Nothing Special

Normal?

School had been going pretty smoothly, to everyone's shock. Tsumiki was practically friends with her entire class and Megumi had no complaints. Again, it was shocking but neither you or Satoru could complain.

It seemed that the two of you were the ones with more issues, which made sense because you were high school students who had to be in life or death situations at least twice a week. It was already hard to be just a high school student.

Nanami looked like an empty shell with every passing day. He said it was part of becoming an adult or something. You said it was depression. He said that every person alive, involved with jujutsu, would be diagnosed with depression by normal people.

"It's just our normal state," he said.

You knew where he was coming from but you didn't want to agree. You couldn't argue though, because you had no one to use as an example.

Satoru, the busy man he was, was rarely home. So in moments like the one you were in right now, when you can spend slow mornings with him, you always had an optimistic look on the day. The kids, having gotten used to the rhythm of your sudden trips or your assigned missions, had taken it upon themselves to get ready in the morning by themselves. Whenever you could, you tried packing for them ahead of time.

Most mornings, if neither you or Satoru were home, Tsumiki and Megumi would wake up to the cereal out on the counter, and the milk on a lower shelf of the fridge - they knew you did that on purpose because you and Satoru obviously instinctively put it at the level most comfortable after using the milk. Their bags would be packed at their bedsides and you'd have their uniform hung on the doorknob.

Satoru wasn't at home everyday. But when he only had the time to come by the home very late at night or very early in the morning - certainly not a time that the kids are allowed to be awake - Satoru showed his care for the kids with more literal things. He stole your sticky notes and nice pens, using them to write them little notes to encourage them about their day. Usually he'd stick it onto the packed bags you had ready for them, or it would be on the kitchen counter with the cereal and the money that he left them for lunch.

Appreciating your little things, the kids made a point of being quiet as they woke up earlier to turn off your alarms and cover the blinds so the sun peeking in wouldn't wake you up. They tiptoed across the house, careful not to make noise as they got ready for school, ate and head out.

They high fived each other with glee when they got out.

Before you could panic at the time when you'd woke up, Satoru showed you the sticky note they had left. You looked over it, smiling but still muttering about how "they used my good pens."

"I'll buy you more," he reassured you, kissing your forehead.

As you ate breakfast, what Nanami had said was still plaguing your mind.

"Satoru?" You started, catching his attention. "Have you been keeping up with Utahime?"

He thought about it for a second before shaking his head. "Why'd you ask?"

Shrugging, you said, "Just curious, s'all. I haven't spoken to her in a while either. You think she's doing okay?"

"I mean she's pretty weak," Satoru sighed. "She could be dead for all we know."

Satoru joked about that stuff easily. You understood why and how. You didn't like it all that much though.

"Don't say that stuff," you muttered.

"My bad," he huffed.

Scratching your head, you continued. "I haven't seen Shoko in a while. Is she eating well? Sleeping?"