#gojo rinko

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Happy Birthday, Gojo (Kurisaki) Rinko!

[Rinko, wearing her Jujutsu Tech uniform, shrugs her shoulders.]

Rinko: Satoru and I are going to dinner. Maki and Yuuta agreed to watch the–

[Satoru’s hand covers her mouth, and he shushes her as he stares at her over his dark shades.]

Satoru: She said not to mention the kids!

[Rinko rips Satoru’s hand off and scowls.]

Rinko: She didn’t give us a good reason for why, though. I pushed them out. I should get to talk about my kids if I want to!

Satoru: She said she has bigger plans for their reveal eventually!

[Rinko rolls her eyes.]

Rinko: She’s barely written anything beyond our honeymoon yet. She’s barely written anything for us in months. At this rate, she’ll never get to her reveal.

Satoru: That’s not the point! Today is about your birthday and our plans for celebrating.

Rinko: You and I are getting dinner together. But I feel like since it’s my birthday, then I should get to–

Satoru: Yep! We’re getting dinner together. Just the two of us. But we’re also here to help promote Kiko’s new Patreon.

Read the rest for free on Patreon

Officially announcing my Patreon! Rinko's birthday post is the very first and it's public, so you don't have to be a Patron to read it!

I also tried something pretty new with how it's formatted/written, so I'd love to know what you guys think 😊

-Kiko 💕

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Me with Rinko sometimes ngl

Having OCs is the best because all my headcanons for them are confirmed

[siriuslysatorusimping]

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 😊

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Heyo Kiko! I hope you a re doing well today.

It's the 'would they adopt a pet' anon here.

Since you posted the lil blurb about those people asking Rinko who Gojo is to her, that got me thinking....

What if everybody was asked who Rinko was to them? I'm very curious as to how Gojo would respond to that 👀

-🐬 (I'm going to start calling myself dolphin anon if I appear in your ask box a third time lol 😂)

Hi sweet anon!

I. LOVE. THIS. QUESTION.

I. MUST. WRITE IT.

I will write it.

But we’re talking post-Shibuya, right??? Like, we’re talking after Gojo and Rinko are married??

Because imagine: Gojo being asked the question “What is Kurisaki Rinko to you?”

And him just giving them a huge scowl and going “you mean Gojo Rinko? We’re married now, ya know. She’s my wife-”

“Fine, what is Gojo Rinko to you?”

And then he gets all smug.

Who do we want to hear from for this???

Obviously Gojo, Megumi, Yuuta, Maki, Yuuji, Toge(this will be hilarious don’t question me), Nobara, maybe Ino?? Who else??

I MUST WRITE THIS

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Another Level: Playlist Reveal

Been doing a lot of these lately... lol

But Sunset Jesus - Avicii ft. Sandro Cavazza

For one, it's one of Rinko's theme songs!

And second, the title for the most recent part of From Now Until Forever, Dreams of Gold, is based on this song!

My dreams are made of gold My heart's been broken And I'm down along the road, but I know My dreams keep fadin' till I get old Breathe for a minute Breathe for a minute I'll be okay

I think that it encapsulates Rinko really well because her dreams have literally always just been to live. To not have to constantly worry about her life being in danger, not worry about her stupid father or the Zenin clan.

She's felt, for most of her life, like her dreams are unachievable, but she's kept going. Even in the hardest times of her life, she's forced herself to take a deep breath and tell herself she'll be okay in the end, even if things don't work out how she wants them to.

Gimme love, gimme love Gimme peace, gimme peace of mind

Need I say more?

Not to mention that this song is such a bop. Sandro Cavazza is amazing, and he's even more incredible when combined with Avicii or Kygo.

[siriuslysatorusimping]

👀👀👀👀👀

Hey, if you haven't read Dreams of Gold, you should!!

It happened, guys

[siriuslysatorusimping]

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.

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Annoying?! Uh excuse me?!? I love these. They’re so fucking CUTE.

I love Sims Goinko living their best life 🥹

Gojo would try to make out with Rinko in the middle of a fucking park like this 😂

But seriously, I needed this today so thank you for sharing!!

@siriuslysatorusimping pls tell me if I start annoying you with updates but SIM GOJO AND RINKO HAD BABIES! TWINS! Unfortunately I think I fucked up and accidentally switched their hair colors, so Yumi's on the left, Shirou's on the right. Now I just need to figure out how the heck I'm gonna a house big enough to fit the whole litter of kids and strays these two have

Bonus: Uncle Nanami <3 <3 <3. with goinko keeping the romance alive by macking in the background

[siriuslysatorusimping]

😭 me every single time I try to write lately:

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Depending on how old it is? I’m Sully and then Randall 😬

Finding errors mistakes in Another Level a year later makes me want to just yank my hair out 😭

[siriuslysatorusimping]

*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."

[siriuslysatorusimping]

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!!

[siriuslysatorusimping]

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

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Guys guys guys hear me out

Tattoo artist!Rinko and Teacher!Gojo.

Walk with me.

Toji owns a shop and the rest of the Zenin family hates it.

Like in every other AU, Rinko gravitated toward Toji and his little family whenever she had to be around Naobito. She got a bit hooked on the artistic side of it all and spent ages convincing Toji to let his “little cousin” work for him. She isn’t completely tatted up, but she does have quite a few really pretty, elaborate pieces that are easily hidden. Yuzuki still has a bakery and Rinko helps out when she isn’t tattooing at the shop.

She meets Gojo because he’s Megumi’s teacher or teaches at his school and they hit it off instantly (after he realizes she’s not Megumi’s mom). 👀👀👀

Will I write this? Jury’s out. Is it a brainworm? Yes. I can’t stop thinking about it but I’ve written nothing more than what’s right here sooooooo 🙃🙃 enjoy sharing my brainworm.

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Happy 35th Birthday to our favorite blue-eyed menace 🩵

I thought about writing something similar to what I wrote for Rinko’s birthday, but I’m just exhausted and haven’t had time or inspiration to write lately 😭

Rest assured, he and Rinko in every universe are having a wonderful day celebrating his birthday with plenty of caramel miso butter cookies!

Credits to MAPPA for the artwork

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Shichigosan (a Physical Paradox extra)

I wanted to write something for shichigosan (aka seven-five-three, celebrated on or around November 15) since Eiji would be 5 this year and the twins would be 3!! I hope you guys like it and would love to know what you think!!

Just something a lil short and sweet for our Physical Paradox Goinko and fam!!

Kiko's Masterlist | Buy me a coffee ☕️ | AO3

2024

Rinko’s heart melted at the sight of Eiji when he stepped into the room, fully dressed and ready for the festival.

“Don’t you look handsome?” she cooed, unable to keep the grin from her face when he puffed his chest out proudly.

As if she needed more reasons to adore her son. The hakama paired with the patterned haori fit him perfectly. It made him look like a little man instead of her little boy. She couldn’t believe they were already celebrating his shichigosan. Her sweet boy was growing up way too fast.

All of their kids were.

She half-expected Maki or Mai to inform her that they were engaged any day now. She just hoped that they didn’t tell her at the same time.

“You look really pretty, momma,” Eiji stated matter-of-factly, stepping closer and tugging on her kimono. “So do you, Yumi.”

Yumika giggled, reaching for him once Rinko had secured the hifu around her.

“Nii-chan look hantom,” she replied, her hands clutching his haori.

“He does,” Rinko agreed, chuckling as she straightened, adjusting her obi as she did so. “Where’re your daddy and Shirou?”

“Shirou didn’t like his hakama,” Eiji muttered, fiddling with the green cords fastening his haori. “He said it felt funny, so Daddy’s talking to him about it.”

It didn’t surprise her. Shirou didn’t like being uncomfortable, and traditional clothes were practically the definition of uncomfortable.

Nodding, she released a quiet sigh before motioning for them to move.

“Go downstairs with Yumi, then,” she said, smoothing her kimono. “I’ll go check on the others.”

Eiji nodded dutifully, grasping Yumika’s hand tightly and guiding her out of the room.

“Can we watch cartoons while we wait?” he asked, and Rinko smiled.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

She heard him asking Yumika what she wanted to watch as they descended the stairs, and she pursed her lips as she approached the twins’ room, hearing Satoru’s quiet voice, the frustration just beginning to bleed into his tone.

“–don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to–”

“I wanna match!”

“Then you gotta put ‘em on, buddy,” Satoru replied, sighing. “I know they’re uncomfortable, but–”

“Itchy!” Shirou exclaimed, and Satoru released a heavier sigh than before. “Don’ wanna!”

“Then how about you and I match, yeah?” Satoru reasoned. “What if you and me wear–”

“Wanna match Nii-chan!”

Satoru stayed silent, and Rinko furrowed her brow as she assumed he tried not to let the exclamation hurt his feelings. But it probably did, anyway.

“Darling,” she called gently, stepping inside and trying to suppress her chuckles at the sight she was met with.

The situation felt so much sillier when she saw Shirou sitting half-naked on the floor, his arms crossed and features scrunched on his little face. Satoru, still clad in his sweats and t-shirt, knelt in front of him, pinching the bridge of his nose. Seeing his frustration sobered her instantly, and she moved to his side.

“Wanna match Nii-chan,” Shirou pouted, jutting his bottom lip out. “But don’t wan’ tose.” He pointed a tiny finger to the hakama neatly folded on his bed, a scowl causing his brow to furrow. “Itchy!”

A dilemma, to say the least.

They’d let Eiji choose his own attire, and he’d picked the traditional clothes without hesitation when he realized that he’d get to wear the same haori that Satoru had worn to his shichigosan. But Shirou’s clothes were new, so he had little motivation to wear them beyond wanting to be like Eiji. Which was clearly the issue at hand since he didn’t want to wear them while wanting to wear them.

Satoru ran his hand through his hair, his brow twitching as he clearly tried to remain calm.

“He’s been saying this since Eiji finished getting dressed,” he explained, his jaw ticking slightly. “We’d decided he wouldn’t wear the hakama and haori because they weren’t comfortable until he saw Eiji, so now we’ve been going back and forth because he wants to match.”

His eyes stared straight forward, jaw clenching and unclenching. Shirou remained thankfully oblivious to how upset his father really was, too busy glaring daggers at the itchy clothing on his bed. 

“Darling,” Rinko began quietly, placing a hand on Satoru’s bicep to get his attention. He turned his head to stare at her, the hard lines of his face relaxing slightly when she just smiled. “Why don’t you go get dressed while I help Shirou? And then you can go see how pretty your baby girl looks in her very first kimono.”

Relief flooded his face as she spoke, and she lifted her hand to run it through his hair, watching his eyes slide closed when her nails scraped his scalp.

“Okay,” he agreed, nodding reluctantly before pushing himself to his feet. His gaze shifted quickly, taking in her appearance and pausing when he saw her obi. “New sash?”

She’d seen it when she took Yumika shopping for her kimono and couldn’t resist when she realized it would match her own, and Satoru’s, perfectly.

“Maybe,” she replied slyly, smirking at his narrowed eyes. “Thought it’d be a nice touch. You like it?”

He stared for a moment longer before releasing a heavy sigh and leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

“‘ll give you a nice touch,” he muttered, his tone drawing a smug grin to her face. “You look beautiful. I’ll see you downstairs.”

Rinko watched him ruffle Shirou’s hair quickly before retreating from the room, his footsteps echoing quietly as he trudged back to their bedroom to get dressed.

“Sweet boy,” she murmured, pulling Shirou into her arms and snuggling him close. “I’m sorry your hakama is itchy. If you don’t want to–”

“Wan’ match–”

“I know you do,” she soothed, carefully repositioning so her kimono didn’t crease while she rocked them back and forth. “But I want you to have fun today, and you can’t do that if you’re all itchy.”

“But– but Nii-chan,” he whined, clenching his little fists and pounding his lap. “And Yumi.”

Humming quietly, she rested her chin on the top of his head as she debated their options. She knew he wanted to match the others, and it wasn’t exactly ideal for him to be the only one not dressed like the rest of them, but there had to be a compromise of some kind. Eiji and Yumika were already dressed. Not to mention that they’d both chosen their clothes. Technically, this shichigosan was for Eiji and Yumika, so she wouldn’t ask them to change now, anyway.

“What if you only wore them for the pictures, then?” she offered. “You can match for the pictures, and then–”

“No!” he cried, tears forming in his eyes now. “Wan’ match–” he cut off as he hiccupped, and Rinko rubbed his back slowly.

“I know, sweetheart,” she murmured.

That complicated things further, but she wasn’t surprised. He didn’t care about pictures. He cared about being like Eiji and Yumika for the festival. It didn’t help that he clearly wanted to wear the hakama, and he just seemed upset that it was itchy.

She scratched his back, humming absently as her eyes drifted to the hakama. He didn’t want to be itchy–

“What if you could wear something comfy and match Eiji and Yumi?” she asked, picking the hakama up and then looking down to see Shirou wiping his eyes. “What if we make it so the itchy can’t get you?”

“No itchy?”

They’d gotten his clothes just a bit too big just in case he hit a last-minute growth spurt before the festival, but he hadn’t. So maybe he could wear something underneath them.

“Mhmm,” she agreed. “Do you wanna wear your favorite pants under them?”

His favorite joggers were starting to thin, anyway, and he was also beginning to outgrow them, but getting him to quit wearing them was a meltdown to deal with another day. He still loved them and didn’t want to quit wearing them, but that also meant he might be more willing to deal with the extra fabric. Plus, it was supposed to be a bit windy, so this could also be a way to ensure he stayed warm.

“Pans?”

She hummed in agreement again, grinning as he blinked rapidly, his excitement growing at the thought of wearing his favorite joggers.

“It’ll be like a little secret,” she whispered, leaning closer. “You can wear them under the hakama so you still match Eiji and Yumi, but the itchy can’t get to you. How’s that sound?”

He scrambled out of her lap, digging through his laundry hamper until he found his prize. There was a small stain on them, but the hakama would cover it anyway.

Chuckling, Rinko caught him when he tripped as he tried to yank them on as fast as possible. Tugging the hakama up over the joggers, she pressed her lips together to keep from giggling when the stiff fabric bunched up in some places. It didn’t matter to her if he looked a bit silly as long as he didn’t mind.

“Better?” she asked, grinning along with him when he just offered her a toothy grin. She held the haori up next, helping him slip his arms through and then fastening the green haori himo. “You look so handsome, too.”

“Like Nii-chan?” he asked, his brows pulled together. “Hanshom like Nii-chan?”

“Just like Eiji,” she agreed, kissing both of his cheeks and then lifting him into her arms as she stood. “Let’s go show the others, hm?”

“Leave it to you,” Satoru whispered in Rinko’s ear as they watched Eiji grasp each of the twins’ hands while they stood in line to get their chitose ame, “to think of something like that for Shirou.”

“It works, doesn’t it?” she replied defensively, quickly snapping a picture of their kids holding hands. “He’s comfortable, and he matches. I know you’ve been dying to say something about the little bulge from his joggers.”

They’d done their best to make sure it was hidden in the family picture, but she’d noticed Satoru barely containing himself every time he caught sight of it again. At least she knew that side of him hadn’t changed a bit.

His grin now said everything she needed to know. But she would take it over the dejected look he’d tried so hard to hide when Shirou had aggressively rejected the idea of only matching him.

���I wasn’t gonna point it out, but he is my son, so I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s–”

She cut him off with an elbow to his gut, rolling her eyes as he snickered wildly. A few other parents shot them disapproving looks, which prompted Satoru to smother his laughter with his hand.

“You’re the worst,” she deadpanned, fighting the smile as he pulled her closer to his side so he could wrap his arm around her waist. “Just awful–”

“You love me,” Satoru replied simply, pushing his shades up his nose. “But what I was saying a minute ago was that you’re so good with him. I dunno what I’d have done if you hadn’t come in when you did.” He paused to grimace. “Probably would’ve ended up just forcing him to wear the clothes because I didn’t know what else to do. I was just getting so frustrated–”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she countered quietly, nudging his shoulder with her own. “You were doing fine.”

“No,” Satoru grumbled, “I wasn’t. And I should’ve made sure the hakama would work before I bought it, anyway–”

“He picked it out because it matched Eiji’s,” she reminded. “You couldn’t have known it’d be uncomfortable.”

“I just didn’t know what to do–”

“It worked out,” she cut him off. “You were stressed because you wanted to have him dressed before you got ready, and he hurt your feelings, too.”

“He didn’t–”

“Darling,” Rinko chided, nudging him again. “It’s okay to admit it.”

“I know he didn’t mean he didn’t wanna match with me,” he mumbled, rolling his eyes. “S’not a big deal.”

She just hummed, leaning up to peck his cheek.

“I’ll let you tell yourself that for now,” she relented. “I know we’ve joked about Eiji being like you, but I think Shirou might just be your exact copy.” Pausing, her lips pulled up into a smirk. “S’what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, yeah?”

Her chest fluttered when he snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Which am I?”

“Neither,” she replied instantly, giggling when his grasp on her waist tightened so he could dig his fingers into her sides. Gasping quietly, she tried to stifle her snickers when she noticed other parents once again sending them nasty looks. “We’re in public, darling–”

“Then quit bein’ a brat in public,” he growled under his breath in reply, loosening his grasp. “You’re still such a tease. And your new sash is beautiful.”

“If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see what else is new later,” she murmured, grinning when he stiffened and sucked in a quick breath through his nose. “Come on. Looks like the kids got their candy.”

AN: Thanks for reading!!

I was researching Japanese holidays a while ago and came across shichigosan, or seven-five-three, (November 15), and thought it would be perfect to write something for Physical Paradox since Eiji and the twins are 5 and 3 this year. I know I’m a tiny bit late, but it sorta works because the festivals are usually held on weekends, anyway!

Fun notes that I didn’t make explicitly clear:

The kids’ haori himo (braided cords) matched their eye color. So Eiji and Shirou’s were green, and Yumika’s were blue.

I’ve been asked before about their kids being neurodivergent, and I just felt it made so much sense to have a lil piece of how they’d deal with something related to that. Shirou’s preference was inspired by a problem I had when I was little with how clothes fit and felt. If they felt itchy or scratchy or made me feel out of place, I would lose my mind, and it would be worse if I was still forced to wear them. So, Shirou’s thing with not wanting to wear the itchy clothes but not wanting to be left out or the only one not wearing the matching clothes not only felt realistic to me but fit something a toddler might struggle with even if they weren’t neurodivergent. Rinko’s solution is likely very unrealistic given Japanese culture, but I feel it fits her as a character because she is aware of these little brain nuances on top of the fact that sometimes, as a parent, you just have to roll with the punches as best you can even if it’s not what you wanted.

Also, I tried to keep the way Yumika and Shirou speak as accurate as possible without going too far down a rabbit hole researching toddler speech patterns otherwise, I would never have finished this.

I’m probably forgetting something, but I wanted to get this done before the weekend is over.