Gojo grins at the pleased expression on her face when she tastes the food, clearly satisfied that his restaurant choice has lived up to expectations, and finally picks up his own fork to start eating his carbonara. There's something endearing about how much he seems to enjoy seeing her enjoy things, like Noa's happiness and comfort has become something he's actively invested in. When he responds, his tone has shifted back toward something lighter and more playful, deliberately moving away from the heavy emotional territory they were just navigating.
"See? I told you this place was worth the fancy atmosphere. They do really excellent Italian food without being pretentious about it, which is surprisingly hard to find. And judging by that expression, I'm guessing the seafood alfredo meets with your approval?" He takes a bite of his own carbonara, making an appreciative sound before continuing. "As for lighter topics—I realized this morning that despite spending the entire night in your apartment and having these intense conversations, I actually know relatively little about you beyond the basics. So how about you tell me about your life before yesterday? What's your major specifically—I know you mentioned architecture but is there a particular specialization you're interested in? What made you want to become an architect in the first place? And more importantly, what do you do for fun when you're not dealing with supernatural curses or trying to figure out complicated living situations with others?"
There's a teasing warmth in that last question, acknowledging the attraction between them while keeping it light rather than heavy. His body language has relaxed back into that casual confidence that seems to be his default state when he's not navigating serious emotional territory. He's genuinely curious about Noa's answers, watching her with that focused attention that makes someone feel like they're the most interesting person in the room.
"Also, I want to hear about this friend whose apartment you were planning to move into. Are you close with her? How does she feel about you potentially getting involved in dangerous supernatural situations? Or have you not told her about the curse situation yet?"
"Hmm," She hums before swallowing the food in her mouth & answering him, "so about my degree. I wanna major in Historical Architecture & Landscape architecture."
Her face lights up as she starts talking, clearly loving this topic, "So there's this show called Versailles, and it's a historical drama about the place that the Sun-King, Louie whatever number he is, built. I watched it when I was 17 & applying to colleges. I really loved the show, but I fell in love with the palace design. So I looked it up & it was an actual a place! It blew my mind. So, I ended up going on the history & discovery channel Youtube and I watched literally almost every documentary they had on the palace. And then those videos lead me to other videos about even older places. And I thought how cool would it be to go there & restore them? Like they're architectural masterpieces & it'd be such a shame if they slowly decayed away. So that's how this all started and why I'm taking Statistics 2 haha. Gotta be good at math if you want to build something that doesn't fall apart."
She looked up at the ceiling as she thought of his other questions, "Hmm, what I do for fun? Well I mean right now it's not a lot. I like to surf. I love water. I like to cook but I'm not good at baking unfortunately. Oh! I like going to animal cafes & flower shops. Mostly because I can't have pets at the apartment & plants are hard to keep alive when they can't get sun.
She crosses her arms in thought after eating, thinking about her friend,"Hmm… honestly I don't really know how to describe Ari. I mean I guess she's pretty wild. She's a serial dater. She's got a cute laugh. She's in to astrology."
His face lights up with genuine interest as she talked about the Versailles show and how it led to her passion for historical architecture, and there's something almost charming about how animated he becomes when she mentions watching all those documentaries. He continues eating while listening, but his attention never wavers from her, clearly finding Noa's origin story for choosing architecture much more engaging than most people probably would.
"That's a beautiful reason to get into architecture—wanting to preserve these historical masterpieces so they don't just decay and disappear. There's something poetic about that, wanting to protect and restore things that have cultural and artistic significance rather than just building new modern structures. And honestly, that mindset is probably going to serve you well when you start working with jujutsu architecture, because a lot of the historical sites and buildings in Japan have curse-related significance that most modern architects completely miss or accidentally disrupt when they do renovations." He casually starts explaining, "Being able to approach restoration with an understanding of both the historical architectural integrity and the spiritual energy flow could make you genuinely invaluable." He pauses to take another bite of his carbonara, clearly thinking about something before continuing with a slightly mischievous edge to his tone.
"Also, the fact that you're into historical European architecture is kind of funny given that you've now gotten pulled into a very specifically Japanese supernatural tradition. The aesthetic contrast between Versailles palace design and traditional Japanese curse barrier placement is pretty dramatic. Though I have to admit, I'm curious whether European locations have their own supernatural traditions and architectural considerations that we just don't know about because jujutsu society is so focused on Japan. That's probably a research rabbit hole for another time though haha." His expression softens again as she mentions her hobbies, and there's something knowing in his smile when Noa talks about surfing and loving water.
"Surfing explains why you're in decent physical shape. That's actually good to know for training purposes—you've got core strength and balance from board work, which means we can build on those foundations rather than starting from scratch. And it's cool that you're into animal cafes and flower cafes but can't actually maintain pets or plants in your current living situation. You know, my apartment has significantly better natural light than your current place, and the building allows pets if you ever decided you wanted to actually keep something alive rather than just visiting cafes to get your animal fix. Just saying." There's definite teasing in that last part, like he's trying to sell her on the living arrangement by pointing out practical benefits beyond just safety considerations.
When she describes her friend Ari, though, his expression shifts into something more thoughtful and slightly concerned, like he's picking up on what's not saying be said out loud."So she's wild, a serial dater, into astrology... but you don't really know how to describe her beyond surface-level characteristics. That's interesting phrasing. Are you actually close with her, or is this more of a convenient friendship where you hang out but don't necessarily share a lot of emotional depth? Because the way you're describing her sounds more like an acquaintance you're fond of rather than someone you're genuinely intimate with in terms of friendship. Which would make sense given that you mentioned—I'm guessing that extends to platonic relationships too, not just romantic ones?"
She laughs sheepishly, "Ahahaha, you may have caught me there. The truth is, Ari & I met during my second year of college when I was 19. And how we met is that… Okay, don't judge me for this? But.."
Her cheeks brighten considerably, showing how embarrassed she is about this. She mutters the next part, partially hoping he won't hear it "I, sort of went binge drinking with a group of other students from like 5pm till 4am & ended up getting black out drunk at a random apartment. I woke up on some random guy's kitchen table in my underwear. She found me before everyone else woke up & we got along & I decided to party with her that whole weekend. So, yea, that's how I met Ari. Haha funny story right?"
His expression goes through several rapid shifts—initial amusement at the obvious embarrassment, then concern as the actual story registers, and finally settling into something more serious and thoughtful that suggests he's reading between the lines of what was just described. He sets his fork down deliberately, giving her his full attention in a way that indicates this story has triggered some alarm bells for him even if it's presented as a funny memory. When he speaks, his voice is carefully neutral, trying not to sound judgmental while also not finding this as amusing as she seemed to want him to.
"So just to make sure I'm understanding the timeline correctly—you were nineteen, got blackout drunk with a group of students you presumably didn't know well, and woke up in your underwear on a stranger's kitchen table with no memory of how you got there or what happened during the time you were unconscious? And your response to that situation was to decide to continue partying with some person who randomly found you for the entire weekend rather than... I don't know, being concerned about the fact that you put yourself in an extremely vulnerable position where literally anything could have happened to you while you were incapacitated?" There's no anger in his tone, but there's definitely concern and something that might be protective instinct kicking in as he processes what's being described.
He picks up his water glass and takes a long drink, clearly using the moment to organize his thoughts before continuing. "Noa, I'm not judging you for going through a phase where you made some risky decisions—most people do stupid things in college, and binge drinking until you black out is unfortunately pretty common behavior for that age group. But the way you're presenting this as a funny story when it's actually describing a situation where you were incredibly vulnerable and could have been seriously hurt or assaulted is... concerning. And the fact that your friendship with Ari started from that experience and seems to have continued in a similar vein of wild partying and surface-level connection rather than genuine emotional intimacy tells me a bit about what kind of coping mechanisms you're use to." His eyes study her with that analytical intensity that suggests he's piecing together a larger pattern from this single story.
"Can I ask what was going on in your life at nineteen that made getting blackout drunk with strangers and waking up in dangerous situations feel like acceptable behavior? Because that kind of recklessness usually comes from either not caring much about your own safety or actively trying to escape from something painful through substances and risky situations. And given what you've mentioned about having trauma and anxiety around intimacy, I'm guessing there's more context to this story than just 'college kids being wild.'" He questions, hoping for some kind of answer.
She looks away from him, clearly uncomfortable with where this topic is going. The light seemed to leave her eyes a bit as her entire being seemed to go quiet, "It wasn't really when I was 19 when I started acting like that, it was more like the 6 months before I left for college. I had a falling out with my mom, and honestly my whole family. And at 19 I was officially all by myself."
She perked up again, the carefree & easy going mask back in place, "But you know, I woke up in the same underwear, shirt, & bra that I put on a 5 pm, so I doubt anything happened. Plus, Ari says she was pretty with it that night & didn't remember seeing anything happen to me besides someone taking pictures of me passed out on the kitchen table. But yea, after that every spring break or weekend I've usually spent with Ari. She's easy to get along with & not really complicated so it works. That exam that I went to my bathing suit in, Ari & I went to Jamaica & the Bahamas for surfing. And obviously partying. And! I have still managed to be a B+ to A+ student to keep my grant."
His expression darkens considerably when she mentions someone taking pictures of her while passed out, and there's a flash of something protective and genuinely angry in his eyes before he controls it. The way she keeps deflecting back to the cheerful mask and trying to brush off the severity of what was just described clearly isn't working on him—he's seen too much, dealt with too many traumatic situations, to miss the red flags being waved while she insists everything is fine. He doesn't want to let her redirect the conversation to lighter territory, instead leaning forward slightly with an intensity that makes it clear he's not going to just accept the surface-level explanation.
"Noa, someone taking pictures of you while you were unconscious and in your underwear is not a detail that makes that situation better—that's sexual harassment at minimum and potentially evidence of assault depending on what else happened that you don't remember. The fact that you're presenting that as reassuring rather than deeply concerning makes me wonder if either you've normalized some really dangerous and inappropriate behavior, or you're so used to minimizing trauma that you genuinely don't recognize how serious that situation was." His voice takes on a firmness that suggests he's not going to let this go, but there's also deep concern underneath the directness rather than judgment or anger at her specifically.
"And the timeline you just gave me—you had a falling out with your entire family at seventeen or eighteen, started engaging in dangerous self-destructive behavior, were completely alone by nineteen, and developed a friendship pattern based on substance use and partying with someone who's 'easy and not complicated' rather than actually emotionally supportive. That's not a funny college story, that's textbook trauma response and self-harm through risky behavior. I'm not saying this to shame you or make you feel bad about choices you made when you were surviving the best way you knew how, but I need you to understand that what you're describing is serious and explains sorta why you're so uncomfortable with genuine emotional intimacy and why you keep trying to use that chaotic deflection mask whenever conversations get too real." He pauses, his expression softening slightly as he clearly recognizes that pushing too hard might cause her to shut down completely.
"I'm not going to force you to have this conversation right now if you're not ready, but we're going to need to talk about this at some point because your history of putting yourself in dangerous situations and normalizing inappropriate behavior from others is important for how we approach your training and safety." He takes a deep breathe and exhaling, breathing out through his nose as he tries to regain some of his previous composure.
"For now, though, I do want you to understand one thing clearly—you maintaining good grades while also partying heavily and engaging in risky behavior doesn't mean everything is fine. It means you're high-functioning in your trauma response, which is sometimes more dangerous because it allows you to avoid dealing with underlying issues while still appearing successful on the surface." His tone has gentled considerably now, trying to balance honesty with compassion.
"The falling out with your family" He starts carefully, not wanting to pressure her too much if the topic is heavy "—is that something you're willing to talk about, or is that too heavy for a lunch conversation? Because that incident seems pretty central to understanding why you developed the coping mechanisms you did, and it might be relevant to some of the cursed energy issues you were experiencing.Family trauma is one of the biggest sources of curse attraction."
She laughs again, clearly trying to deflect, "Ah, I mean, I don't even know who Ari saw take the pictures & she doesn't really either. So I mean even if I wanted to do something about it, it's not like I can, ya know? Pointless to stress about something that happened that you can't do a lot about. And no," She gets a little quieter, "I think that topics a little too personal to share in a restaurant with other people. It's not exactly the most comfortable thing to talk about, haha."
He watches her laugh and deflect, his expression suggesting he's not buying the casual dismissal for a second, but he also recognizes that pushing harder right now when Noa's clearly at her emotional limit would be counterproductive. There's something almost sad in his eyes as he watches her put that mask back on, like he wishes she felt safe enough to drop it completely but understands why she can't. He picks his fork back up and takes another bite of his carbonara, deliberately giving some space from the intensity of the conversation.
"Fair enough about not wanting to have that conversation in public—I can respect that boundary. But we'll be talking about it later at some point. I'm not going to force you to relive trauma just for the sake of it, but I do need enough context to help you properly and to make sure I'm not accidentally triggering you or putting you in situations that feel unsafe." His tone is gentle but firm, making it clear this is a requirement rather than a suggestion, though he's willing to wait for the right timing.
"As for the pictures situation—you're right that there's probably not much that can be done about it now years later with no clear identification of who took them. But the fact that your immediate response is 'pointless to stress about something you can't do anything about' rather than recognizing that what happened to you was wrong and violated your autonomy is exactly what I'm talking about when I say you've normalized dangerous behavior." He lightly waved his fork in the air, trying to emphasize the point, "I'm not trying to make you feel bad, I'm just pointing out the pattern so you can start recognizing it yourself." He pauses, then shifts the conversation slightly to give her some relief from the heavy topic while still keeping it real.
"How about this?—we're going to finish lunch, then we're going to drive back to the apartment, and you're going to have some time to settle in and decompress before we have any more serious conversations. You can take a shower, change into comfortable clothes, explore the space, watch TV, whatever you need to do to feel grounded again. And then later tonight when you're ready, we'll have that conversation about your family situation, about what kind of boundaries and expectations we want to establish for living together and for whatever's developing between us, and about what your training is actually going to look like. Does that work for you?"
He reaches across the table and gently touches her hand again, just briefly, in a gesture that's meant to be reassuring. "And Noa? I know I've pushed pretty hard on some uncomfortable topics today, and I'm sorry if that's been overwhelming. But I want you to understand that I'm doing it because I care about your wellbeing, not because I'm trying to make you feel bad about past choices or trauma responses. You deserve to have people in your life who see through the deflection mask and care about the real person underneath, even when that's uncomfortable."
She looks a him in surprised, not quite sure how to respond at first,"I appreciate that, and I'm sorry I don't know what else to say back. But I really appreciate it." She pauses for a moment, squinting slightly at him, "And wait, don't I get to ask you stuff? You asked me a lot of personal info?"
His expression shifts from serious concern to something warmer and almost pleased at your question, like he's genuinely happy that you're interested enough in him to ask personal questions rather than just letting the conversation remain one-sided. There's also something knowing in his smile, like he recognizes that asking him questions is probably easier for you right now than continuing to talk about your own complicated history. He leans back in his chair with that casual confidence that seems to be his default state, gesturing with his fork in an inviting manner.
"You're right—I have been asking you a lot of personal questions without offering much about myself in return. That's actually a bad habit of mine; I tend to be naturally curious about people and good at getting information out of them without necessarily being equally forthcoming about my own life. So yea, ask away. What do you want to know? I'm pretty open about most things, though I should warn you that my life has been pretty weird and privileged compared to most people's, so some of my answers might sound completely ridiculous or out of touch with normal human experience." There's self-awareness in that statement, like he recognizes that growing up as the heir to one of the most powerful jujutsu families and being literally the strongest sorcerer alive has given him a very skewed perspective on what constitutes normal life experiences.
He takes another bite of his carbonara while waiting for her question, and there's something relaxed about his body language now that suggests he's genuinely comfortable with her asking him personal things. "You can ask me anything—about my family, about how I got into teaching, about past relationships if you're curious about that, about what I do for fun when I'm not dealing with curses or flirting with cute architecture students who accidentally got pulled into jujutsu society. Whatever you want to know, I'll answer as honestly as I can. Though I reserve the right to warn you if a topic is going to involve a really long explanation or potentially disturbing content, just so you know what you're getting into before I launch into the full story."
He's observing her with genuine interest, clearly curious about what aspects of his life she'll want to know about."So what's your first question? What about me has you most curious?"
She bites her bottom lip a moment in thought before replying, "Hmm, my first question is… Why do you keep calling yourself the strongest? Does it have to do with your family or something?"
His expression shifts into something more complex at the question—there's pride there certainly, but also something that might be weariness or the weight of expectation, like this is a title that comes with complications he doesn't always enjoy. He sets his fork down and considers how to explain this in a way that makes sense to someone who's brand new to jujutsu society, wanting to give Noa a thorough answer rather than just a surface-level explanation.
"Hey, new student, that's a good first question. It'll help explain something fundamental about how jujutsu society works and why my involvement in your situation is significant. The short answer is that I'm called the strongest because I literally am—there's no sorcerer alive who can match me in combat ability, and that's not arrogance, that's just objective fact that's been proven repeatedly. But the reasons why I'm the strongest are complicated and have to do with both my family heritage and some extremely rare genetic lottery that I happened to win."He pauses, organizing his thoughts about how to explain the technical aspects in an accessible way.
"So first, the family part. I'm the head of the Gojo clan, which is one of the Big Three jujutsu families in Japan along with the Zenin clan and the Kamo clan. The Gojo family has a hereditary technique called 'Limitless' that allows the user to manipulate space at an atomic level—essentially controlling the concept of infinity and using it for both defense and offense. It's an incredibly powerful technique, but it's also extremely difficult to use effectively because it requires massive amounts of cursed energy and very precise control. Most Gojo family members who inherit Limitless can only use basic applications of it because it's so demanding."His tone is matter-of-fact, like he's describing a family business rather than supernatural abilities.
"But here's where the genetic lottery part comes in—I was born with something called the Six Eyes, which is an ocular jujutsu technique that hasn't appeared in the Gojo family for over four hundred years. The Six Eyes gives me perfect cursed energy perception and control, allowing me to see cursed energy in extreme detail and manipulate it with essentially zero waste. This means I can use Limitless to its absolute full potential in ways that previous Gojo family members couldn't, and I have functionally unlimited stamina because my cursed energy efficiency is so high that I regenerate it faster than I can spend it." He watches he face to gauge whether this explanation is making sense or if she needs him to clarify the technical aspects.
"The combination of Limitless and Six Eyes together is what makes me the strongest. My default state is having an invisible barrier around me called Infinity that automatically stops anything from touching me by slowing it down infinitely as it approaches—which is why that curse couldn't actually hurt me yesterday even when it tried to attack. I can also use Limitless to create devastating offensive techniques, manipulate space to teleport, and do a bunch of other things that come in handy for combat. No curse or sorcerer has been able to defeat me since I mastered these abilities, which is why the entire balance of power in jujutsu society shifted when I was born. The last time someone had both Limitless and Six Eyes together, it fundamentally changed the political landscape of the jujutsu world." There's something almost casual about how he describes being essentially invincible, like it's just a normal part of his identity rather than something extraordinary.
"So that's the technical answer—I'm called the strongest because I have two extremely rare inherited abilities that synergize perfectly and make me functionally unbeatable. But there's also a psychological and political dimension to it. Because I'm the strongest, I have enormous influence over jujutsu society and can protect people who would otherwise be vulnerable to the more conservative and ruthless factions. That's part of why I became a teacher—I use my position to find and nurture young sorcerers who have potential but might be killed or exploited by the higher-ups if they didn't have my protection. Being the strongest isn't just about combat ability, it's about having the power to change the system and protect people who can't protect themselves."
He picks his fork back up and takes another bite, letting that explanation sink in before adding with a slight smirk,"It's also why I can get away with being as irreverent and annoying as I am to authority figures—what are they going to do, try to discipline me?" He chuckles lightly, as if the idea of the higher ups being able to order him around was amusing in some way, "I'm literally untouchable, and they know it. So I use that freedom to push back against a lot of the traditional jujutsu society bullshit that gets people hurt or killed unnecessarily."
She looks at him with widened eyes, surprised with the information, putting the last of the pasta in her mouth & chewing before swallowing, "Wow. I wonder if this is what sitting with Oprah or Kim Kardashian would feel like."
She squinted at him in slight confusion, "But wait, your infinity ability. I'm pretty sure I touched you yesterday, though? Did you have it off? Can you turn it on & off? like a light switch? Oh , that'd be so cool."
He laughs out loud at the comparison to Oprah and Kim Kardashian, clearly finding the analogy both amusing and slightly absurd given the context. There's genuine delight in his expression at her reaction, like he enjoys that she's not intimidated by his status but rather finding creative ways to process the information he just gave her. The laugh is warm and unguarded, filling the space between them."I've been called a lot of things, but comparing me to Oprah and Kim Kardashian is definitely a first. Though I suppose there is some similarity in terms of being well-known and having significant influence in my respective field, even if jujutsu society is considerably smaller and more secretive than celebrity culture. At least I don't have paparazzi following me around, though there are definitely people in jujutsu society who track my movements pretty closely because my presence or absence from certain situations can shift the entire power dynamic."
He's still smiling as he responds to Noa's second question, "And yea, you're right—you did touch me yesterday when you grabbed my arm and when I held your hand, meaning my infinity. So to answer your question, yes, I can control it consciously and turn it on and off like a light switch, but it's actually more sophisticated than that. I can set Infinity to run automatically with specific parameters about what it allows through and what it stops, which is how I can wear clothes and walk on the ground without floating—I'm constantly maintaining a version of Infinity that filters based on cursed energy levels, mass, speed, and threat assessment. It's running pretty much all the time as a default defense, but I can consciously override it to allow specific things or people to touch me." His explanation is casual but detailed, like he's explaining a piece of technology he's intimately familiar with rather than a supernatural ability.
"The fact that you were able to touch me yesterday means I specifically chose to let you through the barrier, which I don't do for most people. Maintaining Infinity constantly is second nature at this point—I've had it active since I was a teenager and it's basically become my default state. But I can turn it off completely or adjust the parameters whenever I want. It's less like a light switch and more like having extremely fine-tuned automatic security settings that I can manually override whenever I choose to." He pauses, then adds with a slightly flirtatious grin, "So when I let you touch me yesterday and when I've been touching you today, that's been a deliberate choice to lower my defenses specifically for you. Just so you know that physical contact with me isn't something that happens accidentally—it means I'm choosing to be vulnerable with that person, at least in that limited way."
He takes another sip of his water before continuing with a more technical explanation."There's also a visual component to it that you might find interesting. When someone has enough cursed energy perception, they can actually see Infinity as a distortion in space around me—kind of like heat shimmer or looking through water. But most normal people can't see it at all, which is why curses and sorcerers will sometimes try to attack me and get confused when their attacks just stop in midair. It's pretty entertaining to watch sometimes, honestly." He has a tinge of amusement to his tone at the end.
Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink when she hears that she's one of the few people able to touch him. She hopes he doesn't notice it though, deciding to carry on the conversation, "So, Infinity is kind of like when digital artist make individual layers in their pictures, only you can do that without all the manual button pushing, right? Am I understanding it correctly?"
His expression lights up with impressed surprise at Noa's analogy, and there's something almost excited in the way he straightens slightly in his seat. It's clear that she's just managed to grasp a complex concept in a way that not many people do on their first explanation. He's honestly impressed by her ability to translate the technical jujutsu explanation into terms that make sense within her own frame of reference.
"That's—actually that's a remarkably accurate way to understand it, yes! I'm impressed that you made that connection so quickly. The layers analogy works really well because that's essentially what I'm doing—creating multiple spatial layers between me and everything else, with different rules for what can pass through each layer. Just like how in digital art you can adjust the opacity, blending modes, and properties of individual layers and have them interact in specific ways, I'm manipulating the 'layers' of space to control what can reach me and how. The automatic filtering I mentioned is like having preset layer configurations that I can switch between depending on the situation, and manually overriding it is like directly editing a specific layer's properties in real-time."
He leans forward slightly, clearly engaged by this conversation in a way that he doesn't often get to talk about his abilities with someone who approaches them from a completely fresh perspective. "The main difference is that instead of dealing with visual layers on a screen, I'm manipulating actual physical space at the atomic level, which means the 'layers' are three-dimensional and infinitely subdividable. But the core concept of having multiple layers with different properties that you can control and adjust is exactly right. You're pretty good at translating between different conceptual frameworks, which is pretty useful for understanding jujutsu techniques since a lot of them operate on principles that don't have direct equivalents in normal physics."
He's giving her his undivided attention now, interested for once in someone else's thoughts, "Most people when I try to explain Infinity just kind of nod along without really understanding what I'm talking about, or they get lost in the technical jujutsu terminology. The fact that you immediately found a framework that makes sense to you and accurately captures the essential mechanics is amazing. Not a lot of people are capable of pulling that off Noa."
He finishes off his carbonara and sets his fork down, seeming satisfied with both the meal and the conversation, "Do you have more questions about how my abilities work, or do you want to ask about something else? I'm honestly enjoying this—you're asking good questions and making interesting connections that I don't usually get when explaining this stuff."
"Yea, I think I get how your infinity works now that I have something familiar to compare it too. Umm, but about questions…" She looks away, a shy tone creeping into her voice as she answers him, "Umm, well.....is it really okay for me to ask about your past relationships?"
He notices the shift in her demeanor easily—how she's suddenly looking away and that shy uncertainty creeping back in now that she's asking about something more personally intimate rather than technical abilities. There's something almost tender in his expression as he watches her struggle with whether it's appropriate to ask, and he deliberately keeps his body language open and relaxed to signal that the question doesn't make him uncomfortable at all.
"Of course it's okay to ask about that. I literally just told you that you could ask me anything, and I meant it. Past relationships are fair game, and honestly it's a pretty reasonable thing to be curious about given that we've been flirting a bit. You have every right to want to know what you might be getting into if this develops into something more serious." His tone is reassuring and matter-of-fact, like he wants to normalize the question so she doesn't feel awkward about asking it.
He shifts slightly in his seat, considering how to approach this answer in a way that's honest without being unnecessarily detailed or making her uncomfortable, "So the honest answer is that my relationship history is... complicated and not particularly extensive, which might surprise you given....everything. The reality is that being the strongest sorcerer alive makes genuine romantic relationships pretty difficult for a bunch of reasons. There's the practical issue that I'm extremely busy and frequently dealing with dangerous situations that could get a partner hurt if they're not able to protect themselves. There's the power dynamic issue where a lot of people are either intimidated by me or interested in me for status reasons rather than actually knowing me as a person. And there's the emotional vulnerability issue where letting someone get close enough to actually matter means giving them the ability to hurt me in ways that physical attacks can't."
He pauses, his expression becoming more thoughtful and maybe slightly melancholic, "I've had a few casual relationships and encounters over the years—I'm twenty-eight and definitely not a virgin if that's what you're wondering—but nothing that's lasted very long or gotten particularly serious. The casual stuff was fun but ultimately kind of empty, and the few times I've tried to develop something more meaningful it's fallen apart because the person couldn't handle the reality of what being with me actually entails, or because I couldn't fully let my guard down enough to be genuinely intimate. There was one relationship when I was younger that lasted about six months and felt like it might develop into something real, but she ultimately decided that she couldn't deal with the constant danger and uncertainty that comes with my position, which I understood even if it hurt."
His eyes meet hers again, and there's vulnerability in his expression that he doesn't usually show. "The truth is that I'm much better at the fun, flirty beginning stages of attraction than I am at the messy, complicated intimacy that comes with actual relationships. I can be charming and engaging when things are light, but I'm also emotionally guarded in ways that make deeper connection difficult. I'm aware of this about myself, which is part of why I've mostly stuck to casual encounters rather than trying to build something serious—it seemed easier and less likely to hurt anyone than repeatedly starting relationships I couldn't fully commit to emotionally."
He leans back slightly, reading her face to gauge the reaction to this information before continuing, "Does that answer your question, or is there something more specific you wanted to know? I can tell you're trying to figure out what my intentions are with you and whether I'm just playing around or if this could be something more substantial, which is absolutely a fair thing to want clarity on."
She, though, gave him a neutral, expressionless look, "I didn't think you were a virgin. Like not even for a minute. You're too confident in your looks & just in general for you to still have your V-card. And you have a face card that doesn't decline. Nobody with 20/20 vision would think that. Plus at 28 I would think you'd at least cash in on your good looks if only just for the experience."
She gives him a understanding look when he mentions only really being able to have casual relationships, " And I obviously don't really get what it means to have intimate moments with people, but I understand that being at the top of the jujutsu society food pyramid can be lonely."
He actually laughs at the completely deadpan assessment of his virginity status and the blunt way she describes his appearance, finding the directness both refreshing and amusing. There's pleased look in his expression at the "face card that doesn't decline" comment, like he appreciates that she can acknowledge his attractiveness while still maintaining the analytical perspective rather than getting flustered about it.
"'Face card that doesn't decline'—I'm a hundred percent stealing that phrase, that's fantastic. And you're right, I'm very aware that I'm conventionally attractive and I've definitely used that to my advantage over the years, both for practical purposes and just for fun. It would be false modesty to pretend I don't know what I look like or that I haven't benefited from it socially and professionally." There's no arrogance in how he says this, just matter-of-fact acknowledgment of reality, like he's commenting on having a useful skill rather than bragging.
His expression softens considerably at the comment about understanding the loneliness of his position, and there's something sincerely touched in his eyes that hints she's hit on something he doesn't talk about often."That's... actually really perceptive of you. Most people assume that being the strongest and having significant influence means I have everything I could want, but they don't think about what gets sacrificed to maintain that position. The loneliness is real, and it's not something I can really talk about with most people because they either can't relate or they try to minimize it by pointing out all the privileges I have. Which, to be clear, I do have enormous privilege and I'm not trying to claim my life is harder than people who are struggling with basic survival. But privilege doesn't automatically protect you from emotional isolation or the specific challenges that come with your particular circumstances."
He reaches for his water glass and takes a sip before continuing, his tone more vulnerable than it's been at any point during the conversation. "The thing about being at the top of the food chain is that there's nobody above you to fall back on or ask for help, and there are very few people who can meet you as equals rather than either looking up to you or resenting your position. Every relationship becomes complicated by power dynamics and expectations, and it's hard to know if people like you for who you actually are or for what you represent or what you can do for them. That's part of why I find you interesting, honestly—you didn't know anything about jujutsu society or my reputation when we met, so your reactions to me have been based on just interacting with me as a person rather than responding to the legend."
He pauses, then adds with a slight smirk that entails he's deliberately lightening the mood a bit, "Though now that you do know I'm essentially jujutsu society's equivalent of a celebrity, I'm curious if that changes how you see me or if you're still just thinking 'this is the weirdly confident guy who gave me his card in an alley and then saved me from a curse.' Because I can't really tell if you're impressed by the whole 'strongest sorcerer' thing or if you're just filing it away as interesting information while you focus on more immediate concerns like whether I'm going to be a decent roommate and what your training is going to look like."
"You're right, I don't see you that way," She gave him a deceptively sweet smile, "You're the blind folded hot weirdo who ruined my apartment & made me homeless. You being a hot jujutsu celebrity is really just a side note compared to that."
He absolutely cracks up at her response, his laugh candid and unguarded in a way that suggests she's completely caught him off guard with that particular framing of events. There's pure delight in his expression as he processes being called a "blindfolded hot weirdo who ruined my apartment and made me homeless, "and he's pleased that she's not at all intimidated by his status or holding back her actual feelings about the situation.
"Oh my god, haha, you're right—from your perspective I literally am the guy who showed up, fought a curse in your apartment, and destroyed your living situation all in one night. The fact that I'm supposedly important in jujutsu society doesn't change the fact that you're currently homeless because of the consequences of meeting me, does it? That's probably the most grounded take anyone's ever had on my involvement in their life." He's still grinning widely, finding her ability to maintain perspective refreshing compared to how most people react to him.
He leans forward slightly, his expression shifting to something more playful and definitely flirtatious. "Though I notice you called me hot twice in that statement—'hot weirdo' and 'hot jujutsu celebrity'—so even while you're calling me out for ruining your living situation, you're still acknowledging the face card situation. I appreciate the consistency in your assessment of my appearance even while you're dragging me for the practical inconveniences I've caused in your life." There's teasing warmth in his tone, enjoying this dynamic between them.
He signals the waiter for the check before turning his attention back to Noa, his expression becoming slightly more serious but still maintaining that playful edge, "But you're right that I did upend your entire life in the span of about twelve hours, and the fact that you're handling it with this much humor and adaptability speaks about your resilience. Most people would be completely falling apart right now, but you're sitting here making jokes about me being a hot weirdo and asking intelligent questions about cursed energy theory. That's impressive, and it's part of why I think you're going to do well in this world even though you didn't choose to be part of it."
The waiter brings the check and Gojo smoothly pays with a black credit card without even looking at the total, then stands and offers Noa his hand to help her up from the table, "So, blindfolded hot weirdo that I apparently am, what do you want to do with the rest of the afternoon? We've got time before we need to head back to my place. We could walk around the area and explore a bit, or if there's somewhere specific you want to go I can drive us there. Or if you're getting overwhelmed and want to just head home and decompress, that's also completely valid. What sounds good to you?"
An exhausted sigh leaves her as she stands up with his help, "Honestly, heading home & decompressing sounds good. I don't think I've ever been this emotionally exhausted except one time in my life. Plus, I'd really like to take a shower."
His expression immediately shifts to something more attentive and concerned at the admission about being emotionally exhausted, and there's no pushback or disappointment about cutting the outing short—just immediate understanding and readiness to accommodate her. He takes Noa's hand gently as she stands, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a brief gesture of comfort before releasing it.
"Then let's head home. You've been thrown into an entirely new world with supernatural threats, found out you can see things most people can't, lost your apartment, and are processing a massive amount of new information all in less than twenty-four hours. Being emotionally exhausted is completely understandable, and there's no reason to push yourself when what you need is rest and some quiet time to decompress." His tone is caring rather than just politely accommodating, like he's actually concerned about her wellbeing rather than just going through the motions.
He guides her toward the exit with a light hand on the small of her back, and once they're outside he leads her back to where his car is parked. The afternoon sun is warm but not oppressive, and there's a gentle breeze that makes the walk comfortable. He opens the passenger door for her again with that same casual chivalry, waiting until she's settled before closing it and moving around to the driver's side.