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Fushiguro Megumi is not a normal child.
To be fair, Satoru have little to no idea how kids these days act -unless he counts fictional children with pet Digimon as his reference- and he have yet to talk to anyone about his decision to cut off the Zenin's attempt to indoctrinate the son of his near murderer. Frankly, he was expecting Toji's mini-me so that alone should mean he will deal with a not very normal child.
However, little Megumi is different.
"So what?" he still remembers the honest indifference coming from the tiny figure that did not flinch under Satoru's gaze, "I don't care where he is or what he's doing. I haven't seen him in years. I don't even remember what he looks like, but I got the gist of what you're talking about."
Satoru was expecting many things like tears, screaming, denial, rage, fear, and even happiness -because damn Toji is giving away his kid to someone that murders him like a cheap trinket, Satoru doubt that man will ever even win a barely decent dad award-, but an utter indifference somehow never cross his mind.
Zero contemplation, zero hesitation, zero fuck given.
'Well, damn this kid is interesting,' Satoru was instantly intrigued. More than anything, however, is the exhilarating rush of seeing a glimpse of himself in the younger boy. The same calm indifference facing their unique circumstances.
Child him had wondered why no one dared touch him, bathing and changing clothes aside. Curiously, he saw the entire Gojo clan trip over themselves to fulfill Satoru's every word while never daring to even look at his eyes, yet he also watched other children get pats and hugs on the whim of the adults around them. Much later he realized that normal people would yearn for the same soft touches that are not training or serving, but not him.
He is Gojo Satoru, of course he is different. He has no need for fake smiles and artificial love.
That same echo of true indifference -his amused observation to Megumi's cold disregard anyway- had him feel like he just met a soul that can understand him.
The difference is their environment. While Satoru grew up uncaring to the lack of being seen as Satoru instead of his Six Eyes and Limitless, drawing enjoyment in the chaos he left behind as people scrambled to please him, Megumi has responsibilities he places on himself because of Tsumiki.
He saw a glimpse of the influence when Megumi easily rejected the promise of riches and power of the Zenins at Satoru's -a random teen to the innocent’s child’s knowledge- promise of Tsumiki's unhappiness at the hand of the reputable Zenin clan. What little resemblance he saw vanish as a distinct difference in their personality shows with this extra information. To think six year old Megumi feels responsible to take care of his step sister just because she does the same to him portrays little Megumi as someone Satoru could have been.
Maybe.
Like, in a parallel world?
Not this one anyway. Hell no Satoru won't treat people like how they treat him. It is not his fault most people either grovel in fear or awe because he is the strongest curse user. The tiny handful of people that don't worship the very ground he walks on tend to not find his antics funny unless he mess up somehow then that's funny to them.
In any case, Satoru is very aware that no one really cared for him because he is Satoru, much too distracted by his shiny techniques.
The one person he thought might see him had been blinded by his technique at the end of the day.
"Are you The Strongest because you’re Satoru Gojo, or are you Satoru Gojo because you’re The Strongest?”
That odd difference that he can never understand aside, that firm resolution he glimpse promises a stubborn mentality that seems unwilling to bend outside his defined limits. Seeing that in a mere six years old child will never not be weird -in a good way-, but those small hints of what makes Megumi Megumi had brought a smile to his face.
'I'll like this kid,' he remembered thinking so surely as he voluntarily used his title as Gojo Clan Head to interfere with Megumi's sale and bought him from the Zenin clan. Fortunately, the Zenin clan had not sent any representative to check on Megumi after news of his father's demise got around so the person his representative met didn't have any idea that they are signing away their only descendant that inherited the Ten Shadow Technique, the technique that is equal to him in potential.
Idiots and bigots. The lot of them.
Satoru didn't even bother stifling his pleased grin when they signed away their right to interfere with little Megumi's life, like selling the most expensive diamond for the price of a cabbage. More fools of them for looking down on the son of Zenin Toji just because Toji had zero curse energy.
He'll have to bring Megumi to the Zenin compound eventually when word gets around that the Zenin kid he bought is a Ten Shadow Technique user, but hey! That's future Satoru's problem.
For now, he is enjoying his life being a kid with a kid as an excuse!
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"Are you staying for dinner today?" Megumi asks after maybe the tenth time Satoru invites himself into the new apartment he places the tiny adult child and Tsumiki into one of the apartments under his name in Saitama. Not too far that both kids have to change schools, but in a much better neighborhood and apartment complex.
Satoru may or may not be too lazy to deal with the paperwork.
He finished updating their emergency contact as he and the adult responsible for them as Yaga-sensei though. Law-wise, Satoru is not an adult yet and he doesn't want to deal with the trouble of picking one of his uncles or aunt for the position in case it adds political clan drama in his already too messed up life.
Anyway, Megumi is finally accepting his presence in their home!
“Why, of course! This is now my home too!” Satoru then easily picks up the still so tiny Megumi to his arm and swings him around despite the angry kitten screech coming from Megumi. To his delight, the kid’s protest is barely anything compared to the first time he attempted this level of human contact. Gone are the claws and bites as Megumi just screeched once before going limp with a very flat look on his face these days. Unfortunately for the kid, his red ears and lack of motion to evade Satoru’s reach betrays his inner acceptance for Satoru’s affectionate attention.
It nearly brings tears to Satoru’s eyes, this fruit of his hard work. A whim which the result goes way over his head. A warm touch with no possible chance of death and hidden motives. Human contact without Infinity in the way.
Logically speaking, he knows children will have zero chance of dealing actual lasting damage to him, the Gojo Satoru, but the thought to experiment and taste the feeling of warm human touch again never occurs to him until Megumi. Admittedly, this past year since he perfected Infinity has reduced his actual human physical contact to near zero save for a few punches and nudges from Yaga-sensei.
For real though, that spiky sea urchin hair looks like it can poke people so it got him curious if it is as soft as it actually hints as it bends easily under his hand with his infinity on. So the second time he reached out to ruffle the spiky hair, he turned off his infinity as the thought of ‘hmm what if?’ crossed his mind.
Literally a split second whim had him addicted to actual human contact. Can anyone blame him, really? Megumi’s hair is literally so soft even without proper shampoo and conditioner! And his head was so warm that Satoru nearly wanted to press his palm on the kid’s forehead to make sure Megumi was not actually having a fever.
To his delight, the tale of kids being warm hot packs is real!
Thus begins his downward spiral in indulging himself in cuddling and manhandling tiny Megumi at any opportunity. A mature adult will definitely not push a child that is very much not used to human contact just because of their personal instinct to touch cute things. Too bad he is Gojo Satoru, spoiled and never learned this thing called ‘self-restraint’.
Although his personal happiness at feeling warm and soft touches is one of his top priorities, he would have tried to hold back if Megumi was really against it. Just a bit of restraint, of course. But, again, Megumi is actually not. Bewildered, shocked, and unaccustomed, yes, but not against it.
The clawing had happened because he raised Megumi like the tiny lion in the Lion King movie and smol tiny Megumi, who was never held in any adults arm, held onto Satoru’s arms in fear of being dropped with a dead grip, digging his nails into Satoru’s skin in the process.
The biting taught him to not ambush the kid from behind in public without giving any hint of who he is though.
"What are we having for dinner, Tsumiki-chan? Shall we order pizza? Or chicken? Or maybe we can go out for ramen?" Satoru shouts the offer after he plops down to the kotatsu with Megumi still held captive between his arms. The kids takes turn cooking and it's Tsumiki's turn today. He always offer to buy take outs but these too sensible for their own good only takes his offer thrice so far.
"We have prepared the ingredients for curry if you don't mind them. We can make it sweet for you, Satoru-nii-san," Tsumiki answers instead, clearly noticing Satoru’s penchant for sugary treats.
"I'll be looking forward to it, Tsumiki-chan!" Sweet Tsumiki just smiles -even this girl is oddly mature, but Tsumiki seems to make it her goal to be the best big sis ever for Megumi so Satoru kinda get why Megumi is equally invested in Tsumiki's well being- before waving him to focus back on Megumi who is not watching the TV in Satoru's lap, "Homework?"
"Math," Megumi answers, pointing to the side of the sofa -his location before Satoru messed with him- in silent command that Satoru heeds. How can he not when this, too, is one of the small telltale of Megumi's show of not wanting to move away from Satoru's clutches.
The rest of the early evening to night is spent in their new norm with him helping both children with their homework, watching the TV with Megumi while Tsumiki cooks, having dinner, washing the dishes as both kids bathe and settling down for the night.
Mundane ordinary routine that Satoru surprisingly enjoys a lot.
"S- Gojo-san, can I ask you a question?" Megumi broaches after he tuck him and Tsumiki to their futon. Even this is part of their new routine as if Megumi can only bring himself to voice his new contemplation of the day under the cover of the dark.
So far, the question ranged from types of weapons he will get to learn, how long does mission usually last for him and normal people, health care options for them, or -one time- asking for his age, birthday, and favorite color. Tsumiki may or may not be why Megumi asked those cute questions, but Satoru teased Megumi for wanting to get to know Satoru anyway.
"What is your question today, Megumi?"
"You do not have to answer if you don't want to," Megumi stresses comically seriously in his mature way. Tsumiki seems to know what Megumi wants to ask as she curiously looks at Satoru as well. Facing two very curious but reassuring looks from two very mature kids is making him feel all warm and fuzzy in ways he never felt before.
“You have my word, Megumi,” Satoru reassures the children with a fond smile.
Ever the over-thinker, Megumi spends a few seconds just to scrutinize Satoru’s genuine fondness before finally finding whatever the child is looking for. Positively, of course, as Megumi finally open his mouth to ask-
“Why do you wear sunglasses even at night?”
Huh. Sunglasses?
“We never see you without them before and we are just- uh. Worried. Just a bit. I read that those that wear sunglasses most of the time tend to have sensitive eyesight that hurt them. If that is true, we can put cold compress to lessen the strain and headache every night. Or- ugh. Tsumiki, tell him!”
Compress? What? Where did Megumi learn about these things? Are Google so advanced these days?
“If you have any- umm, condition? Please tell us if there is anything we can help with. You’ve been doing so much for us this past month you take us in so we want to help you in any way possible too.”
“If you wear it because of stupid thing like having red eyes then I’ll take those sunglasses away-!”
“Megumi!”
“What?! Apparently albinos usually have white hair and red eyes! Google says people with red eyes are usually disc- discriminated!”
“What does that word mean?”
“It means people usually make fun of them and bully them like idiots.”
“Oh, no. Satoru-nii!”
“Yeah, that’s why don’t be- Hey!”
Satoru lets Megumi’s protest and Tsumiki’s giggle wash over him as he basks in the pure absolute happiness engulfing him as he takes both of them in his arms and swings them in circles. So precious, these children are.
(No one ever cared before. Not when baby him screams and cries from the oversensitivity of seeing and feeling everything causing his inability to sleep until exhaustion took him under. Not when he spent his night curling in pain when too many people were in the residence. Not when training left him with a pounding headache that plagued him for hours, barely gone before he had to repeat the cycle again.)
(Yet these children with too old eyes had noticed- cared- worried-)
“There is no need to worry, my precious babies,” Satoru nuzzled their warm belly at Megumi’s instant ‘not a baby!’, “Your Satoru-nii is just used to wearing them everywhere now because they are too good at being eyes so they get sensitive at times. They are so good, in fact, they get their own special name. Do you want to know?”
“Tell us if you want to,” Megumi grumbles but not a no, a contrast to Tsumiki’s ever so cheerful and curious, “Yes!”
“Then I’ll tell you two!” Satoru sat down between their two futons with a kid on each thigh, enjoying their inquisitive attention, “They are called Six Eyes since they are as good as three sets of eyes!”
Both kid exchanges look at his simple start, mouthing Six Eyes with apprehension and worry, before looking back at him in silence waiting for his explanation. Explanation he holds back until Megumi realizes that he is doing it on purpose with them and Megumi elbows Satoru’s side in retaliation. Softly, to Satoru’s adoration.
Tsumiki will probably think that this is just another case of Satoru exaggerating to mess around with them in the future, but he knows Megumi gets what he is saying. Too bad he can’t just show them right there and then how awesome he is.
“The point is, my babies,” cue another elbow, “My Six Eyes superpower lets me see whatever I want to see even if it’s super far away but, I can’t turn it off so sometimes it feels like- hmm. Maybe like when you watch too much anime on TV for hours?”
“Will it hurt if you don’t wear your sunglasses? Even at night?” Tsumiki asks with a worried frown.
“I got used to it so not really,” Satoru confidently reassures Tsumiki. It has been years since it made him actually suffer and he had a lot of time to experiment on what can make his life much less painful.
“You don’t actually have six eyes under the sunglasses, do you?” Megumi’s suspicion gets Satoru guffawing and Tsumiki’s hand poking his sides disapprovingly, which of course provokes his sea urchin to defend himself, “What?! He says he has six eyes! I don’t know if he is saying it- like- real six actual eyes!”
“Don’t fight, don’t fight! But no, Megumi, I just have a pair of eyes under the sunglasses.”
Fortunately that is enough to diffuse the fight and another exchange of looks happens between the kids, they need to learn how to be more discreet, but Satoru will not be the one to point that out. Their futile attempt at discretion is funny to him.
As usual, Megumi leads as they reach a kind of agreement as he requests, “Can we see your eyes without the sunglasses?”
“Sure, go take them off for me Megumi,” he easily relents with a smile, bending down nearer to their faces to leave Megumi easy access to his sunglasses. There is a sense of ritual, like an inevitable moment that is finally reaching its countdown as he watches Megumi’s hands slowly, as if giving Satoru plenty of time to change his mind, grasps each side of the sunglasses. He allows his lid to close instinctually, giving them a moment to adjust to the lack of barrier between his eyes and the moonlight from the window, before he opens them.
It is a sight to sore eyes to see awe and wonder bloom on both kids’ eyes.
“Pretty,” Megumi whispers as one of his hand cups Satoru’s cheek, finger carefully traces the nonexistent bag under his eye.
“Your eyes are beautiful, Satoru-nii-san,” Tsumiki reaffirms with a clap and a delighted smile.
Being praised for his otherworldly eyes is really nothing new, but something about this moment made him a bit bashful. Perhaps it is their sincerity, or their simple admiration for Satoru’s eyes instead of the power behind said eyes that is new to Satoru, but awkward Satoru will now happen today. Nu-uh. Change of subject now.
“Since the villain has been unmasked, it is time for a showdown!”
“Why are you a villain!?”
“‘Cause it’s more fun than being a hero, duh! Run before the great tickle monster catches you!”
“Megumi! Help!”
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That night he sleeps with two warm hot packs clinging to him.
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(“Satoru-nii’s eyes are the prettiest,” Megumi mumbles one last time before succumbing to the dream land following his sister.)
(He basks in the heady foreign rush of warmth that attacks his insides, his arms holding two bundles of gifts that keeps giving that he never thought he’ll ever have. For once, he fell into a dreamless and restful sleep for once ever since his world crumbled last year, lulled to sleep by the feeling of two steady heartbeat under his palms.)
(The next time he comes home from an overnight mission, he laughs as he takes in the now warm yellow light, closed curtain, and eye mask Megumi carefully places on his closed eyes.)
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(If he also starts to dread losing these two bundles of joys as well, that’s no one’s business but his.)