Chapter Text
“In the dead of night, I want to live with you. So terrified of the road that takes you, me too.”
Matt Maltese
The snow came quietly, at first. Delicately, it fell onto the eyelashes and brows of passersby. Soon and abruptly, it enveloped the city in white, like a sealed love letter. Sidewalks and roads were hidden by a thick layer of snow. The world seemed wholly pure, if only for a night.
As the blizzard swept by, Yuji Itadori tossed and turned.
Something deep in the dark called out his name. The voice was frail and familiar and lost. It’s hand crept up the boy’s shoulder and whispered into his ear,
“ Why did you leave me? ”
Yuji awoke in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. Raking a hand through his pink hair he tried to ground himself. My name is Yuji Itadori, I’m twenty years old, and a junior in university. I'm okay, I’m doing good, nothing wrong is happening to me. He repeated the mantra in his mind a few more times before coming to his senses.
He sighed, out of all the times for nightmares, it had to be right before final exams. He climbed down the bunk bed ladder, quietly, so as to not wake his roommate. Yuji tapped his phone, 3:19am. His only notifications, aside from a weather alert, was a text from Nobara.
Nobara (12:13am)
Did you know it only takes 400mg of caffeine to affect sleep?
Yuji (3:22am)
How many energy drinks have you had?
Nobara did not take even half a second to reply. Yuji chuckled to himself, at least one other student at this school struggling with insomnia, even if it was self-inflicted.
Nobara (3:22am)
Four, counting the one I’m drinking right now.
Yuji sent her a crying cat GIF and told her to go to bed, which earned a frowny face in reply. Turning off his phone, he then made his way to the desk that overlooked the window, silently watching traffic. If his roommate, Megumi, was awake he’d probably tell him that the anxiety to sleep actually is the thing that prevents it. And then, he’d make Yuji a cup of chamomile tea and remind him to not worry so much. But Megumi wasn’t awake and Yuji was alone.
His roommate shuffled slightly and Yuji found himself peering over, worried he’d awoken him with his loud thoughts. But to this luck, the other remained heavy in slumber. In a selfish moment, Yuji allows his own gaze to trail down the other’s face. Megumi always seemed younger in sleep, the lilac circles under his eyes not as apparent, the stress lines in his face subdued, his eyelashes seemingly longer in the downturned gaze. The only sounds in the idle hours of the night was of passerby cars and Megumi’s soft, repetitive breaths.
A weird unfamiliar feeling resided deep in Yuji’s stomach. Realizing he was mere inches from the other’s face, he abruptly pushed away. It's probably weird to watch people sleep, the brunet thought. Although, it was calming, even if he wouldn’t admit it to himself. It was nice to be reminded that a world exists outside your head and what awaits you when the sun finally rises– Like being greeted by deep azure colored eyes and soft almost-smiles.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
Yuji felt the slightest tug on his shoulder, though, he paid it no mind as he chased fleeting slumber.
“Yuji,” A familiar voice called out, but it wasn’t frail or lost. It was calming, his name sweet on the other’s tongue. He felt the tug on his shoulder again, but Yuji didn’t reply, for fear the presence would leave. The voice’s hands found Yuji’s scalp, soft slender fingers raked through his dyed hair. He found himself almost reveling in the chill it sent down his spine, trying to commit the moment to memory.
The brunet awoke to a sharp, graceful slap to the back of his head. “Ow–!” Yuji rubbed his eyes, suddenly very conscious. “What the fuck was that for?”
“You’re about to miss exams.” Megumi stated dryly. Megumi, Yuji examined, was already dressed in a white button up with his backpack slung around his shoulders. “What?! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”
“I thought you needed the sleep. And the professor usually starts exams a little later than most.” Megumi spoke evenly and without morning grogginess in his throat unlike Yuji, he wondered how long the other had been awake for. Megumi walked away, making a beeline to the keurig. Which was technically deemed illegal after an RA found a student somehow accidentally started a fire with one– but nobody needed to know that.
Yuji felt a little odd, that funny feeling from last night came back, he wondered if it was caused by sleep deprivation. Nevertheless, he got ready for the day. He pulled over a yellow hoodie over his head and tied his red shoes– until he felt a tap on the shoulder. He was met with dark blue eyes and a travel mug smelling of fresh coffee. Yuji wrapped his hands around the mug, enjoying the way warmth spread through his fingers.
“Thank you ‘Gumi,” Yuji said so quietly, it was almost a whisper. Even after being roommates with Megumi for almost a year, he could never quite get used to such little domestic acts of kindness. It simply messed with his head. Megumi huffed, but Yuji didn’t miss the way his cheeks slightly reddened, the man always got flustered by the littlest of things.
“I just didn’t think the professor would appreciate you dozing off in class.” Megumi said, avoiding Yuji’s hazel eyes.
Yuji shuffled out the door, but not without another smile given to the other. Yuji prayed to God he’d be able to pay attention in the finals today.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
As Yuji ran past campus for the English department building, he ran into Nobara, who was in a seemingly similar situation.
“You look well rested.” Yuji smirked in a sarcastic way. She simply raised her middle finger and pressed forward, dragging a gigantic portfolio tote on her shoulder. It was probably filled with her designs for her finals in textile and apparels. She stopped abruptly and turned to face the brunet.
“Yuji,” She called out in a softer voice “Are you staying at campus over winter break?” Ah , Yuji had almost managed to forget. “Yeah, but it’s alright. I mean at least I don’t have to pack, right?” Yuji slightly faltered, but managed a smile at the end. Nobara’s eyes widened in fear. “Shit. I haven’t packed.” At that, she quickly ran off, almost slipping on the ice covering some of the unsalted sidewalk. Yuji chuckled to himself, his hot breath visible in the cold.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
To say Yuji did well, would probably be an overstatement. But that was a problem for future graded Yuji. For right now, he could only pray he did not have to retake math next semester. The trek back to his dorm was quiet. Most students had already finished all their finals and left for break, making the campus oddly empty. Light snowflakes flurried onto Yuji’s eyelashes, he liked the feeling.
In his dorm, Yuji found Megumi gone, he was probably still in his history exam. As Yuji was in his own exams, Megumi must’ve spent the time packing. Almost all remnants of the other had vanished, his bedspread gone and neatly folded inside a suitcase, his posters tucked away, everything expect the few plants he’d left behind– which was also technically deemed illegal by RA’s– On each vase of the plant lied a neatly handwritten sticky note written by his roommate about the plant’s needs. Yuji had always liked Megumi’s handwriting, it was always very precise and legible– the complete opposite of his own.
Yuji’s fingers traced the green leaves on the fern. At least , Yuji thought, I’ll have something to do .
Yuji was tired, but he couldn’t find himself to sleep. Instead, he watched traffic. For a snowstorm, the roads were oddly busy. Cars honked and beeped and moved on. His eyes were hypnotized and his mind distracted, a few hours must’ve passed by, but Yuji wasn’t sure. He’s always been bad at keeping time.
To the creek of a door, Yuji turned his head. Megumi had returned, much more exhausted and tired than he had been that morning. Yuji flashed him a wide smile, the other rewarded it with a soft smirk.
“How did it go?” The brunet asked, Megumi only hummed. He shrugged off his backpack but it seemed his shoulders were still weighted by an invisible force. He padded over to Yuji and wordlessly sat next to him, watching traffic alongside the other. Yuji admired the way the soft light from the window made his smooth skin almost glow.
“Yuji,” Megumi said, eyes still trained on the moving cars. “What are you doing for winter break?” The brunet raised his brow in amused confusion. “Watching your plants?”
“So, you’re staying?” Megumi questioned. Yuji faltered, because of course he was staying. It’s not like there was anywhere to go. Frankly, Yuji found himself a little mad at the questions. What kind of reply was he expecting? ‘Yes, my Grandpa, my only family member is dead. Making me a lonely orphan with nowhere else to go. ’ Though Yuji didn’t voice his anger, he’d never want to upset Megumi. He simply nodded in reply.
“But do you want to?” Yuji was sure his confusion was now very visible. “I– Uh, guess not?” Yuji stuttered with uncertainty. If he meant going back to Sendai, there was no way. The city– even though it housed over a million people– would just feel empty now.
Megumi took a deep breath, as if swallowing his words before he said them. “My parents, Gojo and Geto, I don’t know if you remember them—” Yuji remembers the pair vividly. They stopped by last spring to help Megumi pack, it was that year Yuji had first become roommates with Megumi. The one with white hair, Gojo, shook his hand so tightly, Yuji thought it’d fall off. Gojo spent an hour interviewing him like a boyfriend coming over for family dinner. Afterwards, he must’ve decided he was adequate for his only son, and conversation flowed easily between them. Geto was much more passive, but equally if not a little more protective of Megumi, Yuji was not sure if he had won him over.
“-They invited me and a partner to come over for the holidays. They live pretty far away, the drive would be a few hours– My sisters would be there including Tsumiki’s fiancee. The town’s quiet, it’d be a lot different from Sendai–” Megumi began to ramble concerning every detail, what the food would be like, what to expect from everyone’s character, the weather.
Yuji finally stopped him. “Did you want to come with you?” The brunet said, a wide smile tugging at his lips. He realized Megumi put up the sticky notes on the plants– not to discourage him from going– but to give him more of a choice. A subtle way of saying Megumi’s fine with whatever Yuji decides.
Megumi paused, blinking dumbly. “Yes.” He said, sounding very small. “Then, I’ll go.” Yuji replied without hesitation, as if the answer was as easy as breathing. Megumi’s face contorted in bewilderment and confusion.
“What? I haven’t even finished, you don’t know what you’re getting in too. Satoru can be very–” Yuji stopped him again. “Megumi, I’ll go. I’d do anything you ask.” Yuji shrugged, although, internally fretting if saying that was a bit too much. But it was the truth, and there’s nothing wrong with the truth. Megumi swallowed hard and averted his gaze. A few beats passed before he regained his courage.
“Yuji, I’m not asking you to come as a friend.” Megumi finally spoke, a tinge of anxiety sweeping over his words. “I’m asking you to come as my pretend romantic partner as a front to my parents.”
“L-l-like as a boyfriend?” Yuji asked, dumbly.
“That would be another synonym for romantic partner, yes.” Megumi replied dryly.
Yuji stilled, but only for a moment. Because he knew Megumi would see any hesitation as a sign of doubt or discomfort. In that small moment, those few quiet seconds, his mind raced. It raced with images of their shared winter break, of shared glances across the family table, of his own hand wrapped around smooth slender ones, of waking up next to those azure colored eyes and those pink lips that would curve into a soft smile.
“Yes,” The brunet breathed, “I’ll go.”