𝙎𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥. / inumaki toge

𝙁𝙞𝙫𝙚.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

(Y/n) woke up the next day in the infirmary. His entire body felt like it was on fire, and the nightmare he just woke up from was worse than all the previous ones. The events from yesterday replayed in his mind over and over again.

With a sigh, he sat up, stretching his arms above his head until he heard the pops in his back. He shifted his body to the left, looking at his previous teammate. He slept peacefully, his collar snug loosely, showing the top part of his curse markings. (Y/n) stared at him as the sunlight from the sunrise shone down on him.

Inumaki saved (Y/n). If it weren't for him, he would have had a full blown melt down. If it weren't for him, he would've been choked to death. Just as (Y/n) saved Inumaki, catching him with his nightmares and holding him up when he was weak.

They never worked together, but the first time they did, they worked as if they understood each other. That didn't bother (Y/n), a boy who only took solo missions.

What bothered him was that he passed out in Inumaki's arms, yet again, but crying this time. This was the second time they passed out together, and the second time (Y/n) woke up in the infirmary next to him. This conflicted the boy. He didn't know what to do or what to say.

(Y/n) watched as Inumaki shifted in his sleep, turning his head over so slightly, his collar covering his lower face yet again. (Y/n) placed his elbow on his leg, resting his head on his palm. Staring at him was probably creepy, but he couldn't help it. He knew he should leave before Inumaki woke up, but he wanted to thank him.

He shook his head, trying to forget the memories of last night. He almost resented Gojo for sending them there, but he knew it was only his job. (Y/n) would deal with things like this for the rest of his life.

The world felt still as he got lost in thought. He didn't even realize the boy he was staring at was staring right back at him.

"Tuna?"

(Y/n) jumped a bit before pulling himself back together. "Oh.. sorry."

"Mustard leaf..?"

It felt like (Y/n) heard these words from Inumaki the most. He really was a kind soul and concerned for his classmates.

"I'm okay, are you?" (Y/n) responded, standing up to check Inumaki's mouth. He began to unzip Inumaki's collar before Inumaki caught him hy the wrist, his eyes slightly widened.

(Y/n) paused before realizing he didn't even ask. "Oh.. uhm.. I'm sorry," he said awkwardly. He withdrew his hand, backing up a bit.

"Salmon," Inumaki said, averting his eyes for a moment before looking back.

There was always an awkward tension between them, ever since (Y/n) asked him for help sleeping. There was something in the air, but neither of them could place their finger on it.

(Y/n) was so absorbed in himself and isolated himself. He'd have moments where he seemed like he was opening up, then would disappear for weeks on end.

Inumaki would be friendly with a distance. He had borders and boundaries that no one could cross.

It was awkward between them- not because of their little knowledge of each other- but because they never bothered to learn more about each other. They were always a distance away from each other.

A distance they both felt uncomfortable at. It was supposed to guard them, to keep them from getting hurt or put into awkward situations.

But the distance felt wrong. (Y/n) had an unexplainable urge to tell Inumaki his problems. Inumaki had the urge to welcome himself into (Y/n)'s life and take him in as another friend.

Inumaki was always reserved. He limited his friends because being a sorcerer always meant death in the end. He was always far away enough from people that he wouldn't be affected by death.

But holding (Y/n) while the boy cried made him feel differently. He couldn't hold back his own tears. He didn't even know the woman, yet he was crying. And so was this boy that he thought emotionless. It was like the world was telling Inumaki that no matter how much he tried to protect himself, it won't change how he would feel in the time of death.

It was like the world was telling Inumaki to accept death, but to accept living before it. To live and be happy while he could. But it was hard for him.

Just as it was hard for (Y/n) to even speak his mind.

So they sat on two separate beds in the infirmary. Close enough to hear each other, but far enough to not be with each other.

Inumaki sat up, rubbing his eyes before pulling his phone off the nightstand.

(Y/n) didn't look over until Inumaki held his phone out to the insomniac. (Y/n) took it curiously, his hands trembling from how weak he felt after the fight.

It was a contacts page, opened for a new contact. (Y/n) looked over at Inumaki, his head tilted, looking at (Y/n) expectedly.

(Y/n) silently put in his contact, not bothering to give himself a profile photo.

When Inumaki got his phone back, he stared at the contact for a moment before holding his phone camera above (Y/n), taking a 0.5 with a click of the shutter.

"Hey- what-?"

Inumaki giggled at the photo as (Y/n) tried to reach for his phone. He froze, retracting his arm as he looked at the photo.

"Um.. why do I look like that?" (Y/n) asked, never having taken a 0.5 before.

Inumaki ignored him, taking another 0.5 of (Y/n) and texting it to him. (Y/n)'s phone rang from the nightstand, and the insomniac sighed.

"You owe me for how bad those photos are," he said, going back to his usual demeanor.

Inumaki shrugged, turning his phone off as Panda entered the room.

He turned over to look at (Y/n), but when he did, he was fake sleeping. He sighed.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───