you say, smiling to yourself.
"Yeah, baby?" He responds, with a soft chuckle.
"Love you so much," you add.
"Mhm?" He hums, hoping to hear more. So much more.
"I love you so, so much," you continue.
"Again, sweetheart," he requests, turning onto his side to face his phone.
"You're not tired of hearing it, yet?" You ask, giggling.
"No," he says, instantly. "Say it again, please. A few more times." He smiles at the soft 'okay' you mumble, before a sweet laugh escapes you.
"I love you," you repeat, heart spiking at the low sound that Toji makes. "I sound like a broken record," you mumble, sheepishly, far too aware of the words and pronunciations, and how they're starting to sound strange.
"I like it. Wanna hear it again and again and again."
"One more time?" You attempt to negotiate.
"Two," Toji counters.
"Three?" You throw out, giving him more to end the call in extra good spirits.
"Fuck yes. Yes, baby. Let me just..." he grunts, shifting on his bed, again. "...get a little more comfortable."
You laugh at his reaction. Only he could be this enthusiastic about your affection this early in the day.
"Ready," Toji says, now almost completely still, save for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
"I love you," you start, holding back the nervous urge you feel to laugh at being put on the spot.
Toji lets out a little sigh in response. He's as fascinated as he always is by how the words sound coming from you.
"I love you, Toji," you repeat, smiling. "I'll keep reminding you, today, tomorrowâeven when Valentine's Day is over. You should always know."
"I know it," he confirms.
"Good, because I love you. With all my heart," you say, spending your final use of the affectionate phrase. "And... that was the last one for now. Call back at a later time for a brand new set. Beeeeep."
Toji chuckles, the sound full and warm, leaving you to wonder if you even deserved the reaction. Regardless, it's contagious.
"You're so fucking sweet. Makes me wanna be so selfish with you. Why can't I see you later? Just for an hour."
You smile, curling into your blanket a little more. "I'm just a little too busy, love."
Toji huffs, a sound akin to a frustrated puppy, because he just can't comprehend the separation, especially not after this call.
"I'm sorry... but I can't wait to see you, tomorrow," you say, a little more cheerfully. "I know we don't have our plans entirely figured out, but I don't really care what we do, as long as we get our time."
"We'll definitely get our time," Toji promises. "I miss you. Nothing will keep me from seeing you."
"I miss you, too," you reciprocate, though you wonder how he could miss you already when he just saw you two days ago.
"Am I getting kissed by you, tomorrow?" He asks.
"What?" You laugh at the question, like it's the silliest thing you've heard him say so far.
"You heard me. Are you, my pretty baby, going to kiss me drunk, tomorrow?"
"Yes...? I can. I will," you say, more determined.
"There you go," Toji encourages, chuckling. "You're gonna be sooo sick of me afterwards."
You laugh, softly. "What are you saying?"
"You'll see," he teases. "We get the whole day together to do all kinds of lovey dovey stuff and I'm not wasting a second."
Something about the way he said it makes your heart jump and your stomach flutter.
"I'm really excited," you tell him, resisting the urge to put all the tiredness you feel into your yawn. Only the sound of your exhale is heard.
"Same, baby. You should probably get some rest. Gotta be up pretty early for work, don't you?"
You sigh, already thinking about how hard it's going to be to get out of bed and into the world, all before eight a.m.
"I don't want to go," you mumble.
"I know, but you know what?"
"What?" You inquire, halfheartedly, still not quite pumped about having to be up in a few hours.
"We're gonna talk while you're getting ready for work. You're gonna make yourself your little iced coffee, get all the grumpiness out, and maybe I'll get lucky... Get a pretty little picture before you leave." He grins at your soft giggles. "How's that sound, sweetheart?"
"Better," you respond, honestly. "Can I call you during my lunch break? Or does it not work with your lunch time?"
"Doesn't matter. I'll pick up. Be like, 'heyyy, baby,' then talk your ear off 'til you regret calling."
"Well, okay. It's a date. I look forward to it," you say, voice wavering with amusement.
"Uh-huh. Ditto."
"..."
"..."
You crack first, a snicker cutting through the intentional short bit of silence. Toji huffs out a laugh immediately after.
"I love you so fucking much, doll," he says, audibly cheesing through his profession. "Talk to you in a little, okay? Get some sleep."
"Okay," you respond, still smiling. "I love you. Bye."
Once the call ends, Toji doesn't stay on his phone. He clicks it off, and rolls onto his stomach, burying the side of his face into his pillow with nothing but you on his mind as he attempts to get some sleep.
The fact that he got sleep paralysis is completely forgotten, tossed into oblivion, because his mind runs reels upon reels of you when he closes his eyes. He thinks about the sound of your laugh, the way you're so good at smiling at him with your voice, that he can vividly imagine it when you're nowhere to be seen.
His heart thumps a little faster at the memory of you asking him to be your Valentine. It was the most gentle question, with the most obvious answer. You are his Valentine by default. No need to wonder, no need to question it. His soul comes out to meet yours whenever you're around, and they are inseparable until it's time for you to go your own separate ways.
The last thing that comes to mind before he drifts off is the way you called him 'love'. It was the sweetest melody to his ears, brief, yet, unmistakable. He has an entire list of terms of endearment that he reserves for you, and he means them as he deals them out to you, but for you to call him something like that is rare.
You almost always stumble on the saccharine words, and Toji's gotten used to the way you mostly call him by his name, but occasionally a sweet little title will just flow past your lips. Most of the time, he tries not to make a big deal out of itâoutwardlyâbecause then you get embarrassed, but sometimes it's hard to hold back a grin that accompanies the wild beat of his heart.
'Baby'? Yes, he is your baby. 'Handsome'? That one incites him to behave towards you in ways that require privacy. 'Love'? That one makes him want to wrap around you like a blanket for hours.
Valentine's Day taunts him as he finally dozes off.