Chapter Text
Chapter One: Party
“Come on, Fushiguro!” Kugisaki complained as I began to rag out a cart of clothes to put on the racks. “Maki bailed on me to drive Okkotsu to the airport, so will you go to this party with me?”
“I don’t party,” I grumbled, grabbing an unfolded shirt from the rack I was standing in front of and folding it back. “Not my thing. I’d prefer it if you didn’t go alone, though.”
“That’s why I’m asking you!” she whined. She wore her reddish-brown hair in a ponytail because the store we work in has little to no air conditioning and it’s the middle of summer. She wiped her hands on her shorts often, and I found myself taking trips to my car to cool down. I was one of the few guys working here, and the girls liked to take advantage and use the fact that I was a guy to make me do the heavy lifting. “I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important.”
“It’s really not. We’re going to college in a few weeks anyway, there will be more than enough parties to go to. And Maki and Inumaki can accompany you.” She rolled her eyes, playing with her lanyard around her neck.
“Whatever, Fushiguro!” she sighed. “But no one else is available, and I know you don’t really want to go home.”
“I never said I didn’t,” I sighed. “Besides, I have my dogs to take care of?” I knew deep down that Gojo, my adopted father, would take care of them for me, especially since he wanted me to get out and hang out with others my age, since he said that it wasn’t good for me to be such a recluse, but at the same time, I preferred my space, and I knew that he knew that.
Did that matter sometimes? Nope, not at all.
“Please, Fushiguro? I’ll buy you lunch!” Kugisaki was really laying it on thick. “Besides, you just might meet someone there. And we all know you suck at meeting people you’re not forced to interact with on a day to day basis.”
I frowned. Was I about to agree to this just to be spiteful?
“Fine. But I want curry rice for lunch,” I said. “And I’ll hate every minute of this stupid party.”
“That’s the spirit!” Kugisaki smiled. “You better come and get me around 9. You won’t drink, will you?”
“Pfft, do you know me?” I snorted. “My dad would kill me.” I never bothered explaining my family dynamic to her because I didn’t think it really mattered. I sighed, towing my cart with me as I wandered around, stocking what needed to be stocked. Kugisaki left early for her lunch break, promising to bring me back my curry rice, and I continued to stock shelves. It was almost time for school to start, so the store was kind of packed with tired looking moms and children and teenagers wandering around.
“Excuse me, sir, can I get some assistance?” an all too familiar voice asked as I was taking a pair of shoes back to the section. Someone decided that they didn’t want them, and they just left them around. I spun around to see my father for all intents and purposes, Satoru Gojo. He wore a blue button down shirt, a pair of black pants, and sunglasses. His white hair fell messily around his face, and his blue eyes practically burned through his sunglasses at me.
“No,” I sighed, making him chuckle. “What can I do for you, sir?” I grumbled. He laughed, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Seriously, Gojo, what are you doing here?”
“I’m shopping for clothes, of course,” he said innocently. “And I was wondering where you guys keep these.” He pointed to his chest, and I could tell he meant the shirt he was wearing. I sighed again, grabbed his arm, and spun him to the side, where there were many different brands of shirts that looked just like the one he wore. “Besides, my son is working. Why wouldn’t I come visit?”
“Because you have better things to do,” I said. “Like going to the meetings you have scheduled?” It irked me slightly when he called me his son, but what was I supposed to do? Tell him to stop?
“Pfft, they can wait.” He walked out of the aisle and began to run his fingers along the different shirts, feeling for fabric I guess. He then looked at me. “I just wanted to let you know, as well, that I might be late for dinner, so don’t wait.”
“Well,” I scratched the back of my neck. “Kugisaki wanted to go to a small get-together, and she’s towing me along.” I didn’t want to admit I was going to a party to Gojo. He might kill me. Then again, he was all for letting the youth be youthful, so he might’ve even offered to be the designated driver.
Still, I wasn’t going to admit that to him.
“A party?” he asked, and I frowned. “I was a teenager too, Megumi, believe it or not.” A girl spun around as she passed when Gojo said my first name. I guess her name was Megumi as well. It was a feminine name, very feminine to the point where I got asked outright if I was trans the first day I worked here by a random person at the register. I ignored the comment, not because it upset me but because even if I was, it shouldn’t have mattered. “I know all the slang and lies.”
“Come on, Gojo, it’s not even going to be that big of a deal,” I mumbled. I actually sounded interested in going, which shocked me.
“You actually sound like you want to go. So, if you do, go for it. I don’t mind. Just let me know beforehand, got it?” I nodded, and he patted my shoulder again before tossing a few shirts over his arm, wandering over to the shoes with me. I began to pick up a little bit and he looked at shoes wherever I was. I had a feeling he wanted to talk about something else quickly, but was holding out.
“What’s up, Gojo?” I asked.
“Oh, well, I know you’re not really wanting to do much in college this year, but the basketball team is holding their tryouts soon. Like, in a couple of weeks. I think you should try out. You loved it in high school.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that sports were a coping mechanism, so I didn’t say anything. I glanced over at Gojo, who shrugged. “If you’re interested, of course. But you were good at it, so maybe…” he shrugged.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll probably check it out. Let me know when it is.” I knelt down and picked up a pair of shoes that had fallen off of the shelf.
“Good. I’m glad. Anyway, I’ll see you at home.” He waved as he walked away, and I sighed, leaning against the shelf again. Did I really want to play basketball again? Eh, whatever. I’d try out, probably fail, and then play it off like nothing. People didn’t make it all the time. Did it matter?
“You know,” Kugisaki’s voice snapped me out of my daze. “Most people call their parents Mom or Dad. Not their name.”
“It’s different,” I mumbled. “Did you get my curry rice?”
“Yes, it’s in the breakroom with your name written on it.” I nodded and walked to the breakroom, announcing I was taking my lunch. I wandered into the breakroom and began to eat my curry rice. At least Kugisaki knew enough about me to put extra ginger with my rice. I began to think about things I could wear to the party, and what I’d even do. I’d probably just be on my phone, holding whatever Kugisaki decides to drink. Hopefully she didn’t expect me to actually be an active member of the party.
Maybe I could get lucky and sneak away, but I wanted to make sure Kugisaki was alright. I didn’t trust people.
***
When I got off of work, it was probably the best feeling ever. Kugisaki was pestering me until 3:30, when we got off, and kept telling me that she expected me to even be early so we could get food before the party. She didn’t want to drink on an empty stomach, and I just felt that she was going to be hammered.
I really didn’t want that to happen, because I needed to be the caretaker. I ran to my car, and drove myself home. As soon as I got there, I collapsed onto the couch and let my whole body rest for a moment. Waking up around seven AM every morning for work was exhausting, and I knew that with college coming up, I’d have to move over to the evening shift. And if by some miracle I got on the basketball team, well, I didn’t know when I’d be able to work.
I needed my own money if I wanted to be self-sufficient. I’d rather work every day of my life than rely on Gojo any more than necessary. I looked around the living room and saw the different pictures of my sister, myself, and Gojo. The family vacations he took us on, the simple trips, everything was documented. I sometimes got tired of seeing my own little face everywhere. If I ever brought someone home to meet Gojo, I’d ask him to remove some of the pictures from the walls.
That was a big if though. I’d rather not think about it too much, anyway. I could be like Gojo. He was single for all the years he raised Tsumiki and myself. Sure, he went on a couple dates, but nothing really stuck. I joked with him that he needed to wear a blindfold on these dates because his blue eyes were scaring the women.
Although I think it’s more of a gender problem. I didn’t think Gojo was straight. He smelled fruity. Not that it really mattered. Especially not to me.
My dogs were waiting patiently in my room when I finally made my way up to them, so I let them out and watched them in the backyard. There was a volleyball and tennis balls lying in the yard due to my younger sister, who played both sports. Of course, my dogs loved it when she practiced with her friends because they’d fetch the stray tennis balls. Sure, they may have made Gojo have to buy new ones every other day, but that was just part of the fun.
Besides, Gojo could afford it. He was fine.
It was quiet, until I heard the front door slam, and Tsumiki and her friends were giggling as they wandered into the house. “Ugh, Megumi’s home!” Tsumiki complained. I frowned, rolling my eyes as I called in my dogs.
“Nice to see you, too, Tsumiki,” I said, walking inside.
“Get out,” Tsumiki whined as one of my dogs placed their paw on her knee. Tsumiki was basking in the recent popularity, and just given the fact that school was around the corner and summer was almost over. She was smart, kind, and good at the sports she played, but she was always sour to me. I guess she needed to be mean to one person if she’s kind to everyone else, and I didn’t think that I made it any better because I typically fanned the flames.
“I detest you,” I said, grabbing my bag from the couch. I whistled, and both my dogs came running to me at once. “Don’t ruin the house.”
“Whatever, Megumi!” she sighed. I walked over to my room, hearing the sounds of my sister and her friends giggling at something as I closed my bedroom door. I opened my closet, looking for something to wear to a party like the one Kugisaki was describing. I mean, I could wear what I was wearing. Black cargo pants, a gray shirt, and a pair of gray Converse. It fit just fine. I’d wear it, then. I really didn’t care. Now I was just waiting for around 9 to go and get Kugisaki. It was going to be a long wait.
I sat on my bed and read for a while, and then watched some TV, and then got a shower. When it was almost time for me to leave, I got ready, and then left the house after sending a quick text to Gojo. I told him that I was going to the party, and he could rest easy. I gave him a rough estimate of when I’d be back, and he just sent a thumbs up in return.
Tsumiki, however, was beyond angry that I was deciding to go out and have a good time by myself. She seemed genuinely angry that I was going to pick up Kugisaki and take her to a party. I wondered why, but ignored it.
***
I wanted to go home. The second we walked into this party, it was like stepping into a cube where everyone is too close together, but they are all having fun, except for me. I looked at Kugisaki, who was laughing as she accepted a freshly made drink. I stood with my back against the wall, drinking a cup of Coke, since I didn’t want to seem like a lightweight. Not that anyone was paying attention to me, though.
I was doing what I did best, which was people watching. On the left side of the room, people were playing drinking games, the most prevalent one being beer pong. Then, in the middle of the room, there were people dancing, and a lot of couples occupied that space. It was a large frat house, too, which was shocking that so many people could fill up the spot. LED lights were shining over people, and, when I glanced over at the table with someone controlling the music, I saw him .
His hair was a mix of colors due to the LED lights flashing, but it was in a trimmed style with a messy top and buzzed sides and back. The color difference was astounding, given that the bottom part looked dark, and then the top part was light. I was staring, openly, but I couldn’t look away.
His face was kind, I could tell from here. He was tall, and pretty muscular. He wore a black hoodie and a pair of jeans, nothing too exciting, and held a cup that had a dark liquid in it. He turned around and I was smitten. He radiated pure, positive energy. I could tell he was very popular with the girls, but he paid them no mind, instead focusing on his friend. I wondered…
Was he like me? Was he putting on a facade?
His eyes met mine, and I felt myself walking toward him without even moving. Wait, no, he was walking to me. It seemed only natural to look down at my phone, to deter him from speaking to me. Maybe I could play off this little guy crush. Make him just think I was people watching. It was accurate…right?
“Hey,” he said after a moment. The music was a little loud, so it was a little difficult to hear him, but his voice would stick out in a crowd of people to me anyway.
“Hi,” I said. His voice was even kinder than I thought, and his face was very sweet. He had high cheekbones, a gentle smile, and amber eyes. His hair, now that he was closer, was obvious to me. It was pink ?
“Care to dance? I love this song,” he said, smiling a little bit bigger. I felt my cheeks redden. I didn’t dance, but I wanted to give this guy what he wanted. I sighed.
“I don’t really dance,” I said shyly. The guy shrugged, and then took my hand, leading me to the outskirts of the crowd of people dancing. He never let go of my hand, keeping me close to him. I was embarrassed, but only because I really couldn’t/never learned how to dance at a scene like this. Unfortunately, I knew how to traditionally dance, no thanks to my sister begging to learn. Gojo of course bent to her every wish and taught us.
The way this guy moved, though, was so easy. I mean, he was getting into it, but it all looked so easy for him. I could never do that.
“You weren’t kidding,” he laughed when the song ended. “That’s okay. I’ll have you dancing by the end of the night.”
“Bold of you to assume I’m going to stick by you,” I said, although I knew Kugisaki was having the time of her life being the center of attention. I glanced over at her, seeing her laughing as she raised a cup to her lips. She was going to be so hard to get home. Ugh.
“Oh whatever,” the guy teased. “You look like you want to leave, so…” he looked up at me. I was just a little taller than him. “Let’s get outta here. Go hang out. Parties are fun and all, but typically they need to have everyone having fun.”
“I never said I wasn’t having fun,” I defended. “I prefer to watch people anyway. It’s more interesting.” He laughed, shaking his head. “And I was watching you have fun, therefore, I was entertained.”
“Jesus Christ, how old are you?” he teased. “Speaking like you're from an old time-y book.” I blushed, and he laughed again. His laugh was absolutely delightful. I smiled at it. “Well, you don’t look a day over eighteen, so I’m assuming eighteen.”
“Yeah,” I said. “What about you?”
“Same here.” I didn’t realize it at first, but he’d dragged me just a little closer, and when he swayed his hips, mine did the same movement. I glanced over at Kugisaki, who was staring directly at me with shock on her face. I blushed, looking away. Tomorrow at work, she’d have so many questions. Ugh, I wasn’t looking forward to it. At least we worked the evening shift tomorrow, which gave us plenty of time to sleep off a party’s draining nature.
Well, Kugisaki might be in a world of hurt, but oh well. That’s what she gets for drinking.
“Who’s she?” the guy asked, looking where I was looking.
“My friend, I’m her designated driver,” I sighed.
“No wonder you’re such a stiff,” the guy teased. “Parties are no fun without something to drink.”
“But we’re underage,” I said.
He laughed. “Well, yeah. That’s what makes it fun. Besides, these types of parties are betting on people getting drunk. It’s to make sure they don’t see the grossness of frat houses.” I wrinkled my nose, and he laughed at me.
“It’s just…I’ve never had an urge to drink. Never been peer-pressured.” I shrugged and he nodded.
“Oh well,” he sighed. “At least you’re dancing with me.” I looked at how his body moved, and how mine was practically mirroring it, just with less grace and more choppy movements. Oh well. I’d never learn how to dance.
The night continued, and I was becoming more and more interested in this guy. He was just so…genuine with his kindness, accepting my weird behavior with nothing more than a shrug if it was pretty odd. He was cute, could talk about anything and everything, and he was just so...perfect. I frowned when I looked at my watch.
I had to get Kugisaki back home.
“Leaving the party early?” the guy asked. I nodded, and he nodded as well, walking with me to where Kugisaki was waiting. She’d seen the time too, and it registered even in her drunk brain to wait for me. “Well, I hope I see you again,” the guy said. He leaned over and kissed my cheek, making my brain stop functioning for a moment. I stuttered out a goodbye, grabbed Kugisaki by the arm, and dragged her outside. The cool night air felt amazing against my flushed face. Kugisaki grabbed at her stomach and threw up into the bushes outside the frat house, me holding her hair back. Gross.
I sighed, letting her get everything out before she got into my car. As we walked to my car, she leaned heavily on me, and I was practically carrying her weight. “Who was that guy?” she asked, her words slurring.
“Just someone random I decided to talk with,” I said, not wanting to get into the specifics. I did know one thing, though. I was absolutely entranced by the guy.
I stopped walking immediately. I never got his name. I never got his name, and I’d probably never see him again. The universe was cruel. My entire mood crumbled as soon as the realization hit me.
I was going to be single for a long time, wasn’t I?