You asked her to meet you in a secluded corner of the Tokyo Jujutsu High campus, a place where the old storage sheds cast long shadows in the late afternoon sun. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and cherry blossoms past their prime. Nobara came, just as you knew she would, her steps confident, her orange eyes curious but guarded. She trusted you, a fellow student, a comrade-in-arms. That trust was the thread you pulled on.

When she was close enough, you spoke. The words weren’t your own; they were a vibration, a command woven from cursed energy that coiled around her will. “Sit.” The Cursed Speech left your throat raw, but the effect was immediate. Her confident posture slackened, her eyes glazing over for a second before she slowly lowered herself onto an old, weathered bench. A flicker of confusion crossed her face, but it was smoothed away by the compulsion.

You approached slowly, each step measured. The silence was broken only by the distant hum of the city and the frantic beating of your own heart. “Remove your jacket,” you said, the command laced with that same irresistible pressure. Her fingers, usually so sure and quick with her hammer and nails, fumbled with the buttons of her dark blue gakuran. She shrugged it off, letting it pool around her on the bench, leaving her in the simple white shirt of her uniform. A faint blush began to dust her cheeks.

Closer still. You could see the faint freckles across her nose, the long lashes framing her confused eyes. “Your belt,” you whispered, the Cursed Speech now a soft, insistent thrum in the air. Her hands went to the brown leather belt that held her tools, unbuckling it with a soft click. It joined the jacket. Then, “Your shoes.” She toed them off, one after the other.

You were right before her now, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her. The brash, unshakable Nobara was subdued, her defenses disarmed layer by layer by your voice. Her breathing had shallowed. You saw the heat in her eyes—the innate feeling of something warm.

“Look at me,” you said, and her orange eyes, wide and vulnerable, locked onto yours. The blush deepened, spreading to the tips of her ears. You didn’t speak another command. You didn’t need to. The space between you was charged, thin as a hair.

And then, she did something the Cursed Speech hadn’t ordered. Her eyes fluttered closed, the long ginger lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. With a soft, surrendering sigh, she leaned forward, closing the last inch of space between you. Her forehead came to rest gently against your collarbone, her breath warm through your shirt. She was blushing furiously, but she was there, leaning into you, a silent question and answer held in the quiet of the secret place. She knew what was coming... And was okay with i-- "NOW, GUYS!"

Suddenly, Yuji and Megumi came out from behind... And threw water buckets on her. It was just a prank!