Work Text:
If Nanami was being transparent, he never planned to have kids. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be a parent; he just didn’t think it was right for him to bring a child into the world. Day to day life as a jujutsu sorcerer wasn’t guaranteed. And life as a salaryman wasn’t much better - most days he was so busy that he barely had time to breathe before the day was over and he was getting ready for it to start all over again.
And yet somehow, despite all his reservations, Nanami still became a parent of two. And it was all because of Gojo Satoru.
Then again, most of the life altering things in his life could be traced back to Gojo.
-
“Nanami Kento! Is that really you?”
Nanami hoped the genuine look of surprise wasn’t showing on his face as Gojo was suddenly in the work elevator with him.
Still a fan of teleportation, I see.
Side stepping around him as soon as the door dinged opened, Nanami walked off the elevator and started down the hallway. He was heading in the direction of his cubicle after his pitifully short lunch.
“Gojo Satoru… Why are you here?”
“Well, I have a favor to ask.”
“This is the first time we’ve seen each other in almost three years and it’s because you want me to do you a favor? Couldn’t you have texted me? I know you’ve been keeping tabs on me.”
“Just hear me out, okay?”
Straight to the point. So this had to be a big favor.
Nanami wasn’t sure if it was from Gojo himself or from the Jujutsu Society, but either way the answer was the same.
“No.”
Nanami tried walking a little faster towards his cube. He knew realistically that if Gojo was anywhere near the same guy that he was three years ago, he would continue to follow and pester him until he got the answer he wanted, but God, he hoped that for once in his life, Satoru would just go away quietly.
Especially because at this point, they were now near the worker stations, surrounded by Nanami’s peers who were the very strict, rule following, gossiping type.
Any second now, they’d either be asking Nanami who his guest was or they’d be making their own assumptions that would get around to him sooner or later.
Either way, neither option sounded preferable.
“Nanami-San,” The main office gossip, Watanabe, smiled politely as she poked out of her cube. “I’ve never seen you bring a guest to the office. Is this a friend of yours?”
“No.”
The woman blinked at his bluntness, but her smile never went away “Oh? But you two seem so familiar together.”
“That’s because we are.” Gojo’s sunglasses slipped down his nose to show off his cerulean eyes. Smiling widely, he threw his arm around Nanami’s shoulders. ”Nanami is my dear kohai all grown up. I happened to be the neighborhood and he told me to stop on by. I hope I’m not interrupting anyone.”
“You most certainly are, but let’s not distract the whole office, senpai.” Nanami ignored as the already wide smile on Satoru’s face grew in size - if that was even possible. Instead, he shrugged off Gojo’s arms and did a small bow to apologize to Watanabe. “Sorry for pulling you away from your paperwork. This visit will be short. I apologize for not saying anything in advance.”
And then Nanami exasperatedly forced himself into his little 8x8 cube. It was meant for one person which meant that Gojo had to sit his gangly limbs on the desk next to the computer while the blond signed in.
“Now that you’ve forced yourself into my work day, how may I help you?”
This time it was Satoru’s turn to grimace and remove his glasses, “Well I’m glad you asked.”
-
The favor was Gojo specific.
He had taken on the daunting task of raising two kids - a six year old named Megumi and an eight year old named Tsumiki.
An idiotic move if you asked Nanami.
They were in their early twenties. They weren’t meant to be parents.
Which is actually the favor that Gojo had asked.
“I need help, Nanami. And you’re the most responsible adult I know! And you’re not a sorcerer anymore which means… you’re less of a liability, ya know?”
He meant that he was less likely to turn. Like Geto had. Or die young.
Like Yu had.
“This is a big favor, Gojo. Why would I take on additional responsibilities?”
“Because you don’t want to see kids grow up with the same bullshit we did? Or at least we could try to prolong it as long as we can. Right?”
Nanami sighed, but with little hesitation agreed, “I could be a babysitter.”
-
And that’s how Nanami first met the Fushiguro kids. They were good kids, all things considered.
Tsumiki was pretty independent for an eight year old. From what Gojo had told him, the kids came from the Zenin clan - or at least, Megumi had. The story was a little complicated but from what Nanami had gathered, Megumi’s biological dad was part of the clan at one point or another and was planning to sell his son back to them after discovering that he had inherited some special technique. Tsumiki was just a bystander - a step child turned victim.
It made sense why she was so comfortable waking up early to make her and her brother’s lunch every morning and then coming home from school and making sure the two did their homework.
Whoever Fushiguro Toji was - he didn’t sound like the peak father of the year.
“Who are you?” Tsumiki asked the first time Nanami had made his way into their home. Without Gojo, of course, because the man abruptly had to leave for some last minute month long mission.
Nanami observed how she had shoved her brother behind her back, puffing out her chest protectively.
She wouldn’t have stood a chance if he was an actual bad guy.
Dropping down to one knee to match her height, Nanami introduced himself “I’m Nanami Kento. I’m a… friend of Gojo’s. He asked me to check on you guys whenever he’s gone.”
He was ready for the barrage of questions to follow. The distrust. The “if you’re friends with Gojo, why didn’t he tell us about you coming?” Anything like that.
Instead, it was the little boy who spoke up “Why are you friends with that weirdo? Are you weird too?”
“Gumi!”
“I’m being serious. I don’t want to be around any more weirdos, Miki.”
Tsumiki reached out to grab her brother’s head and forced the two of them to bow in apology, “Excuse my brother.”
Nanami couldn’t help the twitch of a smile on his face.
-
The progression was slow… with Megumi.
After three or four visits where Nanami would come by after work and make something quick for dinner and then gently force the kids into taking their baths after homework, Tsumiki had taken a liking to him.
She would follow directions and give him no troubles. She enjoyed the routine.
But Megumi, he was different.
He didn’t care much about any authority figure outside of his sister. And any direction given to him would either be ignored or have to be reiterated until he was annoyed enough to do it.
Nanami wondered how Gojo had taken on the responsibility and lasted this long in the first place.
Two brats never made an angel.
-
It wasn’t until Nanami was forced to work overtime that he actually made any progress with Megumi.
His boss had thrown a huge project at him with a fast approaching deadline and unfortunately for Kento, his team turned out to be full of incompetent idiots who made rookie clerical mistakes like this was their first big boy job.
Nevermind the fact that this was Nanami’s first.
And with the deadline approaching that quickly, Nanami couldn’t risk wasting any more time and decided to stay late for the first time since his babysitting duties had began.
It wasn’t the latest he had stayed - he was still out by 6 and at the Gojo-Fushiguro’s by 7. But it was out of his routine.
And both children noticed immediately.
“Nanami?!” Tsumiki called from the kitchen when he entered with the key that had been made for him. “Are you home?”
“Yes.”
Loud footsteps came running to the front of the house. Tsumiki was wearing an oversized, dirty apron and looking incredibly relieved.
“You’re late! I- I figured you weren’t coming back. Why didn’t you call?!”
Kento had never been scolded by an eight year old before.
“I didn’t think I had to. You know I check on you every two days.”
“Yeah, but Dad checked on us every day until he didn’t. Gojo has been here everyday and now he’s gone-“
“He’s not gone forever. Gojo, I mean. He’s on a business trip.”
Nanami could prove that he’d be back with the amount of unwanted selfies and text messages he received everyday asking about the kids, if they missed him yet, and if Nanami wanted an allowance for his troubles (he did, but he wouldn’t ever say that aloud).
“Well, whatever. Anyway you didn’t come so I figured it was just the same adult thing again.”
Nanami frowned.
“I’m sorry for my troubles.”
This time, a little porcupine of a little boy came crawling from behind the couch, a large frown on his face “Don’t apologize. Don’t do it again or stop coming around all together.”
“Okay,“
-
“Nanamin! Ain’t this a pleasant surprise. The kids aren’t too much for you, are they?”
Nanami looked uncomfortable to be on FaceTime with Gojo, but this was a request that had to be made face to face.
“Uh, no, they’re not. Like you said, they’re good kids.”
“I know right!? Except little Megumi. He hates my guts. I don’t know what I’d do without Miki.”
“Yeah,” Nanami trialed off, his eyes darting down the hallway where he knew that he had just put the two kids to bed for the night. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I suppose it’s my turn to ask for a favor.”
“Anything for my sweetest kohai!”
“May I stay here with them? While you’re gone, I mean. I want to live with them full time while you’re gone. I was late checking on them today and they didn’t respond well. I think it would benefit their development if they had a full time caretaker to—“
“Whoa, hey, calm down. I don’t need an explanation. Of course you can stay with them. I’ll only be gone for like two more weeks though. Shit is rough down here, Nanamin. You know we’re hurting for sorcerers, still.”
“Yeah…”
Gojo sighed, “Yeah yeah, I know a no when I hear one. Just an option if salaryman and househusband don’t work out for you.”
“Since when am I a househusband?”
“You don’t see it? You’re staying at my house, about to keep my bed warm, feeding and nurturing my kids. Ergo, you’re my trophy wife waiting for me.”
“I’d never be your trophy wife, Satoru.”
“Because I’m prettier, right? So you’d want to tie me down? Sorry, but I’m just not the domestic type, ya know? Too antsy.”
“Goodbye Gojo.”
“Love you babe!”
-
That weekend, Kento went home and packed a suitcase. Toiletries, enough suits for rotation, comfy house clothes, and enough reading material to keep him occupied for two weeks.
And just to be safe, he tucked his wrapped sword in.
He was moving in after all.
-
The kids were surprisingly okay with the change. It probably had something to do with the communication, but Nanami made an effort of coming home at exactly the same time everyday or calling the house line to let the kids know if there was a change in plans.
Everyday, he made it a point to come home, cook dinner, help with any homework that the kids were unable to complete without his assistance, have them take their baths, and hang out with them until bed time.
It was building the domestic life that Nanami had always wanted but never thought he deserved. He both hated it and loved it.
“What are you reading?”
Megumi was staring at him with his usual frown. But he looked significantly less intimidating with the glow in the dark dinosaur pajamas that his sister had dressed him in.
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It’s a favorite of mine.”
“Gojo said there isn’t a need to read books when you watch the movie. And if there isn’t a movie, it’s not worth your time.”
“Yeah, well Gojo is an idiot. Books are a different experience. And usually better than the movie can squish into two and a half hours.”
“Oh,” Megumi made a sound that if Nanami had to guess, was something kin to laughter. “He is an idiot.”
Kento started to nod before realizing that maybe he shouldn’t be having a roasting session with a six year old about the owner of the house.
“Anyway, did you need something Megumi-kun?”
Megumi shook his head, but crawled up on the couch next to Nanami anyway, “Can you read to me?”
“I don’t think this is an age appropriate book.”
“Please?”
“Ah—“ Nanami sighed. This was the first time Megumi was actively seeking him out. “Sure. Do you want me to start from the beginning?”
It was inconvenient this far in, but Kento didn’t actually mind.
-
After that, it would suffice to say that Megumi and Tsumiki both warmed up to him.
Tsumiki would help Nanami look up recipes on his phone and cook dinner with him.
The kids would have their homework ready on their bedroom desks for him to look over afterwards.
Bath time became less of a chore and they could even take them separate now because Megumi wouldn’t defy everything Kento asked of him.
And afterwards, Megumi always made a point to curl up in Nanami’s lap so he could follow along as the blond read his book at the end of the day. Nanami wasn’t sure if the boy could actually read or if he just wanted to pretend while he listened to the man’s voice, but every night, Megumi would fall asleep listening.
Nanami couldn’t help but to start feeling attached.
-
And then a low level curse attacked. Or well, it was a semi grade two curse. But when Nanami left jujutsu society, he was a grade one.
He was still a grade one.
And he had kids to protect.
Nanami was only gone for 45 minutes - he had run to the grocery store to buy ingredients for the next three days of meal prepping when he could feel something wrong.
Someone or something was here and it wasn’t Gojo.
He dropped the bags of produced and ran inside, following the trace of energy all the way to Tsumiki’s room.
This time it was the girl that was scared shitless, pressed against the wall with her brother in a defensive stance, hands in position and a single Devine dog snarling. The grotesque curse in front of them was laughing, and with a swipe of the hand, the dog fell with a painful whimper and there was a hole now in its side.
“You think a dog can take me down, kid?”
In an instant, Nanami’s tie was from around his neck and wrapped securely around his fist.
With a deep sigh, Nanami got into position “I hate working off the clock.”
-
“Are you okay?” Nanami was crouched down, arms tightly wrapped around the two children. “That curse didn’t actually touch you, right?”
“No! I wouldn’t let him hurt Tsumiki ever! He’d have to kill me first!”
Despite his words, Megumi had tears streaming down his face, “I would’ve kept summoning my Devine dog until— until—“
“Shhh, Megumi. You don’t need to worry about that anymore. You were very brave, but I’m back now so you’re safe.”
“You never told us you were a jujutsu sorcerer like that weirdo.”
“I’m not. I’m just a salaryman.”
-
That night, Nanami stayed in the bathroom while the two washed off and didn’t fight when they sat outside of the bathroom during his turn.
They ordered takeout and all slept in Gojo’s guest bed together.
-
A week later, Gojo teleported into the house. Nanami was in the middle of pulling the curry doria out of the oven. Tsumiki was next to him on a step ladder, pouring something colorful to drink into three glasses.
And Megumi was sitting on the adjacent counter with his legs swinging. When his eyes met with Gojo’s, he let out a dramatic sigh, “The idiot is back.”
“Hey!”
“Hmmph.”
“Megumi,” Nanami straightened up, placing the dish on the stove top. “Don’t be rude to the idiot. Apologize and go wash your hands.”
Gojo watched in both amazement and mild offense as Megumi huffed and hopped off the counter, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was actually following directions.
“Sorry Weirdo.”
And then off he went in the direction of the bathroom.
-
“So, the kids seem to like you.”
Kento sighed as Gojo appeared in the doorway to the guest room. The kids were now asleep and it was time to pack his bags. He took his time folding up a pair of sweatpants.
“They’re sweet kids. They just need… a constant.”
“It’s hard to offer that in this life.”
“I know.”
“You could be my trophy wife, ya know? My precious kohai turned lover. You could raise the two kids while I fight the big, bad curses. It’ll be like those cheesy romance novels you used to read!”
Nanami refused to acknowledge the red in his cheeks. He didn’t read cheesy romance novels. He read quality young adult fiction back in the day.
“Shut up Gojo.”
“You don’t have to stop coming by all the time now that I’m back, either. They’re gonna miss you and Megumi actually listens to you.”
“They’re your kids. You asked me to babysit, remember?”
Satoru put a hand on his shoulder. He could feel the warmth with the lack of infinity. “And you’re telling me you didn’t get attached to them?”
“It doesn’t matter if I did. I’m not meant to be a parent.”
-
To ease the transition because Nanami wasn’t heartless, he returned to checking in every two days.
And phone calls even when he wasn’t coming over so the kids knew he wasn’t working overtime.
It was the right thing to do.
-
After a month, Nanami’s visits cut back again to only visiting when Gojo was gone for overnighters.
He stopped calling.
It was hurtful but he was getting too attached. He was sure Tsumiki understood - she seemed to be happy whenever Nanami would come even for short visits.
It was Megumi who returned to his reclusiveness.
-
And then one day, Nanami got a call in the middle of the workday. It was from an unfamiliar number which he typically would ignore, but something in his gut told him to answer. So he did.
“Good afternoon, am I speaking with Gojo Kento?”
“I-“ Nanami blinked hard and looked at his phone in confusion. “No. This is Nanami Kento. How may I help you?”
“Oh, I’m sorry! The file said… erm, anyway, I’m calling from the elementary school on behalf of Fushiguro Megumi.”
Nanami sat up straight in his chair, “What’s wrong with Megumi-kun? Is he alright?”
“Yes sir. It’s just that he’s been acting out in class and today he got into a fight with another student so he’s been suspended for the rest of the week. When he was informed by the the principal, he stormed out and locked himself in a classroom. We haven’t been able to get in contact with the primary contact, Gojo Satoru, but we had a Gojo Kento listed as the secondary.”
Gojo Kento, my ass.
Nanami would deal with Gojo later. He wasn’t anybody’s damn trophy wife.
They weren’t even dating.
Idiot.
Still, “I’m on my way.”
For the first time since Nanami Kento was hired as a salaryman, he left work early.
They could excuse this one discourtesy.
-
“Megumi-kun, are you in there?”
Nanami was crouched in front of the classroom door that the staff had led him to. He heard the familiar tsked sound as the little boy sucked his teeth in irritation.
“Why are you here? Is the idiot too busy?”
Nanami didn’t respond immediately, “Why are you acting out Megumi?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. Do you think Tsumiki would approve?”
A thud hit the door implying the boy had thrown something, “You don’t get to talk about my sister after you hurt her!”
“What are you talking about?”
“You left us!”
The secretary gasped, a frown now on her face, “Oh, I see. I didn’t realize you and Gojo-san were separated. That must explain the behavioral issues.”
“We weren’t together— nevermind. May I have some privacy with Megumi-kun? We’ll swing by the office afterwards so you know the classroom is free.”
“If you’re sure…” The secretary bowed politely and walked away.
Nanami moved positions, taking a knee and pressing his forehead to the door, “I didn’t leave because I didn’t like taking care of you two. You know that right?”
Silence.
“Gojo-san is your guardian. He loves you both a lot and asked me to make sure you were safe while he was gone. I have no rights to you two.”
“That’s a lie! That idiot would let you stay with us all the time! You left! Adults always leave! Damn you!”
Another object thrown at the door. It made the door hit the salaryman in the face, but he didn’t move to adjust himself.
“Megumi, I’m not gone.”
“Might as well be.”
“I showed up here, didn’t I?”
More silence. And then the door unlocked and slid open just a crack. Enough for Kento to quickly shove his fingers into the opening and force the door open.
Megumi stumbled a few steps back and Nanami was able to get a good look at the boy. His eyes were red rimmed and his hair was crazier than normal. Made sense if he was in a fight.
For once, he looked like the average six year old, throwing a tantrum.
“Don’t we talk when we’re upset? We don’t fight people or ignore anyone?”
The little boy didn’t respond. So Nanami grabbed one of his little hands and smacked it, “Fushiguro Megumi, did I not just ask you something?”
Megumi stared back at him, mouth open “Nobody but Dad and Miki smacks my hand.”
Nanami wondered if that meant he overstepped boundaries. It wasn’t like he was Megumi-kun’s father, after all.
“Well you’re being naughty. Tsumiki and your dad would spank your hand themselves if they saw you right now. Tsu still goes to school here, doesn’t she? Want to test that theory?”
“No.”
“That’s what I figured.”
Megumi squeezed his hands into little fists and began to aggressively rub his eyes, “Why did you leave us?”
“I told you - I’m not your guardian. Gojo is. I have no problem coming to see you two, cooking for you two, and reading with you. But I figured it would be nice to return to your norm.”
“But you could be!”
“Huh?”
“Gojo was a stranger and now we live with him. I like you better anyway.”
“I-“ Nanami’s heart was beating out of his chest. “Are you asking me to be your dad?”
Megumi shook his head vehemently, “No! Daddies are mean and they try to trade me for monies.”
A sharp pang in his chest joined his already increased heart rate. Kento wished he knew more, but again, Gojo was never much to share when it really counted. From what he could find out on his own Toji Fushiguro was not your average civilian.
He was strong. Much stronger than a majority of the sorcerers Gojo had ever interacted with. And that was without having cursed energy.
It went without saying, but if he was stronger than Geto then Nanami would’ve never been able to lay a hand on him.
“Okay, then what do you want me to be?”
Megumi thought about it, “What exactly is a guardian?”
“It’s like being your new mom or dad when the real ones aren’t available.”
“Okay… Then I want you to be mama.”
Mama.
Yes, that made sense. Take his distrust for male adult figures and his sister being the only constant in his life… Okay.
“You know I’m a boy, right?”
Megumi’s little head cocked to the side in confusion, “Mama means nice and safe. So I want you to be my mama. Don’t matter if you’re a boy.”
Nanami nodded in agreement, “Okay. I’ll be you and Tsumiki’s mama.”
“And you’ll come live with us again. I don’t like living alone with that weirdo. He makes me watch him dance like they do on the YouTube videos.”
“I-“ Kento really didn’t want to move in and be Gojo’s househusband. “I’ll talk to Gojo.”
Megumi nodded, satisfied, before sticking out his little hand. “Mkay. Cmon now, Mama. We got to let the office know that I’m okay now.”
Nanami scooped up his six year old and held him on his hip, “And you’re going to apologize when we get to the office.”
“Yes mama.”
- Bonus scene
“So Mamami, does that mean you accept my proposal? You’ll be my beautiful, blond trophy wife?”
“No.”
“But you’ll be my beautiful, blond househusband?”
“Gojo—“
“I prefer babe.”
“Satoru, please.”