chapter 1-5 plus Epilogue

Heart on Fire

A Yuji Itadori x Reader Romance

Chapter 1: Sparks

The training room was stifling, thick with cursed energy and the heat of exertion. You'd been sparring with Yuji for over an hour, both of you pushing harder than usual, neither willing to back down.

"Come on," Yuji called out, pink hair damp with sweat, that infectious grin still lighting up his face despite how hard you'd both been working. "Is that all you've got?"

The challenge in his voice sent a thrill through you that had nothing to do with combat. There was something about Yuji's intensity when he fought—the way his muscles moved under his training clothes, the fierce concentration in his honey-colored eyes, the raw power that seemed to radiate from his skin.

"Careful what you wish for, Itadori," you shot back, launching yourself at him with renewed energy.

He caught your strike easily, his hand wrapping around your wrist, and suddenly you were pressed close against his chest. The contact sent electricity shooting through your entire body. You could feel the heat radiating from his skin, see the way his pupils dilated as he looked down at you.

"Got you," he said softly, but his voice was rougher than usual.

"Do you?" you challenged, looking up at him through your lashes.

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. You were both breathing hard, bodies pressed together, the air between you crackling with something that had nothing to do with cursed energy. Yuji's free hand came up to cup your face, thumb brushing across your cheekbone with surprising gentleness.

"Yeah," he whispered, leaning closer. "I think I do."

The kiss was inevitable—hot and desperate and full of weeks of built-up tension. Yuji kissed like he did everything else, with complete enthusiasm and no holding back. His hands tangled in your hair while yours fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer.

When you finally broke apart, both gasping, his eyes were dark with want.

"We should—" you started.

"Yeah," he agreed, but neither of you moved away.

"The others will be looking for us," you tried again.

"Probably," he said, leaning his forehead against yours. "But I don't care."

Neither did you, if you were being honest. All you cared about was the way he was looking at you, like you were the most amazing thing he'd ever seen.

"Yuji," you breathed.

"I know," he said, and kissed you again, softer this time but no less intense. "I know."

Chapter 2: Burning Bright

After that first kiss, everything changed. The tension that had been simmering between you and Yuji exploded into something that consumed every quiet moment. Stolen kisses in empty hallways, heated glances across the classroom, his hand finding yours whenever no one was looking.

"You're distracted," Nobara observed one afternoon, catching you staring at Yuji as he practiced his technique in the courtyard.

"What? No, I'm not," you said quickly, tearing your gaze away from the way his shirt clung to his broad shoulders.

"Uh-huh." Her knowing smirk made heat rise in your cheeks. "You know, if you want to jump his bones, just do it already. The sexual tension is getting ridiculous."

"Nobara!" you hissed, but she was already walking away, laughing.

Later that evening, you found Yuji on the roof of the dormitory, looking out over the city lights. He turned when he heard your footsteps, and his smile was like sunrise.

"Hey," he said softly. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"Too much on my mind," you admitted, settling beside him.

"Good things or bad things?"

You looked at him—really looked at him. The strong line of his jaw, the warmth in his eyes, the way he was watching you like you were the center of his universe.

"Complicated things," you said finally.

He laughed, the sound rich and warm. "I get that. I've been thinking a lot lately too."

"About what?"

He turned to face you fully, expression growing serious. "About you. About us. About how I can't stop thinking about kissing you again."

Your breath caught. "Yuji..."

"I know it's complicated," he continued, reaching out to take your hand. "With everything that's happening, with Sukuna, with the danger we're all in. But I can't pretend I don't feel this."

His thumb traced across your knuckles, and the simple touch sent heat racing through your veins.

"I feel it too," you admitted. "More than I should, probably."

"Why more than you should?"

"Because when I'm with you, I forget about everything else. The missions, the curses, the fact that any day could be our last." You met his eyes, seeing your own desire reflected there. "You make me feel alive in a way that's almost scary."

His smile was brilliant. "You make me feel human," he said quietly. "Like I'm more than just Sukuna's vessel. Like I'm someone worth caring about."

"You are," you said fiercely, bringing his hand to your lips to press a soft kiss to his palm. "You're everything worth caring about."

The kiss that followed was different from the desperate heat in the training room. This was slow and deep and full of emotion, a claiming that went both ways. When his hands threaded through your hair, when you pressed closer to feel the solid warmth of his body, it felt like coming home.

"Stay with me tonight," he whispered against your lips, the request raw and honest.

"Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything." His eyes were intense, burning with want and something deeper. "I need you. More than I've ever needed anything."

Your answer was another kiss, deeper this time, full of promise and heat and the kind of desire that made rational thought impossible.

Chapter 3: All Consuming

Yuji's room was warm and dimly lit, the space feeling intimate and safe as he closed the door behind you. For a moment, you both just stood there, the weight of what was about to happen settling between you.

"We don't have to—" he started, but you silenced him with a finger against his lips.

"I want to," you said simply. "I want you."

His eyes darkened, and suddenly he was moving, backing you against the door with gentle urgency. His hands framed your face as he kissed you, deep and hungry, months of wanting poured into the contact.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured against your neck, lips trailing fire along your skin. "So perfect. I can't believe you're here with me."

His reverence undid you completely. Your hands found the hem of his shirt, desperate to feel more of his skin against yours. He helped you pull it over his head, and your breath caught at the sight of him—all lean muscle and golden skin, beautiful in the lamplight.

"Your turn," he said softly, hands gentle at the hem of your shirt.

What followed was a slow exploration of touch and taste, whispered endearments and gasped names. Yuji was everything you'd imagined and more—passionate and generous, focused entirely on your pleasure, worshipping your body like it was something sacred.

"I love you," he breathed against your skin as you moved together, the words torn from somewhere deep in his chest.

"I love you too," you gasped back, and felt him smile against your throat.

The night dissolved into heat and sensation, into the feeling of being completely claimed and cherished. Yuji made love like he did everything else—with his whole heart, holding nothing back, giving you everything he had to give.

Afterward, you lay tangled together in his narrow bed, skin cooling in the night air, hearts still racing.

"That was..." Yuji started, then trailed off, seeming unable to find the words.

"Amazing," you finished for him, tracing patterns on his chest.

"Yeah." He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. "Amazing doesn't even begin to cover it."

You tilted your head up to look at him, seeing your own contentment reflected in his warm eyes.

"No regrets?" you asked softly.

"Only that we waited so long," he said, pulling you closer. "I could do this forever."

"Just this?"

His grin was wicked. "Well, this and a few other things I have in mind."

Heat pooled low in your belly at the promise in his voice. "Show me," you whispered.

And he did, over and over, until the sun rose and painted the sky in shades of pink and gold.

Chapter 4: Unbreakable

The mission was supposed to be routine—investigate reports of cursed spirit activity in an abandoned warehouse district. You and Yuji had worked together countless times before, your techniques complementing each other perfectly. But something felt different this time, more dangerous.

"Stay close," Yuji murmured as you entered the main warehouse, his protective instincts in overdrive since you'd become lovers.

"I can handle myself," you reminded him, but you appreciated his concern.

"I know you can. Doesn't mean I don't worry."

The curse that emerged from the shadows was stronger than expected—a Grade 2 at least, with multiple arms and a hunger for destruction. The fight was brutal and chaotic, both of you pushed to your limits.

When you saw the curse's claws heading straight for Yuji's blind spot, you didn't think—you just moved, throwing yourself between them and taking the hit meant for him.

Pain exploded across your ribs as the claws raked through flesh, sending you stumbling backward. Yuji's roar of rage shook the building as he unleashed his full power on the curse, destroying it in seconds.

"Hey, hey, look at me," he said urgently, dropping to his knees beside you, hands hovering over your wounds. "You're okay, you're going to be okay."

"Yuji," you gasped, trying to sit up.

"Don't move." His voice was tight with panic and fury—not at you, but at the situation, at his perceived failure to protect you. "Why did you do that? Why did you—"

"Because I love you," you said simply, reaching up to cup his face. "Because I couldn't watch you get hurt."

Tears were streaming down his cheeks now. "Don't you ever scare me like that again," he said fiercely, leaning down to press his forehead against yours. "I can't lose you. I won't survive it."

"You're not going to lose me," you promised, ignoring the pain in your side. "I'm tougher than I look."

His laugh was shaky but real. "You're incredible," he said, carefully helping you sit up. "Reckless and terrifying and incredible."

The wounds turned out to be less serious than they looked—painful but not life-threatening. Still, Yuji refused to leave your side during recovery, bringing you food, helping you change bandages, holding you carefully while you slept.

"You don't have to take care of me," you told him one evening as he fussed over your pillows for the third time.

"Yes, I do," he said seriously, settling beside you on the bed. "You took those claws for me. The least I can do is make sure you're comfortable while you heal."

"Yuji—"

"I was so scared," he interrupted, voice quiet and raw. "When I saw you bleeding, when I thought I might lose you... I've never felt terror like that before."

You took his hand, intertwining your fingers. "But you didn't lose me. I'm right here."

"I know. And I'm never letting you go." He brought your joined hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles. "You're stuck with me now, you know that right? Forever."

"Forever sounds perfect," you said, pulling him down for a gentle kiss.

As he settled beside you, careful of your injuries, you marveled at how completely this boy had captured your heart. His love was like sunlight—warm and bright and life-giving, impossible to resist or ignore.

"I love you," you whispered into the darkness.

"I love you too," he whispered back, arms tightening around you. "More than anything in this world or any other."

Chapter 5: Future Bright

Months passed. Your wounds healed completely, leaving only faint scars that Yuji traced with gentle fingers, calling them proof of your courage. Your relationship deepened and strengthened, becoming the foundation that kept you both grounded in an increasingly chaotic world.

"What do you think about after?" Yuji asked one lazy Sunday morning, both of you tangled in his bed sheets, sunlight streaming through the windows.

"After what?"

"After we graduate. After we're full sorcerers. After..." He paused, suddenly seeming younger than his years. "After we deal with Sukuna for good."

You turned in his arms, studying his face. Despite everything he'd been through, Yuji remained fundamentally optimistic, always looking toward the future with hope.

"I think about it a lot," you admitted. "I think about us having a normal life. A real home. Maybe a dog."

His smile was brilliant. "A dog?"

"You'd love a dog. You'd probably spoil it rotten."

"Would not," he protested, but his grin said otherwise. "Okay, maybe a little. What else?"

"Kids, maybe. Someday. If we're lucky enough to have a someday."

His expression grew serious, intense. "We will. I'm going to make sure we have every someday we want."

The certainty in his voice made your heart race. This was Yuji at his most determined, and you'd learned that when he set his mind to something, nothing could stop him.

"Promise?" you asked softly.

"I promise," he said solemnly, sealing the vow with a kiss that tasted like forever. "I'm going to give you everything, starting with this."

He reached into his nightstand drawer and pulled out a small velvet box. Your breath caught.

"It's not what you think," he said quickly, echoing words you'd heard from Megumi months before. "I mean, someday it will be, but right now it's a promise. A promise that no matter what happens with Sukuna, no matter what the future holds, you and I are going to face it together."

He opened the box to reveal a simple but beautiful ring, the band inscribed with words in a language you didn't recognize.

"What does it say?" you asked, tears pricking your eyes.

"'Unbreakable,'" he said softly. "Because that's what we are. What we'll always be."

When he slipped the ring onto your finger, it felt like a piece of your soul clicking into place. This was your future—chaotic and uncertain and absolutely perfect because it was with him.

"I love you, Yuji Itadori," you said, pulling him down for a kiss that conveyed everything words couldn't express.

"I love you too," he said against your lips. "Forever and always and in every possible way."

The future stretched out before you both, bright with possibility. Whatever challenges lay ahead—curses, Sukuna, the weight of being sorcerers—you would face them together, unbreakable and absolutely devoted to each other.

It was everything you'd ever wanted and more than you'd dared to dream.

Epilogue: Eternal Flame

Two years later, the ring on your finger had been joined by another—a wedding band that caught the light as you helped Yuji hang pictures in your new apartment. The space was small but perfect, filled with sunlight and laughter and the promise of all the tomorrows you'd fought so hard to secure.

"Higher on the left," you called out, watching him adjust a photo of your wedding day—both of you grinning like fools, surrounded by friends who'd become family.

"Perfect," he said, stepping back to admire his work before wrapping his arms around you from behind. "Just like everything else in our life."

You leaned back against his chest, marveling at how solid and real this all felt. The boy who'd started as Sukuna's vessel had become so much more—your husband, your partner, your home.

"Any regrets?" you asked, a callback to conversations from years before.

"Only that I can't marry you again tomorrow," he said, pressing a kiss to your temple. "And the day after that. And every day for the rest of our lives."

You turned in his arms, seeing your own contentment reflected in his warm brown eyes. "You're stuck with me now, you know that right?"

"Forever," he agreed, and kissed you with the same passionate enthusiasm that had captured your heart from the very beginning.

Outside, the sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks. But inside your little apartment, wrapped in your husband's arms, you had never felt more surrounded by light.

Some loves burned bright and fast, consuming everything in their path. Yours was an eternal flame—steady and warm and life-giving, a fire that would burn forever and never leave you cold.

It was everything you'd dreamed of and more than you'd ever deserved.

It was perfect.

The End