Pickles ||Inumaki x Reader||

Six || Eye Bags

-Art by its_taiyaki on Instagram-

[I'm not gonna write about the night of the 100 demons arc (the climax of JJK 0, with Geto trying to kill Yuta and all that) simply because I don't see a point in it since it's mainly about Yuta and just rewriting it from the reader's perspective doesn't seem all that interesting but it does happen in this fanfiction and it does take place between the last chapter and this one, I'm just not going to write about it word for word because I'm lazy af <3]

With a sharp inhale of breath, I knocked on the door. It was slightly ajar, allowing me to peek through the gap to see a tall boy inside. He caught my eye and gestured me in with a smile. "How are you doing?" I asked cautiously as I entered.

"I should be asking you," Yuta sighed. "Your injuries were still pretty bad a couple of days ago." He plopped down on his single bed and patted the space next to him for me to join.

"They were bad. I'm all better now thanks to you and your magic healing abilities, in case you've forgotten." I said sarcastically. It was during the battle almost a week ago that I witnessed what exactly made Yuta a special grade. Shivers ran down my spine at the memory as I promised myself never to prank him again with soy sauce in his drinks or by replacing his pills with foam animals. "The others and I just got back from the sushi place. You never came so I thought I'd check in; you've been in your room all day."

The boy with the eyebags just sighed, insisting he was fine. "I'm not too keen on sushi for breakfast, is all."

Ever the observer, I watched the boy's pale face. He seemed drained as he stared at his clean sneakers with a sad smile. But rather than let him feel the distress on his own, I prompted him to talk about it. 

I asked about how it felt not to be bound by Rika anymore, what he thought about belonging to a strong bloodline and little things like that. His replies were long and honest, never once hesitating to trust me with his feelings.

At one point, I rested my head against his frail shoulder as he explained how guilty he felt for getting everyone involved in his fight. He brought his hand up- the one that bore his silver promise ring- and gently caressed my head like an older brother. His touch felt warm, despite how cold his hands were, and I asked myself how unfair it was for someone as kind as Yuta to have so much on his shoulders. When I voiced that to him, he only chuckled humbly. "You don't have to pity me, (Y/N). I think everything that's happened up until now has been worth it in the end. Because I got to meet you and everyone else." He hummed as his hand rested on the top of my head.

Soundlessly, I removed myself from his grasp to face him. "There's a reason why you haven't been hanging out with us lately, am I right?" I asked seriously. I was referring to the way he had been distancing himself from Maki, Panda, Toge and I ever since his fight with Geto ended.

Instead of responding, the boy simply looked down at his lap with dolorous eyes. "It's because you're leaving, isn't it?" I asked again, this time quieter. My frown deepened when he nodded.

I had guessed it from the start. The day after the battle, Gojo took Yuta to the elders for an important meeting and when he returned later that evening, there was evident sadness in his face. 

He tried to conceal it when he was around us but I could see right through the facade. Ever since he joined our group all those months ago I found myself oddly fond of the boy that I learned to read his every expression. I was always good at reading people. That's how I understood Toge so well.

And that was when his face flashed through my mind. "What about Toge? Maki? And Panda? They're gonna be upset with you when they find out you've been keeping this from them, you know." I mumbled to him.

"I know." He said solemnly. "That's why I decided to wait until the very end to tell them, so that they won't have too much time to be sad." 

Even until the end he was being considerate of others. I couldn't help myself when I wrapped my arms around him to engulf him in a tight hug. "You better call me everyday while you're gone! And on the days when you're too busy to, you have to leave me voice messages a minimum of ten minutes long!" I buried my face into his chest in a way to hide my sadness.

He only laughed as he brought his arms around my back to return the hug. "I promise, but on only one condition." He held my shoulders to lightly push me away so that I could view the lofty smirk on his lips. "Be good to Inumaki."

"Huh? But I'm already good to him,"

"I know, so just keep staying with him. You two fit well together and I can tell you even him out."

"What are you even talking about?" I laughed nervously at the serious glint in his eyes.

The boy only slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Do you remember that time- around a month ago- when you told me about that fiery feeling you got when Inumaki let you look at his face? You still feel it, don't you?" Yuta asked gently.

My breath hitched with the sudden confrontation and I had to turn my face away. "If you're implying there's something between us, you're wrong, y'know." I mumbled with a huff.

"It isn't just the feeling you told me about that makes me say this, it's the way you treat him. You definitely see him in a different light to how you see the rest of us." He laughed.

I recoiled, bringing my knees to my chest and rocking backwards on his bed, listening to the springs of his mattress creaking with my movement. "Of course I do- he's Toge, after all." Even I didn't quite understand what I meant by that.

Yuta just patted my shoulder hopelessly. "You should see the way Inumaki looks at you when you're turned away." He mumbled so quietly that his words almost went unheard. 

"This is a lot of words coming from a guy who kissed a curse! Womanizer!" I shouted suddenly, deciding I wanted to hear no more of his blasphemy.

"Hey! Rika has nothing to do with this, idiot!" He spat back.

"Who are you calling an idiot, you maidenless bastard?" I threw a light punch at the boy but not before he blocked it, causing me to lose my balance. But I grabbed the hem of his shirt before falling entirely off the bed and dragged him down with me. We wrestled each other on the ground, thrashing and grunting as we knocked into all his furniture.

What started off as a serious fight ended up with the both of us giggling like children on the floor, a lot similar to many of the interactions we had together over the past months. I knew I'd miss Yuta a lot during the time he would be on his trip. The boy with the eye bags had become a dear friend to me, after all.

-

Sorry for dedicating a whole chapter solely to Yuta (I'm not sorry)