Hiccup.... hiccup
Yuji couldn't stop hiccupping. Even as Gojo carried him effortlessly through the air, arms around his waist, the little jolts kept escaping between shallow breaths. Each one only made his face redder.
Gojo didn't say anything at first. He just smiled quietly, pretending not to notice how Yuji kept hiding his face against his shoulder. The silence between them wasn't awkward– it was warm, charged. Gojo could feel Yuji's heartbeat fluttering against his chest, quick and unsteady. His own wasn't much better.
When they finally landed near the oasis, Gojo lowered the boat gently into the shimmering water, his feet touching the sand. But Yuji didn't move. He still clung to Gojo's neck, refusing to look at him, hiccuping every few seconds.
Gojo's lips twitched. He couldn't help it anymore—a soft laugh escaped him. "Yuji…" he murmured.
No answer.
"Look at me," Gojo said again, voice lower this time, almost teasing but unbearably gentle.
Yuji shook his head stubbornly, still refusing to lift his face. He squirmed, trying to slide off Gojo's arms, but Gojo only tightened his hold a little...just enough to make him stay.
"Senpai, put me down," Yuji mumbled, voice muffled against his shoulder.
"Hm, not until you look at me," Gojo teased, a hint of a grin pulling at his lips.
Another hiccup.
"Yu~ji," Gojo drawled, drawing out his name in that sing-song tone that always made Yuji's ears burn. He reached down, gently took Yuji's hand, and placed it over his chest.
"Feel that?" he said softly.
Yuji blinked, confused, but then realized what Gojo meant, the wild thrum beneath his palm, the pounding heartbeat that matched his own. His eyes flicked up at last, meeting Gojo's.
Gojo smiled faintly, half sheepish, half tender. "That's what you do to me."
Yuji's face turned crimson. "Senpaiii…" he groaned, dragging the word out as if whining could erase the heat crawling up his neck.
Gojo chuckled, leaning close enough that his breath brushed Yuji's ear. "So maybe don't act like I'm the only one losing control, hm?"
Yuji hiccuped again—louder this time—and Gojo finally broke into a laugh, bright and boyish. Yuji tried to glare, puffing his cheeks out in frustration, but every time he did, another hiccup slipped through, ruining the act. Before long, they were both laughing so hard their stomachs hurt.
"Stop laughing, senpai! You're making it worse!" Yuji complained between hiccups, pressing a hand to his mouth in vain.
Gojo wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Ouhh, gomen gomen~" he said through a grin, tone clearly anything but sorry.
He leaned closer then, his laughter fading into something softer. His blue eyes glinted with warmth,..and something deeper. Yuji froze as the air between them shifted, heavier, slower. Gojo's gaze lingered on him, full of that teasing fondness that always made Yuji's chest twist.
And then—just like that—Gojo started leaning in. His breath brushed against Yuji's cheek, the space between them shrinking second by second.
Yuji's heart practically jumped out of his chest. He hiccuped again, panicked, and slapped his palm over Gojo's mouth before their lips could meet.
"Gojo-senpaiii!" Yuji yelped, flustered beyond belief. His face was red all the way to his ears.
Gojo blinked, caught off guard for half a second before his grin returned—this time hidden behind Yuji's hand. "Mmmm," he hummed into Yuji's palm, pretending to protest but clearly enjoying every second of it.
"Nooo! My heart can't handle this right now!" Yuji stammered, hiccuping between words.
Gojo mumbled against his hand again, the vibration sending a ticklish jolt through Yuji's fingers. "Mmm (me too… but I want it again)," he teased through the muffled words, eyes sparkling mischievously.
Yuji's breath hitched. "Senpai!"
Gojo laughed into his palm, the sound low and warm, and finally reached up to gently pull Yuji's hand away. "Alright, alright," he said softly, his tone carrying that familiar mix of affection and mischief.
He lowered Yuji to the ground slowly, his hands lingering just a moment longer than necessary before letting go. Yuji still hiccuped– tiny, helpless sounds that made Gojo's grin widen even more.
"Don't look at me like that!" Yuji muttered, trying to hide behind his hands.
Gojo only tilted his head, smile soft. "Can't help it. You're adorable when you're trying to be mad."
Yuji groaned, burying his face in his palms as Gojo's laugh echoed under the fading light.
+++
Steam curled gently around the wide, ancient bath, fogging the edges of the ceiling mirror above. Yuji leaned back against the carved stone, his skin flushed pink from the heat...and maybe, from more than that. His heart was pounding so loudly he could hear it echo in his ears.
He stared up at his reflection, droplets sliding down his neck and chest, his lips still tingling.
The lips that Gojo had kissed.
"Ahhhhhh—" Yuji let out a silent scream, sinking deeper into the warm water until only his eyes peeked above the surface. He slapped a hand over his mouth, his face burning red. His other hand pressed lightly against his lips, remembering the way Gojo had kissed him...hungry, messy, real. His first kiss.
Another muffled, high-pitched "ahhhhhh!" bubbled from his throat as he kicked at the water, splashing it everywhere.
Now that Gojo had told him about the pheromones, Yuji couldn't stop thinking about it.
Oh no oh no oh no… does that mean my pheromones are going wild right now because I'm thinking like this?!
He groaned and covered his face again. "Stop it, stupid Yuji," he muttered, half scolding, half dying of embarrassment.
But even as he tried to calm down, his mind betrayed him, flashing images of Gojo's intense gaze, his voice, his warmth, that laugh. The way he said he wanted him.
Yuji wrapped his arms around himself, pulling his knees close to his chest, trying to hide from his own thoughts. His whisper barely left his lips.
"Senpai… wants me. As me. Not just because of the pheromones…"
His heart thumped harder. "Ahhhhh—" another silent scream. He dunked his face underwater this time to muffle the sound.
When he came back up, gasping softly, he covered his face with both hands again, cheeks glowing bright red. "I love senpai so, so much," he whispered into his palms, the confession melting into steam.
And then it hit him—his eyes widening, the realization crashing down all over again.
"Wait… he didn't actually say 'I love you,' right? He just said he wanted me…"
Yuji blinked at the ceiling mirror, his reflection staring back in panic.
"But wanting me means loving me, right? Right? Waittt—ahhhhhhh!"
Another silent scream. He splashed the water in frustration, face burning and mind spinning out of control.
He eventually sank back down into the tub, defeated, pouting with his cheeks still bright red.
"…This is so unfair," he mumbled to himself. "How am I supposed to sleep after this…"
He blew out a long sigh and finally decided to get out. Steam drifted around him as he reached for the towel—small, white, barely enough to wrap around his waist. He tied it quickly, still muttering, "Okay… calm down, Yuji. Breathe. Forget the kiss. Forget Senpai's hands. Forget–ah crap—stop remembering!"
But just as he stepped out of the bath, realization struck like lightning.
His clothes.
The ones he wanted to wear tonight, his favorite soft shirt, the one that smelled faintly like sandalwood because he kept it in his room upstairs.
He froze. His mouth dropped open in horror. "No. No, no, no…"
Yes. The clothes he wanted were still upstairs. In their bedroom.
And Gojo—Gojo was up there.
Yuji groaned, dragging a hand down his face. There were plenty of clothes in the wardrobe beside the bath, sure...but his brain refused to accept any of them. He'd organized everything so precisely, separating his "normal" clothes from the "bedroom" ones, and now his own system was backfiring spectacularly.
"Why am I like this…" he whispered miserably.
The thought of walking upstairs—half naked, dripping wet, towel barely clinging to his hips—made his heart race all over again. His face turned crimson at the idea of accidentally bumping into Gojo.
If he called out for him, Gojo would definitely come running, and Yuji's pride couldn't take that. Not after what happened earlier.
He clutched the towel tighter, biting his lip.
No. Absolutely not. I'll just sneak. Quietly. Like a towel ninja.
He took one step toward the door, then stopped, gripping his head in frustration.
"Ahhhhh my day!!!" he screamed silently into the air, hopping in place like a dying frog.
Still red-faced, Yuji tiptoed toward the hallway, muttering under his breath. "Okay, just grab the clothes and come back. In and out. Gojo won't even notice…"
A drop of water trailed down his chest, and he sighed in despair.
"Why does my life keep turning into a romcom nightmare…"