Chapter Text
The rugby team’s frat house was loud and alive, even before you stepped foot inside, the thumping of bass vibrated through you.
It always was like this, especially when they were throwing a party.
Rhythmic music ricocheted through the walls, as if the building had a heartbeat of its own. It was something heavy, and something chaotic. Laughter spilled out through open windows. Doors slamming left and right, followed by a chorus of cheers that sounded vaguely like a disagreement over a game. Most likely a party game.
You paused on the threshold of the entrance, shifting the strap of your bag higher on your shoulder. The boys seemed rowdy, more so than usual.
You couldn’t wait to let your hair down after the interview. It had been a stressful few days, preparing for papers, and you needed a drink.
Maybe someone to dance with…
Nobara Kugisaki stopped beside you, eyes rolling, arms folded tightly. Pulling you from your trailing thoughts. Clearly unhappy with the boisterous energy oozing from the doorway.
”I still don’t understand why you come here voluntarily,” The girl sighed heavily. Her brown eyes pointed a glare at the sweaty bodies that began to pass them, as they were still blocking the entrance. ”Animals,” she tutted.
Shrugging with a smirk tickling your lips, your eyes remained fixed on the crowds of people inside the house. “You came too,” You replied.
”I was dragged,” Nobara gestured behind her. Revealing, her best friend, Maki Zenin who was jogging up the small set of stairs to catch up with you.
Maki seemed to beam at the sight of you, bringing you into a tight hug. “See I told you she’d be here,” She retorted to Nobara who only replied with a sharp glare.
Releasing Maki, you smiled brightly.
Taking in both women’s appearance, both sporting party attire for the occasion. Nobara was wearing a fashionable pink skirt and white top, accompanied with knee high boots. She always made the most minimalist outfits pop. However, her duo was wearing the complete opposite, Maki sported a pair of baggy jeans with a tighter than usual crop top, know doubt something Nobara begged her to wear.
The black dress was arguably shorter than it needed to be.
Nobara had informed you of that approximately six times already.
You’d ignored her every single time.
The fitted fabric skimmed every curve effortlessly, cinching at your waist before falling to mid-thigh. Thin straps rested against your shoulders, leaving your collarbones and back exposed whenever you shrugged your jacket off.
Paired with chunky black boots and a handful of silver rings, the outfit landed somewhere between dressed-up and dangerous.
Exactly where you liked it.
Even if that meant, you had to mess up the aesthetic of your outfit with a tattered leather bag to hold your camera.
All for the love of your journalism degree.
You were the journalist for the Universities rugby team this semester. Your professor allocates all of the students to different classes to develop a couple of stories.
Which worked in your favour, being best friends with one of the players.
Double checking the contents of your bag, “Yuji shouldn’t be long, said he’ll only take ten minutes.”
Both girls gave you a flat expression.
”You said that last time,” Maki huffed while mirroring Nobara’s crossed arms.
Rolling your eyes, while shaking your head. “And it was twelve minutes,” You replied. “That’s basically ten.”
“That’s not how time works,” Nobara said immediately.
Ignoring them, you pushed your way through the entrance with them in toe.
Warm air and noise consumed you at once. You had been to a couple of their party’s but it was louder than usual. Beer cans scattered in the hallway. A jacket discarded over a lampshade, which made Nobara scoff at the sight. The smell of sweaty bodies and heavy cologne tainted your nose, leaving a foul taste in your mouth.
Pure chaos.
The three stared at the upcoming obstacle of the plethora of bodies, dancing in the bottom floor of the house. Some were dancing to the rhythm of the song, blaring from the large speakers, others huddled in corners attempting to shout over the commotion. With the odd stragglers pinned to a wall in a heated make out session, which had Maki captivated in horror.
Familiar Chaos.
Yuji Itadori appeared, almost immediately, like he’d been waiting for your appearance specifically. The boy’s face was beaming brightly, his orbs taking in your figure which went unnoticed by you.
“Hey!” He exclaimed, grin widening. “You came.” The pink haired boy immediately wrapped you up into a fleeting squeeze, which allowed Nobara and Maki to exchange a knowing look.
Pulling away, you nodded. “Well, work calls,”You commented while gesturing to the camera that you had now pulled from your bag.
Nobara spoke up next, scanning the room around her. She was judging it for structural integrity. “This place should be condemned,” She muttered.
“Hi to you too,” Yuji greeted cheerfully. A poor attempt at ignoring her comment.
”Where do you want her?” Maki piped up while gesturing to you. Ready to serve as your acting bodyguard for the night.
Yuji blinked, taking a back at her bluntness. “Uh…Kitchen?” He scratched the back of his neck, with a shy demeanour.
Nobara shook her head in protest, “She’s not furniture.”
“I know that!” Yuji, now flustered, exclaimed. Waving his hands while attempting to apologies to you, while you chuckled at the poor boys reaction. “I didn’t mean it like that, she just-“ He pointed to Maki, stumbling over his words, to blame her for his use of words.
You only laughed softly, placing a small hand on his shoulder giving it a firm pat. Which only seemed to make him tenser.
“It’s fine, Yuji. I just need you for quotes,” You explained. Now adjusting the recording setting in your camera. “Coach wants a post match breakdown and you’re the only one who answers questions without sounding like a broken sound bite machine.”
Yuji appeared offended for his teammates.
”It’s accurate,” Maki agreed before he could protest.
From somewhere deeper in the house, most likely swallowed by the crowds, some shouted Yuji’s name. Capturing everyone’s attention. Based on how loud they were, it was either Todo or Hakari. Both boisterous in their own right.
Another voice added. “Is that your girl too, the journalist?” It was definitely both suspected men.
Scoffing with heavy shoulders, you attempted to find the culprits still hiding. “I’m not his—“
“You kind of are,” Both girls cut you off, both wearing a mischievous smirk.
Giving the pair a pointed glare, they only bursted into a fit of childish giggles. However, they seemed to fold over at the sight of Yuji. Who was flushed pink, complimenting the hair atop his head, and frozen on the spot while avoiding your defeated stare.
This was common for the boy.
He detested being teased, especially about your relationship. It always confuses you. The pair of you have been friends since kids, it wasn’t uncommon for you both to be paired that way. Always around one another, both enjoying one another's company. You used to get red as well, but you had grown numb to the accusation.
Appearing more tired by the taunting. Yuji, on the other hand, still acted terribly toward it. There was nothing between you, so he should be more confident in your friendship. Should he not?
Dwelling too long on the thought, you decided to change the subject. Throwing the rugby player a lifeline.
You sighed and pushed through the bodies toward the kitchen, gesturing for the boy to follow who swallowed down his heated emotions. Determined to get the job done, so you could relax and enjoy the party.
Thankfully, the frat house’s kitchen was small, which meant Yuji could clear it out with a simple holler.
Maki stayed near the doorway, leaning slightly against the wall, arms crossed, watching the room like she was cataloguing it. Her muscular form keeping people from disturbing you.
Nobara followed you but clearly wasn’t interested in rugby. She was interested in everything else. To relax and party with her friends
“Why are they all like this?” she asked, gesturing vaguely at a group of players, through the window into the garden, arguing over a phone.
“Rugby?” you suggested, still adjusting your camera.
“Men,” she corrected.
You smirked and opened your notebook.
Yuji slid into the chair across from you immediately, still smiling like he hadn’t just been insulted by three different people in under a minute.
After skimming over the key points in your book, you propped the camera on the counter. Adjusting your dress, thankfully your body didn’t need to be on camera for this one, you were not in the appropriate attire.
“Ready?” You questioned the boy with a pretty smile.
“Okay,” he said. “I’m ready.”
“Good,” you replied. “Because I have deadlines and Maki looks like she’s about to leave if this takes more than five minutes.”
Maki didn’t deny it.
That was her version of agreement.
About to hit play, Nobara leaned over slightly. “Ask him something dramatic.”
Groaning in frustration, you turned to the girl.“I’m not writing a reality show,” you jabbed.
“Then you’re wasting your talent,” she replied, while slumping against the counter her body was resting against.
Yuji blinked between you all. “Is she always like this?”
“Yes,” the both of you replied at once.
That made him laugh, his orbs seemed to linger on your figure a little longer than usual. Which made you conscious, you were still at a party.
You were about to start the interview when the atmosphere shifted. Again. But this time it wasn’t Nobara’s doing.
Not dramatically.
Just subtly.
Like the room had recalibrated itself around someone new. You noticed it before you saw him.
The change in noise. A couple of whispers in the dining room, where everyone was collecting drinks, now that the kitchen was off limits. A slight dip in conversation. The way people unconsciously moved aside that were waiting to enter the kitchen.
Maki’s eyes flicked up first, allowing the towering body to pass hers. Some bodyguard she is.
Nobara noticed second, no longer slumped against the counter. Now, alert and posture straight.
Yuji noticed last.
“You’re not Yuji ,” you heard yourself say automatically, before you even fully looked up. Already tired of the intrusion of your work.
A low and brittle voice replied, “No.”
You finally offered them your attention. The tone sends an unforgiving shiver down your spin, creating goosebumps in its wake.
Sukuna, Yuji’s half-brother, stood by the kitchen counter like he belonged there more than anyone else in the room.
Which, you supposed, he did.
Rugby captain. Senior. The kind of person people either avoided or stared at too long.
He wasn’t smiling.
He wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting.
He was just watching.
You only rolled your eyes at the sight of him. Knowing Yuji well meant you knew him, even before becoming the star player he is now.
He was leaning against the kitchen counter, one arm crossed over his chest, looking entirely uninterested in whatever conversation was happening around him.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Built like somebody who spent most of their life tackling people for fun.
His salmon pink hair was slightly messy, like he’d run a hand through it too many times after practice.
The first thing you noticed were the piercings.
Silver hoops lined one ear. Another sat through his eyebrow, subtle enough to suit him, noticeable enough to draw your eye. A stupid idea if you had to admit, what rugby player would enjoy further damage to their face. They suited him but it was just impractical for his sport.
Then the tattoos.
Black ink disappeared beneath the sleeves of his black gym top, winding over his forearms in sharp, intricate patterns. More ink peeked from beneath the collar near his throat, disappearing under the fabric before you could make out the design.
They weren’t the impulsive tattoos of somebody trying to look intimidating.
They looked deliberate.
Like every line had been chosen carefully.
His hands were tattooed too.
Not heavily.
Just enough to catch your attention when he reached for the beer bottle, that sat in a crate on the counter, beside him.
You tilted your head slightly. “Do you mind?” You gestured, forcing him to read the room.
Nobara only snickered, but quickly covered it with her palm when Sukuna’s orbs pointed in her direction.
Sukuna's attention drifted back toward you.
Unmoved.
Unbothered.
If anything, he looked faintly amused by the interruption.
The dim overhead kitchen light caught against the silver jewellery decorating his face, causing the small hoop through his eyebrow to glint whenever he shifted. Combined with the dark tattoos winding over his forearms, he looked entirely out of place amongst the cluttered kitchen and cheap university furniture.
Like somebody had dropped a predator into a room full of house cats.
Entirely aware of the space he occupied.
And entirely aware that everyone else was aware of it too.
The silence stretched unpleasantly. Not because anyone was afraid to speak.But because Sukuna had a peculiar habit of making people feel as though they were waiting for permission to.
You hated people like that.Hated the effortless confidence. The quiet arrogance. Something the man always had.
The way he walked through life expecting doors to open before they even reached them.
Perhaps that explained why the sight of him irritated you so profoundly.
“Do you mind?” you repeated, this time with considerably less patience.
One dark brow arched. A slow, deliberate movement. While a taunting smirk grazed his lips.
“As a matter of fact,” he drawled, lifting the bottle to his lips, “I do.”
Nobara immediately snorted, again.
Maki sighed heavily through her nose, already exhausted by the pending dispute.
Yuji looked as though he was moments away from developing a stress-induced headache. “Sukuna,” he warned his brother.
“What?” He replied, eyes still glued to you.
“Stop being difficult,” he gestured between you both. It wasn’t uncommon for you both to bicker like cats and dogs, which is why he was attempting to diffuse the situation.
Sukuna shrugged, taking another swig of his drink “I’m not being difficult,” he plainly stated.
“You literally are.” Yuji insisted.
The captain took another lazy scan around the room. Still unmoving. The corner of your eye twitched. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing. You pushed your notebook shut with a sharp clap.
The sound cut cleanly through the tension.
“Okay,” you scoffed.
Yuji visibly paled, deflating at your reaction. Knowing you were seething at this point. Nobara suddenly looked interested, getting her dose of reality drama.
Never a good sign.
You offered Sukuna an unexpectedly pleasant smile. The sort that you’d offer to a man to make him sickly sweet for you. One you plan to use, if you get this work done, and not on him. The sort that usually preceded a regrettable decision.
“If you’re finished being an ignorant ass,” you insulted cheerfully, “I’d quite like to continue conducting my interview.”
A few nearby players immediately turned their heads into the doorway. One that Maki was no longer blocking.
The vultures.
Sukuna stared at you for a long moment.
You glared back. Daggers sharp and at the ready to implode on the spot.
Neither willing to break first.
Outside the kitchen, the music swelled louder. The bass vibrated faintly beneath your heels. Someone cheered from the garden. A glass shattered somewhere upstairs, emitting a few cheers.
Yet somehow all of it faded into background noise beneath the weight of the staring contest currently taking place.
Then, a quiet huff escaped Sukuna.Not quite a laugh. Not quite a scoff. Something in between.
His gaze flickered briefly toward Yuji before returning to you. “Still annoying as ever.”
You leaned back against the counter. His eyes narrowed slightly. Studying you, his intrusive eyes making a great point at assessing your figure.
The same way you imagined he assessed opponents on the pitch. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling.
Being observed.
Yet you refused to look away.
Journalists observed people. You did not enjoy being on the receiving end of it.
“Done?” you asked. Noticing Yuji was still holding his breath tightly.
“Done with?”
“Whatever this is,” you replied.
Gesturing vaguely between yourself and his towering stance. A figure that created a shadow over your body. A flicker of amusement crossed his features, noticing how you looked at his intimidating frame.
“You’re the journalist for the team?” His voice was low and dangerously calm.
“What does it look like?” Yuji chirped from his spot.
Before you could formulate another suitably irritating response, Nobara groaned dramatically.
“Oh my God,” she huffed. Both of you glared at her. The girl pointed between you as if she’d discovered evidence of a crime. “You’re both exhausting.”
“I haven’t done anything,” you argued.
“You’ve done plenty.”
Maki nodded once in agreement. “Too much, actually.”
The betrayal. Mouth slacked, you stared at your friends. Neither looked remotely apologetic.
Meanwhile, Yuji buried his face in his hands.
Sukuna finally pushed himself away from the counter. The movement drew your attention immediately. Everything he did seemed strangely economical. No wasted effort. No unnecessary movement, the product of years spent training.
Something he had obtained being a captain.
He grabbed another crate of drinks from beside the fridge and effortlessly lifted it beneath one arm. Heading for the entryway, a nearby teammate immediately moved aside to let him pass. You noticed that too. The unconscious deference.
The way people naturally adjusted around him.
Sukuna paused as he reached the doorway. Then looked back over his shoulder. Directly at you. “You should ask better questions.”
Your jaw nearly dropped. The audacity.
Before you could fire back a response, he disappeared into the crowded hallway. Gone as quickly as he’d appeared.
The noise of the party rushed back into the kitchen almost immediately.
Conversations resumed with the music still blaring. Life carried on. Yet somehow the room felt noticeably different.
Nobara was the first to break the silence. “I dislike him.”
“Shocking,” you deadpanned. Still unimpressed with the girls betrayal.
“No, seriously,” Maki folded her arms, adding to the conversation. “He loves arguing with you.”
You scoffed.
“He likes arguing with everyone,” You explained, now slouched against the counter beside Nobara. Defeated.
Neither woman looked convinced.
Across from you, Yuji had gone strangely quiet. Eyes still trained on the doorway Sukuna had vanished through. A crease forming between his brows.
As if something about that interaction hadn’t sat quite right with him.
You noticed. Of course you noticed.
But before you could ask, he looked up and smiled. Coming away from his dazed state.
The bright expression settled back into place so naturally that you almost questioned whether you’d imagined the hesitation at all.
“Still need those quotes?” he attempted to divert the situation.
And just like that, the moment was gone. No tension.
You nodded in a reply, while Maki hurled the odd straggler out of the kitchen.
Within twenty minutes, your notebook was full. The memory card in your camera held more than enough footage. Yuji could finally relax, no longer tense about being recorded. The rugby player was halfway through grabbing a beer, prepared to enjoy the rest of the party.
You clicked your pen shut with a triumphant smile, as you packed your notebook away and carefully slipped your belongings back into your bag.
Your work was done. For now. Which meant you could finally enjoy the night.
Just music, alcohol, and the promise of a good night.
Finally.
You slung your bag over your shoulder and rose from the kitchen stool, stretching your arms above your head. Several vertebrae popped satisfyingly.
Across the counter, Yuji mirrored your movement, glass bottle still in hand. “Freedom?” he asked hopefully with a hint of mischief tickling his cheeks.
“Freedom,” you confirmed, nodding eagerly. Allowing yourself to relax, we a victorious stretch.
The rugby player grinned, celebrating on the spot with a small cheer.
Immediately, Nobara appeared between you like a particularly fashionable vulture. “Finally! Drinks?”
“That’s not a question,” You laughed as she copied Yuji’s small victory dance.
But she halted on the spot, pointing at you. “It wasn’t supposed to be.” Before you could argue, she was already dragging you from the kitchen.
“Maki!” Yuji called, following you both through the crowds of drunk people.
Maki looked up, from her phone, from her spot against the wall.
She had vanished after a few minutes into the interview, stating she was ‘bored’. Denying it was because of her poor bodyguarding skills, as a handful of people had slithered into the room.
“Come supervise!” Nobara called.
Rolling her eyes, she scoffed at the excited woman. “I don’t supervise,” she stated plainly.
“You absolutely do.”
Maki sighed heavily before obeying anyway.
The four of you spilled into the crowded living room, the atmosphere had somehow become even more chaotic during your interview. A song thundered from enormous speakers positioned near the staircase.
The bass reverberated through the floorboards. Bodies packed every available corner of the house. A bunch of girls were dancing on a coffee table, their hips hypnotic. Someone else was attempting a handstand. A third person had apparently lost a shoe.
University students were truly fascinating creatures.
“You know,” Nobara observed dryly with a drink now firmly in her hand, “I think evolution is moving backwards.”
“Agreed,” Maki replied.
Yuji only laughed, with another beer now in his other hand. His bright eyes shined underneath the cheap disco lights, as he gave you a knowing look. Offering the drink to you.
You accepted the alcohol that was suddenly pushed into your hand.
Cold.
Sweet.
Perfect.
The first sip burned pleasantly. The second went down easier. By the third, your shoulders felt significantly lighter. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all. Even if someone tried to spoil your mood.
———
Three drinks later, you were beginning to reconsider that statement. Not because anything had gone wrong.
The opposite.
You were having far too much fun.
Nobara had somehow started a drinking game. Todo, one of the rugby players, had joined. Which immediately made everything louder.
Hakari and Kirara had appeared from nowhere carrying enough alcohol to hospitalise a small village.
Yuji had dragged Megumi, another player, out of his dark cave of a room. Now the both were laughing so hard they could barely breathe.
Whereas, Maki was threatening bodily harm against anyone who attempted to hand her another shot. No doubt, Nobara would convince her to drink anyway.
You were slightly drunk.Not enough to lose control. Just enough for the world to feel softer around the edges. The music seemed louder and lights seemed prettier.
And every joke seemed considerably funnier than it actually was. Especially when Yuji nearly fell over attempting to demonstrate a rugby tackle using a kitchen chair.
“You are an embarrassment,” you cackled at the sight before you.
He pointed at you, teasing to use you as his next target. Which only made you laugh harder, especially as he stumbled slightly.
Halting him in his tracks.
This only caused him to come over to you, in his own fits of giggles, slinging a friendly arm over your shoulder.
“You're so embarrassing,” you snorted before swigging your drink again. A poor attempt to conceal the bubbles of laughter still aching in your stomach.
Yuji’s giggles slowly descended in small snickers, while his gaze found yours, shrugging to himself. “You laughed,” he replied.
“You almost broke your neck.” You offered him a pointed look. The pink-haired athlete looked incredibly pleased with himself, ignoring you caring words.
As if nearly concussing himself had somehow proven to be worth it.
Typical.
As the night stretched on, people naturally began separating into smaller groups.Some moved outside for a smoke. Others migrated upstairs.
You didn’t want to know.
Nobara certainly did, unfortunately.
You found yourself standing near the drinks table, trying to decide whether another drink was a fantastic idea or an absolutely terrible one.
Both seemed equally likely.
A familiar voice interrupted your thoughts.
“You’re staring at that cup like it owes you money.” Your body stiffens at the husky tone, immediately recognised it.
Sukuna, of course.
You turned your head, tilting it up high to capture the man. The rugby captain stood beside you. A fresh bottle dangling loosely from his tattooed fingers.
You hadn’t even noticed him approaching.
“Maybe it does,” you shrugged. You were far too tipsy to think of a clever reply. Mentally facepalming yourself for how you sound.
His mouth twitched, not quite a smile. Close enough to be suspicious. “That’s concerning.”
“So is your personality,” that was the line. The only retort you could think of. You wanted the ground to swallow you whole.
This is why Maki was on supervisor duty. You were extra childish while drinking.
“There she is,” he chucked.
You rolled your eyes, not wanting to accept how he was already getting under your skin.
“You know, most people try to be likable,” you countered, while pouring a mixer into your disposable cup. Opting for non-alcoholic for now.
Sukuna leaned casually against the cabinet, swirling his own drink in hand. “Most people bore me.” He shrugged.
“Maybe people bore you because they avoid you,” you quickly take a swig of the fruit fizz before continuing. “Can’t blame them really.”
His intense red eyes captured your’s, while a brief silence filtered between you. Licking his lips slightly, collecting whatever liquid had spilled past them, from his drink, before the returned to a smug grin.
You hated him.
However, something warm tingled against your cheeks. Heat rising within you. You quickly avoided him, focusing your eyes on the liquid that had filled your cup. Contemplating if this actually might have alcohol in it.
Yeah, that must be why shivers ran down your spine.
“Yet you’re still talking to me,” he broke the silence.
You hated that he had a point. More annoyingly, he was well aware he had a point. The smug bastard.
For a brief moment, neither of you spoke, returning to the empty air. The music thundered around you. Someone whistled loudly from the other side of the room.
The lights flashed across Sukuna’s face, illuminating silver piercings and dark ink in brief intermittent bursts. He was proud in that moment, you could detect that.
You, the aspiring journalist, are at a loss for words.
However, his victorious demeanour stuttered for a moment. His fiery gaze flickered over your shoulder, searching past you.
His expression changed, only slightly. But enough for you to notice, brows furrowed.
You followed his line of sight. Yuji.
Standing near the staircase. Laughing and smiling, lost in a conversation with Todo. Yet something felt off. You couldn’t quite place it.
Maybe it was the stiffness in his shoulders. Maybe it was the way he kept glancing toward you before immediately looking away whenever your eyes met.
Or maybe it was simply because you’d known him for so long. Long enough to recognise when a smile wasn’t entirely genuine.
And it seemed Sukuna noticed his brother’s behaviour too.
The observation lingered unpleasantly. Too engrossed with your thoughts, you hadn’t noticed the lingering warmth grew closer. Beside you, Sukuna took another slow drink. Leaning over you, meeting your level.
“You keep staring,” He whispered in a taunting tone.
You looked away immediately and created distance between you and the captain.
“I wasn’t.”
A low scoff, “Liar.”
Your glare sharpened.
His only response was the faint twitch of amusement at the corner of his mouth. Infuriating, as ever.
Sukuna tilted his drink toward the staircase.
“He’s looked over here six times in the last minute,” he explained.
You opened your mouth, fully prepared to tell him exactly where he could shove that arrogant expression he loved to wear.
“Relax,” he shrugged. “Always so uptight.”
“I am relaxed,” you retorted.
However, you quickly proved his point. Deciding to place the cup of soda down, to top it up with vodka. Clearly irritated by the whole situation.
Sukuna only watched with a raised brow, “Sure.”
You hated that tone. The one that suggested he knew something you didn’t.
Before you could retaliate, Sukuna tipped his beverage toward the staircase. Motioning to his younger brother again.
“Go talk to him,” he suggested.
You frowned. “Talk to who?” Yes, you knew exactly who he meant.
For the first time all evening, the amusement faded slightly from his expression. “My dumbass brother.”
Your gaze instinctively followed the gesture.
Yuji was still standing with Todo. Yet now, that you’d noticed it, you couldn’t unsee it. His attention kept drifting.
Back toward you and Sukuna.
Then away again.
Your stomach tightened, the unknown of that unreadable expression. Yuji was always easy to read.
At least for you.
“What are you talking about?” you asked quietly. Having a sneaky feeling his brother may know him a lot more, surprisingly.
Sukuna turned toward the nearest bin, discarding his now empty drink.
“Nothing,” he sighed with a tiredly shrugging you off.
“Liar,” you echoed one of his previous responses.
A low chuckle escaped him, as he continued past you, evading to the nearest exit. Leaving you with nothing but your own thoughts.
You rolled your eyes, as you took a hefty gulp of liquid courage.
But when you looked back toward Yuji again, you couldn’t help wondering. If you’d missed something obvious.
But when you looked back toward Yuji again, you couldn’t help wondering if you’d missed something obvious.
The thought lingered unpleasantly. Like a song stuck on repeat in your skull. The repetitive tune chiming, and succeeding at giving you a headache.
Or a splinter buried just beneath skin. Small and insignificant. Yet impossible to ignore once you’d noticed it.
You hated that.
Especially because the thought hadn’t even been yours to begin with. It belonged to Sukuna. Which somehow made it worse.
With a frustrated sigh, you lifted your cup and took another long drink. The alcohol burned pleasantly down your throat, though it did absolutely nothing to lessen your thoughts.
The arrogant bastard. You should’ve known better than to listen to anything he said. If only you could smite him where he stood. Legally.
Sukuna enjoyed getting under people’s skin.
Thrived on it.
Half of his personality seemed built around saying the most irritating thing possible before walking away and leaving everyone else to suffer the consequences.
It was working, unfortunately.
Your orbs drifted back toward the staircase. Toward Yuji, immediately. You frowned, still drawing yon blanks for his odd behaviour.
Then you deliberately looked away. Only for your gaze to wander back a few moments later.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
Across the room, Todo was animatedly explaining something with his hands. Whatever story he was telling appeared dramatic enough to require full body movements.
Yuji stood beside him laughing.
He looked bright and comfortable. Laughing the same way he always laughed. And smiling the same way he always smiled.
Nothing had changed.
Yet, now, every time his attention shifted in your direction, your brain immediately noticed. The subtle sheepish gaze, it was only for a second but you caught it.
Immediately, you questioned it.
Has he always done that?
Of course he had.
You’d arrived together. Spent most of the evening together, heck most of your life together. He was your best friend. People looked at their friends, right? That was normal, perfectly normal.
Your stomach still tightened anyway, a sudden dread creeping its way to your gulet.
A sudden weight collided with your shoulder, halting the idea of throwing up. You nearly dropped your drink.
“Jesus Christ—”
Nobara looked entirely unapologetic. In fact, she looked amused by her forceful shove. Which was considerably worse.
“What?” she asked.
Still stunned, you added an exaggerated hand to your chest. “You nearly killed me.”
“I tapped your shoulder,” she replied flatly.
“You assaulted me,” you continued to mask the horror on your face. However, nothing goes unnoticed by Nobara.
“You were staring.”
You froze, “I was not,” with a scoff.
Nobara raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. The expression alone accused you of several crimes.
Before you could defend yourself, Maki appeared beside her carrying a drink she had almost certainly stolen from Nobara. A poor attempt to get her to slow down drinking.
“You were definitely staring,” she agreed.
The betrayal. Again.
You looked between both women. Neither appeared remotely concerned. If anything, they looked entertained. Which was never a good sign.
“You’re both insufferable,” you pointed at them with your free hand with accusation.
“We know,” Nobara replied immediately, raising her palms up in defence.
“That’s not the issue, though. Is it?” Maki began to prod, her brows wiggling suggestively.
You groaned dramatically and tipped your head back. The ceiling offered no support. Typical.
Beside you, Maki’s attention briefly shifted across the room. Following the exact path your own eyes had been taking for the last five minutes.
Her expression changed. Only slightly. But enough. The muscular woman only response was a silent chuckle, still amused by the dynamic.
You immediately disliked that sound.
“What does that mean?” You began to investigate, with pleading eyes. If you weren’t so prideful, you would have got on the floor to beg.
Still not being able to wrap your brain around it.
“Nothing.” She sang in reply.
Nobara followed Maki’s gaze, with a small squeak. Then looked at you, then back toward Yuji. She began to clap her hands excitedly, confirming one thing to you.
She was drunk.
You pointed accusingly at both women. “Stop doing that,” whinging in desperation.
“Doing what?” Nobara asked innocently, abruptly stopping her fangirling.
“What you just did!” You gestured and attempted to squeal like her a moment ago.
Which only created more laughter from the pair, making you feel like a joke, as the collided with one another out of joy. Nobara practically throttling Maki.
“What exactly is that?” You subtly pointed to the culprit in question.
Through their hysterics they managed to muster a few words. “You know exactly what.”
Before you could interrogate them further, a loud roar erupted from the other side of the room. Todo had apparently decided conversation wasn’t enough.
The giant rugby player suddenly wrapped an arm around Yuji’s shoulders and began dragging him bodily through the crowd.
Making a beeline for you.
You gulped visibly, orbs widening.
Yuji protested immediately, loudly. Nobody listened. You laughed despite yourself, watching in horror. As if you have come to terms with your end. The sight was ridiculous.
Eventually, Yuji managed to escape. Barely.
The moment he stumbled free, nearly colliding with a nearby table in the process, he straightened himself with a sheepish grin.
You were still laughing. Still smiling.
And perhaps that was why his gaze lifted. Finally, finding yours. The laughter caught in your throat.
Not dramatically. Not enough for anyone else to notice. Because he hadn’t scanned the room. Hadn’t searched through the crowd, his honey coloured eyes found you instantly.
His cheeks flushing with embarrassment, again.
The realization settled strangely beneath your ribs.
Slowly, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Not the bright grin he gave everyone. Not the effortless smile he wore whenever somebody said something stupid. This one seemed quieter somehow. Softer, even.
As though he’d been caught doing something he hadn’t intended anyone to notice.
Your pulse stumbled. Just once. The weight of understanding him falling on you like a ton of bricks.
Then Yuji looked away first, a surprisingly nervous gesture. His hand disappeared behind his neck, rubbing at it awkwardly. The way he always did whenever he felt embarrassed. Or flustered.
The sight sent an uncomfortable warmth creeping up your spine.
No. Absolutely not.
There was a perfectly reasonable explanation. Several reasonable explanations, actually. You could list them all.
Yuji was friendly.
Yuji smiled at everybody.
Yuji talked to everybody.
Yuji once helped an exhausted stranger carry furniture across campus because she’d looked stressed.
He was just like that. Always had been.
Nothing about tonight was different. Nothing.
Across the room, Yuji laughed at something Todo said, but he wasn’t paying any attention to him. His eyes flickering to you every so often, again. Your stomach dipped.
Beside you, Nobara made a deeply concerning noise. Somewhere between a choke and a gasp.
You turned immediately, now freaking out. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” she blurted.
“That wasn’t nothing,” you accused again.
“It absolutely was.”
Maki pinched the bridge of her nose. Looking profoundly exhausted. “You are all unbelievable.”
“What does that mean?” you demanded.
“It means,” Nobara interrupted while pointing dramatically between you and the staircase, “that I deserve financial compensation for having to witness this.”
“Witness what?”
Neither woman answered. Again. Completely useless.
You looked back toward Yuji one final time.
He was talking with his teammates, exactly as he had all evening. Exactly as he always did.
Yet somehow, Something felt different.
And no matter how desperately you tried to rationalise it away, you couldn’t stop thinking about what Sukuna had said. Well, planted into you brain wordlessly.
Or about the fact he’d noticed first.
For the first time all night, that possibility no longer sounded ridiculous.
And somehow, that was far more terrifying than the idea itself.