concern and control | satoru gojo x reader

Chapter 17: Slipping Away

You met his gaze again. "Maybe that's exactly what you are."

"Ah," he said with a theatrical sigh, "—the crazy guy with the even crazier girl. Sounds like a perfect match to me."

The room settled back into silence, the only sound the rhythmic breathing of Yuji's slumber.

"So, what's your answer?" Satoru asked after a pause.

"To what?"

"My proposal," he said with a dry tone.

A sudden tightness enveloped your chest, making each breath feel shallower. Your gaze shifted to a distant point outside the window, focusing on anything but the seriousness in Satoru's eyes. "You wouldn't want to marry someone like me."

"Because you think you're broken?"

"Because I am a mess," you turned to him. "—and certainly not suited for the Gojo clan."

He leaned in, his eyes never leaving yours. "Do you really think that matters to me?"

Your silence was answer enough.

"I want you," Satoru said. "All I'm waiting for is you to stop fighting it."

Satoru's gaze was patient, unwavering, as if he could afford to wait a lifetime for you to lower the walls you'd so meticulously built.

"You don't know what you're asking," you said finally.

"But I do," Satoru countered firmly. "I want you, with all the chaos and battles you bring into my life. Even though you push me to the brink of madness sometimes. You're the person I love, and I won't hesitate to remind you of that every day."

He reached out, gently sweeping a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "I'm asking for you—all of you, for all of time," he continued. "Even if it means facing hell itself, I want to face it with you."

You found yourself leaning into the caress. His hand warm against your skin. His expression held a sincerity that made your heart race, a sincerity that made the idea of a future together seem not just possible, but real. 

Yet, you were at a loss for words, unable to answer. The confession he longed to hear remained trapped behind fear. Even though every fiber of your being yearned for him to claim you as his own. Still, the vulnerability of uttering those three little words felt like stepping into the abyss.

"I've never said that I love you," you said quietly.

Satoru smiled faintly. "No need to. I see it in your eyes."

Before you could respond, a groggy voice sliced through the silence.

"Hey, if you guys are getting married, can we have one of those chocolate fountains?" Yuji mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. His eyes blinked open, unfocused, as he tried to sit up, looking from you to Satoru with a dazed expression. "With, like, an infinite supply of strawberries?"

Satoru turned to him, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Sure, we'll have that. And not just strawberries—let's throw in marshmallows, cookies, everything."

You tried to interject. "Wait, we're not planning the—" 

But the conversation was already spiraling out of control. Yuji building on the momentum, sitting up with an excitement that made you question how 'asleep' he had been. "Oh, and we need one of those bouncy castles! No wedding is complete without one. And can I be the best man? I've got some killer moves for the reception!"

Satoru laughed. "You're in, Yuji. But only if you promise to keep your shirt on during those 'killer moves'."

"And don't forget the ice cream truck! Every epic wedding needs an endless supply of ice cream," Yuji declared, sitting up straighter, his energy infectious.