Chapter Text
Gojo has a bad habit of showing up where he isn’t wanted. Utahime’s LDK is one such place. Usually, when he tries to worm his way in, often on nights when she has Shoko and Mei Mei over for a sleepover, she slams the door in his face and ignores his whining until he leaves. Tonight, however, is a bit different.
“Gojo, did you kidnap these children?” Utahime demands, gaping in horror at the two dark-haired youths standing in her doorway.
The idiot gasps, affronted, and rests his hands on either child’s shoulder, “You think so lowly of me, Utahime! No, I adopted them.”
She stares at him. That’s even worse. “Be serious.”
“I’m as serious as death! Can we come in?”
Call it curiosity, call it Utahime’s weakness for big puppy dog eyes, but she allows the trio inside. The children are a girl and an even younger boy, neither of which could be older than ten. They’re obviously related, with the same massive dark eyes and pale faces. The girl politely slips off her shoes. When the boy just stares distrustfully at Utahime, the girl nudges him roughly with her elbow. He obediently shuffles out of his shoes.
Utahime leads them into her living room and directs the children to take a seat on her couch. She smiles warmly at them, “What are your names?”
“I’m Tsumiki!” The girl chirps, “And this is Megumi. He’s shy.”
Megumi glares at Tsumiki but says nothing.
“Are you brother and sister?” Utahime asks.
“Yes! I’m the big sister.”
The girl does have a maturity to her, one that both impresses and saddens Utahime. Tsumiki is the picture of politeness but there’s a coldness to it that Utahime recognizes. A familiar defense. Megumi glances at Utahime from under his long lashes, face pinched pensively. These kids have had a difficult time.
Gojo stands beside her, towering over her as always, and throws an arm around her shoulders. She resists the urge to punch him in the side. “This is my senpai, Iori Utahime! C’mon, Megumi-kun, say hello.”
Megumi rubs his fingers together nervously in his lap. He glances at her and then away again. It’s painfully adorable.
“‘Gumi, don’t be rude…!” Tsumiki hisses under her breath to him.
Utahime raises her hand, “Don’t worry, Megumi-kun. You can speak when you’re ready.”
Megumi seems to relax a little and remains silent, continuing to observe both Utahime and his surroundings with scrutiny.
Utahime pulls away from Gojo to grab the remote for her TV off the coffee table. She hands it to Tsumiki, “Put on whatever you like, Tsumiki-chan. I need to talk to Gojo for a moment. We’ll be right back!”
Tsumiki beams and immediately loses interest in the adults. Utahime feels Megumi’s gaze on them as she tugs Gojo out of the living room. What a distrustful kid. Her heart twinges with worry.
Once in the kitchen, Utahime rounds on Gojo with a deep scowl. Keeping her voice low to not disturb the children, she whispers, “Gojo, what the fuck. ”
“What’s the problem, Utahime?”
She could tear her hair out. Or his. Yes, definitely his. “‘What’s the prob-’ you’re eighteen! ”
He scratches his cheek, jostling his circular glasses just enough that she sees his crystalline eyes peeking over their rims. “Yeah, so?”
“You’re eighteen and adopted two kids? How did you even manage that? Why did you manage that?”
“They needed help.” He says simply.
Utahime feels a headache coming on. She rubs her forehead and sighs, trying to be stronger than the burning frustration Gojo always manages to instill in her without fail. “You can’t just pick up two kids off the street, Gojo. You do realize these are real human beings, right? They aren’t puppies. The level of commitment you just made-”
His voice goes hard, “I know, Utahime.”
She looks at him, assessing his expression. He stares at her, mouth set in a serious line. There’s no sign of his usual mischievousness.
He continues, “They’re Zen’ins.”
She blinks. She must not have heard him right. “Excuse me?”
“Well, they’re not Zen’ins. They took their mom’s last name- Fushiguro. But the Zen’ins want the boy, and you know what they’ll do with the girl. Megumi is going to be a powerful sorcerer, Special Grade.”
The world is just full of surprises today. “And how do you know that?”
“My Six Eyes tell me.”
She doesn’t argue that or even question it. Gojo’s techniques are devastating and mysterious. The man himself only recently unlocked their full potential after years of training. “And Tsumiki-chan?”
“She’s a regular human being. She can’t even see curses. They have different fathers.”
Utahime nods, “I see. They’d both be miserable with the Zen’ins.”
“Yeah.”
With another sigh, Utahime leans against her counter. Gojo watches her with a strange calmness that is unlike him. Ever since Getou Suguru defected, Gojo has been different. Still obnoxious and loud and full of himself, but…different. Sometimes, when it’s just Utahime and him, he gets like this. Pensive. It unnerves her.
“Okay, Gojo, I understand. I won’t ask where the kids came from or who their parents are.”
“Thanks.”
“But, why did you bring them here?”
That question seems to knock Gojo out of his melancholy. His lips quirk and he says slyly, “Couldn’t imagine anyone better suited to childrearing than you, senpai. ”
There’s a coquettish tone to his voice that makes her cheeks flare with heat. She scowls at him and says again, “Be serious!”
“I am, Utahime. I need help. I can’t do this alone.”
Her eyes widen. Gojo has never once asked her for help, or anyone for help as far as she knows. “You’re asking a lot.”
Gojo shuffles his feet, “I know. I’m sorry.”
Her nose scrunches, “Ugh, stop that.”
He blinks in confusion at her, “Stop what?”
“Acting so out of character. It’s creepy.”
He chuckles softly, the sound more surprised than amused, “I am capable of apologizing when I’m putting a friend out.”
Friend.
She doesn’t want him to see how much that word pleases her so she turns on her heel and gets herself a glass of water. She uses the time it takes to think of a decent response. With her back still turned to him, she says, “What exactly is it that you want me to do here?”
“Just…help me. I don’t know. I’m not- I’m terrible with kids.” He sounds almost uncomfortable admitting it. The perfect Gojo Satoru, bad at something. It makes her smile as she turns back to him. It’s his turn to scowl, “Wipe that smile off your face, kids are little devils. Worse than curses!”
“Well, yeah, you can’t exorcise children.”
“Not with that attitude.”
She rolls her eyes and he grins widely at her, pleased with her amusement. She glances at the living room where she can see and hear the children listening to some game show. Megumi’s hair is unruly and sticks out at all angles. Tsumiki seems to never stop moving.
She looks back to Gojo, “...you’re always getting me into trouble.”
He takes a step towards her, so very large in her tiny kitchen, “Will you let me get you into some more?”
Utahime rests her palms on the counter at her sides, tilting her head back to maintain eye contact. His eyes are big and pleading. She hears Tsumiki giggle softly and Megumi murmurs something to her that Utahime cannot hear over the TV.
Gojo is a good man, but he is careless and irresponsible. Those kids will need all the help they can get with this idiot in charge of their futures.
“...I can…assist. Every now and again.” Utahime relents.
She has to look away from his blinding smile before she does something as stupid as smile back.