Chapter Text
“I’ll spar with you.”
Utahime Iori let out a heavy sigh. She recognized his voice without needing to turn around. There was no point in sparring with Gojo Satoru due to their inescapable difference in strength levels. Yet now he volunteered and she can’t refuse - that would mean admitting defeat even before anything happened and that would be even more humiliating than trying and failing.
Up till now she was alone in the training room, practicing moves with a staff. It was an early morning of late spring - sunny without a hint of rain. Birds were chirping playfully outside.
Gojo walked to the wall and picked up another staff resting against the wall.
“I don’t remember inviting you,” Utahime said sternly.
“And yet, you’re obviously in need of a partner”, he flashed an innocent grin and pointed the end of his staff at her. “Come on, I promise I’ll behave. Senpai”.
She nodded silently and hit his staff with her own. They started sparring and honestly it wasn’t as bad as she expected it to be - it lasted more than a few seconds for starters. It was obvious that Gojo was not putting any effort into that and yet his naturally flawless execution of attacks left her having to defend violently with all her vigor. He didn’t seem to be too impressed by her efforts.
Meanwhile Utahime started to tire. She could feel her heart racing and a little drop of sweat ran down her left temple. It travelled down her neck and absorbed into her t-shirt. Gojo bit his lower lip and smiled.
“You know Utahime... I can’t decide if you should work more on your left side defense or your endurance”.
Satoru has not landed a single blow so far, but it wasn’t a cause for celebration just yet. After all he wasn’t trying too hard and Utahime was yet to land a successful attack as well.
Utahime decided not to grant him an answer focusing on her breathing. Step, breath in, block, jump back, breath out...
“It’s a shame you’re so weak really…” He continued to annoy her, switching to the defensive approach and almost dancing around her avoiding her hits.
Utahime noticed herself getting slightly annoyed at him and his endless arrogance. She doubled the aggressiveness of her attacks, adding some cursed energy to every hit.
“That’s a little bit better, I’ll give you that.” He smiled in a very irritating smug way. “You’re so fierce Utahime, I bet you could really teach me some discipline”.
She let out a small growl. “Will”, she attacked he blocked, “You” another one “Ever” another hit blocked, “Stop” He jumped back a few steps, but she quickly closed the distance “Talking!?”. She put a lot of energy into the last hit, but in vain - another one of her attacks blocked without any obvious effort.
“Nope”, he rotated his staff with unimaginable speed creating almost a moving shield around him, “Unless you make me”.
“Oh, I’ll make you stop, you little brat!” she said with surprising conviction that neither of them expected.
“I really wonder…” he started as she hit his ankles from the side, tripping him. Satoru landed on his back with her staff firmly pressed against his neck. She was sitting on top of him.
“How?” he swallowed and felt the staff pressing harder on his neck almost hurting him.
He freed his left hand to lift up his blindfold and looked up at Utahime towering above him. Her mouth was open as if she was singing but no sound was coming out. That’s how - she used her secret technique on him, he still didn’t understand how it worked.
Utahime stopped her inaudible singing and looked down at him coldly without any celebration in her gaze. She studied his face carefully and expectantly and to her surprise she noted a brief change in his gaze. She noted how he involuntarily licked his lips that suddenly became too dry.
“Senpai…” he started to say, but his voice cracked as his Adam's apple moved against the staff she was still holding against his neck. He looked vulnerable and exposed. There was really no reason for that at all, he could easily get out from her hold but he chose not to. He could create infinity between them to avoid any contact at all, but he chose not to. And why, all of a sudden, he is calling her Senpai?
She realized that they were in a really compromising position, if anyone was to walk in they would never believe that she defeated Satoru in a fair fight. Granted he has not used any cursed energy at all, so the fight was never really fair.
“Senpai…” he started again, “Can I kiss you?”.
Utahime looked at him in disbelief. “No! What do you even...? No!”. She frowned with obvious disapproval.
She tried to stand up, but felt his hand pressing down on her lower back. His beautiful innocent blue eyes displayed a mix of emotions she never saw before.
“Please, Senpai…”
His begging tone was puzzling, but Utahime was not the one to give in to sweet talk. “Remove your hand or I will slap you!”, she said sternly with a strong emphasis on "will". He obeyed with only slight hesitation, cherishing the last split second of holding her. Utahime stood up, glanced down on him one last time and walked out of the room.
Satoru closed his eyes. He was still feeling the staff pressed against his neck and the weight of her body sitting on him. In his mind imaginary Utahime leaned forward. She looked deep into his eyes before planting a soft sweet kiss on his lips. His heart sank deep into his gut with longing.