Scarlet Eyes (Gojo Satoru x OC)

❂ XXII. bandages to blindfolds

End of Arc 3! Filler chapter as promised.

Kumori was standing on the balcony of Jujutsu Tech, a sort of observatory deck to gaze at the mountains. It was morning, the sun just barely rising, a beautiful sight indeed. A part of her wished she had discovered this place sooner, in her first year but she had opted for the garden instead of this was because she could never wake up too early.

Not like her adult life allowed her now. She could barely find time to truly sleep, and her body just chose to wake up earlier. But she couldn't be too upset for it allowed her the scene in front of her.

"Maki," Kumori nodded to her cousin who walked up to stand next to her.

"I can't see how you're waking up this early," Maki grumbled and yawned as she rubbed her eyes.

Kumori stirred her coffee. "And yet you're up." If Kumori was being honest almost none of them were getting any true sleep. The events in December were still fresh in their minds.

"Are you going home for the holidays?" Maki asked as she looked into the mountain tops.

"No," Kumori snorted.

"I didn't mean our home, the Zenin. I wouldn't go either," Maki said. "You know...home with Sensei or your friends for a change."

"Maki..." Kumori sighed. She didn't really talk about her love life with her cousin, but she knew she could, she just didn't.

"What?" Maki smirked. She wasn't the gossiping type but she did want to get back at Kumori for her grueling training. "I'm just surprised you haven't moved in with or something. You're literally gonna get married."

"Yeah and I'm not even drinking age," Kumori huffed. "I'm only 19, I can live a little."

"You? Don't make me laugh," Maki snorted.

"I'm content with my life. I don't need much else," Kumori shrugged. "Have you spoken to Mai?"

Maki was silent. "Have you?"

"Can't say that I have," Kumori said. "But she holds more resentment for you than she does me.

"Whatever you say, cousin. By the way, Shoko-san asked for you in the hospital wing," Maki said as she departed.

Kumori didn't respond, just drank the last drops of her coffee and tossed it in the bin.

❂❂❂

"Yeah?" Kumori walked into Shoko's office. "You needed something?"

"Not really. I just knew it was your day off today and decided to ruin it with me," Shoko smiled tiredly. Her friend was without her cigarettes, a habit she had grown out of since their highschool days.

"Is that so?" Kumori sighed as she lazily sat herself on one of the vacant chairs. She didn't like the look or smell of the hospital, but she found herself here a lot more, helping Shoko with patients.

"That. And the fact that I need to ask you to tell your boyfriend to stop stealing bandages from the office," Shoko said as she placed a box on the top shelf.

"So that's where he's getting his supply..." Kumori observed. It wasn't a small amount of bandages he used everyday.

"I wouldn't mind so much since he always leaves money for new batches, but I don't wanna scramble for bandages in an actual crisis when all of them are on his head," Shoko explained.

"No I get it," Kumori understood. "I'll have to find him a substitute then."

"How are you holding up? You and Gojo were always closer to Getou and all," Shoko said, leaning on a hospital bed.