Chapter Text
Tsumiki woke up the day after the Battle of Shinjuku.
Satoru and Megumi were both present when she did, opening her eyes blearily and blinking at them. Even disoriented and half-asleep, love filled her expression.
They enveloped her in a hug immediately, her sheets getting damper by the second from the tears spilling from all of their eyes.
Yuji was unconscious for a full five days.
Megumi and Nobara sat with him in shifts, refusing to leave their friend alone even for a split second. They watched his macabre wounds slowly start to heal, leaving behind dark scars. His vitals got better by the day, Shoko looking more and more pleased as they improved.
On the sixth day, he finally stirred.
Coincidentally, both Megumi and Nobara had been present when he made his first movement. They each gripped one of his hands, staring at his twitching face. “C’mon, idiot…” Nobara muttered.
Finally, Yuji’s eyes fluttered open. They weren’t vivid scarlet like in Shinjuku. They were their normal warm brown. They darted around, seemingly confused, before landing on Megumi and Nobara in turn. “What…” he mumbled like his tongue was thick.
His next words got cut off by Nobara pouncing on him and squeezing him tightly. Megumi was forced to pull her back from their weak friend, who looked rightfully startled by the attack.
Yuji slowly sat up, rubbing his head. He just looked extremely disoriented. “Where…where am I? What happened?”
“The infirmary,” Megumi replied. Yuji’s eyes locked onto his…and his lip trembled.
Tears spilled over as he grabbed Megumi’s hands, holding onto them like a lifeline. “Megumi…everyone is…”
“Alive,” Megumi interrupted. “Nobody is hurt. I promise.”
Yuji bowed his head in relief, his shoulders trembling. “Thank you…for saving me, even though I didn’t deserve it.”
“Excuse me?” Megumi retorted. “Wow, you really are an idiot (“Smooth,” Nobara muttered). I meant what I said, Yuji! The world would be a darker place without your dumb smile and happy-go-lucky attitude. You did everyone a favor by surviving.”
Yuji sniffled. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes!” Megumi replied.
The pink-haired teenager smiled the tiniest of smiles. “…Wow. Thanks…that means a lot.”
He pulled Megumi into a bone-crushing hug, his strength returned to normal as evidenced by how hard he was squeezing his friend.
Megumi was frozen for a second, but only for a moment. He returned the hug, instant relief filling his heart now that he knew that Yuji was really going to be okay. Maybe not immediately…but that was something they could work on together.
“Ahem!” Nobara said incredulously. “Itadori, you’re hogging my man.”
“Oh, sorry!” Yuji said, releasing Megumi. Nobara immediately tugged Megumi closer to her, her hands wrapping around his arm. Finally, Yuji realized what she said.
“Wait…your man?!” he exclaimed, his eyes widening. His smile widened as well, growing increasingly more giddy by the second.
“Here we go,” Megumi muttered.
“FINALLY!” Yuji yelled, throwing his hands up into the air. “Took your time! I may be an idiot, but I seriously think you two are dumber than me!”
Megumi and Nobara smacked his arm at the same time. He yelped, but it was a combination of indignation and glee. “See?! Even your attacks on poor, defenseless little me are coordinated!”
His heart rate was rising by the second, prompting Shoko to come and check it out. She shook her head exasperatedly at the teenagers before retreating.
“Sooooo~,” Yuji grinned, “When’s the weddingggg~?”
“Shut up!” Megumi hissed. “We’re not that serious yet. Just…getting used to things.”
“He kissed me,” Nobara whispered to Yuji in a comically loud way. Yuji grinned again and looked at Megumi, raising his eyebrows.
“Twice.”
Yuji let out a dramatic gasp. “Megumi, I didn’t know you were such a ladies’ man…”
“Shut up before I summon Mahoraga,” Megumi groaned, but a faint smile tugged at his lips.
Yuji did shut up, but not before saying, “We’re so gonna discuss this later. Man to man.”
A pillow inevitably smacked him in the face.
“I’m going back to college,” Tsumiki announced, shouldering her backpack. Megumi noticed her slight wince and automatically stepped forward to lighten the burden, but she stopped him with a smile. “I’m strong, Megs. It’s okay.”
“Are you sure, Miki?” Satoru asked, worry filling his expression. “You’re not back at a hundred percent yet…”
“I’m sure…Dad,” Tsumiki replied, albeit hesitantly. This was the first time she had addressed him like that.
Satoru put a hand on his heart. “Awww, Miki…” He immediately pulled her into a hug, careful not to squeeze too tight.
Tsumiki hugged him back before pulling away and moving to Megumi. They opened their arms at the same time, hugging each other with a ferocity that couldn’t be rivaled.
“I’ll miss you, Miki,” Megumi said softly, fully aware that Satoru was listening to their every word.
“I’ll miss you too, Megs,” Tsumiki said, tightening her hold. She whispered, “You better take care of Nobara-chan, or I’m coming back to spank your behind.”
He froze, eyes shifting to Satoru. The albino grinned and waved. Megumi scowled, which only made Satoru grin wider.
Megumi sighed, accepting his fate. “I promise.”
“Good,” Tsumiki said, an uncharacteristic fire in her voice. She pulled away and started moving towards the door of their apartment, where Ijichi’s car was waiting just outside. She stopped and turned back for a second, smiling at her family. “Take care of each other.”
“We will, Miki!” Satoru said, grabbing Megumi and ruffling his hair. Megumi wrestled out of the hold. Tsumiki smiled, pure love shining through her eyes, before she stepped through the door to her new life.
“So, Megs,” Satoru said immediately, wiggling his eyebrows. “You and Kugisaki, hmm? You’re an item now?”
“Ugh,” Megumi groaned. That answer was enough for the albino.
“Borrow my credit card anytime you want, kiddo. Spoil her! Take her out for shopping, dinner, whatever!” A wistful expression crossed his face. “You never really had a chance to be a kid. Now’s better than later, right?”
Megumi raised his eyebrows, thoroughly shocked. “Um…thanks?”
“I’m such an awesome dad,” Satoru said, plopping on the couch. Megumi sat next to him and did something neither of them expected. He hugged the albino tightly.
“Whoa, Megs!” Satoru exclaimed, but he returned the hug, burying his face into his son’s hair. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Just happy you’re alive,” Megumi murmured. Satoru combed his fingers through his sea-urchin’s hair. His Six Eyes shone down on Megumi.
“I am. Thanks to you. And I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
Satoru hugged him tighter. “You did it, kid,” he whispered. “You saved the world.”