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Nobara has just the time to slip her uniform over her head when she hears someone knocking on her dorm room door.
Isn’t it a bit early for a visit? She takes a quick look at the clock above the door: 8:35am. Perhaps not. Still, it’s a bit unusual for someone to come to her room so early on a Friday morning.
“Come in!” she calls out, sitting down on her bed to pull on her socks.
The door opens partly, revealing Maki in the threshold, and Nobara perks up a bit. Now that is unusual- Maki’s never up this early.
“Maki-san, good morning,” she says, approaching her senior at the door.
“Morning, Kugisaki”, replies Maki, and she stifles a yawn. So Nobara was right- it is indeed too early. She can see slight shadows beneath her senior’s eyes, eyelids a tad droopy, though her ponytail remains just as flawless as ever. “Gojo-sensei wants to do an extra training session with everyone on the field since the Sister School Event is coming up in a couple of days. Something about team bonding ”, she mumbles, rubbing tiredly at her eye. “I came to get you and the other first-years.”
Nobara can’t help but frown. “A training session this early? Why?”
Maki sighs. “Who knows? You know how Gojo-sensei is. Him and his weird plans sometimes.”
Nobara rolls her eyes. “Isn’t it Friday today? I thought we had mornings off on Fridays. This should be illegal.”
A smirk makes its way onto Maki’s face. “Wanna tell that to Gojo-sensei?”
“Ha, imagine! Just watch me. I’ll do it with Itadori, I’m sure he’d agree it’s way too early for this crap.”
Maki chuckles at that. “Well, we gotta go get him and Fushiguro now, anyway, everyone’s getting breakfast before the training. You done getting dressed?”
“Almost, I just need to put my boots on.” Nobara leans down to get her boots, holding on to the wall while pushing her feet into the shoes. “You go on to breakfast- I’ll get the guys. Fushiguro’s probably awake by now anyway, so we’ll get Itadori and come join you.”
Maki nods in response. “Sounds good. See you guys there. Be quick!”
“Will do!” replies Nobara, and Maki walks off towards the dining room, giving her junior one last look as she turns the corner.
Nobara kneels down to tie her boots. A training session this early? Seriously, what is Gojo-sensei thinking? For all his intelligence and power in jujutsu, he definitely has some strange ideas sometimes. She smooths her skirt upon rising, takes one last look in her mirror, and exits her room, locking the door behind her.
She starts to make her way to her friends’ rooms, wondering who she should bother first. The sun already feels hot despite it being early morning, rays just carrying the last bit of gold from the sunrise. Fushiguro is often up already at this time; like her, he is an early bird. They would most likely have to wake Itadori up together. It’s not like Itadori isn’t an early bird, he just sleeps like a freaking rock and he’s so damn difficult to wake when he’s not yet ready to get up.
Nobara wonders whether Fushiguro already knows about the surprise training event. Maybe he already woke Itadori up, and they could all go to the dining room right away? Instantly, Nobara’s stomach grumbles at the thought of breakfast. Hopefully Itadori won’t take forever to get up, and she can get to eat in a bit.
It only takes a dozen seconds more for her to reach Fushiguro’s dorm room, and she knocks on the door. “Fushiguro? Fushiguro, it’s Kugisaki. Are you up yet?”
No answer. She steps back and waits a few moments, thinking he’ll silently come and answer the door, but when that doesn’t happen, she can’t suppress a frown. Is he still asleep? Maybe he’s reading and didn’t hear her knock?
“Fushiguro?” she calls out again. A few moments pass; still no answer. She purses her lips. Maybe she can take a peek inside, see what’s going on.
She tries the doorknob- it’s unlocked. “Fushiguro, I’m coming in, okay? If you’re changing, please cover yourself!”
Silence. She pushes the door, squinting because oh god the last thing she wants to see is a naked Fushiguro, and calls out one last time, “Fushiguro?” as she looks around the room for signs of life.
No one’s here.
“What the heck”, she mutters to the empty room. She takes a closer look: the bed is unmade and the lamp is still on. A book is left closed at the foot of the bed, and his uniform is still neatly folded on his desk, untouched.
It’s as though he left his room during the night and didn’t come back.
“What the heck”, she says again, a little louder this time. Her eyes dart one more time over her friend’s room, making sure she didn’t miss anything; nope, definitely no Fushiguro here.
He can’t be downstairs- he’d be in his sleepwear, and no one’s ever seen Fushiguro in his sleepwear, apart from Itadori and herself. Maybe he’s at the bathroom, then? But why would he leave his lamp on?
Wherever he is, it still leaves Nobara alone to wake the beast that is a sleeping Itadori. She sighs. “Great”, she mumbles to herself, and she closes the door before making her way to Itadori’s room next door.
This time, her actions are a bit more brash and she knocks unabashedly on the door as she shouts, “Itadori? Itadori, you awake?”
Once again, she is met with silence. She groans and rolls her eyes, annoyance levels rising by the minute.
“Itadori! Rise and shine, you idiot!” She knocks on the door again. Only more silence follows, interrupted solely by the faint, distant voices of the other students starting to eat in the dining room, and Nobara’s stomach grumbles again.
That’s it- she’s going in there. She twists the doorknob and opens the door, moving so quickly into her friend’s room without even noticing it was unlocked.
“Itadori! I swear I’m so done with you and you sleeping like a-”
She stops dead in her tracks before she can finish her sentence as she takes in the view in front of her, mouth letting out a little gasp before hanging open silently.
Ah. Now it all makes sense.
Itadori is sleeping all right, like the freaking rock he is. He’s on his back, head and shoulders propped up on his pillow, right hand lazily resting on his stomach. His legs are above the comforter, relaxed and uncrossed- at least, that’s what Nobara can see, but she can’t be sure because his entire left leg is covered by Fushiguro’s lower body.
Fushiguro is curled into Itadori’s left side, cuddling into him. His head lays gently on Itadori’s shoulder and his hand is on Itadori’s chest, right over his heart, rising and falling with the rhythm of Itadori’s breathing. Itadori’s left arm is wrapped below Fushiguro’s axilla, holding him close around the waist.
Before she can stop herself, Nobara averts her gaze to look at her friend’s faces; the right side of Fushiguro’s face is tenderly squished against Itadori’s strong body, and she’s sure Itadori’s got a mouthful of messy dark hair in his mouth, but they both look so relaxed, their brows smooth and their jaws unclenched. She can’t help but think they look like they’re in their own little protective, cuddly bubble, as though none of the curses and burdens of the world can reach them here.
Nobara realizes her jaw’s still hanging agape and quickly closes her mouth, bringing her hand to her lips, and before she knows it, she’s chuckling into her hand, trying and failing to keep as quiet as possible.
I knew it , she thinks to herself. I knew there was something going on between them. I freaking knew it.
Usually, she cannot be bothered by romance and softness. Sure, who doesn’t appreciate a hug or a compliment here and there, but it is absolutely no reason to divert your mind and thoughts from your goal. It only slows you down and clouds your judgement with emotion, which is dangerous in more ways than one, and apparently, it also keeps you from waking up for a training session on time.
But here, for her friends? Maybe she can make an exception, just for a few more moments. They look so peaceful with each other, more comfortable than she’s ever seen them, holding each other close like that. Here, she can give softness the benefit of the doubt.
“I freaking knew it”, she says to herself, aloud.
She quickly weighs her options on what to do from here: leave them here to sleep and be late to the training, or wake them up and witness their reaction to her seeing them cuddling in their sleep. She’s leaning towards the latter, but before she can make a decision, Itadori yawns and his eyes, droopy from the sleep, flutter open, and it only takes him a second to spot Nobara and turn his gaze on her, his face still completely relaxed.
Nobara chuckles again, and Itadori’s eyes widen as he finally registers her presence.
“Kugisaki!”
“Morning, sunshine”, she coos, purposefully raising the pitch of her voice to tease her friend. “Did you have a good sleep there? Looks like you guys were snuggling pretty hard.”
Itadori’s eyebrows frown for just a second before his eyes widen again. “Oh!” he exclaims, as though just remembering he was there, turning to Fushiguro on his left. “Yeah, he, um.”
He looks back to Nobara, and she notices how his left arm flexes ever so slightly, bringing Fushiguro just a little bit closer to him. “He came over to my room last night. He was…”, Itadori swallows, “he looked wrecked. So I let him stay here.”
Nobara’s smile drops. “Wrecked? Is he okay?”
“I think he is, for now. To be honest, I’m not sure.” Itadori searches again for Fushiguro at his side, and Nobara’s chest melts just a bit at the way his eyes soften at the sight of their friend’s face. “For now, he should be okay, though.”
Nobara nods, breathing in through her nose. “Alright. I’m glad.”
“Yeah.” Itadori turns back to Nobara. “So, why are you in my room, exactly?”
Reality and the reasons why she’s here come crashing back to Nobara all at once, and suddenly her voice is loud and angry as she shouts, pointing her finger at Itadori. “Oh yeah! So apparently Gojo-sensei’s holding an extra training session, and everyone’s gotta get breakfast and be there on time! Except because of you and your lazy sleeping asses, we’re gonna be late to breakfast and I’m freaking starving! But of course you gotta sleep like a rock and make me wake not only you, but Fushiguro as well!”
Nobara heaves one big breath, and Itadori just sits there, blinking, mouth shut and arm still wrapped around Fushiguro.
“Mmm, seriously, what is all this noise?”
Two pairs of eyes divert to Itadori’s left, where Fushiguro is starting to stir, rising from his slumber.
Itadori speaks first. “Oh, Fushiguro! You’re awake!”
“Yeah, no thanks to you guys,” Fushiguro grumbles, not sparing a glance to either of his friends. “Seriously, Kugisaki, why all the yelling? And so early, too?”
Nobara would have gladly answered his question, still feeling the effects of her angry streak, except Fushiguro still doesn’t look at her, choosing instead to settle his gaze on Itadori’s as he lifts himself up onto his elbow. Fushiguro’s hand is still on Itadori’s chest, and Itadori’s arm is still around Fushiguro’s waist.
It’s quiet for half a second.
“Did you sleep well?”
Fushiguro nods. “I did, thank you. You?”
Itadori nods as well, a small smile forming on his lips. “I did too, thanks.”
Itadori’s eyes are fixed on Fushiguro’s face, and Fushiguro returns the eye contact. It’s quiet for a full second, all tender gazes and soft breathing.
And then Nobara can’t contain herself anymore.
“Ugh!” she groans in mock disgust, and the two boys look at her, jumping away from each other in surprise at her abrupt altercation. “I can’t believe you guys. Get dressed, both of you. There’s a training event this morning, and I want my breakfast already, so hurry up!”
Without another word, she dramatically turns on her heel, skirt swishing theatrically around her, before exiting the room and closing the door behind her with a little more force than necessary.
She’s really very hungry, and she could definitely just go to the dining room and wait for the boys there. But she just lays back on the wall to the left of the door, letting out a long sigh as she makes herself comfortable against the wall.
She has very annoying friends. Making her wait for her breakfast like that. How dare they.
Even so, she can’t help but think…
“Here, Fushiguro, you can wear this if you want.”
“I have my own clothes next door, I don’t need your jacket!”
…that whole shenanigan was kind of cute.