#Flipped Classroom Techniques

[teamatsumu]

exclusive. (gojo satoru x reader)

summary: A series of moments with Gojo Satoru, leading to the moment you realize you’re in love with him.

word count: 2,223

warnings: swearing, fem!reader, friends to lovers (?), jujutsu high shenanigans, this is pretty harmless fluff

tags: @keiva1000 @kindnessspreads @msbyomimi

Anyone who met Gojo Satoru for the first time had a visceral reaction to him.

Either they found him loud, obnoxious and annoying (both Shoko and Suguru described that as their first impressions of him), or they were starstruck by him. After all, he was Gojo Satoru. The wielder of the most powerful cursed technique in the Jujutsu world at present. The brilliant Six Eyes. And even at such a young age he showed potential that made the higher ups nervous.

And he was easy on the eyes too. Tall, lean, porcelain pale skin, hair like snow and eyes brighter than the blue skies. It was in the way he carried himself, shoulders set back, chin held high, imposing and demanding that all eyes met him. Girls were endlessly obsessed with him, with the idea of him. And he ate that shit up.

You however, would argue that you didn’t have any impression of him at all. He was just there. Okay, that was Gojo Satoru. Cool. Time to just shrug and walk away. He wasn’t exactly someone you had to interact with daily. He was a year older, in a different class. He had friends of his own. And he was quite literally famous. Why would he bother with you?

What you didn’t know about Gojo Satoru was that he didn’t need any reason to be obnoxious. He just was. Seeing someone indifferent to his existence lit a fire in him, and he was adamant on making sure you noticed him. One way or the other.

“So it doesn’t matter to you if I’m cursing you out? As long as I’m paying attention to you?”

You eyed him, watching as he leaned back on the two back legs of the chair he was sitting in until it teetered dangerously. The action kind of put you on edge but you would be damned if you let him know that it bothered you. Mostly because if he knew then he would never stop doing it.

He snapped his fingers and grinned in the affirmative.

“All press is good press.”

You gave him an incredulous look. “What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know, it sounds cool.”

You rolled your eyes and turned back to your textbook. A bout of silence fell on you for a few brief moments, before Satoru felt the urge to ruin it again.

“You’re not gonna fail.”

You didn’t look up. “Thanks?”

“So stop studying.”

You sighed, still not looking at him. You flipped a page. A hand grabbed at your open book, shutting it with a soft thud. You finally turned to glare at the boy. Over the curve of his shades, his eyes were as blue as ever. He grinned wide.

“There she is. Hey, pretty girl.”

Another thing about him, he flirted endlessly.

Your scowl deepened, trying to will away the heat that rushed to your ears. It was annoying, almost frustrating, how easy he thought it was to get under your skin. Saying shit like this as if it didn’t mean anything. Casual. Unserious.

Your train of thought broke when he reached forward and pinched your cheek hard. You yelped and pushed him hand away, wrestling against his strength when he tried to twist closer to you. By the time Suguru and Kento walked into the classroom, he had you pinned on the desk and was messing your hair up the best he could while you called him every colorful name you could think of.

Suguru didn’t bat an eye. Kento just sighed. This was, unfortunately, normal.

You, of course, didn’t fail your exam. Surprisingly, neither did Satoru, even though you had not seen him open a book once. Practical application was one thing (Satoru excelled in that of course), but how did he manage to get the theory right? He had spent every minute of his prep days either bothering you in person, sending you endless text messages, or lounging around in your room and watching TV. The fact that he passed and was now a third year was more surprising to you than the fact that you passed. At least you studied for it.

“You just wanted me to fail so I would be held back for the year and we could be classmates.” Satoru grinned, peeling open a packet of those overly sweet jellies he loved eating. You snorted, turning over in your bed and pulling your sheets up higher. It was nearly 10 in the morning, and Satoru had woken you up with the news that results were out and both of you had passed. Your body was still sluggish, eyelids heavy with exhaustion and residual sleep.

“Is that your breakfast?” You watched him lean back and shake the entire bag of jellies straight into his mouth from above. Your face twisted in disgust.

“Yup. Gotta start the day right.”

You didn’t bother to argue, shoving your face into the pillow and hoping it would suffocate you to death. You heard shuffling and then felt the mattress dip, grunting when you felt something heavy fall over your back.

“So what do you wanna do today?”

You let out a pained sigh, not bothering to turn and look at him, or his legs that were likely draped over you.

“I was planning to sleep in but I guess I can’t do that anymore.” Your tone was dry.

“Damn right. Let's go to the city.”

“Can’t you go bother Getou-san?”

“He isn’t as fun.”

You turned your head to look at him, just in time to see him pull apart a chocolate bar. Your eyes widened in horror.

“No!” You shoved him hard and he toppled off the bed with a loud ‘oof’, until all you could see was his legs hanging in the air.

“What the fuck?” His tone was more baffled than it was pained. You saw his messy head of hair pop up over the edge of the bed, his eyes wide, glasses nowhere to be seen.

“You’ll get chocolate on my sheets!”

“So you pushed me off?” Before he could pull himself back up, you rushed forward, trying to keep him down, slipping off the edge and falling right on top of him. You grabbed the hand with the chocolate, prying it from his fingers. You placed it carefully on your side table, finally sighing and leaning back, looking down at the boy before you. Or more accurately, under you.

Satoru was wearing a huge, toothy grin on his face, wiggling his eyebrows. He seemed to have completely forgotten his chocolate. His hands rested on your bare thighs, fingers just shy of the hem of your shorts.

“You know what, you can keep the chocolate. I’m fine right here.”

You glared at him, standing up to walk away, but not before you dug a foot into his stomach. Satoru groaned, but still grinned, grabbing your ankle.

“You should just let things happen, baby. We’d be great together, you know?”

You didn’t let his words get to you, nor did you let your mind dwell on how soft his fingers felt around your ankle, or how his hands had felt on the bare skin of your thighs. You couldn’t think about it, because nothing Satoru did was real. He was just playing. He was a good friend who tried annoying you as much as possible. That’s it.

It didn’t matter that he whined your name whenever you ignored him, or how he would wrap his arms around you until you were curled under him, or how he would pin your arms down so you wouldn’t struggle when he laid sloppy, obnoxious kisses on your cheeks and forehead. Your couch was his permanent bed, and he claimed he was there because your TV was bigger than his. You couldn’t understand why he couldn’t just buy a TV for his room. He was loaded.

You don’t know at what point everyone started assuming you were dating, but when Shoko vocalized this perception, you felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped on you.

“We are not dating. What the fuck? I can barely stand him.”

You ignored the petulant ‘hey’ that left his lips, focused on your upperclassman across the table from you. Shoko was blank-faced, giving you a look that said ‘really?’. You didn’t back down.

“We aren’t! We’re good friends, yes, but-”

A snort from beside you, and finally you turned your head to glare at him. Satoru’s lips were twisted into an amused smirk, and the sight of it annoyed you. You felt like everyone at the table- Shoko, Suguru, Kento, Haibara- were laughing at you. Your face burned in embarrassment, so you lashed out at the one man who always bore the brunt of it.

“Why are you smirking? Wipe that off your face.”

He shrugged, ignoring what you said. “I just think it’s funny that you think we aren’t dating.”

“We’re not.”

“Sure.”

You let out an exasperated sigh. “We’re not! What the fuck are you on? We’ve never even kissed!”

Just talking about this was making you squirm uncomfortably, let alone in front of all your friends.

“You were practically in my lap in the car on our way here.”

You smacked his bicep hard. “There were six of us! And it was a tight fit! And- you offered!”

He was grinning by now, leaning closer to you. “Of course I did. We’re dating.”

You blinked, shocked into silence. A few moments passed. “This is gaslighting. You’re gaslighting me.”

You heard a snort and turned your head towards Haibara, who tried to disguise it as a cough.

“Okay, if we’re not dating, explain this to me,” Satoru began, pulling your attention back to him. You tried to will your heart into beating slower.

“Would you have put your legs in Suguru’s lap?”

You sputtered, feeling your face burn as you glanced at the man in question, he looked unbothered.

“No! That’s- no.”

“Nanami? Haibara?”

You didn’t answer.

“Shoko?”

“She’s my senpai.”

“I’m your senpai too.”

You rolled your eyes. “You sure don’t act like it.”

“So what you’re saying is,” Satoru continued, ignoring your quip. His voice was jovial, slightly teasing, and you dreaded where he was going with this. “There’s some stuff you would do only with me?”

You glared at him.

“Almost like…… being exclusive?”

“We are not dating.” Your argument was beginning to sound weaker and weaker. Everyone around you was staring at you with amusement as the gears turned at your head.

“Okay.” Satoru smiled, and you almost reeled back at how soft it was.

“We’re not.”

Oh my god.

……………………..

It took three or four days later to finally get your thoughts straight enough to talk to Satoru about the….. dating incident.

You had been over analyzing everything, trying to look at every interaction between you and him from a third person’s perspective, and you realized how abnormal it really was. No normal friends interacted the way you and Satoru did. Relentless teasing, touching, hugging. The unending push and tug. Caught in the whirlwind that was Gojo Satoru, you had not noticed how close you were to him, and how dependent you were on his presence.

Maybe he was right. In some strange way, you two were a couple.

You sat with this newfound information, feeling it burn and chip away at your skin, leaving you raw and vulnerable. How were you supposed to bring this up with him? You watched the figures on the TV before you bound around, not absorbing anything that was being said, your attention only on the slowly simmering pot of water that was your brain and your thoughts. When your door swung open with a loud squeak, you finally looked up.

Satoru was humming something to himself as he lumbered in, spotting you on the couch and grinning.

“Hey, what are your dinner plans? I'm craving Korean barbecue.”

You stared at him for a bit, as he toed his shoes off and tried to struggle out of his uniform jacket. It settled in you like a soft cloud, the knowledge that there was nothing to talk about. Your heart skipped a beat, and you stood up.

“I’m going to change.” Your voice was low.

Satoru looked up, lips pursed into a confused pout that you almost thought was cute. “Why? You look great.”

You muscled past the compliment, not letting it get to you. “I’m going to put on a nice outfit. And do my hair. And you’re going to go change too. Dress fancy. It’s a date.”

Satoru watched you, mouth open like a goldfish, as you puttered through the room and to your closet. He was frozen, dumbfounded. It was a new look on him. And you discovered that you liked it very much. You feigned innocence as you turned to look back at him.

“What’s wrong? I thought we were dating?”

That seemed to break his trance, and a cheshire grin took over his face. He didn’t even bother putting his shoes back on, gathering them in his hands and bounding out the door, making you laugh at how eager he was.

Talking was overrated anyway. This way was more fun.

[sadnymi]

「 ✦ One of your girls .✦ 」

[Theodore Nott x reader]

Summary: Theodore Nott was the love of my life, the one I'd trade my whole world for. But this summer, I yearned for a different role in his life, even if it meant becoming just one of his girls

Warning:fluff,angst,smut, oral (f!received), fingering, lying about virginity,(+18)

Words:8k

In this world of labels there are , "good boys" and "bad boys," Theodore Nott existed in a category all his own. like devil in disguise, but manlier. And definitely hotter by like a thousand degrees .

As I stood there, captivated by his interaction with a Gryffindor girl, two stark realizations crashed over me. First, I desperately needed to refine my Marauder mischief skills. And More importantly, I needed to bridge the chasm between myself and Theodore. This summer, I wouldn't just be his little sister's best friend; I craved a different role in his life.

Lana's voice, sharp and cutting through my reverie, jolted me back to reality. "Y/N, are you with me?"

"Forgive me, my thoughts wandered," I muttered, composing myself with practiced neutrality.

“I was just saying, I really want Dad to approve this environmental camp," she continued, her enthusiasm undeterred.

"Absolutely," I agreed, forcing a smile. "Those Larus birds undeniably deserve all the protection we can offer." However, my gaze remained tethered to Theodore and his seemingly animated conversation with the Gryffindor girl.

"Right?" Lana beamed. "Perhaps Theo or Christian could help us sway Father?" Lana suggested hopefully.

"An excellent suggestion," I managed, a barbed comment forming on my tongue.

Perhaps your brother would engage in more productive activities than fraternizing with the Gryffindor girl. But I swallowed the retort.

"Christian can be a bit overprotective, bless his heart," Lana began, "but I do believe the 'puppy-dog eyes' technique, as he calls it, might work on Theo," Lana mused cheerfully.believe

A pang of curiosity shot through me. Could this "puppy eyes" technique be effective on Theo as well? I stifled the urge to inquire.

As if sensing my scrutiny, I almost choked on a gasp when he turned, our eyes locking for a beat too long. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, he resumed his conversation with the Gryffindor girl. My mind conjured elaborate – and disturbing – daydreams of her demise.

"Are you alright?" Lana's voice held a hint of worry.

"Perfect," I muttered, the word a lie heavy on my tongue. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the backdrop of my escalating jealousy.

"Then let's proceed," she declared, taking my hand in hers.

The world became a blur as we walked, the proximity to Theo and his unwelcome companion amplifying my agitation. My pulse pounded in my ears, a relentless drumbeat against the backdrop of muted classroom sounds.

Finally, we passed them. Still, Theo's gaze lingered on me, a silent connection that sent a wave of heat through my body. Just as abruptly, , Then in a move that stole the breath from my lungs, the Gryffindor girl cupped Theodore's jaw, pulling him down for a rough, aggressive kiss. I averted my eyes, a wave of nausea washing over me.

“ EWWW “ Lana muttered, mirroring my own disgust.

“Perhaps," I ventured, my voice tight with unspoken emotions, "you should utilize those puppy dog eyes sooner before he gets distracted again “

Potions became a blurry mess of bubbling cauldrons and swirling fumes. Snape's usual scathing commentary faded into the background, as my mind replayed the scene on loop: Theo, his lips locked with the Gryffindor girl, a stranger who somehow managed to snag his attention. Her triumphant smirk as she pulled away felt branded onto my eyelids.

Jealousy gnawed at me like a rogue Flobberworm. Every stolen glance his way felt like a betrayal, a secret message only I could decipher. Was this what Lana meant by "puppy eyes"? Because right now, all I wanted to do was unleash my inner dragon and set the damn girl ablaze.

The Great Hall echoed with the boisterous chatter of lunchtime. As I joined my friends at the Slytherin table, a familiar warmth washed over me – camaraderie, yes, but something more potent simmered beneath the surface. My stolen glance at Theo, however, sent a jolt of conflicting emotions. He was already there, his dark eyes locked on mine for a lingering moment before he averted his gaze.

A playful tug on my braid brought me back to reality. Lana, a mischievous glint in her eyes, was trying to get me out of my misery that she can’t quite understand what gets me into

Mattheo, being his usual blunt self, decided to stir up some trouble, "Just want to make sure the rumors are true. Did our little Y/N break Cedric Diggory's heart?"he said, causing Theo's gaze to intensify on me, igniting a mix of excitement and nervousness within me.

"Sorry, what?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"It's okay, y/n, we can see that you're at that age for those kinds of things. What puberty did to you can't go unnoticed,"

My cheeks burned a furious red. The air crackled with tension as Blaise's words hung in the air.

Before I could retort, a cold fury replaced Theo's usual nonchalance. "Shut the hell up, Zabini, before I make you."

His sharp tone silenced the table. I stole a glance at him, he looked relaxed despite his tone , his eyes locked in a silent battle with Blaise. And that was well- very awkward

Matteo, unfazed by Theo's outburst, pressed on. "Back to the broken heart thing, did you really ditch a date with Diggory?"

My cheeks burned under the scrutiny of the table. "It wasn't like that, he understood," I stammered, desperately trying to salvage the situation. "I just said I had to study."

Lana, oblivious to my boiling frustration, jumped in. "No, no, she's just being humble! Cedric was head over heels! He was moping around for days after she said no, his heart practically shattered. Still he can't seem to take his eyes off her today."

I shot her a glare that could curdle milk, but she just winked back, clearly enjoying the drama.

"Why'd you turn him down, then?" Blaise pressed, his amusement evident.

Theo, however, surprised everyone. "She's still too young for that," he muttered. Really? The audacity! My hand twitched, a silent promise of violence aimed at his handsome but infuriating face.

My temper flared. "First of all," I stated, fixing him with a hard stare, "I'm only a year younger than you. Second, I said no because it wouldn't be fair to either of us. I already have feelings for someone else."

A collective gasp rippled through the group.

"You never told me that!" Lana exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"No," I said, trying to project a confidence I didn't entirely feel. My gaze locked with Theo's, daring him to look away. "I was planning on telling you… tonight."

"Who is this mystery man?" Matteo leaned forward, his tone laced with curiosity. "Do we know him?"

"No, you don't," I lied smoothly, a flicker of defiance sparking in my chest. "He graduated."

A wave of disappointment washed over Blaise's face. "Oooh, Y/N, you sneaky minx! Who knew you had that in you?"

The Hogwarts Express rumbled to a halt, signaling the end of the semester and the glorious (or dreaded, depending on who you asked) freedom of summer. Bidding farewell to Lana, whose eyes held a knowing glint that made me sweat, I trudged off the train, eager to reach the familiar comfort of my own home.

Living just two houses away from Theo and Lana meant constant proximity, which could be either a blessing or a curse depending on how things unfolded. The lie about a mysterious older boyfriend sat heavy in my stomach. It was a desperate attempt to buy myself some breathing room, a chance to navigate the confusing maze of emotions swirling within me.

The oppressive heat of summer hung heavy in the air, mirroring the nervous knot in my stomach. Lana's father had finally approved the conservation camp, and while I was happy for her, a pang of disappointment shot through me. That meant less time to figure things out with Theo.

Taking a deep breath I slipped into a summer dress – the kind that hugged my curves perfectly and left a trail of cool air on my skin.

Taking a deep breath, I crossed the two houses separating our homes and knocked on Theo's door. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. What was I even doing here?

The door creaked open, revealing Mrs. Finch, the Nott family housekeeper, her face etched with surprise. "Miss Y/N? What a surprise! Mr. Theo is the only one home, I'm afraid. Miss Lana's still out."

My cheeks flushed crimson. This was not the grand entrance I'd envisioned. "Oh!" I feigned surprise. "Goodness, how forgetful of me. I just realized I left something in Lana's room. Terribly sorry to bother you, Mrs. Finch."

The housekeeper's expression softened. "No trouble at all, dear. Just head on up, third door on the right."

With a mumbled thank you, I practically sprinted up the stairs, my heart thundering in my chest. This impulsive, poorly-planned visit was already spiraling out of control. Would he see through my flimsy excuse? Most importantly, what was I going to say to him once I was alone with him under the guise of borrowing something from Lana?

The familiar chaos of Lana's room swam before my eyes. Clothes littered the floor, forgotten textbooks sat precariously on the desk,I don’t know why she insisted that no one else but her clean her room when she barley do it

"Are you lost?"

The sound of Theo's voice cut through the mental fog. I spun around, heart hammering against my ribs like a frantic hummingbird. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, his gaze lingering on me a beat too long.

And then, his eyes scanned me from head to toe, a slow, deliberate sweep that sent a jolt of heat straight to my core. Merlin's beard, I wanted to be on my knees (respectfully, of course). That summer dress, the impulsive visit - everything suddenly felt like a terrible, wonderful mistake.

"N-no," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I, uh, just came to… borrow something from Lana." The lie tasted like ashes in my mouth, but I couldn't bring myself to confess my real motive. Not yet, anyway.

Theo pushed himself off the doorframe, taking a slow step closer. The air crackled with a tension that had nothing to do with the summer heat. "Is that right?" he drawled, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. His eye held an unreadable depth that made my breath hitch.

"Yes," I managed, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "She mentioned a book on… Larus migration patterns? I thought I might borrow it for some summer reading."

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. "Larus migration patterns, huh? Sounds like a fascinating read for a summer day."

His words were laced with a double meaning, and a blush crept up my cheeks. Was he teasing me? Did he suspect my real reason for being here?

The silence stretched, thick and heavy. My carefully constructed plan was falling apart faster than a poorly brewed Amortentia potion. But before I could stammer out another excuse, Theo surprised me with a soft chuckle.

"Well," he drawled, his voice softer now, "since Lana's not here, perhaps I could help you find the book."

The breath caught in my throat. Here I was, caught red-handed (or rather, red-dressed), and yet, Theo's amusement was oddly disarming. His casual demeanor didn't quite match the intensity I'd glimpsed in his eyes moments ago.

"Really?" I squeaked, my voice barely above a whisper. The air crackled between us, charged with a sudden shift in energy.

A slow smirk played on his lips. "Yeah, why not? Did you want someone else to help you, maybe?"

He took a slow step forward, his presence filling the room. I instinctively leaned back, my back hitting the wall with a soft thud. A thrill shot through me as his eyes lingered on my face, a storm brewing beneath the surface.

"He's not here, though," he drawled, the amusement leaving his voice. "So bad."

Confusion clouded my mind. "He?" I stammered.

Theo's brows furrowed. "Oh, your older, hot crush? That's what you said, right? So you're here all dressed up and making excuses for nothing." The smile that had been playing on his lips vanished completely.

A wave of panic washed over me. "Are you kidding me?" I blurted out, unable to contain my frustration. Heat crept up my cheeks. "Are you that blind?" just then I realized the depth of my mistake. He thought my crush was Christopher, his own brother!

He was close now, so close I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. His hands braced themselves on either side of my face, caging me in. My breath caught in my throat.

"Trapped?" he murmured, his voice a low growl.

If looks could kill, I would have been dead. Theo's expression was a mix of anger, hurt, and confusion. I reached out hesitantly, my fingers brushing against his cheek. Thankfully, he didn't pull away.

"It's not Christopher," I whispered, my eyes darted drawn to the tempting curve of his lips.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged, his voice husky.

I couldn't hold back any longer. This was it. With a surge of desperation, I cupped his face with one hand, the other finding its way to the back of his neck and I kissed him.

It was a moment of pure, unadulterated passion. I was kissing Theo it wasn’t a dream , feeling the heat and intensity of the moment wash over me. My lips on his, our breaths mingling, it was my first kiss, but that fact faded into insignificance. He was the only thing that mattered.

Panic briefly gripped me when he didn't immediately respond to the kiss. I pulled away, searching his eyes for any sign of reciprocation, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Fuck," he muttered, pulling me closer, lifting me effortlessly until my legs were wrapped around his waist. His kiss this time was harder, more urgent, our bodies pressed against the wall as he devoured my lips.

It was a hungry kiss, filled with raw desire and longing. I moaned into his mouth, unable to contain the pleasure that surged through me. As his tongue sought entry, I responded eagerly, my hand finding its way to his shoulder, the other tangling in his hair. It felt intoxicatingly good, every touch sending sparks of pleasure coursing through me.

He didn't stop, his kisses growing more intense, more mind-blowing with each passing second. I felt myself teetering on the edge of something powerful, something I had never experienced before.

When he finally pulled away, our lips still touching, he whispered, "We shouldn't do that." I leaned in, wanting more, desperate to recapture the fire he had ignited within me. But this time, he stopped me with a gentle hand on my cheek.

"We shouldn't," he repeated, his words laced with a battle between desire and control.

" You ... don’t want this?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

"Fucking hell," he muttered, before claiming my lips once more in a kiss that left me breathless and wanting more.

He kept kissing me, then his lips dipped lower, trailing a path of fire down my neck. Each touch ignited a new spark within me, a desperate need for more. But just as quickly, he pulled away, his hand clamping over my mouth the moment a moan escaped my lips.

He released me with a ragged breath, fingers brushing my lips – a touch that felt both accidental and deliberate. "Don't fucking let me do that again," he growled, his expression unreadable.

"Theo..." My voice trembled, a choked whisper lost in the deafening silence.

"Don't," he cut me off, his voice laced with a raw emotion that sent shivers down my spine.

I ignored him, the dam of my emotions threatening to burst. "No, Theo, I do like you so much! No, I think I love–"

He slammed his hand down on the nearest surface, the sharp crack echoing through the room. "Stop talking! Stop fucking talking and get out!"

My heart plummeted to my stomach. I stared at him, disbelief etching lines on my face. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't the answer I'd envisioned.

"I said, get out!" he roared, his voice raw with something akin to despair.

My body reacted before my mind could catch up. Fear, a primal and cold sensation, gripped me. I couldn't stay there, not with that look in his eyes. Tears blurring my vision, I turned and fled. I ran blindly out of the room, my feet pounding against the wooden floorboards. I didn't stop until I was out of the house, gasping for breath on the front porch steps. My legs felt like jelly, my vision obscured by a torrent of tears.

After four days of crying in my room, watching romcoms, and indulging in ice cream, I had practically shut myself off from the outside world. Ignoring calls and messages, I had no intention of leaving my room anytime soon.

But then, my phone started ringing, and the name that flashed on the screen caught my attention – Blaise Zabini. Why was he calling me? I debated whether to answer or not, but curiosity got the better of me.

"Hello?" I answered tentatively.

"Hello, beautiful lady. What are you doing tonight?" Blaise's smooth voice flowed through the phone, surprising me.

"Did you mistake my number for someone else?" I asked, slightly bewildered.

Blaise chuckled. "No, Y/N, I'm calling you. There's a party tonight, and you should come."

I couldn't believe it. Blaise inviting me to a party? It seemed surreal, especially considering how distant I had been lately. "Is this some kind of dare?" I half-jokingly asked, recalling how Lana and I had once begged to be included in their circle last year.

"No, of course not. Lana is away at camp, and I figured you must be bored. Plus, you're old enough now. So, are you coming?" Blaise explained.

I was shocked but managed to say, "Yes."

"Good, I'll pick you up," he said confidently.

"Um, what should I wear?" I asked, feeling a bit out of my depth.

"Something hot for sure," Blaise replied, causing my mouth to drop open. Surely, there must be more to it than just small talk and an unexpected invitation.

I dragged myself out of bed, feeling a bit more alive than I had in days. The prospect of going out, even to a party, was both daunting and oddly exciting. I made my way to the bathroom, deciding that a hot shower would do wonders for my mood.

The water cascaded down my skin, washing away some of the heaviness that had settled over me. I washed my hair, taking extra care to make it look presentable. After all, Blaise had mentioned something about looking hot, and I wanted to at least make an effort.

Once out of the shower, I wrapped myself in a fluffy towel and stood in front of the mirror, contemplating my options. My wardrobe seemed to mock me with its array of dresses, each one a reminder of happier times. But tonight was different. I wanted to feel good, even if just for a few hours.

My eyes settled on a vibrant off-shoulder red dress, short enough to be playful yet elegant. It had been a while since I'd worn something so bold, but tonight felt like the perfect occasion. Slipping into the dress, I couldn't help but admire how it hugged my curves in all the right places.

With my hair styled in loose waves cascading down my shoulders, I turned to my makeup. Opting for a subtle smokey eye and a bold red lip to match the dress, I added a touch of highlighter to give my skin a healthy glow.

Just as I finished applying the last stroke of mascara, my phone rang again. It was Blaise, letting me know that he was waiting outside. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my purse and headed out.

A slow smirk spread across Blaise's face as he took in my entire outfit. "Damn, Y/N," he said, his voice dropping a cool octave. "You look goodness. Tonight, you're not just breaking hearts, you're shattering them."

"Thanks," I managed, trying to project an air of confidence I wasn't entirely sure I possessed.

The drive to the bar was a blur of conversation and upbeat music. Blaise gave me a heads-up that this was a different scene than the usual hangouts Lana and I frequented. No sticky floors or questionable punch here. This place oozed sophistication with a healthy dose of trendy vibes.

The closer we got, the bigger the butterflies became. "Just a heads-up," Blaise said casually, "Theo's gonna be there."

My eyes widened like headlights caught on high beams. "Why are you telling me this?" I blurted, my voice shaky.

Blaise held up his hands in mock surrender. "Whoa there, little firecracker. Easy now. Listen, I know what happened," he said, his tone gentle but firm.

He paused, his gaze meeting mine in the rearview mirror. "You've got two choices tonight," he continued, his voice low and serious. "Option one: Go in there, drown your sorrows in overpriced cocktails, and cry yourself to sleep like you have been for the past week. Option two: You walk in that door, head held high, and have the best damn night of your life. Show him what a colossal mistake he made. But more importantly, have fun. Forget Theo for the night. You deserve it."

My initial suspicion flared. How did Blaise know about Theo? Did Theo tell everyone, maybe even paint some twisted narrative of what happened? The worst-case scenario played in my head: everyone knowing I'd forced myself on him. I pushed those thoughts down, refusing to let them take root.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked, my voice laced with a hint of suspicion.

Blaise raised an eyebrow, feigning offense. "Oh, the nerve! Here I am, trying to be the ever-so-charming host, and you accuse me of… niceness?" He placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "Honestly, Y/N, I'm deeply wounded."

I couldn't help but laugh, the sound light and genuine. It felt good, a welcome change from the constant ache in my chest. As we pulled into the bar's crowded parking lot, I spotted a familiar face – the Gryffindor girl from school, the one with a permanent case of RBF.

Suddenly, the prospect of a night out filled with new faces and zero Theo drama seemed a whole lot more appealing.

"Alright," I announced, a determined glint in my eyes. "Going inside and having fun sounds way better."

Blaise's smirk widened. "Now you're talking," he said, finally pulling the car to a stop. "Let's do this."

We pushed through the heavy bar doors, the sudden wave of loud music and flashing lights hitting me like a physical blow. My eyes squinted against the assault, struggling to adjust to the dim, pulsing atmosphere. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, spilled alcohol, and something vaguely floral that I couldn't quite identify.

Then I saw it.

Bodies. Everywhere bodies. Couples intertwined on couches, limbs tangled in a way that left little to the imagination. People grinding against each other on the dance floor, clothes barely clinging to their sweaty forms. My mouth fell open in a silent scream.

"Are you kidding me, Blaise?" I shrieked, my voice barely audible over the pounding music. "Did you invite me to an orgy ?"

Blaise chuckled, his earlier cool persona replaced by something a little more… suggestive. "Not quite, sweetheart," he drawled. "But if you're interested, I know a guy…"

Blaise winked, then turned his attention to a group of women across the room. My stomach churned. Had he brought me here just to ditch me?

"Where are you going?" I demanded, grabbing his arm before he could slink away.

He looked back at me, a sly smile playing on his lips. "You wouldn't want to know, sweetheart. Trust me." Before I could argue, he was weaving his way through the crowd, leaving me stranded in a sea of strangers.

Panic clawed at my throat. I was completely out of my element, suffocated by the throbbing music and the overt displays of affection. Trying to navigate the throng of people felt like trying to walk through a mosh pit. Elbows jabbed, drinks sloshed, and muttered curses collided with the music. Every step forward felt like a battle.

Just when I was on the verge of tears, a familiar voice cut through the din.

"Y/N? Is that you?"

I snapped my head towards the source of the sound, relief washing over me like a tidal wave. There, standing a few feet away, was Cedric Diggory, a friendly face from Hogwarts. He looked as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

"Oh, thank God!" I exclaimed, practically throwing myself at him. He caught me with a smile, a steady presence in the swirling chaos.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out, clinging to him like a lifeline. "I came with Blaise, but… well, he kinda ditched me."

Cedric's smile faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly. "Don't worry about him," he said reassuringly. "I can take you home if you want."

The offer was tempting, a safe haven from the overwhelming sensory overload. But then my gaze fell across the crowded room, landing on Theo. He was… well, making out with someone. Not just anyone, but two someones. His hands were everywhere, his lips moving feverishly between two very enthusiastic girls.

The sight of him sent a fresh wave of anger and hurt coursing through me. I wanted to scream, to cry, to set the whole place on fire. But instead, I did something completely unexpected.

"Actually," I said, my voice surprisingly steady, "Do you want to dance?"

A slow smile spread across my face as Cedric offered his hand. Relief momentarily eclipsed the anger simmering beneath the surface. He led me onto the dance floor, his touch light and hesitant on my waist. Compared to Theo's rough possessiveness, it felt… foreign.

"Theodora Nott," I muttered under my breath, the name a bitter curse on my tongue. Every fiber of my being ached to tear my gaze away from Theo.

Cedric's breath tickled my ear as he spoke, but my mind was elsewhere. Then, our eyes met. Theo's. His face contorted in a mixture of surprise and disbelief, like he'd seen a ghost.

Theo seemed momentarily speechless, his jaw clenched tight. Then, in a move that surprised even me, he shoved the two girls aside, their confused faces momentarily forgotten. He barged his way through the crowd, a determined scowl on his face.

"Diggory," he spat, his voice laced with venom.

"Nott," Cedric replied, a flicker of confusion crossing his features.

"Think I can take this from here?" Theo said, his gaze never leaving mine. "Thanks for keeping Y/N company."

Cedric glanced between us, a hesitant frown creasing his brow. Knowing I needed to act fast, I plastered a sickly sweet smile on my face.

"It's alright, Cedric," I chirped, my voice dripping with fake sincerity. "Theo's here now, and you know, practically like a brother to me."

Theo's jaw clenched tight, his anger barely contained. It fueled a fire within me, a perverse satisfaction at seeing him squirm. Cedric, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension, simply nodded and melted back into the crowd.

As soon as he was out of sight, I reached out and lightly touched Theo's arm. "Hello, brother," I purred, the word laced with mockery. "Enjoying yourself?"

He swatted my hand away, his voice tight with irritation. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"Dancing, drinking, you know ," I replied, my voice light and carefree. "Hopefully getting some… you know, without having to share." I couldn't resist adding a pointed jab at his earlier display of affection.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "That's not the right answer, Y/N."

"Oh, so now you're the authority on what's right and wrong?" I scoffed. "Just get lost and let me enjoy my night."

"Not happening," he growled, stepping closer. For a fleeting moment, I swear his eyes flickered to my lips, sending a tremor of something unexpected through me.

"Not happening," he countered, his eyes flickering towards my lips for a fleeting moment.

A shiver ran down my spine, but I refused to let it show. "So you get to have fun, but I can't? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you were having a blast with your little… (here I paused, searching for the perfect comedic insult) …buffet." I forced a smile, pushing myself away from him in a playful, yet firm, manner.

He didn't get a chance to retort before a gasp escaped my lips. A clumsy dancer, fueled by who-knows-what concoction, careened into me, spilling the entirety of his drink down my dress. The scarlet fabric clung to my body like a second skin, leaving little to the imagination.

Theo let out a frustrated curse under his breath. "Damn it, Y/N, and your damn stubborn red dresses ," he muttered, before grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the crowd. His gaze darted around frantically, before settling on a nearby staircase.

The world spun a little faster as Theo pulled me through the crowd, his grip tight on my arm. We navigated through bodies and flashing lights, finally ending up near a darkened stairway leading upwards. He pushed open a door, revealing a large, beautifully furnished room – a stark contrast to the party raging outside.

"Stay here," he instructed, his voice low and urgent.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed at his bossiness but strangely comforted by his protectiveness.My mind was still reeling from the sudden alcohol shower, my thoughts fuzzy and disconnected.

Theo's presence alone was overwhelming. All the anger, hurt, and confusion I'd been feeling seemed to coalesce into a potent cocktail of emotions. My mind, however, wasn't processing things clearly. The red dress clinging to my body, the sting of Theo's earlier words, the memory of seeing him with those girls – it all swirled together in a chaotic mess.

Ignoring the instruction to stay put, I crossed the room and locked the door with a satisfying click. Grasping the hem of the ruined dress, I ripped it upwards in one swift motion. There, standing before a giant mirror, was me in all my red lace glory – bra and panties matching the ruined dress.

Theo stepped in, a black t-shirt clutched in his hand. His gaze locked with mine, a slow burn spreading across his face. He scanned me from head to toe, his eyes lingering on the shocking red lace bra and matching panties that were now my only attire.

For a moment, the room seemed to shrink, the music fading into a distant hum. The air crackled with a tension that sent a jolt of electricity through me.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" he finally managed, his voice rough with a mix of concern and something else – something deeper.

The question snapped me out of my haze. A defiant chuckle escaped my lips. "Not a single Shot," I replied, my voice surprisingly steady as I walked towards him.

The t-shirt fluttered to the floor, forgotten. His eyes were fixed on me, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. I stopped just inches from him, tilting my head up to meet his gaze.

"What are you doing?" he whispered, his face just inches from mine. The heat of his body radiated against mine, intensifying the buzz in my head.

"We don't have to be in love," I slurred, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. A part of me knew this was insane, But another part just craved his attention, his touch.

All I craved was his attention, his touch.

"I just wanna be… one of your girls tonight," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. A shiver ran down my spine as the reality of my words hit me. Was I really saying this? But then I remembered Theo with those other girls, the way they would whisper about him at school, the way they boasted about their "experiences" with him.

Suddenly, a strange sense of defiance mixed with a simmering desire fueled my next words. "I want what you give them," I confessed, my eyes locked on his. "The kind of thing they brag about to their friends for years."

He reached out, a single finger brushing against my cheek. My breath hitched at the contact.

"Give me tough love don’t hold back," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "Push me, choke me. Show me what it's like to be… yours even if it’s just for a night ." My voice dropped even lower. "Anything," I whispered, "just don't pretend you don't want me."

My words hung heavy in the air, the audacity of them making my cheeks burn. But before I could even think about backtracking, Theo surged forward, scooping me up into his arms. A gasp escaped my lips as he pulled me close, the familiar scent of his cologne washing over me.

He lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist as he pulled me close. My hands instinctively found purchase on his broad shoulders, the heat radiating through his shirt setting my skin alight.

"That's wrong," he rasped, his lips brushing dangerously close to mine.

"It's not," I insisted, the defiance laced with a desperate plea.

He didn't answer. Instead, he kissed me. It was a hard kiss, desperate and hungry, as if he was trying to erase everything that had come between us. My body melted against his, all thoughts fleeing my mind except for the fierce press of his lips against mine.

He carried me across the room, depositing me onto a large table. pulled away after what felt like an eternity, his eyes blazing with an intensity that sent a tremor through me. He pushed a stray strand of hair from my face, his eyes searching mine. "I'd hold onto something, if I were you." he murmured, his voice thick with possessiveness that both terrified and excited me.

My fingers brushed against his face, his warm breath ghosting over my lips as he leaned down.

His hand moved down my body, a slow, deliberate caress that sent shivers erupting across my skin. His fingers grazed my thighs, a light touch that somehow managed to ignite a fire within me. My breath hitched, a moan escaping my lips as desire battled with the remnants of reason.

His lips brushed against my ear, his voice a husky whisper against my sensitive skin. "Choose a word," he murmured, his breath sending shivers down my spine.

I nodded numbly, unsure if I would even be able to speak if I needed to.

"Red," I managed to whisper, my voice laced with desire as his lips trailed along my neck, eliciting a soft moan from deep within me.

"Fucking red again," he muttered, his lips pressing against my skin with a hunger that ignited a fire within me. I arched my neck, offering him more access, more of me.

"You use this if it gets too much, understood?" he said, his voice commanding. I nodded eagerly.

He continued to kiss my jaw and neck with an intensity that left me breathless. My hand tangled in his hair, urging him closer. When he bit down on a sensitive spot on my neck, I couldn't contain a scream of pleasure.

His hand cupped my core through my panties, and I instinctively gripped his shoulder, my body responding to his touch. I had never experienced anything like this before, but I couldn't admit that to him.

"Have you done anything like this before?" he asked, his breath hot against my earlobe. I moaned softly as I lied, nodding in response.

"Yes," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rush of sensations.

He parted my legs forcefully and held my jaw in his hand, locking eyes with mine. "You did?" he questioned, a hint of possessiveness in his tone.

I nodded again, unable to speak as desire coursed through me.

"He's dead, whoever he is," he declared, sending a shiver down my spine. His fingers slipped inside my panties, and I gasped at the sudden intimacy, my body responding eagerly to his touch.

"Theo," I managed to gasp out, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Yes, baby?" he responds, his voice deep and husky. The way he says "baby" sends shivers down my spine. It feels too good, too right, felt like a sweet caress to my soul.

"You can do whatever you want to me," i whispered, my fingers tracing his jawline. "Anything."

He responds by parting my lips with his finger leaning down to take my lower lips into his kiss. It's so soft, so gentle, that I feel like I've been transported to heaven. His tongue enters my mouth at the same time he touches my clit, and I moan.

He rubs my clit in gentle circles, and I hold onto his shoulder, digging my nails into his skin. He pulls away from the kiss, my lips are still on his, and I moan into his mouth. His tongue continues to explore mine as his fingers work their magic.

"Oh Merlin," I cry out, and he smiles against my cheek.

"Not Merlin, baby, but me," he whispered against my cheek, his touch sending me spiraling further into ecstasy. He added a finger inside me, and I cried out, my back arching with pleasure.

"Fuck, you're so tight. You sure you've done this before?" he questioned, a hint of disbelief in his voice. I've done this before, in my dreams, with him. I bite my lip to keep from moaning too loudly, and he looks displeased with that.

"Keep making those sounds, I love the sound of your voice," he says, and I do it again. He stops kissing me” you did that again and i stop, understood? “ I nodded immediately.

He’s not done yet. He pushed my bra strap down, placing kisses along the exposed skin.

His fingers start to move faster, as he kissed me, swallowing all my moans. He adds another finger, and I scream, my back arching again.

I bite my lips without even noticing and he slowed his movements I hold onto his hand fast, afraid he'll stop.

"Please don't stop, I'll be good, I promise," I beg, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Fuck, say it again," his gaze intense with desire.

"I'll be good, Theo," I repeated, my voice a desperate plea.

He moves his fingers faster in response, hitting a spot inside me that makes me see stars. He keeps hitting it, over and over again, while circling my clit.

"I'm going to--" I try to say, but I can't finish my sentence. Pleasure consumes me, and I scream his name. He plays with my hair, pushing my tears and hair away from my face.

"I know, sweet girl," he murmured, his words pushing me over the edge into a mind-blowing orgasm."So sweet, so good."

He watched me with intense desire as I came, his fingers never ceasing their movements. "And so fucking hot," he added as he looked at me while experiencing his own release.

“you look so pretty when you’re cumming for me,” he murmured, placing soft kisses on my neck

I breathed heavily as he pulled his hands from me, bringing his fingers to his mouth and savoring my cum. "You taste so sweet, baby," he murmured, his gaze locked on mine.

He cupped my face, placing soft kisses on my lips, again and again. "So sweet, so angelic,"

With a gentle touch, he lifted me from the table, carrying me softly and placing me on the bed. His face was close to mine, his nose brushing against mine, and he kissed me deeply. I moaned as he opened my bra clips, leaning down to place a soft kiss on my jawline, then my collarbone.

He traced his way down, kissing every inch of my body until he reached my breasts. I closed my eyes as he put a soft kiss on them, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Eyes on me, baby. Don't shut them," he commanded, and I nodded, my breath heavy. I looked at him, my love for him overwhelming.

With each lick and kiss, I moaned louder, the pleasure building with every touch, and I arched my back, my fingers gripping the sheets.

With a final lick, he traced his way down, kissing every inch of my body. He kissed my stomach and looked up at me, his gaze intense.

He parted my legs, the sight of him between them is my idea of heaven. I nodded, and he pulled my panties down.

As he pulled my panties down, I felt a rush of shyness,"You will keep them open," he said, and I nodded again , my breath hitching.

"Good girl," he praised, his lips trailing kisses along my thighs. I couldn't resist running my fingers through his soft hair, pushing it from his face.

"You want rough love, you say?" he stated, using my own words against me.

"Yes," I moaned, my mouth gasping as I felt his mouth on my wet pussy.

"And you keep listening to what those girls say?" he asked.

"Yes, and it hurts," I managed to say.

"So I have to make up for it then, baby, don't you think?" he asked,

He didn't waste time. His tongue explored my folds, and it felt strange but in a good way. He licked and sucked, and I felt like I might explode.

He kept doing it, for what felt like an eternity. He kept my legs open, and my back ached. I cried heavily, it was the best thing I had ever felt. I could feel my body already over the edge.

"Don't cum," he said, and I shook my head. He continued eating me out, so much. I could feel his fingers inside me, and I screamed again.

"Please," I begged, unable to resist the overwhelming pleasure he was giving me.

"You cum, and it's over," he warned, his finger entering me gently.

I held onto his shoulder tightly, my body teetering on the edge. "Say the word, and I'll stop," he offered.

But I couldn't bring myself to say it. "No," I managed to whisper, my voice filled with need and desire.

His tongue flicked my clit, and I felt my orgasm building. I screamed his name, and he kept going, pushing me further and further over the edge. I screamed again, and again, and again. I couldn't take it anymore, and I came hard, my body shaking with the force of it.

He looked up at me, his lips glistening with my juices.

I was still trying to catch my breath from what just happened as Theo's words registered in my mind. "You are a virgin," he said, and I shook my head fast, trying to dispel the shock.

"No, no, I'm not. The boys I've been with before weren't experienced," I managed to say, feeling a rush of embarrassment at my slip of words. Why did I say "boys"?

Theo's gaze held fire as he processed my words. "Boys?" he repeated, his voice tinged with something I couldn't quite decipher.

I immediately felt the need to defend myself. "You don't think I'm attractive enough to be with more than one boy in my life?" I asked, a hint of defiance in my tone.

"Quite the opposite," he assured me, but his expression remained serious. "I want to know who dared and did that," he added, his eyes searching mine.

I bit my lip nervously, realizing the implications of what I had unintentionally revealed. Boys were afraid to pursue Lana because of Theo's reputation, but the way he reacted made me wonder if he wasn't threatening the boys for just getting close to lana .

"You can't just control who I can be with, Theo," I said, surprised at my own boldness.

"I think I can," he asserted firmly.

I took a breath, trying to calm the tension that crackled between us. "I won't mind," I said softly, my voice pleading. "I would do anything to please you. I would do anything you ask me to."

"Stop talking like that, y/n," he ordered, his tone strained.

"Okay," I acquiesced, sensing that I had crossed a line.

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, clearly struggling with his own emotions.

I reached out and touched his hand that was on my face, trying to ease the tension. I smiled while kissing his hand, then surprised both of us by putting one of his fingers inside my mouth and sucking on it gently.

"You are going to be the death of me," he muttered, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I need you, Theo, all of you, even just for the night, please," I pleaded, desperate for him to understand.

"Don't cry, unless it's from the pleasure I give you," he said, brushing away my tears gently.

I propped myself up on my elbow to get closer to him, craving his touch and his reassurance. He kissed me again, and in that moment, I felt like I could live in this bliss forever.

He reached for a condom, and I tried not to show my nerves as he prepared himself. His size was daunting, and I couldn't help but wonder how it would fit inside me. My head hit the pillow again as he spread my legs, his hardness teasing my entrance.

He entered me slowly, and I cried out as the pain shot through me, tears streaming down my face. "You are a fucking virgin," he exclaimed, his own frustration evident.

"It's not a fucking game, y/n," he continued, his tone softer but still edged with tension.

"I'm sorry, please do something," I pleaded, feeling overwhelmed.

He wiped my tears away, his features softening. "Fuck, baby, don't cry. It will get better, I promise. Just relax," he reassured me, his voice soothing.

"Breathe, it's just me," he added, placing kisses on my forehead and then my cheek.

"I think... I think you can move now, please," I managed to say, trying to regain my composure.

He held my face in his hand while the other supported him as he moved slowly, allowing me to adjust to him. I closed my eyes, focusing on the pleasure and the connection between us.

"You want fast, I can take it," I said, unsure if I was ready but wanting to prove myself to him.

"It's not a competition, y/n. You don't have to prove anything, baby,"

"The girls you've been with, they must have..." I started to say, but he cut me off.

"They didn't matter. You do," he said, surprising both of us with his confession.

He settled into a rhythm that felt perfect, and I closed my eyes, reveling in the sensations. His thrusts ranged from slow and tender to fast and intense, driving me wild with pleasure.

"Talk to me," he urged, and I struggled to form coherent sentences amidst the pleasure.

"It feels... good," I managed to say, my words coming out in fragmented breaths.

"Yeah?" he questioned, and I nodded, unable to articulate just how amazing it felt.

He increased his pace, and I arched my back, meeting his movements eagerly. "What about this?" he asked, his touch sending waves of pleasure through me.

"Do it again," I begged, wanting more of him, more of this intense pleasure.

He obliged, and the pleasure intensified, pushing me closer to the edge of ecstasy. I moaned and cried out his name, lost in the sensations that only he could evoke.

He thrust a few more times, then finally reached his own peak, his body collapsing slightly against mine as we both caught our breaths.

After a moment, he pulled out and disposed of the condom, then lay beside me.

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. I was afraid to talk afraid to ruin what we just had, My hand hovered in the air, reaching for his face, but Theo stopped me, his grip surprisingly tight on my wrist.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drum solo against the backdrop of my racing thoughts. Please, no. Not the cold shoulder again.

" The- Theo," I whispered, my voice trembling, but he pushed my hand away before I could say more. His sudden change left me feeling lost and vulnerable, like I had done something terribly wrong.

"You… sore?" he finally spoke, his voice strained.

I blinked, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. The Theo who had been making love to me just minutes ago seemed to have vanished. This was the cold, distant Theo I knew all too well.

"A little," I managed to whisper, my voice cracking.

"Then get dressed," he said curtly. "I'm taking you home. Your big night is over." his words cutting through me like knives. I tried to speak, to explain, but he silenced me with a stern command. "Not a word, y/n. Not a fucking word."

He got out of bed and started putting on his clothes, tossing a t-shirt and his jacket in my direction. As he grabbed my phone and things, I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. It was as if everything we had shared meant nothing to him.

As shaky legs carried me to my feet, I pulled on the clothes, tears blurring my vision. A choked sob escaped my lips, and another, and another.

"Congratulations, Y/N," I whispered to myself, my voice raw with emotion. "You're officially one of his girls."

"Congratulations, y/n. You’re officially one of the girls," he remarked, his words cutting deep into my already wounded heart.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Part2

[xileonaaaa]

Thinking of Suguru who has a crush on you..

Upperclassmen Drabble

*Geto who isn’t a bully or a narcissist.

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__________________

┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊

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┊ ┊ ⋆˚         

✧. ┊         

⋆ ★

!SuguruGeto who first saw you in a cafe Satoru had dragged him and Shoko to.

!SuguruGeto who realized he was staring quite rudely when you happened to look over at him and wave out of politeness.

!SuguruGeto who had to immediately look away out of pure embarrassment, choking on his overly sweet drink in the process

!SuguruGeto who heard you giggle from across the cafe, and immediately felt his ears flush red.

!SuguruGeto who kept his gaze aimed down at the floor until he heard the unmistakable sound of the cafe’s door jingle open, and then close.

!SuguruGeto who silently shunned himself for being such a wuss, knowing that he’d probably never see you again. He didn’t even get the chance to ask for your number.

!SuguruGeto who’s usually a laid back, and chill guy, caught himself almost flipping out of the chair he was reclining in when Yaga introduced you as the new student in his class.

!SuguruGeto who strained his ears to hear your voice over Satoru’s loud blabbering, and hung onto your every word like his life depended on it.

!SuguruGeto who couldn’t help but notice how you sat alone most of the time, and never really hung out with the other people in your class during, or even after school.

!SuguruGeto who was initially curious as to if you remembered him from the cafe, became a bit concerned about your wellbeing when he noticed that people were actively avoiding you.

!SuguruGeto who relaxed a little when he realized that you were content with being in your own little world.

!SuguruGeto who would sneak subtle glances your way at every chance he got. More often than not he’d slowly turn around in his seat to get a good look at what you were up to under the guise of him trying to stretch his back.

!SuguruGeto who loved to sit and just observe your mannerisms. Like how one time he saw you flick your pen a little too hard by accident and watched it fly across the room in embarrassment. He made sure he was the one who got up and got it for you.

!SuguruGeto who eventually worked up the courage to say small hi’s or hello’s to you whenever he happened to see you.

!SuguruGeto who ended up coming back to class much later in the evening one day to retrieve Satoru’s books that he’d left, and happened to see you diligently trying to clean up the classroom all by yourself.

!SuguruGeto who was very careful in announcing in presence, so as to not scare you in any way.

!SuguruGeto who insisted on helping you clean, even when you told him you had everything under control.

!SuguruGeto who is beyond smitten at this point, feels his stomach fill uncomfortably with butterflies when he hears you start to hum a song (he hasn’t the slightest clue of what it was) to fill the silence between you two.

!SuguruGeto who gladly helps you dust off the very tops of the chalkboard that you can’t reach on your own. (He saw you going to get a chair to stand on, so he offered to do it instead.)

!SuguruGeto who finally understands why people most likely avoid you.

!SuguruGeto who notices that he can barely feel any cursed radiating off of you, if there was any to begin with.

!SuguruGeto who comes to the conclusion that you aren’t exactly very strong, but doesn’t feel repulsed in the slightest. Instead, he feels rather confident knowing that he now has a duty to protect you and shield you from anyone or anything that may cause you harm.

!SuguruGeto who takes up most of his missions in the early mornings, so that he can spend his class time secretly admiring you.

!SuguruGeto who is always readily available to help you whenever he sees you struggling with classwork or your technique.

!SuguruGeto who eventually starts sitting next to you in class (he always asks first) under the guise that another one of Satoru’s fan girls took his seat (he actually offered it to her .)

!SuguruGeto who genuinely respects you, and even though you are in no way stronger than him, he appreciates your work ethic and constant strive to be better at anything/ everything you do

!SuguruGeto who chooses to spend his breaks with you. Usually opting to silently read to himself while you studied or practiced beside him. If he noticed you were struggling, he’d kindly place his book down, and lean over your shoulder to observe what it was you were doing.

!SuguruGeto who was acutely aware of the rumors surrounding his and your very strange friendship dynamic. “One of the strongest + the one of the weakest in the entire school?”

!SuguruGeto who always has your back, and is quick to shut anyone who dares speak ill of you up.

!SuguruGeto who stared to notice how said rumors were beginning to affect you.

!SuguruGeto who became aware of your more recent absences, and would find that he was in a pissy mood the days you weren’t at school.

!SuguruGeto who feels hurt, betrayed, and most of all, angry when you try to push him away. Spouting some nonsense about how “..you’ll only drag his reputation down.” He thought it was ridiculous that you’d even think about saying such a thing, and he made sure you knew just how much it bothered him.

!SuguruGeto who was there for you when things just didn’t go your way.

!SuguruGeto who proudly served as your rock, and was always a phone call away.

!SuguruGeto who had the deepest feelings for you, but could only express them in the feather light touches that he gave you from time to time, or the little snacks that he’d buy for you when he knew you’d probably left your lunch at home.

!SuguruGeto who was beyond in love with you, but chooses not to say anything, lest he ruin what chemistry you two already have. He knows about your dreams, and ambitions, and he’d be damned if he were the one to get in the way of your success.

!SuguruGeto who, for now, was content on staying by your side, and being your biggest cheerleader.

[hanjisungs-bigtittyg0thgf]

Muse

music major!bang chan x art major!reader

Trigger warnings: none

Content warnings: your teeth might fall out over how sweet it is??? that's literally it. it's all fluff lmao

Summary: after what you believe is a chance meeting, chan becomes your muse.

Word count: 3237

Author's note: omg hiiiii babes it's been a minuteeee. this is kinda short but it was the first thing i wrote after finally working through some stuff. shoutout to @hopelessromantic5933 for requesting this, sorry for making you wait almost two years 🥲 anyways, i hope you all enjoy it! don't forget to check out my other work ❤ and don't hesitate to send in asks! also redoing my tag list so comment or dm to be added! much loveeeeee

Tags: @bahng-chrizz

content after the cut

You let out a soft sigh as you grabbed your bag and stood from your desk. You were contemplating changing your major as you made your way out of the classroom, digging through your bag to find your phone. You loved learning new concepts and trying new things but the technique you were learning this week was one you’d never appreciated. You didn’t hate it per se, but you definitely avoided that style. It just didn’t speak to you.

You finally found your phone and began scrolling through your notifications as you made your way towards your favorite food truck. You made a confused face when you saw an Instagram notification from right after your class started. You clicked on it and were greeted with a page full of photos that screamed music major. “Who the fuck is this?” You didn’t bother to go through his pictures, choosing instead to scan his bio for any indication that you knew him. All you came up with was that you attended the same university and shared some mutual friends. He was cute from what you could see so you shrugged and approved the follow request, pocketing your phone as you reached your destination.

You placed your order and stepped to the side, turning to survey the quad. It was a beautiful day and everyone seemed to be taking advantage of it. Maybe inspiration would strike if you sat and people-watched for a bit.

You heard your name a few minutes later and gave a polite smile as you took your food, then scurried off towards your favorite tree. Campus staff had placed a massive wooden lawn chair and some fairy lights under that tree and it always felt so cozy. Plus, you had the best vantage point from there. You could almost see the entire quad from that one spot and you often found yourself sketching study groups there. Today would be slightly different since you were trying something new, but you found a sense of comfort as you settled into the chair and happily munched on your lunch.

As soon as you’d finished eating, you grabbed your sketch pad and pencil and allowed your gaze to sweep across the open field. It was teeming with life so all you had to do was choose someone and start sketching. You shook your head and chose a stationary subject first, needing to build up the courage to locate someone you’d consider asking to model for you.

Your eyes settled on a petite young woman who was seated a few yards away, sipping on coffee with her nose in a book. She almost seemed out of place here given how regal she appeared. Her posture was perfect, shoulders squared and back straight, and her hair fell over her shoulders in romantic waves. She was a picturesque beauty.

You began drawing, allowing your pencil to glide along the paper and create a version of the woman that you felt did her justice. It was far from perfect but you were certain no artist could truly capture her beauty so you gave yourself some grace. You were adding more detail when she began to pack up her things. You let out a soft sigh, knowing you’d likely never see the goddess again and this was as far as you’d get with this sketch. You flipped the page and decided to take a different approach as you spotted two men throwing a frisbee. Both were attractive, though one had a more athletic build.

You focused on the athletic one and took mental notes on the way his body moved as you began to draw him. First, you sketched out the general shape of his body as he twisted in preparation to throw the disk, then you began to add more details. You focused on the way his clothing fell and the way the midday sunlight bounced off his caramel brown hair, getting a strange sense of familiarity as you scrawled notes in the margins on the colors you’d incorporate when you got the chance.

You watched him closely as you tried to find another position to sketch him in, perking up instantly when you caught him with his arm outstretched, the frisbee leaving his hand. He was smiling brightly, displaying the most adorable dimples, and your heart sped up for a moment. You quickly began to sketch, memorizing as much detail as possible before he moved too much.

You gulped but drew even more frantically when he lifted his shirt to wipe the beads of sweat rolling down his face, revealing a six pack and prominent v-line. His proportions were perfect and if you weren’t so flustered by how attractive he was, you’d ask him to model for you. He was exactly what you needed for this project.

That strange familiarity came creeping back in as you drew but it was only when you made brief eye contact that you recognized him. He was the owner of the mystery account who’d requested to follow you less than an hour ago. You frantically looked away and continued drawing, praying he wouldn’t have anything to say when he undoubtedly recognized you from your photos.

You thought you were in the clear when he didn’t approach you after about five minutes but just when the thought crossed your mind, your luck ran out and the frisbee came flying at your head. You ducked your head quickly and listened as the disk crashed into the tree behind you.

“Felix, your arm fuckin’ sucks, bro!” Your breath caught in your throat when your unwitting model’s Australian accent reached your ears as he jogged towards you.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Called the man who’d lobbed the plastic at your head - Felix, as you’d gleaned from hearing the athletic man mocking him. He looked panicked, hands covering his mouth as he watched from where he was frozen in place. He was just as pretty and you certainly wouldn’t mind him modeling for you sometime. He had a wholesome, warm appearance.

“Sorry about him, he’s usually not such a klutz.” Your mystery man flashed a smile as he rounded your chair, taking a glance at your work as he reached down behind you.

“Ah- no, it’s not a problem. I wasn’t paying much attention.” You offered up a shy smile before looking back down to your paper. You didn’t notice him studying your pad as he retrieved the disk so you were startled when he attempted conversation as he righted himself.

“You sure about that?” He chuckled softly as he leaned over your shoulder to get a closer look and you froze. “Looks like you were paying plenty of attention.” He teased as he studied your art. Who was he and why was he so comfortable? Your heart was thumping and you wanted to vanish. “You an art major?” He asked as he stood straight once more and came around the chair to properly look at you. He was still closer to you than a stranger should be but at least you could breathe again.

Your cheeks were flaming red at being caught and you simply nodded as you began to gather your things in a rush. “I am. Sorry, this is probably really weird for you. I should-”

“What? No! This is really flattering. I don’t know a whole lot about art but you did an amazing job. Can I take a look at some of your other stuff sometime?” You froze once more but his blinding smile won against your nerves and you found yourself nodding. “Great! Can I get your number to get in touch? Or is Instagram better?”

“Ah, so you recognized me…” You let out a single huff of air that somewhat resembled a laugh as you closed your book.

“Of course I did. It’s not often I come across such a beautiful woman.” His dimples appeared once more as your cheeks went pink and your jaw dropped slightly, a smile slowly taking over your face. “Here.” He handed you his phone and you took it slowly, trying to collect yourself and remember how to use your thumbs to type your number out. When you passed it back, his fingers ghosted over yours and you retreated quickly as his smile faded into something far more flirtatious. “Thanks, I’ll text you. I’m Chan, by the way.”

“Y/n…” You murmured, enraptured by the man before you. You were dumbfounded at the way he spoke so comfortably and seemed to take an interest in you. This man was Adonis and was looking at you with an unbelievable level of interest.

“Pleased to meet you, y/n.” He began to back away as he pocketed his phone, his carefully crafted confident facade beginning to crumble, revealing a giddy young man who was thrilled to have gotten a girl’s number so easily. “I’ll let you get back to it. But do try and get my left side. That’s my good side.” He winked and you involuntarily rolled your eyes as a smile finally appeared on your lips as he made his way back to his friend with a triumphant grin.

————————————————

Your phone buzzed just after 6pm that night and you froze at the unfamiliar number.

Hi pretty 👋🏻 it’s Chan. How are you?

You quickly saved his number before responding.

hiii i’m good how are you

Much better now that I’m talking to you 😉

You were at a loss for words but he quickly sent another message.

I’d be even better if I could take you to get coffee in the near future. Are you free next weekend? Say Saturday at 11am?

You felt a jolt of anxiety shock your body but shook it off. You’d never grow as a person if you continued to shrink away from people who wanted to get to know you. Plus, he was cute. Which is why we’re anxious, dumbass. This isn’t about human connection, this is about a beautiful man flirting with you. You shook your head and typed out a response.

i think i can manage that 😆

Perfect! I’m thrilled to see you and your amazing work. 😌

————————————————

The coffee date had gone smoothly, with Chan gushing about your work and lighting up like a neon sign when you asked him to model for you. He’d been so flattered and excited that you’d asked and had immediately set up a time for you to draw him. After you’d gotten home, you texted him with more details, including where to meet and what he should wear.

Now, he was standing in your living room and you were circling him with one arm crossed over your middle while you drummed your fingers of the opposite hand against your chin. He was fighting the urge to shift around under your scrutiny and let out a tiny sigh of relief when you stopped in front of him with a smile. “I think I have an idea.”

“Have your way with me.” He grinned, ears going red when you stared at him somewhat surprised by his words. “Uh- I just- h-how do you want me to pose? That’s what I meant…” 

You laughed at his flush and shook your head. “Don’t make it weird.” You warned playfully as you pushed him towards your bedroom. You had a daybed with warm-toned sheets and pillows and knew instantly that it was the perfect backdrop. “Come on, I know what I’m gonna do with you.” He seemed to grow more flustered as he processed where you were guiding him and you almost laughed again.

Over the last few weeks, you’d grown quite comfortable with him but he seemed a little less outspoken. He was still very flirtatious but in a more genuine, careful way. He didn’t come on as strong as he did at first. While getting to know each other, you’d come to realize he was a kind man with a lot of love to give the world and a strong sense of self, not just your typical college kid. Most of your late night conversations were deep, thought-provoking, emotional discussions about life where you could see his soul was just as beautiful as his exterior. So while he certainly had his moments of being just some guy, he saved his perverted humor for his friends and kept most things with you pretty PG and entirely sincere.

When you reached your room, you nudged him towards the bed and turned to set up your easel. “Take off your shirt and socks and get on the bed.” He hesitated at first and was on the verge of sputtering some shy response when you turned back with your bottom lip poking out. “Oh come onnnn.” You whined cutely, further exaggerating your pout. “It’s for class.” Your pout was quickly replaced with a little grin as you grabbed your canvas and placed it on the easel. “Plus, it’s not like I haven’t already seen your body before.”

“Right.” He cleared his throat and began to unbutton his shirt. You watched him in your peripheral vision as you continued to set everything up and had an idea.

“Actually, hold on.” You stopped him as he began to slide the linen off his muscular shoulders and he slowly put it back in place. “Just leave it open like that, that’s perfect.” You smiled as your vision fully came to you. “Socks off and get in the middle of the bed.”

He followed your instructions while watching you scurry off to your en suite bathroom to fill a cup with water. When you returned, he was sitting almost awkwardly in the center of your bed and you chuckled softly. You approached him wordlessly and knelt beside him to arrange your pillows so they were nestled in the right corner. You gestured for him to recline and stood back once he was slumped. He wasn’t lying down, he was simply sprawled across your mattress at an angle.

“Okay, bring your right knee up and sort of prop on your left elbow.” You watched as he complied and scrutinized his positioning for a moment before crawling back onto the bed. “I’m gonna make some adjustments.”

You noticed his flush creeping down his neck as you adjusted his open shirt how you wanted it to lay. “Put your hand like this.” You instructed as you demonstrated how you wanted his hand to rest across his bare torso and he complied. “And relax your left leg a bit. I want you to almost lay like Adam in Creation of Adam.”

“I think I get where you’re going with this.” He nodded, a tiny grin settling on his lips. You lifted a brow as you waited for his guess and instantly rolled your eyes when he spoke again. “You’re trying to tell me I’m a classic beauty.”

“Yes, but no.” You laughed softly as you shook your head. “Look over there.” You pointed to where you’d be sitting and made some final adjustments to his shirt as he followed your instructions. You noticed him forcing his breathing to remain steady and his flush reaching his chest as your fingers accidentally brushed against the waistband of his cream colored linen pants.

You didn’t allow yourself to worry over how you’d just touched him or to get flustered at the effect your proximity was having on him and pushed ahead, reaching to fix his hair. You adjusted a single curl and brushed a few strands away from his eyes before your gazes met and you lost the battle to remain calm. Your cheeks went a soft pink as he smiled up at you. “Hi.”

“Hi.” You whispered back, smiling back at him and allowing your fingertips to trail down the side of his face. Seeing him this close made you even more certain of your decision to cast him as your model. His skin was flawless and his bone structure was heavenly. He truly was a god among men. And his lips…

“You’re staring.” He whispered, his smile slipping away as he noticed the way your eyes locked on his full lips.

“I’m not…” You refuted his claim but still couldn’t look away.

“You are.” His face grew redder and you thought he might kiss you but he didn’t dare move after you’d finally gotten him perfectly positioned. It was almost maddening.

“I’m not.” You finally looked towards his eyes and found him staring at your lips as well. “You are.”

“Can’t help it. You have pretty lips.” He slowly met your gaze and something in you snapped. You’d been wanting him to kiss you for a couple weeks and he hadn’t so you took matters into your own hands.

When your lips met his, he hesitated. Not because he wasn’t interested, but because he was surprised that you’d initiated it. You’d given him the impression that you wanted him to take the lead and he wanted to be careful with you so he hadn’t dared to do more than hold your hand. But now your lips were on his and he was in the clouds.

He slowly brought his hand up to cup your face without disturbing the careful placement of his shirt and allowed his lips to move against yours. Your heart was racing at how slow and sweet the moment was. It felt like the stars had aligned and you found yourself smiling against his lips. “I’ve wanted to do that for a little while now.” You whispered and began to pull back.

“Me too. I’ve been trying to take it slow with you though. Didn’t wanna move too fast and risk scaring you off.” He explained quietly, not really letting you move as his hand slipped to the back of your neck. “So come back here, we’ve got a couple weeks of lost time to make up for.” He teased as he chased your lips.

“You did the exact opposite. You were driving me mad wondering what exactly was happening between us.” You laughed softly before allowing him to kiss you again. His lips felt perfect against yours and you knew instantly that you’d quickly become addicted.

It couldn’t have been more than three minutes of sharing chaste kisses but it felt much longer and you frowned a bit when you finally came up for air. “Unfortunately, I’ve got to get to work now or you’ll be stuck waiting here until late into the night.”

“I could wait an eternity for you, babe.” He winked before immediately cringing. You couldn’t help but laugh loudly at the face he pulled and he took a moment to admire your joyful expression before shaking his head. “That was so cheesy, I’m sorry.” He chuckled and settled back into his previous position. “Work your magic.”

“For the record,” you started as you stood and studied him once more. “I love little pet names like that.” You hummed, making your way to your canvas. “So I’d really like it if you continued to use them.”

“Of course, baby girl. But don’t be surprised if I rarely use your real name then.” He grinned and relaxed his hand, allowing his fingers to splay out against his stomach.

“I’ll hold you to that. Now give me an emotionally tortured smolder.” You smiled to yourself at his soft laugh and began to sketch out the god of a man lounging on your bed.

[indigowallbreaker]

dorothea/caspar friendship with “I feel like I can breathe better with you around.” ?

Ooo a platonic prompt!

[prompt rules]

[more Beagles stories]

"I feel like I can breathe better with you around"

--

Caspar's mind buzzed with battle formations, axe styles, maps of different terrains, group tactics; all of it mixing and muddling together into a useless lump that wouldn't see him through the test tomorrow. The pile of books beside him teetered dangerously, and Caspar shot out an arm to keep them steady even as he imagined how nice it would feel for one to fall and knock him out of a few hours.

Wincing at the growing headache behind his eyes, Caspar gathered the books and took them to Tomas' desk for resorting. He needed a break-- which usually meant training.

But as Caspar approached the doors to the training grounds, he found himself dreading the prospect of picking up a weapon. All he could think about were the hand-to-hand combat techniques and armor types he had been forcing himself to read about for hours. With groan, Caspar turned away from the doors, running both hands down his face. He needed to empty his head. Well, no-- if he emptied it, he'd have to start studying from the beginning. Maybe he could deflate it a bit?

Caspar let his feet make the decisions as he considered what to do. It felt like he had to pick past the foot placement charts and bits of history trivia to actually string together a coherent thought. How did Linhardt study so many things all the time?! If Caspar had to memorize one more thing he was sure his brain would burst out his ears.

A soft humming cut through the muck of his mind.

Looking around, Caspar realized he'd wandered to the courtyard. On a bench opposite the classrooms sat Dorothea, humming as she flipped through a slim book, so absorbed she hadn't noticed Caspar yet.

Just seeing Dorothea was enough to make Caspar's tense shoulders sag. His feet carried him over, and he sat on the bench right beside her. The humming cut off abruptly. "Caspar?" Without replying, Caspar leaned against her side, shutting his eyes with a sigh. This was much better already.

Dorothea shifted. "Are you alright?"

"Head's full."

"Your head is--" Dorothea cut herself off with a laugh. "Aw, were you studying for tomorrow's test? Goodness, no wonder you look ready to pass out!" Caspar nodded, cheek scratching against the fabric of her uniform. He felt her pat the top of his head. "Well, you can stay as long as you need. I'm doing a bit of studying myself."

"Thanks, Dorothea," he mumbled.

He could feel himself drifting off even as she laughed in his ear again. "No worries. I feel like I can breathe better with you around anyway." With a final pat, Dorothea began humming once again. Caspar pushed away the facts and maps and tactics and battles he had been memorizing all day, allowing himself to fall into that melody, and fall into sleep.

[haywire-cebus]

Something. Anything.

A TMNT Mutant Mayhem trans fem Leonardo fic :)

Leo stares into the bathroom mirror, trying to figure out what was weird. He tugs his mask tails with a solid yank, making sure the knot is secure. He ends up tugging a little too hard and his face ends up level with the new crack in the corner of the mirror (courtesy of Mondo and Mikey trying to share the sink a few weeks ago). His face looks… weird. The fragmented view of eye and eye and mouth and mouth layering and stacking and- Something.

[read on AO3 here]

There is something about April that makes it impossible for Leo to stop thinking about her.

Maybe it is her hair and how it sits perfectly framing the top of her face. Or her thick eyeliner that brings out her eyes. Or her sense of fashion- simple but stunning.

Something.

It has to be something. He’s seen human girls before, human teens. He’s watched TV with his brothers, ducked away from a gaggle of teenagers on their way to the bodega too late at night and gotten glimpses of the girls there.

Something.

Maybe it is how she was simply unafraid to be herself- loud and angry at whatever threw a full-on ninja star at her head. Maybe it is how she continued on from being dubbed Puke Girl with a brave face. Maybe how she was barely even scared of them when she first saw them.

Something.

Because, if not- why? What made her different from the other girls he’d gotten glimpses of? The ones on the shows and YouTube and and and-

She had looked at him and he’d seen something in her eyes he couldn’t stop thinking about.

He does his best to ignore it. To let the crush remain what it is- his brothers tease him, sure, but nothing more than what he’d do to them, if the situation were reversed.

April is a great friend, and he can take a hint. Prom was the last straw- going as friends made it clear as day how she saw him. 

And yet. Something. Something.

Leo stares into the bathroom mirror, trying to figure out what was weird. He tugs his mask tails with a solid yank, making sure the knot is secure. He ends up tugging a little too hard and his face ends up level with the new crack in the corner of the mirror (courtesy of Mondo and Mikey trying to share the sink a few weeks ago). 

His face looks… weird. The fragmented view of eye and eye and mouth and mouth layering and stacking and-

Something.

He doesn’t know how to describe it. But it’s weird.

“Leo! Hurry up!” Raph’s knock is heavy on the door and he straightens up quickly.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” He shouts back, ready for their nightly patrol. They’re helping April with her current case, doing stakeouts and keeping an eye out for the TCRI. It’s good- distracting. He’s in his element when he’s running across rooftops, watching Mikey try to grind across railings and Raph attempt to perfect his “running across walls” technique. It’s fun and stupid and reckless and helps stop the weird Something that lingers in the pit of his stomach and bubbles up through his chest like an avalanche when he leasts expects it. 

As he leaves the bathroom, he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror before he clicks the lights off. He reaches up and flips his mask tails to lay in front of his shoulder, almost like he’s seen the-

Something.

There’s a LGBTQ club at school. He knows of it passively from the posters on the wall and the article April posted about some fundraiser they were doing. It didn’t really click that it was something he could look into until now. April is home sick. He doesn’t technically need to wait around for everyone’s clubs to be over with for the day to head home, but they always walked home together.

It is routine, and he likes that part of his routine. 

He considered lingering in their set-aside classroom for the journalism club (technically six members strong, with Raph, Donnie, and Mikey on the list so the club could officially be formed for numbers sake, and some girl named Irma who shows up once in a blue moon to meetings). It feels weird being in there alone, so he decides to wander the halls. 

He makes his way to the improv club room, because Mikey had told him he is always welcome to stop by and watch him be “The King of Comedy,” but a few rooms before the door where Leo can practically see the laughter pouring out of, is a cracked open door. One of the only two rooms in the hallway with the lights on, and a single piece of colored paper with “LGBTQ and Ally’s Welcome!” written in alternating colored markers.

Something.

He steps through the door.

The heads in the room perk up, and Leo suddenly needs to turn and leave immediately. He tugs on the collar of his shirt (a nice dark blue button-up, because April said that polo’s were for dads) and waves, “Hi, uh, sorry?”

A kid with bright white hair turns and smiles up at him, showing off braces and copious necklaces, “I’m Renet. She/they. You’re welcome to sit in, no pressure. Anyone is welcome so long as you aren’t a piece of shit.”

Another kid, with a closely shaved head speaks up, “I didn’t know the mutant turtles were gay!”

The girl, Renet, hits the shaved-head kid’s arm, “whatever their reason for coming to this meeting is none of our business, unless they want to share. Don’t pressure anyone, this is a safe place for anyone. That’s the rules.” She turns her dark eyes onto him, and everything is suddenly a lot. “You’re Leo, right? You understand the rules?”

He manages a nod. She gestures to the many chairs around the room, and he sits. Further away from the main group, but close enough. They’re all nice, going back to the conversation he interrupted, but he can barely pay attention.

When talking about him- she hadn’t called him, well, a him. He could excuse it as her generalizing him with his brothers, but-

She said her pronouns were she/they. He knows what that means- that it is a thing that people could do. He is on the internet, of course. 

But Renet- well. There was no way he can phrase this without sounding like a jerk, but they don’t look like a typical… girl. He feels gross thinking that. He’s not going to judge someone for how they look, none of his brothers would. But her voice is a little deeper, and her face wider. She looks a little like he does-

Something.

Something.

The meeting ends, and Renet steps up to him and reinforces that he is always welcome to join, if he wants to. He stumbles out a quick thank you and ducks out, moving towards the improv club room again before Mikey can leave and see him in there.

Not that it is something to be ashamed of but-

Something.

He isn’t sure why, but he doesn’t want his brothers to see him leaving there. He shakes his hands out and reaches up to tug on his mask tails, only to remember they never wore them to school. He flaps his hands up and down and up and down again, leaning against the lockers until Mikey comes laughing out of the club room. 

“You okay?” Mikey asks quickly, glancing down at Leo’s hands. 

Leo nods, stuffing his hands in his pockets, “yeah, just- uh. That test in math is coming up.”

Mikey sighs solemnly, “the worst part of school is the math. I can’t believe Donnie tested out and then decided to take harder math! Who does that!” Mikey’s rant continues on as they make their way to the front of the school, where Raph is already waiting. Donnie catches up to hear the end of Mikey’s scathing comments, and the appearance of him only spurs them back on. It ends only when Raph tackles him down the sewer ladder.

For a moment, Leo has to wonder if Mikey did that on purpose. The journalism club room was on the second floor, at the back end of the school. The improv club was all the way by the theater- only the LGBTQ club was over there. Leo had no reason to be over there waiting for him. Donnie’s club was closer. 

No one noticed, though, through Mikey’s talking. 

Or maybe Mikey didn’t notice himself. It’s not like it was anything weird. Leo is allowed to go in there. He’s allowed to meet other people like him-

Other people. Just other people. 

Something.

He’s not sure if he has a crush on April anymore. 

Don’t get him wrong! He still loves hanging out with her, helping her film her research for journalism stuff, playing video games after school, all of it. 

But.

Something.

He doesn’t have a word for it.

He hasn’t been able to get Renet out of his mind. 

Maybe he has a crush on her?

That’s really the only answer. Unless he just really wants to be her friend? Or wants to be as cool as she looks? Or- or-

Something.

“Hey, want to go get-”

The curtain to their room opens, and Leo slams the laptop closed, hard enough he worries about breaking the screen. Donnie pauses in the entrance to the room, staring Leo down. He places a completely casual elbow on the laptop and props up his head, giving his brother a big grin, hoping it masks how the guilty sick feeling he’s been choking on since he first started googling today is just about boiling over.

Donnie squints at him, his stupid nerd glasses making his eyes look huge, “what were you looking at?”

“Nothing, Donnie. You know, you’re my favorite brother. And I’d love to go get whatever you were going to go ask if I wanted to go get. That sounds great. Wait out there. For a minute.”

Of course, this is not subtle or sly or anything of that nature. Donnie is at his side in an instant, trying to yank the computer away, but Leo’s grip is iron. Donnie starts yelling at him, saying something about how this was their shared laptop, he better not be weird on there, but Leo’s ears are ringing. Donnie could see-

The stupid articles and the-

The damning quiz he has pulled up, halfway filled out. 

There would be no explanation for what’s on there. Nothing he can say that would make Donnie not know-

Nothing.

Something.

He feels the familiar sting of tears in his eyes, and the churning feeling in his gut rising and all he can do is hold tight and say, “it’s nothing weird. I promise- just- please-”

And Donnie lets go, hands up like he’s at gunpoint. Eyes wide, bigger than they should be with his glasses. “Okay, sorry. I- are you good?”

The laptop is safe, tucked against his plastron, and Leo can’t bear to look at his brother. He squeezes his eyes shut and nods. “Yeah, just. Uh. A secret. Please.”

Donnie mimics his nod, and begins to back out, “okay. Well, we’re going to get pizza. Mondo is paying this time. Uh, I can tell them you’re not feeling well? Or that you’ll be out in a minute?”

Leo shrugs, “I might be coming on with something.”

“Okay- uh. Okay.” Donnie steps out of the curtain.

Leo stays where he is, frozen. The curtain rustles once more, but Donnie doesn’t reenter.  Just softly says, “you know you can tell me anything, right?”

He can’t bring himself to nod, but he chokes out, “Yeah. Anything.”

Anything.

Something.

Leo doesn’t know if he believes it. That he could share this with Donnie- with anyone. That it wouldn’t be weird.

Be wrong.

He’s already a mutant turtle. He’s already weird. He already doesn’t think the way most people do, doesn’t talk or act right. Doesn’t move right.

This is just another thing he’s doing wrong.

But Donnie is his brother. Raph and Mikey too. And his dad has proven time and time again that he loves them all no matter what. He just wants them to be happy.

Leo would be happy if this rock lodged deep in his chest would just go away.

One week later, he sets the camera down in the middle of a shoot that was honestly going pretty well. 

“Leo! The camera!” April’s brow is furrowed, and she looks like she’s rearing up to start another rant about how to be a cameraman, but Leo cuts her off.

“Can I tell you something?”

It’s easier, he reasons, to tell a friend. A close friend, yeah. Probably the closest friend he’s ever had. One he has a maybe-crush on. 

But if she finds him weird for this, whatever, right? He’ll still have his brothers and his dad. And if it goes good with her and bad with them, well, April has always seemed pretty ride-or-die. Her parents have always seemed cool, in the few short moments he’s met them. Worst case scenario he could probably crash with them as he waited for his family to get over their bad feelings about him not being- well- him.

Worst-worst case scenario he’s on his own. He refuses to entertain those thoughts. He’ll be accepted. He has to be. He has to.

Right?

“Oh. Uh, yeah, sure. What’s up?” She hops up on the table between them, legs dangling and crumpling the paper beneath her. April has clearly read his tone, and he’s grateful for that.

The rock in his chest feels so big, it’s weighing him down. It’s like he can’t breathe, and he feels warm and sweaty and the stupid shirt he has on is already tight against his shell but it’s tight all over and-

“What if I wasn’t a guy?” They blurt out.

“Oh, uh-” April starts, but Leo goes on, now that they’ve started they (they isn’t right it’s not quite there but it’s easier it’s easier right now it’s deniable it’s easier) can’t hold themself back.

“I’m still Leo, I think. But I don’t think I’m a guy. Or a person- not in a mutant way! I mean, clearly in a mutant way. Like I’m not a human, never was one. Always been a turtle, always will be. But like, not a guy turtle. Sometimes, well, really all the time, I feel like I’d like to be a girl turtle? Which sounds stupid and is a horrible way to phrase it. I had a better way of saying this I promise, but I just don’t think I like being a guy. Honestly, I really really don’t like it. But I don’t know what to do or how to really say it and-”

April cuts Leo off with a hand resting on Leo’s shoulder. “Leo, are you coming out?”

“Maybe,” Leo answers, as honestly as she allows herself to be.

“Okay. Cool. Thank you for trusting me with this. Do you want to use she/her or…?” April’s hand is still on her shoulder, and Leo lets herself nod. “Can I give you a hug?” 

Leo nods again, and is quickly engulfed in April’s arms, warm all around her. It’s not the same sickly warmth that the panic was causing; instead, something safe wraps around her. 

She’s holding herself together pretty well, and then April leans back and grins, “I’ve never had a girl best friend before.” 

And Leo shoves her face in her hands as she lets out a sob.

April offers to be there with her when she tells her family, but Leo wants to do this on her own. She pulls Donnie aside first, making something up about wanting to race to the bridge again.

It’s a bad lie as it is, but Donnie clearly wants to know been wrong, and Raph is too busy kicking Mikey’s butt at Street Fighter (and getting his butt kicked by Leatherhead in return) to really notice.

They get to the rooftop, and Leo chickens out. She doesn’t let Donnie get a word in before she shouts “Go!” and starts running.

She makes it to the top of Brooklyn Bridge first, sitting atop the towering pillars in the middle. Neither of them have broken a sweat, and Leo can’t help but let the pride of how much stronger they’ve all gotten wash over her.

She hopes the adrenaline will carry her through the conversation, at least. “So.”

Donnie stares at her. “So?”

“So.”

“So.”

She snorts, and then Donnie laughs at her snort, and then they’re both laughing. It’s nice, and it’s just like old times, and it’s so familiar that she just says, “I’m a girl.”

Donnie stops laughing, and stares. He does that sometimes, when he’s focusing. He’ll zone out and think, gathering his thoughts. Oftentimes that means he’s about to say a lot of things about something he’s really passionate about, and as much as Leo teases she does enjoy listening to it. Most of the time.

Right now, the anxiety that had been washed away by their race is trickling back in, starting in her hands that she begins to flap and then Donnie goes-

“My friend Angel has started using she/they, and it’s gotten me thinking about how I don’t always feel like a boy. So I think I want to try he/they.”

It’s Leo’s turn to stare, mind blank as she tries to process this new information. And then, she blurts out, “you’re stealing my moment?”

She had no idea that was what she was going to say, and it makes Donnie glare at her and yell back, “you don’t get to hog coming out! Anyone can do it!” 

Donnie hand goes for her face, pushing her back, and she reacts exactly how fifteen years of growing up with three brothers- siblings, she corrects herself- has trained her. She bites at their hand, and Donnie yelps.

They start fighting, and that rock in her chest erodes away a little more when Donnie cries out (in full dorky glory) “just because you’re a girl doesn’t mean I won’t hit you! It would be sexist of me to treat you differently!”

This does cause her to lose the fight, because laughing and hands flipping wildly in joy when trying to pin down your sibling gives you a distinct disadvantage.

They talk, after. The stars are dull above them, drowned out by the city lights. But that’s okay. They spent a lot of their life only getting glimpses through sewer grates and stolen moments when grocery trips “accidentally” went long. The stars are plenty bright enough.

The light of Donnie’s phone as they start editing a picture of her on top of the trans flag for her contact photo is also plenty bright. He promises to not change the actual icon until she comes out to the others. They look over at her as they save their edit, “there’s this anime one of my friends recommended about a trans girl. Wanna watch it with me?”

Anything.

Leo spends her night curled over her sibling’s shoulder, staring into his phone screen. Their legs dangle dangerously off the edge of the bridge’s pillar, and the phone fares no safer, especially when Leo mutters out a quick joke that sends Donnie snorting into laughter, one hand clutching the phone. The episode is half unwatchable after that, the subtitles hard for Leo to read through the shakiness of Donnie’s laughs. It’s okay, though. She’ll live without fully understanding the plot.

She’ll live.

She tells Raph next, only because she’s pretty sure Mikey wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. Not out of any malice, he just sometimes forgets that something is a secret at all, and she’d hate for Raph or their dad to find out second hand.

Raph is easy to catch, half-dozing in bed after school a few days later. Donnie’s in the room, headphones on and watching some show or BTS compilation on YouTube, but they’ve known this is coming, so when he sees her enter the room he mutters something about getting a snack and steps out. 

And then it was her and Raph.

Tucked away under the small stone archway, her bed is like a safe-haven, so she takes it. Sitting on the edge, but facing Raph, who grows more alert the longer she looks at him.

“What?” He grumbles through a yawn. “Am I in trouble again? Coming in here to ground me, mom?” It’s a playful joke. One they’ve tossed at her countless times; she can’t help how she worries. Can’t help wanting to make sure they’re all safe and not getting into trouble (at least, not trouble she hasn’t deemed safe enough or fun enough to warrant the risk). 

This time, no defensive bubble rises in her chest. Instead, the rock shifts. 

She asks plainly, “do you know what transgender means?”

“Uh… Is ‘kinda’ the wrong answer here?” He asks, sitting up in bed and squinting at her.

“So, I’ve been thinking and stuff, and I’m a girl. I haven’t told Mikey or Dad yet, so please don’t say anything right away, but I just wanted you to know.” It’s much more precise than how she explained it to Donnie, more certain and set in stone. She can only hope Raph doesn’t find it weird or tease her, because if he says anything mean right now she’ll probably cry and not the cathartic kind she had after telling Donnie and being met with something more than acceptance. 

“Oh. Uh, do I have to do anything special?” Raph asks, rubbing the back of his neck.

And it was stupid, it was always stupid to doubt that he’d be mean or angry at this. Because, yes, Raph is hot-headed. He’s stubborn. But he would also kill for any of them without blinking, especially if it was something important. “Not yet, but once I tell everyone else just you know. Use she/her and call me your sister and stuff. I guess.” 

“Cool.” He goes to lay back down before bolting back up, “wait. You told me before telling Dad? Or Mikey?”

“...Yes?” She says, hesitating over how sudden this shift was.

Raph hops out of bed and gives her a firm hug, “heck yeah. I knew I was your favorite.” It's warm. Safe, as his hugs always are, even though they’ve grown more and more rare as they’ve gotten older. It’s nice. 

“Are you intentionally forgetting Donnie here?”

The hug is dropped as Raph steps back, a frown on his face. “...No.”

“What a cruel brother.”

“Hey! I’m not mean! I’m the best!” 

She tosses a quick, thickly sarcastic “uh-huh” over her shoulder as she steps out of the room. “Enjoy your nap.”

She goes to Mikey right after, emboldened by the warmth of her brother's arms around her. Mikey is in the living room, standing on top of the coffee table and clearly recreating some joke or other from his Improv club that doesn’t pan out as well, second hand and far removed from the situation, but Dad, Wingnut, and Leatherhead laugh anyways. 

Mikey see’s Leo in the doorway and grins, “Wait- Leo, let me set it up for you-”

“I saw it from here. It was hilarious, dude.” She stops him before he can get going again. Maybe another time she would have watched the joke a second time, but she wants to get it over with.

Doesn’t want to keep it in anymore. 

“Do you have a moment?” She asks.

Dad looks over, “everything okay?” His concern is clear, and she thinks she’ll be ready to tell him soon. Not before she tells Mikey. This just. It feels like something you tell your siblings first. They’ve been through everything together, and she trusts them all in ways none of them can trust their dad. It’s just how things are with siblings.

“I’m good. Just forgot to write something down for class and wanted to check Mikey’s notes.” It’s a bad lie- she’s still not good at it. Luckily, their dad doesn’t understand how school works too much, so doesn’t question her asking Mikey for his notes. It’s usually the other way around. Or asking Donnie. Or texting April. Or just deciding it wasn’t important stuff anyways.

Mikey is right behind her, barely into the adjacent sewer tunnel before he’s asking, “what’s up? Secret mission Dad can’t know about?” 

“No, just. Well, kinda. A secret yes, a mission no. Unless you count not telling anyone before I do as a mission.” It’s vague, and Mikey clearly hates that, if the way his beak scrunches up and he slumps onto her.

“Come on dude- you know I can’t keep secrets, even ones from my brothers. My blood brothers-”

“I’m not your brother.” Which is not the way to phrase it! Mikey steps back, and she quickly fishes for damage control, still speaking quietly even as she tugs him a little further down the tunnel, cognizant of how it echoes. “I’m your sister. I don’t know how much you know about people being trans, but-”

“You’re trans!” Mikey practically shouts, and she’s quick to slap a hand over his mouth. He licks it, and it’s years of being the eldest that help her keep her cool and keep the hand there. She feels more than hears his next, almost awed, “that’s so cool.”

(A few months later, Mikey finds her in the kitchen late at night. Bebop and Rocksteady are asleep on the couch, loud snores masking his feet until he practically sneaks up on her. It’s raining on the surface, and their ever-leaky pipe brings a gentle drip-drip-drip to the ambiance of their conversation.

Mikey tells her about the new transfer in his history class. Some scrawny kid named Woody who comes to school every day smelling like pizza because his family opened a new restaurant in the city. She can tell he’s blushing, even in the barely-there orange light of the string lights in the kitchen. He talks about how cool Woody is, how he’s funny and hasn’t once been weird about him being a turtle. He goes to Improv and doesn’t even do jokes- he just watches and Mikey swears he laughs the hardest at his jokes. But Mikey doesn’t know what to do. Because Woody is a good human, and Mikey doesn’t know if it’s okay because even though she is still crushing (half-crushing? She still doesn’t know) on April it’s gotten nowhere and-

And she wraps her brother into a hug and tells him that if Woody breaks his heart she’ll get to him before Raph can. 

And when Mikey tells Donnie and Raph the next day, she joins in on the endless teasing that ensues. It’s what siblings do).

Their dinner table is more packed than it ever was in their first fifteen years of life. Mutants squeeze together, shoulder to shoulder, as Bebop and Rocksteady talk about an apartment they’ve been looking at, and Wingnut has a college with on-campus housing that may be willing to give a good scholarship out. April is cramped between Raph and Mondo, who is attempting to get a word in about how college degrees aren’t helping anyone anymore.

Donnie turns their head and smiles at her, hand coming under the table to hold her flapping hand still with a squeeze. She returns it twice as hard, and says, “I have something to say.”

Mikey grins over at her, giving two very obvious thumbs up, and April places a hand on Mondo’s shoulder to get him to quiet down.

Whiskers twitching, Dad looks up at her, “something up? 

Something indeed.

[azuramarigold]

A story focused on a young Yuji already harboring Sukuna as a vessel and it's up to teenage sorcerers of Tokyo Jujutsu High School to go and help him! Involves a parental Kento Nanami and Gojo with his usual antics.

This chapter focuses more on Nanami's perspective

AO3 Link CH1 CH2

Chapter 3: Mission Start

Summary:

The students at Tokyo Jujutsu High School are given a mission involving saving a child who happens to be the Vessel of the "King of Curses", Ryomen Sukuna. The three students are shocked at this sudden mission, but one is forced to go on a head start. Kento Nanami really had no interest of being a Jujutsu Sorcerer anymore, especially after the death of his friend a year prior - yet here he was forced on a mission to save a demon child.

Notes:

Here we go! Nanami is on the mission to save our ray of sunshine!

“It seems we have an interesting mission we have to do.”

            Masamichi Yaga stood in front of a blackboard in a classroom that was located at Tokyo Jujutsu High School. He faced his small band of students that took few out of the many seats available in the classroom, and none of them were enthusiastic to say the least.

            Satoru Gojo sat in the back, his stark white hair standing out as it usually did. He was a third year, and he was showing no interest in what was going on, his black sunglasses shielding his bright blue eyes from all around him. Since his mission with the Star Plasma Vessel the year previously and his friend Suguru Geto turned into a Curse User, he had not been the same. His laid-back personality and joking demeanor still shined through every once in a while, but for the most part he rather stay silent and take the most dangerous missions that were offered.

            Sitting next to Gojo was a petite young woman with short brown hair and a beauty mole under her right eye - Shoko Ieiri. She had an unlit cigarette in her mouth as she usually did, waiting for class to be dismissed so she could go smoke it. She didn’t take many missions often, she rather go and study medicine and learn under other sorcerers that use their techniques to heal. Shoko knew her talents were for support and to help people stay alive during these dangerous missions. Like Gojo, she was a third year, and she was bored as well.

            The single second year sat by the window, staring out and not having any interest in what Yaga had to say as well - Kento Nanami. His blonde hair nearly glowed from the sunlight from sitting by the window, the right side being longer due to the style. His eyes were always small and narrow looking, the stoney gray blue looking as though he would rather be anywhere but there. He wasn’t supposed to be only second year. There was another student in his class… but he died horribly during a mission shortly after the Star Plasma Vessel incident and it was right before Geto became a Curse User.

            Yaga clicked his tongue. “I know you rather be out doing missions like Mei-Mei and Utahime, so how about you three pay attention!” he ordered as he slammed his fist behind him against the blackboard.

            All three students then snapped their attention to the front.

            “And what mission is it, Yaga?” Gojo asked in a bored tone while stretching his body onto his desk. “Because if it doesn’t involve me kicking someone’s ass, I really rather not deal with it…”

            Yaga then lifted a cell phone and flipped it open. “One of our Assistant Managers got a distress call from Kyoto,” he began. He pressed a button, and it played.

            “Hello…?” the Tokyo Assistant Manager’s voice, who they recognized as the newly graduated Kei Hino, asked through the phone.

            “Hey, it’s one of those managers!” an unknown voice shouted from a distance.

            “Just shoot her…” another unknown man sighed in annoyance. “It’s not like they can really fight anyways.”

            “Hey, Yuko, what’s going on!?” Kei shouted.

            “Right, boss!” the one first unknown man said.

            “After all, we’re just here for Sukuna’s Vessel…” the head man sighed again.

            BANG!

            “Y-Yuko…!? YUKO!”

            The message ended.

            Shoko’s mouth opened in disbelief and her cigarette fell onto her desk. “I-I’m sorry, did they say what I think they just said…!?” she nearly shouted.

            “Sukuna’s Vessel…?” Nanami then questioned his attention fully on the message. “As in… ‘The King of Curses’ Sukuna?”

            “The one that ate people in the Heian Era and was a super powerful Jujutsu sorcerer that when he died, he was a Curse and when the Curse died, he put his Cursed Energy into twenty fingers!?” Gojo then added with added hysterics for show.

            “That Sukuna!?” the three students said in unison.

            “No, the ‘Mary Poppins’ Sukuna,” Yaga deadpanned. “YES, THAT SUKUNA!” he then shouted with a combination of fury and annoyance.

            “Why isn’t Kyoto dealing with it…?” Nanami then asked, him barely showing any emotion.

            “They had a bout of Curses around them that they are dealing with at the moment, so we were asked to help,” Yaga explained. “Kei went and investigated after the phone call and took these pictures.” He passed the photos around.

            Shoko gasped in horror when she saw the woman in the variant Miko uniform. “Wait… this sorcerer… This is Minori Hitoe…!”

            “You’re familiar with her, Shoko?” Gojo asked curiously as he snatched the photo from her.

            “I was supposed to go study beneath her the other day, but she said we had to reschedule…” Shoko explained. “She has an amazing Cursed Technique that involves looking into the soul, but she also does Reversed Cursed Technique as well…”

            “It was probably a good thing she rescheduled,” Nanami told her. “Or we would be looking at a picture of your corpse right now.”

            “HEY!” Shoko shouted angrily, almost biting her cigarette in half that was in her mouth.

            The other photo was an elderly gentleman that they didn’t recognize. He had gray hair and sun marks all over his wrinkled face and a bullet hole in his chest. Against the wall was red from his blood.

            “So, who is this…?” Gojo asked when he looked at the photo.

            “His I.D. identified his as Wasuke Itadori,” Yaga replied. “The knife that was by him had residuals of Cursed Energy, and we can tell it was his.”

            “He was a Jujutsu Sorcerer…!?” Shoko gasped in shock.

            “Probably at one time,” Yaga guessed. “Itadori isn’t a familiar name though… ‘Wasuke’ however was a name of a student from Kyoto a few decades ago.”

            Nanami crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, ignoring the blonde fringe that was going into his face. “So… why was he with Hitoe then…?” he prodded.

            Yaga then pulled out a box and set it on his desk. “We think it has something to do with the vessel,” he revealed. “In Yuko’s car there was a child’s seat… we think Itadori went to the sister school with a young child, and we can confirm with this toy as it was in Minori’s arms.” He then pulled out a stuffed toy of a tiger… drenched in blood.

            “Oh… my god…” Shoko nearly gagged. “Is it… the kid’s blood or…?”

            “It’s Minori’s,” Yaga confirmed sadly but also with relief that it wasn’t a child’s life’s blood. “It seemed she died trying to protect the kid.”

            “And why was she trying to protect him…?” Nanami snorted apathetically. “If we do simple math - the old man is dead, Hitoe is dead… the kid is missing. Safe to say the kid is the vessel they were looking for, right?”

            Yaga frowned. “We can guess correctly that the child in question may be Sukuna’s vessel,” he said slowly. He then pulled out a wallet from the box, most likely belonging to the old man. Yaga pulled out a picture and showed it to his students. “From intel that we gathered, the boy’s name is Yuji Itadori - he’s five-years-old, currently in preschool.”

            “Aw, he’s a cutie!” Shoko cooed loudly. “Big brown eyes and pink hair…! And that big smile is making me feel like I should quit smoking!”

            Gojo snorted a laugh as he slammed a hand to his desk.

            “Shoko, you’re eighteen and a young beauty… you shouldn’t be smoking anyways…” Yaga deadpanned.

            Nanami just glared at the photo. “You don’t see the resemblance…?” he deadpanned. “From all the textbooks we’ve seen and read… you don’t see it…?”

            “See what, Kento…?” Gojo groaned, his laughter now gone. “He’s a preschooler, not Satan!”

            Nanami just glared at his senpai. “The kid looks like a younger version of Sukuna when he was still a human,” he pointed out. “You could draw the markings on him, and they could be twins.”

            “You’re just salty cause you’re not as cute,” Shoko teased. She then stuck her tongue out at him.

            Nanami felt the urge to slam his head to his desk. He wished Mei-Mei or Utahime were around as he felt they were the only two that could keep Gojo and Shoko from getting on his nerves.

            “Anyways, you three are gonna help locate the boy and bring him here,” Yaga then ordered.

            “Huh…!?” the three students shouted in unison.

            “Uh, no, count me out, Yaga!” Gojo nearly growled as he stood from his desk, the chair screeching across the floor. “I’m not doing babysitting duty again! Because we know how well the last time I dealt with a vessel mission was!” He spat those words full of venom, his glasses had shifted down, revealing his bright blue eyes burning like a blue flame.

            “Satoru…” Yaga tried to sympathize with his student, but the white-haired teen just left the room, slamming the door behind him. Before Yaga could address the other two, Shoko had got up from her desk and ran after her friend.

            All who was left was Kento Nanami, who was staring daggers at Yaga.

            “You can’t be serious,” Nanami huffed as he crossed his arms.

            “Kento, just begin the mission and I’ll send Shoko and Satoru your way as soon as possible,” Yaga almost begged. “You’re a very strong and capable sor-”

            “If I am, then why did Yu still get killed!?” Nanami snapped furiously. “If I was as strong as Gojo-Senpai or Geto-Senpai then Yu would still be here, damn it!”

            Yaga could only shake his head solemnly. “Kento, you cannot compare yourself to them,” he pointed out. “Your strengths are different than theirs. Last year you were still learning your technique and how it works, and so was Yu… you can’t blame yourself for his death. And I know he doesn’t blame you either.”

            “And how the hell would you know that he doesn’t blame me!?” Nanami bitterly shouted.

            Yaga gave a small smile. “Because I know Yu… and he knew you, Kento.” He then walked up to the young man and handed the photo of Yuji to him. “And right now, this kid needs our help, so go start the mission.”

            Nanami took the photo and stared at it for a moment. Shoko was correct that the boy had large, brown eyes and pink hair. However, the smile was the complete opposite of what he expected; he thought the smile would be sadistic like Sukuna’s, like all the illustrations show, but no, this smile was large and genuine as if he was told that he was allowed to have all the candy in the store for dinner.

            It… reminds me of Yu’s…

***

Nanami had gone back to his dorm and packed an overnight bag with an extra school uniform, socks, underwear, his hairbrush, toothbrush, and book to read on the train ride to Kyoto.

            He honestly didn’t want to do the mission at all. Ever since Yu was killed his interest in being a Jujutsu Sorcerer had dwindled completely. Why were children being sent out on the battlefield just to be slaughtered? At that point, he honestly couldn’t blame Geto-Senpai for doing what he had done.

            Nanami made sure his Cursed Tool was with him, a weapon of choice he preferred that was a machete wrapped in a white cloth with black spots. Gojo-Senpai kept teasing him saying it was a “Cow Butcher Knife”, but he just ignored him. To Nanami, it was the perfect tool when he executed his Cursed Technique, so he stuck with it; he made sure it was strapped against his back in its special holster he had designed.

            And good thing the metal is made of a special grade where it cannot be detected by metal detectors… and the Cursed Energy helps with that too.

            Nanami sighed as he left his dorm room and began his trot toward the entrance of the school. In the distance he could hear Yaga and Gojo-Senpai arguing with each other, Shoko getting in the middle of things as she normally did. He just groaned as he knew this would just delay things on the mission and he would just have to suck it up.

            No one was around to see him off, not that he was really expecting it. There was only Kei waiting for him with the car so he could be dropped off at the station so he could take the train to Kyoto. The car ride was silent, just what Nanami liked, and it was a good amount of silence for him to start his book he had brought.

            At the station he was able to get his ticket and board the train with no issues, his machete perfectly disguised and manipulated to look like a small instrument on his back instead of a weapon. The train ride was uneventful, there were some mothers with young children taking them shopping, a couple of children around the same age as the boy he was on the mission for.

            The night before Nanami looked more into Yuji Itadori and his grandfather. Apparently, Yuji was orphaned at nearly a year old, his home attacked by something, and his father was killed, and his mother’s body was found at a separate location, her head split open. With the boy without anyone else, his grandfather, Wasuke Itadori, took him in. In one of the police photos Nanami had found, he saw a grainy picture of Yaga, which surprised him.

            Why wouldn’t Yaga-Sensei mention that he was familiar with the Itadori family…?

            Nanami exited off the train when he arrived in Kyoto and began to head toward where the school was located. He didn’t have the assistance of an Assistant Manager since quite a few were killed in that raid that took the kid. He didn’t have a license, so he couldn’t rent a car, and he didn’t have enough money anyways as he didn’t take on missions like he used to and got paid for completion.

            Walking wasn’t too bad, the sun was out and wasn’t too warm, but it wasn’t too cold either. A perfect Spring Day anyone would say. He could see children and parents walking around along with animals running along their sides.

            And a few Grade 4 Curses too… completely harmless… Maybe Grade 3 the highest if I’m generous enough.

            They were just simple Curses… some looked like demonized squirrels, most likely someone got spooked by a few squirrels, so a Curse was made to look like one. Some were insect based due to all the bugs found outside. They weren’t causing any harm or damage - so there wasn’t a need to exorcise them.

            Nanami could remember the first time he started seeing Curses. He was around the same age as the Vessel was, five. It was a normal day at the park that his mother brought him, and he saw so many odd creatures, like what he was seeing here. One had tried to grab at him, but he kept shouting at it to leave him alone - his mother was concerned about what he was screaming at, and he was confused about why she couldn’t see it.

            His mother took him to a psychiatrist where they played it off as an overactive imagination. Nanami let it slide and he kept what he saw to himself. It wasn’t until he began high school that a larger Curse was found prowling around during an event that caused great stress, some of the other students were finally able to see what he had been seeing for years. Until they were slaughtered before him. Nanami felt like he had no choice since he was always able to see them, but he never did anything about them; he had grabbed the nearest object he could find, a kendo sword from a fallen club member, and it suddenly glowed blue like his hands did.

            He didn’t know what was going on, but it felt like it was something he could only do in that situation. It was then something appeared in front of him, a ratio line against the monster and there was a pinpoint on where to strike. Nanami had never seen that before… but he had to take that opportunity… so, he struck there, and the monster was gone instantly.

            That was the day he discovered his 7:3 Ratio Technique, and it was the day that Tokyo Jujutsu High School had officially scouted him to join them. He had never heard of the school, or Jujutsu Sorcery. However, he figured it wouldn’t be so bad compared to feeling like he was crazy all the time.

            Nanami scowled at the memory of being scouted by the school. Maybe things would’ve been better if he hadn’t been scouted. Why couldn’t he just ignore the Curse like he had done his entire life? Live in bliss?

            Would Yu still be alive if I never went to Jujutsu High…?

            The squealing of laughter from the young children playing snapped him out of his thoughts. A ball rolled by his foot as he slowed his pace to a stop. A couple of kids hesitated to approach, seeing his scowl. Slowly, he gave a soft grin before he kicked the ball to them, causing the kids to squeal with delight before waving their thanks and continuing their games.

            Please stay as kids… please don’t see Curses…

            It was dusk by the time Nanami had reached the sister school. One of the teachers was there, returning from his mission early due to the situation. Nanami approached the teacher and gave a bow.

            “Hello,” Nanami greeted stiffly. “I’m Kento Nanami from Tokyo Jujutsu High.”

            The teacher spun around from his speaking with one of the surviving Assistant Managers, his black hair spiked up erratically. He wore a long black coat and had a cigarette in his mouth, his amber eyes narrowed and sharp looking.

            “Yaga only sent one…?” he scoffed. “If he was going to send one, why wouldn’t he send Gojo?”

            “You tell me,” Nanami agreed with a bored tone.

            The teacher just sighed. “Ugh, great… and a sarcastic one at that…” he mumbled.

            Nanami raised a brow, confused.

            If anything… I was completed on board with you, sir…

            “I’m Kuroneko Urabe,” the teacher then greeted. “I’m one of the faculty here.”

            “Urabe-Sensei, what have you discovered so far with the incident?” Nanami pressed getting straight to the point. He had always been punctual.

            The man gritted his teeth. “Well, for one thing, we had no idea that Hitoe was bringing the Itadori family here,” he informed. “After going through Yuko’s car, we found Hitoe’s phone, and she had a few phone conversations with Mr. Itadori.”

            Nanami raised a brow. “Were there any messages recorded?”

            “No, there wasn’t,” Urabe growled. “However, there was an email sent to her phone… and it was information regarding the incident that happened in Sendai about four years ago.”

            “The Itadori house, right?” Nanami guessed.

            Urabe snapped his fingers. “Bingo,” he confirmed. “Yaga was actually the head sorcerer for that case,” he revealed.

            Figures… but again, why wouldn’t Yaga-Sensei mention that?

            “It was suspected that a Curse was attracted to the high amount of Cursed Energy at the home, but an object was never found,” Urabe explained.

            “But… the kid is the Cursed Energy, yes?” Nanami pointed out.

            “Bingo, right again!” Urabe snapped his fingers. “As the Vessel of Sukuna, he has a high amount of Cursed Energy, and apparently even as an infant he attracted Curses.”

            Subconsciously attracting Curses…? Causing the death of his parents…? That’s terrible…

            Nanami pinched the corners of his eyes. “So, how did his grandfather survive all this time? With the Curses?” he questioned.

            “Wasuke Itadori was a student here at Kyoto, he just had a different last name,” Urabe explained. “He was Wasuke Hagane,” he revealed. He rummaged out a few yellowed papers to show and old school photo of the young man, who if you accelerated the age of the boy, you could see the resemblance.

            Although in Nanami’s opinion, the Itadori boy still looked more like a mini-version of Sukuna than anything.

            “Hagane… Hagane…” Nanami murmured to himself. “Weren’t they a small clan of Jujutsu Sorcerers that specialized in blades infused with Cursed Energy…? Knives, swords…? Whatever was on hand?”

            “BINGO!” Urabe snapped his fingers again.

            Nanami frowned. “Is that like… your catchphrase or something…?” he grumbled in irritation. He didn’t know who was worse… this guy or Gojo-Senpai.

            “Depends on who you ask,” the teacher shrugged.

            Nanami just sighed. “Okay… so, is there any information on who came and took the kid?” he then asked.

            Urabe lifted a card. “They left this,” he said as he handed it to Nanami.

            The card was black with a symbol in the center in a crimson red. The symbol Nanami recognized right away as he had seen it in so many textbooks - the sigil of Sukuna.

            “We believe that a cult that worships Sukuna may have taken the kid,” Urabe explained. “Maybe they plan on nurturing the kid to grow up to be evil or something…? I have no clue.”

            One of the Assistant Managers came running towards them. “Mr. Urabe! Mr. Urabe!” the young man shouted, clearly distressed.

            “Ugh… What is it?”

            “The three fingers we had acquired… they’re gone…!”

            Nanami felt his blood run cold. “Wait… the three fingers…” he whispered. “Are you talking about Sukuna’s Finger’s?”

            “Um… yeah…” the Assistant Manager nervously replied.

            “Damn it…” Nanami grumbled. “So, what would happen if those bastards gave a five-year-old those three fingers?”

            Urabe scratched his chin. “Shit… best case scenario it would kill the kid, worst would be Sukuna is officially reincarnated,” he said.

            “Kill”…? Did he just outwardly said he wishes the consumption would kill the kid?

            Nanami honestly didn’t know how he originally felt when first given the mission. At first, he thought it was absurd as he was asked to go rescue the Vessel harboring Sukuna. But at the same time, if this cult managed to resurrect the King of Curses… it wouldn’t be good.

            It was obvious that Wasuke Itadori had brought the boy here to be helped. Minori Hitoe had a Cursed Technique that dealt with the soul… She was most likely going to help the kid suppress Sukuna so he could live as normally as possible.

            Shit… He’s a little kid… being thrown into something he most likely never asked for…

            With a newfound determination, he walked across the bridge that led him towards the school. He already was able to see residuals of Cursed Energy from the attack, but in order to enhance his sight he put on a pair of silver rimmed glasses with green lenses.

            He could see the residuals of Cursed Energy from the bodies of Hitoe and Itadori, but most of it was on the table, most likely where the boy was sitting on. It was highly concentrated, a mixture of his own awakened Cursed Energy and Sukuna’s. Nanami focused on it and began to follow it through the halls, and it led him back outside.

            Again, the concentrated Cursed Energy lingered in a specific spot, most likely where the cult had their vehicle. The residuals continued on before it got too faint for Nanami to see anymore. He wondered if she could still follow the trail.

            Urabe clapped Nanami’s shoulder. “If you need transportation, you’re shit outta luck, kid, I don’t have a spare driver for you,” he said with a frown.

            “Do you have… I don’t know… a bike…?” Nanami offered a suggestion.

            “Eh…? What are you? In Middle School?” Urabe teased with a smile.

            “No, but I rather not walk for miles on end again…” Nanami deadpanned.

            The older man sighed. “Okay… fine… I’ll lend ya a damn bike…” he grumbled.

            “And camping gear,” Nanami added cheekily.

            “Oh, damn it, really…!?” the man complained.

            “Well, it is getting dark soon, and I need to find the Vessel as soon as possi-”

            “FINE!”

            Normally, Nanami wouldn’t be this cheeky, but he was desperate for these items. He figured that once he arrived at the Kyoto school, he would be given an Assistant Manager to drive him around. Apparently, that was not the case.

            While he waited for his requested items, he checked his phone. So far, he has not received any messages from Yaga, Gojo-Senpai or Shoko about the third years joining the mission. A groan escaped him.

            The Assistant Manager from earlier that revealed that the fingers were missing came with the bike that was requested. He had packed camping gear in a small bike trailer attached to the back of the bike. Nanami raised a brow at the trailer.

            “Oh, it has a seat for the Vessel,” the Assistant Manager explained when he saw Nanami’s expression. “Once you get him, he’ll be able to sit in the back comfortably.”

            Nanami hummed in appreciation and nodded. He put his overnight bag in the trailer as well before he then hopped on the bike and began to pedal off. With a wave of his hand, he began to follow the light residuals of the Cursed Energy into the woods as the sun dipped completely down and the trail ran cold.

Notes:

- Since we never really knew about Nanami's background except that he his maternal grandfather is Danish and that he is the only sorcerer in his family, that was why I decided to flesh it out a bit. * I honestly liked the idea of kids who are born into non-sorcerer families when they begin to see Curses they try to ask for help but their families just brush them off as "over imaginative" due to their ages since they awaken their abilities around 5-6 years old. Nanami just kept his mouth shut because he knew his family would see him as crazy. * I honestly liked writing him a little cheeky and bored lol - Gojo is very bitter about Riko still, but I can assure you he does go and spy on Megumi to make sure he was alright since Toji is dead. - Kei's first name is unisex and can mean "intelligence" and "blessings". his last name Hino is "sun field" because um... no significant meaning. * Ironically, this is the "male" version of Megumi's name. Toji literally could've named his son Kei for the "blessings" meaning but he decided to be a jerk and give his boy a girl name like dude... (Megumi is traditionally a female name, BUT sometimes is used for males, it's just a ... why? thing.) - The teacher, Kuroneko Urabe, his name is related to a Curse Technique that will be shown a bit later. Kuroneko means "black cat" and Urabe manes "divination; fortune telling". You might be able to tell what his CT is based on his name alone. Even him saying "Bingo!" is related to the CT. - Minori's last name, Hitoe, means "caring for someone" or "compassion". It shows that she was very compassionate regarding Wasuke and Yuji. - I decided to give Wasuke a different kind of backstory then was presented to us in the manga and anime - after all, he had wanted to tell Yuji about his parents and Yuji was like, "Nah, I'm good fam." I thought it would make sense that Wasuke would have some sort of attachment to the Jujutsu World, but like Nanami had left after he graduated, but unlike him he had never returned, and he had changed his last name back to his mother's maiden name. Hagane, the "original" last name means "Blade, edge" and can also mean "cut, kill". * This shows that Wasuke was proficient with his knife skills - he also knew how to use a sword such as a katana but never had one around due to Yuji being a tyke. * It is also a reference with Sukuna with cleave and dismantle since they are cutting related Curse Techniques.

You can support me here! I do streaming on the side with video games and I'm trying to upgrade my computer! It keeps blue screening and I need to upgrade some parts! I would love to stream the Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash game! Thank you for any support!

https://ko-fi.com/jlandersen01

[stillalittlelostngl]

Geto/Reader - Insula pt 1: Introductions

The geto/reader fic I've been talkin about is finally here ahhh 🎉🎉 I didn't think I'd ever end up posting it tbh so I'm happy I finally got this first chapter done.

This is gunna be a 21 part thing so buckle up i guess. This 1st part is reader meeting her fellow first years.

April, 2006

_

You blink blearily as your eyes shift in and out of focus as you stare at the wooden door in front of you. Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and fighting back a yawn you can’t help but wonder if it was too late for you to bail.

Having to be up so early had you thinkin that perhaps you weren’t cut out for the whole sorcerer gig. How mad would mama be if she got a call from you now talkin bout how you were on the first flight back home? You don’t remember the time zone conversions off the top of your head and your brain is still too foggy to even begin trying to figure out what time it was for your mom right now. Too late or too early - either way, you knew if you called she’d be raisin hell and your name would be on a shirt by the time you cleared the baggage claim.

If you wanted to live to see 17, it looks like fighting creepy cursed spirits and dealing with weirdo sorcerers was gunna be your safest bet. And ain’t that some shit?

Your eyes travel along the pattern of the wood grain, committing it to memory. You trace over every curve and indentation as you buy yourself some time between now and when you have to step through the doorway. Even if it's just another moment or two.

There’s a nasty knotting feeling that’s settled in the pit of your stomach at the thought of what might be waitin for you on the other side. As painful as it is to admit to yourself it's undeniable at this point. You're nervous. It’s the only bit of information your brain is able to translate at this point.

You can already feel the cursed energy of the two other people beyond the door. Two distinct energies sitting close together and if you listened hard enough, you may have been able to make out bits and pieces of the conversation that they were having.

It was stupid. You were being stupid. You shouldn't be gettin this worked up over meeting a couple of strangers. You’ve met plenty of strangers in your, relatively, short life and it’d never been anything that had you stressin as much as you were now. Meeting the two boys you’d been told would be your classmates shouldn’t have been any different. At least that’s what you kept telling yourself.

It had been a few years since you’d been around people your own age for an extended amount of time and the last time you were it didn’t end very well. Between your mom and immigrating, you’d been unintentionally isolated for the past several years. Your curse technique was a fickle thing, especially when you were younger. Your mom had been so worried that you’d accidentally activate it around others so instead of spending time with your peers in school or going on play-dates you’d been stuck between dusty library shelves with your mother trying to track down any possible information that could make the technique easier to control. You’d complained to her on more than one occasion about having to learn all of the words and theories that would leave your head spinning. You could hardly pronounce them - let alone understand them.

People were more complicated than any of that though. You’re mama had warned you but experience had ultimately been the best teacher for that lesson.

And unlike the others from before the two people beyond the door were going to be constants whether you fucked things up or not. They’d be your classmates for the next three years of your life.

The two people behind the door in the classroom that you’re struggling to build up the courage to enter will be constants for, presumably, the next three years of your life. The thought is enough to cause your stomach to do that uncomfortable flipping you’d been trying to prevent.

A small, pathetic, part of you hoped things would go right this time.

You take a deep breath. There’s no such thing as a halfway crook and you’d made up your mind many months ago that this is where you wanted, no needed, to be. There’s no sense in turnin tail and running after you’d worked so hard to be able to be here to begin with.

You do your best to settle your rattled nerves, despite thinking of every nightmarish way this first interaction could play out, and slide the door open.

Unfortunately, in your eagerness to power through your internal turmoil you slid the door open a little too hard and the loud thunk of the wood caught the attention of the room's occupants.

One whipped his head around with a speed that almost had you concerned he’d given himself whiplash. He had dark hair and wide, bright eyes that crinkled a little at the corners as he met your stare with a broad smile. It was the brightest smile you think you’d ever seen and it matched the signature to his cursed energy. It was a steady and strong thrum with a delicate warmth about it that practically rolled off the boy in waves.

The other, a blonde boy made up of all sharp features, merely glanced your way with a furrow of his brow. You guessed the brunette had been talkin his ear off before and your loud entrance wasn’t really endearing him to either of y’all. But damn. He looked like he had nothin to smile about in his life. He was dead behind the eyes too - you're not sure if it was a sleep deprivation thing or just his general expression. His energy, unsurprisingly, was much more subtle than his counterpart. It was something soft - like a cool breeze.

You offered a mumbled apology for your loud entrance as you closed the door behind you and made your way over to your new classmates. You felt stiff and hoped your movements didn’t look as robotic as they felt.

“I didn’t know we were having a foreigner as a classmate," the brunette was practically vibrating with excitement as he jumped off of the where he was perched on the others desk - ignoring the blonde’s indignant muttering as he nearly sent the entire desk tumbling to the ground with his momentum. You couldn’t decide if his eagerness was endearing or off putting just yet, "I thought there weren’t any curse-users outside of Japan. Where’re you from? You’re a westerner, right?” The words came in rapid fire succession as if he’d been afraid he wouldn’t be able to get it all out quick enough. It nearly made your head spin.

You offered a timid smile - unsure of how to go about answering him. You hadn’t been in Japan for no more than a month but it looked like being a foreigner was going to bring about more attention than you were usually comfortable with. Nobody had been bad about it, but the stares you got from time to time would make you itch. Foreigners made up such a small portion of the population here and with your skin being a golden brown instead of the paler tones they were accustomed to you guess it was to be expected.

“Have some tact," the blonde grumbled after righting the desk, "you sound ignorant. Of course there’s curse-users and sorcerers outside of Japan, it’s just not as common.” His hair spoke to his own foreign background somewhere in his family tree. You wondered if he had to get used to stares and questions too.

You give a small hum in agreement. “There ain’t many of us back home and it just seemed like a better opportunity to learn in the thick of things,” you offer in explanation as you take the seat next to the blonde.

Japan was the epicenter of the sorcerer society you’d found yourself in after all. The Japanese sect had more resources and time to spend on developing curse users than whatever was left of the sect back home. You’d never been too heavily involved in sorcerer society back then - your mother had done her damndest to keep it that way - but you’d overheard enough whispered conversations about cursed spirits popping up left, right, and center and how overwhelmed things were becoming. It’s why the Japanese sorcerers had been called in to assist and how you’d come across the one who had scouted you. It was just your luck that he’d been able to sponsor you and get you into the Tokyo prefectural jujutsu high school.

You just weren't too sure yet if it was good luck or bad luck. You'd always seemed to have more of the latter.

You introduce yourself to the boys with a small bow of your head. “Please take care of me.” It’s not as formal of an introduction by Japanese standards that you'd been taught to give but seeing as how neither had offered their own names first you decided it would have to do.

Apparently formalities didn't matter all that much to these two.

“Soto, huh? Your Japanese is pretty good for a foreigner! If I closed my eyes I probably wouldn’t have even guessed you were the one speaking!” the brunette practically beamed and you had to fight down a small heat that started to warm your cheeks at the unexpected compliment. It had been a bit of a rush to learn the language and you imagine the lessons you got from your recruiter hadn’t been very by the book, “I’m Haibara Yu. How long have you been here? We should go do some touristy stuff if you haven’t been able to yet!”

You hadn’t been expecting their friendliness right off the bat but the boy’s smile seems to come to him as easily as breathing and he seems so painfully sincere in everything that he says. You can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of your mouth. You go to respond but are quickly cut off by the blonde.

“Idiot, we’re not here to go sightseeing,” You’re not sure if the muscles in the blonde’s face knew how to do anything other than frown at this point.

“Don’t be such a buzzkill,” Haibara wrinkled his nose and brushed off the other boy’s annoyance with a childish pout, “we can have fun in between exorcising curses and training. Just cuz we’re here doesn’t mean we can’t live a little - you still need to introduce yourself too!”

There was a beat of silence as the blonde eyed the two of you as if he was thinkin on something and couldn’t quite come to a decision. With a tired sigh he responded. “Nanami Kento,” it sounded strained, as if the words physically pained him to say, “let's just focus on surviving the year first before we worry about anything else.”

You can’t help but raise a brow in response as your eyes slide over to meet Haibara's and you both share a look of understanding.

The Nanami kid is definitely a buzzkill.

-

You saw that geto/reader tag and got excited, huh? 🤪 he's not showing til pt 3, stink stink.

I actually have up to chapter 3 finished tbh - just doin some more edits. This chapter was going to be longer but i decided to just absorb the last bit into the next one cuz it'll flow better imo. Next one will be longer as an apology

Anyways, Soto's dialect and the way i'll be havin folks talk are gunna be very intentional choices based on their backgrounds.

Nanami is a lil bitchy here too & we aint get to see much of him or reader's impression - don't worry he'll have more time to shine next chapter. Remember this takes place before anything we see of nanami in the manga - the relationship is gunna develop.

[johndpg]

SPANKING ON TV #1

Pink Floyd—The Wall (1982) d. Alan Parker

There are brief scenes of boys being slippered and caned in front of the class. As a boy, the protagonist Pink also has his knuckles rapped with a ruler for writing poetry during a lesson. We learn the teacher has an unhappy marriage and takes his frustrations out on his pupils.

The punishment scenes are blink-and-you’ll-miss-them, so I’ve included some screen grabs below. There are also some publicity stills featuring different boy actors.

Publicity stills:

Just a few observations:

The teacher’s desk is on a raised platform at the front of the class. This was common in Victorian classrooms due to large class sizes and allowed teachers to keep their beady eyes on pupils.

The boys are bending over a chair on the platform next to the teacher’s desk. Presumably it’s kept there for this purpose and acts as a permanent reminder to behave—or else!

The younger boys are standing on this platform and bending over the chair seat, either gripping its far edge or supporting themselves on their elbows. Whilst this position has the desired effect of presenting their backsides for slippering, they’re much too high up with the teacher at ground level. Poor bloke can’t get any lateral swing going lol.

I was slippered a few times by my dad and by PE teachers at school, and I have to say that teach has the worse slippering technique EVER! He just seems to be whacking one buttock in an up and down motion. 0/10, see me later!

He seems to be more successful with the cane as the older boys are at ground level, bending over with their elbows resting on the chair seat. Looks like he’s having a busy morning with two more boys lined-up waiting.

I’ll just add that speaking from one episode of personal experience, I don’t hold with beating pupils in front of the rest of the class. It’s unnecessarily humiliating and there’s a huge pressure not to react and to somehow just shrug it off.

Still, at least those girls in the front row seem to be having a nice time.

Also, the teacher shows great skill in timing his cuts to match the intro to Another Brick in the Wall lol.

Final thought: don't forget this is just a film and the boys and the teacher played by Alex McAvoy are all actors. None of the boys were actually hurt for real.

Anyway, here’s the link to the movie. I guess you’ll want to skip to about 24 minutes in.

You might notice I've flipped the image of the first boy's caning. Who knows why it was transposed in the film but the girls' seating arrangement gives it away.

[hiddenst0rms]

Sick Stein - Soul Eater

For Christmas and your birthday, @onetrickponi 

I know that we haven’t really spoken much before, but I really hope you enjoy! ❤️

Fandom: Soul Eater

Stein/Marie

1.3k words

Stein loved his job. Not many people got to immerse themselves in their passion all day every day and get paid to do so. It was quite simple, really. He taught expert soul resonance techniques, graded exams, and spent the rest of his time on experiments. Aside from occasionally having to put an unruly student in their place (read: Black Star), the rest of his students were wonderful to watch improve and grow into their fullest potential.

The best part of the job? - the students.

“HH’RFFMSCHHHH!” 

The worst part of his job? - the students. 

He looked up with bleary eyes after burying his face into the sleeve of his lab coat. Ah, oh well. He had tons just like it. Gah. He used to never get sick. He was a fighter, he was strong; he could stitch up even the toughest of battle injuries on himself. That was until he had to spend eight hours a day trapped indoors with grubby gremlins that handed him hand written essays that belonged in a biohazard bin.

But he had gone to medical school, so he was much too knowledgeable to deny the telltale signs of waking up with a headache and scratchy throat yesterday that a few handfuls of aspirin hadn’t cured (who needed a stomach lining anyway). Those soon turned into sneezing, stuffiness, achiness, and as of tonight, a cough. It quickly crept into his voice and speaking all day at work certainly hadn’t done him any favors. By his last lecture, he was struggling to get his voice to carry throughout the classroom. He finally gave in and released class a few minutes early under vague orders to “go practice with your partner.” It was as if he had hit a second puberty.

“Heh’KGSCHh!!” A series of chesty coughs followed. At this rate, he would never finish his grading. He’d been hunched over the neverending stack of ungraded exams for hours and still wasn’t finished. The other professors at the academy wondered why Stein insisted on all open-ended questions instead of multiple choice. Multiple choice would have been a hell of a lot easier to grade, but Stein insisted that open-ended was the only way. Multiple choice was way too easy, a guessing game rather than true reflection of knowledge.

He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. It was late, almost one am. Marie had gone to bed a long time ago, leaving him alone at his desk illuminated by the lonely desk lamp. It wasn’t like Stein wasn’t used to late nights. That was the one thing that caught Marie by surprise when she first moved in with Stein. Despite having dated before, she had never realized just how messed up Stein’s sleep habits were. He seldomly went to bed before midnight, opting instead to research on the computer or experiment until he crashed, often at his desk, until work. 

“Stein?”

Great. Another distraction. Her presence wasn’t a surprise. He could sense her wavelength. But that didn’t stop him from giving a dramatic eye roll and a dismissive hand wave. He absolutely despised being interrupted, regardless of what he was doing.

“The place better be burning down right now.” 

“You’re still up?” Marie flipped on the light, not missing the way he winced. 

“You say that like you’re surprised. Ahh, turn the light off. It’s messing with my muse.”

Marie did so, that only confirming her suspicions. He’d come home from work sounding pretty rough and putting an unusual amount of effort into avoiding her. His aloofness was hardly out of character, but the coughing certainly was. “It’s not so much the time that I’m concerned about. It’s your health. You woke me up with your coughing.”

Stein lazily dug through his desk drawer and held out a container, eyes never leaving the paper in front of him. “Here are some earplugs. Now go back to bed and leave me alone. It is late, after all.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. You sound awful. Do you have a cold?”

Stein finally lifted his head to acknowledge her. He really wasn’t in the mood for this kind of interrogation. His mood had been low all day due to not feeling well, and he already wasn’t keen on admitting things that ailed him. He sniffled as quietly as he could muster. Now would have been a good time for him to blow his nose, but he couldn’t possibly do that with her standing over his shoulder.

“I prefer the term rhinovirus, but sure. You can call it whatever you want.”

“I don't know what that is - hey! What do you think you’re doing right now?

There was one trick he (literally) had up his sleeve to get someone out of his personal space with the added benefit of relaxation too. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, leading to a horrible coughing fit.

“Oh my God! Yeah, that’s what I mean - gah, you shouldn’t even be smoking right now! Give that to me!”

His glare was every emotion under the sun - annoyed, slightly amused, cocky. As if that would actually work. Her features slumped in defeat. It was worth a try.

“What I mean is,” She said, exasperated. “Is that you sound like you’ve been smoking a pack a day for the last 40 years. So perhaps it’s not in your best interest to smoke right now.”

Stein removed his cigarette, carelessly blowing the smoke around. An offended expression crossed his face. “Mathematically impossible. I’m 31, thank you very much. I certainly can’t sound that bad.”

He sniffled again, this time much thicker. His nose was starting to itch again too, but he wouldn’t have such a display with her standing right there. So he opted to breathe through his mouth, hoping that it would go unnoticed.

“I wasn’t being literal! Just, you’re so impossible sometimes. Go to bed. You’ll work so much more efficiently tomorrow after a good night’s sleep, which I know you don’t get often.”

Her speech was static to his brain. All that Stein could think about was how much he was trying to not make a mess of himself, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore such a blatant need. Another liquid sniffle, which only blossomed the tickle.

“Stein! Are you even listening to me right - “

“Hihhh…. hih’nkxt! h’nxgt! Xngt!” He tried to even out his breathing, but - “Nxgtshyuu! Het’shiuuu! Edtshuuu! Igxtshyuuu!” As much as he didn’t want to, he reached for the tissues, a blush creeping across his cheeks. He refused to turn around, to give Marie any sort of satisfaction. 

“Bless you. That’s why you need to stop working and go to bed, like I was saying.” She said, a hint of amusement in her voice. 

“That won’t be necessary. It’s very minor, a simple fluke in the human genome. Not worth causing a fuss over.”

“You’d really think that they would have figured out the cure to the common cold by now, huh.”

“Cure? Cure!?” Stein whipped around in his stool, newfound fire in his dead eyes. “How can you possibly expect to cure something that’s caused by over 200 viruses? Don’t you think we’ve tried? Well, it’s impossible! I’ll tell you - “

Woah. Now that Marie could actually fully see his face, she saw how pale and tired looked. Not to mention his absurd outburst. Stein always had a way of making everything so scientific. She couldn’t help but wonder - was this the madness taking over or a brewing fever?

Probably the latter.

Marie cut off his rambling with a hand to his forehead.

He stopped. Blinked owlishly. Flinched. Not used to being touched after living alone for so many years.

“You’re warm.”

Figures. 

That was the first time that Marie had touched him since their break up from years ago. If anyone was allowed to overstep boundaries and personal space, it was her. Their split had been amicable enough, but Stein had vowed that nothing more would come from their temporary living situation. But she certainly wasn’t helping right then and there. 

Stein smiled. He could only pretend to be annoyed for so long.

“Fine. I’ll come to bed.”

[reshuverma123]

“Effective Techniques of education” 

Introduction 

Education is an art, and like any craft, it involves a combination of skill, creativity, and continuous learning. In this blog, I am going to tell you some that make teaching an impactful and transformative experience, exploring strategies that engage students, lifelong learning and deep understanding. 

Active learning strategies 

Discuss techniques such as group discussion, Hand on hand activities and interactive project that encourages student to actively participate in learning process. 

Flipped Classroom Model 

Traditional teaching methods are getting revered. Explore how students engage with instructional content through video and readings, collaborative activities and problem solving. 

Technology Integration 

Discuss how tools such as interactive whiteboards and educational apps can enhance engagements, create interactive learning experiences and prepare students for the digital age. 

Formative Assignment Strategies 

Discuss the benefits of quizzes, polls and small assignments that provide real time feedback for both students and educators. 

Mindfulness and Brain Breaks 

Discuss techniques such as meditation, Deep Breathing exercises, short breaks that help students focus, reduce stress and enhance overall well-being. 

Teaching is a dynamic art that evolves with the needs of students. The techniques mentioned here represent the modern educators. Hence, Pedagogy is very important in every educational institution. One such platform is TutorCabin, they have the best method of teaching. 

[assassincraft]

                         ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 「   @dumbthink​ liked for a starter !!   」

being on the subway was annoying to him, he hated touching other people and being packed in like this. he kept his headphones on to avoid any confrontation while he was on the way to school. brushing up against someone, fingers touching, the smaller flinched and almost instinctively did something... not a kid would have the strength to do. his stop was next, and he inched away from the person he had brushed against before walking off as the doors opened.

「 ugh... getting so nervous when people touch me is exhausting... i almost flipped that person onto the train floor— maybe i should talk to karasuma about techniques for anxiety and controlling my new skills. learning all these assassin stuff tiring, how are you supposed to stay calm but alert, and not think someone is apart of it all nowadays. especially after that guy came in and choked out irina out of the blue and we had no clue who he even was. 」

his steps were practically silent... something he's learned through out the whole training thing, to make his footsteps disappear. to disappear... something he learned to even do at a young age, to get away from his mother's rage, to blend in, to mould into what he needed to be.

「 i hate trying to take apart those stupid guns... i always get mine jammed and have to go back in the classroom to fix it. and by the time i figure it out, training is already done and we're back to regular classwork. i'd rather just use the knives, i'm good at getting close to people anyway, what a pain. 」

[idpsofficial]

How International DPS is Revolutionizing K12 Education in India

In the evolving landscape of Indian education, International DPS is redefining K12 education by combining high academic standards with innovative teaching methods and a focus on holistic student development. As one of the premier CBSE-affiliated institutions, International DPS ensures students not only excel academically but also develop crucial life skills to thrive in the global arena.

A Unique Curriculum Designed for the Future

International DPS blends a global perspective with the CBSE curriculum, providing students with a balanced educational experience. From digital literacy to environmental awareness, the curriculum incorporates subjects and themes that equip students for the future. The goal is to make learning an engaging journey, nurturing curiosity and critical thinking through practical applications and hands-on experiences.

Innovative Teaching Methods

The teachers at International DPS employ progressive teaching techniques, such as project-based learning, flipped classrooms, and interactive digital tools. These methods help students engage deeply with the material and encourage self-expression, creativity, and collaboration. Rather than focusing solely on rote learning, International DPS ensures students understand concepts deeply, helping them retain knowledge and build a lifelong love for learning.

Holistic Development and Co-curricular Opportunities

International DPS emphasizes the importance of co-curricular activities alongside academics, providing programs in sports, music, art, and community service. This focus on holistic development allows students to discover and develop their unique talents and interests, fostering well-rounded individuals who are prepared for diverse life challenges. Through these activities, students build skills such as teamwork, resilience, and leadership, which are crucial in today’s fast-paced world.

Supportive and Inclusive Environment

Creating a supportive and inclusive environment is a cornerstone of International DPS’s philosophy. Teachers and staff work to ensure each student feels valued, safe, and motivated to learn. Counseling services, wellness programs, and mentorship opportunities provide a nurturing space where students can overcome challenges, be it academic or personal, with guidance and encouragement.

Commitment to Technology and Innovation

In a world increasingly driven by technology, International DPS integrates digital tools into the learning environment. With state-of-the-art labs, virtual classrooms, and digital resources, students gain essential technical skills while staying adaptable to technological advancements.

Conclusion

International DPS is at the forefront of K12 education in India, empowering students with a blend of academic excellence and life skills. For parents seeking a school that prepares their children for the future, International DPS stands out as a leader in quality and innovation.

Learn more about International DPS's approach to K12 education here.

[siddharthapublicschools1]

How do SPS teachers bring their best foot forward with innovative learning techniques?

Futuristic teaching approaches in school are fruitful for children. Gone are the days when the tedious voices of lecturing and staring at the blackboard made students dull. A drooping eyelid and a constant struggle for teachers to keep students engaged were witnessed in almost every school. Now Teacher engagement and daily strategies are changing. As CBSE institutions need to be relevant they need to focus on active methods to keep classes motivated. It is no longer important to gauge a student’s potential by transfer of knowledge from the teacher. The focus is on internalising and applying the same in different situations.

Siddhartha Public School has teachers who bring their best foot forward with innovative learning techniques. The classroom landscape is more vibrant and students are happier in this environment.

This content is derived from the experiences and best teaching practices in schools like SPS. The innovative methods go beyond the use of tools. Certain techniques are distinctive in the process of teaching. The approach is designed to increase demand for learning and can be tailored to individual child needs.

Transformational changes in teaching techniques

The changes in teaching methods are now different because virtual and hybrid environments have been introduced. This change also calls for teachers to adapt to the situation and change ways of teaching. Even students staring at their laptops have introduced risks and challenges. These challenges include a disinterest in learning and not paying attention in class.  Hence, teachers’ daily teaching practices aim to meet new classroom requirements.

Key strategies while taking the class

As the best CBSE school near Uppal, Hyderabad, our teachers are pursuing the following styles:

Active learning solutions

Collaborative learning practices

Student-centric style

Importance of employing soft skills

Creation of individual path to study

Flexibility and adaptability for children of diverse mindsets

Technology integration

Continuous assessment of knowledge with feedback

Importance of problem-solving

Encouragement to be creative

Relevance of knowledge in the real world

We believe any teaching methods must benefit instructors and impact pupils in the long run.

Growth Mindset

When instructors improve their teaching style, the growth mindset also transfers to the children. Today, a 45-minute class cannot be fruitful for children. They get restless and lose interest. When they can speak or ask questions, work on projects, and discuss them. The recall value of these lessons is greater.

Teacher engagement and daily strategies include a new method called flipped classroom. Students are allowed to take home the study material for the next class. They review the material and return to class already aware of what will be taught and explained.

Before the class, they can collaborate and discuss. The teachers take a backseat and let children take over. They involve themselves by giving personal attention to children while supervising them. Each student gets the attention needed to learn.

Project and inquiry-based learning is useful for high school students. For the young ones, puzzles are active ways to keep them engaged.  At SPS, open-ended questions keep teachers busy helping students improve their ability to enjoy their education. A blend of fantastic learning techniques makes ours the best CBSE school near Uppal, Hyderabad.

[dwighthooperus]

Active Learning Strategies: Engaging Medical Students for Better Retention with Medicine Professors including Dwight Hooperss

In the evolving landscape of medical education, traditional lecture-based teaching methods are increasingly being complemented—or even replaced—by active learning strategies. This shift acknowledges that passive learning often leads to superficial understanding and poor retention of complex medical knowledge. By fostering an environment where students actively engage with the material, educators can enhance comprehension and retention rates. Active learning not only motivates students but also encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and application of knowledge in real-world scenarios, which are essential skills for future medical professionals.

Implementing active learning strategies in medical education encompasses a variety of techniques that promote student involvement. These methods can transform the classroom experience and better prepare students for the challenges they will face in their careers. This blog will explore several effective active learning strategies, highlighting their benefits and practical applications within medical education. By integrating these approaches, educators can significantly improve the learning outcomes for their students, ultimately leading to a more competent and confident medical workforce. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a cornerstone of active learning in medical education, wherein students engage with complex, real-world medical cases. In PBL, students work in small groups to analyze a clinical scenario, identify key issues, and research relevant medical information. This approach not only encourages collaborative learning but also fosters critical thinking as students must draw upon their knowledge and experiences to develop solutions.

Moreover, PBL encourages self-directed learning, as students take responsibility for their educational journey. This process allows them to explore topics in depth, leading to a deeper understanding of the material. By facilitating discussions and debate, students learn to articulate their thoughts clearly and consider multiple perspectives, which is crucial for their future interactions with patients and colleagues as highlighted by professionals like Dwight Hooper. The effectiveness of PBL in enhancing retention and application of knowledge makes it a valuable method in medical education. Team-Based Learning (TBL) Team-Based Learning (TBL) is another effective active learning strategy that promotes collaboration and accountability among medical students. In TBL, students are organized into diverse groups and engage in a series of structured activities that require them to apply their knowledge collaboratively. This method often begins with individual assessments, followed by group discussions where students can compare answers, rationalize their choices, and clarify misunderstandings.

The emphasis on teamwork helps students develop essential interpersonal skills, such as communication and conflict resolution, which are vital in medical practice. Furthermore, TBL encourages a sense of community and shared responsibility for learning. Students are more likely to retain information when they engage with their peers and participate in active discussions, leading to a deeper understanding of the subject matter. TBL not only enhances academic performance but also prepares students for collaborative environments they will encounter in their medical careers as pointed out by medicine professors including Dwight Hooper. Flipped Classroom Approach The Flipped Classroom model represents a significant shift in traditional teaching paradigms by reversing the roles of in-class and out-of-class learning. In this approach, students first engage with instructional materials—such as video lectures or readings—outside of the classroom. Classroom time is then devoted to discussions, problem-solving, and hands-on activities that deepen their understanding of the material.

This strategy allows professionals like Dwight Hooper to focus on facilitating discussions and addressing student questions during class, maximizing the time spent on active learning. The Flipped Classroom encourages students to take charge of their learning and promotes engagement through interactive activities. Additionally, this model accommodates various learning styles, as students can review materials at their own pace before coming to class. As a result, the Flipped Classroom approach effectively enhances retention and comprehension in medical education. Simulation-Based Learning Simulation-Based Learning provides an immersive experience for medical students, allowing them to practice clinical skills in a controlled environment. This approach utilizes high-fidelity simulators or standardized patients to create realistic clinical scenarios that students may encounter in their future practice. Through simulation, students can develop technical skills, clinical reasoning, and decision-making abilities in a safe and supportive environment.

Moreover, simulation promotes reflective learning, as students can review their performance and receive feedback from instructors and peers. This process enables them to identify areas for improvement and solidify their understanding of complex medical concepts. By integrating simulation into medical education, medical educators such as Dwight Hooper ensure that students are better prepared to handle real-life clinical situations, ultimately enhancing their confidence and competence. Case-Based Learning (CBL) Case-Based Learning (CBL) is a dynamic teaching method that emphasizes real-world applications of medical knowledge. In CBL, students analyze clinical cases, discuss the underlying principles, and explore the management options. This approach not only fosters critical thinking but also allows students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical application, enhancing their understanding of medical concepts.

Additionally, CBL encourages active participation and collaboration among students, as they work together to dissect the case and formulate solutions. By engaging with real-life scenarios as encouraged by medicine professors including Dwight Hooper, students develop problem-solving skills that are crucial in medical practice. Furthermore, CBL promotes a deeper understanding of patient-centered care, as students must consider the individual circumstances and needs of patients in their discussions. The integration of CBL in medical education leads to improved retention of knowledge and a greater ability to apply it in clinical settings. Peer Teaching and Assessment Peer Teaching and Assessment is an innovative strategy that empowers students to take on teaching roles within their learning environment. In this approach, students prepare and deliver presentations or lead discussions on specific topics, fostering a sense of ownership over their learning. By teaching their peers, students reinforce their understanding of the material and develop valuable communication skills.

Active learning strategies play a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of medical education. By integrating techniques such as Problem-Based Learning, Team-Based Learning, the Flipped Classroom approach, Simulation-Based Learning, Case-Based Learning, and Peer Teaching, educators can engage students more effectively and foster better retention of knowledge. These methods not only encourage active participation but also promote critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application of medical concepts.

[thereaderpoint]

Certification Programmes for Teachers

In the rapidly evolving field of education, teachers are increasingly expected to keep up with new methodologies, technologies, and pedagogical strategies. The role of a teacher is no longer confined to delivering lessons; instead, they must inspire, engage, and guide students toward holistic development. To meet these expectations, many educators seek professional development through certification programmes that enhance their skills and knowledge. For those looking to make a meaningful impact, obtaining certifications from a teacher training center in Gurgaon or enrolling in teacher training school programmes can be highly beneficial. Such courses not only help teachers hone their existing skills but also equip them with new strategies to meet the dynamic needs of the modern classroom.

Why Teacher Certifications Are Important

Teacher certification programmes serve as a structured pathway to professional growth. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned educator, these programmes offer up-to-date techniques and insights that are pivotal in creating effective learning environments.

Enhance Teaching Skills: Certification programmes often focus on improving classroom management, lesson planning, and assessment strategies. Through structured coursework, teachers learn how to deliver lessons in a way that fosters critical thinking and creativity in students.

Stay Updated with Pedagogy: Educational trends change regularly, especially with the integration of technology in classrooms. Certification programmes help teachers stay current with the latest pedagogical methods, including the use of educational technology, flipped classrooms, and blended learning models.

Increased Employability: With the demand for high-quality education, schools are always on the lookout for well-qualified teachers. Completing a teaching diploma course or various teachers courses not only enhances your teaching abilities but also makes you a more attractive candidate for schools that prioritize modern teaching techniques and updated pedagogy.

Continuous Professional Development: Education is a lifelong process, and teacher certification programmes encourage continuous learning. They offer opportunities for teachers to explore new specializations, including special education, curriculum design, and student assessment techniques, ensuring teachers can meet the diverse needs of their students.

Types of Teacher Certification Programmes

At a reputed teacher training center in Gurgaon, you will find various certification programmes designed to cater to the different stages of a teacher’s career. Here’s an overview of some of the most popular types:

1. Teacher Training Diploma Courses

A teaching diploma course is an excellent option for those who want to pursue teaching as a career or enhance their existing qualifications. These diploma programmes usually cover essential areas such as educational psychology, child development, teaching strategies, and classroom management. They are often available for both primary and secondary education teachers and can take between 6 months to 2 years to complete.

2. Teachers Courses

Various teachers courses are available to address different areas of teaching. These could include courses on language instruction, STEM education, special needs education, or early childhood education. Each course is designed to enhance specific teaching skills, such as instructional techniques, curriculum development, or student assessment. These programmes often incorporate both theoretical knowledge and practical applications, enabling teachers to improve their effectiveness in the classroom.

3. Teaching Short Courses

For educators who wish to focus on specific areas or skills, teaching short courses are a flexible option. These courses typically last for a few weeks to a few months and cover specialized topics such as digital tools for education, managing inclusive classrooms, or innovative teaching methods. Short courses are ideal for teachers looking for quick, targeted professional development opportunities that can be immediately applied to their teaching practices.

4. Online Certification Programmes

In recent years, many teacher training school programmes have started offering online certification options. This allows teachers to upgrade their qualifications without having to disrupt their current teaching schedules. Online courses are often self-paced, making it easier for working professionals to manage their time while still achieving their career goals. These programmes also provide access to a wealth of resources, including video lectures, peer discussions, and assignments that foster active learning.

How to Choose the Right Teacher Certification Programme

Choosing the right certification programme depends on your current qualifications, career goals, and the type of students you wish to teach. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Accreditation: Ensure the programme is accredited and recognized by educational authorities. Certifications from a well-known teacher training center in Gurgaon will be more valuable in advancing your career.

Specialization: Look for courses that align with your career interests, whether it’s in special education, early childhood education, or technology integration. Opting for a specialized teaching diploma course can open new opportunities and career pathways.

Flexibility: If you are already working as a teacher, you may want to explore online or part-time teachers courses or teaching short courses that can fit around your work commitments.

Practical Application: Some certification programmes focus on hands-on teaching experiences, offering real classroom exposure. This can be an essential aspect, especially for new teachers.

Cost and Duration: Evaluate the cost and duration of the programmes to ensure they meet your budget and timeline. Some teachers courses may offer scholarships or financial aid options, so it’s worth investigating these opportunities.

Conclusion

Certification programmes are an essential investment for teachers aiming to excel in the education field. They provide the tools and knowledge needed to meet modern classroom demands, enhance career prospects, and contribute meaningfully to student success. By choosing the right certification from a teacher training center in Gurgaon or a reputable teacher training school, educators can develop the skills necessary to become effective, dynamic teachers. Whether through comprehensive teachers courses, quick teaching short courses, or a specialized teaching diploma course, the journey toward becoming a better teacher begins with professional certification.