Archive of Our Own ^beta

August 31, 2006.

- ☾ミ
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The stars twinkled shyly through the glass, while the lights of Tokyo illuminated most of the cityscape and the temperature gradually dropped. Suguru Geto held tightly to the rails of the train, watching the horizon through the window. Every tiny point of light that reached his eyes seemed to reflect the feelings that mixed in his chest: admiration, a hint of envy... and something he couldn't identify, a sweet sensation that seemed to fill him, driving away all the pain in his chest and pulling soft, silly smiles from his lips...

His mind wandered lost in the events of earlier, letting that feeling intensify. His eyes closed, and he brought his icy fingers to his lips, remembering that soft touch and the warmth that still resided there.

It was intoxicating.

- ☆ミ
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Geto was in a park a little far away, in the late afternoon, his gaze fixed on the grass, lost in dark thoughts. The world seemed a little gray since Riko's painful death, and the traumatic memory running through his mind at all times didn't help him one bit.

"Oye, Geto!~" a familiar voice brought him back to reality, and the brunette didn't even need to look back to know that he was late again.

"Late." Geto gave the albino a disapproving look, while his voice, although calm, still conveyed sadness and frustration.

Satoru Gojo, once again late, his white hair like a hare's fur danced gently with the warm breeze of the late summer afternoon, showing one of his usual mocking smiles on his pink lips.

Geto envied that Gojo could still smile after all that.

"It's a natural ability." the albino gave a mischievous smile in an attempt to dispel the melancholy that hung in the air, while adjusting his sunglasses on his face.

"You're unbelievable, Gojo-kun." Geto stared at him for a moment before returning to his original position.

Gojo sat next to the brunette on that isolated park bench, away from all the chaos of the center, next to a metal fence that separated them from a small lake with calm waters. They both observed the horizon, which was now dyed in vibrant tones. It was a natural work of art for them to admire after the terrible failure that was last month's mission.

Geto sighed deeply, observing the subtle change in the sky. His legs soon became heavy when Gojo rested his head there, in his lap. The soft white hair spread across his thighs was inviting to be stroked.

"Are you okay, older guy?" Gojo asked, taking advantage of that rare moment when the brunette showed affection for him instead of scowling and cursing at him.

"Just tired... - Geto braided Gojo's hair in small braids, which quickly fell apart. He huffed, frustrated." It's just... there's still a lot to process.

"I understand you..." Gojo replied, saddened. Ever since Riko's death, Geto had not been the same. He started skipping classes, swapping day for night, and when he did go, he would stand in the corners, with his head down. Not to mention the huge bags under his eyes; he was almost like a tanuki.

Gojo tried his best to convince himself that this was not his problem and that his friend would get better at some point, but that didn't seem to be the case. He wanted to cheer him up somehow, but he couldn't deny that realizing this huge difference between him and Geto, regarding the freedom to express their emotions, made him a little envious. Gojo needed to keep smiling.

The albino sighed deeply, pushed Geto's hand away from him and leaned back on the bench, watching the sunset intently, remembering how Riko loved that moment. She always seemed hypnotized by that glow. A smile formed on his lips along with an idea.

"Hey, Geto, you know what I remembered? Riko-chan... She loved sunsets, didn't she?" he said before standing up completely, pulling Geto closer to him and closer to the fence, where he rested. "So, let's enjoy this one for her."

"What?" the dark-haired man asked, his eyebrows arched. Was this some kind of joke?

"Just watch...!" the albino explained, pointing to the landscape in front of him.

Geto turned his attention to that moment, a little gray, but beautiful: the late afternoon sky was tinged with vibrant shades of pink and orange, reflected in the calm waters of the lake. The warm breeze of the late afternoon caressed their faces and ruffled Geto's loose hair – just as Riko's had ruffled a month ago. The warm breeze brought with it the soft scent of yuzu and the damp earth of the shores. The distant song of cicadas filled the air, while small fireflies slowly awakened... He felt enveloped by the nostalgia of that moment, as if Riko was there, subtly present in every detail, and the incident had never happened, taking them back to a few days before they went to Tengen.

"Riko-chan..." he whispered, small tears escaping from his dark eyes, like small black holes, which he quickly wiped away. "Gojo... I..."

His empty eyes turned to the boy beside him and, for the first time that week, they lit up... Gojo kept his sunglasses on his head, the sun's rays illuminating his pale face and his serene smile, completely focused on the landscape, while his white hair danced harmoniously.

"... It's beautiful, isn't it?" Gojo smiled sincerely, the sun highlighting the soft features of his young face and his blue eyes like precious aquamarines, which Geto couldn't look away from. Everything seemed to start making sense, so right...

"He's still here..."

Geto couldn't stop thinking about that moment, as he stared into Satoru's eyes. There, the brunette finally realized how incredibly beautiful they were. That soft blue, contrasting with the golden glow of the sun, was mesmerizing. Every little detail and nuance seemed tailor-made by a master craftsman, a profound manifestation that suggested not only power, but also a wonder that proved its essence: beauty... Power... Mystery...
That made it truly unique, like looking into a nebula, an immeasurable void.

"Yes... it's incredible." the words escaped his throat, panting, feeling that time had stopped there. He had been so immersed in sadness that he had forgotten about that small beauty that was still there by his side.

"Geto? What is it?" Gojo asked when he noticed the gaze fixed on him, the black orbs seeming to shine in his presence.

"Your eyes..." Suguru said, breathless.

"Huh? What's wrong with them?" Gojo raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Geto hesitated for a moment, trying to articulate what he was feeling, but words eluded him. Maybe because not even words could describe that sweet emotion rising inside his chest, something he still couldn't recognize. He swallowed hard, feeling momentarily lost in the moment. The stars began to appear in the sky, changing the atmosphere between them again. Unable to resist that new emotion that made his heart race and the air betray his lungs, Geto slowly stretched towards Gojo, standing on tiptoe and wrapping his arms around his neck. The proximity between them grew, the air around them seemed denser, they looked into each other's eyes and their faces acquired a soft shade of pink. 

"What's wrong, big boy? Want a kiss?" Gojo joked again, trying to dissipate the tension.

Geto swallowed hard, but soon spoke...

"What if I say yes?" Geto returned the joke with a shy smile, feeling the warmth of Gojo's warm breath against his face, finally sealing their lips in a soft kiss and small caresses on his face, making both feel a sense of peace and fullness that enveloped them like the soft embrace of the night.

The seconds seemed to last an eternity and when they finally separated and their eyes met again, they didn't even need words, because everything that needed to be said seemed to be written in each other's eyes.

"Suguru..." Gojo said surprised.

"Satoru." Geto replied.

"I... I didn't know my eyes had this effect on you." Satoru joked again.

"Shut up!" Suguru laughed affectionately at that boy who colored his world.

They embraced and locked lips once more, lost in each other’s warmth, the worries of the past fading into the night air. It was a moment of pure intimacy, one that seemed to capture the essence of the present—a small, subtle moment of realization. Maybe it was time to embrace this trauma and finally let it go. Now everything felt so right, her heart was at peace, all that mattered in that moment was the shared touch and the closeness of their warm bodies.

"I’ll take you to the subway station, okay?"

- ☾⭑ ミ
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Back in the present, Geto pulled his fingers away from his lips in a sweet smile, his red, thoughtful face finally recognizing that feeling. That was love.

It was truly intoxicating.