Chapter Text
Megumi’s eleventh birthday started at approximately seven in the morning when Satoru burst into the room like a natural disaster. “Happy birthday!”
Megumi would’ve fallen out of bed if it weren't for the railings keeping him safely inside. “What’s wrong with you!”
“Many things!” Satoru announced proudly, chest puffed out, chin raised high. “You already know this, Megs!”
Megumi pulled his blanket over his head but it did absolutely nothing, because seconds later, Nanako cannonballed onto the mattress after having jumped over the rails. “You’re eleven!”
Mimiko followed after Satoru lowered the rails on the bed. “You’re old now!”
“Im literally just one day older than yesterday, and you're all older than me anyways!”
“Ancient.”
“‘Miki,” Megumi called from underneath the blanket. “Help.”
“I would,” she laughed from the doorway, “but this is funny.”
Traitor. Absolute traitor.
By the time Suguru rescued him and breakfast happened, Megumi was already smiling. Which was kind of embarrassing, but birthdays were one of the few days he allowed himself to be excited for. Because birthdays meant family, presents, cake, and this year, Yuji. Yuji was coming.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The moment Yuji arrived, the day somehow became both louder and better. Not intentionally but because Yuji was just like that. A human golden retriever. His whole family had been invited so Nanami, Choso and Sukuna were also supposed to be here. He appeared carrying a gift bag nearly as big as he was. “Megumi!”
Megumi barely managed to brace himself and lock his wheels before Yuji launched himself into a hug with his friend. “Hi, Yuji.”
“You’re eleven!”
“I know.”
“We have plans!”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Is it working?”
Nanami, standing behind Yuji, sighed, trying to apologize for his kid. “I’m sorry.”
“No you're not,” Sukuna said, taking in their spacious living room made to accommodate 6 people where one of them uses walking aids that require space.
Nanami considered this. “I’m not,” he says fondly looking at Yuji.
Choso just looked amused.
Megumi had met Yuji’s family before. Nanami was calm, reliable and patient while Choso was gentle, quiet and protective. Sukuna, well, Sukuna was Sukuna. “Happy birthday wheelchair.” A wry greeting came.
Megumi glared, Sukuna stared back, then he tossed Megumi a small box. Megumi opened it, slightly surprised to get a gift from someone who isn’t really his friend. Inside was a keychain shaped like a wolf, Megumi immediately started thinking about where he should put it.
“...Thanks.”
“Don’t make it weird.”
“You’re literally the one making it weird,” mumbled Megumi before unlocking his wheels and rolling away.
Yuji looked delighted that his angry and moody brother was getting along with one of his favorite people.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The party itself was fun. Safe and familiar. There was cake and games, and food, so much food. There were several arguments involving Satoru and birthday candles that nearly got him banned from future celebrations.
It was normal, the best kind of normal. Then, just before dinner, when all of the children sat in the living room playing games, Yuji blurted out, “You should come sleep over.”
“What?”
“Sleepover,” Yuji repeated sheepishly, rubbing his hands together. “Tonight, at my house.”
Megumi nearly dropped his fork.
“What?” Yuji asked, suddenly looking concerned and sounding slightly self-conscious.
“I just said that,” Megumi muttered in response.
“Yeah, I heard you.” An uneasy laugh came from Yuji. Wrong. Not like him.
Yuji had asked before, a few times actually. But every time something got in the way. Accessibility, scheduling, appointments, planning no one really had the time to at the moment. Then Nanami was speaking. “Only if you’d like to.” His lips turned up into a polite smile meant to comfort Megumi as if knowing his thoughts.
Megumi looked towards Suguru, then Satoru, a silent question in his eyes before looking back at Nanami. His heart was already racing. A sleepover. An actual sleepover. At a friend's house. Not a family trip, not a therapy appointment. Not something specifically designed around him. Just a sleepover, like every other kid.
“We can make it work," Nanami said gently. Megumi isn't quite sure if he was telling Megumi that as an attempt to reassure him, or if it was directed towards his father who looked like they were going through things.
“It’s up to you, Megs.”
Megumi couldn't hide his excitement, feeling so giddy he started wiggling in his chair so much it wobbled. His sisters laughed, knowing this was huge. Satoru looked ready to cry. “Yes!” He exclaimed before collecting himself and clearing his throat a bit, “I mean, yes, I’d really like to Nanami-san.”
Megumi only received a smile before dinner approached, which Megumi was too distracted and euphoric to focus on. Yuji had to remind him several times through laughter to eat. Even Sukuna, who usually had a grumpy face, hid a small twitch of his lips. Megumi’s happiness, though usually subdued and collected, careful who gets to see, spreads around so fast, it’s hard not to be affected by it.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The excitement lasted the entire car ride. Yuji, who had been forced into the middle seat after Megumi's special customized booster seat meant to support his back rather than him being too small for a regular seat, needed a proper seat for Megumi to ride safely, usually it wouldn't be a problem for Megumi but since Nanami has a regular sized car, it was a snug fit. Normally, Yuji isn't a complainer, he would complain if it was Sukuna taking up space. But seeing Megumi unable to sit still, which is so unlike him, it’s super hard for Yuji to think about the way his legs are squeezed together so tight between his brother's growing limbs and Megumi's booster seat, he can’t feel which leg is which.
Suguru had helped Megumi pack his bags, he had even made a list for Megumi where it stated clearly what stuff he needed to pack and the stuff he could survive without but he could take it if he wanted. The list consisted of pajamas, clothes and spare clothes. Extra briefs and socks, as well as some incontinence pads. Megumi had become better at going to the toilet, but in the night his body wouldn’t always cooperate so it was better to be safe then sorry. Then the obvious stuff, toothbrush, creams and his beloved wolf animal.
Before Yuji’s legs fell asleep, they arrived. Reality hit for Megumi which made his heart sink, he had transferred into his chair after Nanami received it from the trunk and had started rolling toward the cozy looking cottage. Yuji had always talked about how he loved his home with his family, how cozy it was and how it was somewhere he could really be himself. Megumi remembers Yuji talking about how his father hates working overtime which means that when he gets home, he just wants to relax and not think about anything but his family.
Megumi didn’t feel this way because Yuji’s home was bad. Not because anyone had lied, but because accessibility wasn't something most people thought about. Especially old cottages where it was designed to be small and comfy.
The front entrance had three steps. From his spot by the walkway he could see the hallway looking too narrow. Just from looking at those two things he could already think about how tiny the bathroom door might be. Megumi didn’t like to be lifted so was he supposed to crawl up the steps while someone lifted his wheelchair?
The home itself was cozy, warm and obviously lived in. But definitely not built for wheelchairs. Megumi's excitement shrank a little. Then a little more. He tried not to show it, he really did. But Nanami noticed, because after raising three kids, two of which are teenagers, you start to notice the small, almost imperceptible signs.
“Okay,” everyone looked towards him. Nanami loosened his tie as he rolled up his sleeves and pointed. “Operation Sleepover.”
“What?” Sukuna asked, looking slightly taken aback at their fathers unusual display of, whatever this is. The wind ruffled his hair.
“Operation sleepover.” He repeated, serious.
“That’s not a thing,” Sukuna argued.
“It is now ‘Kuna. You heard Kento-dude. Stop arguing.”
Nanami, not reacting at the nickname, gives his middle child a look. Sukuna groaned which meant he would be helping. Choso was already moving. Yuji was just happy to be there along with his best friend.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
For the next twenty minutes, Megumi watched something incredible happen. Furniture moved and chairs disappeared. A folding ramp had appeared from somewhere so that Megumi could get into the house with ease, Megumi never found out where the ramp had come from.
Nanami and Choso were measuring turning space so that Megumi didn't have to worry about bumping into things or breaking something. Yuji carried things, badly, things that were too heavy for a ten-year-old to carry. Though Yuji was stronger than their peers, it still looked like he was struggling. Sukuna complained while helping. “This coffee table is so stupid. I’ve never seen anyone use it. Throw it away, Kento.”
“No, I use it all the time when you're holed up in your room. Just put it to the side.” He responds in a way that works for them. Nanami had found that it works better to speak to Sukuna this way instead of making it sound like he’s speaking to a child.
“This house is stupid then.”
“Yeah, well, find somewhere else to live then.” Sukuna just scoffed while rolling his eyes, before doing what he was told.
Megumi sat to the side, taking everything in. Nobody was acting inconvenienced. Nobody was sighing, except for Sukuna. Nobody was making him feel guilty. They were just solving problems like it wasn’t even a question. Eventually Nanami stepped back, observing their work. “There.”
The living room had room to move freely. Actual room, not perfect. But Megumi could work with it. “You did all of this… for me?”
“Yeah?” Yuji looked confused, because to him the answer was obvious because friendship worked like this, at least for Yuji.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The bathroom took more creativity and approximately thirty minutes of Nanami and Choso discussing transfer techniques and temporary work chairs as wheelchairs for Megumi while Sukuna complained from the hallway. Yuji had tried to comfort Megumi that Choso was studying to become a nurse, so if he needed help with anything he could ask Choso and Nanami.
Megumi supposed he could've brought his walker because he usually wouldn't have trouble with his wheelchair, but he just wanted to feel normal. As normal as he could and not bring even more stuff than his already big duffelbag that’s carrying everything he needs. But after the attack and he got a new one it was slightly wider, made so that megumi could grow into it.
He sat quiet during most of it. Watching and listening. Feeling something warm settle in his chest. Because nobody was apologizing or saying “next time,” or complaining that he's too difficult to accommodate for.
Instead they were moving things without a second thought, trying things to see if they work. How they can make it even easier for Megumi. It was different, very different.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Later that night, after pizza and movies and a horrifying amount of candy, the boys ended up in the living room. Futons covered the floor with extra padding, something Megumi quickly noticed. He transferred on to the futon by himself, Yuji was beside him already talking. Still talking, probably always talking.
“This is the best birthday ever.” Megumi shyly confessed after everyone had retreated into their rooms. Nanami had been clear in his reassurance that if they needed anything, he was just down the hallway, door open. Choso had kindly told him that if he required assistance he would gladly help him, Megumi could just wake him up. Sukuna had just thrown a half-hearted “goodnight brats, have fun” before disappearing into his room, closing the door after himself.
“Yeah?” Yuji smiled. He seemed to think for a moment. “You know.” He started.
“What?”
“When I first saw you sitting by yourself on the playground I thought your wheelchair was so cool.”
“...What?”
“The wheels spin.” Was said with a shrug.
“Uhm, yeah? All wheels spin.”
“Yeah, I know, but your wheels spin better.”
There was a pause, then: “You’re weird.”
“I know, I get told that a lot.”
From across the hallway, through the closed door they could hear Sukuna groan. “So help me God, if you two keep talking—”
“Language,” Nanami scolded from his bedroom.
“He’s literally threatening us,” Yuji, frightened, confided in Megumi.
“Whatever, he won’t do anything. I’ll roll over his feet and make sure it hurts.”
Choso barked a laugh at that, making Yuji laugh too. Then they could hear dark chuckles from further down the hall and an angry shout from Sukuna's room.
And lying there in a house that wasn’t built for him but had been rearranged anyway without a second thought, surrounded by people who had spent an entire evening making space for him without complaint despite only knowing him through someone they love, Megumi realized something.
Accessibility mattered, it always would. The steps were still there and so were the narrow doors. The cottage hadn’t magically changed but the people inside of it had. Or maybe they hadn’t. Maybe this was simply who they were, Megumi wouldn't know since he doesn’t know them personally.
They were people who saw a barrier and immediately started figuring out how to move it. People who made room. People who cared enough to try. By the time the house finally went quiet and the only noises you could hear was the house itself settling in for the night, Megumi was smiling into his pillow.
His birthday had started with his family and it was ending with his friend by his side, like always. And for the first time, in a very long time, Megumi’s world felt a little bigger again.