Work Text:
It is like this - Geto Suguru did not like Gojo Satoru.
Anymore.
Suguru’s heart definitely did not flutter when Gojo sat himself on the edge of his desk. Talking to his basketball croons, as usual about their latest victory, he didn’t even acknowledge Suguru, or the fact that he was on his desk. It irked him - he took his frustration out on the pen clenched in his fist. Click - what stupidly long legs Gojo had. Click - he was so arrogant just because he was the star basketball player didn’t mean shit. Click - his eyes -
His eyes were looking down at Suguru, blue depths of - of pure hell. “What about you Geto?”
Suguru hadn’t been listening, just because they were in his proximity, didn’t mean he was required to play any part in their conversation. But now all three pairs of eyes were fixated on him, waiting for some type of response to a question he didn’t know. He was usually invisible. “What?” he asks finally.
Gojo rolls his eyes , “Do you play?”
Suguru scoffs - that was how he first met Gojo Satoru.
---
It was the summer break before Suguru had transferred schools - his family had recently moved into town. He had explored the neighborhood, for lack of anything else to do, and discovered a small park. It was well groomed, but the equipment was a little worn as if they didn’t have the funds to upgrade. It had a basketball hoop, though the net had long rotted away, it was perfect - he could shoot without being disturbed. He went often enough that it sort of became his routine that summer. Most of the time the park was empty, save for a kid or two on a swing, but the basketball court was always his.
That was until one morning, he approached the sound of dribbling. Indeed , to his dismay, somebody occupied his court. It was a tall, white haired boy, with a tan top and shorts. Suguru stopped short, watching with awe as he danced across the court, gracefully dribbling around invisible opponents. He made it to the hoop, leaping up to dunk the ball through, swinging, just for a moment, from the rim. He was -
Unbelievably hot .
He ran to retrieve the ball, still not noticing that he had an audience, he began to dribble again. A phone started ringing, startling Suguru as it was on the ground near where he stood. The boy stopped, and for the first time looked in his direction. “Ah - shit -” he ran over. Suguru tried not to stare. He picks up the phone, frowning at the screen, before flicking his blue eyes up to Suguru. They were so blue - like the very essence of the color. “Sorry -” he smiles , “It’s all yours.” And then hurries away, answering the phone.
Just completely shattering Suguru’s whole day. His whole summer - spent hoping each day when he went back to the park that the mysterious stranger would reappear. He didn’t.
---
“I don’t.”
Satoru looks at him for a moment longer, before sighing, “Laame.” He turns back to his friends.
Suguru fidgets with his pen again.
---
Imagine his surprise, when he discovered that his new found summer crush was at his school . And even better - in his class . He had been brought to the front of the room for introductions, his sensei pointed out his seat in the back corner. He was walking toward it, when a head of white hair popped up from behind a book propped on a desk a few from his own. He tripped, nearly fell over. A few of his classmates snickered as he took a seat, staring pointedly at his desk - wishing he could evaporate from embarrassment. Only when his teacher begins the lesson does he risk peeking up, but the boy already had his head down.
---
Geto found out that the boy's name was Gojo Satoru. Not that he had to try very hard, when that name was spoken everywhere. Teachers spoke his name, moreseo in venom for his lack of academic attention - girls whispered it in the hallways or in the cafeteria in admiration - and everyone screamed it in the basketball court.
With each passing day - that name was effectively written over his heart.
Satoru - smiling and laughing with his friends.
Satoru - leaning back to stretch in his chair after napping the whole lesson.
Satoru - on the basketball court, glistening - smoothly passing the competition.
Suguru was completely hopeless. He hated himself, for how shamelessly he was pining. He laid his head in his notebook.
---
Suguru confessed during the winter break after the holidays. He hadn’t originally intended to, but it just happened. He had run the convenience store to grab a few things, when he heard Gojo’s voice from the front, “Ahh shit , I forgot my wallet - hang on-”
“I can pay,” Suguru offers before he can think better, setting his own items down on the counter.
Gojo looked up from his phone, “No - that’s okay I-”
The cashier takes Suguru’s money anyway, he pointedly doesn’t look at Gojo - afraid he’d forget how to talk if he did again. “It’s fine, really, you could always pay me back at school.”
He sees Gojo’s blink from his peripheral, “Ahhh, you go to the same school? Which class?”
Suguru feels his cheeks flush, “Um, we’re in the same class.”
Gojo steps closer, “Really - what’s your name?”
The cashier passes their stuff to Suguru, he takes it, turning to hand Satoru his own bag, “Geto Suguru.”
“Ah, well, thanks Geto.” Satoru gives him a wide smile, before heading for the exit. The door chimes behind him.
Suguru isn’t sure what possessed him, in that moment, but he desperately wished it hadn’t. He chased Satoru outside - “Gojo!”
Gojo stopped, turning lightly on his feet to face Geto. “Hm?”
Geto is frozen paces away, unable to continue forward, so he is forced to shout - “I like you!”
Gojo doesn’t look surprised, in fact - the look on his face is as cold as the weather. Suguru’s, meanwhile, felt as if it were on fire. “Okay,” he finally says, after a moment, before turning back to walk away.
“Wait -” Suguru comes unfrozen, fumbling forward in horror - what kind of answer was that? He had just confessed his feelings - “is that all ?”
He stops again, glancing back with icy, blue eyes, “What would you have me say? I don’t even know who you are.”
Suguru hates how small he feels at that moment. He doesn’t know how to respond to that, so Gojo just keeps on walking, leaving him there in the cold.
---
“Earth to Geto -” fingers snap in his face. Suguru looks back up, Gojo wasn’t sitting anymore, but he was leaning across his desk to get in his face. “ There he is,” he says condescendingly. Suguru wants to bite his hand, but he pulls back again, straightening. “Aren’t you going to eat, didn’t you bring lunch?”
Suguru didn’t - especially since Gojo had taken to plucking whatever he pleased from his lunches. “I didn’t,” he says and stands to go to the cafeteria.
Gojo follows him, “What are you buying?”
Geto hates him. “Would you leave me alone?”
Gojo throws an arm around his shoulder, it was just the two of them in the hallway, as it was late in their lunch break. “Aw, come on, you said that-” his voice lowers, his mouth close to Suguru’s ear, “you liked me , remember?”
Suguru hates his traitorous body for shivering at the feel of his breath on his ear. He shakes him off, putting distance between them, “Well - I don’t anymore - so leave me alone.”
Thankfully - that makes Gojo pause, allowing him to escape.
---
When winter break came to an end, Suguru was seriously considering begging his mother to transfer him to another school. After all, how could he possibly face Gojo after that ? The best case scenario was that he ignored his existence as usual. The worst - he tells the whole school and they laugh at him. Surprisingly, neither of those things happen.
See - Satoru doesn’t ignore him. In fact, he goes out of his way to pester him. It is torture - Suguru hates it. On the other hand, as far as Suguru could tell, Satoru didn’t tell anybody about his… confession . It comes as a relief.
---
Gojo did back off - for the next few days. It was strange, Geto had gotten used to him harassing him everyday for the past couple of months - and now he wouldn’t even make eye contact. He wasn’t disappointed. This was a good thing. He could finally have peace.
Maybe he was frustrated. He takes it out at the hoops in the park. He shoots until his arms are sore. It’s spring, but the air was still chilly. It contrasts with the sweat on his skin. He steps back to set up another shot.
“Yo-” a voice interrupts, startling him - which made his shot miss, basketball rolling off to the side. Satoru picks up the ball, “Thought you said you didn’t play.”
Suguru holds out his hands for the ball, “I don’t.”
Satoru tosses him the ball, which he catches easily. “Says the guy shooting three pointers-”
He shrugs, turning back toward the hoop to shoot.
“Want to play?” Satoru asks.
Suguru should refuse - probably should leave. But he glances back over at that damned smile. And, as he turns his attention back to retrieving the ball, he says against his better judgment - “Sure.”
---
It becomes a thing . Their afternoon basketball games in the small park.
They even start talking more in school, discovering they had a similar sense of humor.
The more time that passes, the more comfortable it gets… Suguru would even go as far to say that they became friends.
---
It is summer break - and the heat is insufferable. They were sitting in the grass in their park, eating popsicles they bought from the convenience store. Satoru is sucking it so fucking - he has to look away. “You’re disgusting .”
Satoru pulls it from his mouth, “Can’t a man eat his popsicle in peace?” he jokes.
Yeah - but not like that - Suguru wants to say back. He goes for revenge instead, turning to face Satoru, he sank down on his own, hollowing his cheeks obscenely. Satoru stares - he swears his pupils dilate, mouth hanging open speechless as Suguru pulls the popsicle from his lips with a pop . “Couldn’t agree more,” he says.
---
It is another obscenely hot day of their summer break, and they are shooting hoops. Not even ten minutes in, and Suguru’s shirt is drenched . Unwilling to suffer he yanked it over his head, tossing it aside into the grass. He glances at Satoru, who is stopped. “What?”
Satoru looks dazed - maybe the heat really was getting to him. He shook his head, coming back to reality - “I’m gonna kick your ass.”
---
Suguru comes to the realization that summer - that Satoru wants him. And not in a friend-way.
When they are back in school he catches him, on more than one occasion, staring . Suguru could have written it off - if it didn’t keep happening. Whether or not Satoru realized he was doing it, was another question entirely… But Suguru was a patient man.
---
They’re leaving the park, walking home one night, when they walk by that convenience store - the one where Suguru confessed. He feels a little melancholy, as they pass, but continues on.
Satoru pauses behind him. He keeps walking slowly for a minute, figuring he’d catch up momentarily. Only he doesn’t. So, Suguru stops, turns to ask what was taking him so long-
“Suguru!”
He blinks -
“I like you!”
Ah - it comes suddenly. The butterflies that float from his stomach to the surface. He has to try his damndest to suppress a giddy smile. “Okay,” he says as dryly as he can muster, though his voice cracks at the end.
“ Okay ?”
Suguru can’t hold it - “I like you too.”
Satoru runs to tackle him.