#eh i'll probably be over this in half an hour and be happy for myself

[jargonfromajester]

all that work...

[peachy-cheeks]

Would You Go Back?

word count: 1,854 words

characters: Nanami Kento x gn!reader ; (minor: Ieiri Shoko; Itadori Yuji)

warnings: None! Just kinda mellow and maybe a lil sad-ish. Takes place around chapter 31.

a/n: Trying to mentally prep myself for the Shibuya arc and how devastating it'll be so... pulling this fic off the back burner and finally sharing after a couple of prolonged edits..

"Ugh... he's lost a decent amount of blood. I'll need a little more time for Itadori..."

Shoko raised her mask above her nose as she turned to fully focus her technique on a comatose Yuji. Stitches of his vascular system carefully regenerated within the steadily sealing puncture wounds.

"He'll likely be alright... seems to be a pretty strong kid. Just give me an hour and a half..."

She directed her words more-so to the somber, sandy blonde man next to you. Sitting in between the bit of encouragement that she could offer, a pensive silence weighed on the room.

You and Shoko had made plans to catch up for the first time since your graduation from the school. Nearly a decade ago, you had decided on another path well away from Tokyo and jujutsu society. The reunion was intended to be a sweet moment of reminiscence with your underclassman.

"Ahaha~ I really can't believe we didn't do this sooner..."

"Well you're the one who decided to go away! Besides, I've always only been a phone call away."

"Mmm..." You let Shoko's words settle. "Yeah... I'm sorry, you're right... I just figured you guys were usually busy. Especially.... uh... after everything with Geto-kun..."

"Eh...? Excuses... excuses..." Shoko sat the rocks glass down on her desk.

"Listen, I get it. You knew what you wanted and got out before we did— well, Gojo and I never really left after all-"

"The school would probably be fucked if you guys ever did decide to leave."

"Heheh... the pay is too good. But you took the leap for your own happiness. I can't be upset over you wanting something else... besides, you're not hurting anyone. I think we're all okay with you being okay... now let's go be okay at a bar. You're drinking up my stash."

Her phone rang while you were both gathering your things, alerting her to the emergency at hand. It was only natural that something urgent- better yet- life or death, would interrupt the reunion before it officially started.

The gravity of the situation had almost made you fearful to check the expression of the handsome acquaintance. Regardless of how stoic Kento appeared, you and Shoko both knew that being a spectator in this room would do nothing for his growing feeling of helplessness.

"Nanami..."

Shoko looked up towards him.

"You should have your wound checked on. It might have been stressed during the altercation."

Then turned her gaze to you. A stern request rather than a suggestion... you took the hint. A stint of medical training (traumatic curse-related response and otherwise) had over-prepared you for smaller tasks like these, though, maybe less so for the potential psychological work.

"Oh. I can take over from here..."

Before you could direct him, Kento made his way to the adjacent office, holding the door open for you to follow. He released a deep sigh as the door closed and you quickly scanned the room for the proper supplies.

"Is it alright if I take a look? I'm sure you're fine but... it looked like you both were in a pretty intense situation there."

You spoke, but you weren't sure if he was really present. Rather, how could he be? From what you understood, Nanami and the young boy laying unconscious had both nearly died at the hands of a cursed spirit less than an hour ago. The room felt even heavier and you kept your gaze to the surrounding cabinets and drawers.

"Excuse me..."

You shifted focus to Kento, free of his suit jacket and button-up. Contours of his robust frame clung to his ribbed undershirt; bare and sturdy biceps on view.

"Where should I sit?"

Ears and cheeks flushed, you quickly motioned for him to sit atop the desk. He complied and you drew a bit closer, attempting to hide your bashfulness through conversation.

"So... where and when were you injured?"

He lifted his undershirt as modestly as he could. Despite this, your face felt even hotter, noting the toned and lightly freckled skin. You promptly snapped a latex pair of gloves onto your hands.

"This was only a few days ago. The same special grade. Not quite sure how it manifested but..."

He paused as you put a hand against his exposed side. The off-white dressing seemed clean from the outside which was a good sign.

"You both encountered it again tonight...?"

The question came out as a small utterance. Quietly guessing what could have injured Kento and incapacitated the boy in the next room, you began to peel back the bandage to reveal pink, raised scarring and a barely-there trace of fluid. Some areas were still slightly raw, others stressed and inflamed from the intense battle movements. But overall, thanks to Shoko's polished technique, the frighteningly deep wound mostly resembled a mild, weeks old injury.

"Yes... the curse was able to rewrite the shape of one's soul..."

Curbing your shock, you nodded with a low, understanding hum. Yuji was unfathomably lucky. Kento even more-so for braving it twice. Dabs of cotton dampened with a cooling gel ointment met Kento's delicate skin, causing him to flinch.

"Sorry... So, this cursed spirit is able to alter the soul... and, I suppose, the body. I've never come across this technique myself, luckily. Heard about this but... it's kinda hard to imagine..."

A swipe against the ripple of his obliques. He remained quiet as your focus moved from words to the work at hand.

"What did it look like?"

Extra care and thoroughness was taken in tending to the divots of pink skin.

"... A ragdoll... patched-up. Distressingly child-like in demeanor."

A violent shiver in your spine could not be held down. You nearly apologized for your sensitivity, unsure of how Kento would feel about a near stranger shuddering at his lived experience. Instead, you opted to shake your head and wordlessly began redressing the wound.

"... Forgive me if this is presumptuous... I take it you left this society a while ago?"

Despite the abruptness, the sudden call-out felt affirming. You figured that you weren't cut out for this life a while ago. If anything, your overall calmness and familiarity with combat care, curses, and techniques were fragments of book knowledge, muscle memory, and nostalgia melding together for you to makeshift some sort of normalcy.

But none of this was normal. Burying a quarter of your classmates... only to lose another quarter after graduation... was not normal. Bearing witness to the aftermath of your juniors' psychotic breaks... was not normal. Being given the tools to heal the world with no direction on healing the self...

"Ah... yeah. I'm grateful for what I can see and do, don't get me wrong... but..."

How would you word this for someone who's doing the job you refuse to do...?

"You were tired."

A fitting (undeniable and obvious) interjection.

"Very."

"Me too."

Your heart was heavy. Though you never had overlap in school, you could imagine that some feelings... conditions... traditions... stayed constant for all students to suffer in.

"I left for a while too. Right after school."

Slight surprise appeared in your expression and your eyes caught Kento's. It may have been the first moment you weren't too flustered to really see him, allowing him to properly see you too. The palpable strength and resilience in his presence almost made it hard to believe that he would dedicate his life to something other than this.

Breaking eye contact, you gathered the final sections of bandage wrap as he lifted his shirt slightly for you giving more clearance. His eye lingered, lightly admiring the concentration on your face while you wrapped.

"Hold this for a sec..."

A more comfortable, silent air filled the space between you two as you briefly searched for bandage clips. From a distance, you resumed the conversation.

"What was your time away like?"

"...Fine... but also fairly shitty. My time was filled with just... work. A different type of burden..."

Though your back now faced him, you could imagine the look on his face mirrored yours... sinking into bittersweet recall of the past few years.

"Yeah... The burden of having to hold yourself upright..."

You missed the slight smile of understanding he offered to your response. For better or worse, neither of you had the protection of (or obligation) to a larger clan. Independence was truly yours as made clear by the similar existences crossing over. Otherworldly humans longing for an unextraordinary existence, so long as it was your own.

Returning to sit by his side, you began to pin the remaining sections of bandage with Kento's aid. You continued, attempting to break the remaining tension with more vulnerability.

"There was so much shame involved when I left... most people understood, but... it felt like my superiors would have preferred for me to just die trying than to break away from this. To serve a greater good only under their say... as if 'normal' life is any easier now. Trying to live as a non-sorcerer... it's all kind of just the other side to the same coin. It's not difficult to see why curses are born."

A bit of you felt as though you were rambling, though Kento attentively listened. The physical contact and tenderness the moment required brought a confessional atmosphere that soothed you both.

"I don't regret leaving."

"...I don't regret it either... even though I came back."

Your eyes met again.

"Why did you come back?"

He took his time to ponder the wording of his reply. In that time you could've sworn he peered at your lips before answering.

"Pain is unavoidable... We're uniquely predisposed to it because of where we are, what we see, and our ability to control the spiritual output... it's burdensome but that's what it always is. Curse or no curse, pain just... is... So... why not try where I know I can really make a difference... Different side, same coin."

"...Mm."

Why— in that short span of time— did he understand you so well?

"Are you okay?"

And why were you tearing up?

"Ah, I-I'm okay... Sorry, sorry... I just don't... It's been a while since I've talked about this so I'm like—"

Breaking your apologetic stream of consciousness, Shoko opened the door, visibly lighter in expression.

"Hey, so- oh... am I interrupting?"

Your head whipped around in surprise to view the intruder. Kento calmly lowered his undershirt and began buttoning up.

"No- You're fine! I-is everything okay?"

"Uh... yeah. Yuji is stabilized and responsive. I told him to rest for the night but he's awake..."

And finally, the deep, anxious air you all held released. Motioning to you, Shoko continued.

"I'll wrap up here in the next ten if you want to still grab a drink?"

"Mm, yeah. I'll meet you out front then."

With the door closing, you quickly stood intending to clean up. Kento grabbed your wrist with considerate haste. In the moment that you turned back towards him, his grasp loosened and hand dropped, fingers trailing the inside of your wrist and hand.

"I just wanted to say... thank you."

"Mm..."

'I didn't do anything... but you...'

"Thank you, Nanami-san."

[shiro-0197]

Oh I see!! I'll make note of that, then! So I can wish you good luck for school <3 you'll be in a new grade when you start, right? and AAAAH thank you!! We will have online classes off and on, but when we actually go to school (physically) we will have exams right off the bat (ugh).

oh wow the coincidence is so cool!! Yes, the more food the better, tho some are coastal states so they have mostly seafood ._.

it really is, and you have to be very thorough with it or you might make a mistake :( I'm glad!! You should do what you enjoy, and freelancing is definitely much easier and less stressful xx

omigosh bae aaah you're so cute. No one is going to think you're uncool, don't worry. And I'm sure they'll get it in the first time you teach, you seem to be a very gentle person and I think that's one of the main characteristics of being a teacher. Tho yes I can understand getting frustrated after the second time. I'm actually the least patient person I know, so I relate to what you've said a lot skhdskks. I guess it's an ENTP thing 😔

I'd low-key just be a koala bear or something :> I know right!!

Icouldn't find it, ugshshshhhhh :(((

Awww. Okay, playful hitting is cute. I don't do it at all, but my friends do, whenever I flirt with them 😭😭 I think they're just flustered 😼

Oh God yes. I hate my braces but I'm glad they're coming out soon. And then I'll be able to eat anything I want. What is one food you don't think you'll be able to live without, btw? (BESIDES CHEESE, SIR).

oh Turkish delights are WONDERFUL. I've also only tried it once. Your school seems to have such wonderful food! And wow I just googled maklube, and it looks so good?? Rice and meat are low-key the perfect combo 😭😭💖 (and the name is so cute?? It means upside down, right?)

oooh omg I'd totally read an article like that. Make sure you add "catboy supremacy" at the end 😹😹😹

yessss I love She-Ra! They're all actually remakes from old TV shows my parents watched when they were younger, and now Netflix remakes them with amazing graphics!! I also love Voltron (it's actually my favourite), and I was really into it before my anime phase as well xD I hope you're able to watch them sometime! What were you into, before anime?

And oh, love! How was your day? Mine was okay. I woke up really early and studied (and kinda burnt myself out) so I slept for an hour after studying for five. And then I had another meeting, and I watched an episode of money heist xD this may be off topic, but my Leo club is collaborating with three others from different schools and we're doing a project together! It's kinda like a tutor thingy, and there's 8 tutors who'll have 1 and a half hour slots to teach their specific subjects. I'm a tutor too, and my subject's English, so I'm really excited. I hope I'll be able to teach well, so lol, fingers crossed xD

I love you btw!! Like so so so very much. You make me smile. Let me be cheesy here, BUT THANKS FOR BEING MY SNOWMATE 😼☃️

—✨ARIANA

Hello!! Not really, this is just a small break, hehe. I'm in the last grade actually, and I'll be out of school in 25th of May~ Awhh that sucks😭 They have no chill, huh? Couldve at least given a revision day or something

Ouch😔 it's always the small things that ruin it all😭

Yeah, you're right!!! Though I'm afraid I might not make enough money for a living 💔 I'll try my best though!! Cant live without failing eh?

Ahh I really hope so~ still kind of worried. Because, you know, people are different? And I dont really wanna make them think bad of me XD I wonder if theres tutoring on how to teach someone. Thatd be useful

Koalas are so cute though🥺🥺 just like you😭

Nanwndnnwnd💔😩 dont worry, I'm sure itll float up when you least expect it hehe

Heheh, I also flirt with my friends and I remember one time one of them just headbutted me😩😭😭😭😭

Hmm~ I dont even know, probably noodles. Extra spicy instant noodles<3 or homemade noodles. Any noodle is a fine noodle😭 I love them a lot, not as much as Kuro though. He's literally that vine where a guy cries over spilled spaghetti.

Yes yes yes!!!! We absolutely adore those, and if we dont have one during teatime some people just refuse to come along xD they're still forced to lmao,,, I really hope you can try them again soon!! I'm not really sure about the translation, I dont think it has one hehe, all I know is that they taste good 😝

I really feel like making a clickbait thumbnail for a video about that. I'll show you when I do😋

Ahhh I really need to catch up on old fandoms hehe~ before anime i was really into Steven Universe... and video games, like Undertale, FNaF, Sally Face, Fran Bow... all that 2015 stuff xD I also enjoyed watching gameplay videos, because as a broke baby child I couldn't afford a game or a PC. I also liked Camp Camp, hehe

Mine was pretty good!!! Yesterday nothing much happened, I went to eat out and watched some guys dance on the street. It was fun, hehe~

Huhh??? Noo you really should've rested:(( Well, I'm glad you had a nap though!! You deserve it<3

That sounds so cool!!! I really hope the meeting went well, how'd it go? Was it hard?

Our class also made a project, where we post in a group anonymously about something that we had learned. It sounds really nice, I'm not really gonna post anything but I'm looking forward to whatever my classmates come up with xD

I love you too!! Your messages always make me so happy🥺 Its really an honor to be your snowmate💞💕💞💕💞

[backtothestart02bts]

Pilot AU - Part 2 | Westallen

Iris: *in tears* I broke up with Eddie.

Barry: What? WHY?

Iris: Because BARRY, I can't stand the fact that you think you don't mean as much to me just because I have a boyfriend now.

Barry: Oh God, Iris-

Iris: You mean EVERYTHING to me. If this is the only way to prove it to you, then breaking off the first serious relationship I've ever had is a small price to pay.

Barry: *sigh* Iris, go tell Eddie you changed your mind.

Iris: Barry-

Barry: I was out of my head earlier. I didn't mean what I said.

Iris: How could you not have meant it? You were REALLY mad.

Barry: Yeah, but...not for the reasons that you think.

Iris: What are you talking about?

Barry: I...I was mad at myself.

Iris: What could you have been mad at yourself about? *confused*

Barry: *shrugs* For missing my shot.

Iris: Your shot at what?

Barry: *SIGHS* ...at being with you.

Iris: *still confused* I don't understand.

Barry: *sigh* I'm in...I'm in love with you, Iris. I always have been. Since we were kids. I tried to tell you the night of the explosion but you were so sure I was trying to say something else that eventually I just lost my nerve and let you believe what you wanted to.

Iris: *wide-eyed*

Barry: Then that guy stole your laptop & I wasn't fast enough to catch him & the guy that was was this cocky cop you thought was hot but at the time wouldn't give him the time of day. And then I wake up &-

Iris: *eyes close* I'm dating him.

Barry: Yeah. *clears throat* But listen, Iris, if he makes you happy, if you want to be with him, be with him. All I want is for you to be happy. So...*deep breath* go. Tell him you've changed your mind.

Iris: But...

Barry: I'll be okay. *forces smile* I promise. And I'm sorry I wasn't thinking about you earlier. You deserve to be happy.

Iris: *doesn't know how to feel or what to say but slowly leaves*

...

Iris: *sitting alone in the dark*

Joe: *switches light on* hey baby girl, what are you doing sitting in the dark?

Iris: *numb* I broke up with Eddie?

Joe: Eddie? What Eddie? I didn't even know you were dating- Wait a minute, Eddie THAWNE, as in my PARTNER?

Iris: yeah. We've been dating for the past few months.

Joe: WHAT? *anger rising*

Iris: I broke up with him bc Barry thought he didn't matter to me anymore since I was dating Eddie.

Joe: *still trying to process*

Iris: turns out he didn't really think that. He was just jealous bc he's been in love w me for years & was mad at himself for having missed his shot. He told me to get back together with Eddie.

Joe: Did he? *annoyed*

Iris: Yeah. *long pause* I don't think I'm going to though. I mean...I don't know. He does make me really happy. *suddenly realizes she's talking to her dad who would obvs disapprove* *looks up at him* Ohhh.

Joe: *raises eyebrow & sits across from her* oh indeed.

Iris: if I was still with him, nothing you said could stop me from dating him.

Joe: Is that so?

Iris: I'm allowed to make my own relationship choices.

Joe: So why aren't you running back to him telling him you made a mistake?

Iris: *slumps in on herself* I've been trying to figure that out all evening. *looks up at him* Did you know Barry had feelings for me?

Joe: *sighs & finally nods* yeah

Iris: for how long?

Joe: long. Soon after he moved in with us probably.

Iris: And you didn't think to tell me? *getting angry*

Joe: it wasn't my place to tell, Iris

Iris: I just...don't know what to feel right now. Barry is my BEST FRIEND. Things will be awkward now between us, regardless of what happens next.

Joe: eh...not unless you feel the same way.

Iris: dad-

Joe: how DO you feel about Barry?

Iris: he's my best friend.

Joe: I know. But is that all he is?

Iris: *sigh* I rly like Eddie, dad

Joe: *rubs forehead* so you've said

Iris: but if I get back together w him now, every time I see Barry I'm going to feel guilty bc I KNOW it'll hurt him to see us together

Joe: *mutters* it'll hurt ME to see you together

Iris: *oblivious*

Joe: Didn't you just say it's up to you to make your own relationship choices?

Iris: Well, yeah...but this is different.

Joe: How?

Iris: it's BARRY. It would feel like betraying one half of myself.

Joe: *sad smile* so how do you feel about him?

Iris: *hesitantly looks up* I think I might love him.

Joe: *reaches hand across to hold hers* I think you should tell him that.

Iris: *jaw drops* he'd never believe me. Not after my waterworks over my break up with Eddie. It's only been a few hours. Maybe I don't really love him like that. Maybe I just don't want to hurt him bc he's my best friend.

Joe: Now, now, don't go second guessing yourself. And don't act on assumptions either. You'd be surprised what that boy would be willing to believe when it comes to how you feel about him.

Iris: *sinks back into chair* well I don't know. Maybe I'll know better the next time I see him.

Joe: you're in luck then. He's coming over dinner.

Iris: WHAT? Since when?!

Joe: I just thought of it. *gets up to call Barry*

Iris: dad, wait, no-

Joe: *holds up finger as he starts to walk away* you can thank me later.