Nothing Special

Happy / Birthday

You'd never gotten a proper apology from Satoru. You'd given him one. Told him that you could never fully understand what he'd been through, but if he just needed someone to speak to, you were always there.

And you knew Satoru wasn't one to apologize.

When you complained about it, Nanami and Yu, who didn't even know Satoru all that well, had told you the same thing.

"Satoru Gojou would never say he's sorry."

When you complained to Shoko and Suguru, a similar statement. Well, it was mostly laughing.

"Satoru- apologize- oh my god"-

"I thought you knew him pretty well," Suguru commented.

"I know. I'm just being delusional. That usually works for him."

It had been a couple of months since everything that had happened. It hadn't blown over, really. Suguru and Satoru had definitely changed. Shoko was, thankfully, still the same. Nanami and Yu were still in a fun trio with you.

But things were stable. And calm.

You never wanted to grow up. You never wanted to be called on another mission again, honestly.

There was no point in thinking about that today, though. Today was important. More important than any other day in the year.

It was Satoru's birthday.

Satoru's birth is revered and considered important for many reasons in the jujutsu world. It's something that is taught in the modern section of the curriculum. It changed the course of many people's lives.

But at Jujutsu Tech, no one thought of it that way.

"Happy birthday Satoru!" Shoko and Suguru cheered as Satoru walked into class.

Yaga smiled as Satoru sat down.

Ten gifts on his desk.

Three from the people in the room, four from other teachers and students and three from the first years.

"This is a lot," Satoru grinned.

And in truth, it wasn't. Not to Satoru Gojou, who'd gotten anything he'd wanted in the past 17 years of his life. He usually got at least 50 presents for his birthday every year; his family or other people who wanted to buy his favour.

Those presents didn't do anything for him though. They didn't make him feel happy, appreciated or loved.

The ones on his desk did.

Yaga, Suguru and Shoko let him take his time because they knew that; Satoru appreciated the love he got from these gifts.

He looked through every bag and tag. The one from Shoko had a pack of cigarettes inside, which Satoru threw back at her. Yaga also confiscated them.

Suguru bought him all the beauty products that Satoru was running low on (that he could afford), and wrote a heartfelt letter to his as well. Satoru couldn't contain his smile.

Others had given him basic birthday presents, some clothes and candies, even some cash, along with short cards.

You had only given him a letter though.

And even that, Satoru appreciated more than anything.

"Happy birthday!!" You and the other Jujutsu Tech students screamed as Satoru walked into his room. You had cleaned and decorated his room- which had very little to hide, thankfully.

"Thank you!" Satoru grinned, accepting the tackle that Suguru welcomed him with.

The day was filled with cake, and Satoru sneakily putting icing on everyone's faces to take embarrassing pictures, only unable to get Mei Mei.

In yours, you were able to get icing on his cheek as he took the picture.

Satoru lay back on his bed, in his messy room, as he looked through the pictures. He told the others that they didn't need to stay and clean- he wanted to, after everything they'd done.

He didn't like cleaning though.

He wanted to sit in it longer. The feeling of pure joy. Everyone talking loudly in a messy room, eating cake, with no worries. It had been a while since he'd felt this happy.

That was why he decided to knock on your door.

"Satoru?" You told him to come in before even asking him why he was at your door. "Are you okay?"

You cared too much.

"Of course I am," he answered. "I wanted to thank you."

"Yeah, of course." He stayed by your door, as you looked up at him in your night wear. "You deserved something better, but that was all I could put together with short notice, Yaga's been getting on my ass about"-

"Seriously." You looked up at him. Satoru didn't have his glasses on. He put his hands on your shoulders, leaning. "This was the best thing anyone's given to me. Ever."

"Did you open the letter?" You asked, blinking as water filled your lash line. Satoru smiled, meekly. "You weren't"-

"I just had a feeling. Thank you for saying that."

You looked down. "Of course, yeah. I was just being honest."

"Being honest is hard." You chuckled, humming in agreement. "And I'm going to try it too."

You raised your head a little.

"I've had a hard... well, it's been weird. Very weird. And you've really helped me the past couple of months. But... but it's more than that. I like being around you. I like talking to you. I feel happy with you. And... I just want to be with you more often."

"That's how I feel too," you answered quickly.

Satoru nodded, licking his lips, looking down. "But..." Your shoulders sank. "I don't think you should put up with me. Not right now. I think we should give this time. Because I need to feel better without you, too."

There was a long pause.

"Is... is that okay?"

This is the most unsure you've ever seen Satoru. You had known him for a long time. You truly got to know him once you began attending Jujutsu Tech. And since the Plasma Vessel assignment, you've started to see parts of him that you thought didn't exist.

You sighed in relief. "That's perfectly fine, Satoru. I want you to do that. Feel better about yourself. Feel comfortable with life again. And if you still like me, maybe we... we can think about that then. For now, Toru, just focus on yourself."

Satoru's heart sped up at the nickname. No one had called him that before. Unless it was in a mocking way. This was comforting, relaxing, soothing.

You had some doubt about him liking you in the future. But Satoru was unsure if this feeling could ever go away.

This feeling for you.

Happy birthday Satoru!

I hope you have an amazing day. You deserve it more than anyone else I know. Your year has been hard and I know it's taken a toll on you. I hope that this year, you don't feel this stress again. I hope I can ease your pain.

I think you're a great person. I'm so glad I know you so well now. I'm happy that you were born. Thank you for blessing me with your presence, oh great Satoru (figured I needed to put a joke in here- it's too sappy).

No seriously. Let's be serious for once.

You are a blessing. To me, to Suguru, to Shoko. To so many people. I know you were raised being told the opposite. But so many people care for you.  I love you. And hey, I know that's not all of what matters in the world, but I hope it means something to you. Because you just being Satoru, plain Satoru, means the world to me.