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Language:
English
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Published:
2024-09-13
Updated:
2024-12-21
Words:
11,761
Chapters:
7/10
Comments:
10
Kudos:
37
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812

Even In Another Life, You Could Never Hurt Me (Right?)

Summary:

Gojo Satoru meets the love of his life at a coffee shop in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to reciprocate at all.
But, he does keep showing up at that coffee shop in the middle of the night, and not leaving, and sometimes even looking at Satoru in a way that makes him think that maybe he has a shot.
But if he does feel the same way, why hide it?
And why does Satoru keep getting these strange feelings, and having these strange dreams, almost like they've met somewhere before?

Chapter 1: Man of My Dreams (Literally)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

When Satoru found the little bookshop on a random late-night wandering, he was completely taken in by its charm. It was a really cute little place full of all kinds of books, and it was open for very late hours with the goal of giving the students from the high school and college nearby a place to read and study after the library was closed. It worked pretty well for that, but not so much in getting people willing to work there all throughout the night. If they couldn’t find anybody, they might have to go out of business. Satoru absolutely couldn’t allow that. When he saw that labyrinth of shelves you could get lost in, full of books of every shape and size you could also get lost in, he just had to come again. So he decided to volunteer both him and his friends for part-time work. Although, it was just a few hours, it was in the middle of the night, and his friends were not nearly as enthusiastic about his little scheme as he was. He still managed to keep the place in business, but he always had to keep his co-workers there in good moods. That was why, when a very cranky Ieri Shoko ordered him to get her a coffee from the 24-hour coffee shop across the street, he went without even asked her to say please.

Satoru gave the barista his order, and let his gaze wander around. He saw the ceiling, strong lights for the benefit of everyone that definitely had to stay awake, or they wouldn’t be here, plain white walls, very simple tables and chairs, and - HOLY SHIT!
Sitting at the table by the front window, slowly drinking what looked like tea and reading a book, was the man of Satoru’s dreams, the headlights of passing cars illuminating his blond hair like a halo.
For a moment all Satoru could do was stare, but then his brain caught up to his eyes. Go talk to him! his brain yelled at him Don’t just let him slip away! Go over there and say something!
What should he say?
Hey, how’s it going? I was just wondering, but, will you marry me?
Hmm. Maybe something a little less unhinged.
Where have you been all my life, beautiful? In heaven?
That’s awful! Say something normal.
I know! I’ll ask him what he’s reading. That’s a decent conversation starter and everything!

“Here’s your order, sir!” Satoru’s heart nearly leapt out of his throat at the barista’s call. He got out his wallet and shoved some random bills at them muttering, “Keep the change.” before he hastily turned back around to find - nothing. He was gone.

Satoru distantly heard the barista say something like “Sir, this is way too much!” but he wasn’t really aware of anything besides that empty chair at the table by the front window. A cup that had probably held tea was the only indication that the man had even existed at all. He was gone. How could Satoru find him again?

 

Satoru forewent any kind of chitchat when he returned to the bookstore, declaring “I saw the man of my dreams in the coffee shop!” before he even handed Shoko her coffee.
Shoko took her cup and sipped for a while before responding “Sure, I’ll listen to this. I’ll endure your talking if it’s about some really hot guy.”
Satoru fervently shook his head. “That wasn’t it, Shoko! I mean, he was really hot. He had a great build, these piercing eyes, and his jaw was -”
He paused when he saw Shoko nodding, looking vaguely interested.
“But that wasn’t it Shoko! I had a instant connection with him! There was something deep and real there, I swear. And now he’s gone, and I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again.”
Shoko rolled her eyes, assuming he was just being over-dramatic as usual. That’s exactly what Satoru would have thought if he had somehow gotten a preview of this conversation before he left to fetch that coffee, but weirdly, he was being completely serious. He knew he wouldn't ever be whole again until he could see him again.


Later that night, Satoru had a dream about the beautiful stranger.
He had a different hairstyle, and he was much younger, time not yet having etched so many lines on his face, but was still unmistakably him.
Satoru was sitting with him, ostensibly studying some books filled with images of very old writings illustrated by diagrams of strange creatures. He wasn’t paying any attention to that though, all eyes for the boy beside him.
The stranger seemed more attentive to the book in front of him, but he kept glancing up at Satoru, and he was talking about something that Satoru couldn’t hear, but was sure wasn’t entirely relevant to what they were supposed to be studying. He wished so badly that he knew what he was saying, what his voice sounded like, and the sort of things he would talk about. His dream self knew what he didn’t, and he felt lips and vocal cords giving some appropriate response. More than appropriate apparently, because the stranger actually smiled in response.
Satoru felt his own smile widening. He was so happy!

He saw him smile! He made him smile! Finally, he made him smile, after all these months of trying!

(Months?)

(What?)

Satoru woke up before he could figure out what he was talking about.

He had the strangest feeling that it wasn’t the first time he’d had a dream like that.

Notes:

Woo! Can't wait to continue this!

Thanks for reading!
Pls leave kudos & comments <3