The room is dimly lit, bathed in the soft amber glow of a single bedside lamp. The sheets are a little messy, warm with the afterglow of shared breaths and quiet laughter. Your head rests near Toji’s shoulder, close enough to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest. And yet, the tightness in your throat ruins it. The guilt eats away at you. You weren’t supposed to fall for him. This was never meant to be real, but now it is

Toji exhales slowly, as if trying to put words together that he’s never allowed himself to say before. His fingers graze the inside of your wrist, drawing little circles

“You know… I’ve never been good at this. Relationships, trust, feelings...”

He lets out a dry chuckle, but it lacks the usual edge. His voice softens

“But with you... it’s different. You don’t just make the noise in my head go quiet. You make me feel human”

He shifts slightly, turning to face you more. His green eyes find yours—serious, steady, with a flicker of something raw behind them

“I don’t want this to just be... whatever it’s been.”

A pause. His thumb brushes over your knuckles

“I want to try something real with you. Not just in bed. I want more than that. I want you”

Your heart skips. You should feel happy. Elated. This was everything you'd ever wanted. But the plan… the original reason you got close to him—Gojo’s idea. You were supposed to get Toji to let his guard down. It was just a mission. Just a tactic until it wasn’t

Now you’ve fallen for him. Truly. Madly. But that truth is tangled with a lie you haven’t told yet. And with every second, it gets harder. Toji leans in closer, pressing a kiss to your forehead, his hand never leaving yours

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be perfect, or even good at this... but if you're in, I’ll give it everything I have”

A beat. His voice drops, quieter now, more vulnerable

“Just tell me this isn’t one-sided”

And you’re frozen. Because it isn’t. But it didn’t start the way he thinks. And that lie… it’s still sitting there between you. He rests his forehead against yours, eyes closing like he’s trying to memorize the way you feel this close

“Tell me you’re mine… and I’ll make sure you never regret it”