YOU, ME, US [ okkotsu yuuta x reader ]

13: STAY

mega warning: not proofread... and this chapter is super wordy and super messy

"Call the alumni," Yaga orders, "and the three clans. And request help from the Ainu Jujutsu Company. This is an all-out war!"

Sorcerers sit all across the tatami floor, gazes downcast whilst Ijichi stands at the front, giving a debriefing on Geto's capabilities. The white light resembles that of a hospital, with everyone here awaiting their doom, waiting to be wheeled towards the morgue.

Beep, beep. Yaga stands up, the furrow of his brows even more distinguished than before.

"We need all the special grades! Where is [Name]?! Yuta is too inexperienced, he will need to remain here." Yaga glances over at Ijichi, who pats his sweat down with an already-soaked handkerchief.

"Imai is set to arrive in an hour," Ijichi says, readjusting his fogged glasses. "I will be picking them up."

"Good, we must debrief them." Yaga nods approvingly, attention moving toward the next thing. "Contact the Kyoto branch!"

While the adults are stumbling to and fro, expressions marred by fear, Okkotsu sits aimlessly in an empty classroom. He leans back against the wooden chair, gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"It seems..." he talks to himself, "something outrageous has started."

Suddenly, the sliding door swings open, revealing Maki, who dons casual clothes. She's dressed in a striped shirt and a pale blue hoodie, legwarmers falling above her shoes as she knocks Okkotsu out the park with her fit. Self-consciously, Okkotsu readjusts the collar of his white uniform.

"What are you doing? There are no classes this week," Maki grumbles, hands stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie.

"No, I just..." Okkotsu trails off. "I couldn't calm down. There was no one at the dorm, and, and—" Okkotsu thought that he had gotten rid of his stuttering habit, but for some reason, he finds himself regressing into the past, tormented by the sights which haunted his existence.

"The second years are on a trip to Kyoto, after all," Maki says, sitting comfortably atop a table. "Toge should be there with the third and fourth years as backup for Shinjuku."

Her face rests in the palm of her hand. "And since Panda's the director's favorite, he should be there, too."

Okkotsu glances down. "I... I see."

Maki's piercing eyes fixate on him. "But that's not who you're wondering about, huh?"

Noticing the way Okkotsu flinches, visibly becoming nervous, Maki sighs. Okkotsu is terribly obvious when it comes to you—as if he wasn't already—but this time, his affection is different, it's frightened and agonized, as if he wants to do nothing more than crawl himself into a package and get shipped to Italy.

Much to his chagrin, Okkotsu's lips tremble, index finger coming to tap against the surface of the wooden table, ring glimmering under the light.

Tap, tap.

"I haven't heard from [Name], even after sending them a bunch of texts," Maki remarks. "I think they're returning to Japan."

Okkotsu's heart plummets. His wings made of wax melt, he glances over his shoulder, and you disappear, whisked away right before his eyes. The fear pumping through his blood takes over, and now there is no more blood, just agony, going: thump-thump, thump-thump.

"Don't look like that," Maki says, brows furrowing. "Of course they're coming back. They're a special grade, you know."

Okkotsu swallows thickly. "I know." How could he not? You are the brightest, grandest thing to ever exist. Of course you're a special grade! Your existence alone is so grand, so unreal, that Okkotsu can't even begin to comprehend your incomparable radiance, your colossal vitality.