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Nanami wasn’t an indulgent man. He woke up, had his morning cup of coffee and slice of toast, donned his pinstripe suit, commuted alongside other businessmen, and then let the life be sucked out of him for 10 hours at his desk job. It wasn’t glamorous, the bags under his eyes were telling enough; however, it was better than life in the jujutsu world. Or, this is what he told himself. But two years later, Nanami couldn’t help but indulge on a piece of his old life. Gojo was very convincing after all.
It began with Gojo showing up to his workplace. Nanami had just finished a day of particularly grueling and mundane paperwork and was leaving the office at 6pm: 1 hour of overtime. As he stepped outside into the cool autumn air, he could spot the tall sorcerer from across the road even without straining his eyes. His head was well over the crowd of people milling the streets. He was casually leaning against a signpost, glasses adorn on the tip of his nose, and a sly smirk across his face. Nanami let out a sigh and turned in the opposite direction.
This of course was not what Gojo was expecting, and as Nanami strode down the sidewalk, he could feel Gojo’s presence growing closer behind him. A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder and he halted to a stop.
“I pay a visit to my former kouhai and he dares ignore me?” Gojo exclaimed in a dramatic tone.
“I worked overtime today, I’d like to go home now,” Nanami responded.
“Indulge me for a second Nanami, please,” Gojo said in a whiny voice.
Nanami sighed and turned around. He knew that this wouldn’t end unless he let Gojo get what he wanted. “Okay fine, what Gojo.”
Gojo smiled a big and bright one, “You see Nanami, I just personally wanted to let you know I’m a father now. Well, not really. But I look after two kids.”
This was the last thing Nanami expected to come out of the sorcerer’s mouth. In fact, Gojo could probably have said just about anything else and he’d be less surprised.
“Excuse me? You have kids now?” Nanami asked.
“Yes, and no I did not knock someone up and then leave my baby mama,” Gojo replied and Nanami rolled his eyes. “I’m their guardian, it’s touching really. A brother and a sister, one’s a sorcerer and the other isn’t. It’s… a complicated situation.”
“I can imagine, yes,” Nanami nodded his head. Where exactly was this going?
“You see, I’m in kind of a predicament. As you know, I’m the strongest sorcerer,” Gojo gave a wink to this and Nanami wanted to punch the man in the face. “And I am assigned mission after mission. Of course I don’t mind… but the kids are left by themselves. I don’t technically live with them, but I try to see them weekly. But when my missions are long and I can’t stop by, I feel bad. That’s why I’ve been having Shoko look after them while I’m away; making sure they have food and money and other things. But Shoko can’t always be there for them. That’s why I’m asking you, my dear Nanami, to please consider being a mentor and caretaker to these kids as well.”
Nanami raised his eyebrows, “So… basically you want me to be a nanny?”
“Don’t put it that way! You’re a strong sorcerer and capable man. I know they’d like you, especially Megumi. Please Nanami, it won’t be often!” Gojo pleaded.
“Gojo I haven’t seen or heard from anybody from Jujutsu Tech in almost two years. And this is really the first thing I get asked?” Nanami said.
“Nanami,” Gojo’s tone shifts from joking to somewhat serious. “These kids are growing up faster than I’m prepared for. I need to keep them safe and well guided. I trust you.”
Nanami pursed his lips and let out a sigh. Please don’t let me regret this, he thought. “Fine, yes, I’ll look after the kids once in a while.”
Gojo smiled widely, “Thank you thank you!”
And that’s where it started, on that October evening. Nanami agreed to look after Gojo’s “kids”, who he later learned were named Megumi and Tsumiki. A sullen and quiet boy, Megumi Fushiguro was 10 and not a fan of Gojo. The two bickered like children, which Megumi had an excuse for since he was one, but Gojo did not. Tsumiki, bless her, put up with the pair and even was able to tame their arguments. The dynamic was interesting, to say the least. However, Nanami couldn’t ignore the small pang in his chest anytime he watched Gojo’s interactions with the pair. It was just so… wholesome.
Gojo kept to his word and didn’t ask Nanami to watch the children often. He’d receive a text maybe once every four to six weeks requesting he’d check up on the siblings. It was always on a weekend, as Gojo was courteous of his salaryman job, and he never expected Nanami to spend the entirety of it with them. Nonetheless, Nanami made it his mission to care for these children to the best of his ability. He spoiled the siblings more than he’d care to admit. But who could blame him? Gojo’s ‘care’ wasn’t exactly expertise parenting. In fact, every meal he attempted to cook was either burnt or unseasoned.
Nanami came to learn that Megumi liked ginger and well-spiced food. Tsumiki on the other hand had a bit of a sweet tooth, most likely fueled by Gojo’s immature diet. Megumi was a late riser on weekends whereas Tsumiki was up with the sun. When it came to movie nights, Megumi always begged for the scariest of films. The one time Nanami actually allowed the siblings to watch a horror film, Megumi cowered under his blanket and jumped at every scream. Nanami pretended not to notice. Tsumiki was insistent on Megumi doing well in school, which Megumi was not fond of.
In between watching the children and Nanami’s job, Gojo popped up in his life. It started with the taller man showing up to his workplace on Friday evenings, insisting the two go out for dinner.
“I know it’s Friday and you can’t possibly have anywhere else to be,” Gojo would always say. Nanami would let the man follow him and somehow always found himself at an Izakaya, sipping a beer as he let Gojo talk his ear off.
Gojo then began texting Nanami, which Nanami absolutely hated. He didn’t love technology much, and much preferred to use his cell phone only if absolutely necessary. But Gojo sent him updates about the children and Nanami begrudgingly read them all.
Tuesday 13:25 pm
Gojo: Megumi’s divine dog bit my fucking ankle today
Thursday 11:02 am
Gojo: What's the difference between ice cream and sorbet? I brought home strawberry sorbet yesterday and Megumi refused to eat it because it wasn’t “ice cream”
Monday 20:46 pm
Gojo: Tsumiki snores
This is how Nanami found himself, sprawled on the Fushiguro’s couch six months later. Each sibling tucked under his arm, watching some new silly TV show on a Saturday evening. Gojo was away on a mission and was due to return soon. Nanami didn’t ask many questions when it came to his missions.
“Nanami,” Megumi said, looking up at the man. “How come you don’t teach with Gojo if you’re a sorcerer too?”
Nanami looked down at the little boy, hair a tangled mess atop his head. “I don’t practice Jujutsu anymore Megumi, I’m sure Gojo has told you this before.”
“But why not?” Megumi pushed further.
Nanami sighed, “You’ll see for yourself when you get older.”
Megumi huffed, “Why do adults always say things like that?”
Nanami cracked a smile, “Because it’s true.”
“I’d know! I’m older AND wiser than you!” Tsumiki chimed in.
Megumi reached in front of Nanami in an attempt to swat at his sister, but Nanami gently pushed the younger boy’s chest to sit back down.
The three continued to watch the show, until the smallest one’s head began lolling on his shoulder. Nanami took this as a sign to switch off the tv and begin tucking the children into bed. He gently walked a swaying Megumi to his room, who immediately collapsed on his bed face-down. He then checked under the bed for monsters before Tsumiki crawled into her blankets.
“Goodnight, Nanami-san,” she smiled sweetly. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before flipping the lights off and closing the door softly.
Nanami made his way into the living room, sighing in content. He sat down in the armchair and picked up his book from the coffee table, hoping to get a few chapters in before sleep overtook him too.
About an hour later, Nanami was deeply concentrating on his novel, when the lock on the door began to shake. He calmly looked up as the lanky, white haired sorcerer entered the apartment. He was clad in his Jujutsu uniform but was not wearing his signature shades.
Gojo walked across the living room and collapsed on the couch with a loud sigh. “Mission over. Or accomplished I guess.” Placing his feet on the coffee table, which Nanami wrinkled his nose at, Gojo turned to Nanami with a smirk. “Fatherhood looks handsome on you.”
Nanami rolled his eyes at this and set his book down, “I’m glad you’re back safely.”
“Of course, of course. And good thing too, I promised Tsumiki I’d buy her those fluffy pancakes she likes if she got an A on her english test. She’d probably kill me if I didn’t follow through with that.”
“You have to stop promising these children sweets, Gojo,” Nanami said.
“They’re children, Nanami, they NEED sweets!” Gojo threw up his hands as if to express how important of a statement this was.
“You really need to start feeding these children better. Megumi asked me what a beet was at the supermarket today,” Nanami said with pursed lips.
“The kid doesn’t need to know what a beet is, they’re disgusting,” Gojo huffed.
Nanami sighed and stood up, “Well you’re back early, so I will head out now.”
Gojo looked at him with furrowed brows, “But you didn’t properly say goodbye to the kids? They’ll be expecting you in the morning.”
“Yea, but…” And Namami trailed off. There’s no way Gojo didn’t know what he was thinking.
When Gojo left for his missions, Nanami often spent 1 night with the children. He slept in Gojo’s unoccupied room, which was not as odd as he expected it to be. He’d always strip the bed of Gojo’s used sheets and set down his own from home. It made him feel more at ease. However, sleeping in said bed with Gojo and Gojo’s sheets was very odd and made Nanami’s stomach do uncomfortable flips.
“I’ll take the couch,” Gojo said, as if reading the younger sorcerer’s mind.
“You just got back from a two week mission, I don’t want to impose on you like that,” Nanami responded.
“How thoughtful of my little kouhai!” Gojo smiled. “Always so caring, so dad-like. So sexy-” Nanami coughed at this, glaring at Gojo. “-If you really insist though Nanami, we can share.”
Nanami gulped. No no no! was his immediate reaction. However, Gojo had made a good point about not saying a proper goodbye to the kids. He couldn’t believe the man was messing with his head like this. And yet, a small part of his head didn’t mind. It made him feel sick to his stomach.
“I really don’t want to cause a-” Nanami began. Gojo cut him off shortly.
“Nonsense Nanami! You’ve been doing me a huge favor these past months. Who am I to refuse you? Besides-” and Nanami could tell where this was going. “Nanami Kento in my bed. One could only dream.”
To this, Nanami almost turned and fled out the door. But he resisted every urge to strangle the man and hoped his face wasn’t blushing scarlet.
“How flattering of you,” Nanami deadpanned.
The two chatted quietly for the next half hour, Gojo recounting bits of his mission and general happenings of Jujutsu tech. Nanami listened and nodded, only giving short and tactical responses. When Gojo stood up and stretched his long limbs, Nanami knew he couldn’t ignore what he was dreading. A sleepover with Gojo.
“Well I’m beat. It’s bedtime for me,” Gojo began striding towards his room. “You comin blondie?”
Nanami regretted agreeing to any of this but followed the man down the familiar hallway.
When they reached Gojo’s room, Gojo flipped on the lights and closed the door.
“I’m gonna hop in the shower, feel free to get into bed though.”
Nanami nodded and turned away, shoving his sweating palms into the pockets of his trousers. Gojo opened a drawer to his dresser, pulled out a crumpled pile of clothing and made his way to the restroom. When the door shut and Nanami heard the sound of the shower start, he put his head in his hands and breathed furiously. Why was he so nervous about sleeping next to Gojo? This was ridiculous.
He slipped into his pajamas- a navy blue silk set- and slid under the covers. He nervously tapped his fingers against his pillow as he heard the shower shut off.
Minutes later, the door opened and Gojo made his way towards the bed.
“Silk pajamas, cute,” Gojo chuckled, slipping under the covers on the opposite side of the bed.
“They’re sensible” Nanami replied.
Gojo turned the lamp beside his bed off and the room grew dark. Nanami kept his back towards Gojo, hoping the man would understand the message and keep as far from him as possible.
“I really do appreciate you, Nanami,” Gojo spoke into the quiet room.
“Hmm,” Nanami turned around and faced Gojo.
Gojo’s face was much closer to his own than he would’ve liked. The sorcerer’s hair was illuminated by the glow of the moon that poured in from the skylight. His eyes were obnoxiously blue and sparkled under the light. Nanami could make out his bare shoulder from beneath the covers.
“What you’ve done for me- for those kids. I half expected you to refuse when I asked you that day. Truth is I needed help. A lot more help than I’d like to admit. I don’t know the first thing about children, I didn't exactly spend much time around them even as a child myself.” Gojo didn’t talk much about his upbringing, but Nanami knew it was a sensitive topic. He also knew the kind of environments those prestigious clans raised their children in. An almost loveless childhood. “But after what… what I did to their father. And what I knew was going to happen to them, I couldn’t just leave it.”
Nanami nodded his head in understanding.
“So thank you Kento, really,” Gojo said earnestly. The use of his first name made Nanami’s palms begin to sweat again.
The two lay in a comfortable silence, as Nanami began to feel drowsiness overtake him. He really loved those kids.