Work Text:
“Did it hurt when you got your ears pierced?” Satoru asks from the foot of Suguru’s bed. He’d been permitted to stay on the condition that he was quiet , allowing Suguru to finish his work. Satoru had gotten through an entire movie, curled in front of his laptop screen, surely that was enough study time?
“Hmm?” Purple eyes drifted upward from the notebook nestled in crossed legs. Suguru had been sent on numerous missions this week, more than Satoru, even, so he’d had catching up to do.
One of the only times Satoru had ever had his work done before Suguru, truthfully. “Your ears. Did it hurt a lot when you got them pierced?”
Suguru’s head tilts curiously. “Which ones? Some of they were pretty bad, but mostly because you can feel the cartilage crunching.
“Ew”. Satoru’s face scrunches involuntarily. He sits up straight as he takes stock of Suguru’s ears, on perfect display with his dark hair tied loosely on top of his head. There were quite a few, but Satoru has always thought they balanced each other out nicely. Some on the tops, one each behind the plugs on the bottoms, a couple scattered on the inside of the shell of his ears, the right one with a bar through the arch. “I meant these ones”. Satura points at his own ear lobes.
“Well, it took a couple years to get them to this size”, Suguru tapped the back of the pen in his hand against the black glass plug. “Stretching definitely sucks the worst because the pain is more constant, you know?”
Satoru draws his legs underneath him, leaning against the wall. “But they were pierced normally originally, right?”
“Yeah?” Suguru flips the notebook shut, chin coming to rest in his palm, elbow balanced on his knee. His eyes are ever so slightly narrowed.
“So did it hurt bad?” Satoru asks again.
Suguru looks up thoughtfully. “Well… they were the first ones I ever got, so it was a while ago. But no… I can’t imagine they were terrible. Lobes are very common”. He shrugs.
“I guess so”. Satoru’s eyes trail across the metal decorating Suguru’s ears again. Something about them intrigued Satoru. They made him unique, Satoru didn’t know anyone else with piercings like Suguru, doesn’t think anyone else he knows could pull them off, really. And Suguru really does pull it off.
He can just see Suguru’s expression shift in the corner of his eye. “Why do you ask?”
“Eh?” Satoru replies. “Just thinking?”
There is a single beat before Suguru speaks, deadpan. “You wanna get yours pierced”.
Not even a question. “Well maybe -”
“You tryna steal my look?” Satoru’s attention snaps back to Suguru’s face, the other staring at him with a raised brow. “Bitch?”
“Okay, one”, Satoru rolls his eyes, “you can’t gatekeep having piercings. And two ”, he flops forward on his stomach beside Suguru, “fuck you”.
He punctuates the final statement by digging his knuckles into Suguru’s beautifully unprotected ribs. Asking for it, truly. He huffs, satisfied, when the other yelps and squirms away. “I think it would add to my charm”.
Suguru glowers at him, subtly rubbing at his side over his shirt. “What does that even mean?”
“It means ”, Satoru cradles his chin in his hands, the picture of innocence, “that they would make me look heaps cooler, tougher, and… I don’t know, I just wanna try it?”
“So what I’m hearing is”, Suguru shifts onto his side to face Satoru, leaning up on an elbow, “is that you think I’m cool and tough because of my sexy earrings?”
Satoru glares at him momentarily. “I said none of those things”. He lets his eyes fall shut as he exhales loudly. Rookie mistake. “You wish-”.
The noise that Satoru makes is decidedly unhuman as Suguru’s socked foot pinpoints the soft part of his waist, his toes digging home. Satoru flails, pleads met with cold cold silence. He grabs at Suguru’s ankle, trying to dislodge his foot, but Suguru just wiggles his toes harder. Besides, Satoru’s arm strength is no match for the force of Suguru’s whole leg.
“Fine! Fine!” Satoru gasps, at this point only holding on so as to not sprawl off the edge of the bed. “You’re super cool! And!-” He tries to slap at Suguru’s thigh, but misses rather pathetically. “ And super sexy!”
He hears Suguru snort, finally retracting his foot and folding his leg under himself politely. “Aw . Thank you, Satoru ”. He purrs, going to curl a finger under Satoru’s chin, but Satoru turns away petulantly, leaning his cheek on now folded arms.
“ Big baby ”. He hears behind him. And suddenly Satoru has an itch in the back of his head, in Suguru’s line of sight, that can only be reached by his longest finger. Suguru’s laugh trickles behind him. “So you really wanna get your ears pierced?” He asks.
Satoru turns his head back, resting the opposite cheek. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”
Suguru snickers slightly. “They’re not my ears. But I definitely don’t think it’s a bad idea”. He shrugs.
“‘Cause I’ll totally look tough and sexy with them, right?” Satoru flashes a saccharine smile.
Suguru huffs. “Yeah. Something like that. Sure ”. He reaches forward to pinch Satoru’s available earlobe.”Besides, if you end up not liking them, you can always take them out. You’ve also never had a piercing before, so you don’t know if your body will reject it or not”.
Satoru’s body relaxes as the warmth of Suguru’s hand drifts away from the side of his face, his brow furrowing. “Reject it?”
“Yeah. Sometimes your body won’t heal around it. It’ll just treat it like a foreign, unwanted object, which it is , really, and it gets infected”. Suguru explains.
“Oh that sounds…” Satoru looks again at the seemingly healed ear piercings. The ring through Suguru’s lip and the two silver balls that sit perfectly at the top of his nose, between his eyes. “That sounds disgusting”.
“Yeah it’s not… definitely not fun”.
“Has it happened to you?”
“Yeah”. Suguru nods. “Remember when I had the septum ring? It just kept bleeding and pussing, the swelling refused to go down. It was fucking horrible”. Satoru’s gag deterred him none, apparently. “Not to mention the fact that it was in my nose, so it was really all up in there”. He finishes with a shudder.
Now that he mentions it, Satoru does recall noticing the metal in Suguru’s nose, before he got any of his other facial piercings, Satoru’s pretty sure. He doesn’t remember it lasting very long, however. “Oh yeah. That’s kinda… Suguru, that’s gross”.
Suguru snorts. “I know . It was rank. But thankfully it was in my nose, so it wasn’t really visible or anything”.
Satoru winces. “Could that… Will that happen to me, do you think?”
Suguru pushes Satoru’s hair out of his eyes naturally. “I don’t think you should be too worried. Ear lobe piercings are common for a reason”. He answers. “Besides, your body has dealt with much worse”.
“I suppose there have been worse things inside me”. Satoru sighs, doing his best to keep his composure at the plain disgust on Suguru’s face.
The other only shakes his head, physically clearing his mind with a mutter that sounded a lot like ‘ fucking freak’. Before Satoru can defend himself, Suguru changes the subject. “We can go together on the weekend if you like?”
Satoru smiles. “Aw, you’re gonna take me? Hold my hand and buy me a lollipop after?” He reaches forward, squishing Suguru’s cheeks together once.
Even Satoru’s reflexes, relaxed as they were, are too slow for Suguru’s strike. Satoru blinks and his wrist is imprisoned in Suguru’s grip. Not tight enough to hurt, but definitely unforgiving.
Satoru releases his hold on Suguru’s face, but Suguru keeps his. “Maybe I will make you go alone”. He says with a squeeze that makes the bones of Satoru’s wrist creak.
“Oi!”. Satoru squeaks, attempting half-heartedly to free himself. His own fault for having Infinity off, even in the safety of Suguru’s bedroom, he supposes. “Suguru~” He whines comically. “ Please come with me”. He drops his head to the bedcovers dramatically, feeling Suguru tighten once before letting him go.
“Of course, Satoru ”.
***
Satoru was acting weird, Suguru was sure now. Satoru is weird, but this weirdness is weird. He’s more than used to Satoru’s innate ability to chatter on about literally anything, at a speed that would baffle most anyone else. Right now, however, Suguru had barely heard a thing from him since they left school. Instead, Satoru had been sitting, keeping to himself in thoughtful silence. Since when has this guy ever been thoughtfully silent?
The twenty-minute bus ride had floated by, the two of them sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with hardly a word passed between them. Not that Suguru particularly minded the quiet, yet he couldn’t help but pay attention to Satoru’s incessant picking at the seam of his jeans, his knuckles brushing Suguru’s own knee periodically.
He’d attempted to catch Satoru’s eye, initially thinking his fidgeting had been a way to grab Suguru’s attention, but the other remained turned away, watching the traffic pass. Oblivious, apparently.
He just couldn’t seem to sit still, so much so that Suguru had offered to switch seats so that Satoru could sit in the aisle if he was feeling claustrophobic or something. A weird idea for the guy who lives his life in a bubble of his own creation, that he’s currently actively sharing with Suguru, but who knows with him?
Satoru had denied of course, then went right back to fiddling with his pants.
Oh well , Suguru thinks, as they disembark and make their way into the shopping centre, it’ll come out one way or another.
“Did you want to get something to drink first? It’s good to have some sugar in your system before this sort of stuff”, Suguru adds in a mock-whisper, “not that there’s ever not sugar in your system-”
“Um rude!” Satoru huffs, bangs fluttering softly. “You can just be caring, you know? And I would love to get a drink first”.
Suguru can’t help but snicker at Satoru’s overly bright grin.
They locate a grocery store where Satoru buys himself a cola, then wrestles Suguru’s bottle of fruity tea out of his hand to buy for him.
“Gotta spend this fortune somehow”. Satoru smirks over his shoulder as he hands Suguru’s drink to the check-out lady with a smile.
Suguru rolls his eyes, more than used to this routine. “I’m sure that three-hundred yen is really going to do the trick”.
“You bet! You’re such a good help”. Satoru beams, after paying, pressing the now-purchased bottle of tea into Suguru’s chest. Suguru smiles in earnest, nodding his thanks to both the attendant, then Satoru himself.
They find somewhere to sit while they sip their drinks. Again, without Satoru’s voice coasting between them. Anything Suguru says is met with a nod, a noncommittal hum. He doesn’t want to outright ask Satoru if he’s okay, that’s sure to get him nowhere, but he’s beginning to feel very confused.
Instead of speaking, Suguru watches Satoru watching everything else. He notes how Satoru’s eyes, just visible over the top of his blackout glasses, bounce around them, though not particularly focused on any one thing. He flips the lid of his cola in his fingers, tapping it to the table in time to a song only he seems to be able to hear.
He watches as Satoru leans his chin in his other hand, fingers rubbing at his lips gently. All this movement, energy that Suguru knows Satoru has the ability to channel, yet he either chooses not to, or is currently unable to. There are things on Satoru’s mind, but he’s not offering anything.
Though that’s not what’s truly throwing Suguru off, he realises. It’s the fact that he can gather the information to make these assumptions, all the while Satoru seems to be totally oblivious.
Watching Satoru is definitely a top-tier pastime for Suguru, but naturally, it comes with an endless amount of teasing. Countless ‘what are you looking at?’ s, ‘what do you want?’ s, ‘you wanna go?’ s, and the ever-persistent ‘you know I can tell without looking, right?’ s.
Because obviously Satoru can sense when he’s being watched. Not that Suguru particularly cares whether or not he’s aware of it, knowing that Satoru doesn’t mind it either. Suguru knows he’s comfortable with it, even enjoys it. Hence the endless opportunities he takes to remind Suguru of it.
That’s what’s weird. He’s passing up on the chance to be a tease. He’s not making a nuisance of himself.
Suguru silently decides that they are not leaving this table until he’s figured out the issue. I haven’t done anything, have I-
“Do you think it’ll bleed a lot?” Suguru’s thoughts are shattered by crystal blue boring right into him.
“What?” He replies unintelligently.
“My ears. Will they bleed?”
Oh. “Oh. Uh- I don’t think so” Suguru sets his hostage negotiation plans aside. He can’t help but feel like Satoru is quizzing him, with the way he’s looking at him. “I mean, they probably will a bit, but only when the needle goes through. They won’t bleed continuously or anything”.
Satoru’s eyes narrow, like he’s deciding whether or not Suguru’s answer is acceptable or not, before nodding slowly.
A pause. “Do you think there’s a chance I might rip them out?”
Suguru feels a slow unease coming along. “Do you… usually have urges to rip things out of your skin?” He asks. “That might’ve been useful to know beforehand-”
“No, dickhead”. Satoru deadpans. “I mean like, catching them on something”.
Suguru blinks once. “You are like… the only person in the world who can shield themself from literally anything. And do, ninety-nine per cent of the time. Why on earth would you be worried about your earring getting caught on something?”
Again, Satoru thinks about this for a moment before shrugging. “I don’t know. What about when I sleep? I don’t have Infinity on when I sleep in your room. What if you rip it out while I’m asleep?”
Suguru can only stare in hesitant doubt. He doesn’t really know what to say. Satoru is, by nature, a difficult person to read. At the moment though, Suguru is positively failing to keep up with him.
Why was he worrying about… he was worried. Satoru was worried about this. If Suguru didn’t know any better, he may go as far to say Satoru seemed… scared.
All he’d been able to talk about for the last few days was how excited he was to get his ears pierced, had done nothing but ask Suguru questions, like his own piercing affinity gave him the authority to answer all the issues he might have. But right now…
He was nervous. Suguru bites back his smile as he purrs, only a little sarcastic. “You don’t have to be scared, ‘Toru. I’ll be right th-”
“Who said I was scared, punk?!” Satoru’s spine snaps straight in annoyance. “I’m just preparing myself. Is there a problem with that? Huh?”
“Oh no, no problem”. Oh yeah, he’s shitting bricks. Suguru puts his hands up in surrender, fighting for his life to keep his expression neutral at the triumph blossoming in his chest. He can have a little pity, sure, but he’s just happy he’s finally worked out what has Satoru in such a rut.
“Yeah”. Satoru scoffs. “ No problem”. He adds in a childish impersonation of Suguru.
Suguru lets it slide, staring intently at Satoru’s face, rather than his eyes, which he refuses to give him, for some reason. After a long moment, Suguru now sure of his realisation, he prompts, “So you’re ready to go?”
A lopsided grin splits Satoru’s face, head tilting playfully. “Of course I’m ready”.
Suguru only just bites his tongue. If you say so.
They make it about two minutes between getting up, Satoru trashing his empty bottle, and starting into the shopping centre proper. Suguru truthfully has no idea where they’re going, not that he thinks Satoru does either.
“What if I accidentally put up Infinity? Do you think it’ll blast the needle back at the poor piercer lady?” Satoru asks casually.
“Satoru, what the fuck-”
He continues. “Then she’ll obviously be super confused and possibly even injured. And then what if I can’t get it to go back down? Maybe she’ll realise what I am because what kind of person can make a needle go flying like that and then suddenly become untouchable? Then the flawlessly clandestine veil sorcerers have spent centuries building totally crumbles to the ground”. He finally takes a breath. “All because of me”.
What do you even say to that? Suguru truly doesn’t know if Satoru expects an answer. Isn’t even entirely sure if he was joking. Sure, Satoru is the most dramatic person in the world, but that was strangely specific.
Suguru’s indecision must be visible, as Satoru scoffs at the sight of his face. “I’m just kidding” he says, sullen, “obviously”.
“Uh”, Suguru breathes, “yeah. Okay. Obviously".
A pause. A thick, heavy pause.
“Seriously though. What if I hurt someone? I mean, what if my energy, like, snaps or something?”
Soft . Genuine concern laces Satoru’s tone, his eyes hard when Suguru peers through the side of his glasses. Does he have to sit them back down?
Instead, he pulls Satoru into the nearest store, rather than stopping in the middle of the walkway, to face the other. A deadstock cheap shop it seems. “Satoru”. Suguru keeps his hand on Satoru’s bicep, squeezing lightly. “You have been in far more painful, more dangerous situations in which you’ve kept perfect control. You know you’ve pretty much mastered control of both your techniques, at the very least. What is worrying you so much?”
He can see the hesitance swirling in those unearthly blue eyes, rooted firmly at Suguru’s feet. Suguru tightens his grip on Satoru's arm again. “Look, we can go home right now”, he offers. “I promise I won’t tell”.
At that, Satoru’s eyes finally meet his. “Don’t make me sound pathetic, Suguru”. He goes to shove Suguru’s hand from him, but Suguru removes himself, catching Satoru’s hand in his own instead, slowly lowering it back to his side.
“It’s not pathetic. If you’re uncomfortable, then there is absolutely no reason to do this”. He can tell Satoru is trying to ignore the softness of his voice. Suguru allows his words to settle for all of a second, before allowing a smile to creep into his voice, desperate to get that closed-off look from Satoru’s face. “Just better not let the world know that the one weakness of the Six-Eyes is a needle, of all things”.
Satoru’s head snaps up to his again, his brow hardening for a moment before his features are melting into a smirk.
“Asshole”. He bumps Suguru’s shoulder with his own as he strides out of the store. “It’ll all be worth it when I look totally awesome with my new earrings”. Suguru can only hum in dubious agreement, following a white head into the traffic.
They find a place a few minutes later. A small, brightly lit store with all kinds of jewellery lining the walls. A door at the back, obviously leading to the piercing studio.
They’re standing outside. Suguru didn’t necessarily stop so much as slow down, allowing Satoru to take the lead. Instead, he’d just paused, silent once again.
Should he be encouraging him to continue, or encouraging him to stop? Suguru truly has no idea at this point. Satoru has clearly been excited about this for the last few days, but is it really worth how much trouble it seems to be putting him through? Suguru doesn’t want to feel badly if he decides he can’t do it though. Maybe he just needs some more time? They could always try again in an hour. Another day, even.
“So” Suguru tries, leaning into Satoru, “strongest sorcerer of the common era-”
Satoru inhales, though not looking at him. “The fuck-”
“The honoured one…?” Satoru doesn’t dignify that one with a reply. “The name that strikes fear in the heart of anyone who knows literally anything about the world of Jujutsu…?” Suguru trails off for the final time.
“I’m going to kill you”.
“I’m literally complimenting you”.
“They’re never going to find your body”.
“Well to do that, first you’d have to move ”. Suguru leans his full weight into Satoru’s side, causing him to stumble just a bit. Finally, the other’s attention moves from the store – that he’s refusing to enter – to glare at Suguru over the rim of his glasses.
He huffs under his breath. “The hell happened to if you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to… ”. The rest of the sentence is lost in an offensive, mumbled gibberish.
Suguru gives him his full attention. “Offer still stands." When he gets no reply, only sky blue eyes drilling holes in his own, he asks sincerely, trying to gauge the level of anxiety here. “Are you seriously worried about hurting the person?”
Satoru’s eyes flick in the direction of the store, true hesitation lining his features. “...I think so”.
If he didn’t think it would earn him a smack in the head, Suguru would laugh at the pink slowly but surely blooming on Satoru’s pale cheeks. It was so interesting to see Satoru like this. Hesitant, concerned, and unable to hide it. Satoru had faced literal death , multiple times in his life, and he was flushing over a piercing needle, rendered unable to sit still and look straight. Suguru felt for him, he truly did, but more than that, he was fascinated.
He wanted to help him. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to be the one to help him, make him feel comfortable enough to take the step Satoru so clearly wanted to take, but for some reason can’t bring himself to.
“Well”, he says instead, “what if the person doing it had your full, unadulterated, one-hundred per cent trust?”
Satoru’s light brows pinch, head shaking in confusion. “Um… I don’t… What?”
Suguru stares at him. “What if the person piercing your ears was someone that you already let past your barriers, past Infinity, past your actual trust ? Would that make it easier?”
Satoru looks downright suspicious, as if Suguru is asking him to choose his own murder weapon or some shit. “Maybe? I don’t know?” He gesticulates. Nervously. “Suguru, what the hell are you talking about?”
Suguru drops his expression, hoping Satoru is able to use that beautiful head of his for literally any sort of function. When Satoru remains static, face unchanged, Suguru sighs loudly, rolling his eyes. “Me, dipshit. I am talking about me. Unless someone else came to mind?” He teases.
“Don’t be ridiculous”. Satoru deadpans. “Also. Why the hell would I let you do it?!”
Suguru is having a hard time figuring out just what is so difficult to understand here, honestly. “Um. You trust me? Right?”
“Well yes!” Satoru assures, “But I can’t just trust you to pierce me!”
“Why not? I literally have experience”. Suguru gestures at his own face.
Satoru scoffs. “ Having piercings doesn’t give you the ability to pierce”.
“It does if I did most of them, Einstein”. Suguru juts his chin at Satoru mock-menacingly. Satoru’s eyes go wide, though he doesn’t flinch away at all.
“You did those yourself ?!” Satoru asks incredulously. If Suguru didn’t know any better, he’d say Satoru even sounds impressed . He can’t help the proud smile that tugs at his mouth.
“Yes?”
Satoru’s eyes drift around his face, his ears, despite them being mostly hidden by half his hair being left down, before settling back on him. “How was I supposed to… I didn’t know that!”
“Didn’t you?”
“Suguru that’s so-” Satoru cuts himself off, lowering his excited volume. “That is so cool. Like actually badass. What the fuck, dude”.
Suguru bursts into laughter at the genuine surprise lining Satoru’s body. “Sweet”. He hums. “So what do you think? Trust me?”
Satoru pretends to think about it for a moment before a grin cracks his lips. “That sounds much more fun”.
Suguru almost wants to breathe a sigh of relief; either from no longer having to deal with an anxious Satoru, or having to deal with the outcome of a situation anxious Satoru was worried about.
“Well then”, Suguru declares, “How about we go in, you pick some jewellery, then we take it home and I can put it in for you. I already have everything I’ll need. Sound good?”
Satoru’s cool hands come to rest on Suguru’s cheeks, the white-haired boy smiling brightly. “ What would I do without you?”
***
“Is your bedroom really the best place for this?”, Satoru asks, perched on the edge of Suguru’s bed.
“And you’re suggesting…?” Suguru replies without looking over his shoulder, digging through his bottom desk drawer.
“I don’t know…” Satoru hums. “The bathroom, maybe?”
“That we share with our kouhais?” Suguru rises to his feet, hands full, now able to look at Satoru. “So they can watch you have a nervous breakdown over this?”
“I guess you’re-” Satoru’s body deflates for half a second before snapping straight upwards. “I am not having a nervous breakdown!”
It is true that Satoru seems significantly more comfortable about this than he had been when they were at the shopping centre earlier, but Suguru still can’t say for sure whether or not this is the right call. Not that he can really say it like that without pissing Satoru off.
“No. You’re not”. He answers noncommittally. Satoru narrows his eyes, free of his glasses with the low afternoon sun, before his attention is stolen by the objects Suguru is holding.
Suguru strides over, setting a pack of disinfectant wipes, a marker, and the packaged piercing needle on the bedside table, aware of Satoru’s eyes following his every move.
He hears the other inhale. “...A marker? We’re doing tattoos too?”
“Ha”. Suguru lolls his head amusedly, unable to stop the stupid smile pulling at his face despite the fact that that was not funny. “No, genius. It’s for the placement”. Satoru blinks, nodding slowly once.
Suguru moves to stand in front of Satoru, yet not close enough to touch. He wants Satoru to tell him. To be sure about it. He watches down as Satoru looks anywhere but him, the corner of his lip caught in a sharp tooth. The quiet between them is strangely thick, it’s weirding Suguru out.
He knows Satoru is excited about this, but Suguru is genuinely baffled at the anxiety so clearly plaguing his body. It’s so unlike him that if Suguru wasn’t standing here in festering silence, he might find it funny.
“Satoru”, blue eyes finally flick to his own. Suguru can literally see Satoru shutter them in a feigned nonchalance. “... Are you ready?”
Satoru’s face melts into a soft smile that Suguru would otherwise find lovely if it wasn’t scary how easily the other could wipe his face of fear. “ Yes , Suguru”. He kicks out a socked foot, knocking Suguru’s shin.
Suguru keeps his feet planted. Is he a good friend for trying to make Satoru comfortable with this, or a bad friend for making feel like like he has to comfortable with this-
“Can you stop looking at me like that?”
Years of verbal sparring has a response ready on his tongue without his mind really being in it. “Like what?”
“Like you’re deciding on whether I’m an idiot or not”. Satoru pouts.
“Oh, Satoru”. Suguru finally steps forward between Satoru’s spread knees, taking the other’s warmer-than-usual face into his hands gently. He begins leaning in as he speaks, tender. “That decision was made years ago”.
Suguru’s advances are stopped by Satoru’s entire palm covering his face, pushing him away. “Ugh”, he sighs. “You’re such an ass”.
Suguru drops his hands with a half-smile, leaning to the side to grab the wipes. “What’s that about my ass?”
He’d seen it coming, set himself up for it really, in the half second he’d been turned away, but he wasn’t expecting Satoru to pinch him that hard.
He whips back up. “What the fuck, man?”. He frowns, rubbing at his assaulted behind.
He finds absolutely zero regret, in fact there’s pride , in the sky of Satoru’s eyes, the other smiling devilishly. “Only fair”, he quips. Before Suguru can protest as to what exactly that means, “You are about to stab holes in my ears”.
“ Excuse you”, Suguru snaps, ripping open the wipes, “it’s consensual stabbing, is it not? I did not consent to that ”.
“Eh… too late now, huh?” Suguru exhales, giving Satoru hardly a beat to assess before he’s grabbing the other’s face harshly, his cheeks squeezing together slightly. Not really necessary for wiping the skin of his ears, but it shuts him up. And wipes the shit-eating grin off his face.
“I’m gonna clean the skin”, Suguru explains as he works, the picture of calm composure, “then I’ll mark where I’m going to put them, you can check, and then I’ll pierce them, okay?”
“This is your show”, Satoru agrees, muffled by the fact that his lips are still squished.
Suguru wipes gently at Satoru’s earlobes, aware of blue eyes burning holes in his face as he goes. He continues wiping, going behind his ears, then around the shell, this inside the folds of his ear, holding him still-
“Alright, fuck!” Satoru squirms out of his hold, glaring up at Suguru. “Is sticking your finger in my ear really necessary?”
Suguru shrugs. “ Who knows what they’re doing here? I’m just being thorough”. Satoru rolls eyes, but ultimately allows Suguru one final swipe of his actual earlobes for good measure. “Lovely”. Suguru smiles sweetly, discarding the wipe on the bedside table. “You’re doing so well”.
“Just so you know, your balls are in perfect range right now”.
Suguru gasps as he moves away to pick up the marker, covering himself dramatically. “You’re so crass”.
Satoru huffs, but Suguru can see the minute tilt of his lips as he offers his chin when Suguru steps back between his legs.
Suguru, of course, goes for the ear on his left, unable to hold Satoru’s face. He ignores the exhale as he pinches at Satoru’s skin, finding the perfect soft spot before dotting it with the marker.
Satoru’s vibrant eyes remain trained on Suguru’s face, their soft breathing the only noise between them as Suguru meticulously lines up the dot on the other ear. Satoru seems to have relaxed under him, the first moment of real quiet between them since Suguru had worked out what had Satoru so riled up. No fidgeting, no energy permeating the ear between them. Satoru is finally still.
Suguru leans back to look at the markings together. He only has to move the second dot to the left slightly, and is pretty impressed with himself, honestly. Yes, for keeping Satoru calm, but also because truthfully, he’s never had to worry about symmetry with his own piercings, one-sided as they are, so… go him.
“I’ll get you a mirror”. He pats Satoru’s jaw before circling back to his desk. Shoko had given him a little thing with some eyeshadow in it ages ago, though he hardly uses it. It’s in here somewhere.
After a short moment of rifling, Suguru rises, handing the palette to Satoru, who clicks it open and holds it out in front of him. He looks for a moment, tilting his head to each side before straightening again, before gazing back at Suguru. Thoughtlessly.
“So…” Suguru prompts, “like? Don’t like?”
Satoru checks himself out again. “They’re dots. That are in a spot earrings should be”. Awesome.
Suguru huffs a laugh, crossing the room in a single stride. “Good enough”. He steps in front of Satoru once more. “So”, he picks up the tiny bag with the needle in it, pinching it between his thumbs and forefingers as he presents it before Satoru, “are you ready?”
Satoru’s eyes widen ever so slightly. Suguru goes wholly still, like he’s approaching a cagey animal, or something. “...Yep”. He nods, looking decidedly un ready.
Suguru’s face drops completely. “You’re sure?”
“Yes”.
“You really want this?”
“Uh huh”. A smile is slowly creeping back onto Satoru’s lips.
“You don’t feel coerced? Or like you can’t back out?”
“Yes!” He says exasperatedly, before actually considering Suguru’s words. “Wait… no. I meant no ”.
Suguru can only chuckle. He can’t say he didn’t try. “Alright, then”, he sings, tearing open the plastic.
“They come in… packages?” Suguru looks up to see Satoru eyeing his hands carefully.
“Yes. They do”.
“So they’re like… disposable?”
Suguru frees the needle, discarding the plastic on the bedside table. “Yes. It’s not exactly sanitary to keep used needles”.
“Eh, true”. Satoru’s gaze is still honed on the needle, seemingly fascinated by the little thing. Suguru watches as his eyes finally stray as he slips his hand into his pocket, retrieving his lighter, running the metal through the flame once, twice.
“Just disinfects it”. He assures. Satoru only hums in response, watching the flame disappear just as quickly as it had been born. “Do you have a preference for which side I start with?”
“Um”, Satoru finally looks back up at him, crystal blue eyes big. “No. Not particularly”.
Suguru smiles softly. Maybe he really is just nervous. Now that he was sure Satoru wasn’t pressuring himself into something he didn’t truly want, he could appreciate how endearing the flush of his pale cheeks were. The way he was totally at Suguru’s mercy, looking to him for any and all his answers. He had placed his body, his trust, in Suguru’s care. Gojo Satoru, the chosen one, chose him to be vulnerable around, to hand himself over to. It was a ridiculous idea, but it sure made Suguru’s head warm.
He takes his place between Satoru’s thighs once more. “Okay. Do you want me to count?”
Satoru exhales, shutting his eyes. “I don’t know”. His voice has dropped to a forceful whisper. He just wants it over. “Whatever you think, okay?”
Suguru fights the urge to chuckle fondly, knowing it’d only serve to agitate Satoru further when he needed him if not calm then at least still. “ Alright ”.
Suguru grips Satoru’s chin lightly, turning his head to gain full access to his ear. Though, in the second between Suguru releasing his face and moving to get at Satoru’s ear, his whole body suddenly goes cold.
Satoru has gone cold. His body heat has disappeared. Like a wall had suddenly gone up between them. A wall, perfectly curated to the shape of Satoru’s body, unable to be seen or felt or even noticed, unless you were familiar with such a sensation.
Suguru stills, letting his disapproval shine on his features when Satoru inevitably checks over him.
Satoru stares at him dumbly for a hot second. “...What?”
Suguru replies simply by bringing his hand, the one without the needle, and flicking at Satoru’s forehead. Not that it actually connects. “Turn it off, prick”.
A smile ghosts over Satoru’s lips, forehead very much unharmed, still facing away from him. “ What do you mean?”
Suguru stares at him, hard. Satoru is still for a single second before deflating, the wall around him melting as Satoru retracts Infinity. The heat of his body around Suguru trickles back into reality, his soft scent returning.
“Great”. Suguru smiles hard enough that his eyes close. He waits for Satoru to huff, roll his eyes childishly, before striking. Actually flicking his stupid forehead.
He gasps, his hand coming to soothe the assaulted skin. “Seriously?!” He stares up at Suguru, only slightly guilty.
“Aw, baby ”, Suguru coos mockingly, reaching again for Satoru’s face and turning him. Hopefully for the last fucking time. He hears Satoru’s disappointed sigh, but he stays where Suguru puts him. He leans in close to Satoru’s ear, laughing softly. “Last chance~”. He purrs.
“Ugh, just do it”. Like Suguru is the one who’s been stalling for the last five minutes. Who nearly melted into a puddle at the idea of anyone but Suguru piercing his ears.
Suguru only smiles, finally reaching for Satoru’s ear, lining up the needle with the other hand. He opens his mouth to give the warning when he’s interrupted.
“Wait!”
Suguru pauses, but doesn’t move away now that he has Satoru where he wants him. “...Yes?” He only moves his gaze to where Satoru is looking at him out the side of his eye, the corner of his lips peeking through with a smile.
“Aren’t you gonna hold my hand?” He whines, blinking his long white lashes. It’s all Suguru can do to remain still, staring deadpan into Satoru’s eyes.
“Satoru, how would you expect-”
“I’m only joking . Christ…” He mutters, eyes rolling away. His cheek remains rounded with a smile, however. Suguru doesn’t even think about continuing. He is genuinely considering rescheduling this activity until Satoru is able to behave older than five years old. “I guess I’ll just hold onto you instead”.
The right call, clearly, as long fingers curl lightly around the backs of Suguru’s thighs. Suguru keeps his expression flat, wholly unimpressed despite the tingling Satoru’s fingers leave behind. Can he not be serious, like, ever?
Satoru somehow takes this as a sign to start moving his hands up.
When he shows no sign of stopping his hand’s adventures despite Suguru’s (very much ignored) glaring, he bites. “Sit on your hands”.
Finally, he stills. “Huh?”, looking straight at Suguru again. After he’d found the right angle, the fucker.
“ Sit on your hands, Satoru. This is the last time I’m asking”. The last thing he needed was for Satoru to jostle him at the wrong moment, then have to comfort him when he got stabbed with a needle.
Satoru grumbles, but nonetheless slides his hands beneath his bum. He sighs heavily as he once again offers the side of his head.
“ Thank you, Satoru”. He runs a finger along Satoru’s jaw lightly. “Now hold still for me, ‘kay?”
“Whatever. Just do it already”. He groans. Suguru chooses to remain silent.
Suguru gets back to work, lining himself up once again, hovering the needle just millimetres from Satoru’s skin as he inhales. “Ready?”, he breathes.
“Can you stop asking me tha-”, he’s cut off by his own yelp. “Oi!”
Satoru attempts to turn his head, but Suguru has his forearm locked securely across his jaw. When he’s sure the needle is properly through and steady, Suguru slowly releases him, stepping back with a grin. “ Very good”. He praises with a smile.
Satoru doesn’t move, despite Suguru no longer holding him down, brow scrunched. “You just… We’re just leaving that there?” He’s straining his eyes to the side, like he’ll be able to see the needle currently stuck through his ear lobe.
Suguru laughs. “Yeah. Sure”. At Satoru’s glower, still turned to the side, he shrugs. “ Obviously not? I’m going to put the jewellery through now”.
He steps back, reaching for the still-packaged jewellery Satoru had picked out; little black metal discs that he’d chosen most definitely not because they looked like Suguru’s. He rips open the cardboard, taking one of the earrings out and unscrewing the back. He takes out his lighter again, running the bar through the flame before slotting it in the hole of the needle.
“This part will hurt a bit”. Suguru warns, not giving Satoru much more time to think before he’s slipping the needle all the way through, trying his best to transfer the jewellery smoothly. He winces when he hears Satoru suck in a breath, quickly bending down to fasten the back, trying to get the painful part done all at once.
Finally, “There. You did it”.
He stands up straight to see Satoru cracking open one of his squeezed-shut eyes, meeting Suguru’s. He seems to process this for a second before a smile tugs at his lips, moving his head around experimentally. “ Huh . That wasn’t so bad”.
Suguru snorts. At this point, it was probably more work for him but, sure. “Yes. You are so brave, Satoru”.
“I know~ ”. Satoru drones, smiling up at Suguru in earnest. “I’m so glad you’re here to do this for me”. His head tilts in a way that makes Suguru’s cheeks particularly warm.
“Don’t go all soft yet”, Suguru rolls his eyes. “I’ve still gotta do the other one”. He reminds, jutting his chin at the other side of Satoru’s face.
Satoru eagerly turns his face as Suguru flames the needle again, stepping into position. “Dont worry, I’m used to it now”.
Suguru bites his lip, focusing. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah! You know, you’re really good at this, Suguru, if being a sorcerer doesn’t work out for you- fuck!”. Satoru exhales harshly. “I so should’ve seen that coming”.
Suguru slowly slides the needle home. “You really should’ve”. He agrees. “For the most powerful sorcerer alive, you were just taken by surprise twice. Do we need to re-evaluate status?”
“ Rude ”. Satoru whines, Suguru grinning as he turns to grab the other earring. “It’s only because it’s you. I have no need for extra senses if it’s just you”.
This guy just says shit like that. Suguru only huffs fondly, repeating the process of flaming the earring before sliding it in. Satoru jerks a little with the removal. Suguru breathes an apology.
“Nope, it’s ah-” His breath hitches as Suguru makes quick work of the backing. “ It’s all good ”. He finishes tightly.
Slowly, unable to keep the ridiculous grin off his face, Suguru stands upright at last. “You’re all done!”. He flourishes the needle.
Satoru finally looks straight, despite being free from Suguru’s headlock for two whole minutes. “Wait, really?!”, he gasps. Like he didn’t feel the entire process. He inhales, sitting up tall. “How do I look?”, batting his long white lashes.
Suguru laughs lightly, hands coming to rest on Satoru’s still-slightly flushed cheeks. “ Totally badass”. He watches Satoru inflate at the compliment. “You did so well”, he praises, “Even if I genuinely thought you might fight me before I got close enough to do anything”.
Satoru’s eyes glaze over. “ And I’m going to ignore that! Thank you”. He flicks his bangs dramatically, hands that are definitely no longer beneath him snaking up to rest on Suguru’s hips, thumbs stroking the bones once. “Aren’t I lucky to have such a cool, talented, patient best friend? Now let me see!”
Suguru leans over to grab the mirror again, handing it to Satoru. He opens it singlehandedly, holding Suguru in place with his other. Suguru watches his smile widen as he checks himself out, head rotating slowly.
The only acceptable time to let Satoru know how good he is. “No blood. No cuts. And you were perfectly still”, probably petrified, but still, “You’re a natural”. Suguru muses. That blinding smile turns back to him, Satoru snapping the palette shut and dropping it onto the bed beside him.
Strong arms circle Suguru’s waist, pulling him against Satoru’s body as the other’s chin comes to rest on his lower stomach. Sky blue meets deep purple. “Thank you, Suguru”, he can feel the words vibrating in Satoru’s throat, “you’re so good to me”.
Suguru’s chest tightens. “ Well ”, he breathes, hands carding through Satoru’s soft hair, carefully avoiding his ears, “If I had known all it would take to get you this soft was an ear piercing, I would’ve convinced you to do this ages ago”.
Satoru’s eyes slip shut as Suguru scratches at his scalp. “Just take the compliment, damn”.
Suguru’s heart swells, smiling despite the fact that Satoru isn’t actually looking at him. “Thank you, Satoru. You’re sweet”. The other’s lips twitch. “Even if you did steal my look”.
“Oh come on- ”.