Chapter Text
It takes Nanami nearly burning half his body off to realise how tired he is. When the curse hits straight at him, he doesn't even bother to put on airs, just falls to the ground to the faint sound of his auxiliary manager shouting at him. He wakes up lying in Shoko's lab, bandages wrapped around various parts of his body. Another failed mission caused by his incompetency.
"You look like shit," Shoko says, and Nanami just looks at her blankly with his single eye. It messes with his depth perception a little.
"When's the last time you slept?" Shoko asks. When Nanami keeps his mouth shut, she adds, "If you don't answer, I'm giving you a sedative."
"Last night," Nanami says.
Shoko gives him the benefit of the doubt. "Let me correct myself. When's the last time you slept well?"
Nanami could just lie but somehow, he feels that he owes Shoko the honesty. The number of times he has visited her lab has greatly increased in the last few months. She never asks him too many questions, just peers at him with her ever-so-perceptive eyes. It makes Nanami want to shrink back a little sometimes. He watches as her fingers fly over her phone screen rapidly. "Suguru will be picking you up."
Nanami looks up. "Geto-senpai? Why?"
"Because you're in no shape to go home by yourself." She slips her phone back into her pocket. "You'll be staying at his place until you're fully healed."
Nanami frowns. "I can manage by myself."
Shoko rolls her eyes. "You can't even walk in a straight line right now."
Nanami sits up with determination, vision swimming and fingers clenching the side of the bed. He pushes himself up, and Shoko crosses her arms at the stubborn display. He stumbles over his feet towards the door, the wound on his side flaring in protest, and he can feel Shoko's gaze piercing into the back of his head. His missing ear is messing with his balance, but he nearly makes it to the exit when he feels his knees give way under him. He is about to fall and Nanami braces for impact as much as he can, but he finds himself held up by a pair of strong arms. He looks up from a pair of baggy pants to a familiar head of long hair. "Hey Nanami, leaving without me?"
Geto's eyes widen unnoticeably at the depth of Nanami's injuries. He swings an arm under Nanami, putting most of the injured man's body weight on himself. Now, Nanami is too far gone to even insist that he can stand by himself. His head lolls against Geto's shoulder involuntarily. He registers a quiet exchange of words, but he can't quite hear them. Geto's arm against him is a grounding force, and he lets himself be carried and manoeuvred into the passenger seat of a car.
"Nanami." It is only when Geto repeats himself louder that Nanami is pulled out of his daze. "Do you need anything from your home?" he asks. "I'll go pick it up after."
Nanami shakes his head. "Just send me back to my place."
"Sorry, Nanami. Doctor's orders. Besides," Geto adds with a joking laugh, "I'm not going against Ieiri, of all people." The light turns green ahead of them. "My place isn't so bad, you'll see."
There is a brief pause. "I don't want to intrude."
Geto turns to him. "You're always welcome." It sounds so sincere that Nanami nearly believes it.
"Gojo-"
"He doesn't mind too," Geto says without hesitation.
Nanami swallows. "How do you know?"
"It's you, Nanami. Why would we?"
Geto and Gojo's apartment is warm, filled with the evidence of their life together. Two cups on the table, pictures displayed on the walls and random souvenirs that Gojo likes to bring back from his trips. Nanami limps heavily against Geto, keeping his gaze fixated on the floor.
Nanami feels disgusting and wants a shower desperately, but it's impossible with his bandages. Geto offers to wipe him down. He helps Nanami pull his shirt off, wrings a wet cloth and softly runs it down the uninjured parts of Nanami's skin.
"I can do it by myself," Nanami says quietly.
"I know," Geto says. "But let me help." Nanami doesn't argue back, so Geto takes it as his permission to continue.
Geto's touch is far gentler than it would have been if he had done it himself, as if Nanami would break into pieces under him. Has he really become so fragile? "Thank you, Geto-senpai."
"How many times have I told you to drop the honorific already, Nanami?" Geto drawls light-heartedly.
"Habit," Nanami mumbles. Geto passes him the wet towel for Nanami to clean his face. He is helped into pyjamas, and the shirt hangs way bigger than his own frame. "Sorry for taking the bed," Nanami says.
"Stop apologizing," Geto complains without bite. "You're not overstepping here, Nanami. I'll say it as many times as you want."
Geto is about to leave and turn the lights off, but he looks back one more time. Nanami is just staring straight ahead at the wall. "Something the matter?"
Nanami blinks slowly. "Nothing."
"Can't sleep?" Geto guesses.
Nanami does not reply, the exhaustion so evident on his face. Geto hesitates slightly, then motions to the empty side of the bed. "May I join?"
"It's your bed," Nanami points out.
"That's," Geto replies with a small smile, "not what I asked."
For some reason, Nanami finds himself wanting to say yes. The bed, so much bigger than his own, smells like a mixture of Geto, Gojo and laundry detergent. Despite his extreme fatigue, he doesn't think he'll be able to fall asleep after today's failed mission. Since he won't be sleeping tonight, the offer of company doesn't sound too bad, and so he nods.
Geto climbs under the covers, careful not to jostle Nanami's injuries as he lies beside him. Nanami stiffens involuntarily at the touch, and it doesn't go unnoticed. "Is this okay?" Geto asks.
"It's fine," Nanami says. It takes him a while to relax and get used to having someone so close.
"I sometimes find it easier to sleep when there's someone around," Geto tells him softly. Nanami can feel Geto's chest moving as he speaks. The warmth emanating from him is surprisingly soothing. The heaviness of his eyelids grow despite the threat of nightmares and a fitful sleep.
Geto watches silently as Nanami's breaths finally even out after some time, before he closes his own eyes. He sees in Nanami what he used to see in himself - exhaustion, loneliness and a distaste for the structure of society.