chapters 1-8

Thorns and Roses
A Nobara Kugisaki x Female Reader Romance


Chapter 1: First Impressions
The Tokyo shopping district buzzed with weekend energy as you hurried through the crowds, arms full of bags from your retail therapy session. Working as a curse investigator meant long hours and high stress, so you'd learned to find joy in the small things—like finding the perfect pair of boots on sale.

You were admiring your reflection in a shop window when a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"Those boots are cute, but they'd look better with a shorter skirt."

You turned to find a striking girl with honey-blonde hair and sharp brown eyes examining you with unabashed confidence. She was gorgeous in an aggressive way that made your pulse quicken—all bold makeup and perfectly styled hair, wearing an outfit that probably cost more than your monthly rent.

"Excuse me?" you said, though you weren't really offended. There was something magnetic about her directness.

"I'm Nobara," she said, extending a perfectly manicured hand. "And you have excellent taste in accessories but terrible taste in styling."

Despite yourself, you laughed. "Wow, you really don't hold back, do you?"

"Life's too short for fake compliments." Her gaze traveled slowly down your body and back up, making heat pool in your stomach. "I'm guessing you work in the jujutsu world somewhere. You have that 'I've seen some shit' look in your eyes."

"Curse investigator," you confirmed, surprised by her perceptiveness. "And you?"

"First-year at Tokyo Jujutsu High." Her smile was sharp as a blade. "Want to grab coffee? I can give you some actual fashion advice, and you can tell me if the rumors about curse investigators are true."

"What rumors?"

"That you're all uptight workaholics who don't know how to have fun."

You found yourself grinning despite the insult. "Buy me that coffee and I'll show you exactly how much fun I can be."

Her laugh was rich and genuine. "Oh, I like you already."


Chapter 2: Getting to Know You
The coffee date turned into three hours of surprisingly engaging conversation. Nobara was sharp, funny, and completely unfiltered in a way you found refreshing after years of careful professional interactions.

"So let me get this straight," she said, leaning forward across the small café table, "you track down curse activity for a living, but you've never actually fought one yourself?"

"That's what sorcerers are for," you replied. "I just find them and call in the experts."

"Boring." But her eyes sparkled with mischief. "You should come watch me work sometime. I'm very impressive."

"Modest too," you teased.

"Modesty is for people who don't have anything to brag about." She stirred her drink slowly, and you couldn't help but watch the graceful movement of her hands. "What do you do for fun when you're not tracking supernatural monsters?"

"This, apparently," you said, gesturing between you. "Having coffee with beautiful, overconfident sorcerers."

"You think I'm beautiful?" The question was casual, but her eyes had sharpened with interest.

Heat flooded your cheeks. "I think you know exactly how beautiful you are."

"Maybe." She leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "But I like hearing you say it."

The flirtation was so blatant it made your head spin. You'd never been good at this kind of confident back-and-forth, but something about Nobara made you want to try.

"Your turn," you said. "What do you think of me?"

Her gaze traveled over you again, slower this time, more deliberate. "I think you're prettier than you realize. I think you hide behind professional clothes and careful politeness. And I think there's something wild underneath all that propriety that you don't let out nearly enough."

Your breath caught. "That's quite an assessment from one coffee date."

"I'm very perceptive." She pulled out her phone and slid it across the table. "Put your number in. I want to test my theory about the wild thing."

Your hands were surprisingly steady as you entered your contact information. "What kind of test?"

"The fun kind," she said with a wink that made your stomach flip.


Chapter 3: Testing Boundaries
Nobara's idea of testing boundaries apparently involved dragging you to the most exclusive nightclub in Shibuya three days later. You'd protested that you didn't have anything appropriate to wear, so she'd shown up at your apartment with a bag full of clothes that fit perfectly and left very little to the imagination.

"I am not wearing this," you said, holding up a black dress that was more suggestion than actual fabric.

"Yes, you are." She was already changed into her own outfit—a red number that hugged every curve and made her look like sin personified. "Trust me, you'll look incredible."

"I'll look like I'm trying too hard."

"You'll look like a woman who knows what she wants." She stepped closer, her perfume making you dizzy. "Don't you want to know what you want?"

The double meaning wasn't lost on you. "Nobara..."

"Put on the dress," she said softly, her fingers brushing your arm. "For me?"

Twenty minutes later, you were pressed against the bar in the crowded club, Nobara's body moving against yours to the heavy bass line. Her hands were on your waist, your hips, guiding your movements as you danced together.

"See?" she said directly into your ear, her breath hot against your skin. "I told you there was something wild in there."

You could barely think over the music and the sensation of her pressed against you. "This is insane."

"Good insane or bad insane?"

Instead of answering, you turned in her arms so you were facing her, your bodies still moving together. Her eyes went wide with surprise, then dark with something that made your pulse race.

"Good insane," you breathed.

Her hands slid up your back, one tangling in your hair. "I want to kiss you."

"Then do it."

She didn't need to be told twice. Her lips crashed against yours in a kiss that was all heat and hunger, her tongue sliding against yours as her nails dug into your scalp. You could taste the sweetness of her drink, could feel the soft sounds she made against your mouth.

When you finally broke apart, both of you were breathing hard.

"My place or yours?" she asked, her lips still brushing against yours.

"Yours," you managed. "Definitely yours."


Chapter 4: Point of No Return
Nobara's apartment was exactly what you'd expected—stylish, expensive, and meticulously organized. What you hadn't expected was how gentle she became once you were alone together, away from the bold public persona.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked as she poured you both wine, her earlier confidence replaced by something softer.

"Are you having second thoughts?" you asked, accepting the glass.

"No." She sat beside you on her plush couch, close enough that your knees touched. "I just... I like you. More than I expected to. I don't want to mess this up by moving too fast."

The admission made your chest tight with affection. "What if I want you to move fast?"

Her eyes snapped to yours. "Do you?"

Instead of answering with words, you set down your wine and moved closer, your hand coming up to cup her face. Her skin was soft under your palm, her makeup flawless even after hours of dancing.

"You're so beautiful it hurts to look at you sometimes," you whispered.

Her breath hitched. "Show me."

You kissed her slowly this time, savoring the soft warmth of her lips, the way she melted against you. Her hands found the zipper of your dress, sliding it down slowly as her mouth moved to your neck.

"Is this okay?" she murmured against your throat.

"More than okay," you gasped as her teeth grazed your pulse point.

What followed was a night of discovery—learning that beneath her bold exterior, Nobara was surprisingly tender, taking time to map every inch of your skin with reverent touches. She was generous and patient, making sure you were comfortable even as passion consumed you both.

When you woke up tangled in her silk sheets the next morning, she was already awake, watching you with soft eyes.

"Morning," she said quietly, her finger tracing patterns on your bare shoulder.

"Morning." You stretched, enjoying the way her gaze followed the movement. "Any regrets?"

"Only that we waited so long to do that." She leaned down to kiss you softly. "Stay for breakfast?"

"I'd like that," you said, pulling her down for another kiss.


Chapter 5: Complications
What was supposed to be a casual thing quickly became anything but. You found yourself thinking about Nobara constantly—the way she laughed, the fierce concentration on her face when she did her makeup, the soft sounds she made when you kissed her neck just right.

You started spending most nights at her place, your toothbrush appearing in her bathroom, your clothes mixed in with hers in the laundry. It felt natural, domestic in a way that should have scared you but didn't.

The problem was the secrecy. Nobara was still a student, and you worked closely with the school administration. Dating her wasn't technically against any rules, but it would certainly raise eyebrows.

"We need to be more careful," you said one evening as you lay in her bed, her head on your chest.

"Careful about what?" she asked, her fingers drawing lazy circles on your skin.

"People are starting to notice. Gojo-sensei asked me yesterday if I was seeing someone."

"What did you tell him?"

"That it was none of his business." You combed your fingers through her hair. "But Nobara, if this gets back to the higher-ups—"

"Are you embarrassed by me?" The question was quiet, but you could hear the hurt underneath.

"What? No, of course not." You sat up, forcing her to look at you. "I could never be embarrassed by you. You're amazing."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is that I could lose my job. And you could face disciplinary action." You cupped her face in your hands. "I don't want either of us to get hurt because we couldn't keep our hands off each other."

She was quiet for a long moment, her expression unreadable.

"So what are you saying?" she asked finally.

"I'm saying maybe we should cool things down. Just until you graduate."

The hurt that flashed across her face made your chest ache. She pulled out of your arms, wrapping the sheet around herself like armor.

"Right," she said, her voice carefully neutral. "Of course. Wouldn't want to risk your precious career."

"Nobara, that's not—"

"You should go," she said, not looking at you. "I need to get ready for training tomorrow."

You wanted to argue, to explain that you were trying to protect both of you, but the set of her shoulders told you she wasn't ready to hear it.

"We'll figure this out," you said softly as you gathered your clothes.

She didn't respond.


Chapter 6: Fighting Back
The next two weeks were hell. You threw yourself into work, taking on extra cases to avoid thinking about the empty feeling in your chest. Nobara didn't call or text, and you convinced yourself it was for the best even as you missed her desperately.

Everything changed when you got the call about a curse attack near the school. You arrived at the scene to find Nobara sitting in an ambulance, blood on her uniform and a defiant expression on her face.

"What happened?" you demanded, your professional composure cracking.

"Grade 2 curse," she said shortly. "Caught it before it could hurt any civilians."

"Are you injured?" You wanted to touch her, to check for yourself, but you were too aware of the other officials around.

"I'm fine." But you could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the way she held her left arm carefully.

"She needs to be checked by a medical professional," you told the EMT. "Properly."

"I said I'm fine," Nobara snapped, but she didn't resist when the medic began examining her arm.

You stepped back, forcing yourself to act professionally even as your heart hammered with worry. It wasn't until later, after all the reports were filed and the scene was cleared, that you found her sitting alone on a bench outside the school.

"Dislocated shoulder," she said without looking up. "And a mild concussion. But I got the bastard."

"You could have been killed." The words came out harsher than you intended.

"But I wasn't." She finally looked at you, and the pain in her eyes had nothing to do with her injuries. "Why do you care anyway? I thought we were cooling things down."

"Because I love you, you stubborn, reckless, impossible woman!" The confession burst out of you before you could stop it.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I love you," you repeated, quieter this time. "I've been miserable these past two weeks. I don't care about the rules or the complications. I care about you."

"You have a funny way of showing it," she said, but her voice had lost its sharp edge.

"I was scared," you admitted, sitting beside her on the bench. "Scared of losing my job, scared of getting you in trouble. But seeing you hurt tonight... none of that matters. Nothing matters except you being safe and happy."

She was quiet for a long moment, staring at her hands.

"I love you too," she said finally. "That's why it hurt so much when you wanted to hide us."

"I'm sorry." You reached for her uninjured hand, relief flooding through you when she didn't pull away. "I was an idiot."

"Yes, you were." But she was smiling now, that sharp, beautiful smile that made your heart race. "So what do we do now?"

"Now we figure it out together," you said, bringing her hand to your lips. "No more hiding, no more cooling down. Just us."

"Promise?"

"I promise."


Chapter 7: Going Public
Coming clean to the school administration was terrifying, but not as bad as you'd feared. Gojo-sensei just grinned knowingly and said he'd been wondering when you'd both stop being ridiculous about it. Principal Yaga was more concerned with making sure there were no conflicts of interest in your work.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with either of your duties, I don't see a problem," he said during the uncomfortable meeting in his office. "But I expect complete professionalism during school hours."

"Of course," you agreed quickly, trying not to think about all the times Nobara had kissed you in empty hallways.

The other students took the news with varying degrees of amusement. Yuji was genuinely excited for you both, while Megumi just nodded like he'd known all along. The teachers were similarly unsurprised—apparently you'd been less subtle than you thought.

"Finally," Maki said when Nobara told her. "You've been insufferable lately. All mopey and distracted."

"I was not mopey," Nobara protested.

"You reorganized your entire closet by color and fabric type," Maki pointed out. "That's peak moping behavior for you."

Having everything out in the open was a relief you hadn't expected. You could hold Nobara's hand during lunch breaks, could kiss her goodbye when she left for missions, could be openly affectionate without constantly looking over your shoulders.

"This is nice," she said one evening as you watched a movie together in her apartment, her head in your lap.

"What is?"

"Not having to pretend we're just friends. Being able to do couple things without worrying about who might see."

You combed your fingers through her hair, marveling at how soft it was. "What kind of couple things?"

"Grocery shopping together. Meeting each other's friends. Fighting about what to watch on Netflix." She grinned up at you. "Speaking of which, your taste in movies is terrible."

"Says the woman who wanted to watch a three-hour foreign film about existential dread."

"It's called culture, babe. You should try it sometime."

The casual endearment made your heart flutter. "I love it when you call me babe."

"Good," she said, reaching up to pull you down for a kiss. "Because I plan on doing it a lot more."


Chapter 8: Ever After
Six months later, you were moving into a new apartment together—bigger than either of your old places, with a closet large enough for Nobara's extensive wardrobe and a home office where you could work on case files.

"I still can't believe you own this many shoes," you said, carrying another box from the moving truck.

"And I can't believe you own so few," she replied, directing the movers with military precision. "We're going shopping this weekend."

"We just moved in. Shouldn't we unpack first?"

"Unpacking is boring. Shopping is fun." She wrapped her arms around your waist from behind, her chin resting on your shoulder. "Besides, I want to buy you something pretty to celebrate our new place."

"I don't need anything pretty."

"Everyone needs something pretty." Her lips brushed against your neck, making you shiver. "Especially my girlfriend."

The word still sent a thrill through you. After months of uncertainty and secret meetings, being able to claim each other openly never got old.

"Your girlfriend, huh?" you said, leaning back against her.

"Mhmm. My beautiful, successful, slightly uptight girlfriend who I'm completely crazy about."

You turned in her arms, your hands coming up to frame her face. "I love you too, you know."

"I know." Her smile was soft, lacking its usual sharp edges. "I love how you always bring me coffee in the morning. I love how you worry about me when I'm on missions. I love how you let me drag you shopping even though you hate it."

"I don't hate it when you're there," you admitted.

"Sap," she teased, but her eyes were bright with affection.

"Your sap," you corrected, kissing her softly.

"My sap," she agreed against your lips.

Later that night, as you lay tangled together in your new bed surrounded by half-unpacked boxes, you marveled at how right everything felt. The woman beside you was fierce and beautiful and completely unpredictable, and somehow she'd chosen you.

"Hey," Nobara said quietly in the darkness.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not giving up on us. For fighting for this even when it was complicated." Her hand found yours under the covers, fingers interlacing. "For loving me even when I'm difficult."

"Especially when you're difficult," you said, squeezing her hand. "That's when you're most yourself."

"I'm going to love you forever, you know," she said, her voice soft with sleep.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

And as you drifted off to sleep in your new home with the woman you loved beside you, you believed her completely. Forever sounded perfect.


The End