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Chapter Text

     "If anything I can't believe you're the one who ended up with kids." Shoko mumbled with a cigarette between her lips, her numb fingers flicking the roll to get the lighter to ignite. She cupped the flame and lit her cigarette and sighed out the smoke.

"Would've assumed it'd be Nanami."

Gojo grimaced and waved the smoke away, his nose scrunching up at the horrid smell. "Don't do that around the kids." He fake coughed into his gloves to annoy her which only got her to blow smoke in his face getting him to gag and nearly fall off the park bench. "I won't, I'm quitting anyway." Gojo knew a lie when he heard one, but this didn't seem like it. 

"Utahime doesn't like it, I'm cutting back." 

Gojo flicked snow at her and pouted. "You quit for her just cause you got a little crush but not for me?" Shoko ashed in his lap, the look of horror caused a snort to leave her. He leaped up with a child friendly cuss. "This is why men don't like you." Shoko's eyebrow raised and she narrowed her eyes. "At least I have an excuse, men just don't like you at all." 

He guffawed and pointed an accusatory finger towards her and right before he could curse her out a pull on his coat shifted his attention. 

Behind him stood a shivering Megumi, his nose and ears both a harsh red from the bitter cold of the wind. Gojo dropped to his hunkers and brushed some snow from Megumi's hair. "What's up, Megumi? Need something?" 

To his surprise the child wrapped his arms around him and stuffed his face into his chest. 

"Cold." 

Gojo who was still shocked by the hug stared at Shoko. His smirk was smug. Megumi wasn't very affectionate so having him be affectionate towards him and to do it in front of another human was rare. Gojo had bragging rights. 

'Told you he liked me'

Were the words he mouthed to Shoko. 

He dropped a hand to the child's hair. 

"You wanna head home, Gumi?" His attention turning to his other ward who was building a snowman next to a set of swings. The head of black hair shook so he took it as a yes. "Go tell your sister we're leaving, kay?" 

He dug through his bag and pulled out Tsumiki's earmuffs and a hat, the girl rushing to his side giggling with a flush in her cheeks. 

"Satoru!" She smiled and grabbed his hand, her weight pulling on his as she leaned back swinging side to side. "Thank you for taking us to the park!" 

Gojo sat her down and tugged the wool hat down over her frizzy hair, her smile wide making him melt internally. She was such a sweetheart, hard to say no to even when it was snowing and the park was empty.

-

Bumping into Shoko was a shock; she was buying cigarettes in the kombini they happened to stop in that morning. She trailed after Gojo who was being yanked by a little girl despite having a younger boy held to his hip. She had known he took in some kids and needed to see this, all the talk of how sweet one was and how the other really didn't like him that much. 

She watched Tsumiki refuse her earmuffs and watch Satoru place them on a pouting boy and give him a soft smile. 

"Let's keep you warm." 

A pink tongue being stuck out and blown was his response. Shoko just laughed at the appalled expression on her friends face. 

"Megumi! That wasn't very nice!" 

Amidst the bickering between them she still watched Gojo zip him up to his nose and pull his hood up yet Megumi still gave a full bodied shiver when a sharp breeze cut by them. She stood abruptly and dropped her cigarette and stood on it, her hands being buried into her pocket where a hand warmer was. 

-

Gojo watched Megumi's teeth chatter and he unraveled his own scarf to wrap it around Megumi, his fingers tucking it in to keep the heat in. He stood up and Tsumiki was by his side in seconds. She grabbed his hand and begun to swing them.  Megumi shyly slipped his hand in Gojo's other. 

"Don't want me to carry you?" 

"Nuh uh." 

They said their goodbyes to Shoko and with a promise to text later she took of in a fast pace complaining about the cold. 

Gojo squeezed both his hands and smiled at feeling them squeeze back. 

"Let's go home, I'll run us a warm bath." 

With that Tsumiki was dragging him along once more at the promise of warmth. Albeit, Megumi ended up on his hip as his legs failed to keep up with them.

-

"Tsumiki, can you get the keys? In my right pocket." 

Both his hands were wrapped around a dozing Megumi, the boy had wrapped his arms around his neck and had fallen asleep half way home. 

Tsumiki rifled his pocket and after finding the keys, stuck them in the door and unlocked it. 

She sat on the step in the genkan and removed her shoes, her feet slipping into her Hello Kitty slippers as she ran in to get the bath started. 

Gojo bounced Megumi a little to stir him. He mumbled in protest and rubbed his eyes. Gojo sat him down and undid the velcro of his shoes, Megumi reaching back to grab his neck. 

"Gumi…Megumi, let me take your coat off." 

He huffed but retracted his arms and sleepily pulled his gloves off while Gojo undressed him of his winter clothing. 

-

In the bathroom he sat Megumi on the counter and dipped his fingers in the water to check the temperature. Tsumiki was already sitting on the stool by the shower and humming a song to herself while playing with a wet sponge.

"Satoru can you help me wash my hair?" 

He hummed and helped Megumi out of his clothes, the boy still clinging to him, the steam only making him more tired.  

Gojo threw all their clothes in a hamper and sat next to Tsumiki, Megumi leaning against him. 

Satoru helped the two shower, Megumi refusing to let Tsumiki help him wash his own hair after she got shampoo in his eye a few weeks ago; both bickering like mad. 

To his own surprise Tsumiki had stood on the stool in front of him and demanded to wash his hair, declaring loudly that she won't get shampoo in his eyes. Megumi pouted behind him and grabbed a wash cloth, his hands scrubbing up Satoru's back. 

More bickering, each demanding wanting to be the only one to help him. Megumi was only being petty but be still his beating heart. 

Tsumiki ended up getting shampoo in his eyes after all. 

He grabbed her by the under arms and placed her in the bath. 

"Are you sure you're not mad Satoru-nii?" 

He pat her head and placed a drowsy Megumi next to her before stepping in himself. 

"I'm not, I swear!" He raised his hands up and leaned closer. "See? Not even red." 

She smiled and nodded. 

"Satoru-nii didn't cry, maybe Megumi could learn from Satoru-nii." 

He sighed and sank down until the water covered his mouth, the two now splashing water at each other. 

"Crybaby!" 

"Am not!" 

"Are too!" 

"Toru! Tsumiki's being mean to me!" 

Chapter Text

    The phone rang in front of him and he crossed his fingers with a smile and picked up. 

"Gojo-san?" 

His smile dropped and Shoko raised her brows at him. 

"That's me, is there a problem?" 

He already had his things packed when she had mentioned Tsumiki and the word upset. He hung up and grabbed his black out sunglasses, blindfold was much to weird for this.

"Could you pick Megumi up in an hour?" 

Shoko shot him a glare. "I have a date." 

"Fantastic, Utahime loves kids, he'll up your attractiveness, kid's adorable when he wants to be. Tell him you'll get him a stuffed animal and he'll be an angel." He closed the door behind him before she could protest. 

She scoffed at the closed door hearing him giggling to himself behind it.

-

    He poked his head in through the door after seeing Tsumiki on the ground with her shirt pulled up over her head, her teacher sitting next to her. The woman looked stressed. 

"Excuse me?" 

The teacher looked up and stumbled to her feet rushing over to his side. 

"Gojo-san." She sighed in relief. "Tsumiki just started crying and having a little tantrum after we came in from lunch. She won't talk to me, I thought it was best for her to be in the comfort of her guardian." 

He sighed and had to duck to get into the classroom, he crouched next to Tsumiki and placed his hand on her back. "Hi." He greeted in a soft voice, other students staring. 

"Wanna tell me what's wrong?" 

She popped her head out just to her teary eyes. Her head shaking back and forth. "No! No! No!" 

"Tsumiki." He sighed. Gojo took his glasses off and placed them on her nose, her shirt falling back into place, she blankly stared up at him with tears flowing past the rim of the glasses. “I swallowed an apple seed!” She cried and pressed her face to his chest, nose sniffling loudly. “I don't wanna turn into an apple!” Gojo glanced at her teacher who blushed when his eyes met hers.

“I’ll take her home.” He bundled her in his arms and bowed to Tsumiki’s teacher who helped him collect all her things. The teacher clapping to gather everyone's attention. 

"Hai sensei!" Muffled behind the door.

-

    At home he knelt by her bed as she wrapped her blanket around herself. “I thought you knew I was joking when I told your brother that.” His grin silly as he reached out to wipe her tears. “You're not going to turn into an apple, Satoru swears it.” She grabbed his hand and played with his fingers. “And even if you do, Satoru-nii will still love you.” Tsumiki giggled into his hand and frowned within seconds. “Even though you’re not our dad?” 

“Oh Tsumiki.” He cooed while he go up to sit on the bed and cupped her cheeks. “I don’t have to be your father to know I adore you two.” She placed her hands over his and blinked away tears. “Do…Do you want me to be dad? If you need a father I guess I could try.” 

“No!” She shouted and squeezed his hands. “Satoru is Satoru. You're better than dad, you're a big brother.” 

“That's right!” She squealed with laughter when he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up. “And don’t let any of your classmates tell you differently!” 

Gojo placed her back on her feet and she bounced in place. 

“Can we get ice cream?” 

“You just read my mind!”

-

  "No!" The screech made Satoru cringe and offer a tight lipped smile. Shoko reached around herself to grab Megumi's hands and try to pry his fingers off. She sighed and awkwardly patted his back. "Megumi, let go. Gojo's going to bring you home." 

His head shook fast into her neck, Shoko feeling a shiver run up her spine at what she hoped was just tears and not a running nose pressing against her skin. Her facial expression revealed it and Gojo approached, his hands grasping Megumi by the middle and yanking the boy from her. 

He yelled and kicked and held onto Shoko's coat for dear life. She pretended the kick to her gut didn't hurt. Least Gojo had his Infinity to protect him from a tantrum. 

In Gojo's hands Megumi kept fussing, his hands now reaching up to grab a fist full of white locks of hair and pulling. 

"Ow! Megumi!" He exclaimed, his hand encircling the child's to make him stop; a kick to the stomach made him exhale a grunt of pain. 

"No infinity?" Shoko held out a pair of Megumi's shoes, her hand grabbing a foot mid kick to slip it on. Gojo shook his head and placed a hand on Megumi's back, the boy finally stopping after exhausting himself out. With a slight bounce he adjusted Megumi in his arms and slipped his overnight bag over his shoulder. 

"Was he any trouble?" 

"Only now." She stuck her hand out and he rolled his eyes before dropping a pack of her favourite cigarette brand into her hand. "Must have had a nightmare or something." 

"Nah, it's the smell." 

"Smell?" 

"The cigarettes." Gojo opened his car door and placed Megumi down in the back. He pulled the blanket from the overnight bag and covered him. 

"You smell like Toji." 

Chapter Text

     A scream woke Gojo up, his body shooting upright in slight panic. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and walked to the source. He knocked his knuckles against Megumi's door and popped his head in only to see the boy sitting up crying silently. 

Gojo closed the door behind him and stepped over a dollhouse Tsumiki left out, his foot stepping on an unexpected piece of lego leading him to hiss and stumble his way over to Megumi's side of the room. Both shared a room just for each other's company at night. He had a spare ready for when they'd separate. He knelt on the bed and flicked on a night light plugged into the wall; Megumi kept turning it off even though the dark scared him. 

In all the fuss he threw a glance towards the girl sharing the room only to see her sprawled out in deep sleep, her blanket twisted in all ways. 

"Hey." He whispered and scooted himself further onto the bed and lifted the blanket to sit under it. "Nightmare?" Megumi nodded and rubbed his eyes furiously to try to hide the fact that he'd been crying. Satoru hummed and blinked down at him. "Scary?" Another nod. "Want to talk about it?" A shake this time with fists curling tighter around his blanket, Satoru averted his eyes lest he upset Megumi more. "Okay." He battled a yawn and blinked slowly trying to think about what was done when he had a nightmare as a child. "Want me to stay?" He huffed and changed his train of thought. What he wanted was better than what he got. 

Another no, hesitant this time. Megumi must be too wary of him to ask for what he wants. This was the first nightmare he's heard so far. Albeit, Tsumiki had let it slip that she's been dealing with them. Megumi was too proud to let her wake him for help. This was the first he had come, the first Tsumiki hadn't woken up to, the first time she hadn't rushed across the room to hop into her brother's bed to hug him. 

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" He whispered in a hush tone, a slight bit desperate to hear a 'please do.' He's been struggling with clicking with the child. Megumi was distant. "I don't mind." The silence gave his response. Satoru sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. "Do you want to sleep with Tsumiki?" There, finally movement. Megumi turned his head and looked up at him. "She's sleeping." He spoke so blankly and matter of factly. "And?" 

Megumi leaned forward to peek across to his sister. 

"She's comfy." Gojo almost groaned in annoyance but smiled down at him. "She's a cuddle bug, come here." He picked him up and Megumi protested by trying to sink to the ground, his protest doing nothing. Gojo nudged Tsumiki's leg and dropped Megumi down and immediately his sister grabbed him and cuddled in. He glared up at Gojo. 

"Ouch, if looks could kill." He chuckled and spun on his heel to leave the room. 

Megumi letting his glare drop the second Gojo stopped looking, a soft smile as he cuddled back and drifted back to sleep. 

-

    A hand on his shoulder shook him awake this time. His eyes blinked open to see Tsumiki standing over him. If this hadn't happened enough times he probably would've yelped in fright. The light from the hall made her silhouette look menacing. Nothing would be worse than the times he woke up just to find her staring at him in the dark. 

'Just shake me.' He had explained with a racing heart. 'I don't want to bother you.' 'You won't.' 

He's glad they sorted that out. Horror movies hadn't prepared him enough to find her standing in his doorway with a teddy bear hanging from her hand. 

He sat up on his elbows and squinted at her. "What's wrong?" She stood on her tiptoes and swayed with a frown. "Megumi had a nightmare, he won't stop crying." Her tone was timid. "Can you help? I have school tomorrow." He hummed and glanced at the clock on his bedside dresser. He stood up and she crawled into his bed on the other side. "Can you bring my teddy when you come back?" He threw a shirt on and gave a thumbs up to her, his feet shuffling along the floor.

  Gojo slapped both his cheeks before entering the kids room. Megumi sat shaking and holding his knees to his chest, his sobs loud with hitched breaths. For once the room light was on. He sat down and pulled the boy onto his lap, Megumi latching to him and his sobs got louder. Satoru cooed and hushed him while rubbing his hand on his back. "It's okay. I'm here. You're okay. You're nice and warm and safe here. Nothing can hurt you." 

Later when Tsumiki woke up without Satoru having returned she found her brother sleeping in his arms. Satoru cooing softly with tired eyes. 

"Toru-nii," She mumbled rubbing her face, she stumbled over with sleepy steps and he grabbed her arm before she could fall. He managed to get Megumi tucked back into bed and lifted Tsumiki up. "Your bed or mine?" 

She made grabby hands towards her own and cuddled into her stuffed animal when he tucked her back in. 

"Night night." 

-

   He moaned into his pillow and pressed his face into it. He could hear someone calling his name. He opened one eye preparing to tell Tsumiki that she could get a drink without him only to his surprise it was Megumi. 

"I had a nightmare." 

Of course. Gojo was getting ready to sit up when Megumi crawled under the blanket. He turned to the other side to see Tsumiki had snuck in already and gotten comfy beside him. Megumi pouted and pressed both hands to his side and pushed. "Move over." He demanded while Satoru stared with a smug smile, his pushing not doing anything. "Move." The demand turned to a whine and he gave in. 

Megumi settled next to him and drifted to sleep within seconds. 

-

   Satoru awoke from feeling as if he was being watched, he slowly opened his eyes and sat up only to exhale a yelp. 

"Sato-" 

He sat up much more harshly and placed a hand over his racing heart. "Tsumiki!" He exclaimed with a breath. "You scared me." She crawled onto the bed from where she was standing at the end. She sat up on her knees next to Gojo and mumbled an apology. "How long were you standing there?" He brushed her hair behind her ears and cringed at the memory of her. She looked like an onryō, especially the horror movie one with the girl from the Ringu. 

"Just a little bit." 

He blew out a breath as his heart finally stopped racing. She sat fiddling with the ends of her nightdress, her mouth opening and closing slightly. 

"Wanna ask me something?" 

Her shoulders rose up and she huffed with a slight blush of embarrassment. "Can…" She took a breath. "Can you help me get a drink?" Satoru just blinked at her with a slight tilt of his head. "Just yesterday you told me you could go to a Kombini all alone and now you're asking me for help to get a drink?" 

She bawled her fists and mockingly hit his chest with them whining, her body falling over his legs dramatically while she kicked her legs. "Noooo." She whined into the blanket before she rolled over face up, her back bent awkwardly over his legs. "Satoru is soooo big! Satoru is giant!" He scrunched his nose and almost felt as if she was trying to make fun of him. "Satoru is so tall he keeps the cups too high! Tsumiki can't reach it! Tsumiki is small!" 

He snorted into his hand as she flailed around on his bed. He threw the blanket off and stood up with a stretch, Tsumiki leaping towards him and he gasped in shock, his reflexes grabbing her as she giggled. "Much too much energy for this late." 

"Put on a shirt!" She let out and dropped down. "I'll get Megumi!" 

He hummed and nodded. 

"Wait, Megumi?!" 

"He had a nightmare and can't sleep!" Her feet were loud on the wooden floor; giggling came from the room. In the kitchen he opened the cupboard and retrieved two mugs. 

Megumi entered with puffy red eyes and his slippers dragged along the floor. He crawled up onto a chair at the table while Tsumiki stood next to Gojo. 

"Warm milk please?" 

He ruffled her hair and nodded. 

"I'll buy some steps for you, so you can reach. Tsumiki will be tall too!" 

She smiled up at him and grabbed his hand to yank him down to her height. "A night light too please." 

Chapter Text

     " Alright, which one of you idiots left your shoes out for me to trip over again?" Satoru tucked a pair of shoes to the side and rolled his ankle to feel out the pain. He got no answer from either of the two. Usually by now one of them (Megumi) would be giggling while the other (Tsumiki) would be asking if he was okay. The silence was strange, even if not to be mocked he always got a greeting back. He would've worried about them not being home if his Six Eyes didn't show that they were in their room. Something was wrong. Did he forget something? A birthday? He flipped his phone open and the charm Tsumiki gifted him dangled, she got them matching ones; her charm had hung on her bag since she was too young for a mobile phone. Nothing in his calendar showed anything important. 

So then they weren't being petty, maybe it was a Fushiguro thing. 

Walking across the household he spotted evidence of rummaging, the two or singular ones, were searching for something. They either found it or not but the one thing he knew for sure was: That none of them were cleaning this. He sent a quick text to his cleaning staff. 

He nudged the door open to see both frowning and flushed. 

"Satoru…" Tsumiki stood and swayed in place. "We don't feel so good." 

Panic. 

"Oh shi-shoot. " Satoru didn't know how to deal with sick kids, he barely knew how to deal with kids in general. Oh God what was he thinking ? Taking in not one but two children?! He expected the one but of course Toji got the last laugh, he dumped both kids for the price of one. Satoru didn't even look after himself when he got sick, he usually dropped in by the Gojo Estate and let the staff figure it out so he could be spoiled. Shoko and Suguru had both mocked him but when all three caught the flu he dragged them home with him and Shoko lavished in the help. 

Shoko! Shoko was a doctor! Or someone with a forged medical license. 

"Moshi Moshi!" She was in a cheery mood this evening, must have been the souvenir he had left in the morgue for her. A very pricey bottle of alcohol he picked up from Niigata. He had dropped one in for Nanami and had gotten a text about how he shouldn't be buying alcohol at nineteen, nor should he be gifting it to his kōhai. Hilarious when he knew Nanami would drink it anyway. Both he and Shoko were big drinkers already. 

He shook his head and rambled into the phone. 

"Gojo-Gojo calm down." 

"How can I calm down? They could be dying! " 

"Well how bout you actually check their temperature." 

In the process of hearing that, Tsumiki pulled a thermometer from her brother's mouth and held it up for Gojo to see. 

"Thirty-eight point six for Megumi and- Tsumiki . Can you check yours too?" 

She wiped the stick end and placed it under her tongue. 

"Thirty-seven point eight." He placed a hand to her forehead. "Think she's gonna get worse?" 

He pressed a hand to Megumi's. 

"There's a possibility, just keep them hydrated and resting." She let out a heavy sigh into the phone. "And only call if they reach thirty-nine. Bye!" 

"Shoko- Ah! She hung up!" 

-

     He clapped his hands twice to grab attention. 

"Let's get out of school clothing and into comfy clothes, your pjs if possible." 

Without being asked he approached Megumi and helped him pull his shirt off, the boy barely able to keep his eyes open. Megumi groaned and pushed his head into Gojo's chest, a few tears rolling down his cheeks. Gojo pulled him back and tensed at the tears. He wiped them away with his thumbs and glanced behind to see Tsumiki fighting with her school shirt. She grinned and let out a small laugh when Satoru reached over to pop open the button at her collar. 

"Winner!" 

She pranced over to help him dress Megumi. 

"Tsumiki, go put clothes on."

"But Satoru!" She whined and stomped her foot. "I'm really warm!" Megumi moaned at her tone and covered his ears. "Hurts." 

"Got a headache, Gumi?" The boy nodded. "Tsumiki, you are not walking around this house in just underwear. Go put your pjs on." Another stomped foot. "Daddy let me!" 

He sucked in a breath and felt his whole body tense up. Last time she brought up Toji he ended up making her cry by saying mean things about him. 

"Well Daddy isn't here right now, so listen to Satoru when he tells you. To. Put. On. Your. Pjs." 

That surprisingly worked. 

-

    Gojo frequently checked in on Megumi, his nerves getting the best of him. The anxiety got worse when he noticed Tsumiki's energy declining over the next few hours, her cheeks flushing a red while her eyes lidded with a soft glaze. Next to him she started groaning and her head dropped as she dozed off. 

Her temperature rose so he tucked her into bed and changed the cloth on Megumi's head. 

Satoru eventually just sat in the small children's couch that he got them; Tsumiki laughing hysterically at how silly he looked, his tall frame making his knees bend up. 

He flipped his phone open and flipped the phone around to the camera. Gojo posed next to Megumi and took a few pictures, he flipped it back around and deleted the blurry ones. With an added emoticon he sent the picture to Geto. 

On his phone, an unopened text.

Want me to stop by? 

-

   Geto kicked the door behind him closed and dropped a collection of keys on the side table. He toed his shoes off and placed them next to Satoru's, both looking comically large next to the children's. 

He blew out a poof of air to move his bangs from his eye and dropped some supplies on the kitchen table. 

"Hey Satoru, I got that limited edition pudding you like." 

Usually that summoned his classmate so he followed a trail of tissues to the kids room and nudged the door open to see his best friend bouncing a crying Megumi in his arms while Tsumiki sat by his feet hugging his legs. 

" Hush little baby don't say a word, Satoru has a headache and your crying hurts."

He's seen Gojo look a mess, but this? This was a new type of mess. 

"D-Daddy-" Megumi moaned in pain. "Want Daddy-" 

Gojo's face dropped into a new type of panic. 

Geto watched his friend turn towards him to finally acknowledge him only to get a camera flash blind him. 

"Utahime is gonna love this. The great Gojo Satoru with snot on his shirt." 

Gojo gasped and glared at him and made a move to lunge at him only to be stopped by Tsumiki holding him in place. "Least give me her new number." He rolled his eyes with a scoff. "She blocked me when I kept texting at night to wake her." Gojo stared down at the girl on the floor. "When did you…'Miki put your clothes back on!" 

Geto snickered into his hand and texted Utahime's number over.  

"Need help? I'm actually good with kids." 

" Please. " 

Chapter Text

     "Um…" Gojo blinked once, then twice. "What's- What's with that ?" His nose scrunched up in disgust. Toji gave the young teen a sharp kick to his shin, Gojo hissing in pain and readying his foot to kick back. He swung back only for Toji to grab his ankle and throw him off balance causing him to fall on his ass. Toji cracked a smug smirk and wiggled his finger in front of the baby's face. One that was currently held in his other hand. Small chubby hands reaching up to grab his finger. "He ate shit, didn't he Megumi?" The baby cooed back and Toji nodded. "Yeah he did." 

Gojo frowned up at him. The newly turned teen sat up and leaned on both his hands, legs stretched out. He was tall for his age already, his limbs feeling too long for him. His growth spurts kept throwing him off balance, finally adjusting only to have to deal with something new.

Puberty sucked. Least it meant he was closer to getting out of the  estate and into jujutsu tech, away from his overbearing clan.

He huffed out a breath and stared at a baby gate, another chubby baby was standing in a nappy using the bars to stand. He stuck his tongue out at them. 

"What? Jealous you're not the only brat in my life?" 

Gojo would have denied anyone who said he blushed at that comment. "I'm not a brat! I'm thirteen!" He pouted with puffed cheeks and crossed his arms. Toji just rolled his eyes at his childish behaviour; he stuck his hand in his pocket and chucked a lollipop at the teen. "You're pouty when low on sugar." 

Gojo stuck his tongue out at him while unwrapping the sweet. "Thanks Otou-san." His tone was heavily laced with sarcasm. 

" Brat. "

Satoru turned his head to the baby at the gate (who would not stop staring at him). "I leave to train for six months and come back to you having a baby." The gate baby fell on it's bottom and giggled as Gojo frowned in disgust.

Toji stepped over him and placed Megumi down next to Tsumiki. "You act as if I'm not married." He pinched Tsumiki's cheek with a soft smile. Gojo stared wide eyed in confusion. "Oh my god. You've gone soft. You just smiled. At a baby no less!" 

The teen tutted and bit into the sweet. "Looks like I gotta find a new secret cursed tool teacher. My first choice is to be too busy with two… ugh …babies." He shuddered at the word. He got a pacifier thrown at his face for that and screamed at the spit hitting his cheek. 

Toji just laughed and smacked his leg at Gojo running in circles wiping his face with a damp cloth. 

-

    Feet in white bunny slippers dragged along a tatami mat, a face with a still damp face mask, hair pulled back and pinned to stay out of his face. 

Perfect time to ambush. 

"Hey." 

Gojo yelped and almost tripped, his hand grabbing Toji's sleeve to stay upright. 

"The fuck is wrong with you?!" He held his hand to his chest and took deep breaths. He squinted and pressed the sheet mask back into place and adjusted his kimono. "And how the fuck do you keep getting passed the staff?" He scanned his elder up and down and frowned at the baby strapped to his chest, the (gate baby) second one strapped to his back. Toji just smirked. "Your staff is shit." 

"Yeah, no kidding." He mumbled to himself and flipped his phone open to set a reminder to do something about that. He fumbled when a baby was dropped into his arms, his phone falling to the ground. He opened his mouth to object only to get the second one handed off to him too. Both his arms occupied and he struggled to balance both weights of sleeping toddlers. "Do me a favour, babysit." Toji dropped an overnight bag that he pulled from a cursed worm ( yuck ) and smugly grinned down at him.  "I can't-" 

" Oh? " 

Gojo grit his teeth at what he knew was going to be a condensing sentence. 

"The great Gojo Satoru can't do something as simple as babysitting ?" 

"Fuck you. I have school tomorrow." 

A hand ruffled his hair. 

"And I have a paycheck to get, kid." 

"You owe me!" 

"Yeah yeah. You're a teenage boy, it's not that hard to buy you something." 

"H-Hey!" 

Toji jumped and grabbed the wall, his arms pulling his weight up and he sat on the top waiting for a servant to pass. 

Gojo glared at his back disappearing and wished his hands were free so he could attempt to get Red to work. Maybe this time his anger would've got the technique to work for once. He huffed and spun on his heels heading back to his room with a toddler who now woke up and cooed at him once she recognised him. 

"Sa-to-ru!" She babbled each sound individually. His eyes searched the area before he turned down to give her a smile. "Hi Tsumiki-chan." 

Toji can never know. 

"Mis-Missed you!" 

His heart melted. 

Fuck . Toji can never know. 

-

Satoru's been showing up at Toji's house since he was twelve, he's not gonna stop just cause he recently turned sixteen; no matter how much Toji slaps him upside the head, at least this time he has some workable sense of his Infinity to stop him. 

He's been having Suguru throw rocks at him so he can work out how to get his Infinity to react faster. He's gotten some nasty bruising and some photos that will be used as blackmail against him. Satoru wishes he didn't recommend saying that Geto could throw anything at him. He just expected random small things like erasers, sharpeners, maybe a pack of gum or a lighter if he was lucky. But nooo Suguru had to have thrown a rock at the back of his knee and made him squeal. Suguru throwing his head back and cackling . Didn't help that Shoko witnessed it. And Utahime.  He blushed at the memory and shoved his glasses back up to cover his eyes with a grumble. 

Gojo slammed the door behind him and froze at the sight in front of him. 

Two naked children rushing down the stairs giggling and dripping water all over as Toji, who looked tired as hell, chased them down. 

Tsumiki held her younger brother's hand and circled the kotatsu. Toji managed to leap over and catch Tsumiki. He wrapped a towel around her and lifted her up into his arms. She laughed and wiggled in his arms, Megumi bouncing around them. 

"I've witnessed horrific things, but this? This takes the cake." 

Megumi turned at hearing his voice and stuck his tongue out and blew. Gojo returned the gesture. 

"Satoru-nii!" Tsumiki fussed even more before she wiggled and dropped free from the towel. She was by his legs in seconds beaming up at him. He smiled awkwardly and patted her head. "Hello naked child. Go put some clothes on cause this is getting weird." 

"Okay!" 

She yanked Toji's trousers. "Daddy! Help me!" She dashed to her room and back, a dress over her head. Toji pulled it down the rest of the way and buttoned it up for her. "What do you say, Princess?" 

"Thank you daddy!" She pecked a kiss to his cheek and scream laughed when Toji rubbed his stubble against her cheeks. 

Later when the two children were dressed, Tsumiki sat between Gojo's legs and passed him her hairbrush demanding him to help her while Toji fought with the mess that was Megumi's hair. She settled more comfortably and handed him her brush. Gojo gathered her hair behind her shoulders and the bristles of the brush smoothly slid down, he snickered at how easy it was when he peeked up to see Toji with one hand on Megumi's head while the other was yanking a brush that was stuck.  

Megumi squished his face with a frown. He sighed and pouted at Tsumiki who sat happily swinging her legs in beat to the song Satoru hummed. He braided her hair and tied it into pigtails. 

Toji huffed and with a determined face…sprayed almost an entire bottle of detangler. 

Chapter Text

(i) 

Bumping into Naoya was one of the worst things that could happen right now. Even a special grade curse would've been better, a curse would always be better than Naoya. Right when he was in a good mood too. He had brought Megumi along for a small little mission while Tsumiki was in a dance class she had begged him to sign her up for. He couldn't say no when she gave him those Eyes. 

The Fushiguro Eyes. 

Even Megumi could do them, to a certain degree of puppy eyes with a touch of Toji in it. So essentially puppy eyes with a dash of a threat if you say no. These kids will and are not afraid to bully him. Satoru, the strongest in all of jujutsu society, got bullied into buying ballet classes by an eight year old who gave him the silent treatment and got her brother to place thumb tacks in his shoes. And had the audacity to smile so brightly at him as if she was an innocent angel. 

He shook his head and glanced behind to see Megumi a few paces back. 

"So this is him?" 

Gojo rolled his eyes behind the black out shades, if Naoya paid attention he would've seen him stick his tongue out and pretend to gag. 

"Short little brat isn't he?" 

Rhetorical. But Gojo could've responded either way. 

Megumi caught up to him and stood by his side with an expression of confusion. 

"Fuck, looks just like him doesn't he?" 

A hand reaching out. 

Gojo's sunglasses dropped to his nose, his hand tightly gripping Naoya's wrist in a crushing hold. His glare almost as strong. Megumi's hand had touched his trouser leg right when he saw Naoya going to touch him. A small sign he had taught him if he was uncomfortable around anyone. 

"You touch him and you lose that hand." 

Naoya had the right idea to jump a foot back in defense, Gojo's eyes burning a bright blue; Naoya had seen that same look when they were both sixteen. The Goodwill Event between the sister schools, when Shoko was giving combat a try and he skipped the duo to strike her; an easy target. Gojo and Geto had turned at her gasp. He could still feel the ache in his limbs when he thought about it. 

They lost that year. 

Gojo scoffed and rolled his eyes, visible this time and stepped around him. 

Megumi ran to catch up to his guardian yet not before he smirked at Naoya and shot an insult at him. 

"Eat shit." 

That was Toji's kid alright. 

(ii)

Gojo kicked his legs up onto the table and leaned back, his arms crossed behind his head. Utahime frowned and smacked his leg only to get a certified Smug Gojo Grin thrown back at her. 

"And now I have to chaperone for this stupid school trip that Tsumiki's class is going on." He groaned and Geto snickered into his hand, a cigarette between two fingers. He bumped shoulders with Shoko when he moved to the side. In his hand an empty lighter. She leaned up and lit the cigarette in her mouth with his. 

"Are you getting paid?" Mei Mei finally joined the conversation. 

"Paid? With money? No. I'm being paid by getting flirted with by milfs." 

Geto smiled into his drink. Shoko bit her cigarette in half from trying to hold in a laugh. Mei Mei raised her brows and pressed a finger to Gojo's chest, her mouth opening- 

"Gojo-kun!"  

Ah, Utahime. 

The reason Shoko tried not to laugh. 

"Don't talk about women that way!" Her beer being slammed down…on a coaster. 

"But Uta-hi-me~" He sang with a smile. "Don't you know? I'm a dilf!"

The room went silent. 

"You're not fuckable." Utahime deadpanned in a serious tone. This time the room erupts.

"She's got a point, Gojo-san." A voice from the door. Nanami hung his jacket over the chair and took a seat. "Reasons including choosing a karaoke bar for us to meet." 

"Oi oi oi Nanami! You can't diss me when you're late!" 

"Now the dilf has a point!" Geto said, handing Nanami a beer knowing he'd down it. And finish it he did. "Late indeed. Apologies Iori-san." He pulled a small box from his coat and handed it across the table. "Happy Birthday." 

"Anyway! What was I saying?" 

"Milfs, Satoru." 

Utahime shot a glare at Mei Mei who just smiled back at her. 

Gojo clicked his fingers and pointed at Mei Mei. "Right! So I go to these…" He waves his hands around in circles. "-these things and the mothers just hit on me." 

"Stop bragging ." Geto snips with a toothy grin. Gojo shoots one back and the table shakes at the two kicking at each other. "Bragging? Oh Suguru, I'm being humble." 

Shoko blows out smoke and kicks both of them. "Stop playing footsies!"

"Technically you just joined- Ouch!" 

"So, chaperoning?" Mei Mei brings it back. "You know I'd babysit those kids too, for the right price." Gojo squinted and took his phone out. "What dates are you free?" 

"I was joking." 

"I'll pay you." 

"How much?" 

Utahime slapped him upside the head and he pouted at her with a whine of her name. "You're so mean Utahime-chan!" 

"Utahime-san! I'm your elder!" 

"Elder-chan~" 

"I'm going to murder you. I'm actually going to murder you." 

"But if you do then you won't get the birthday present I got you!" 

Nanami cleared his throat and stared at his watch. "Speaking of being older. Who are the children with Gojo-san? Everyone you dump them to when busy is here." 

Gojo blinked. 

He abruptly stood and the table shook. "Oh fuck oh shit." He stumbled stepping over Mei Mei's legs and shoved his coat on. "This never happened." He pointed at each of them. He passed a box to Utahime and wished her a happy birthday before leaving the room. 

"What did he get you?" Mei Mei scooted in to see her pull a very expensive looking hair stick from the velvet box. 

Gojo landed in the living room and immediately was shouted at. 

"Take your shoes off!" 

Megumi was sitting on the couch and Tsumiki ran out of the kitchen when she heard her brother. "You're back!" 

Gojo "oofed" at her impact to his legs. Her arms wrapped tight around him. "Why are you still awake kiddos?" 

"We were waiting for you." Megumi grabbed the TV remote and shut it off. "You…smell like dad." His teeth grit and his shoulders tensed up. Megumi dropped the remote and walked to his room, the door slamming behind him. 

Satoru laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry!" He rested his hand on Tsumiki's head. "Sugu' and Sho' were smoking." 

Tsumiki grinned up at him and switched to her tippy toes. "Satoru-nii! Guess what! A boy in my class said I was pretty! And that he was going to make me his wife!" 

Satoru froze. 

      Satoru finished his drink and knocked the glass back on the table. He sniffled and dropped his head on Geto's shoulder.

"My little baby girl!" He whined and slumped in his seat, legs stretching out and knocking into Mei Mei's. Suguru just patted his head with a bemused smile. "It can't be that bad, Satoru. He could be cute." Mei Mei leaned down and rested her chin in her hand, a straw from her cocktail between lips. Satoru sat up with a rush, his hands reaching out for her face, she chuckled and sat back to avoid his touch. Gojo just dropped his arms across the table and pressed his forehead down. "No! Some snotty, sticky handed disgusting little brat wants to steal her from me!" 

Shoko pressed a cigarette bud into the ashtray and stubbed it out. "Isn't this kid six years old?" She watched her former classmate turn his head and stick her with a glare. "It doesn't matter." He grumbled with a frown into the table. "All boys want the same thing." 

"Satoru. He's six. All he knows is she's pretty and just wants to hold her hand." 

"Tsumiki said he tried to kiss her." 

"...on the cheek?" 

He pushed himself back up and sighed and rested his head back. "No." 

"Excuse me, I need to go fight a child– I'm just joking Utahime!" Suguru sniggered and raised his hands to protect his face when he saw her react. 

"Gojo-kun," She elbowed Geto in the ribs. "Would you react the same if it was Megumi-chan?" 

"Absolutely!" He exclaimed. "No one takes my babies away from me!" 

"Quite the mother hen." Mei Mei knocked shoulders with Shoko and the two laughed. 

"I will fight a child! I'm not afraid to do domain expansion for a six year old for kissing my little girl without her consent! Or even Megumi! I know that kid will just hit them though, oh my God great idea-" 

"Tell me you're going to teach Tsumiki to punch boys." 

"I am." 

Mei Mei lifted her drink and they cheers'd to it. 

"I for once, would pay to see that girl punch a boy in her cute little tutu." 

(iii)

Megumi and Tsumiki didn't have to do much to convince Satoru to take them to the beach, it was hot and when the AC broke it was an excuse to be out of the house while it was being repaired. 

Tsumiki sat at the end of Satoru's chair building a sand castle, Megumi running back from the water with a little plastic bucket and shovel in hand. "Water as requested!" He plopped down and they wet the sand to mold it better. 

Gojo sat up to open the umbrella to shade them. With a glance to the side he saw a sign promoting ice cream and ice lollies. "Want something cold?"  They hummed and nodded excitedly. He looked around before crouching down. "Stay here? For Satoru-nii, yeah? Don't go anywhere?" 

"Yep! Right here! Won't even talk to strangers this time." Tsumiki seemed proud to say the last bit. Gojo ruffled her hair. "Good girl, and Megumi? Just for now, don't go down to the water. Wait for me." Megumi nodded. Getting lost wasn't in his plan for the day. Or drowning. "I'll be back in a few." 

It took around five minutes for them to spot him again. He was standing next to a lady. A pretty lady. 

"Tsumiki." Megumi stared at the woman. "Plan B?" 

She gasped and nodded. She stood and wiped the sand from her knees and then helped her brother up. Satoru wasn't far from them, only a few meters away. Not enough for him to get mad at them for running to. 

"Daddy!" Tsumiki shouted with mock worry and ran towards the two holding Megumi's hand. "Daddy!" She stumbled and grabbed his hand, Megumi pretending to be shy and hiding behind him. "Who's this?" 

Gojo furrowed his brows and stared down at them in bewilderment. 

"Daddy, you're not cheating on Mommy again, are you?" 

Gojo gaped like a fish down at her and the lady tensed, she flustered and left with an excuse. 

The two giggled and high fived. 

"What did…You just…" 

Tsumiki yanked his hand. "Did what Satoru-nii?" 

Gojo threw his head back and laughed. He dropped to his knees and bundled both in his arms and lifted them up, the two squealing with joy as he marched towards the ocean and dropping them in the shallows. 

The ice cream was long forgotten on the chair and melted in their packaging. 

(iv)

Tsumiki wasn't always as well behaved as she was now. At first it was Megumi, the kid's always had an attitude but he knew how to take no for an answer and when to stop pushing. 

The transition from Toji's care, neglect and no rules. To Gojo's care which was full time (barring the times he leaves them in others hands while on missions) was difficult for her. With Toji she could do what she wanted, go where she wanted. 

"No Tsumiki." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. She stomped her foot. "Why not?!"  

"Because I said so." 

"I want to!" 

"I said no!" 

Megumi from the couch covered his ears at the yelling. 

"But I want to!" She screamed and grabbed his hand, shaking it to try to get him to move. 

"It's not safe!" 

"I don't care! Daddy let me do it! Daddy let me do it!" She cried and began to hit him, her fists hitting his Infinity. "I hate you! I hate you! I want my Daddy! I want my daddy now!" 

Satoru grit his teeth and inhaled. 

"I hope you don't come back! I HATE YOU!" 

Satoru snorted. "That's hilarious. Coming from you. Telling me you want your Daddy." He smirked and slowly dropped to her height. "Well guess what Tsumiki! Daddy left you! Left you all on your own to die cause he's a fucking disgrace who DIDN'T CARE ABOUT YOU." She flinched and fell back, her eyes glittering with the tears, her lip wobbling. 

"W-What?" 

"That's right." He poked her in the chest. "Daddy didn't want you. Daddy didn't have you on the list of people I should take in." He mockingly pouted at her tears. "Oh baby , Daddy only sold Megumi to me. I took you in from the goodness of my heart. I'm the one keeping a roof over your head. Not daddy. I'm the reason you're still ali-" 

"SHUT UP!" 

Megumi screamed and shoved Satoru away from his sister. Satoru comes face to face with a dog growling and snapping his teeth at him. 

"DON'T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!" 

Gojo stared wide-eyed at the two curses standing on either side of Megumi and Tsumiki. 

"Holy shit ." 

Tsumiki sobbed into Megumi's chest. Her eyes unable to see that Megumi has triggered his technique for the first time to defend her from Satoru's vicious tongue. 

"You have the Ten Shadows. No wonder the Zenin clan wants you so badly." 

(v)

Tsumiki's known about curses almost her entire life. Although she lacks the ability to see them she still stood up and held Megumi's hand extra tight whenever he stared into a corner too long or would mention one. 

Before Gojo took them in, their cheap apartment building was full of small ones that constantly would cry out. Toji pinching Megumi's nose between thumb and forefinger and shaking his head, telling him to stop paying attention to them. Sometimes joking that if he kept crying, that one would gobble you right up as a snack . The patter of his feet would take him to Tsumiki and he'd cry just as she'd play with his hair. 

Later he'd always find her shouting at Toji. 

During the periods where Toji would disappear for days on end he'd hold her hand on the way to the kombini with tears in his eyes while a curse would linger and follow his traces of cursed energy. 

He warbled her name when one dragged itself along the ground towards them from an alleyway. 

" Don't want -" It grumbled slowly pulling itself 

Megumi pressed his face into her back and cried. She had spun around and pointed in the general direction of it. She clenched both her fists by her side and shouted at it. 

"Leave my brother alone!" 

With that she grabbed his hand and they ran. 

With Satoru around she never saw Megumi afraid of them. 

Megumi had pointed to one and she hummed looking at the empty corner. "No, there." She froze when she realized he meant on her. He made a weird hand sign that she had seen Satoru teach them. "It's gone now. I got rid of it." He smiled. 

It seemed they had swapped roles. 

Chapter Text

     Inside a makeshift blanket fort the three residents of the housing sat, a torch pointing at one end with shadow puppets cast upon the sheet. Gojo clasped his hands showing Megumi how to do different shadows. Fingers interlacing and shifting to display a dog, a bird, rabbit, snake- Megumi struggling to get his fingers in place. Gojo leaned down and took his hand in his own, gently murmuring about how the boy would eventually learn. How he had so many more years until he'd actually let him do missions. Megumi's fingers sliding into place. He huffed and dropped himself in Gojo's lap (Much to the teen's delight) for easier instructions. With a stolen glance at his sister he burned green with envy. She was grasping the hand signs much better and faster than he was. And she wasn't even a cursed energy user. Tsumiki beamed up at Satoru as she frantically switched between the many shadows, both throwing up the dog sign and using silly voices to make them speak. 

Between the bright smiles the glitter stickers she stuck on her face sparkled with the catching light. She crawled towards the two when everyone stopped and Satoru held the torch to his face to make scary faces at them. His fingers wiggled as he held the light between his knees. Silly sounds falling from his lips. 

Megumi peeled a sticker back and pressed one to Gojo's hand. 

"Why do you always cover your eyes?" 

Gojo hummed and the circle frames dropped from their high post on his nose. He pursed his lips and stared to the side with a silly thinking expression. "Ah...uun..." He paused to think how to explain, "Well mainly because of how my Cursed Technique works. But also because many in this area of work cover their eyes too. Not just me. You've seen Nanamin with those silly glasses he wears, pffft least I look cooler!" 

Tsumiki objected to it immediately, her hands grasping Satoru's cheeks while he stared wide-eyed and bright eyed. "Your eyes are so pretty though!" He cracked a smile at her and held her hands to his cheeks. "Hā, you're gonna make me blush, Tsumiki." He teased watching her stick her tongue out at him. She scrunched her nose up and sat back crossing her arms with a pout. "I take it back, you're ugly."

"Haaa?!" His head shot towards her. "Take it back right now young lady!" She huffed and turned her nose up at him. He gasped. "You're just jealous." 

This time she gasped. "No I'm not! You're so ugly!" Gojo stuck his tongue out at her right before a smug smile plastered its way upon his face. His gaze dropped to his nails as he pretended to admire the manicure. "Poor Tsumiki-chan. Forgetting all about how she declared she'd marry me when she was three." 

"What?!" 

"Oh you made Toji so mad." His eyes sparkled. "Reaching for my face, saying I was the prettiest boy you'd ever seen." He cradled his interlaced hands to his cheek pretending to swoon. "And now you call me ugly, right to your betrothed's face?" 

"Ew!" She gagged and pushed his body away with her socked feet. "Ew! Yucky! Boys are yucky and you are too!" 

He barked out a laugh and ruffled her hair. "That's right. Boys are yucky. They don't even like stickers." She nodded and leaned in, grabbing the page and peeling more off to stick them to his face. "Now you're pretty!"

Megumi wasn't safe from the sticker assault. The two holding him still while he struggled to get free from the glitter being stuck to his face. His eyes crossing to his nose to spot a blurry colour stuck to it. 

"Why can't you see out of your glasses?" 

They had found their way on his face, much too oversized for him. But he does remember when he learned they weren't actually sunglasses. He got a flick to his nose and he grabbed it in pain. 

"I can see out of them. Just not how you see." 

He frowned. It was a terrible answer. 

"Let me see." Gojo tapped his chin and hummed. "You know when you walk outside and it's so bright it's difficult to see? And it hurts your eyes?" 

This, this got them nodding. Tsumiki falls over dramatically, throwing her arms up and ranting about how she hates it. 

"Well, that's what it's like when I don't wear glasses. Kinda. I'm really trying to simplify it. I can see but it's too much. I see the way you do." His finger poked Megumi's nose. "But I also have the Six Eyes over it. So the cursed energy stuff is there too. And the Six Eyes is very, very detailed." The two nodded and he hoped it was understood. He was confusing himself. "So when I wear the glasses I see with just the Six Eyes. I see cursed energy. I can still see everything because the energy is everywhere. It's not HD though. It's like…thermal vision." 

"Satoru?" 

"Yes Megumi?" 

"You still look stupid." 

"Bullied. And in my own home too." He wiped a fake tear. 

(ii)

    A few days ago Satoru received a call. Tsumiki's aunt had found his contact information and asked if she could spend time with her. With a little background check and a search through old boxes with mold from the damp on corners he found a picture of the Aunt holding a baby Tsumiki. With it deemed safe Tsumiki giggled and swung her aunt's hand as they waved goodbye just for a week. 

    He 'oofed' at the impact of an excited Megumi bouncing on the bed and pushing his chest. His demon dogs merging off the boy's shadow to yip and roll around the bed too, tails wagging and fluffing in his face. 

"Satoru! Satoru get up!" Megumi shook him joyfully with the brightest smile he had ever seen. "We're going to be late if you don't get up!" 

Megumi's class was going to the zoo today. Gojo agreed to chaperone just to piss Yaga off. 

"Okay, okay! Get up and get off." 

Megumi bounced and ran to the bathroom, his dogs following right at his feet. Satoru threw the blanket off and walked to the bathroom, his arms high above his head as he stretched with a groan. 

Inside the bathroom Megumi had smeared shaving cream on his cheeks and held up a razor to him. Gojo ruffled his hair and picked him up to place him on the counter. Megumi shook the can and sprayed it on Gojo's face. 

"Okay. Just like I taught you." Satoru said, Megumi's eyes watching and copying. His hands were careful not to cut himself as he followed how Satoru did it. He closed his eyes when a wet towel was pressed to his face to wipe the excess foam away. He opened them to see a clean face staring back. "Good job Megumi!" He nuzzled his now clean shaven cheek to Megumi's. 

Megumi jumped down and ran to his room to change and after eating some leftovers from last night he stood next to Satoru and brushed his teeth, his feet pressed to his tip toes trying to see his face but only the top of his hair reflected back. Gojo lifted him up and sat him on his hip, Megumi pouting at how easily he was read. 

In the genkan, Megumi sat on the little step. He pulled his shoes on just as a brush pulled at his hair. His teeth gritted at the yank to his scalp. Behind him Gojo hummed and shook a spray bottle of detangler. "Close your eyes 'gumi." 

Once his hair would finally let a brush go freely through his locks, only then would Gojo swap places to kneel in front of him and tie his shoelaces. Megumi brought both his hands together and a faint shadow of a bunny reflected on the floor. 

"Over and under," Gojo started, his fingers grabbing the lace. "Around and through." Megumi pretended his bunny was hopping. "Meet Mr Bunny Rabbit, pull and through!" He chanted as Gojo finished. "Wanna try your left by yourself?" 

"Mhm!" He nodded and leaned down, his teeth biting his tongue as he hummed the rhyme to himself.  "Ta-Da!" He kicked his leg out and Gojo smiled. "Good job buddy!"

Standing back up to his full height had him taking a step back, a soft growl from behind him warning him to keep going if he dares. Two large dogs roaming freely while Tsumiki was gone was such a hassle, having to pay attention to where he steps and even touching Megumi! A head pat gets whines thrown at him, both jealous of Megumi getting attention/attention taken from them. 

Megumi threw open his arms and Gojo perked up. Megumi wanted a hug from him- nope. The boy pressed his face into white furr and cuddled in with a giggle. Green eyes peaking out at him with a shine of glee. Gojo pouted. He missed Tsumiki. 

Chapter Text

(i) 

    Megumi wasn't much of a talker, he mumbled and spoke in a low tone when he did. When Gojo first met the kid he was convinced he didn't know how to speak, Toji just ruffled Megumi's hair with a tight grin. 

"He's just shy!" 

Shy was right, maybe even the wrong word. He was downright terrified of new people when Toji or Tsumiki weren't around. To eventually when he himself wasn't around. 

Megumi wasn't much of a talker, even more so on the day when he held Gojo's hand wondering why a black box was being lowered into the ground. No one else had shown up, just Gojo and the two new kids he had adopted.

   "Ready to go?" Gojo asked and Megumi nodded, raindrops dripping from his hair onto his face making him flinch. Gojo crouched to his level and zipped up the boy's raincoat up to his nose and tucked messy black hair into the hood. Gojo chuckled at the little glare sent his way and reached to help Tsumiki zip up her coat, her fingers slipping from the zipper. 

"You okay?" He asked with a small smile knowing the girl would lie. And lie she did. She beamed up at him with a bright smile showing teeth with a gap, her first tooth only fallen out a few days ago. "I'm okay!" She spun on her heels and bowed at the gravestone. "Bye mommy! Bye daddy!" 

If it was to be a repeat of last year he'd find her crying in her room alone sniffling and calling out for her mother. 

Megumi seemed to have no emotions when it came to Toji no longer being around. Always blank faced, Satoru wasn't great with kids but he took a guess that maybe Megumi was too young to understand; from what he gauged, Toji wasn't very present but cared enough to leave the two in his care and not into an orphanage to be separated due to the fact that they weren't blood siblings. 

Only months later would Megumi finally react to his father being gone forever. 

(ii) 

   "It's okay to cry." Was all Gojo had said before he opened the door to his sister's hospital room. The door shut behind him and he froze. Gojo walked up to Tsumiki’s bedside and reached out to fix her hair. 

Megumi released the breath he was holding and approached. He reached his hand out and held hers. Just for a second. Then he choked on a sob and rushed out of the room, his back against the wall, sinking down to the floor. 

She looked pale and skinnier. Her hand not automatically squeezing his back. Even when napping or sleeping at home she'd always squeeze his hand. It was instinct. They both did it. She didn't shake her head or brush her hand up when Gojo brushed her hair. She fussed in her sleep, both boys having a habit of playing with her hair while she slept so she'd shake or push them away while sleeping. 

He knocked his head back on the wall and covered his mouth with his hand. 

When he entered the room once more a doctor was speaking to Gojo. Blue eyes darted to him with concern but Megumi's hearing felt muffled. He blankly stared at his sister. 

"- ance she's vegetative-"

"-known to still react to stimuli-" 

"-ay laugh randomly or emote, cry even-" 

"-might flinch from loud sounds, jerk from pain, these are all reflexes. It's not her purposely moving." 

Megumi swayed on his feet and held onto Gojo's arm. 

"There's a chance she'll speak, mutter random words. It doesn't mean she's recovered." 

His grip tightened. 

"I also have to mention that if she is vegetative she will have cycles of being awake. You may see her with her eyes open. Looking at objects or even looking at you briefly." Megumi felt Gojo tense next to him. 

"Unfortunately, it's not a purposeful movement."

(iii) SPOILER WARNING

    Megumi stared down at the last text from Gojo, his eyes stinging as he felt tears welling up. 

Be safe!  

He sharply inhales and swallows. Regret heavy in his chest. With his cheeks hurting from holding down a loud sob he shakingly typed through blurred vision. 

You too.

 Tears decorating his phone screen. It was too late. Why didn't he answer? Why did he just look at it? Gojo, he choked back a sob and exhaled a shaken breath, Satoru,  Satoru didn't even know he read it. The read receipt only sent now. Maybe if he had just text back immediately this wouldn't have happened. Satoru would've been more careful since he said it.  Satoru would be sitting next to him, holding his head to his chest, not crying over him. But both mourning over Nanami. With each other. His phone clattered as it hit the floor. Megumi covering his face and screaming into his pillow as he sobbed. 

On weak shaking legs he stood and threw open his door. 

"Fushiguro?" 

He ignored Itadori. 

    Across campus he knocked and opened a door. Utahime and Shoko sitting with each other. A heavy weight in the air.

"He…He left me." 

Shoko stared wide eyed. 

"He promised he'd never leave me, Shoko." 

She stood and pulled him into a hug.

"Why does everyone keep leaving me?"

Chapter Text

(i)

    Tsumiki watched Megumi and Gojo, the two sitting on the couch while she sat on the floor colouring in a new book Gojo had gotten her. The two of them teasing each other. Well, actually it was very one sided. Megumi kept shaking his head back and forth and holding nothing. She knew this meant he was cuddling the dogs he owned. 

Gojo pouts at Megumi, whining at how he never hugs him anymore. His eyes darted to her in a moment's glance. 

"Tsumiki! Can I have a hug?" 

She crawled out from her spot and wrapped her arms around him, her face pressing into his chest as she smiled. He rested a hand in her hair and hummed with a smile. "At least someone in this house cares about me." Tsumiki laughs into his shirt before tilting her head back and staring at him with a blank expression. "Who said I care 'bout you?" 

Gojo gaped, his eyebrows dropping as he frowned. He lightly pushed Tsumiki away and threw his arm over his eyes.

"Oh woe is me." 

The two kids both regretted teasing him. 

"For shall I never find love?" 

Gojo barked out a laugh when Tsumiki grabbed his hand and yanked him to the floor with her. "Nooo stop! Anything but that!" 

Megumi crawled to the spot Gojo had sat and pressed his face into his hair, Tsumiki managing her way to his lap. 

"Love you." Megumi muttered into his hair, his hands wrapping around his head covering his eyes. "Me too! I love you too!" Tsumiki pounced and held herself tight to his chest in a hug. Satoru's smile melted to a heartfelt one. Both hands reaching for either one. "Love ya too kiddos." 

"Don't tell anyone." Megumi grumbled after sitting up. "Oh I know kid, you got a mean reputation to hold up." A dog tackled him to the side and he yelped. Tsumiki stumbled to the side with him, her eyes wide in shock at the force the two fell. A hand rested on her head and Gojo asked if she was hurt, a soft shake of her head said no. "Careful Megumi, not too rough with Tsumiki." He said with a low genuine tone. 

Satoru pushed upright with one hand and stared down at the younger girl. Her eyes bright and glassy. She was going to cry. 

"Hey." He whispered, running his hand through her hair. "Are you hurt? Or was it the shock of it, kiddo?" She pouted and rubbed at her eyes frantically mumbling that she was fine. "Can I pet them?" 

Megumi, who was watching with a concerned expression, broke out a smile and sat down next to the two calling his dogs forward. Satoru clasped her hand in his and guided it towards the shikigami. To her, she felt nothing; just the pull of Satoru's hand in a petting motion. 

"He likes it!" Megumi smiled at her. "His tail is wagging!" 

She looked behind her to Satoru. "Is it?" He hummed and she bounced in place with excitement. "Hi! I'm Tsumiki!" 

Satoru watched the other shikigami sit next to them and whine with jealousy, it's snout nudging Tsumiki arm for attention. While the siblings chatted animatedly he directed her other hand to the second. Her eyes widening with a gasp. 

"Two puppies!" 

(ii)

   Gojo lounged on the couch swapping through channels when Tsumiki burst through the front door with tears in her eyes. He turned and stared from over the couch as she struggled to take her shoes off. 

"What's wrong?" 

She ignored him in favour of getting her shoes off. 

"Tsumiki? You know, I may be amazing and all but Satoru-nii can't read minds." 

With her shoes off she immediately threw herself into his arms and sobbed into his chest. "I-Im dying!" 

"No you're not. I can assure you of that." He patted her back just as she sniffled. "I am! Look!" 

She stepped back grabbing the ends of her skirt. 

"Tsumiki-" He blinked and with a sigh he pulled down the ends of her skirt. "You're a little young for this. So I didn't really think I'd need to mention it for another year or so." He stood and she followed him to the bathroom. He crouched and dug through the cabinet under the sink to grab supplies. "You wanna get in the bath? And then I'll explain?" 

With her settled he rolled his sleeves up and sat on a stool. Tsumiki held her knees to her chest with a frown. 

"It's your first period." He leaned his elbows on the tub and reached for shampoo. "It happens when girls start puberty. Usually at twelve, it's okay for it to be early, you're only ten." She shut her eyes and relaxed into his hands. "So, what is happening I hear you ask? Every month-" He sniggered at the expression she made at hearing it would happen monthly. "Your body releases this tiny little egg, and it wants it to be very comfy so it builds a mushy pillow fort. And a few weeks later it gets rid of it, hence the blood." 

Tsumiki frowned up at him. "But why?" 

"Well, because it's preparing to make a baby. But when the baby doesn't get made it gets rid of everything and begins to prepare again for next month." 

With the shampoo rinsed from her hair he sighs. 

"Can we postpone this talk for a little?" Gojo drains the bath and runs another with a bubble solution. "This is a conversation girls usually have with their mothers. Let me talk to Shoko, I don't want to get it wrong, or over explain things you're not ready to hear." 

"Okay." Tsumiki said, her eyes staring at the bubbles. "But for now, I'll tell you how to use these." He stuck his tongue out with a smile holding a box of pads and tampons. 

(iii)

    "Is bumping into both of you crying in the dark my new thing or something? Tsumiki I understand. But what is this?" 

A mission had brought him back home later than he had anticipated with the clock hitting past three in the morning. He had opened the door and shuffled his way to the fridge to grab a drink, the light showing a shadow scurrying by leading him to Megumi clutching something behind his back with red flushed cheeks and teary eyed. 

"Promise not to laugh." Megumi exhaled through gritted teeth. Satoru just leaned against the doorway. "I wet the bed…" 

Satoru's eyebrows shot up. "That's it?" 

"Shut up!" Megumi burned with embarrassment. "I'm eleven! I'm not a baby, I shouldn't be wetting the bed!" The sheets he adamantly hid behind his back now held in front of him. Gojo kicked off the wall and he tailed behind him to the washing machine. "Later. I need to sleep." 

Megumi nodded and didn't press the button to start the spin cycle. 

"Are you sure you wet the bed?" Blue eyes scrutinized him and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "You are eleven. Isn't that when your dic-" 

Megumi kicked his shin and Gojo gasped in pain. 

"Hey! Rude!" 

"I would rather die than have this conversation with you!" 

(iv)

   Finding both kids blushing furiously while they'd hide their bedsheets from him was becoming a new occurrence. 

"Okay, I don't know where you're hiding your bed sheets but congrats since you've both run out and I'm not gonna keep buying more just because puberty is making you embarrassed." A laundry basket sat on his hip while he spoke, both teens screaming his name. 

"I get it, really." He puts the basket down. "Maybe it's time for one of you to move to the spare. Sharing a room at this age is difficult."  

Tsumiki shuffles her feet and sighs, her cheeks red. 

"Tsumiki, I think you should take it, it has its own toilet." 

She jumped at that, her stuff moved all in that day. She had plans on the room colour and shopping items. Satoru happy to indulge in making their rooms perfect. 

When it came to bedtime she held her blanket tight and turned to stare at the empty corner of her room. Her door cracked open and she saw Megumi popping his head in. "I can't sleep." She left her blanket up and he scooted in next to her. "I can't believe you got a free double bed." Megumi mumbled into the blanket. 

Before Gojo had brought it up the two had already been fighting about who would get the other room. 

"Not my fault you suck at rock paper scissors." 

Chapter Text

(i) 

  "Hā?! Right now?" Gojo looks around and sticks his tongue out at mothers shushing him. "No you see I'm a little busy- fine fine!" He flips his phone shut and stands up and scoots out from the seating row. It doesn't take too many steps to reach backstage and to then hit side stage. At least the school caught him right when Tsumiki's turn in her ballet performance ended. She bounced off stage with a twirl and fell into his arms with a giggle. "Did you see me Satoru? Did I do good?" He picked her up from under her arms and balanced her on his hip. "I sure did!" He hurried passed others and stepped out the side door to the empty parking lot. "You were great! Cute as a button too." He pinched her nose with a smile. 

"Tsumiki my sweet little girl-"

"What do you want?" She frowned with her hands pressed to her hips as best she could from his hold. He laughed sheepishly. "My prettiest little princess-" 

"Satoru!" She whined and pouted already knowing what he was asking. "Do I have to?" 

"I'm sorry, we'll get ice cream after." From his pocket he pulled his white bandages and wrapped them around her eyes, with them settled and a hum that she was comfortable he placed headphones over her ears and played some of her favourite music.  

"Ready?" 

"Ready." 

He swapped her to his front and she clung to his neck while he supported her. And with a tight hold on her, he teleported.

The scene in front was a mess, he sucked in a breath and held Tsumiki's head to his neck, his fingers petting her head. This is why he cuts her senses. The situation was not appropriate for a child to see. 

One sorcerer dead and bleeding to his left, another being tended to by a window. 

"Just in time Gojo." Mei Mei stepped out from the building. "They can't break the curtain, give me her and you can go do your thing." 

He grit his teeth and turned away from her. Tsumiki was safest with him, blanketed in his technique and mumbling along to a magical girl anime song while she bounced her pale pink ballet shoes in time with the beat. 

Mei Mei raised both her hands in surrender and laughed. "Sure thing, onii-chan." 

Inside he broke the curtain in seconds, his hand grabbing the collar of the sorcerer who was currently on the defensive. They yelped at the force they were thrown to the side with, a muttered thanks when an attack missed. 

Gojo stared at the cursed spirit and sighed. "You're in the way." 

The other sorcerer scrambling to get up and run out of range. Gojo's glasses dropped further down his nose. "Cursed Technique: Lapse Blue." 

    Tsumiki skipped around Gojo's legs while he spoke to windows. "Call Suguru next time. You interrupted Tsumiki's day." 

The window paled. 

"Yeah! My day!" Tsumiki shouted with a smile. "You're so mean." 

"And what do we do to meanies?" 

"Hit them!" Tsumiki cheered and punched the window in the legs. 

(ii)

"We called this meeting to discuss–" 

The door slid open to reveal a late Gojo with Megumi holding onto his ankle and being dragged along the ground. 

"Satoru what are you doing?" Yaga stared. 

"Huh? What do you mean? I'm arriving to a meeting." Gojo blinked and kicked his leg out to drag Megumi further. The boy desperately clinging to his guardian's leg. "Oh, and Megumi is here to join." 

Multiple eyes dropped down to the child, dog ears and a tail adorning his body.

"Why is he…?"

Gojo sat and dragged Megumi to his lap, his fingers flicking the ears. "It's dress up day for his class, he refuses to take it off so now I have a cute little puppy." He pressed a wet kiss to Megumi's cheek and he squealed, his hands reaching up to wipe it while giggling.

(iii)

    The shoji slid open disrupting the scene. 

"Gojo-sama, the clan elders are wait—" 

The servant blinked. Three people blinked back. 

"Um…" 

Gojo-sama sighed and Tsumiki passed him another empty tea cup. "Would she like to join our tea party?" 

She stared blankly at the scene; when she took on the role of a servant for the Gojo clan she knew she'd come across things she was never allowed to speak of again outside the walls. Family secrets, affairs and meetings. But, seeing the young clan head sitting on a tiny plastic children's chair with two other children around a small round plastic table with an empty tea set and toy snacks…and dress up…this was not something she expected to ever see. 

  The clan head stood and adjusted his light pink dress, she inhaled a breath at how it was perfectly tailored to him. "Come on kids, let's go annoy some old men." 

The two wards with him were adorned in similar outfits.

"Shall I clean up, Gojo-sama?" She asked. The head just shrugged. "Ask her." 

"Tsumiki-chan shall I clean up?" 

Gojo-sama snorted loudly and Tsumiki stomped her foot. 

"It's Tsumiki-sama!" She huffed and grabbed Gojo-sama's hand. "Let's go, Satoru, she's not treating me like a princess!" 

The shoji closed. 

She didn't get an answer. She knew it was wrong to, but she needed to gossip with her fellow staff about how the pale pink of the young master's dress made him look like a porcelain doll.

Chapter Text

(i) 

Gojo's information about basic children's needs came from Geto mostly, before the Fushiguro's joined his little family his best friend had arrived at the school looking wrecked, but behind each leg stood a small child. Twins. Gojo took over some of Geto's cases so he could spend time with the girls. They adjusted slowly and Gojo took in his two. 

They met at Gojo's after a storm knocked down the electricity poles and the twins were too frightened to sleep in darkness. 

"Hi!" He crouched to greet the girls, Geto standing between the two who grasped the fabric of his trousers. He'd met the two multiple times, happy they were comfortable around him. But this time was different. "So, let's take this slow, yeah?" 

Geto smiled with tired eyes and closed the door behind them. Both dropping down to help the girls out of their shoes and Geto pulled out their house slippers from a bag he brought. He slipped his own shoes off and found his old pair sitting on the shoe shelf untouched from the time he stayed over; Gojo buying both Shoko and him a pair for when they'd stay over constantly before children came into the picture. 

Gojo sat on his own legs on the floor and smiled up at him, a quick wink. Satoru was much better with kids than he gave himself credit for. Harshly tinted sunglasses dropping down his nose as he turned to the girls. His hands taking one of each. 

"Inside there are two others, one with cursed energy, Fushiguro Megumi. And another without, Fushiguro Tsumiki." 

Nanako and Mimiko flinched, Geto barely hiding his disdain. A quick glare was shot towards him, Gojo never not noticed. 

"Now, doing either option here is very brave. We can choose to meet them, maybe one at a time or we can wait until you're ready and not a spontaneous situation. If we choose to not meet them, you'll go straight to the extra room and no one will bother you." Gojo explained with a small squeeze to both their hands. Geto crouched down next to them. 

"Either is fine, it's okay to be scared. I'm here." 

The twins pulled back and huddled to whisper. 

Gojo knocked his shoulder. "Either option, you say anything to Tsumiki to make her upset I kick your ass." He just grit his teeth and nodded. 

"Satoru," Nanako spoke up for the two. "Can we meet them?" Mimiko inhaled an anxious breath. "One at a time please." Her tone so small and timid, Geto pulled her into a hug and pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "Course you can. If you get too scared just tell me, kay?" 

Megumi came first, a bored look on his face. "I'm Fushiguro." A flick to his forehead and a pout as he covered his head with both hands and glared at Gojo. "Be nice." 

The boy huffed. "I'm Fushiguro Megumi ." He turned back to Gojo. "Can I go back to my cartoons?" Gojo rolled his eyes and shooed him off. 

"Yeah…" He rubbed the back of his head frowning. "I swear he's nice, sometimes ." He clapped both hands. "Anyway, Tsumiki is so much nicer, you'll both love her." 

"Can I come in now, Satoru?" Her voice excited. "Just a second." 

Geto snickered at the twin's who were still trying to recover from whatever the hell happened with Megumi. "You want to?" 

Two head nods. 

Tsumiki entered and bowed politely, a quick introduction between all, even an excited hug to Geto's leg that had him cringing but she quickly turned back to the girls. A loud gasp and a finger pointing to the stuffed toy in Mimiko's arms. "I love it! What's their name?" Faces brightened and voices raised. Tsumiki grabbing both the girls hands and tugging slightly. "You have to join my tea party, I can even get an extra chair and we can get more plushies and-and Oh I have extra princess crowns too!" The girls all giggled and matched Tsumiki's energy, all slightly bouncing in place. 

"Can we can we please, Geto-sama?" The girls looked happy, excited. He couldn't say no. Tsumiki dragged both in and they disappeared further into the house. Loud laughter and squeals moments later. 

Tsumiki. Geto followed Satoru into his home. She wasn't the worst. 

(ii) 

At a local park there was a gathering, some new playground accessories had been added. Satoru had brought his two the day of. And then agreed that the next day Geto could bring his girls, less crowded and a school day, the park should be vacant. If not for a few kids. 

On a swing set Mimiko swung her legs up and down as Tsumiki instructed next to her from the second swing; to the other side Nanako and Megumi had taken over a jungle gym shaped like a castle. Atop of Nanako's head a tiara as she declared herself queen and those of her subjects who wished to enter must pay a tax (snacks) or be subjected to her guard (guard dog, as Megumi kept correcting and pointing to his hoodie that sported ears). 

Commotion came from Mimiko's side, an olderish boy shouting and he pushed Mimiko off the swing for hogging it as he claimed. Suguru glared, teeth grit and he went to stand. Satoru's hand stopped him. A single word.

"Watch." 

Tsumiki sprung into action. Standing tall and getting all in the boy's face, pointing, speaking and a sharp mocking laugh. Then she pushed him and he fell. He cried. 

"Baby! Mimi-chan didn't even cry! She's so much better than you." Tsumiki walked away and helped Mimiko up, her hands dusting dirt from her dress. "Are you okay?" And in a lower voice. "It's okay if you aren't. Satoru-nii says it's okay to not be okay. You can cry if you'd like to. He cried first so he can't make fun of you for it." She picked up her toy, passing it back into her hands. "You hurt your knee when you fell, I carry plasters in my bag. Let's go get you one." Her hand stretched out. 

"She's sweet, yeah?" Satoru said and rested back into the bench, his arms resting along the tops. "Tsumiki doesn't care about cursed energy and all that. She just wants to protect her family." Suguru turned to him with utter confusion. "Family? What?" 

"She considers them to be her little sisters." Satoru smiled fondly. "Ha! You should talk to her more. She cares about you too, ya know? No matter how much she knows you avoid her, she never stopped trying." 

"Suguru!" Tsumiki shouted and ran towards them, Mimiko following behind. "Look!" 

Mimiko beamed brightly and stuck her leg out to show her plaster. The same character of her doll was pictured. "Tsumiki said she got them just for me! Isn't she the best!" 

Geto Suguru smiled at Tsumiki for the first time. 

He ruffled her hair. "Thank you for looking out for my girls, Tsumiki-chan." 

Maybe they weren't all so bad.