Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nobara had no memory of how she arrived above ground, on the streets of Shibuya. Blood covered most of her face, even dropping down her eyelids and she had the stark clarity that yes it  was  her blood. 

But she was fine. It wasn’t any exaggeration, or brush-off reply that she would give Itadori or Fushiguro, it was a fact. 

Other than the aching weariness deep in her bones, the fuzziness in her memory, and how she staggered with every step, she was uninjured. 

To double-check, she even dragged her fingers across her face, tracing the side of her mouth to her eye. They were perfectly intact. There was no wound whatsoever. But blood coated her fingertips. 

Then for a split second, she felt the air grow thick, her breath hitched, and she tensed, preparing for battle. 

Her sensei appeared, briefly floating above the ground before landing not too far in front of her, approaching her with a sense of urgency. The most powerful Jujutsu sorcerer – his trademark blindfold gone – gazed at her, his eyes on full display. The concern in them made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. 

“What’s wrong?” Nobara, bloodied yet unharmed, spoke in a hurry, a million thoughts crossing her mind. The most important one was that she had not seen her boys. 

“Nobara,” his gentle voice did little to ease her worry, it was unlike him “It’s over.”

Excuse her muddled mind, but she had no idea  what the fuck  her sensei was talking about. She looked up, meeting his strong gaze. “What- I don’t remember  anything . Where’s Itadori? Where’s Fushiguro?”

She blinked as another drop of red fell from her eyelashes. Her rambling was cut short as Gojo pulled her into an unexpected embrace. His usual arrogant and playful tone was now replaced with a reassuring one. Her blood soaked the front of his torn uniform. 

Huh, she didn’t realize the damage to her sensei before. As if reading her mind, his voice was heard from above her. 

“It’s not important. It’s okay. Everything’s okay now.” Her stubborn spirit flickered in the form of annoyance with the lack of information her sensei –  and her mind  – was supplying her. 

Speaking of her head, it was throbbing now. Maybe she was not entirely unharmed. As she was about to voice her previous irritation, she was stopped with a palm cupping the back of her head. 

“Rest, kid. No. No arguing. You’re barely able to stand on your own.”

With a start, she realized he was right. Once he had hugged her, she was leaning her entire weight on him. She wanted to argue more and ask for more answers, but the drying blood sticking to her face and her slightly shaking limbs told her better. 

“The boys are okay?”

“Yes. I promise.”

Hearing that answer, she relented and let her whole body go limp. 

With ease, her sensei lifted her, practically cradling her. Her head found a comfortable spot against his shoulder, and even though the action made her feel like a child, she did not attempt to move. 

They could easily leave the place, but they didn’t, and she felt more than saw that even though Gojo was currently carrying her, his senses remained sharp and vigilant. 

With the protective barrier surrounding her and the added assurance from her sensei, Nobara drifted to sleep. 

Chapter Text

As a sorcerer, Nobara Kugisaki had a better immune system than most normal humans. However, the fickle weather had been playing tricks, and she could feel the onset of a headache. Her head pounded, her throat felt sore, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she succumbed to illness.

At first, she tried to go about her day as normally as possible, even mustering small smiles that kind of freaked Megumi out a bit, but of course, Yuuji replied with a smile of his own.

Reaching the classroom, she slumped into her seat, hoping that today would be a classroom session and not a chasing-a-cursed-spirit kind of day. She had just managed to lay her head on the smooth table surface when the door opened, and in walked their teacher. Gojo Sensei had his usual demeanor in place, but when he spotted her, there was a flicker of concern. She couldn’t see his eyes through the blindfold, but she noticed the way he paused and froze for a few seconds before continuing on without making it obvious.

“Okay you three, I actually have a cursed spirit waiting to be handled, but it seems like today will have to be a classroom session,” he declared cheerfully.

Yuji groaned, but Megumi nodded, already figuring things out as he always did. “Oh, but Sensei, why?” Yuji whined childishly. Nobara would have thrown a snarky comment his way if her head wasn’t still pounding.

The plan of keeping her sickness under the radar flew out the window. She let her head thump back to the table and filtered out whatever explanation Sensei was giving Yuji.

She felt Megumi’s eyes on her and tried her best to ignore it.

“I’m fine, leave me alone,” she muttered.

A “hmph” was all she got in response.

Slumping further into her table, she dreaded going through the day.

“Nobara,” her Sensei called. His voice was still cheerful, but there was a note of concern she couldn’t ignore. “Go back to the dorm.”

She lifted her upper body from the table, her gaze meeting her teacher’s. She knew there was nothing she could say to protest, so she nodded sharply and pushed off the table to stand.

As she got to her feet, her vision swayed dangerously, and she gripped the edge of the table to steady herself.

“Nobara?” Gojo’s voice was both a question and a warning. She lifted her head sluggishly and was surprised to find that her Sensei had walked closer and was now only a few steps away. Both of her teammates were also up and standing, ready to catch her if she fell.

She held up a palm. “Give me one second.”

“Megumi, why don’t you get Nobara to the dormitory?” Gojo said, not unkindly.

Another protest stuck in her throat, but she swallowed it back down and gingerly accepted Megumi’s arm looping behind her back, holding her up.

She spared one last look at Yuji and felt a bit guilty as she took in the worry on his face. He looked like a kicked puppy. She offered him a smile as genuine as she could manage.

Hesitantly, she looked to her Sensei. There was no overly cheerful act coming from him, but there was no irritation either. He simply waited as Megumi gently ushered her out of the classroom and even waved her goodbye.

Once they were in the hallway, Nobara let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. “Ugh, this sucks.”

“You’re telling me?”

She looked up at the boy by her side. “I can get to the dormitory just fine, Fushiguro.”

“Gojo doesn’t seem to think so.”

“Well, he doesn’t know what I’m feeling since he’s not the one sick, is he?” she snapped.

He sighed. “Best to just go along with it. If you go back in the classroom, he’ll just send you back or worse, he’ll drag you back himself. The old man might not look caring, but he is a total mama bear when one of his students is sick. Trust me, I’ve experienced it firsthand.”

That bubbled a laugh out of her. “You? Oh, I’d love to see that.”

“Not telling.” His tone left no room for argument. They continued in silence.

“How did you even get this sick anyway?” he suddenly asked.

“I might have skipped a few meals,” she admitted reluctantly.

Their walk stopped abruptly before continuing. She could feel his side glare as if saying, "Really, Nobara?"

“Don’t look at me like that, it wasn’t intentional. I just lost track of time.”

He was still glaring.

“Honest. Truly,” she said, exasperated.

His eyes kept analyzing her expression until finally, he huffed. “Okay.”

They continued in another bout of silence. They walked at a very slow pace since every movement seemed to make her head spin. A few more steps forward, and Megumi stopped.

“What?” she asked.

He seemed to be thinking something over in his head before coming to a decision. His hand, which was previously on her lower back, moved to her shoulders.

“Excuse me for this, but this is just much faster.” With one swift movement, he lifted her into a bridal-style carry.

Nobara yelled, her head spinning and throbbing even more, and she grabbed onto the first thing she could, looping her arms over his shoulders.

Her head was still spinning, and she groaned. “Thanks a lot, Fushiguro.”

“Sorry.” He really did sound guilty, so she let it pass.

“Yeah, yeah, just get us there already.”

He started moving faster but not fast enough to be called running. She was too exhausted to think about anything further, so she laid her head against his chest and let her eyes shut.

Only what seemed like a few moments later, she was shaken awake and found herself lying on her bed with her shoes taken off and her blanket wrapped around her. Blearily, she could see Fushiguro's vague outline before her vision focused and she could see clearly.

He was holding a glass of water, his expression expectant. “You should drink before you sleep in case you get dehydrated or something. Also, here’s some medicine. Try to get the best rest you can since I’m pretty sure Yuuji will be coming soon, and sensei won’t be far behind. You’ll need energy to handle all of that fussing.”

“Thanks.” She accepted both the cup and the medicine. He nodded and made a move to walk out of her room. Before he could step out the door, she called out to him.

“Thank you.” She didn’t really know why she had to repeat herself, but it felt right.

He shrugged his shoulders. “You’d do the same.”

With that, he left, and Nobara finally allowed herself to drift into a deep, much-needed sleep.

Chapter Text

It had been a while since Nobara graduated from Jujutsu High. She had grown into a formidable sorcerer, well-known for her strength and unyielding determination. Her life had found a rhythm of stability amidst the chaos of her profession. Yet, the reality of her work often veered into the unbearable. Cursed creatures were cursed for a reason, after all, and some victims—no matter how hard she tried—could not be saved.  

One night, she stumbled across her apartment floor, her body still smeared with blood—some hers, most not. Her mind reeled from the weight of another failure, another soul lost. She found herself clutching her phone, hesitating before scrolling to a familiar name in her contacts. Her thumb hovered over the call button, self-doubt creeping in.  

She was a seasoned sorcerer now, a professional. Surely, she should be able to handle something as small as this. But this wasn’t small. It never had been. With trembling hands, she hit the call button.  

The phone barely rang once before his voice answered on the other end. “Nobara?”  

“Sensei?” Her voice cracked.  

He hummed softly in acknowledgment, his tone lacking the ego-laden flamboyance she remembered from her school days. He’d mellowed over the years, his patience growing with the wisdom age and loss had brought him. That quiet acknowledgment unraveled her, and she sobbed, the words tumbling out in broken pieces.  

She told him everything—blurred details of the mission, the horror she’d seen, the victim she couldn’t save, and the guilt clawing at her chest. Through it all, he listened, his silence steady and grounding.  

“I’ll come to you,” he said after she paused to breathe. His voice held a rare tenderness. “I can bring the boys, too. Yuuji and Megumi would want to be there.”  

The offer tempted her. She wanted to see them, to feel the warmth of familiarity, the comfort of her old teammates and sensei. She needed it. But more than that, she needed to be able to stand on her own. To handle these moments without crumbling.  

“No,” she managed, her voice shaky but firm.  

“Nobara,” he said gently, a knowing edge in his tone, “you don’t have to do this alone. None of us do.”  

Her breath hitched.  

“I’ve been where you are,” he continued, his voice soft yet unwavering. “As I'm sure you remember—you, Megumi, Yuuji—you never let me. You were always there. Let me return the favor, yeah?”  

Silence fell between them, heavy yet oddly comforting.  

Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, “Okay.”  

The word hung in the air, carrying with it a fragile hope.  

“Good,” he replied, his relief palpable even through the phone. “I’ll be there soon.”  

And for the first time that night, Nobara let herself breathe. 

Chapter Text

Nobara knew her sensei was probably worrying by now, despite his usual nonchalance when it came to danger—at least when it was about himself. But when it came to his students? That was a different story. She glanced up and realized she had fallen quite a great distance. She was surprised she didn’t have any broken bones, to be honest.

Gojo stood at a distance, his Infinity humming quietly. He was keeping an eye on all of his students, especially his female one, who had just fallen from how many feet high? She had almost given him a damn heart attack. Nobara didn’t know how much longer she could keep acting tough for him, but she wasn’t about to show any weakness. She wasn’t in pain, right? She looked up at him. If anything, she felt more annoyed than anything else. 

A smirk tugged at her lips. Gojo was still standing there, as cool and aloof as ever, hands in his pockets. It gave her a strange sense of pride to see him watching her from one of the tall buildings. He had trusted her to finish the job, to face the cursed spirit alone. She had done well so far, hadn’t she?

Her focus returned to the cursed spirit in front of her. The fight had dragged on for some time, and she knew her sensei was still somehow keeping an eye on her, even while watching over the boys. She just hoped he hadn’t noticed the blood stains on her uniform—cuts, bruises, and scrapes that were starting to build up. Her plan of finishing the fight without a scratch was failing spectacularly.

She could feel his gaze on her, but for now, he stayed out of it. He was watching, but he trusted her to handle it. But Gojo’s attention never strayed for long, especially when it came to his students. He was always aware of when they were in danger or hurt. She could sense his watchful presence even now, though he said nothing.

Then, everything shifted. The cursed blob she was fighting started to grow bigger, swelling with cursed energy and glowing ominously. She took a step back, but the situation was moving faster than she could process. Her head whipped toward Gojo, her mouth opening to call out his name, but before she could get a sound out, a loud boom rang through the air.

Her sensei’s attention snapped to her immediately. The moment he saw the curse glowing with intensity, he moved. Faster than she could blink, he was there, already shielding her with his barrier before the blast reached her. She didn’t even have time to react before she felt him, his presence a calming force in the chaos.

He was there—right there—his body shielding hers from the worst of the blast. The energy slammed into his Infinity, and she could feel the impact reverberate through his barrier. Pain shot through her body from the shockwave, but it was nothing compared to the blast itself. He called her name, his tone sharp with concern, but he kept his usual calm, as if he was trying not to let his worry show.

"Are you okay?" His voice held that familiar edge. 

Before she could answer, he quipped, "Pushing yourself too far?"

Nobara huffed, her frustration bubbling over. "What? Pushing myself too far? Come on, Sensei, I couldn’t predict that it was going to blow up in my face!" She denied it, but the tone of whining crept into her voice despite her best efforts. She had done well, hadn’t she?

His voice was full of that damnable smugness when he replied, "Of course you did. You were great, until the whole blowing-up-in-your-face thing."

She rolled her eyes, ignoring the ache in her body. Gojo glanced at the mess around them, his mind already working on the next move. He flickered them both away in an instant, and the wind hit her face as she realized where they were going.

Before she could even ask, Gojo was already gone—probably off to check on Megumi and Yuuji. Nobara gaped as she took in her surroundings. She stood on top of the freaking high building she had fallen off of earlier. Great. Just great. 

"Thanks, Sensei," she muttered under her breath.

Chapter Text

He might always say that his favorite among his three students was Megumi—and in a way, it was true. To be fair, he did raise that boy. However, teachers weren’t supposed to have favorites, and even if they did, he was pretty sure those favorites would be the ones who were the easiest to take care of.  

In his case, that would be Nobara.  

She had spunk, disagreed with him constantly, and was never afraid to voice her opinions. But compared to the two boys, she was very much the golden child, regardless of what other sorcerers thought. Never mind their views—he knew the truth. She was the golden child out of the three.  

The more he got to know her, the more he realized she was actually softer than he had first predicted. This became especially evident that night when she stayed up, waiting for the boys to come home from one of their outings—probably drinking.  

Somehow, the two had poisoned each other just enough to have what they’d probably call more fun, but not enough for him to have to step in. When they finally stumbled into the dorms, they were too out of it to even notice that Nobara had been waiting for them.  

She didn’t scold them. Didn’t roll her eyes and head off to bed. Instead, she helped them to their rooms, made sure they were settled, then quietly returned to her own.  

As their teacher—and in many ways, their caretaker—he could have cried then and there. He really wanted to give her a hug, but Nobara, of course, would have hated that. So, instead, he kept her secret.  

The next morning, he left a bag of chocolates for her. She had been confused, naturally, asking what it was for. He had only grinned and told her it was to thank her for something. Their little secret.  

He also knew that she had nightmares. About what, he never asked.  

One of these days, maybe she’d tell him.  

But lately, he had learned to recognize the signs. Right after waking up from one, she would quietly step out of her room and find him. Not to talk. Not to ask for comfort. She would find some other excuse—something trivial—then sit next to him in silence. After a few hours, she would return to bed.  

If the nightmare had been worse than usual, she wouldn’t leave at all.  

The first time it happened, the physical contact had been awkward for both of them. Nobara wasn’t the type to lean on others—literally or figuratively—and Gojo wasn’t exactly the most physically affectionate person when it came to his students. But over time, they got used to it. It became routine.

Usually, it would go like this: Gojo would have a book out. In the beginning, when it was still a new occurrence for Nobara to seek him out like this, he would simply continue reading whatever he had already been reading. But as the pattern continued, as it became clear that this was something she would keep coming back to, he started choosing books he thought she would like as well. And at some point, he began reading them aloud.

Nobara never commented on it, never acknowledged it directly, and she gave no indication that it bothered her—so he kept doing it. Over time, he figured out which books she liked best through the smallest of signs. Maybe she would stay awake a little longer by his side. Maybe she’d sneak a glance at the pages when she thought he was reading too slowly. Or maybe, if he assumed she had dozed off and started reading silently in his mind, she’d nudge him impatiently, wordlessly telling him to keep going.

Sometimes, though, when he was especially tired, he would close his book—after making sure she was asleep, of course—set it aside, and let his own eyes drift shut. Just for a few minutes. And as he leaned a little closer to his student, he figured that if she ever noticed, she never seemed to mind.

He had to admit, he never thought he’d bond with his only female student quite like this.  

But they were getting there.  

Really, if this were a normal world, a normal school, she would be his golden child. His favorite.

Chapter Text

Nobara isn’t unfamiliar to silence. Living the quiet life with her grandma have taught her that silence doesn’t necessarily mean something bad. Sometimes, it just means she needs to sit with it, to enjoy it. She had learned to embrace that kind of peace.

But when she went to Jujutsu High, everything changed. She got used to the busyness, the loudness, the constant chatter of people who always had something to say. It was overwhelming at first, uncomfortable in a way she hadn’t expected, but over time, she adapted. The city, always alive, became another kind of rhythm for her—a different experience, but not one she despised. In fact, she had grown to like it.

That was why, when she found herself alone in her dorm, without her boys voices or her teacher’s filling the space, the silence felt unnatural. It wasn’t the same quiet she had known at home. It was heavy, pressing in on her, making her feel small. Unnerved, she pushed herself up and left, stepping into the halls with only one goal in mind. She needed noise.

She went looking for her boys first, but at this point, any of her classmates would do. She didn’t care what they were talking about, didn’t even need to join the conversation—just hearing them would be enough. Their voices, their presence, even their nonsense, would be soothing.

There were few who would dare approach him— Gojo Satoru, the strongest. His name alone carried a weight that made people hesitate, a presence that kept even the boldest at bay. But with his students? He was tugged here and there, pulled into their chaotic rhythm without a second thought. A stray, playful punch would sometimes slip past his Infinity, not because he couldn’t block it, but because he chose not to. The sudden hugs, the casual cuddles—they never realized what a privilege it was to be able to do such things so freely.

As Gojo Satoru , he had to remain beyond others. Untouchable. Unmatched. That was the burden of his strength, the expectation placed upon him from the moment he was born. But as Gojo-sensei , his first and foremost priority was always his students. They could do whatever they wanted—shove him, tease him, cling to him—and he wouldn’t mind one bit.

No one would dare push the Gojo Satoru. But Nobara, Yuuji, and Megumi? They would shove him. For fun, out of exasperation, sometimes just because they could. And with them, he wasn’t the strongest . He was simply him.

Gojo-sensei was using that tone, the one that meant he was really just speaking nonsense. It was annoying. But it also bothered Nobara because she knew him—had been around him long enough to recognize that particular way he spoke. It was a distraction, an intentional misdirection. He wasn’t just rambling for the sake of it. She was getting to know him more. Which, in a way, was kind of wholesome.

She would rather be by his side, listening to him talk about everything and nothing, than be by herself. Which she hated. She wasn’t the type to sit still and do nothing, but being in his company was different.

"I'm just saying," Sensei drawled, stretching his arms behind his head, "if I had a yen for every time one of you kids got yourselves into trouble, I'd be rich."

"You are rich," Nobara pointed out flatly.

He grinned. "Exactly! And now you see my problem."

She rolled her eyes, but the easy banter made her feel lighter.

Nobara had been told more than once that she was way too mature for her age. That she had built walls around herself, never indulging in the same things girls her age did. She wasn’t the type to get moody or clingy or especially childish in her actions. But all of that faded when she was with him. She could pout and be as spoiled as she wanted. She could push his buttons, just to see how far she could go before he finally got tired of her.

Except—he never did.

Always so patient. Always gentle in his eyes and actions.

"You're staring," Sensei teased, nudging her lightly with his elbow.

"You're annoying," she shot back, though there was no real bite behind it.

In return, Nobara never denied the way he cared. When he reached for her hand, she hesitated for only a second before letting him. When he gathered her up into his side, she reveled in the warmth. When he gave her a pat on the head, she hid the small smile that bloomed on her lips.

She wasn’t used to softness, but with sensei, it came easily.