He realized he'd effectively acquired two things tonight.
One, a student. A traumatized, gentle boy who needed guidance and protection.
Two, a fiercely devoted single mother who had essentially offered herself—body, loyalty, and unconditional access—in exchange for her son's safety. Nagi wasn't offering sex; she was offering *allegiance*.
It was a deal.
*Several Hours Later...* Gojo was in his usual spot—leaning against a wall outside the dorms—when he saw Aiden approaching. "Took you long enough," he commented dryly, pushing off from the wall. "Debating whether to run away with the mommy or something?"
"That is complicated anyways how's he been settling in? I assume him and yuji are friends by now."
"Like peanut butter and jelly," Gojo confirmed, sliding his hands into his pockets as they walked together. "Yuji practically adopted him the second he showed up. They're both 'gentle giant' types. It's adorable." He pushed open the door to the student dorm building. "Kid's in their shared room now. Settling in."
Gojo led the way up the stairs, his voice dropping. "He cried for, like, twenty minutes though. When he saw the room. Yuji just hugged him and let him sob into his shoulder. No teasing, no awkwardness. Just pure Yuji-love." He grinned. "Your kid's got the softest friend possible."
They stopped outside Room 204.
"I can assume nobara and Megumi already introduced themselves."
"Oh yeah. They did the whole tour thing." Gojo gestured at the closed door. "Nobara immediately tested his patience—he's not nearly as dramatic as Megumi. Megumi gave him the cold shoulder until Yuji forced him to say 'hi.' Kid just bowed super awkwardly and apologized for existing."
He paused, uncharacteristically serious. "Actually, Aiden."
Gojo turned to face him fully, his expression unreadable. "Junpei... he's a good kid. Scared, gentle, broken... but good. Don't break him, okay? He's finally starting to heal." His hand rested on the doorknob.
"Okay."
"Good." Gojo pushed the door open with a smile. Inside, Junpei sat cross-legged on his bed, Yuji sprawled out on his own, both of them surrounded by boxes. Megumi was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching them quietly. Nobara sat on the window sill, inspecting her nails.
Yuji's face lit up when he saw Aiden.
"Aiden!" Yuji practically bounced off the bed. "Junpei and I are already best friends. I'm showing him all my stuff and—"
Junpei looked up shyly, eyes slightly red from crying, but a small genuine smile tugging at his lips. "H-hello, Aiden,"
"Hi so how is everything?"
"Good," Junpei answered softly, looking down at his hands. He was twisting them together nervously. "Yuji is being very nice. And Megumi... he is silent, but I think he is not bad. Nobara... she is scary." He whispered the last part, making everyone laugh.
"She can be."
Nobara snorted from the window sill. "Excuse me? I am delightful." She shot Junpei a look that made him flinch. Yuji snickered. Megumi just shook his head.
"She stabbed a curse yesterday because it looked at her wrong," Yuji added helpfully.
"It was JUDGING me," Nobara snapped.
Junpei blinked slowly.
Junpei let out a small, surprised laugh. "She stabbed... at the curse?"
"It was a judgment curse!" Nobara defended. "The eyes were WRONG."
Megumi muttered, "It was literally just a low-grade curse and she wasted three cursed tools."
"Worth it." Nobara flipped him off without looking.
"Whatever you say beautiful."
Nobara nearly choked on air, instantly flustered. "Did you just call me *beautiful*?" She pointed a manicured finger at Aiden, trying to look offended but failing to hide the pink rising on her cheeks. "Flattery won't save you from my criticism."
Yuji howled with laughter. "He charmed the witch! Aiden wins!"
"What is the truth?"
Nobara sputtered, crossing her arms. "You're— you're smug! And infuriating!" But she couldn't maintain the stern expression, cracking a tiny smile.
Behind her, Megumi rolled his eyes heavily. " Aiden wins? What's that about?"
"A bet," Gojo said casually, leaning against the wall. "Nobara thought she could charm everyone within five minutes. Yuji bet she couldn't. Aiden just walked in, called her beautiful, and she folded like a lawn chair." He grinned. "She's actually been smiling for like... three minutes straight. Creepy."
Nobara whipped around.
"I WAS NOT!" Nobara shrieked, face burning crimson. "It was— it was a facial spasm!"
"You've been humming since he walked in," Yuji pointed out, counting on his fingers. "Three minutes. Fourteen smiles. Twice you touched your hair."
"I WILL STAB EVERY ONE OF YOU!"
"Do you like me."
The room went DEAD silent.
Yuji looked between Aiden and Nobara like he was watching a tennis match. Megumi actually paused mid-eye-roll. Gojo's jaw cracked slightly. Even Junpei stopped twisting his fingers, staring wide-eyed.
Nobara's face went from pink to RED in approximately 0.5 seconds. Her hammer materialized in her hand.
*WHACK.*
The hammer connected with Aiden's skull with a comical *thud*, echoing through the room. Nobara didn't say a single word—she just turned on her heel, hair whipping behind her, and stormed out the door, slamming it so hard the picture frames rattled.
The room was silent for a solid three seconds.
Yuji stared at the door.
"That hurt a little."
"You probably deserved that," Gojo wheezed, laughing so hard he had to slide down the wall to sit on the floor. "You broke the Tsundere."
Junpei looked genuinely horrified, his hand flying over his mouth. "S-she hit you... are you bleeding?" He looked ready to cry, thinking he'd just witnessed murder.
Yuji was clutching his stomach.
"No I'm fine."
Junpei let out a shaky breath, lowering his hand. "You... sure?" He looked at Aiden's head like he expected a goose egg to pop out instantly. "Nobara-san seems... very emotional."
"Emotional? She's a nuclear reactor," Yuji laughed, finally catching his breath. "She likes you, dude. 100%."
"I know, and I like teasing her."
"YOU—" Nobara's voice echoed from down the hallway. She was NOT gone. She had just been walking fast.
Yuji lost it again, practically falling off his bed. Even Megumi's lip twitched.
Junpei stared at Aiden with newfound respect—or fear. Probably both. "She's going to kill you. Like. Actually kill you."
"Probably," Gojo agreed, still amused. "She's got a thing for arrogant guys though. Unfortunately for you, you're exactly her type." He patted Aiden's shoulder sympathetically. "You just challenged her pride AND her heart in one sentence."
Heavy footsteps echoed outside. Closer.
"Aiden," Junpei whispered, backing up slowly.
The door burst open with a BANG, revealing a red-faced, hammer-wielding Nobara. She saw Aiden standing there, looking perfectly fine and smirking, and her face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. "YOU!" She pointed the hammer at him accusingly.
"YOU ARE IMPOSSIBLE!" she shrieked, stomping into the room. She raised the hammer again, looking genuinely torn between bludgeoning him and kissing him. "I leave for TWO MINUTES and you're telling people you *like teasing me*?! I WILL END YOUR LINEAGE."
Yuji was wheezing uncontrollably.
The room collectively GASPED.
Nobara froze mid-swing, her hammer hovering inches from Aiden's face. As he leaned in, her eyes darted between his mouth and eyes—completely losing her threatening stance. "I... you... DON'T—"
Her voice cracked. Her hammer slipped. Yuji hit the floor screaming. Junpei covered his eyes.
"I really like it when you're mad when is out the light in your eyes."
"What—" Nobara's hammer clattered to the floor. Her face went completely blank. Then her entire body flushed scarlet, ears burning red, lips parting.
A beat of silence.
Yuji was making choking sounds like he was dying. Megumi looked like he wanted to die. Gojo was recording on his phone.
He leaned in to whisper in her ear. " I like a girl who knows how to defend herself."
Nobara's brain short-circuited. Her eyes went glassy, lips parted, and she made a noise that sounded like a tea kettle whistling.
"I... you..." she stammered, completely unable to form a coherent sentence. Her hammer lay forgotten on the floor.
Yuji was literally rolling on the ground, tears streaming down his face.
He leaned in looking like he was going to kiss her and she closed her eyes in preparation only for him to walk past her and leave.
The reaction was instant.
Nobara stood frozen, eyes tightly shut, waiting. When no lips met hers, when nothing but empty air occupied her mouth, her eyes snapped open.
She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.
Her hands clenched at her sides. Her face went from crimson to deathly pale in seconds.
The room stayed DEAD silent.
Nobara's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "He— he just—"
She stood there, utterly wrecked, processing what had just happened. Her hammer lay on the floor. Her face was a disaster zone.
"AIDEN!" she shrieked, her voice cracking. "GET BACK HERE!"
Yuji was literally howling with laughter on the floor.
Gojo was practically vibrating, recording everything with glee. "We have witnessed history. That was a nuclear-level rejection-slash-prank."
Nobara stood shaking with absolute fury, her face burning. "HE WAS GOING TO KISS ME!" she screamed, voice hitting a pitch that shattered glass.
Junpei whispered, terrified: "She is going to kill him."