To Want and Not To Have - NanaGo

Chapter 7

The path that leads from the inn into the city is covered in a thin layer of snow. There's not a soul to be seen around and no car to ruin the peace.

At first, Nanami's strides are long and angry. He walks with his hands in his pockets, head down and thoughts forcibly kept quiet. He refuses to think that he'd rather still be in bed with Gojo. He refuses to think that he ran away like a coward. He refuses to feel like he's somehow abandoned Gojo back there.

After perhaps half an hour, his cheeks burning from the cold and breath puffing out in little clouds of mist, Nanami feels a little better. He's walked all the way to the village, feasting his eyes on the natural beauty of Mount Fuji, visible in the distance. The quiet helps settle his thoughts and the physical exercise calms him down. He knows he should go back to the inn; get ready to meet his boss later; perhaps get a couple of hours of work before he gets swept in a whirlwind of activities he'd rather ignore. But he cannot convince himself to walk faster.

"Nanamin!"

He freezes, steps faltering on the snowy ground. It's as he stops that he realises his patent leather shoes are soaked, probably ruined, and that his toes are freezing. He watches in horror as Gojo runs down the road towards him, scarf flapping in the wind behind him like a flag. He isn't wearing his sunglasses and his hair is mussed, as if he's just rolled out of bed.

And he might as well have, given that he's wearing his yukata with a jacket on top and zori with no socks on his feet.

"What are you doing?" Nanami exclaims, aghast at seeing him underdressed in the icy weather. "You're going to catch your death, you idiot!"

Gojo skids to a halt in front of him, his inadequate footwear providing little grip on the ground. His cheeks and the tip of his nose are red with cold. "I wanted to go after you when you left, but I kind of fell back asleep. Then your mobile rang and rang and rang, so I picked up. It was your boss. He says he's going to be here in an hour."

Nanami heaves a sigh. He rubs the bridge of his nose. "You didn't have to rush here to tell me in that state of undress. I know he's coming."

"That's not why I hurried here." Nanami looks at him questioningly. Gojo's lower lip juts out. He crosses his arms and shuffles. "I know Nanamin's angry at me but I don't know why. I hate that."

"I'm not angry at you, Gojo. For heaven's sake, let's talk at the inn. Come on." Nanami grabs Gojo's arm and tows him up the road towards the inn.

Gojo pulls free and turns to look at him. His eyebrows are lowered in a frown. His mouth is set in a line. There's no goofiness in his gaze.

They stare at each other for a moment, Nanami's chest growing tighter at how lovely Gojo looks in this setting. With the snowy background of the quaint little village framing him, his hair looks to be the same colour as the snow and his eyes the same colour as the sky.

"Be honest with me, won't you?" Gojo says, voice serious. It's the tone he uses when he talks about subjects that matter to him, like reforming the jujutsu world and getting rid of the conservative higher-ups.

Nanami doesn't think he's ever been on the receiving end of such seriousness. It's a little intimidating. It serves to remind him of who Gojo actually is - not only the most powerful sorcerer in recent history, but also the heir to an ancient clan and someone whose authority should go unquestioned.

"What do you want me to be honest about?" Nanami asks. He matches Gojo's tone, crossing his arms over his chest. He doesn't want to be having a serious conversation out here in the middle of the road, but perhaps it's better to have it here away from prying eyes, than have a row at the inn.