Chapter Text
Growing up, Yuji was blessed to be surrounded by family, friends, and his two lovely parents. They were never incredibly wealthy or rich, but they were able to live comfortably without worrying if there would be food on the table. For that he had always been appreciative. He had a best friend, Nobara; the ginger-haired girl was like a sister to him, and everywhere she went, he would follow. The pair was inseparable, and if Yuji was not with his family, he would be with her.
She was the first to find out and support him when Yuji came out as bisexual. He cried on her shoulder that day, “You big baby, I love you just the same; nothing will ever change that, okay? Now get off of me because your snot and tears are going to stain my clothes, and this outfit is Chanel.” He let out a choked laugh and smiled at her sassiness; a sense of relief washed over him knowing now that she did not see him any differently.
Yuji had always known he liked both boys and girls. His bisexual awakening had been none other than his childhood friend Satoru Gojo. Yuji always saw him as more than that. When they were children, their mothers introduced them to each other in hopes that they would get along and potentially have a long-lasting friendship like theirs. Yuji still remembers that day so clearly; he was 6 and Satoru was 8. They immediately clicked and became friends through their passion for books, anime, and swimming. Satoru was sweet, so, so sweet and caring that it made Yuji develop confusing feelings. As they grew up, Yuji found himself completely attached to Satoru’s side and loved when they hung out every summer.
As he got older, Yuji realized that Satoru’s parents were wealthy. They both lived in New Hampshire, but Satoru’s family lived two hours away from them in a stunning lakehouse with 8 rooms and 5 bathrooms. Although they both lived in the same state, their two-hour distance would prove difficult for them to see each other all the time. So he would look forward to every summer because that meant staying over at Satoru’s parents’ lakehouse for the whole two months of summer vacation.
He remembered how the older boy’s eyes lit up when they pulled up into the driveway and Yuji jumped out of the car running towards him. They embraced each other in a long, warm hug and ran inside the house together. Both their parents smiled at each other and began catching up like old times. It was the same routine every summer, and Yuji never got tired of it. In fact, he loved it. That day they had a huge breakfast as a welcoming treat for them; Yuji and Satoru stuffed their mouths full of waffles, eggs, and bacon. After they finished, they ran upstairs to Satoru’s huge bedroom, where he had shelves full of books, action figures, video games, and so much more. His bed was king-sized, and Yuji immediately jumped on it, feeling himself relax into the soft mattress; it felt like lying on clouds.
Satoru jumped on top of him, tickling Yuji and pinning his arms down so that he could not fight back. Yuji wiggled around trying to stop him, but it was impossible. “Satoru, please stop. I can't anymore; I'm going to die from laughing." The white-haired boy laughed evilly. “Why don't you try to stop me, Yuji? I know you can.” Yuji tried; he really did, but Satoru was just too strong. Eventually he let go, and the two sat on the ground to play some rounds of Mario Kart.
The pair would hang out every day until the sky was dark and the moon shone its beautiful silver light down on the house. They watched the reflection of the moon on the lake while making smores near the firepit. Everything was perfect in that moment, and Yuji wished that it would never end.
God, he was only 13 back then, and already he had felt like Satoru was his soulmate. How young and naive he had been. His heartbeat would increase significantly whenever the other boy would hug him or tease him playfully. Yuji loved Satoru for his way of being and his authenticity. It was refreshing to see in a person, not to mention rare, especially for people his age. Satoru was 15 at the time, and Yuji could not help but wonder why the older boy was hanging out with him instead of people his age. No, he was not complaining, absolutely not; in fact, Yuji felt special that Satoru chose to spend time with him, but he couldn't help but wonder why. He never did ask him, though; Yuji just kept those thoughts to himself; they were not important.
On the previous night, before Yuji’s last day there, they had decided to sleep together in Satoru’s bed while watching a movie. As they lay there together, Satoru turned to face Yuji and ruffled his pink hair. “I’m going to miss you; you’re the best friend I have always asked for. Promise me something, okay?” Yuji looked at Satoru with nothing but admiration and love. “Yes, of course, anything.” Satoru smiled warmly at him. “No matter what happens, promise me we will always be best friends and remain at each other’s sides.” Yuji’s heart began to race; he could feel his face warm up as he answered shyly, “I promise.”
An hour later the movie came to an end and the credit scenes began to roll. Yuji looked over at Satoru, who was sleeping peacefully; he was so perfect he didn't even snore. He grabbed the soft blanket next to him and covered the older boy. “Thank you for everything.”
The next morning Yuji woke up to Satoru hugging him from behind. He felt his soft breathing close to his ear, sending shivers down his spine, and he couldn't help the blush that formed on his cheeks. He slowly untangled himself from the other boy’s hold, getting up to brush his teeth. After showering and changing, Yuji walked out to find Satoru sitting up scrolling on his phone.
“Yujiiiii, good morning! How’d you sleep?” The younger boy plopped onto the bed and pulled the blanket from Satoru. “Amazing, your bed is so comfortable; I’m kind of jealous.” Satoru whined as the cold air of the room hit his skin. The two decided to spend every last second together before Yuji had to leave. They went for a swim, laughing, playing around in the water, and even tied a rope to a nearby tree so they could swing on it and jump straight into the lake. After a couple hours of basking in the sun, the pair was called into the house by their mothers, who had prepared a huge buffet of food. Main dishes such as meats, pastas, and seafood were set on the table; as for dessert, they had sliced fruits with yummy pastries. The dining room was filled with laughter and conversations, and in the background, jazz had been playing throughout the entirety of it all. The atmosphere was pleasant, and Yuji desperately wanted time to slow down.
When Yuji glanced at the clock, the time read 8:00 pm, and his smile slightly faded when his parents stood up from the dining table and gathered their belongings. Yuji knew it was time to leave, but he didn't want to. Satoru sensed his sadness, so he grabbed his hand, and they took off towards the stairs. “We’ll be back; just give us a sec!” Satoru yelled as they went up the stairs. Yuji followed behind him, puzzled at the sudden action. When they arrived at his bedroom, Satoru led him outside to his balcony. “I have always wanted to watch the sunset with you, Yuji.”
The older boy pointed towards the sun, and sure enough, it had begun to set. Yuji was in awe when he saw all the colors mixed in the sky; pink, orange, yellow, and purple blended with each other to create a beautiful sunset. “Absolutely incredible, Mother Nature never disappoints.” Satoru had said. Yuji decided to be bold at that moment and laid his head on Satoru’s shoulder. “I’m going to miss you.”
The older boy smiled sweetly at him, “We’ll see each other again before you know it. I’ll be waiting for you here, okay?” Yuji nodded happily and continued to enjoy the shared moment between the two. When they arrived downstairs, they all exchanged their goodbyes, and Yuji thanked Satoru’s parents as always for having them there and making them feel so welcome. When they drove off, Yuji turned around to see Satoru waving at him with a huge grin. He waved back and whispered, “Please wait for me.”
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“Alright everybody, I hope you all enjoy your vacation and make the best out of this summer! Congrats for making it through junior year!” The classroom was filled with cheers, people celebrating that another year was over and that next year would be their last in high school. Yuji packed his stuff as fast as he could and practically ran out of the classroom. His first thought was to find Nobara and Yuta, his two best friends. As he was walking outside of the building, he spotted the two talking near the benches.
He walked over to the pair with a huge smile. “Guys! We made it; I can't believe we're going to be seniors next year!” Yuta smiled back. “I have to admit I am pretty excited about all the senior events and trips next year.” They could all agree on that. “What do you guys plan on doing this summer? Actually, forget I asked you, Yuji; I know what you’ll be doing.” She rolled her eyes playfully.
Yuta responded with little enthusiasm, “Not much actually; I’m going to stay at my brother’s house this summer because my parents are going out of the country for their job.” Nobara frowned. “Boo, doesn’t he live like 2 hours away from here?” Yuta nodded. “Great, that means I literally will not see my two best friends this summer.” She groaned frustratingly.
Yuji apologized sheepishly, “I’m sorry, Nobara. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.” She sighed, “Yeah, yeah, whatever, you’re forgiven. I know you’re busy trying to claim your man.” Yuji blushed in embarrassment. “What? No, no, not at all. What do you mean? That is ridiculous.” She laughed. “We both know you’re deeply infatuated with that man. You cannot fool us.” She looked over at Yuta, who nodded in agreement. “Okay, fine, I guess, but that doesn't mean anything; I’m pretty sure he sees me as a little brother.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or he might see you as more than that, leading to a potential relationship? Have you ever thought about that?”Yuji sighed, “Of course I have, but it's just me being delusional; I’m 16, and he’s 18 years old. What could he possibly see in me?”
Nobara replied, “A lot, Yuji. You’re an amazing person, and everyone knows it. He would be blind to not notice what is in front of him.” The pink-haired boy smiled. “Thank you, Nobara; you always make me feel better about myself.” She responded confidently, “What can I say? I’m just such a great friend.” With that, they all went their separate ways and promised each other they would keep in touch during their summer vacation. When Yuji arrived at his house, his parents were sitting in the living room watching TV.
“Hey Mom and Dad, how are you?”
His parents looked up from the TV and greeted him warmly, “Hey darling, good, how was your last day of school?” Yuji jumped in excitement, “It was great; I can’t believe I’m going to be a senior!” They looked at him proudly. “By the way, sweet boy, we’re leaving tomorrow for the lakehouse. Have you packed anything yet?” Yuji’s eyes widened. “Wait, I thought we were leaving next week?” His mother bit her lip awkwardly. “Yeah, we were, but Kiyomi called saying she wanted us to get there as soon as we could.” His father nodded alongside her, “Well then, I guess I’ll get to packing! See you in a couple hours!”
Yuji ran upstairs eager to pack and leave for the lakehouse. He could not wait to see Satoru, the man who would invade his dreams every so often. He missed his touch, his scent, and that smile of his, it was his weakness and yuji could never say no to him. What would they say when they saw each other? Would Satoru greet him as he always did? With a warm embrace? His thoughts were filled with images of them spending the entire summer together once again. After packing all of his clothes, shoes, and hygiene products, Yuji walked downstairs to get some food into his belly. He hadn't eaten all day, and it was definitely catching up to him.
“Yuji darling, your food is on the table; I made fried pork cutlets.” His mother said. Yuji gasped in excitement, “My favorite! Thank you so much, Mom; I’m going to dig in!” He sat down at the dining room table, enjoying his home-cooked meal. Yuji’s mother was never one to be stingy with food. On the contrary, she loved to make everyone’s favorite dishes. She said it filled her heart with joy seeing people eat her cooking.
The family of three spent the rest of their afternoon on the couch watching their favorite series. Some of Yuji’s favorite memories growing up had been when he and his parents had family time. They would partake in fun activities such as hiking, camping, cycling, or even something as simple as eating dinner at a nice restaurant. He would cherish those special moments forever in his heart. Yuji believed that getting older did not mean he had to distance himself from his parents. It meant that he should continue to pursue a caring and trustworthy relationship with them. He remained snuggled between them; their presence was the most comforting to him.
Hours later Yuji glanced over at his phone out of curiosity, the time read 10:15 pm. He stretched his legs groaning at the tingling numbness that appeared from having them crossed for too long. “I’m going to sleep guys, don’t stay up too late okay?” Yuji said as he stood up and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek. She nodded obediently, “Of course, whatever you say dear.” His father also followed in agreement with a smile.
That night while laying in bed, Yuji dreamt of sharing a kiss with Satoru, his first kiss. It was perfect and sweet. They were swimming under the scorching hot sun, enormous white clouds and the cerulean sky would bear witness to their first kiss inside the lake. Of course when he woke up Yuji felt immediate disappointment and embarrassment. Was he really that far gone? Satoru had a hold on him that was almost impossible to break.
It scared him to like someone so deeply, especially when that someone was his childhood friend. Yuji knew Satoru would never see him in that way, but a small, childish part of him hoped he felt the same. The time was 8:08 am when they set out for the lakehouse. Yuji loved long car rides because they made him feel safe and closer to his parents. They had decided on not making any stops since the trip was only two hours. Yuji didn’t complain. The first thirty minutes of the trip the pink haired boy decided to blast music in his headphones while writing down fun activities to complete with Satoru. After he got bored of that he moved on to reading a thriller novel for the other half hour. Finally for the remaining hour Yuji fell asleep and when he woke up his father was pulling into the driveway of that beautiful lakehouse.
He forced his sleepy body to fully regain consciousness as he unbuckled his seatbelt. Yuji nervously bit his lip when he saw Satoru’s parents come out of the house. Any minute now Satoru would walk out and as much as Yuji mentally prepared himself for this moment he was not ready for it at all. After a few seconds of waiting and no sign of his friend Yuji frowned in confusion.
He should’ve been outside by now? He stepped outside of the car with his luggage and his backpack. Everything was fine; Satoru was probably showering or eating something. Yuji was just so used to seeing him when he first arrived that it completely threw him off. “Yuji, how are you, dear? My, you have grown so much!” Kiyomi greeted him and embraced him lovingly.
She was beautiful. She had a pale complexion, long white hair, and a slim frame. Kiyomi was 37, but she looked no older than 26. Satoru’s father, Akitoshi, was tall, around 6’5”. He was an extremely handsome man, and Yuji could see that Satoru inherited both of his parents' attractiveness. They were a perfect family, well-off and with respected careers.
“I’m doing good, thank you for having us!” Yuji replied. She must have noticed his confusion when he looked around for Satoru because she quickly said, “I’m sorry, honey, he’s not home. I told him to be here before you arrived, but he never listens. Ever since he turned 18, he believes he can do as he pleases.” Yuji’s mom laughed, “Oh please, Kiyomi, it’s okay. He’s growing up and meeting new people; let him be. They will have more than enough time to hang out together this summer, right, Yuji?”
Yuji could only nod in agreement despite feeling disappointed. Satoru would always be there to greet him first. But his mother was right; they had all summer to be together. Yuji took the guest room right next to Satoru’s bedroom. He sat on the bed and began to unpack all of his belongings. This particular bedroom was a guest room, but it had always belonged to Yuji. Kiyomi said it was his. She had prepared the room for him with comfy bedsheets, blankets, and decorations that he liked. She knew him so well, and it made Yuji feel cared for, like she was his second mother. Once he finished, Yuji decided to shower and change into nice clothing so he could have dinner with the whole family.
He blow-dried his hair, applied lotion all over his body, and sprayed his favorite cologne. He heard the front door to the house open and a familiar voice, “I’m home!” Yuji’s heart rate sped up. God, when did Satoru’s voice get deeper? Everybody was downstairs except Yuji, so he hurried to put on some strawberry lip balm and his shoes. Once he felt confident, the young boy headed downstairs, anxious to see his friend again.
Yuji’s parents and Kiyomi and Akitoshi were seated at the large dining room table. That’s when he saw Satoru standing in front of them with a girl beside him. They were standing very close to each other with their hands intertwined. Yuji’s heart sank, feeling a knot form in his throat. He didn’t dare to say a word or make his presence known.
Satoru was the first to speak. “Mom, Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Itadori, I have someone I would like you all to meet. This is Iori, my girlfriend.” There was a stunned silence throughout the entire room after what felt like a long time. Kiyomi finally broke the silence, “It’s very nice to meet you, Iori. Thank you for joining us today.” Yuji’s mom spoke next, “Hi dear, please have a seat; it’s nice to meet you.” Both fathers offered a welcoming smile, not too keen on exchanging words. All Yuji wanted to do was run away from the house. All the hopes he had of finally being able to get his first kiss with Satoru faded within an instant. He knew it was pure delusion, but he really thought some part of Satoru felt something for him.
The pink-haired boy walked upstairs and locked himself in his room. Yuji sent his mother a message saying he wasn’t feeling well and that he had decided to sleep it off. She asked him if he wanted her to bring some food up to him, but he declined. She texted him back, saying she hoped he felt better and to take some medicine. Yuji left it at that and clutched his pillow tightly. He couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes. He was such an idiot; there was obviously no way in hell Satoru would like him because he doesn't even like boys, and if he did, Yuji would never be his type.
Is this what heartbreak feels like? He sobbed even harder into his pillow; Yuji wasn’t dating Satoru, and he had no reason to feel this way. From the moment he fell for the older boy, he should’ve put an end to those silly feelings. Satoru said it himself; he had always considered him a best friend and nothing more.
Eventually Yuji had fallen asleep, puffy-eyed and with his nose red from crying for hours. He made a promise to himself that he would try his best to get over Satoru and throw away all those childish feelings. As if they were never there to begin with.
By the time Yuji woke up, it was already 5:50 pm in the evening. He slept for 6 whole hours. The pink-haired boy was shocked to see how long he slept for; his parents were surely worried about him. He looked over at his phone and found missed calls from both of them and several text messages. A sudden knock on the door startled him. “Honey, we’re all going out for dinner; would you care to join us?” Yuji recognized the voice; it was his mother. “Um, actually I’m okay, Mom. I wanted to go for a quick swim, and I’ll just eat the leftovers from breakfast. You guys go ahead and have fun, okay?”
She sounded worried when she replied, “Alright darling, just make sure to eat something; you haven't had anything all day. Continue taking medicine, please; I want you to get better. We’ll be back soon; call me if you need anything. I love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.” He didn’t have the energy to say anything else. Once he heard the front door shut, Yuji walked downstairs to get something to eat. There was leftover bacon, toast, and waffles. He served himself a plate, but he really had no appetite. Once he finished, Yuji cleaned up and decided to change into his swimming trunks. At least swimming would bring his mood up. The house was eerily quiet, sending a shiver down his spine. He enjoyed the silence, though; it felt refreshing to be alone without having to see anyone, especially Satoru. He washed his face with cold water to wake himself up more. Yuji walked out of the room ready to go for a swim, but that’s when he heard the front door open. Weird, his parents had just left with Satoru’s parents. There was no way they were back so soon. He was about to call out to them when he heard two hushed voices giggling. “Satoru, are you sure this is a good idea? What if somebody’s home?” It was Iori. “It’s okay, don’t worry, nobody's home, I promise; my parents said everyone was going out for dinner. It’s just us. Look, I'll prove it to you. Is anyone here?” Satoru yelled out, and only an echo could be heard. Yuji stayed quiet. He did not want them to know he was here. That would be completely awkward.
“You see, I told you. Come on, let’s go upstairs.” He said. Yuji stayed silent and carefully tiptoed to his room, shutting the door as quietly as he could. He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and laughter echoing from the walls. The door to Satoru's room was shut abruptly by the couple. Yuji leaned against the wall to hear them because his room was right next to them.
Yuji gasped when he heard muffled moans and wet kissing. “Satoru, please keep going.” Iori said. “How do you want it, pretty girl?” “I want to see your face,” she replied. Yuji’s heart clenched, and he froze. He desperately wanted to move away from the wall, but he couldn’t; it was like he was stuck. Was this his punishment for liking Satoru? What had Yuji done so wrong to witness them making love to each other? The sound of moans and skin smacking against skin filled Yuji’s ears. A sudden wave of nausea overcame him, and he ran to the bathroom. He threw up the little food he had eaten into the toilet as he clutched his stomach.
The pink-haired boy ran out of his room, not caring if they heard him or not, and headed straight for the lake. Once he was outside, Yuji’s heart rate slowed down, the pounding in his ears began to fade, and he no longer felt nauseous. When he stepped inside, the water was warm and comforting, like a soft blanket enveloping him.
Yuji’s problems always seemed to fade when he swam underwater. The complete silence that surrounded him while being fully submerged allowed him to relax. He felt free, as if nothing could hold him back from doing what he wanted. He listened to the sounds of the birds chirping, the wind whistling, and his own breathing, and he knew that everything was going to be okay. Life kept on moving, and so would he.
Two hours later, Yuji finally left the water. He wrapped himself in a towel and dried himself the best that he could. When he walked inside, he found the house empty; they were no longer here. Satoru and Iori had left, making him sigh in relief; he did not want to face them. He took a nice long, hot shower, allowing his muscles to relax under the heat.
Yuji changed into a T-shirt and some shorts, ready for bed. Before he went to sleep, though, his stomach growled, begging for some food. He went downstairs and prepared himself a fruit salad bowl consisting of strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, and some apples. He sat on the couch, and right when he was about to dig in, he heard the front door opening. Fuck, he did not feel like talking to anyone.
Kiyomi, Akitoshi, Satoru, and Yuji’s parents walked in laughing. They all looked surprised to see him up still. “Yuji, dear, how do you feel? Your mother told us you weren’t feeling too well.” Kiyomi asked. “I feel better; thank you for asking.” He smiled weakly. Yuji didn’t dare to look up and make eye contact with Satoru.
“I’m feeling kind of sleepy; I’m going to head to bed. Have a good night, everyone.” Yuji quickly left the living room without waiting for anyone to reply and practically ran upstairs. He plopped himself on the bed and turned on the TV. He was eating his fruit peacefully when a knock came from the door.
“Can I come in?” Yuji’s eyes widened, and he felt his throat constrict. He knew that voice so well. How he managed to reply was beyond him. “Um, sure.” Satoru walked in, and all of Yuji’s feelings suddenly came rushing back, hitting him like a brick wall. The man he had been avoiding all day was standing right in front of him, as beautiful as ever. Yuji knew in that moment that he was completely and utterly fucked. Satoru would forever have a hold on him, and it scared him to death.