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1.
Shotadori is a very curious kid.
One day, while he was playing outside, he found a white rock, smooth and almost shiny. (No it's not pearl or marble, it's just a really smooth rock.) His curious mind asked how it would taste. Because it’s smooth right? And shiny too! So it must taste different!
So, without any second thought, he popped it in his mouth. And spat it back out a split second later with a shudder.
2.
Yuuji found a tiny marble once and he kept playing with it.
While playing, it fell inside a discarded bottle. He stuck one finger inside in hopes that he could dig it back out. (No, tipping the bottle did not occur to him. His thought process was limited at that time.) Unfortunately, the bottle suctioned his finger and now it's stuck, too. He tried pulling it off but it didn't budge and he was afraid his finger would tear off his hand! Oh no!
He was on the verge of crying but the little tinkle the marble made comforted Yuuji. Like a complete 180, he forgot he was about to cry and continued playing, but now with the addition of the bottle hanging from his finger.
3.
The problem with the bottle came back when he was about to head back to the dorms. Suku-nii said he had to be back before the sun sets. On the way back, Principal Yaga saw him and asked him what was on his finger. Yuuji hid the bottle behind him, afraid that Principal Yaga was going to scold him. He took cautious care not to wiggle his finger so the marble won’t clink against the bottle.
But his finger wouldn’t listen and it moved without his permission so the marble clinked and Yuuji’s eyes widened because he knew Principal Yaga heard it.
Principal Yaga just crouched in front of him and smiled. He held out his hand and, reluctantly, Yuuji showed him the bottle stuck on his finger, the marble clinking away with every move he made.
“It’s stuck, huh,” the principal commented to which Yuuji nodded.
Then there was a small pop and when Yuuji looked again, his finger was free! He looked at his finger in amazement before beaming so brightly at the principal. “Fank you!” He beamed even brighter when the principal gave him the marble that was previously stuck in the glass. “Fank you, fank you, fank you!”
4.
When the siblings moved into the dorms, the common room quickly became a small playroom for Yuuji. Everyone had quickly become smitten by the toddler.
The non-curse users like Ijichi and Nitta have been the main people tasked with Yuuji’s education by the Principal and if the two weren’t available, the Principal himself does the job or Gojo (against his better judgment) or Nanami (who was probably Yuuji’s favorite).
The principal even enhanced Tsukamoto, a cursed corpse with blue boxing gloves, for Yuuji and the doll was always with the toddler in his adventures (together with the shadow bunny Megumi assigned to Yuuji, aptly named Usagi).
The students take turns babysitting Yuuji, too, which meant Yuuji would be present during their joint training. Yuuji enjoyed being with adults, especially when all of them were together.
5.
Shotadori loves everyone in Jujutsu Tech!
He liked joining the second years whenever they train. One time, he was picking flowers outside (he should’ve been in class with Ijichi-san but Gojo-sensei said it was okay to go out whenever it was Ijichi-san’s lessons, not knowing that Ijichi almost passed out after being reprimanded by the Principal for losing sight of Yuuji, but it was okay because Tsukamoto and Usagi were always with him!) and he found them training in the grounds.
Maki-nee taught him martial arts and how to wield Playful Cloud (even if it was heavy for Yuuji), Panda-nii threw him so high up in the air and Toge-nii caught him, and Yuuta-nii let him play with Rika-chan and Yuuji enjoyed it sooo much!
Bara-nee always dresses him up so cutely! She would buy stuff for Yuuji and make Yuuji wear them and make Yuuji pose, too! (Sukuna wouldn’t know but she actually sold them to Gojo. What? She needs extra cash for all her shopping!) She would make sure Yuuji’s lotion had moisturizer on it so his skin remains smooth and with enough SPF for him to safely play outside under the sun.
Bara-nee would sometimes make Yuuji wear girl clothes and tie Yuuji’s hair but it’s okay with Yuuji because Bara-nee said he’s the most beautiful in the world!
Sukuna complained once, “What the *censored* are you making my brother wear? That’s a *censored* kimono for *censored* girls! He’s not a *censored* girl! And don’t *censored* tie his hair like that!” Suku-nii covered Yuuji’s ear of course because he said a swear and Yuuji’s not allowed to say or hear it.
Bara-nee didn’t listen to him though, just looked at his classmate smugly and said, “And now he’s the cutest and the prettiest.” Which also meant she would make a ton of cash from the pictures she took after selling them to Gojo.
And, and, Gumi-nii has very many pets Yuuji can play with!
When Gumi-nii went away from a long mission, Yuuji missed him so much (it was only three days but that’s three looong days of Yuuji not seeing Gumi-nii and Kuro and Shiro). The moment Megumi arrived back at the dorm, Yuuji immediately abandoned his toys in the living room-slash-playroom and ran towards Megumi.
“Shiwo and Kuwo, Gumi-nii! Shiwo and Kuwo! Pease, pease, pease!” Yuuji pleaded, eyes wide in the cute way he did when he really, really wanted something (and made it hard for the adults to say ‘no’ to).
Yuuji cheered as Megumi did that familiar hand sign and the demon dogs quickly took shape, Yuuji lunging in on both just as they finished materializing. Shiro and Kuro were scary in their own right, they were curses after all, but in front of little Yuuji, they were the biggest, fluffiest dogs. It wasn’t long before Megumi summoned all his shikigami because, “I gots to make suwe (sure) they’s okay, Gumi-nii!”
Yuuji also declared he would have a sleepover with Megumi. Sukuna simply nodded, as this wasn’t the first time Yuuji had a sleepover with the other Tokyo students.
6.
But as much as Yuuji had sleepovers with the other students, he always preferred being with his Suku-nii.
So Sukuna wasn’t surprised when he heard a knock on his door an hour before midnight, opening to see Megumi holding a teary-eyed Yuuji hugging Tsukamoto. He wasn’t worried that his younger brother was crying. He was already expecting this.
“Sleepover’s done?” Sukuna asked.
“Not exactly,” Megumi said. “I think he just missed you.”
“Alright. What do you say to Fushiguro, brat?”
Yuuji turned to Megumi, freed one arm so he could hug Megumi. “I sowwy, Gumi-nii. I’s wuvs you.”
A small smile painted on Megumi’s lips as he patted Yuuji’s back. “It’s okay, Yuuji. We can play again tomorrow.”
Yuuji pulled away enough to look at Megumi excitedly, “You’s nots goes to mission?”
Megumi shook his head. “We can play all day tomorrow.”
“With Shiwo and Kuwo?”
“Yeah, they can play, too.”
Yuuji cheered but it quickly turned into a yawn.
“C’mon, brat. It’s way past your bedtime.”
Megumi handed Yuuji over to Sukuna, who quickly nuzzled against his big brother. Sleepily, he said, “Good nights, Gumi-nii.”
“Goodnight, Yuuji.”
7.
Shotadori receiving gifts from everyone whether it was after a mission or just because they remembered him whenever they went out.
It’s all kinds of stuff, really. They would range from the most extravagant (from Gojo, every single time. There would always be kikufuku when he comes back or ichigo daifuku. He brings boxes upon boxes for him. He gave the rest of the students only one box to share. Then he and Yuuji get their own box each, even if Yuuji couldn’t even finish one mochi) or the most simple stuff (like the small candy Yuuta saved for Yuuji because it was one of Yuuji’s favorites or the small panda keychain Panda bought for Yuuji) and Yuuji would definitely light up with joy.
It didn’t matter what he got, Yuuji was always happy to receive them.
But probably what topped all the gifts Yuuji received was the story book from Nanami. The blond didn’t even plan on buying it, just saw it as he was going home after a mission and impulsively bought it after the little tiger on the cover reminded him of a certain toddler.
Yuuji absolutely loved it because Nanamin stayed to read to him the story book and every time Nanamin came to visit, Yuuji always asked him to read the story book for him (even if he already knows what’s gonna happen).
But really, what all of them really liked seeing was the happiness lighting up in Yuuji’s eyes whenever they gave him something, and the way he hugged them so tight in thanks.
8.
Shotadori who was more excited than everyone else when the exchange event was announced.
He was staying with the teachers, unable to sit still while on Gojo’s lap, watching his Suku-nii and the others on screen as they waited for the game to start. He didn’t know who the students from the Kyoto School (also on another screen) were but everyone was there to represent Tokyo and Yuuji was very excited because they were playing a game! (He had no idea who bloody it was going to be.)
Just before the game officially started, Gojo gave the students some words of advice before giving the microphone to the eager toddler. “And now, some words of encouragement from our very cute and very cuddly, Yuuji-kun!” Gojo held the microphone to Yuuji’s mouth. “Is there anything you wanna say to your Suku-nii?”
“Suku-nii, I wuv you!”
From the screens, they could see Sukuna being teased by the people with him as the pink-haired special grade gave them irritated looks to mask his blush of embarrassment at the very open and sincere affection from his little brother.
“Just Suku-nii? What about the others, Yuuji-kun?”
“Oh! Oh! I wuvs Gumi-nii, too! And Bawa-nee, and Maki-nee, and Toge-Nii, and Panda-nii, and Yuuta-nii!”
It was the other students’ turn to blush but they accepted it better than Sukuna did.
“Eh? Aren’t you forgetting someone else, Yuuji-kun?” Gojo prompted and it was obvious to everyone listening that he was referring to himself.
“Oh, uhm…” Yuuji scrunched up his face in thought before it suddenly lit up as he said, “Nanamin! I wuvs Nanamin! And Ichichi-san, and Nitta-san, and Choko-chenchei, and Yaga-chenchei! Yey!”
“I think you’re still forgetting someone else, Yuuji-kun,” Gojo said, a comically pained expression on his face, the Tokyo students in the screen and the teachers with Gojo looked smug in his misfortune (Utahime was especially happy because any misfortune of Gojo is a cause for happiness).
“Weawwy?” Yuuji looked concerned. Who could he have forgotten? Surely he had mentioned everyone. Oh, Gojo-sensei must’ve meant his playmates! “Oh! I wuvs Tuskamoto and Usagi! And Shiwo and Kuwo! And Wika-chan!”
Gojo was crying now. “What about your favorite sensei Yuuji-kun?”
“Hm!” Yuuji nodded enthusiastically. “I wuvs Nanamin!”
At this point, the Tokyo students had absolutely lost it, laughing at Gojo’s expense, who looked comically hurt when Yuuji seemed to remember everyone but him. Utahime was snickering to herself, while Yaga was shaking his head.
“What about me?” Gojo had to spell it out.
Yuuji turned to Gojo with his brightest smile. “Gocho-chenchei suki!”
And as if his previous embarrassment just vanished, Gojo was back to his old self, hugging Yuuji and rubbing their cheeks together. “Oh, of course, you do, Yuuji-kun! And you saved me for last coz I’m the best, aren’t I? Yes, yes, that’s so right!”
“No, Gocho-chenchei,” Yuuji said, cutting off Gojo’s happiness. “Suku-nii the best! Suku-nii daisuki!”
And that was how the strongest sorcerer was beaten by a toddler.
9.
Shotadori who liked to play ‘The floor is lava.’
During the Goodwill Event, after they were suddenly attacked by the unregistered special grade curses, the events were halted as everyone recuperated. While they were waiting for the teachers to talk about what to do next, all the students from Tokyo and Kyoto were in the common room. There was an obvious divide between the two schools but this went over Yuuji’s head as he excitedly ran to the common room. When he saw the amount of people there, he immediately shouted, “The fwoow is…(pause for effect) wava!”
The Kyoto students just looked at the kid in different kinds of skepticism or confusion. But what bewildered them was when the Tokyo students automatically responded by standing and stepping up on whatever furniture they could find. Maki and Nobara stepped up on the couch and sat on the backrest. Panda dropped himself on the coffee table, the furniture groaning under his weight. Megumi, Yuuta, and Toge, who were sitting at the dining table, simply stood to sit on the table and set their feet on the chairs they were previously sitting on. Sukuna, who was sitting there with them, didn’t even stand where he was, just simply lifted his feet so it was resting on the table, crossing them at the ankles.
“If brother says the floor is lava, then it is lava!” Todo passionately declared, putting himself on top of the nearest table. The Kyoto students with him looked at him as if he grew two heads. They had heard of how Todo was quickly taken by the toddler when he suddenly butted in Todo’s one-on-one fight with Sukuna and even tried to help both in dealing with the tree-like special grade (something that almost made Sukuna go berserk when Yuuji almost got gravely injured. Good thing Gojo-sensei arrived and basically obliterated everything with Hollow Purple.)
Yuuji ran to Sukuna, excitedly saying, “Suku-nii, heps, heps!” Sukuna quickly scooped him up so Yuuji was safe from the imaginary lava.
Yuuji turned back to the other Kyoto students and told them, “The fwoow is wava!” but when they still didn’t do anything, he repeated again that, “The fwoow is wava.” When they still didn’t do anything, he turned to Sukuna, worry all over his face and jutting lips trembling, asked, “Suku-nii, they’s not wike the fwoow is wava?”
“Of course they do!” It was Yuuta who quickly answered, standing to get up on the table so he was towering over everyone. He gave a gentle smile towards Yuuji, which somehow lost its gentleness and became menacing when it was directed towards the unmoving Kyoto students. “They just need a little nudge from Rika-chan. Ne, Rika-chan?”
Before anyone could act though, Rika had quickly materialized and none too gently shoved each Kyoto student unceremoniously to empty furniture spaces, all still very overwhelmed by the sheer power that was the Queen of Curses. Of course, none of the Tokyo students felt this and Yuuji could only watch in awe, eyes sparkling in happiness despite the grunts and complaints of the Kyoto students.
The Queen of Curses then went to Yuuji and gave him a pat on the head.
Yuuji giggled. “Fank you, Wika-nee! Fank you, Yuuta-nii!”
The Kyoto students sans Todo were just about to throw a fit when the manchild that was Gojo arrived, taking all of everyone’s attention.
“What’s this? The floor is lava? ”
“Gocho-chenchei! The fwoow is wava! Heps us, pease?” Yuuji had his hands intertwined in front of him and his face puckered up so cutely, how can Gojo say no to that?
“And what does Yuuji-kun need me to do?”
“Woiki Tenkai!”
Gojo put his index finger and thumb on his chin as if he was thinking about what Yuuji said, “Hmmm but Ryoiki Tenkai is very hard.”
“I’s heps!” Yuuji quickly declared.
“Yosh, it’s decided!” And with a snap, Yuuji was transferred from Sukuna’s lap to Gojo’s arms, making Yuuji giggle at being teleported so suddenly.
Yuuji then turned to everyone in the room, held one hand up similar to what Gojo was doing and said, “Woiki Tenkai!” But even after two tries, he couldn’t hook his middle finger around his index finger. He pouted and turned to Gojo, saying, “Heps, Gocho-chenchei.”
Gojo and the Tokyo students chuckled. Gojo helped Yuuji by intertwining his tiny fingers together following the Six Eyes’ hand sign for the move, and when they were hooked, Yuuji brightened up and said, “Fank you!” Then he turned back to the room in general and said, “Woiki Tenkai! Muwwokusho!”
To give special effects after Yuuji casted the ‘domain expansion’, Gojo made a small wave ripple around the room from where he stood, as if ‘cleansing’ the room from the imaginary lava plaguing it.
“The wava’s gone! Yay!” Yuuji cheered, then hugged Gojo. “Fank you, Gocho-chenchei!”
Gojo, in turn, rubbed his face against Yuuji’s pudgy cheeks. “That’s because Yuuji-kun’s domain expansion was the best! Yay!”
“Can you give me back my brother now?” Sukuna said, already standing in front of them and arms held up to receive Yuuji.
“No way! Let’s go, Yuuji-kun!” And Gojo subsequently teleported out of the room.
“Oi! Give him back, you idiot teacher!”
10.
Sukuna who had been going on missions left and right because of his status as a special grade (and because the higher ups were dicks and that was the only way they could put him on a leash). Nevermind that they’d been working him to the bone nonstop, he hadn’t had time to spend with Yuuji anymore.
Sure, he came home but it was late and Yuuji was already fast asleep. Or he had to leave early and Yuuji was barely awake when he kissed him to tell him he was off for another mission.
One night when he was in a middle of a mission and he was bidding Yuuji good night (his baby brother politely asked Gumi-nii to call Suku-nii for him on the phone because he’s a good boy and he knows how to say please), he promised Yuuji he’ll be home soon and that they’d watch Juju Sanpo, the TV show Yuuji always talked to him about.
And a few days later, Sukuna was sure he was gonna keep his promise.
They just finished eating dinner, just settled in in the common room with the others (even the second years were there. Really none of them can resist the toddler), Yuuji already bouncing in excitement as he sat on Sukuna’s lap while they were waiting for his favorite show, only for one of the (hated) auxiliary managers to come and say that Sukuna had another mission that needed priority.
“I just got back this morning,” Sukuna said through clenched teeth, a few choice words he had to omit since his baby brother was there with him, glaring at the other as if he were a curse he would kill with his cleave.
The auxiliary manager tried to look fearless even if his whole body was twitching as he told Sukuna he had to get ready, going so far as to threaten Sukuna that he would tell the higher ups that he wasn’t following their instructions if he didn't move now.
Yuuta, being the only other special grade with them, volunteered to go but the auxiliary manager was adamant that it should be Sukuna who had to finish the mission because it was assigned to him specifically.
In the end, it was Yuuji who encouraged Sukuna to go, saying that ‘Suku-nii is a supah-hewo so you gots to heps!’
With one last hug from Yuuji (Yuuji stood while Sukuna was still sat so Yuuji hugged Sukuna’s head. Sukuna couldn’t resist the urge to blow a raspberry over Yuuji’s small tummy that made the little one shriek with laughter), Sukuna stood, grabbed his go bag, ruffled Yuuji’s hair, told him not to be a nuisance to the rest, and left.
Yuuji enthusiastically waved goodbye to his Suku-nii. But as soon as he was gone, he put his arm back down, walked the few steps towards Nobara and said, “Bawa-nee, I nots watch Juju Sanpo anymowe.”
And it was obvious the toddler was trying to hold back his tears as he held on to his pajama shirt as if it was the only thing preventing him from crying.
Never one to resist the toddler, Nobara knelt in front of him and pulled him in a hug and just that act alone had Yuuji bawling his eyes out, crying, ‘I want Suku-nii! I want Suku-nii!’
Gojo came just in time, happily announcing his arrival and holding up a box of confectioners from wherever he had gone to, only for Nobara to move past him with a still crying Yuuji, following by Megumi, who glared at his teacher and said, “I know you already know what’s going on so do something about it!” before following Nobara out of the common room.
Gojo did do something about it. Something Sukuna wouldn’t know until after two or three missions where he wasn’t immediately yanked to another mission.
Sukuna knows something like this wasn’t happening out of the goodness of the higher ups’ hearts (if they had any. Well, they do and Sukuna would like to rip them out.) so it could only be Gojo’s doing. He was the reason Sukuna and Yuuji weren’t enslaved, or worse, executed to begin with (Sukuna because he was a special grade similar to Yuuta, and Yuuji because he has the potential to become a special grade, especially with how much capability he was showing even if he was only a toddler), so it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.
As much as the manchild infuriates him, they owe him a great deal. So Sukuna was thankful (even if he would never admit it).
He was finally able to watch Yuuji’s favorite show, and he was able to be there when Yuuji woke up and when he fell asleep.
(And that auxiliary manager they hated? Well, after Sukuna’s mission, he phoned the guy telling him to fetch him in a specific place because he was injured and couldn’t walk properly. The bastard had the audacity to scold Sukuna for getting injured. How can he not be injured when he was fighting a special grade? All the bastard was doing was wait in the car. So as soon as the auxiliary manager stepped deep in the forest where Sukuna said he was, Sukuna moved from his hiding spot, took the car, and left the auxiliary manager on his own in a forest infested with curses. If he died, well, good riddance.)
11.
Shotadori who is scared of going to the restroom at night because the hallways were long and dark and he could hear voices saying ‘Asobo?’
He didn’t like to play with them. He knows they were like his friends they left back in Sendai but they were not the same because his friends from Sendai were nice to him and the curses here liked a different kind of game Yuuji didn’t like. They scare him.
But he’s a big boy already so he shouldn’t wake Suku-nii up whenever he needed to go to the toilet.
It’s not like the voices he hears at night asking to play with him were going to eat him. And Gojo-sensei said not to listen to them so Yuuji just covered his ears with his hands.
But the one time Yuuji did go to the restroom himself with his eyes laser focused forward and his palms cupping his ears, he was ready to disregard the voices, only for said voices to whisper directly to his ear even if his hands were covering it!
Yuuji wailed, running back to his shared room with Suku-nii. This, of course, woke the other occupants in the male dormitory.
“You could’ve just woken me,” Sukuna said, pat, pat, patting Yuuj’si back as his baby brother’s trembling form held on to him. Panda and Inumaki were with them while Fushiguro and Okkotsu went to check the dorm for any curses and subsequently remove them. They were aware of the curses in the dorm and most of them were harmless Grade 4 curses so they didn’t really bother. Unfortunately, it was different for the toddler, to which the curses were smart enough to take advantage of.
“But Suku-nii’s sweeping,” Yuuji reasoned.
“It doesn’t matter, Yuuji. Wake me when you need to pee or whatever it is you need. The same goes with anyone looking after you if I’m away on missions.”
Yuuji was still trembling but nodded against Sukuna.
“Yosh, yosh,” Sukuna patted Yuuji’s head before taking his baby brother and hoisting him up so Yuuji’s head rested on Sukuna’s shoulder. “Good boy. It’s all good now. You’re safe.”
“Pwomise?”
“Promise.”
12.
Shotadori making onigiri for Suku-nii.
Yuuji got the idea when he saw Toge making onigiri for Yuuta for breakfast just as he was about to embark on a mission. He had made too much so Yuuta decided to take some with him. So the next time Sukuna told Yuuji he was going on a mission, Yuuji immediately ran to the kitchen and declared he was going to make an obento for Suku-nii, much to Sukuna’s surprise.
The onigiri weren’t onigiri-sized and they probably had too little toppings and fillings, but Yuuji looked very proud of it as he handed it to Sukuna just before he left for a mission. And honestly, Sukuna wouldn’t have it any other way.
Of course, the manchild that was Gojo heard about this and fake cried, “What about your favorite sensei (self-proclaimed), Yuuji-kun?”
The next day, Yuuji made a lot of onigiri enough for everyone and everyone helped out so it had become some sort of bonding activity with them with Yuuji at the center. Yuuji was very happy to be able to share this with everyone. Gojo came to join them too, but he was mostly eating and critiquing instead of actually helping. Which prompted Yuuji to asked Gojo, “Pease heps, Gocho-chenchei?” in that cute puppy look of his, and even the strongest sorcerer couldn’t resist it.
It happened a lot more times than they could count and truly, Yuuji couldn’t be any happier (even if the students did it without the presence of their teacher because really, his help was useless.)
13.
Shotadori likes cooking with Suku-nii.
As much as everyone likes making obento with Yuuji, it was obvious cooking was something the siblings enjoyed.
It had started one lazy day, and everyone just got back from their separate missions the night before. It was Toge and Yuuta who were up first. They went to the kitchen to get some breakfast when they heard talking and giggling. From where they were, they could see Sukuna preparing breakfast and Yuuji helping out as much as the toddler could.
Stood on his high stool with Sukuna near him to make sure he didn’t fall, Yuuji was given the important job of carefully beating the eggs until they were golden, adding the toppings to make the tamagoyaki more flavorful, carefully stirring the miso as it cooked, or helping his Suku-nii breading the chicken even if some of the coating got to their clothes and faces.
Then, Yuuji would be given another very important job of tasting their cooking. Sukuna would take a sample of whatever he was making, blow on the hot food to make sure it wouldn’t burn, and let Yuuji taste. He would watch his baby brother’s face light up in happiness.
Sukuna would chuckle. “That good?”
“It the best!” Yuuji would declare, asking for seconds. Something Sukuna didn’t give him, joking that Yuuji might just finish everything taste-testing.
Then Yuuji would be given another important job of helping set the table, making sure there were plates and utensils for everyone as Sukuna finished plating.
By this time, Yuuta and Toge would come in to help and Yuuji would greet them with an excited, “Ohayou!” happy to see them up. Then Toge and Yuuji would go see who else was awake to eat with them while Yuuta helped Sukuna finish setting the table.
Sukuna didn’t say anything but Yuuta could somehow feel that his kohai was grateful for not intruding and letting him share this one with his baby brother. Yuuta didn’t have any problem with it because Sukuna was already giving them enough by sharing his otouto with them. Yuuji was someone they all looked forward to whenever they came home, especially after a grueling mission.
So if ever any of them finds the brothers sharing some time in the kitchen while preparing food, Yuuta and the rest would happily leave them to their own devices. Besides, whatever the brothers made Yuuji made sure to call the rest to share and eat with them, even Gojo-sensei came (even if he wasn’t invited).
“It dewicious, Suku-nii!” Yuuji would say as he sat on his high chair (courtesy of Gojo) after eating a spoonful of whatever they had that time.
“Don’t eat when your mouth is full, brat,” Sukuna would scold as he wiped the rice sticking on his face, the light chatter in the background already a comforting presence for both of them. Yuuji would give him a toothy smile of thanks as he continued eating and Sukuna would do the same.
14.
Shotadori crying coz he can’t have cookies yet coz they’re hot.
Sukuna almost raised hell when he saw his baby brother coming to his room sniffling. Turned out he wasn’t allowed to eat the cookies Panda, Yuuta, and Toge were baking because they were still hot.
The second year boys had a baking contest. How they got to that, Sukuna didn’t want to know. Nobara and Maki were there to ‘judge’ the cookies. Megumi was in the living room so he could hear all the ruckus.
In the end, Toge won mainly because he put in more chocolate chips than the other two.
Yuuji was able to eat cookies from all three of them and paired it with a glass of cold milk. Sukuna had to blow on the cookies first, then dunked it in the cold milk for good measure before feeding it to Yuuji. Yuuji would happily much on the cookies he was fed. And of course, he would feed his Suku-nii too, carefully copied what Sukuna did and handfed the cookies to his big brother, giving him a warm smile as he did so.
15.
Shotadori who drools when he sleeps and he always sleeps on Suku-nii so there is always gonna be a wet patch on a part of Suku-nii’s sleep shirt in the morning.
Sukuna always complained about it.
But they all know he didn’t mind.
16.
Shotadori who was suddenly listless one day.
The others were concerned coz their resident exuberant sunshine toddler was suddenly so quiet.
He still ate with them and drew his drawings and watched cartoons but it was without his usual energy and presence. He ate slowly and almost didn’t finish his food, his drawings were half-finished then completely abandoned, and he watched his cartoons laying on his side, hugging Tsukamoto instead of playing along with the characters.
They checked his temperature but he wasn’t sick, he still smiled and answered them, but that smile lacked its usual shine and would disappear immediately. They tried to get him to play with them but he would just shake his head and continue laying on his side on the mat. He wasn’t even invested in the cartoons, his eyes having this faraway look.
Sukuna was away for a mission a few cities away so it was almost past Yuuji’s bedtime when he came back.
The other students told him what happened while he was away. Sukuna just nodded to them and went to sit beside his brother. He combed through Yuuji’s pink locks, making the younger turn his head to look.
“Suku-nii,” Yuuij greeted and the others were right, it was without Yuuji’s usual exuberance and energy.
Yuuji held out his arms and Sukuna put his hands under Yuuji’s arms to lift the younger boy to make him sit on his lap.
“What are you thinking about, Yuuji?” Sukuna asked, low and quiet, chin down to try to catch Yuuji’s eyes.
“Suku-nii,” Yuuji looked up at Sukuna, “do you miss Ji-chan?”
Sukuna looked at Yuuji whose lips were trembling and whose eyes were starting to glaze over. Sukuna could deny or downplay it, anything to make his baby brother feel at ease or to stop worrying. But Sukuna also knew how important it was to acknowledge Yuuji’s feelings. Yuuji deserves that. So he said, “I do. I miss Jiji and I miss home.”
Whatever dam Yuuji was trying to stop broke because he cried, big fat tears rolling down his cheeks, mouth open in a loud sobs and hiccups, hands fisting Sukuna’s uniform.
Sukuna let Yuuji cry as he held him and he’s silently thankful when the others left to give them privacy after learning of the reason.
Sukuna stayed there until Yuuji fell asleep and only then did he move to bring his brother to his own room, silently changing them both to their sleep clothes and slipping to bed, careful that he wouldn’t wake Yuuji.
The next day, Gojo had texted him that he had the day off and do whatever he pleased and he was sure either the other students told Gojo about it or Gojo came to know of what happened on his own.
He bundled Yuuji up and left for Sendai on the train.
“Whewe we’s going, Suku-nii?” Yuuji asked, he still wasn’t his usual self.
“We’re going to see Ji-chan.”
Yuuji didn’t say anything as he thought about what Sukuna said before saying, “Fwowews?”
Sukuna nodded, “We’ll get him flowers on the way.”
Yuuji nodded.
“You should pick,” he told Yuuji. “He likes the flowers you pick. Remember that time he was still in the hospital and you brought him flowers every time we visited? He liked them.”
Yuuji’s face scrunched up. “Ji-chan didn’t wike the fwowews.”
Sukuna chuckled, “No, he likes them. But he didn’t like it that you just picked it from the ground or from the neighbor’s garden. That’s stealing and illegal.” Another reason Wasuke kept complaining was because they could’ve used the money for something useful. But he didn’t have to tell Yuuji that. Instead, Yuuji gasped, both his hands covering his mouth at what Sukuna told him.
“Oh noooo.”
“We’ll get proper flowers this time.”
Yuuji looked at Sukuna determinedly and nodded. Sukuna could see his energy was coming back little by little.
So they went to the grave, cleaned it, and put the flowers they bought (Yuuji picked pink camellias). They even bought some for their parents.
This proved cathartic to Yuuji because he was slowly becoming his usual self again.
The trek down the cemetery hill was filled with brotherly banter. Yuuji snoozed in the train halfway back and when he woke up, he was almost the usual energetic Yuuji.
They came back to a huge surprise with streamers and party hats and poppers and congratulated Yuuji because he was “the cutest child in the whole wide world!”
Sukuna was sure they just made it up as an excuse to throw a party but who was Sukuna to complain? Their friends, their new family, had done this for them, went out of their way to prepare this, to get gifts for Yuuji because ‘the cutest deserved the best’ and ordered and/or made Yuuji’s favorite foods.
Yuuji was so happy, he was back to his usual exuberant self, playing among the adults and laughing along with their antics, almost as if what happened since yesterday never happened.
Sukuna was sure what happened yesterday was bound to happen again.
But, well, they’re not alone anymore.
17.
Shotadori waiting for Suku-nii to come back home from missions.
He’ll wait at the entrance of the dorms, entertaining himself however he can (one time it was playing with Tsukamoto and Usagi, another time he played with his favorite marble) but as soon as he heard the telltale sounds of footsteps and sees that darker hue of pink tufts, Yuuji’s face would light up, running towards the steps leading to the dorm with his arms wide open, and an excited, “Suku-nii~!” and he would launch himself towards Sukuna and his big brother would never fail to catch him.
“Suku-nii, I’s miss you!” he would say as he gave Suku-nii a very big hug.
“I missed you, too, brat,” Sukuna would respond, chuckling and returning the embrace. “Were you a good boy while I was gone?”
“Of course, Suku-nii!”
And Yuuji would proceed to tell Sukuna everything that happened while Sukuna was away, and Sukuna would feel whatever exhaustion from the mission disappear as he made his way back inside the dorms, attentively listening to his baby brother safely nestled in his arms.
Home was where his baby brother was.
And Sukuna was finally home.