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Satoru hummed as he sat in the first year’s dorm couch, splayed out over it. He was waiting for Nanamin to get done with making the onigiri for Yuuji-kun and him, so they could eat lunch together.
It had been over two weeks since Shibuya and Yuuji-kun had joined Jujutsu Tech, and the boy had slipped right into a slot that no one had noticed was there.
For example!
None of the first year’s knew how to cook. Yuuji-kun was a godsend for them. He had thrown out all the old food that had been accumulating and had tried to beg Satoru to take him shopping for fresh food.
As if Satoru was going to deny his favorite student (no, of course he didn’t have one Yaga, what makes you think that!) anything, not when he had the freedom to use his own body again.
And if Satoru bought Yuuji-kun a couple hats and bandanas to cover the surgical scars, well, that’s just for him and Yuuji-kun to know. And Chōsō. Chōsō know regardless because it had to do with Yuuji-kun.
And Satoru got homemade mochi out of it! Yuuji-kun was really the sweetest kid.
Nobara-chan had taken to styling Yuuji-kun’s hair at the oddest times, or just gently brushing it and poofing it up, then moving on to Chōsō’s hair, which was longer and had “more styling opportunities” as the girl had put it. Nobara-chan had also made Yuuji-kun carry her whenever and wherever, which Yuuji-kun didn’t seem to mind either.
Megumi was who surprised Satoru the most. The boy actually spent time with Yuuji-kun, reading in his hospital room! Granted, Megumi usually read his philosophy books while Yuuji-kun read his manga, but he explained things about the jujutsu world in a way that Yuuji-kun would understand. Satoru also noticed that Yuuji-kun got extra ginger and always added it to Megumi’s plate, something Megumi noticed as well.
Junpei-kun wasn’t that much of a surprise, as he had been thrown into the jujutsu world much like Yuuji-kun had. Albeit Junpei-kun had had to deal with that freakish curse, Mahito. A curse that was now gone, thanks to the combined efforts of Nobara-chan, Junpei-kun, and Nanamin. It had been a hard battle, but Junpei-kun seemed more at peace with now, and loved spending time with Yuuji-kun and explaining movies and plot twists. There had already been several movie marathons, and Satoru had only crashed a few of them!
Nanamin had taken quite the shine to Yuuji-kun, especially since Yuuji-kun was so interested in learning about new cooking methods and baking. He had given the boy some grounding techniques, telling him that his door was always open if "That dumbass blindfolded idiot got to be too much." But Nanamin said it with a fond tone, so Satoru took it as a win! They had taken over the kitchen one night the last week, baking an entire three tier cake. One that Yuuji-kun had shyly presented it to Satoru at the end, citing that it was a “thank you” cake, before running off.
It was the best cake Satoru had ever had.
But there was a problem. At least, one perceived by Yuuji-kun. It started like this. . . .
~~~~~~~~~~
Yuuji-kun breathed, trying to meditate. Despite the fact that his body had been taken over by a brain that had hopped bodies for hundreds of years, his cursed energy was only slightly damaged. Satoru was having Yuuji-kun feel his cursed energy and move it through his body to different places, that Satoru would call out, while Satoru would use Six-Eyes to track the energy.
All the other first year’s focused on their own techniques, while Yuuji-kun focused on flowing his cursed energy through his body.
Yuuji-kun shifted, focusing on the flow of curse energy throughout his body, and Satoru followed it. Junpei-kun watched from a distance, focusing on bringing forth Moon Dregs and Sun Burst, his jellyfish and scorpion shikigami, and keeping them both in the mortal plane, since he preferred to summon one or the other. Even though Mahito had tried to only give him one shikigami to work with, Moon Dregs, Junpei-kun’s jujutsu was quite literally poison. So long as he focused on which type of poison he wished to use, and found a vessel that would work well, one that he could work well with, Junpei-kun was quite the force to be reckoned with.
“Okay Sun Burst, Moon Dregs, let’s try on circling around me in rotation.” Junpei-kun tried.
Sun Burst made a chittering sound and skittered across the floor, heading straight for Yuuji-kun, who had his eyes closed. It stayed still in front of him patiently, watching him until Yuuji-kun's eyes opened.
Yuuji-kun blinked, tilted his head like a puppy, before reaching out and gently patting Sun Burst on one of its many legs. The shikigami made a pleased sound and made its way back to Junpei-kun, who was bright red and bowing profusely, apologizing over and over again.
Yuuji-kun watched the shikigami with fascination, always the learner. Satoru was so blessed to have such a wonderful student.
But then-
If Satoru didn’t have Six-Eyes, he would’ve missed it. The slight falling of Yuuji-kun’s face and the dimming of his eyes, before he closed them, and sent his cursed energy circling again.
~~~~~~~~~~
It happened about an hour later, when the Divine Dog immediately pounced on Yuuji-kun and started licking him. Yuuji-kun started laughing, petting the shikigami and letting it wrap around him.
Megumi sighed, placing his head in his hands. “I’m so sorry Itadori. He just ran off.”
“It’s completely fine!” Yuuji-kun said brightly, scratching Divine Dog behind the ears. “He’s such a good boy!”
Megumi sat down beside Yuuji-kun, just watching him pet Divine Dog. Satoru watched them all, watching how Yuuji-kun’s shoulders relaxed and Megumi’s cheeks grew pinker by the second. Satoru had to hold in his snickering. Awww, Megumi’s first crush~!
“Okay!” Megumi finally cracked, shooting up and dismissing Divine Dog back to the shadows, right as it was getting comfortable in Yuuji-kun’s lap for belly rubs. “I need to practice summoning other shadows and taming them!”
Satoru and Yuuji-kun watched Megumi run off, the tips of his ears pink-red. And again, if Satoru hadn’t had Six-Eyes, he would’ve missed it.
The same slump of Yuuji-kun’s shoulders and the slight darkening of his eyes.
Hmmmm.
~~~~~~~~~~
They had been walking past the forest, when they heard Nobara-chan practicing her own techniques.
“KANZASHI!”
Tons of nails exploded, quite literally, and expanded, breaking down quite a few trees in the process.
“Nobara-chan!” Satoru called, “Remember that you have to clean up afterwards!”
“Fuck off, you old man!”
“Kugisaki-san! Don’t call Gojo-sensei old!”
“This is why Yuuji-kun is my favorite!”
“Both of you can fuck off!”
There was a pause, two, then they all burst out laughing.
But Satoru saw it again. The slumping shoulders, the dimming eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Something the matter?" Nanamin broke through Satoru's memories of the day, presenting the onigiri in a closed container. Satoru beamed at him, snatching the container.
"Only something I can take care of!" Satoru replied, throwing a peace sign. Nanamin just sighed and washed his hands.
"Just remember that you can take a break, okay?"
"Awww, Nanamin, you DO care-"
"Get out of here, Itadori-kun is more than likely hungry."
Satoru puffed laughter at that and saluted Nanamin's back, before teleporting to where he had left Yuuji-kun.
“Here we go!” Satoru said brightly, handing Yuuji-kun some onigiri and closing the lid. Yuuji-kun sat down on the bench, wiggling to get comfortable. He kicked the gravel, munching on the onigiri. Satoru plopped down beside him. "So? What's bothering you, Yuuji-kun? You've been down all day."
Yuuji-kun was silent for a few more minutes, before slumping against Satoru's shoulder. "I don't have a technique. Junpei-san and Fushiguro-san have their shikigami. Kugisaki-san has her nails and hammer. Hell, even Chōsō, who is part curse, has a technique. It's just. . ."
"Frustrating." Satoru finished quietly, raising his hand slowly and gently patting Yuuji-kun's hair. He felt Yuuji-kun nod into his shoulder. "And I bet your time with Kenjaku," Satoru spat the name like sugar-free candy, "didn't help." He felt Yuuji-kun nod again. "Yuuji-kun. Have you seen them fight in hand-to-hand combat yet?"
He lifted his head from Satoru's shoulder, confusion apparent. "No?"
Satoru felt himself grin. "Let's go get a sparring session started with the first years, okay?"
~~~~~~~~~~
“Okay boys, I want a good, clean fight!” Gojo-sensei called, having changed into some sort of gym coach uniform to “supervise the battle between two of my favorite students!”
Yuuji shifted his feet, getting into position as Fushiguro-san did as well. As soon as Fushiguro-san stopped moving, Yuuji's mind started analyzing as quickly as it could before Gojo-sensei could call the start of the match.
Good stance, solid footwork, has been in fights before. How often? Maybe middle school fights? Was he protecting someone?
Gojo-sensei blew the whistle, and Yuuji launched himself, aiming a kick at Fushiguro-san's middle, trying to knock him out of the ring. Fushiguro-san looked surprised, and tried to dodge, but Yuuji managed to clip him and make him stumble. Yuuji grabbed Fushiguro-san's arm and threw him, making him twirl out of the ring.
Gojo-sensei blew the whistle again, this time twice. "End of match!" He said cheerfully, holding up a stopwatch. "That lasted about three point seven seconds. Good job lasting that long, Megumi! Especially against someone who is par with Maki-chan!"
Yuuji froze, confused. What did that mean? Maki-chan? Who?
Fushiguro-san was pouting on the ground, though he would forever deny it. "I think Itadori should spar with the second years, it's only fair since his hand-to-hand combat is on par with theirs."
Yuuji's mind was short-circuiting. What?
Kugisaki-san and Junpei-san nodded. "Honestly, it's kinda scary how fast you are, Yuuji-san." Junpei-san laughed. "I wouldn't last even a second against you."
Yuuji blinked, and Gojo-sensei was ruffling his hair. "Hear that, Yuuji-kun? You're so far ahead in the hand-to-hand combat, that you get to move up a year!"
Yuuji looked up at Gojo-sensei. What?
~~~~~~~~~~
Yuuji sat in the common room with a cup of tea, trying to make head and tails of the day.
Yeah, he had been kinda jealous and frustrated, everyone else already had their jujutsu’s figured out.
Even though Chōsō had like, a few hundred years or so to figure out his, but that’s beside the point!
Yuuji hadn’t expected to be better at something than them. They had had time, training, missions, talent, hell, they had Gojo-sensei to hone their abilities!
But no, Yuuji had beat Fushiguro-san at hand-to-hand combat. In three point seven seconds, no less!
Yuuji was getting to meet the second year’s tomorrow and spar with them!
Yuuji hid his smile in his cup of tea as he took a sip.
Maybe things weren’t so unbalanced after all.