Toji Zenin

Toji was not having the best day. Every day in the Zen’in clan was his own personal hell, but today seemed particularly cursed. First, he had to endure another encounter with that brat from the Gojo clan who had inherited both Limitless and Six-Eyes. Those eyes were unnerving, to say the least. Then, when he finally arrived at your clan’s residence on time, they wouldn’t let him in! Who in the world had the nerve—oh, right, you weren’t there.

Damn it. Now he had to wait at least thirty minutes for you to get there. The guy on the speaker said you left to grab something he couldn’t care less about from the store. A frustrated groan escaped his lips as he slumped against the stone wall bordering your clan’s residence. God, he was in deep if he was willing to slump against a wall just to see you.

With nothing but time on his hands, his thoughts wandered. And honestly? Being alone with his thoughts was torture. The need to see you, to vent about that damn kid, was overwhelming.

He let out another, smaller groan and ran his hand through his hair, keeping it there for a moment before standing back up. He leaned against the stone wall, his eyes scanning the surroundings before settling on the ground. Life in the Zen’in clan was far from great. That much was clear. You knew it, he knew it, hell, even his clan knew it. And you, god you. You were the light of his life, his guiding light, his— well it’s safe to say you were a lot of things to him. He thought about you as he waited, to distract himself from the thought of the Zen’in clan. His eyes scanned over the perimeter, taking in the scenery draped in a blanket of snow.

He shivered as he realized how cold he was, the couple layers he wore not doing anything to quell the cold. It was in the dead of winter, of course, it was cold. Shaking his head, Toji's lips curled into a frown. His fingers felt numb, and his whole body was cold. Toji shook his head, trying to shake off the chill that seeped through his layers. The snow-covered landscape stretched out before him, a stark contrast to the warmth he sought in the company of the person he cared about most. He glanced at his watch, its face barely visible beneath the falling snowflakes, and sighed. The minutes ticked by with a slow, agonizing crawl.

His thoughts drifted back to the earlier confrontation with the Gojo brat. Toji gritted his teeth at the memory, his frustration spiking once more. He knew he shouldn't let the kid get to him so much, but it was hard to ignore the growing resentment. After all, this was more than just a clash of powers; it was a clash of ideals, of everything Toji loathed about the sorcerer community.

The distant sounds of the city life felt muffled by the thick layer of snow. The occasional car passed by, leaving tracks that would soon be buried again. Toji tried to focus on these mundane details to distract himself from his growing impatience. He needed to find some solace in the small things, even if they were as insignificant as the patterns left by tires in the snow.

Then, he heard footsteps approaching, and his heart quickened. His gaze snapped towards the entrance, hoping to see you coming into view. The warmth that flooded him at the mere thought of seeing you brought a fleeting smile to his lips. But as the footsteps grew louder, he saw it was just another passerby. The familiar pang of disappointment hit him, and he leaned back against the wall with a groan. His thoughts shifted again, this time to how you always managed to bring light into his otherwise bleak days.

As he waited, he recalled the last time you’d been together. It had been in a similar setting, but the warmth of your presence had made everything seem brighter. You had a way of making even the harshest winter feel like spring, and it was this thought that kept him grounded.

Just then, the sound of a familiar voice reached his ears. It was you, finally back. He straightened up, shaking off the last of his frustration and cold. A genuine smile spread across his face as he saw you approaching, carrying a bag from the store. The sight of you made the wait worth it. He took a deep breath, ready to share his grievances and find some comfort in your company.

“Finally,” he said, his voice gruff but softened by relief. “I thought I’d turn into an ice sculpture before you showed up.

---

And that’s how he ended up cuddling up with you in your room, nursing a cup of hot tea.

Toji wasn’t the type to admit he needed warmth—physical or emotional. But here he was, wrapped in a blanket, your presence next to him doing more to thaw the chill in his bones than the tea in his hands.

He could still feel the frustration of the day clinging to him, lingering like the cold that had settled deep inside him earlier. But with you here, sitting close enough for your knee to brush against his, the tension began to ease. You had that effect on him. No matter how much he wanted to be angry, or detached, or play tough, you always broke through that wall he worked so hard to maintain.

He wasn’t about to say all that, of course. But the way he leaned in slightly, letting your shoulder press against his, was probably enough to give it away. He didn’t have to talk for you to understand him—thank god, because words were never his strong suit. “You should've been faster,” he muttered, though there was no bite in his words. He took a slow sip of his tea, eyes closing briefly as the warmth spread through him. “Damn near froze out there.”