It's not easy— sparring with each other all day, holding weapons with the tightest grip possible which results to calloused and roughened hands, falling all day, and forcing your painful and sore body to get up even when you wish to sleep on the hard and dusty ground.

But fortunately for you, you have yet to go through that experience. Because for the past week, you were mastering the art of living without sight, mastering it down to the core.

You trained to do everything without sight, and let me tell you, you appreciated that eyes were part of the human body even more, after the hell-like experience of doing everything with just a black void right in front of you.

[Let us all take a moment of silence to appreciate that we all still have eyes and sight— take it as proof that we are all still able to read books about our fascination with fictional beings. :"D]

Though you were told that you adjusted quickly and learned fastly about what it takes to live without eyes, it is an understatement to say that you had it rough.

For the past week, you underwent training of all sorts. First, you trained your sense of smell, sniffing around for curses, distinguishing different scents of different objects from one another, and memorizing the scent of your comrades.

Second, you trained your sense of touch by playing what's in the box with Gojo. You were grateful that your fingers are still complete today, but you will never forget the nervousness and fear of placing your hand blindly inside a box filled with terrifying and disgusting objects and living beings that were chosen by the crazy strong, and equally crazy-headed Gojo.

Third, you trained your sense of hearing. This was your favorite since it included playing hide and clap with the others, very enjoyable but still very challenging. By doing so, you would be able to practice listening very closely to the smallest sounds made around you and locate places with the sound of their claps. Also, your classmates who were supposed to hide would be able to practice minimalizing the sound of their movements so that they would not be located immediately by their opponent.

And Fourth, your least favorite, practicing your traveling and overall movement. This is something you practice even when it isn't official training hours, but you do have allotted time to practice this during the training session. You're usually tasked to navigate around the school and collect items found in rooms that would be told to you. In this training branch, you would also be paired with Maki to distinguish her train of movements (whether she raised her right arm, used her left leg to kick, etc.)

Although, all this training could only give you so much. Unlike Gojo, you don't have the six eyes technique which you hypothesized to give Gojo eyesight even though he covers his eyes. Only a hypothesis, but you're pretty sure that there's something exceptionally special about his eyes that aid in making him very powerful. Also unlike him, you still can't read and see with your eyes covered. The jujutsu world and everyone and everything around you is but an incomplete painting, painted by your imagination from the information your other senses give you. And you hope that soon, you would be able to complete it by finally seeing what your world is truly like.

____________________

Today, you will start learning how to fight without eyes, a feat that you're afraid would be too big to overcome.

"I think that [y/n] should join you all for sparring and combat :D" Gojo-sensei announced. Terrified, you tried to object, "Are you sure I'm already capable to do that?"

"Well, I wouldn't know. It's up to you to make yourself capable." He told you. You frowned a little, still uneasy about what you were being told to do. "Maki will help you wield weapons and spar. She's a good teacher." He gave a thumbs up and smile towards Maki. She in turn frowned as well towards the teacher.

She was a great teacher.

Sure, she was direct to the point, didn't sugarcoat your stupid mistakes, and seemed mad all the time. But she was a great teacher. Gojo-sensei has competition.

Though she was still a lot better than you, you felt a lot of improvement with the help of her guidance and you feel more capable of fighting even without your eyes.

____________________

Sounds, Movements, Scent. You relied on these to be able to fight without sight. Maki won most of the sparring sessions, but there was one time you won.

After a kick and a punch you managed to land on Maki, you were able to restrain her and push her to the ground. "YESSSSSSS" You shouted in joy as you lie down on the ground after managing to defeat Maki a single time.

"Way to go [y/n]!" Panda cheered.

"Tuna tuna!" Inumaki said, going near you for a high-five after you stood up. You smiled and jumped a little to high-five him back.

"Good job [y/n], I'm proud." Maki said, patting your back hardly, making you wonder if she was a little bitter about you being able to beat her for the first time.

____________________

Maki offered to give you a cursed weapon after you were stably capable of fighting without sight. After your first win, you were able to beat Maki a few more times this week, but of course, she's still the professional when it comes to handling weapons and when it comes to using physical ability as a whole.

Gojo-sensei butted in when he overheard the two of you discussing weapons. "I planned on giving you a cursed weapon, but it looks like Maki beat me to it. Make sure you give her a long-ranged one, it suits [y/n]'s cursed sight better." He explained.

Maki guided you to where she keeps her collection of cursed weapons, and once she opened the door, you were met with the overwhelming scent of cursed energy.

"Since Gojo told me to give you a long-range weapon, this came into mind." She rummaged through boxes and handed you the weapon she was talking about— a bow and arrow.

"I personally don't like using bow and arrows, but it might suit your tastes. I would give you a gun as last resort, but it reminds me of someone I don't want to be reminded of everyday..." She explained.

You sweatdropped. Using a bow and arrow would mean you'd also need to train to aim without sight, didn't it? But if you were to use a gun, it would be similar but just a little easier compared to using a bow and arrow. Either way, you still have to learn how to aim without sight.

"Damn, being blind is so hard. But the thought of using a bow and arrow does seem cool." You said to her. She chuckled a little.

"If you managed to live your life so far without eyes, I don't think you have to worry about aiming without eyes as well."

Wrong. So wrong.

You tried it for the first time after you and Maki went back from fetching the bow and arrow, along with the targets she stored in her shed of cursed tools.

"Here I go!" you announced after placing the arrow on the arrow rest, pulling the string and arrow as you position yourself sideward.

And then, you released the arrow.

. . .

. . .

Dinner was silent.

". . ." you felt really guilty about the events today. Well, technically it was your fault. But at the same time, you refused to believe it was.

"I'm seriously sorry for today. I didn't mean it." you said, before slurping on more noodles.

"It's not you I'm mad at, [y/n]. Its Toge." Panda said, pressing on the bandaged wound located on his abdomen.

"Okaka!" He said, a little angrily. "Tuna!" he pointed at Maki.

"Me?! Well, If [y/n] didn't fire that arrow straight at me, then this wouldn't have happened!" Maki justified.

"Me? Well... yeah kinda. But like, "

You recalled the incident that happened.

"Here I go!" it took you a few seconds to settle down and get ready to fire the arrow. You took a deep breath and got ready to release the arrow when, "Boo!"

Because of the shock from Gojo-sensei's sudden appearance behind you, you released the arrow out of place, accidentally flying it over to Maki's direction.

Using her spear, Maki's fast reflexes caused her to hit the arrow as hard as she can in Toge's direction.

Toge ran behind Panda (who was in his direction as well) to avoid getting hit by the arrow.

And in the end, Panda was shot with an arrow in the stomach.

"But like, doesn't that mean it's Gojo's fault for scaring me before I fired the arrow?" you said.

". . . He's so gonna get it later." Maki said.

"Salmon." Inumaki said with determination laced in his voice, making [y/n] a little scared for Gojo-sensei.

"In the name of pandas, I will avenge my holed stomach." Panda said in a grumble.

You laughed at their sensei-rally. Finally, you guys were back to normal once again.

____________________

A week has passed since the day you first used an arrow. And you were notably better at handling it. You also learned how to put your cursed energy into the arrows, which saves more energy than creating cursed arrows yourself.

"[y/n] congrats! I'll be giving you your first mission tomorrow!" Gojo-sensei announced to everyone. "Well, I would let Inumaki come with [y/n], but instead I'll just give Inumaki a separate mission near [y/n]'s since I think the two of you could handle separate missions alone. I mean, the two of you are grade 2 sorcerers, so it should go well even individually."

Inumaki was a little displeased to hear that but did not voice out his feelings about it anyway.

Meanwhile, you were excited to go. Although, you thought that you would be more confident about going on a mission with someone else, especially if it's Inumaki.

After Gojo announced, you and the others continued training. Maki yielded her weapon and started practicing by herself, Toge and Panda started training together as well, then you started practicing wielding your bow, relatively farther from everyone to avoid another arrow incident. It was still imperfect, but at least now you hit near or on the target.

____________________

"Oi, you guys want to get drinks?" Maki asked when we all had a break from training. Everyone agreed that the idea sounded good since all of you were dehydrated and water was starting to taste blander than usual after drinking so much for more energy.

"Let's decide the pair who goes?" Panda said, putting his paw forward for a round of janken, to which everyone agreed on.

"Saisho wa guu, JAN-KEN-PON!"

"Ugh..." Maki and Panda got the losing throws. You and Inumaki were the winning pair.

The 2 of you sat down on some benches when Panda and Maki left for the vending machines to get drinks.

It was a little silent at first so you decided to speak. "Were you nervous on your first mission?"

"Salmon."

A yes. "Are you nervous about the mission tomorrow?"

"Okaka."

A no. "Mmm... To be honest, I'm kinda nervous."

"Leaf Mustard." He smiled, poking your cheek on impulse.

His touch felt warm on your skin, but the heat rising to your cheeks overpower his warm touch.

"Yeah, I'll probably do fine." You smiled at him, cheeks still pink from the touch you loved too much.

"I-inumaki-kun... can I touch your face?" you asked impulsively, but curiosity overwhelmed you at that moment. You wanted to know what he feels like, what he looks like.

There was a moment of silence. Just a moment. But at that moment, you wished you could evaporate from the world.

"S-salmon." He lowered the collar covering half of his face.

You started with a finger on his cheek, just like what he did to yours. His face felt warm. Perhaps it was from training all day— the weather was hot today, to begin with, but of course, your touch contributed to the reddening of his face.

Two of your hands cupped his cheeks and explored his face. Your fingers, they swiped through his forehead, touching his soft, feather-like hair as well. And from there, your index finger glided down his nose bridge, feeling his sharp nose. And his lashes— though you did not know the color, you knew they were lengthy and flowed beautifully, matching whatever the color of his eyes were. And lips— you did not dare touch them, because you fear that you won't be able to handle the fastening beating of your heart if you explore his lips as well.

"U-uhm, we're back." Maki announced, startled with what they were seeing after getting drinks from the vending machine. "ᴹᵃᵏᶦ ˢʰᵘᵗ ᵘᵖ ʸᵒᵘ'ˡˡ ʳᵘᶦⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒᵐᵉⁿᵗ" Panda whispered as silently as his big mouth can, covering Maki's mouth with his paws. "ᵏᵉᵉᵖ ᵍᵒᶦⁿᵍ ʸⁿᵎ"

You retreated your hands back to yourself as soon as Maki spoke. You were so lost while feeling his soft features that you were so unaware of your surroundings. Embarrassment flooded you as you tried to explain that it was not that way— that you only wanted to feel his features in order to see him in your head.

But the mind only sees what the person wants to see. And Panda and Maki saw something else.

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a/n: its 2am and i just finished writing a new year special, but i want to post it after posting the 3 chapters i advanced prepared because there are things that i want to develop first before i post the new year special that contained those developments— ight im so tired that even i don't understand this mess of an author's note but ok,, happy new year everyone!!!!