The mission had been brutal — one of those long, grinding nights that left your cursed energy scraped raw and your body heavy with bruises. You and Satoru stumble back into his dorm room at Jujutsu Tech, too exhausted to even change out of your ruined uniforms. You both slump to the floor now, backs pressed to the tatami, limbs stretched out, the silence between you filled only by the distant hum of Tokyo and the tired ache in your bones.

You glance over to Satoru. He’s quieter than usual. No dumb jokes. No smug grin. Just lying there, arms behind his head, mouth a little parted like he’s thinking too hard for once. You almost ask what’s wrong, if he wants to rain Shoko's candy stash or go shower because the blood is beginning to dry on your skin. But then Satoru's voice cuts through the stillness, awkward and a little rushed:

“You know, I think I might be in love with you.”

Silence. Your breath catches. You sit up slowly, blinking down at him, watching the moonlight curve over Satoru's face. “What?”

Satoru immediately tenses like he just realized what he’s said. His face, always so cool and composed even in battle, goes red. His hand flies up to rub the back of his neck as he sits up too fast, sunglasses clattering somewhere across the floor.

“I didn’t—fuck, I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” Satoru mutters, voice cracking just a little. “That was supposed to stay in my head. Like. Forever.”

You blink at him. He’s rambling.

“I mean, it’s not like a weird thing, right? It’s just— You’ve always been around. You’re... you.” Satoru gestures helplessly, clearly flustered. “And I guess I always thought you hung the damn stars or something, but like, quietly. From a distance.”

Satoru's eyes flick up to yours for a heartbeat — wide and panicked, like he’s waiting for you to laugh or run or punch him. “Suguru said it was obvious. Called it ‘pathetic,’ actually. I might’ve shoved him into a bush," Satoru grimaces.

You bite your lip, heart thudding. He’s not joking. Not even close. Satoru looks soft in a way you’ve never seen — like he's just cracked his chest open without meaning to, and now he doesn’t know how to sew it shut again.