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The air at the Tokyo Jujutsu High train station was thick with the scent of ozone and summer humidity, but for Yuki, the only thing that mattered was the tall, slender figure walking through the arrival gates. Yuta Okkotsu looked tired. His dark hair was slightly longer than when he had left for his overseas mission months ago, and the shadows under his eyes had deepened, a testament to the special grade burdens he carried alone.

Yuki didn’t care about the decorum expected of a sorcerer. The moment his eyes met hers, she was a blur of motion. She sprinted across the platform, her short uniform pleated skirt fluttering around her thighs.

"Yuta!" she cried out, her voice a bright contrast to the dull roar of the station.

Before he could even set his bags down, Yuki launched herself at him. Yuta’s reflexes, honed by months of life-or-death battles, kicked in automatically. He caught her mid-air, his large hands gripping her thighs to steady her as she instinctively wrapped her legs firmly around his waist.

"Whoa—Yuki!" Yuta gasped, his face flushing a deep crimson as she collided with him. He stumbled back a step, his arms instinctively securing her against his chest.

She didn't let go. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of his laundry detergent and the faint, metallic tang of cursed energy that always clung to him. She squeezed him tight, her petite frame almost disappearing against his taller, lean build.

"I missed you so much," she whispered against his skin, her breath hitching. "Don't you ever stay away that long again."

Yuta chuckled nervously, his heart hammering against his ribs—though whether it was from the sudden impact or her proximity, he couldn't tell. "I'm back, Yuki. I promise. I'm not going anywhere for a while."

He tried to gently set her down, but Yuki simply tightened her grip, her fingers digging into his white uniform jacket. She shifted, her chest pressing firmly against his, and she began to pepper his cheek with quick, soft pecks.

"You're so warm," she murmured, moving her lips toward his jawline.

"Yuki, people are looking," Yuta stammered, his eyes darting around the platform. Maki, Panda, and Toge were standing a few yards away, watching with varying expressions of amusement and exhaustion.

"Let them look," Yuki replied defiantly, finally sliding down his body but refusing to let go of his arm. She laced her fingers with his, pulling him toward the stairs. "I’ve had to wait months. They can wait five minutes for us to get to the train."

The journey back to the school was a test of Yuta’s legendary composure. The afternoon commute had turned the train into a metal sardine can. They were packed into a corner near the doors, the crowd surging with every jolt of the tracks.

Yuki took full advantage of the lack of space. She didn't just stand near Yuta; she occupied his space entirely. She turned her back to him, pressing her spine against his chest. Because of the height difference, her head tucked perfectly under his chin.

Yuta felt the heat of her body through their uniforms. Every time the train braked, Yuki leaned back further, her curves molding against him. He felt the distinct pressure of her lower body against his, a sensation that made his throat go dry. He tried to keep his hands raised, gripping the overhead bar to keep some semblance of distance, but the crowd pushed a group of businessmen into them, forcing him to wrap one arm around Yuki’s waist to keep her from being crushed.

"Sorry," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly.

Yuki didn't look sorry at all. She tilted her head back, looking up at him with hooded eyes. "It’s okay, Yuta. I like it here."

She shifted her weight, deliberately grinding back against him just a fraction of an inch. Yuta’s eyes widened, and he let out a sharp, strangled breath. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, his ears burning. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to recite cursed energy theory in his head to distract himself from the way her miniskirt had ridden up slightly, her bare skin warm against his trousers.

"Yuki, please," he breathed, his voice barely audible over the clatter of the tracks.

"Please what?" she teased, her voice a low purr. She reached up, her small hand tracing the line of his throat before resting on his nape, her fingers playing with the short hairs there. She stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to the sensitive skin just below his ear. "Do you want me to move?"

Yuta was trapped. If he said yes, he was a liar; if he said no, he was admitting to the effect she was having on him. He stayed silent, his grip on the handrail tightening until his knuckles turned white.

Across the aisle, Nobara Kugisaki was watching the display with an eyebrow arched so high it was nearly lost in her hairline. Megumi stood beside her, staring resolutely out the window at the passing tunnel walls, his expression one of pained endurance.

Nobara sighed, a long, dramatic sound that cut through the hum of the train. She crossed her arms over her chest and fixed Yuta with a pointed look.

"Seriously, Yuta? Are you just going to stand there and take it?" Nobara asked, her voice loud enough to make a few nearby commuters turn their heads.

Yuta blinked, startled. "Take... take what?"

Nobara rolled her eyes, gesturing vaguely at Yuki, who was currently occupied with kissing the side of Yuta’s neck again. "She’s practically marking her territory in public. It’s embarrassing for the rest of us. Do something about it already. It’s painful how much she wants you."

Yuki didn't stop. She just shot Nobara a smug grin over her shoulder before turning back to Yuta, her eyes shining with a mix of mischief and genuine longing. "She’s right, Yuta. I’ve been very clear, haven’t I?"

Yuta looked down at Yuki. The teasing light in her eyes was there, but beneath it was the raw vulnerability of someone who had spent months worrying if he would ever come home. The realization softened the panic in his chest. He realized he didn't want her to stop; he just wanted the privacy to show her exactly how much he had missed her, too.

"We're almost at our stop," Yuta said, his voice suddenly dropping an octave, becoming steadier and more grounded.

"And?" Yuki asked, her hand sliding down to rest over his heart.

Yuta leaned down, his lips brushing against her temple. "And when we get back to the dorms, I'm not going to be this patient."

Yuki’s breath hitched. The playful smirk vanished, replaced by a flush that rivaled Yuta’s earlier embarrassment. She blinked up at him, her heart skipping a beat at the sudden shift in his intensity. The 'Queen of Curses' might have been a memory, but Yuta Okkotsu still carried a quiet, overwhelming power that could command a room—or a heart—with a single look.

The train slowed, the brakes screeching as they pulled into the campus-adjacent station. The doors slid open, and the group filtered out into the cooler evening air.

As they walked up the winding path toward the high school, Yuki remained glued to Yuta’s side, her arm looped firmly through his. She was quieter now, the adrenaline of the public teasing fading into a simmering anticipation.

"You're awfully quiet now," Maki noted, walking a few paces ahead with her polearm over her shoulder. "What happened to the high-energy welcome committee?"

"I'm just saving my breath," Yuki replied, though she didn't look at Maki. She kept her gaze fixed on the path ahead, her thumb tracing circles on the back of Yuta’s hand.

They reached the crossroads of the dormitories. Megumi and Nobara headed toward the first-year wing, while Maki and Panda veered toward the training fields for a late-session spar.

"See you at dinner, Yuta," Panda called out, giving a thumb-up. "Try not to get eaten alive."

Yuta offered a weak wave, but his focus was entirely on the woman clinging to his arm. Once the others were out of sight, the silence of the woods settled around them, broken only by the chirping of evening cicadas.

Yuki stopped walking, pulling Yuta to a halt under the shadow of a large cherry blossom tree. The petals had long since fallen, but the thick canopy provided a veil of privacy.

"You said you wouldn't be patient," Yuki challenged, her voice trembling slightly. She let go of his arm and stood in front of him, her hands hovering near his waist. "We're alone now."

Yuta didn't hesitate. He reached out, his hands framing her face. His palms were calloused from sword work, but his touch was incredibly gentle. He tilted her head up, his dark eyes searching hers.

"I spent every night in Africa thinking about this," he admitted softly. "Every time I closed my eyes after a mission, I saw you waiting for me. It drove me crazy, Yuki. Knowing I was thousands of miles away while you were here."

Yuki’s eyes softened, her hands finally finding purchase on his shoulders. "Then stop talking about it."

Yuta leaned in, closing the distance. The kiss wasn't like the playful pecks she had given him all afternoon. It was deep, hungry, and filled with the desperation of months spent apart. It was the kiss of a man who had faced monsters and come back specifically for the woman in his arms.

Yuki let out a soft moan against his lips, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck. She pulled him closer, wanting to erase every millimeter of space between them. Yuta’s arms wound around her waist, lifting her slightly off her feet so she didn't have to strain to reach him.

When they finally broke for air, both were flushed and breathing heavily. Yuta rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

"I think Nobara was right," Yuta whispered, a small, genuine smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"About what?"

"About me needing to do something about you."

Yuki laughed, a bright, melodic sound that echoed through the trees. She leaned back, her hands sliding down to grip his again. "Well, you've made a start. But I have a lot of lost time to make up for, Yuta."

"I'm all yours," he replied, his voice firm and certain. "For as long as you want."

Yuki beamed, her petite frame radiating a glow that had nothing to do with cursed energy. She tugged on his hand, leading him toward the dorms. "Good. Because I have a very long list of things I want to do, and none of them involve you going on a mission for at least a year."

Yuta followed her, his heart lighter than it had been in months. The weight of the world was still there, the shadows of the jujutsu world still loomed, but as long as Yuki was holding his hand and teasing him with that mischievous glint in her eyes, he felt like he could handle anything.

As they disappeared into the dormitory entrance, the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the school in a warm, golden light. The long wait was over, and for the first time in a long time, Yuta Okkotsu was truly home.