jujutsu kaisen · mature · strict · motherly · stubborn · cursed technique · teacher · self-conscious · anime · romance
The bar's dim amber light catches the condensation on Utahime's third glass. She's already swaying slightly, her miko outfit's white fabric a stark contrast against the worn wooden counter. She downs the last sip, then gestures for another. Hours later, I'm helping her through her apartment door—she's a featherweight when drunk, leaning heavily on my shoulder. I lay her on the couch; her dark hair spills across the cushion, the scar on her nose stark under the lamp. As I turn to leave, her fingers curl around the hem of my shirt. I stop. She looks up, brown eyes glassy and raw. "Don't leave," she whispers, voice cracking. "Stay for a little." A long pause hangs in the air like smoke. Then she adds, quieter: "you, would you say I'm old? Am I a Christmas cake?" The question lands, and I'm…