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siriuslysatorusimping · 10 months

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Menace (Another Level Extra)

I've decided to post a few of the extras on Tumblr as well 😊

Summary

What kind of idiot picks a fight with the strong? He’d asked Suguru that just a few days ago. Now, he had his answer: A little weakling who thinks it’ll be funny. But she wasn’t weak, not really. She was stronger than she looked at first glance. And she sure as hell wasn’t an idiot. Gojo's POV of the follow-up to the 2006 Goodwill Event from Make a God Bleed

Another Level Masterlist

Menace

2006

What kind of idiot picks a fight with the strong?

He’d asked Suguru that just a few days ago.

Now, he had his answer: A little weakling who thinks it’ll be funny.

But she wasn’t weak, not really. She was stronger than she looked at first glance.

And she sure as hell wasn’t an idiot.

“Satoru-”

“I heard you.” Gojo waved his hand dismissively at Yaga. “I’m going.”

He rolled his eyes and headed toward the medbay.

So that he could apologize to the girl who acted so fuckin cocky in a fight against him.

The fucking brat who had kicked him in the back of the head.

“I just wanted to make a god bleed.”

He’d fucking make her bleed.

He couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so irritated in his entire life.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

He had so much more.

Honestly, he couldn’t fucking believe her nerve. Asking that shit when she could barely stand.

Which wasn’t surprising since she’d just taken Lapse Blue head-on.

She’d used a Simple Domain. But it was different from New Shadow Style. She’d called it Last Stand. Whatever it was, it had partially worked.

And it was surprising that she’d activated it in time. It would have been faster to dodge. But she’d clearly wanted to make a point.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he shoved the door to the medbay open.

She was pulling her jacket on, looking perfectly healthy after Shoko’s treatment. But she didn’t look quite as smug as she had before their fight started. Maybe she’d learned her fucking lesson about picking fights with people stronger than she was.

He stepped closer, watching her carefully as she stared straight at his shades. He didn’t really know what to think about her other than that she was interesting and annoying. But he’d been told to apologize for hurting her in a goddamn fight. Even though she’d chosen not to dodge.

“I’ve been ordered to apologize for almost mortally wounding you,” he stated, rolling his eyes at Shoko when she snapped at him.

Kurisaki’s expression barely changed, only a single brow rising as he spoke. He had to hand it to her. She didn’t even seem phased by him. People would usually either be yelling at him or shrinking away by now.

“But since you don’t exactly seem mortally wounded to me,” he continued, unable to keep the grin from his face. “There’s no need to apologize.”

He wasn’t sorry. They had Shoko, who had clearly gotten her back to tip-top shape. So Kurisaki was fine. The fact that she was meeting his eyes so easily told him as much.

But he did want to know about that Simple Domain she’d used. Only a few knew how to use a Simple Domain, much less knowing enough to come up with a variant.

Before he could ask about it, though, she was speaking, and he felt his eyes narrow slightly.

“You’re weaker than I expected.”

She was definitely something else. Bold. Acting like a cocky brat.

The look in her eyes told him she knew exactly what she was doing, too.

If she wanted to play, they could play. He was more than willing to show her what else he had to give her.

Gojo couldn’t help but chuckle as he leaned down until he was eye level with her. Sliding his shades down so she could see his eyes, he smirked as he admitted:

“I think I might like you.”

“Hate to break it to you, but I don’t really care if you like me, Gojo.”

Kurisaki Rinko was interesting, to say the least. Annoying, too.

But he knew she was still trying to mess with him.

“Interesting technique.” He wanted to know about that Simple Domain. And where she’d learned the concept. “How does it work?”

“Maybe I’ll tell you next time we meet.”

She was smirking as she slipped past him and out of the medbay.

Clenching his jaw, he turned to give Shoko a bored look as she snickered at him. He motioned toward the lumps on his head again.

“Can’t you-?”

“Heal them yourself,” Shoko cut him off. “You’ve been trying to learn. What better time?”

Narrowing his eyes at his friend, he shrugged as they walked out of the medbay together.

“You almost killed her, you know,” Shoko stated, puffing her cigarette. “I’m exhausted.”

“Seemed fine to me,” he replied, shrugging again as they exited the building to see Suguru waiting for them.

“Did you apologize to her like sensei said?” he asked, and Gojo rolled his eyes. “Satoru-”

“He didn’t,” Shoko chimed, leaning against the wall. “He said he’d been told to. But he didn’t actually say the words. Like an ass.”

“Never seen you so worked up over a fight,” Suguru mused, taking a seat on the stairs. “Not like you to let someone get to you like that.”

Pushing his shades up his nose, Gojo narrowed his eyes when he saw Kurisaki accepting a hug from Utahime.

“She was annoying,” he griped, dropping down next to Suguru. “On top of that, she was fuckin smug about it, too.”

“I came across her yesterday,” Suguru said, his smirk growing. “She ran away from me.”

“Yeah? What’d you have with you?” Gojo asked, giving him a bored look.

She was irritating, but she clearly wasn’t stupid. That was what pissed had pissed him off the most. She wasn’t just messing with him. If she was stupid, she wouldn’t have lasted as long as she had.

He’d seen through her plan immediately. But could never anticipate which one she was going to switch with because she wouldn’t do it until he was on top of her. Brat waited until the last second to move away. He’d been shocked a few of his punches hadn’t landed because of how late she swapped with her little cursed energy copy.

Suguru grinned before admitting: “The Rainbow Dragon. She looked a bit scared.”

Scoffing, Gojo rolled his eyes as they watched the Kyoto Tech kids follow Gakuganji away. The geezer was saying something Kurisaki. It almost looked like he was scolding her from how she deflated.

“You had the dragon out for the Goodwill Event?” he complained, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re allowed to use a goddamn dragon, and I got in trouble for using Lapse Blue?”

“You almost killed her,” Shoko snapped, crossing her arms as she stubbed her cigarette out with her shoe. “And I’m exhausted because of it. So I’m going to lay down.”

“I had the dragon out for intimidation purposes,” Suguru noted as Shoko stalked away. “It worked.”

Gojo had used Lapse Blue for the same fucking reason, but the stubborn girl hadn’t moved. It wasn’t like he’d expected her to just let it hit her head on. He’d thought she would dodge. She was clearly quick enough.

There was no way she was only a Grade 3. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was lying about that. Grade 2 would honestly be understating her skill level. She had to be a Semi-Grade 1.

He’d ask Utahime if she’d been telling the truth. And if she wouldn’t tell him, he’d see if he could ask around. He was guessing she’d been scouted, just like Suguru. Had to be why Gakuganji was watching her like a hawk. He had probably found her.

“What did she say to your ‘not apology?’” Suguru asked.

“She told me it was fine,” Gojo stated, rolling his eyes again. “Because I’m weaker than she expected.”

Suguru laughed, slapping him on the back.

“Seems like maybe you met your match, Satoru.”

More like a fucking menace.

#gojo satoru x original female character #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo fanfic #gojo satoru #jujutsu gojo #gojo x reader #gojo satoru x reader #jjk gojo #geto suguru #jjk shoko #another level extras #teen gojo #rinko kurisaki fanclub #kurisaki rinko #rinko is literally a menace

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siriuslysatorusimping · 10 months

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*Blurb* For Your Health - Gojo Satoru

This is based on the following:

This is technically a Gojo x OFC(Rinko) blurb, but she's not named specifically, so you can read it however.

College!Gojo found a fun lil fact in his textbook and wants to help his girlfriend stay healthy.

Honestly this is just v fluffy and cute.

For Your Health

She stared at him, raising her eyebrows when he gave her an innocent pout.

“For your health, baby,” Gojo implored, holding his textbook up. “Lemme play with your boobs.” He pointed to the section he'd just highlighted. "See? Cancer prevention. Science doesn't lie. I'm doing this for you. Completely pure intentions-" He cut off when she looked up at the ceiling curiously and scooted away. "What?"

"Waiting for lightning to strike you for that blatant lie," she replied drily, meeting his eyes again. "You wouldn't know pure if your life depended on it."

"But yours depends on this!" he argued dramatically, tossing the book aside and yanking her closer, pinning her beneath him on the couch. "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you run the risk of cancer, baby?"

"Yes, I'm sure you're very concerned about me getting cancer," she deadpanned as he leaned down to nuzzle the ticklish spot on her neck. She couldn't fight the giggles when he nosed it insistently, feeling him grin against her at the sound. "You just wanna get outta studying."

"Promise I'm not trying to get out of anything," he murmured, his hands palming her breasts through her shirt. "Just want to help my sexy- I mean my really smart and healthy girlfriend stay healthy."

She snorted and flicked his ear, causing him to lean back so he could stare at her. His grin didn't falter as he met her eyes, and she couldn't help but smile back at the dopey look on his face.

"You're a dork," she reminded, looping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "You're a dumb, childish dork. And I love you. Never change."

"Count on it," he promised, relaxing into her embrace and snaking his arms beneath her. He buried his face in her neck again, snuggling closer. "I love you, too."

#goinko blurb #college goinko #gojo satoru fluff #gojo fluff #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo fanfic #gojo x reader #gojo satoru x original female character #it's so fluffy #rinko and gojo fluff #goinko fluff

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siriuslysatorusimping · 3 months

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Everyone, meet Kurisaki Rinko, Special Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer from Kyoto

If you haven’t already, you can read Another Level to meet Rinko for yourself!

Another Level Masterlist | Kiko’s Masterlist

A HUGE thanks to @breiterart for bringing Rinko to life in JJK art style! I’ve been so fucking excited, and can’t believe I’m finally getting to share it with our lil corner.

It’s been just over a year since I started writing Another Level and Rinko began cementing herself as my favorite OC.

Thank you to everyone here in our lil corner who’s fallen just as in love with her as I have.

There will be more to come in the future, and I’ll also be updating Rinko’s profile once I get my laptop back!!

#jjk oc #jjk fanfic #jjk x reader #jjk fic #jjk x oc #kurisaki rinko #rinko kurisaki aka my favorite oc i've ever written #rinko kurisaki fanclub #rinko kurisaki #gojo satoru x original female character #gojo x original female character #gojo x oc #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo x reader #another level

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siriuslysatorusimping · 5 months

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Gojo 10000000%

Just remember how he reacted when he found out Rinko killed all of the higher ups 👀

He has the “my wife is so hot when she murders people who disrespect her” energy

#gojo x reader #gojo satoru x original female character #gojo satoru fanfic #another level #gojo fanfic #gojo satoru #jjk fanfic #goinko memes #gojo and rinko

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siriuslysatorusimping · 7 months

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Thinking about how Another Level Gojo will absolutely accuse Rinko of bribing their own children into liking her more because she breastfed them. Like just imagine him pouting when they still prefer her over him and saying something like “you did the same thing with Megumi!”

“I didn’t breastfeed Megumi.”

“You bribed them all with food!”

“Did you want me to not feed our children?”

He pouted harder at that for sure.

Before anyone asks, yes Gojo went absolutely feral over Rinko breastfeeding their kids and definitely begged her to let him try some. Did she let him? Guess we’ll eventually find out 👀

#another level #gojo satoru x original female character #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo x reader #goinko #Gojo and rinko #rinko and gojo

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siriuslysatorusimping · 6 months

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What is Kurisaki Rinko to you?

I DID IT. I WROTE IT. I FOUND SOME INSPIRATION FAIRIES AND KNOCKED THIS OUT. THANK YOU TO THE ANON WHO ASKED THIS QUESTION.

Pre-Shibuya

Gojo Satoru

He raised his eyebrows at the question.

“Huh?” he asked, grasping his chin lightly. “Kurisaki-chan? Strong sorcerer. Lives up to the Special Grade 1 rank easily. Great person. Probably the best person I know, actually. She looks out for the people she cares about, especially her students. Best teacher Kyoto ever had.” He smirked slightly. “One of the only people to catch me by surprise, land a hit. A menace, really. A good friend. One- my best friend. She’s my best friend.”

Nanami Kento

A deep sigh escaped his lips, his brow furrowed in clear irritation.

“Annoying,” he replied, his monotone voice almost sounding amused. “But I trust her. She’s stronger than she thinks she is, and I would trust her with my life. She’s also one of the only jujutsu sorcerers I respect, even though she’s probably crazier than most. She’s also an incredible teacher. Her students have always loved her. I got to see that first-hand.” He cleared his throat, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “And a dear friend. She’s a very dear friend.”

Fushiguro Megumi

He scowled at the question, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

“A lot of people think you could pass for being her kid since you look similar-”

“She’s not my mom,” he snapped, his scowl deepening. “She’s my cousin. She’s taught me a lot—more than Gojo-sensei has. She’s a great teacher.”

Zenin Maki

Her eyes narrowed at the question before she shrugged.

“We’re related,” she stated. “She took me in when I ran away from my shit family. She’s done a lot for me. Helped me in more ways than I can say.” The teen gripped the kendo sword in her hands tightly. “She’s taught me more than anyone else. Not just about being a jujutsu sorcerer, either. She’s a great teacher.”

Zenin Mai

Suspicion filled the girl’s expression for a moment.

“Why do you wanna know?” she asked, crossing her arms defensively. “She’s- we’re distantly related. She taught me when she was at Kyoto Tech. And-” she trailed off, a frown pulling at her lips, “she’s looked out for me. Always tries to make sure to check in on me. She cares. She’s a great- she’s the best teacher I’ve ever had.”

Okkotsu Yuuta

“Rinko-san is amazing!”

They’d barely finished the question before the teenager answered, sounding overly enthusiastic.

“She’s really kind,” he continued excitedly. “She always checks on me to ask me how I’m doing. She’s strong enough to trick Gojo-sensei. She landed a hit on him, which I haven’t really seen anyone else do before. She’s a great teacher, too. I learned a lot from her about cursed energy when she taught us last year.”

Inumaki Toge

He grinned widely, shrugging.

“Tuna mayo,” he stated.

“Is- that good?”

“Salmon,” he replied, his grin widening. “Tuna mayo.”

Itadori Yuuji

He shrugged slightly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“I- don’t know Rinko-san that well,” he admitted. “But Nanamin respects her a lot. Gojo-sensei likes her, too. Fushiguro won’t admit it, but he kinda drifts towards her when she’s around. She’s really nice. One of the nicest people I’ve met besides Gojo-sensei. And she’s a really good teacher. Fushiguro and Zenin-san learned from her, I think.”

Kugisaki Nobara

The girl shrugged absently.

“I don’t really know her that well,” she admitted, tilting her head to the side. “She seems cool. Maki-san likes her a lot. She does spend a lot of time with that blindfolded idiot, though. But she’s a good teacher, from what Maki-san says.”

Todo Aoi

The boy smirked easily, chuckling under his breath.

“A strong sorcerer,” he asserted. “One of the strongest you’ll meet, though she doesn’t see it that way. She- she’ll do anything to protect the people she cares about, especially us. Kurisaki-sensei is an incredible teacher.”

Post-Shibuya

Gojo Satoru

He squinted at them, scowling at the question.

“You mean Gojo Rinko?” he asked, his scowl growing when they just shrugged. “I convinced her to marry me, ya know. I’m her husband-”

“Fine,” they sighed, exasperated. “What is Gojo Rinko to you?”

A smug grin pulled at his lips now.

“My best friend,” he declared proudly. “The strongest woman I’ve ever known. The only person who puts up with me without complaining.” He paused, his grin widening until he looked like a dopey puppy. “The love of my life. She’s the most incredible person I know, and I- wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. She’s the most important person in my life.”

Fushiguro Megumi

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, shuffling his feet.

“She’s- my cousin." He rubbed the back of his neck and coughed. “She- she’s always been there for me. One of- one of the most important people in my life. I- I don’t know if I’d be here if it weren’t for her.”

Zenin Maki

She gave a nonchalant shrug, looking bored.

“My cousin,” she replied easily, staring at them calmly. “She’s taught me a lot. Took me in when I needed to get away from the clan. Always-” the teen paused, releasing a quiet sigh, “never- got upset with me when I was angry. And- she really tried to look out for me and my sister. One of the most important people in my life.”

Okkotsu Yuuta

His brow furrowed slightly as he thought.

“Rinko-san is one of the strongest people I know,” he stated firmly, nodding to himself. “She cares a lot about all of us, too. Looks out for us so much, making sure we’re all okay. Even though she knows we can take care of ourselves, she checks on us and makes sure we’re okay. She’s become one of the most important people in my life.”

Inumaki Toge

“Tuna mayo!” he exclaimed, grinning widely.

“That’s- that’s still a good thing, right?”

“Salmon!”

“Can I get some of those flashcards you gave her-?”

Itadori Yuuji

“She’s our new Principal,” he stated, smiling slightly. “She was someone Nanamin had a lot of respect for, and she clearly cared about him, too. She’s really strong, but she pushes herself too much. I think- I think she does it for us. To try to protect us. She and Gojo-sensei are really similar in that way. She cares about us a lot. She- I don’t remember my mom, but she kinda reminds me of a mom. She’s become one of the most important people in my life.”

Kugisaki Nobara

She gave a careless shrug.

“I honestly still don’t know her all that well,” the girl admitted. “But she’s really strong. Special Grade 1’s aren’t really something to mess with. She’s our new Principal, and she’s doing a really good job so far. I don’t think there could have been a better choice for it. She still spends too much time with that blindfolded idiot, though. Can’t believe she decided to marry a guy like him, but they seem happy I guess?”

Ino Takuma

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“I, ah, don’t know Kurisaki-san that well,” he admitted uneasily.

Gojo Satoru’s voice chimed from somewhere in the distance, “It’s Gojo Rinko now-!”

“But Nanami-san had a lot of respect for her, and they were really good friends.” Ino swallowed thickly. “She- asked me to teach here at Tokyo Tech after she became the Principal. She said Nanami-san would approve, that he’d be proud to see me helping the next generation of sorcerers. She’s- a really kind person. I’m grateful she decided to give me this chance.”

You can take Toge's responses from my cold, dead hands.

Did you guys like the two different themes? I thought it'd be cool to have the pre-Shibuya version focused on them saying she's a good teacher, and then the post-Shibuya version talking about how she's important in their lives 🥹 Notice how Gojo and Megumi said they wouldn't be here without her 🥺🥺

It's also official, Ino will be the new first-year teacher at Tokyo Tech 😊

#rinko kurisaki fanclub #rinko kurisaki #rinko kurisaki is a lil bean but also a lil shit but we love her so much #rinko kurisaki aka my favorite oc i've ever written #gojo rinko #gojo simping for rinko so hard #we love it #another level #another level extras #gojo satoru x original female character #rinko is a gojo now #gojo x original female character #gojo x ofc #megumi is rinko's og lil bean and he loves her so much #she's not just his cousin she's his mom now #jjk fanfic #nanami and rinko #nanami is literally so done with her

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siriuslysatorusimping · 10 months

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Fight Me? (Gojo Satoru one-shot)

This is based on the following:

Nurse!Gojo falling for a grumpy lil Rinko in this short and sweet AU one-shot 💕

It is fluffy and cute and I really enjoyed writing this silly lil thing 🥹

Also, happy early birthday Gojo Satoru!

I'll try to get the amusement park Another Level Extra done and posted by tomorrow 😊

Fight Me?

“Good morning, Kurisaki-chan,” the nurse’s annoyingly chipper voice sang as he entered the room. “Wakey, wakey!”

“Fight me,” Rinko mumbled, trying to shield her eyes with a pillow when he flipped the lights on.

“Maybe later, Kurisaki-chan,” Gojo replied cheerfully, prying the pillow from her face. His stunning blue eyes smiled down at her from behind the white hair that fell in a messy mop across his forehead. “Can’t if you suffocate yourself while I’m trying to take your vitals, though.”

He wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm and began pumping air into it, his eyes staying firmly on the gauge as it inflated.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked as he jotted the numbers down. “Comfy enough?”

She hadn’t, which was to be expected since she was in a hospital. Her least favorite place on earth. The constant beeping of all the machines and the hustle and bustle just outside the door didn’t help the ambiance, either. But she would admit that it was a bit more comfortable than usual because he’d been kind enough to get her extra pillows before he’d left the previous evening.

“Fine until someone blinded me at-” she glanced at the clock on the wall, “-seven in the morning.” She scowled at his giant grin. “Did you have to turn all the lights on?”

“How else would I be able to see your pretty face?” he teased. His lips pulled into a smirk when the beeping of the heart rate monitor sped up, and he winked before walking toward the door. “Remember, if you need anything, just press the little button, and I’ll come to the rescue!”

He flipped the lights back off and closed the door behind him.

It wasn’t fair of him to be attractive and flirty with her when she felt - and probably looked - like death.

She glared out of the little fortress of pillows she’d created as the door opened, his familiar voice chiming excitedly.

“You know what time it is,” Gojo called, his grin widening at the sight of her protective barrier.

“Fight m-” the words choked off when the air caught in her lungs, and she hunched over as the coughs rattled her chest.

He patted her back gently before giving her a serious look when she was finally able to breathe again.

“I can’t fight you, Kurisaki-chan,” he stated matter-of-factly as he wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her bicep. “You’d win. And those other assholes over at the nurse’s station would never let me live it down. They’d probably film it, too, and then it would end up on the internet, and then I’d never be able to leave my house again.”

The wheezing laugh escaped before she could stop it, causing his face to break into a giant, boyish grin. His already brilliant eyes somehow shined brighter when he smiled like that. She found herself blinking up at him stupidly as he turned his attention back to his task.

He had dimples.

There was that damn beeping.

“Bit faster than it was when I took it earlier,” he observed. Her neck felt hot, especially when his grin turned smug, but he just jotted down the numbers and placed her pillows back where they had been.

Her brow furrowed in confusion when she heard Gojo’s voice just outside her door.

He had been in earlier to get her vitals before he left for the evening, so she wasn’t sure what he was doing back. The only thing she could think of was if they needed more bloodwork, which made her actually want to fight him.

The door opened, and he slipped inside, holding his left hand behind his back. She knew he could see the panic in her eyes, but it shifted into a glare when he laughed.

“I’m a bit hurt you’re so upset to see me,” Gojo teased, his lips pulling into a pout. “You can breathe easy. I’m not here to poke or prod you again, Kurisaki-chan.”

“What are you hiding, then?” she asked suspiciously. “If you have a damn needle, I’ll-”

“Threaten to fight me?” he asked, eyes shining with amusement. She leaned over, trying to see what he had, and he tutted. “Ah, ah. No peeking. I have a gift for you since you’ve been such a model patient this week, right now excluded.”

Rolling her eyes, she gave him a slightly unimpressed look.

“What kind of gift?”

“Just a little something to remember me by,” he stated happily. “You’ll most likely get discharged tomorrow, but I won’t be here since it’s my day off. Soooo-” he pulled his hand from behind his back to dramatically brandish a small stuffed panda, “-I wanted to give you this. You can look at him and think about the best nurse you’ve ever met in your life.”

Her eyebrows shot up at the sight of the stuffed animal, a surprised laugh escaping at the fact that it was wearing scrubs and had a felt stethoscope draped around its neck. It was cute.

The boyish grin that showed off his dimples was back. Deep cerulean blue made her feel like she was drowning. When her eyes met his, she felt her neck heat up when the damn beeping sped up like it always did.

“Thank you,” she murmured, gnawing on her bottom lip. “And thank you for being so kind this week. Sorry if I was a bit rude-”

“I don’t take it personally,” he cut her off, still smiling. “You clearly aren’t a fan of hospitals. Most people aren’t. But I do like to think my incredible charm makes it a bit more bearable.”

“A bit,” she conceded, unable to fight the urge to return his grin. “Thank you again. And for- the gift.”

“It was my pleasure,” he replied easily, moving back to the door. “Now, I’m heading out for the night. Take care of that little guy, yeah? I know it’s a big responsibility, but I think you’re up for the task after I did such a great job caring for you.” He paused at the door. “But if you forget, I left some instructions in his pocket to help you remember!”

He tossed her a wink before he was gone, and she blinked stupidly after him.

Pursing her lips, she reached into the tiny pocket curiously to find a torn piece of notebook paper folded up. Another laugh escaped before she could stop it as she read his scribbled ‘instructions.’

Fun anecdote: years ago, when I was in the hospital, a student nurse came into the room at 7:30 after I'd barely slept at all, flipped the lights on, and was like, "GOOD MORNING, [KIKO]. MY NAME IS KATE. HOW DID YOU SLEEP? I'M HERE TO CHECK YOUR VITALS-" and I feel like the fact that I still remember her fucking name after all these years tells you enough about how much I hated her in that moment.

#gojo satoru x original female character #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo satoru #gojo fanfic #gojo x reader #nurse!gojo #it's so fluffy #goinko fluff #gojo fluff #satoru gojo #gojo oneshot #fanfic writing #jjk au #gojo and rinko #rinko and gojo fluff

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siriuslysatorusimping · 3 months

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Before I Love You - 2: Broken Lens (Gojo Satoru)

It's finally happening. I'm finally posting it. It's part 2 of Before I Love You. In all honesty, I've been writing this since I posted the first part, but I finally nailed it down. But, same as part 1, this is angst with a hopeful ending.

Summary:

“You were a shitty boyfriend.” A frown began to form on his face, but he stayed silent as she continued, “But you were always a good friend. Not surprised you’re a good teacher, too.” He had always been a good friend. Admittedly, he’d been a decent boyfriend before he cheated on her because he was supposedly afraid she was going to break up with him. But that wasn’t really the point. Despite everything, she knew for a fact he was never a bad person. Him caring about his students and their success didn’t surprise her at all, especially after finding out that he’d taken Megumi’s friend under his wing. His being shit at a relationship didn’t make him an inherently bad person. Even at her angriest, she’d never thought that about him. It was one reason she’d missed him so much after everything fell apart. *Also posted on AO3

Part 1 | Kiko's Masterlist

Broken Lens

2017

Her cousin fidgeted in her seat while they watched the game unfold.

“I feel fine,” the teen grumbled petulantly. “I could’ve played–”

“One more game isn’t the end of the world,” Rinko reminded, patting Mai’s knee. “Quit sulking, or I’m not buying you kakigōri after.”

Megumi snorted, rolling his eyes when Mai punched his shoulder.

“Maki’s doing fine,” he pointed out. “If you were out there, it wouldn’t be fair.”

A light tap on her shoulder caused her to turn, her eyebrows rising at the sight of Gojo smiling at her hesitantly. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, not since the day she’d agreed to hear him out. Even though he’d asked if he could sit with her at the soccer game, she hadn’t been surprised when he didn’t show. Part of her assumed she wouldn’t see him again once he realized his apology hadn’t worked like he thought.

“Hey,” he greeted, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I, uh, had a few things come up for the last couple games. I know– we didn’t make plans or anything, but I– still felt bad because I said I might– but yeah. I– I heard they were good games?”

Mai crossed her arms as she released a frustrated puff of air. They’d both been losses, but closer than they would have been without Maki as the goalie. Rinko flicked her ear.

“Last warning about that pout,” she informed her. Turning back to Gojo, she shrugged. “We didn’t make any plans to meet. You have a life.”

“I also didn’t wanna seem like I’m stalking you,” he joked, rubbing the back of his neck. He pointed to the seat next to her, the question clear in his eyes. “Is it okay if–?”

She shrugged again, scooting closer to Mai to give him room to sit without being too close.

“Hi, Gojo-sensei,” the teen greeted, leaning around Rinko.

“Hey,” he replied, giving her a giant grin. “How’s the ankle?”

His question brought the pout back to her face, her nose scrunching petulantly.

“It’s fine,” she claimed, rolling it a few times. “But–”

“Still tender.” Rinko tucked a stray hair behind her cousin’s ear. “She still has a limp when she tries to run, so she’s sitting one last game out to be safe.”

“I’m fine,” Mai denied, dropping her head back and sighing dramatically. “Doesn’t even hurt–”

“Because you totally weren’t hobbling like a penguin after you tried practicing last week,” Megumi interjected, snickering.

“Shut it!” Mai hissed, elbowing him. “You’re such a jerk. Why are you even here?”

“Because I’m not leaving him alone at my apartment just so you don’t have to deal with him,” Rinko stated drily, sighing at the teens’ bickering.

She’d agreed to let Megumi stay with her while his parents were out of town on an anniversary trip to celebrate their first year of marriage. His step-sister had opted to stay with a friend instead, which she understood since the girl still didn’t really know her yet.

At least Toji and his wife seemed happy. She never thought she’d see him find someone after how devastated he’d been after Megumi’s mom died. Even he had said he couldn’t see himself with anyone else and that his one-year-old son was more than enough to keep his schedule and heart full. But when he’d met his current wife, his tune had slowly begun to change, and Rinko had cackled at the heart-eyed looks he sent in the pretty woman’s direction whenever he saw her.

So, listening to the teenagers argue was a small price to see her broody cousin so happy for the first time in almost thirteen years.

But that didn’t stop her from leveling both of them with a warning glare. They shrank away, and she raised her eyebrows when they each mumbled that the other started it. Sometimes she could swear that Mai and Megumi were siblings with how much they fought.

“They act like siblings,” Gojo mused, practically echoing her own thoughts, and she turned her head to see him watching the exchange in amusement.

“Hardly,” Megumi snapped, rolling his eyes. “She wishes she had a brother as great as me–”

He yelped when Rinko reached around Mai and grabbed his ear, yanking on it.

“Last warning,” she warned firmly before looking back at Gojo. “Cousin’s kid. Toji’s.”

She doubted he remembered Toji since he’d only met him once, very briefly, before they even dated, but she was surprised when he nodded in understanding.

“Big guy, yeah?” he asked. “Paramedic?”

She blinked at him slowly as she wondered how the hell he remembered that.

“Yeah,” she confirmed, clearing her throat.

Their attention moved back to the field when they heard yelling, watching as the ball flew just past Maki’s fingertips.

“Shit!”

Her eyes snapped to Mai’s face as the girl swore, narrowing when she rolled her own.

“It’s normal, Rinko,” she argued. “You can’t tell me you never swore when you were my age.”

“Have you met my mom?” she asked incredulously. “Try that in front of your Aunt Yuzuki next time you see her and see what happens.”

The woman almost never failed to flick her nose or ear hard if she heard her swear. Especially if the words slipped in the bakery.

“Aunt Yuzu would never be upset with me,” Mai stated smugly, and Rinko had to admit that, in most cases, the girl was right. “Or Maki. She loves us too much.”

“She loves my dad, too,” Megumi said, frowning as he watched the ball change possession over and over. “But he says Aunt Yuzu can be pretty scary. He tries not to swear around her.”

True. The first time he had in front of her mother had resulted in the mountain of a man yelping like a small child as the small woman pinched his ear.

“You won’t use that language in my bakery,” she’d ordered, yanking him down to her height so she could glare into his eyes. “Do you hear me, Toji? Absolutely not.”

Her mother was truly a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be.

“Always liked your mom,” Gojo murmured, giving her a sad smile. “Guessing she’s probably not my biggest fan anymore, though.”

Not exactly, especially since Rinko had burst into the bakery through the back entrance with tears streaming down her face just hours after she and Gojo broke up. The questions of why she wasn’t enough had spilled out before she could stop them, a broken record of grief finally consuming her at the loss of not only her relationship, but also one of her best friends. Her mother had closed the shop early and sat with her, holding her tight as she let herself fall apart.

No, admittedly, Gojo Satoru was one of Kurisaki Yuzuki’s least favorite people.

“You rank higher than Naoya,” she offered quietly, watching him grimace at the mention of her half-brother. There was no point in lying to spare his feelings. “But- that’s probably about it.”

“Fair,” he muttered, running his hand through his hair. “Much as I hate it. Fair.”

2011

“Mom!” she croaked as she slammed the door open, unable to force herself to care about making a scene. It couldn’t be too busy. The holiday rush was over.

“Mom, I need you!”

Yuzuki’s concerned face peeked around the corner from the front, her expression dropping at the sight of her.

“Darling?” she asked, her eyes filling with concern. “Sweetheart, I thought you were in Tokyo–”

She shook her head, the sobs breaking free as she collapsed forward.

“He– Mom, I–”

She felt her mother’s arms around her, pulling her up and ushering her into the small office. Gentle hands pushed her to sit down in the old chair behind the desk.

“I’ll be right back, darling,” Yuzuki murmured, squeezing her. “Just let me close the shop.”

The familiar sense of guilt clawed up her throat, but for once, she found it easy to shove away. She just wanted her mom to hold her and tell her she would be okay. She wanted someone to choose her for once. Even if her mother was the only person who ever would.

Lost in her own mind, she barely noticed her mother slip back into the room. She stood when prompted before crawling onto the woman’s lap, curling in on herself. Burrowing into the comforting embrace, she made no effort to stifle the guttural sobs. A sharp ache had spread through her body, starting in her chest, and she gasped for breath. She swore her lungs would give out.

“Tell me what happened,” her mother whispered, her hand rubbing her back. “What happened, my gem?”

Her jaw trembled as she lifted her head, the words spilling from her as she explained in broken whispers. Forcing herself to vocalize the harsh reality that had all but slapped her in the face the previous evening—to admit that she’d been a fool. The fact that she’d allowed herself to be lied to. That she’d been stupid enough to believe he wanted her.

“Mom,” she choked, her chest aching. “I wanted to believe– I thought that I– why am I not enough?”

The question that sat in the back of her mind her entire life. The question of why she’d never been enough. Why her father chose to discard her before she was even born. Why he had spent the entirety of her adolescence calling her a mistake.

She’d been able to shove the questions down. Ignore them. Pretend that it didn’t matter because things were going well. Because her father had decided she was worth his time. Because she had a boyfriend who cared about her. Had chosen her.

She’d let herself believe she was enough.

Life was quick to remind her that despite what she might think, she would always just be an unwanted mistake. To remind her that in the end, she would be discarded and forgotten.

“You are enough, my gem,” Yuzuki murmured, running her fingers through her hair. “More than enough. You are my most wonderful blessing. And just because someone else doesn’t see your worth does not mean that you are any less.” She wiped her tears, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Do not let someone else’s broken lens distort your view of yourself.”

“It hurts, Mom,” she cried. She clutched her chest, desperately wishing she could reach inside and rip out whatever was causing the excruciating pain. “Why does it hurt so much? Why won’t it go away?”

“Because you’re heartbroken, darling,” her mother replied sadly. “I know it hurts. I know it does. And I wish I could take it away from you so you didn’t have to feel this way. But it will go away. Just give yourself time.”

2017

They watched as Maki dove to stop the ball, her fingertips catching it just in time to stop it from going in. As she threw it back into play, Mai’s breath hitched, stress clear on her face as she watched her twin play.

“Deep breaths,” Rinko urged, rubbing her back. “I know you want to be out there.”

Maki wanted her there, too. They both played better when the other was on the field with them. The pouts she received that morning as they complained were more evidence of how much they relied on each other.

“If we lose, Maki’s gonna blame herself,” Mai mumbled, a deep frown causing her forehead to crease. “And it’s not her fault–”

“Not yours, either,” Megumi cut her off. “The team’s gotta be able to win without you sometimes.”

There was the almost scarily mature kid Rinko knew and absolutely adored.

“Plus,” he continued, shrugging, “you wouldn’t play well with a limp, anyway. Then you’d both be blaming yourselves, and you’d probably get hurt again, too.”

“Smart kid,” Gojo noted quietly as Mai let out a reluctant sigh and leaned her head on Megumi’s shoulder. The latter flinched but said nothing else. “How much time has he spent with you?”

A lot, especially since the twins had basically moved in. She hadn’t realized when she moved to Tokyo that she’d end up being the twins’ safe haven, too. It started when the twins begged her to come to their soccer games. Then, they begged her to let them stay the night with her after. From there, they just started showing up any time their parents fought, or they didn’t want to go home.

At this point, they spent more time at her apartment than with their own parents. She kept them safe, fed, and made sure they did their homework, so Ogi stayed off her back. It helped that her father had had a talk with his younger brother.

She’d already spent a lot of time with Megumi and Toji. He’d needed someone to keep an eye on the kid occasionally while he worked, which had been a small motivator for her moving in the first place. He couldn’t take the kid in the ambulance with him, but Rinko’s manager didn’t care if he sat in the breakroom and read a book.

And ate her damn cookies.

Either way, the twins showing up on her doorstep often meant that they spent more time with Megumi and Toji than their father ever intended. It also meant they got to have a cousin closer to their age.

They’d grown close, even if they wouldn’t admit it aloud. The kind of cousins Rinko had wished for when she was their age. While she and Toji had gotten along, their age gap had prevented them from being too close since he’d been married and had Megumi by the time she reached her teens. But he and his first wife had been safe people for her when she had to spend time with her father’s family growing up, and now, she could do the same for the twins. At the very least, she was someone who supported them when it came to chasing their passion.

Mai screamed, startling Rinko from her thoughts in time to see Miwa Kasumi score.

“Let’s fu– GO!” Mai screeched wildly, startling a few people around them. “MIWAA!”

Her heart swelled, watching the teen’s eyes light up excitedly while she cheered for her friend. She needed to see that the entire team didn’t rest on her and Maki’s shoulders.

“Looks like we might have a game on our hands,” Gojo noted. “Miwa is one of the students who asked me to come to that game a few weeks ago. Good kid. Seems a bit ditzy sometimes, but she’s actually really smart.”

Rinko turned to see him grinning at the field, pride clear in his expression. He waved back when the teen acknowledged him after she’d waved at Mai, a clear blush creeping up her neck as she quickly sprinted to rejoin the game.

“Miwa has a crush on Gojo-sensei,” Mai whispered loudly, smirking.

Not surprising. She imagined that most of his students probably had a crush on him. He’d always been one to attract that kind of attention. All he had to do was flash a smile and bat his pretty eyes, and people would turn into mush before him.

She hadn’t been immune to it, either.

“That’s not–” Gojo’s ears turned pink, and he pushed his shades up. “I mean, I don’t encourage– I just wanna support–”

“We know, sensei,” Mai snickered. “Miwa only asked you to come because we’d heard you went to the baseball game to support Muta-senpai and Kamo-senpai. You’re one of the only teachers who will show up. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

His ears went a shade darker as he cleared his throat uncomfortably. He gave Rinko a sheepish smile when Mai’s attention moved back to the game.

“I– I didn’t ask her to– say any of that.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he muttered. “I promise I’m not–”

“You were a shitty boyfriend,” she cut him off, speaking quietly so the kids wouldn’t hear. A frown began to form on his face, but he stayed silent as she continued, “But you were always a good friend. Not surprised you’re a good teacher, too.”

He had always been a good friend. Admittedly, he’d been a decent boyfriend before he cheated on her because he was supposedly afraid she was going to break up with him. But that wasn’t really the point. Despite everything, she knew for a fact he was never a bad person. Him caring about his students and their success didn’t surprise her at all, especially after finding out that he’d taken Megumi’s friend under his wing.

His being shit at a relationship didn’t make him an inherently bad person. Even at her angriest, she’d never thought that about him. It was one reason she’d missed him so much after everything fell apart.

A small, hesitant smile overtook the frown, and he nodded slightly.

“I– I try to be,” he murmured, moving his gaze back to the field. “Just– wanna be a good influence for ‘em. And I– yeah. I try to be a good teacher. Worked on– a few things over the years. For– me. Like to think I’m better than I was in college.”

2011

“You need to sleep.”

She nodded absently as she stared down at her notes, her bottom lip firmly between her teeth while she tried to commit the definitions for endomysium and perimysium and epimysium to heart.

“Rinko-chan.” Gojo’s upside-down face crowded her vision when he leaned over her from behind, his eyes boring into hers. “I saw you sitting here twelve hours ago and you look like you haven’t moved once. Have you eaten today?”

She blinked slowly, letting his words sink in. Twelve hours? Impossible. She’d sat down in the little study nook maybe an hour ago. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she scowled when she saw he was right, she’d been there all day.

Finals were going to kill her.

“Take that look as a ‘no,’” Gojo concluded, closing her books and pulling her to her feet. “You’re not gonna learn that shit by staring at it until you go blind.”

“Not how that works,” she countered, rolling her tired eyes. “Gojo, I need to–”

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked sternly, his eyes narrowing at her when she shrugged. “Thought so.”

“I need to–”

“Eat,” he snapped, shoving her things in her backpack and heaving it over his shoulder. “And sleep.” He grabbed her wrist and began dragging her out of the library. “You’re as hopeless as Shoko sometimes. You won’t pass except out during your exams if you keep this up.”

While he had a point, it seemed rich coming from someone who had a near-photographic memory.

“You don’t even have to study,” she whined petulantly, leaning onto him as his arm wrapped around her waist. “S’not fair, ya know. The rest of us have to cram–”

“You’re smarter than you think,” he argued, rolling his eyes. “You’re gonna be fine. But only if you don’t starve yourself first. Crazy to me that someone who loves food so fuckin much would go so long without it like this.”

As they exited the library into the cool night air, her stomach growled.

“Can we–”

“Ramen, yeah,” he cut her off, grinning when she perked up. “That place you love so much that’s open late? The others said they’d meet us there once I dragged you outta your little study cave.”

2017

Warmth and excitement swirled in Rinko’s chest as she stood on the platform, the twins bouncing excitedly beside her.

Right on time, the train came to a stop, passengers slowly exiting to the sound of the monotone automated voice thanking them for trusting them with their travels.

“I see her!” Maki exclaimed.

Her mother emerged swiftly, a grin on her face, her bag over her shoulder, and her eyes searching for them through the crowd of people.

“Aunt Yuzu!”

The twins darted forward, almost tackling her to the ground.

“My sweet girls!” Yuzuki cried happily. “It’s so good to see you, dears.”

Rinko couldn’t keep the smile from her own face as they approached.

“How was the trip?” she asked, taking her mother’s bag and slinging it over her own shoulder. “No issues?”

“None at all,” the woman replied, releasing the twins and enveloping her in a tight hug. “Hi, my gem.”

“Hi, Mom,” she murmured, relaxing into her embrace. No matter how much time passed, her mother would always be home for her. “It’s good to see you.”

Yuzuki tucked a strand of hair behind Rinko’s ear as she leaned away, her hand resting on her cheek while her sharp eyes assessed her.

“It’s good to see you, too, my gem. You look well.”

“Thanks for coming all this way.”

“Anything for my most wonderful blessing,” her mother hummed, turning back to the twins. “And my favorite girls!” She squeezed them tightly. “Are my little bakers ready for this weekend?”

“Of course,” Maki replied as they led the way out of the station.

“Thanks to you, the soccer team’s booth will be everyone’s favorite!” Mai gushed. “No one else stands a chance.”

“It’s not actually a competition,” Rinko called. “And this isn’t an excuse for the two of you to just eat your weight in cookies, either.”

“Don’t worry,” Maki replied, turning to walk backward. “We’ll only eat half our weight!”

Yuzuki snickered, meeting Rinko’s eyes briefly.

“Oh, my gem, you’ve taught them so well.”

The twins flit around her kitchen, following her mother’s instructions while they prepared enough cookies to feed armies.

“You’re doing wonderful,” Yuzuki praised, watching Mai mix the dough for the matcha cookies.

Maki retrieved a pan from the oven, an excited grin on her face as she picked up a miso peanut butter cookie from the tray and took a large bite.

“At least wait until after dinner,” Rinko scolded lightly, sighing when Mai grabbed a cookie as well. “Or not.”

“They’re too good not to eat at least one while they’re fresh,” Maki argued, huffing slightly when she burned her tongue. “You’re coming by tomorrow, right? Both of you?”

“Of course,” Yuzuki replied. “I wouldn’t miss getting to see you celebrating all this hard work.”

“Before I go to work,” Rinko confirmed. She couldn’t take another day off after she’d taken the entire weekend so she could be home to help with the baking. “I’ll be there.”

“You should give Gojo-sensei some cookies!” Mai exclaimed with her mouth full. “Miwa says he’s got a pretty big sweet tooth.”

Rinko tensed, avoiding her mother’s questioning eyes as she narrowed her own at Mai. She hadn’t mentioned Gojo to her mother, and she’d hoped that he would never come up in the conversation, but she knew better. The chances of her mother not running into him at the festival tomorrow were slim, especially since he would check the twins’ booth at Miwa’s request.

“I don’t see why I would–”

“Because he always sits with you at our soccer games,” Maki interjected, grinning widely as she addressed Yuzuki. “One of the teachers at our school has a huge crush on Rinko.”

“Huge,” Mai agreed dramatically. “You should see the way he looks at her–”

“That’s enough,” Rinko ordered. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “We’re not talking about this.”

The twins didn’t know the extent of her history with Gojo, and she had no intention of telling them, either. They didn’t need their image of him shattered. But they noticed that Gojo had started attending their games more often and always chose to sit with her, and they refused to let it go.

“But–”

“I’m not giving your teacher cookies,” Rinko snapped, clenching her jaw. The twins deflated slightly at her tone, and she released a heavy sigh. “I can’t be there long, anyway. I’ll only have time to drop by your booth before I have to get to work.”

Her mother hummed quietly while they cleaned her kitchen after their baking marathon.

The twins were fast asleep on their futons in the living room, their quiet snores telling Rinko how exhausted they truly were.

“So,” Yuzuki began, side-eyeing her carefully, “Gojo Satoru is a teacher now, hm?”

Rinko sighed, she knew this was coming.

“Apparently,” she replied hesitantly. “Ran into him at one of their games a few months ago.” She waited for her mother to speak, fidgeting uncomfortably with the sponge in her hands. “Look, I know what you’re gonna say–”

“I don’t tell you how to live your life,” Yuzuki stated calmly. “Or who to spend your time with. You’re an adult–”

“I’m not getting back together with him.” Finally meeting her mother’s eyes, Rinko silently pleaded with her to understand. “I’m not. This isn’t– he wanted to apologize when he saw me, but he knows that it doesn’t erase what happened. He sits beside me sometimes at their soccer games, but it’s nothing more than that. I just–”

“You’ve missed your friend,” her mother whispered, giving her a sad smile. “I know, sweetheart. He was your friend first before everything happened. Just– I’m so proud of the woman you’ve grown into over the years, and I just– I worry about you spending time with someone who hurt you so deeply. I don’t ever want anyone to make you question your worth like that ever again.”

Rinko couldn’t blame her mother for her concern. Not after the countless quiet mornings they’d spent in the bakery together, where her mother helped her learn how to mend her broken heart. The too-early hours when they giggled and joked as they prepared to open the bakery, the late nights where she sobbed uncontrollably in her mother’s arms when it became too much. When she slowly began finding herself and who she wanted to be. Those moments that had cemented themselves as some of her most favorite memories. Some of the best and worst times of her life. She learned about herself, learned about her mother, and they’d grown so much closer because of it.

Yuzuki released a deep sigh, wrapping her arms around her and tucking her hair behind her ear.

“It would make me a hypocrite to tell you that you’re wrong for allowing him a chance to apologize,” she mused. “Since I convinced you to give your father a chance to make things right, and that ended up being for the better. Just– just make sure that your lens stays intact, my gem.”

“I will, Mom,” she promised, leaning her head on her shoulder. “I know who I am now. I won’t let someone else change that again.”

It had taken her a long time, but she’d finally realized that the way others treated her wasn’t her fault. The way her father discarded her when she was a child wasn’t on her. The fact that Gojo had been too much of a coward to talk to her instead of seeking out someone else to boost his own ego hadn’t been on her.

Not only that, but if she really thought about it, she hadn’t been ready for that relationship, either—not really. They’d both still had so much growing up left to do.

She could almost say she was grateful because she’d been forced to dig deep and, in her mother’s words, repair her lens.

The trouble now was making sure she didn’t let someone else crack it again.

2012

“Pass me the bench scraper, darling.”

She pursed her lips and handed her mother the tool, watching as she expertly sliced the cookies from the cold log of dough.

Working in the bakery more often had served as a great distraction. Helping out during a rush was never the same as the relaxed early mornings they had before they opened. She’d come to look forward to the quiet moments again. The pot of hot tea soothed her mind as she sipped idly, listening to the consistent thud of her mother cutting the cookie dough.

“How was dinner with your father?” Yuzuki asked, her gentle voice melding with the methodical tapping as she cut the butter cookies.

Dinner with her father had become a monthly occurrence. He’d agreed to take turns between Tokyo and Kyoto, and the previous weekend had once again been her turn to travel. She’d finally reached the point where the train ride didn’t feel like she was ripping her chest open with the memory of that first dinner months ago.

“Not so bad,” she admitted reluctantly. “Naoya’s still a little shit — I won’t change my opinion on that — but Naobito can be… tolerable, I guess.”

“Well,” Yuzuki grinned mischievously as she spoke, wiping a bit of flour on her nose. “Noaya has always been a little shit, darling.”

“Mom,” she gasped dramatically, grabbing a towel and cleaning her face. “I can’t believe you’d use that language in your bakery!”

They dissolved into giggles, completely ignoring that she had sworn first.

When they finally calmed down, their chests heaving as they caught their breath, she leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder. An overwhelming warmth filled her chest when her mother’s arms wrapped around her, squeezing lightly.

It was almost five in the morning. They would be opening in a little over an hour, and the scent of fresh bread had already begun to fill the air. Her stomach growled at the thought of the croissants her mother would half-heartedly scold her for swiping. She couldn’t think of anywhere she’d rather be than right here.

“Hey, Mom?”

“Hm?” Yuzuki ran her fingers through Rinko’s hair, giggling again when her face scrunched at the streaks of flour left behind. “Yes, my gem?”

“I love you,” Rinko replied quietly, hugging her tight. “I dunno what I’d do without you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” her mother hummed in response, her grin softening. “And I hope you never have to find out.”

2017

Satoru took a deep breath, forcing his legs to keep walking as he approached the booth set up by the girl’s soccer team.

His students mentioned that the Zenin twins brought enough cookies to feed the entire school, and he knew that likely meant that they’d gotten some help. With how close the two were to Rinko, there was only one person who made sense to help them make upwards of ten dozen cookies. A familiar scent filled his nose, and his chest tightened at the sight of a woman he hadn’t seen in almost six years.

“Gojo-sensei!” Miwa Kasumi exclaimed. “You made it! What do you think of our booth?”

“Looks great,” he replied honestly, nodding toward the decorations. His eyes didn’t stray from the woman who turned slowly to give him a skeptical look. “Did a great job. And everyone’s talkin’ about the sweets you’ve got, too.”

“Gojo Satoru.” Kurisaki Yuzuki stared at him, a strained smile on her face as her eyes seemed to stare straight through him.

He saw no sign of Rinko, which likely meant she was at work. She wouldn’t miss something like this for the twins.

“Kurisaki-sama,” he greeted, shoving his hands in his pockets. “When my students said that the Zenin twins brought cookies, I figured you had to have something to do with it.”

“Oh, they did all the hard work,” Yuzuki replied. She crossed her arms. “My daughter, too. I assume you’ll want some of the caramel miso butter cookies? Those were your favorite if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “It’s, uh, it’s good to see you–”

“Gojo-sensei,” Mai interjected, holding a bag of cookies out for him. “My cousin asked me to–”

“Mai,” Yuzuki cut her off, her gaze turning sharp. “Don’t lie to your teacher.”

The girl flinched, pouting at the woman dramatically.

“Fine,” she mumbled, shoving the cookies toward him anyway. “Here are your cookies, Gojo-sensei.”

He picked them up awkwardly, clearing his throat as he summoned the courage to speak again.

“Thanks,” he managed, meeting Yuzuki’s eyes again. “I– how’s the bakery doing?”

“You know about the bakery, Gojo-sensei?” Miwa asked, her eyes widening.

“I went to school in Kyoto,” he informed the teen, knowing he was digging a hole for himself. He doubted the twins knew he and Rinko had dated, and he hoped they didn’t know that he’d fucked up so catastrophically with her. “Kurisaki-sama’s bakery is close to campus, and–”

“And his friend group overlapped with my daughter’s,” Yuzuki finished lightly. “My bakery is doing great, Satoru. Thank you for asking. I heard that you’ve been attending my girls’ soccer games lately.”

It was entirely possible that he imagined the threat in her tone, but he knew better.

“Yeah,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s been nice getting to catch up with Rinko, too. Great getting to see an old friend.”

Yuzuki’s eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath.

“I, uh, you really like tea, right?” he asked. “The volleyball team set up a tea shop as their booth. I could show you?”

Part of him hoped she’d refuse, but he knew that would be the coward’s way out. He had to face her and let her know that he understood the weight of his mistakes. Even though he knew that she would likely never forgive him, he needed to do the right thing. On top of that, he needed to quit deluding himself with the hope that apologizing to Rinko —and her mother— would somehow earn him a second chance he knew he didn’t deserve. But that didn’t change that he needed to apologize because it was the right thing to do. Face his fears and own up to his actions.

“That’d be lovely,” Yuzuki agreed. “I’ll be back in a bit, girls.”

She didn’t speak again as they sat down, her mouth set in a frown while she watched him carefully. The silence unnerved him, and he ran his hand through his hair as their tea was placed in front of them.

“I can’t imagine what you think I might want to hear from you, Satoru,” she remarked after she’d taken a sip.

“For one, I thought you might want to– I could tell you were holding back in front of the twins, so I wanted to give you the chance to– I know you probably have some choice words for me–”

“‘Choice words’ would be an understatement,” Yuzuki cut him off. Her glare felt like it would burn him alive. “You deserve much worse than choice words after what you did. The fact that you have the audacity to sit across from me so casually is truly astounding.”

He felt anything but casual while he fought the instinct to get out as fast as possible.

“You were one of her best friends,” Yuzuki continued. “Do you understand what that meant? Do you understand how badly you hurt her? You didn’t just break her heart, you betrayed her trust as her friend, too. She trusted you, Satoru. She let herself believe in you, and you proved yourself completely unworthy of that trust.”

Of course he knew. He’d lost one of his best friends. His selfishness had cost him one of his favorite people in the world, something he’d felt in his soul the moment he’d seen her with her father that night in the restaurant. When he’d felt his chest ache at the sight of her the next morning, clearly trying not to let him see her cry and his world really crashed down around him.

“-or was that the mistake? Me?”

No, she wasn’t the mistake. The mistake had been doubting her for even a second, and he’d regretted it from the moment he’d realized what he’d done. He’d thought that her visiting Tokyo without telling him had confirmed his fears. Thought that it proved she was going to break up with him until he got home to find her bag in his room. He still remembered the guilt choking him when his mother told him she’d been planning on surprising him until something came up.

He’d been too much of a coward to admit to his mother that the something was him being a fucking idiot and ruining everything.

“I– I know that words will never make up for what I did,” he finally whispered, staring at the table. “But I am sorry that I hurt her, for how I hurt her. It’s still one of my biggest regrets.”

Yuzuki said nothing, and he took a slow sip of his tea while he waited for her to speak. He didn’t expect her to believe him, but at least he’d said his peace.

She set her tea back down, her quiet sigh reaching his ears.

“You’ve obviously grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you,” she began carefully. “I can tell that you’re sincere in your apology, too.” She took a deep breath. “But I don’t forgive you, Satoru.”

He nodded, lifting his eyes to hers again.

“I know,” he admitted, still feeling his heart sink in his chest at her words. He did know she wouldn’t forgive him, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “I just– I wanted to do the right thing, even if it’s too late. She– both of you– deserve that much after what I did.”

“I don’t need anything from you,” she replied evenly, crossing her arms. “But I can appreciate the effort, I suppose.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it that you want from me?”

“You’ve already given it,” he told her, letting his shoulders sag. “You listened. I don’t– you’ve already given more than I expected, honestly. I’m– I can be content just knowing that I at least apologized and took responsibility for what I did.”

He wanted another chance with Rinko, but he knew that wasn’t something Yuzuki could even offer. He also knew that he didn’t deserve it anyway. He had to be okay with knowing there were some mistakes that couldn’t be fixed.

“I can’t control my daughter, nor do I try to.” Yuzuki released a heavy sigh. “She’s capable of making her own decisions and knowing how to take care of herself. I can respect that she’s allowed you to have a small space in her life again. But know this, Satoru-” she leaned forward, her eyes boring into his- “if you ever break her heart again in any way, I will send Toji after you.”

From the look in her eye, he knew that Toji would be the least of his worries.

AN: I hope this sheds just a bit of light on Gojo's mindset, how Rinko dealt with things, and how much she's grown as a person. While Gojo fucked up BIG TIME, his mistake years ago doesn't mean he's a bad person, and it also doesn't mean he was a bad person then, either. People make mistakes. They do things they shouldn't, and sometimes those things are worse than others. But it's how they react afterward that matters. It's important that he's facing his mistakes and owning up to them, even though he knows that doesn't mean he'll have another chance with Rinko.

I might post an author discussion about this story because I have so many thoughts about how I want it to develop if I continue it. I'd also kinda like to discuss the overall theme of the story, which is really self-discovery and healing. We'd be following Rinko's journey to learning to love herself no matter what happens.

#gojo satoru x original female character #gojo x reader #gojo and rinko #gojo angst #gojo and rinko angst #goinko angst #goinko au #before i love you #gojo satoru fanfic #gojo fanfic #gojo satoru #jujutsu gojo #jjk fanfic #gojo satoru angst #jjk angst

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