When can I say your name
and have it mean only
your name and not what
you left behind?
—On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

Summer, 1999: Boy meets girl. When Nanami Kento sees Ikeda Sumire for the first time, she's crying her eyes out because the neighbors think she kicked the soccer ball into their window. (She's the bastard child of that one guy, after all.) But, Nanami knows better—he saw that someone else kicked the ball, why was everyone so quick to blame her?

Her name is cleared when Nanami speaks up. It's right to do so, after all. Sumire flashes a bright smile and declares that they're best friends now. The following year is filled with scraped knees, rolling around in green grass, and freezing ice cream. On paper marked with crayons, they promise to get married in the future. (They both decide to ignore the nights Sumire knocks on his front door, crying and bruised while asking to sleep over.)

2001 is the year Nanami asks her to come out and play again, only to be told that Sumire and her mom left. There's no note or goodbye from his friend.

Autumn, 2006: Clad in the uniform of Tokyo Jujutsu High, Nanami notices that she's left behind the colored chalk and soccer ball to trade it for a scythe and her Cursed Technique. Sumire has that wild determination in her eyes and a gravitational pull that makes him remember why he liked her so much.

Despite that, her disappearance when they were younger goes unexplained. Maybe it'd just bring back bad memories, so he pushes it away and follows her and Haibara Yū. (Even though it's been over 5 years, she's still a crybaby. Nanami can hear her sharp breaths and sobs as she looks at Haibara's body.) Just like last time: A beaming smile. Then, she's gone.

Spring, 2018: At some point, Nanami trades his flip phone in for a newer one—everything was wiped clean; a blank slate. (All those videos of Gojō and Getō bothering each other, the random pictures Sumire would take of her and Haibara, and scenery pictures. Years of his youth faded away.)

On the nights when he'd drink, he'd think about her and Haibara. Sumire with her gravitational pull; the sound of her laughter; the glint of her scythe; her wish to return to simpler days; her leaving again. Haibara and his good judge of character; his starry passion; his care for his little sister; the smell of his flesh and blood.

Ikeda Sumire is bold for coming up to him at the bar like she hasn't been radio silent. She doesn't apologize, but she sits next to him and orders a drink. (Was she always this selfish? Nanami realizes that of course she is, she hasn't changed much at all.) Sumire still hasn't fixed that habit of her bouncing her leg or rambling endlessly, and he finds himself holding back from placing a hand on her leg like he used to do. She rattles on about her dear students, but then she stops.

She flashes him a bright smile. (It's almost like he was sent back in time.) Their promise is brought up again. If Sumire keeps running away without a word, he'll have to stop her—and even if he doesn't, it'll be okay. Even if she runs to the ends of the world and no matter how well she hides from everyone, he'll always find her. Nanami Kento would've found Ikeda Sumire anywhere.

Ikeda Sumire / Death Reaper Technique

Nanami Kento / Ratio Technique

with appearances from!
AMAMIYA SACHI
GOJŌ SATORU
GETŌ SUGURU
IEIRI SHŌKO
HAIBARA YŪ
KYOTO + TOKYO JUJUTSU TECH STUDENTS

AUTHOR'S NOTE!          *taps mic* is this thing on.... contrary to popular belief, i still have a writing bone or two in me! if this flops yall will never see me again! I'M KIDDING (Maybe) :3 ANYWAY! the idea of a nanami fic has been brewing since like 2020 or smth i can't lie rn.. very very Very first draft of it makes me cringe when i think abt it T__T childhood friends to lovers my beloved.... i thought about nanami as a kid and i thought it'd be funny so Ngl that's how i got the idea x3 as kids, they made a promise to marry each other! and can yall guess where they wanted their honeymoon to be! hint!!! lots of nice beaches and a perfect place for nanami to catch up on his books :3

i am unfortunately not that bright when it comes to making cursed techniques (except that one time...) so bare with me yall as i make sumire's.... i Love girls with scythes so i had to 🤤 i also suck at updating so pls have patience chat i'm trying my hardest... i'm really excited to write this but the words just don't word sometimes. 

amamiya sachi is the daughter of the main character of my toji fic! it'll come out soon Probably Hopefully... sachi will probably get her own fic too :3

CONTENT WARNINGS!          canon-typical violence, does sumire have a fear of abandonment or Is she the fear of abandonment, emo nanami, estranged family relationships, alcohol consumption, suggestive content, death LMFAO, domestic violence, etc

COPYRIGHT!          all dialogue, plot/plot points, and original characters belong to me (futurafrees).

DEDICATIONS!          wren piper chum rey + the Nanami Nation

LET'S START THE SHOW!          thank yall for reading this far! :3 please enjoy TWO SLOW DANCERS!!