▪︎

▪︎

Aiko was tired. 

It was the night before the parade that Geto Suguru had announced, and she had only just gotten home after going through the final preparations with her  clan. This was perhaps the most important event she's had to prepare for as clan head, and so the pressure to make sure everything was perfect was enough for her to decide that sleep was for the weak. 

That resolve didn't last long however, seeing as she definitely needed at least some sleep before the shitshow started the next day. Yabe’s words, not hers. 

“Toru?” Aiko called out as she walked into the kitchen, her hand reaching out to set down her bags on the countertop. She yawned softly as she partially pulled open the large sliding doors, revealing the mostly dark living room bathed in the embers of the fading sunset through the windows. 

Although her eyes couldn't see the long and lanky figure on the couch from where she stood, the cursed energy immediately gave it away.

She slipped through the doors and closed it behind her, before walking around the end of the sofa to finally look at her lover after a long day. 

“Hey,” she murmured gently, taking in the man in front of her. “You okay?” 

The man nodded unconvincingly as he lifted up his upper body to allow her to sit down. Aiko got comfortable on the couch, before allowing Satoru to settle his head on her lap. 

“If you wanna talk about it then I'm here,” Aiko assured, her fingers gently brushing through the strands of his hair. “But if you don't want to, that's okay too. I'm here for you, my love.” 

Gojo nodded in response, his eyes connecting with hers. “I'm okay, just reminiscing about the old times, that's all.” He sighed as he dragged his gaze away, his fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of his shirt. “It's been over a decade, but it still feels like the same Suguru from back then. Part of me wonders about where we would be now if he hadn't chosen this path.”

“I wonder about that too, you know?” Aiko spoke, her fingers continuing to brush through Satoru's locks. “I think he would've made a good teacher. He's pretty good with kids.”

“Hmm,” he responded. “I don't think I would've become a teacher if that were the case.” 

“Really?” Aiko questioned.

Gojo nodded. “I think seeing how the higher ups failed Suguru is what motivated me to take care of the next generation. I was careless back then, and didn't notice that he was spiralling. If they had supported him through this, maybe he would've seen light at the end of the tunnel.” He sighed. “I wanted to make sure it never happened again to anyone else…” he furrowed his brows suddenly, before looking back up at Aiko. “Wow I'm so selfless, these kids don't appreciate me enough.”

Aiko let out a laugh as she gently smushed his face in her hands. “I can tell you now they definitely don't appreciate your teaching methods.” 

The man pouted in retaliation.

“But I can 100% guarantee that they're grateful for how willing you are to take care of them.” 

“And I'm grateful for you,” he spoke, suddenly turning serious again. “I'm not sure I could have made it here without you.”

“Don't be silly,” the woman cut off, “of course you-” 

“I'm serious Aiko,” the sorcerer spoke, his gaze sharp. “I probably would have ended up as an empty shell that just did what I was told. Who knows,  maybe I would've snapped at some point and wiped out all the higher ups already.” 

“There's still time yet,” Aiko joked as she ruffled his hair. She leant forward to place a kiss on his forehead, one hand cradling his face. “I'm proud of you, Toru. I know it hasn't been easy, but you've been trying to make a difference to this dreadful society we live in, and I'm truly proud to call you mine.”

“What's this, compliment olympics?” Gojo questioned as he sat up properly, his head now leaning to lay against Aiko's shoulder. 

“I just felt it was something you needed to hear,” she murmured, head now resting against his. “For the record, I don't care that you're the so called strongest-” 

“So called?”he exclaimed “babe, I am-” 

Aiko shoved her hand against his mouth and continued to talk despite the muffled attempts made by the man. 

“I don't care about any of that. To me, you're Toru, my Toru, who's trying his hardest to keep taking steps forward in life, despite all the obstacles thrown at him.” She lifted her head up and turned to face him, her hands moving to gently hold his face in both hands. She smiled gently as she stared in his glittering eyes, thumbs softly stroking his cheeks in a soothing manner. “I promise you I will hold your hand for the rest of our lives so you'll never be alone again.” 

Satoru couldn't help but sniffle slightly, tears welling up ever so slightly in the corners of his eyes.  

“Promise?” he finally spoke, voice slightly wobbly.

“I promise. I love you so much.”

Satoru nodded with a sweet smile, eyes still watery. 

“I love you too.”  

He moved his head closer to hers, and Aiko gladly let him, their lips meeting in the middle. It was a sweet kiss, one that conveyed the emotions they felt in their hearts but couldn't quite be put into words. 

She pulled away after a few moments, using one hand to try and stifle a yawn that was trying to escape her. 

“You tired?” Gojo questioned, to which she nodded. 

“Just a little,” she lied, another yawn threatening to break out. 

“Go to sleep, Sweets, I've got you.” 

“What about you?” Aiko questioned as she readjusted her position, her head moving to lay against his shoulders. “You need sleep too.” 

“I'll sleep soon, don't worry.” 

Gojo placed a kiss on top of Aiko's head, and one hand moved in order to lace his fingers with hers. 

“Okayy,” Aiko mumbled, already partially drifting off. “Love you.”

Satoru only smiled, for Aiko had already drifted off before he had a chance to respond. His head moved back to rest his head against the back of the couch, his eyes wandering towards the now dark skies outside. 

This is what he needed.

To not feel lonely. 

•☆•

i listened to my love mine all mine whilst writing this 🥹🥹

i was supposed to post this for his birthday, but i just wasn't happy with what i had written. in the end i ended up writing what i thought that gojo needed to hear. he means so much to me after all 🫶

A x