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Yuta was midway through considering if he really needed to pack as many things as Gojo said when a solid weight landed on him, knocking the air out of his lungs and causing him to fumble with his cellphone. He grunted when an elbow dug painfully into his side and glanced down sideways to watch as Maki made herself more comfortable.
“Better?” Yuta asked once she settled down. Her head was in his lap, her body stretched out along the couch, and her boots hanging off the other end. Her willingness to let him inside her bubble always took him off-guard, especially when they were both typically closed off to others when it came to physical touch. Rika had never allowed it previously, and Maki…
She wasn’t familiar with a physical touch that didn’t derive from violence.
Maki hummed, her eyes closed behind her glasses. “Mm, better. Why is your jacket so much softer than ours?”
“Maybe because it’s a size too big?”
“No, I think Gojo just spoils you.”
There wasn’t any heat behind her words, no irritation or jealousy, and Yuta smiled faintly. It had taken him a while to figure out that the sharpness of Maki’s words or the volume of her voice did not necessarily equate to anger. No, her anger was cold, calculating, brutal, so it was impossible to mistake.
This was just her teasing him, which usually meant she was in a good mood.
“How was training?” Yuta asked.
“Could’ve been better,” Maki stated. “Panda is too slow and Inumaki won’t fight me with weapons.”
Yuta snorted. Of course he wouldn’t. Inumaki was too smart to agree to that, and Panda was too nice to turn her down. He didn’t know anyone that trained harder than Maki. She put her entire body and soul into it, as if her very spirit depended on her training. And maybe it did. She had a lot more riding on her shoulders than most people. After all, she wasn’t trying to become a jujutsu sorcerer to make money, become famous, or anything like that.
She was trying to change her world. Yuta knew firsthand that was easier said than done.
“You should train with me sometime,” Maki said.
Yuta made a noncommittal sound. “Yeah, but you’d beat me. You’re way stronger than me.”
“Oh yeah?” Maki lifted a hand over her head, as if to fondly run her fingers through his hair like she sometimes did when they were alone. He leaned his head toward her hand instinctively – only to yelp when she flicked him on the forehead. “Don’t be such an idiot. You can use your curse energy to strengthen your body to levels that I can’t even dream about right now, even with my Heavenly Restriction.”
Rubbing his forehead, Yuta grumbled, “Yeah, but I’m still working on that.”
“And that’s why you should train with me,” Maki told him. “I’ll kick your ass into shape.”
“That doesn’t sound very fun,” Yuta pointed out.
“It’s not supposed to be fun,” Maki said, “but we can get food after and make a date out of it if you want.”
Yuta sputtered incoherently and scratched the back of his head as he barely managed to stammer out, “O-oh, well, um, what-what if we’re too tired or–?” When he glanced down at Maki, he found her smiling, her eyes still closed. Even though he was blushing bright pink, she was completely unbothered, so that must’ve been the reaction she was going for. She’d purposely provoked him with that embarrassing comment.
“I’m just saying,” Maki continued. “We should take advantage of what we can to better ourselves.”
While we still have time, were the unspoken words, and his heart rate slowed down.
Out of everyone in their class (which, to be fair, wasn’t that many), only Maki knew about his upcoming trip to the States. It was abrupt and still sort of confused Yuta, but Gojo had asked him and it felt important, even if he didn’t know all the details. Although he was arrogant, he knew Gojo wouldn’t hold his life as a debt over his head, but Yuta still felt as if he needed to pay his teacher back. Leaving everyone would be sad, but he couldn’t say no to Gojo’s request.
Looking at Maki now as she laid against him on the couch, he also couldn’t help but wonder if she resented him for that. She didn’t seem angry with him for improving so quickly when she’d spent years struggling to get to where she was now. She hadn’t even been mad when his Special Grade level was returned to him a few months ago while she was stuck at Grade Four because of her family’s political ties.
Still, sometimes Yuta worried, a lingering sense of insecurity from his old days before Jujutsu High.
“Okay, I’ll train with you tomorrow,” Yuta settled on saying.
Maki opened up one eye to peer up at him. “Good. Prepare to get your ass handed to you.”
Yuta let out a beleaguered sigh. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” He frowned. “But really, you’re working yourself to the bone. Shouldn’t you take a break once in a while?”
“What do you think I’m doing now?” Maki asked. She peeled off her glasses and folded them in one hand, then held them out in the air. Yuta got the hint immediately, taking them from her and setting them down on the end table beside the couch. After that, she folded her hands over her chest and let out a breath.
There was something unusually soft about Maki when she wasn’t wearing her special curse glasses. It was like the edge was taken off her, although he knew that wasn’t necessarily true. She wouldn’t be Maki without that edge, just like Yuta might not be himself without Rika. Still, as powerful and strong as she was, she was left vulnerable without her glasses, so for her to take them off meant she trusted him.
Warmth bloomed in Yuta’s chest despite his anxiety over leaving. Maki knew without asking that he would do anything to protect her. Not that she needed it – she was so capable on her own, and he’d always admire her strength – but she knew that he had her back. She could take a break while he was around. He didn’t mind taking the first watch, especially not with her.
She trusted him, and that was all that mattered.
“Yuta?”
He blinked and looked down at her away from his phone again. “Yeah?”
“How long will you be gone?”
It was a straightforward question that deserved a straightforward answer, but he didn’t have one to give her. The truth was, he barely knew why he was going, so he couldn’t even begin to say when he would be back. It hurt more than he’d anticipated. Before Rika, he’d never really had anyone to miss or to miss him in return.
“I don’t know,” Yuta admitted.
“Hm.” Maki huffed. “We might have to ask the first years to join the Kyoto Sister Event.”
Yuta stiffened. “Is that–? Is that the only reason you asked?”
Maki opened her eyes and scowled very seriously. “I’m not letting them win, and Todo is going to be a pain in the ass if you aren’t there. How many threatening letters has he sent you so far demanding a rematch?”
“Um…” Yuta shrugged. “I don’t know. I usually just throw them away.”
A short laugh escaped Maki. “Don’t tell him that. You’ll break his heart.”
He hadn’t been trying to be funny, but a small smile tugged at his lips anyway. He liked it when Maki was this casual. She had a wall around herself so much, even when with her friends. He knew it came from how she was raised – how she couldn’t afford to let them down, lest she wants to get knocked down and kicked while she was on the ground.
When she actually let that wall down with him, he felt like he could do the same, allowing the constant flow of curse energy that surrounded him to dim.
Closing her eyes again, Maki reached up and touched his cheek. “Don’t be gone for too long, okay?”
“I’ll try,” Yuta said, the only thing he could say.
“I know.” Maki let her hand drop to her chest again. He was tempted to take it and see if she’d let him thread his fingers through hers. Before Jujutsu High, he used to be terrified of anyone touching him, even in a non-threatening manner, afraid that Rika would attack them out of rage or even jealousy.
It wasn’t like that anymore. Maki was a friend. She was safe .
And she made him feel like he was safe too. He’d never felt that before. It was nice, really nice.