A Case of You (Yuji Itadori x OC) AU

Gojo's house

Umi's hands tremble anxiously the closer the taxi gets to their home. She notices him straight away. In his usual baggy jeans, a creased t-shirt, and favourite red boots, which he prefers to wear even in the summer heat.

Bruises and cuts cover most of his visible flesh. The head and half of the face are still bandaged and her heart clenches painfully in her chest, leaving the girl gasping for air.

She approaches him slowly. Yuji pushes himself away from the wall as she stops in front him.

Her eyes are levelled with his chest.

It is rising.

Quickly.

Anxiously.

"You should be in the hospital." Her voice is calm. Façade.

"Yeah."

Slowly. She looks up.

Yuji steps closer.

Her thoughts are a mess, as a swarm of butterflies flutter in her stomach.

Umi turns to the door. "Let's go inside."

The door closes and they dip into semi-darkness of the corridor.

Yuji steps forward.

Again.

And again.

His mouth is a desert. His heart is a bird, beating against his ribcage. Umi closes the gap between them.

She is drawn to him, drawn like a magnet. Like a moth, drawn to the fire named Yuji.

Yuji drinks her in. Her face, her hair, her posture. Her everything.

He needs to tell her.

He.needs.her.

But Umi speaks first. Her voice is quiet but even. She doesn't flinch. Doesn't look away. There is no shyness, no hesitation.

"I love you."

And Yuji falls out of reality. He dissolves into her.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out."

Yuji drops to his knees, pressing his face to her stomach. His arms wrap around her, holding her closer, holding her tightly.

And for the first time in years, he feels light; his soul feels carefree.

"I love you too." He kisses her above the t-shirt. There is no vulgarity or subtext in his kiss, there is only tenderness, there is admiration and there is boundless love that only he, Yuji, can give.

Her hands reach for his head, wanting to bury themselves in the thick pink hair, but Umi sharply pulls them back.

The bandages reminder her where Yuji should be.

"Yuji, we need to get you back to the hospital."

Umi's scent.

Umi's voice.

Umi's touch.

If he was to die that moment, he would die with a smile on his face.

"I'll go, but not yet."

Let's stay like this for a while longer.

A smile crosses her face. Umi leans down and takes his hand. She leads him through the corridor, past the living room and the kitchen, to her bedroom.

Yuji follows her. Obediently. She could walk him off a cliff and he'd go. Without questions. Without hesitation.

As soon as the door closes, their bodies collide.

The memories of his last visit to her room linger on his mind.

Yuji wants to erase them.

Umi kisses him gently, slowly, savouring the feeling of his chapped lips and warm body pressed against hers.

Yuji feels lightheaded. The feeling is bittersweet. He holds her tighter and tighter, kissing her parted lips, stroking her palate with his tongue.

Strong arms make her feel secure. Comforted. Where she belongs.

Her eyes are closed, and Yuji gently kisses her eyelids, forehead, cheekbones, slowly moving his lips down to her neck.

And Umi melts.

Suddenly Yuji stops. Freezes.

She opens her eyes. His fingertips trace over almost healed mark on her neck. Yuji is tense.

So is she.

"It wasn't a bug bite."

A statement.

"No."

Yuji continues to stare blankly, stroking the healing flesh.

"Will you tell me?"

Umi strokes his cheek. "It's nothing." Her smile is reassuring, but Yuji knows there is more to it. He does not insist.

Yuji allows her to lay him on the bed and wraps his arms around the girl as soon as her body eases beside him.

Umi's fingers stroke his jawline, weightlessly, carefully, trying to avoid bruises and cuts.

His eyes close and Yuji quickly relaxes.

He hugs her tighter, burying his nose in her hair. Umi feels his steady heartbeat. His breathing becomes deeper, and Yuji dozes off.

She hides her smile in his t-shirt and soon after falls asleep in the arms of Yuji.

***

"Yes, he's here." Gojo leans on the door of his bedroom. His glasses are off. A smile plays on his face.

"Why am I not surprised?"

And Gojo is certain that Nanami is rubbing the bridge of his nose as he speaks. The thought makes him smile wider.

"Can you tell me, why is it whenever you are involved, the cases are always problematic?"

Gojo laughs.

Nanami likes the sound of his laughter, but he will never admit it.

"Hey Nanamin, want to meet up tonight?"

It's been a while.

Nanami is silent for a couple of minutes.

Gojo continues to smile.

Because he knows.

Nanami will never tell him no.

"My place, nine pm." Nanami finally says. "Do not be late." The line is cut. Gojo runs his fingers through his platinum hair.

Damn Nanamin, could have given me something more than that.

It's okay.

Because Satoru Gojo knows exactly how to make Kento Nanami do as he pleases.