For Tomorrow's Sake | Various!JJK x Reader

10 | a destined pair

Toji clears his throat. "What did you just say?"

"Hm? I was just saying that I want you to be happy, and I think it'd be nice to have a family to call your own. Not like the Zen'in Clan. A real family. One that you actually care about."

"That's not the part I was referring to."

You frown, not understanding right away, but eventually, your eyes widen.

"Oh! Are you talking about how I said I loved you?" you ask, and based on the way Toji awkwardly shifts in place, you must have hit the nail right on the head.

"That's not a word you should be using at your age," he says, although funnily enough, he doesn't look all that torn up about it. "You're too young. You're just throwing it around without knowing any better."

"No, I'm not," you insist. "I love you. And Satoru. And Naoya. All of you are irreplaceable to me. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not a liar. When I say something like that, I mean it."

"...I see."

Toji doesn't say anything else. You already know that he's hardly the sentimental type, and perhaps it's too soon for him to say he loves you back-perhaps he'll go his entire life without uttering those words-but it's okay. You don't need any verbal affirmation. Just by watching him struggle to suppress his smile, the answer is obvious.

He cares about you more than he ever thought was possible.

"I can't believe he actually left!"

Well, it's official. Toji is no longer a member of the Zen'in Clan, and surprise, surprise-Naoya isn't happy about it.

"He seriously left," Naoya grumbles, kicking a stray twig on the ground. "Why would he do something like that? I promised him I'd fix the Zen'in Clan. I told him I'd make everything better once I'm in charge. Does he... not believe in me at all?"

"Of course he believes in you," you reassure. "It's just that he was tired of being treated so badly. He'd had enough. I'm sure you'll become a great leader someday, but for now, the clan is still a difficult environment for Toji to be part of. He deserves the chance to be happy, don't you think?"

Naoya's lips are still twisted into a pout, but your words give him pause, and he turns towards you with a hopeful expression.

"Really?" he asks. "Does he really think I'll become a good leader?"

"Definitely not," Satoru cuts in, spinning a leaf between his fingers disinterestedly.

Naoya grits his teeth. "Nobody was even talking to you, loser! I only care what [Name] has to say!"

"Well, I thought you might want to hear the truth. [Name]'s just going to lie to you, like always, because that's what people do when they want to spare stupid babies' feelings." Satoru stares at him, pointedly. "You're the baby, in case that wasn't clear."

"For the millionth time, I'm only one year younger than you!"

"Ignore him, Naoya," you sigh, half rolling your eyes. "I meant what I said. Toji might not show it, but I can tell he's rooting for you to change the Zen'in Clan once you're in charge. It's just that it'll be a while until then. For now, Toji's just going to be doing his own thing. And it's not like you won't get to see him anymore. He's still going to be training me."

"...I guess."

Naoya crosses his arms and relents, just this once. He really does look up to Toji. It's kind of incredible just how much Toji meant to him in the canon series, because as far as you know, they didn't really have a relationship. Certainly nothing like the one they have now.