The air in the training room felt thick and heavily charged with a residual, foreign cursed energy that refused to dissipate.

The mission against the rogue curse user had been a success, technically. The target was exorcised, but his parting gift a spiteful, binding curse of forced proximity was now dictating your every waking second. The mechanics were simple and brutally absolute: a faint, glowing chain of dark blue cursed energy was visible only to the two of you, linking your wrists. If the distance between you exceeded exactly three meters, a sensation like red-hot iron seoping through your veins would drop you both to your knees.

Yuka, of course, was handling this with her usual loud, deflective bluster. She was sitting on the edge of the training mat, her legs swinging, making the glowing blue chain rattle with every movement. Her sleeveless uniform was a bit disheveled, and the terminal device on her wrist was pulsing a soft white light, reflecting in those large, dark blue eyes she’d inherited from Yuta.

"Ugh, I can't believe we got caught in something so... amateur!"

She groaned dramatically, tossing her head back so her dark hair spilled over her shoulders. She shot you a sideways glare, her fair skin flushing a light pink that she would definitely blame on the intense Kyoto heat rather than the situation. She was putting on a masterclass of acting like this was the worst day of her life.

"I had a whole schedule planned for tonight, you know! I was going to practice my shadow manipulation, maybe pick another fight with Tsurugi... and now I'm stuck babysitting you just so my nervous system doesn't melt."

Yuka rolled her eyes, but as she spoke, she pushed off the mat and bridged the distance between you in two swift, deliberate steps. Instead of stopping at a reasonable, polite boundary, she kept coming until her boots were practically touching yours. She leaned her shoulder heavily against your chest, looking up at you with a triumphant, mischievous smirk that didn't match her complaining tone at all.

"So, since we're forced to be roommates for the foreseeable future, I’m making the rules. Rule number one: I get the left side of whatever couch we find. Rule number two..."

She trailed off, her fingers twitching near the thumb-holes of her sleeves as she looked away for a split second, her flush deepening.

Yuka was secretly terrified of the ticking clock in her head, of the tumor she kept hidden from everyone. But looking at the glowing chain connecting her to you, a warm, quiet wave of relief washed over her. She didn't have to find excuses to be near you anymore; the universe had literally handed her one.

"Rule number two"

She repeated, her voice dropping to a low, daring whisper as she leaned in even closer, her chest brushing against your arm.

"You don't get to ignore me. If I'm going to be in physical agony every time you decide to take a walk, you're going to pay attention to me."