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Megumi sighs as she looks down at Itadori, who is lying on the ground unconscious, but in reality, her mind is full of concern, not of exasperation.
Itadori hit her head pretty hard, didn’t she? The curse attacked her from behind and she didn’t have any time to react before she was knocked out cold. Kugisaki killed it before it could do anything else, but neither her nor Megumi had time to catch their friend before she fell.
“Hey, Fushiguro,” Kugisaki calls out.
“Yeah?” Megumi replies, glancing at her.
“Can you carry her to the car? My arm’s injured.”
Megumi hums in agreement. After a second of silence, she adds “You should get that checked out by Ieiri-sani when we get back.”
Kugisaki waves her off. “Yeah, yeah. It’s no big deal.”
“You have a cut that’s almost bone deep. I think it’s a pretty big deal,” Megumi points out.
Her friend clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth and turns on her heels.
With all the care she can muster, wary of injuring Itadori any further, Megumi slides an arm under Itadori’s upper back, and another under her legs. She grunts as she straightens her legs and lifts her classmate off the ground, but the girl doesn’t stir. Megumi can see her chest rising and her nostrils moving, so she doesn’t worry too much—maybe she does, but that’s no one’s business but her own.
Megumi walks fast because she doesn’t want Itadori or Kugisaki’s condition to get worse without proper care, and carefully because she doesn’t want to hurt Itadori.
When she gets to the car, Ichiji is already patching up Kugisaki with a first aid kit, while the girls hisses in pain. They both turn to look at her.
“Does she have any injuries that can be helped immediately?” Ichiji asks.
Megumi shakes her head. “Nothing visible at least. She’s still breathing, and her heartbeat is quite normal.”
“Okay, that’s good. Let’s go.”
The ride to school is silent, except for Kugisaki’s ragged breathing and occasional grumbles from the front. Megumi is sitting in the backseat, Itadori lying next to her.
Her hand rests on Itadori’s right wrist, monitoring her heartbeat. She feels a bit guilty, but she takes advantage of the situation to take a better look at her friend too. Not that she’s doing anything inappropriate or rude, Megumi is just… observing.
Itadori’s head is resting on her lap which gives Megumi the leisure to feel the other girl's silky pink hair. It’s just as soft as it looks. Megumi’s breath hitches and she has to resist the urge to bury her face in the long strands. She compromises with herself and passes her gloved fingers through them, detangling the few knots there.
Itadori’s eyelashes are very pretty. Megumi is aware that’s kind of an odd statement but that doesn’t make it any less true. Her lashes are curved, healthy and numerous. Megumi thinks she can see some pink there too, but maybe that’s just mascara. In any case, it really suits Itadori.
Her lips are slightly parted, letting air passing through them. As Megumi’s focus shifts on them, she can feel her neck heating up. She shouldn’t be thinking about how her classmate’s mouth would feel on her skin, or how it would taste against her tongue. But oh, it’s a very tempting distraction. She lets it go, though, out of respect. Itadori probably doesn’t want to be contemplated that way. Not by Megumi, at least.
Shaking herself out of that weird trance she put herself in, Megumi closes her eyes and tips her head back against the headrest. A sigh escapes her lips, but it’s replaced by a yawn halfway through. She must be more tired than she thought initially, being tucked in her bed sounds heavenly right now. Nonetheless, she can’t fall asleep now, Itadori is still unconscious, and Megumi wouldn’t forgive herself if she didn’t stay awake long enough to make sure she was okay.
She racks her brain for a topic that will shake her sleepiness off. Itadori was doing a pretty good job at that, but if Kugisaki turns around to see Megumi concentrated on their friend’s face, she’ll get weirded out—rightfully so.
Something to do with Itadori other than her face that was intriguing. Megumi scratches her cheek, eyes squinted, reviewing every part of her.
Itadori’s soulmark! That was a nice mystery to pass time with, wasn’t it? Not exactly a mystery, but still.
Few people show their soulmarks in public, most choose to share it with the ones closest to them only. In the sorcerer world, especially, it’s seen as more of a weakness than anything else.
Itadori isn’t shy about wearing shorts or t-shirts, though, so Megumi guesses her mark is just in an area one doesn’t show often. Itadori doesn’t look like the type to be ashamed or secretive, but when it comes to soulmates, things are unpredictable.
Megumi supposes it makes sense. It’s in the name; soulmate , someone who is part of your soul, connected to you on the deepest level, your other half, the one who plays the cords of your heart. How could one not be different about such a person?
That’s what she has been told all her life anyways. She’s not sure she completely believes it. Faith doesn’t know her, so how could it know her perfect match?
She shrugs. It’s not like she’ll be meeting her soulmate anytime soon—if she ever does. Life is busy at Jujutsu High, and hunting a soulmate who’ll only mourn more if she dies isn’t exactly on top of her priority list.
Don’t get her wrong, Megumi isn’t opposed to the idea of having a soulmate. She’s just not actively seeking them out. And if destiny decided they were perfect for each other, logically, they’ll meet one day or another.
Just as she finishes that train of thought, Megumi hears the car’s tires screech against pebbles. They’re back at school. On the other side of the window, Megumi can make out the door of the infirmary.
She opens her door and cradles Itadori back into her arms. When Ichiji sees them, he opens his mouth to talk, but closes it before he speaks a word and just shuts the door.
They enter the infirmary and are greeted by the sight of Ieiri smoking a cigarette, leaning against the wall furthest from them.
“Ah,” she says. She crushes out her stick in the ashtray set on her desk, leaving it there, and walks over to them.
Kugisaki sits down on one of the bed, groaning as the movement makes her grip on the cloth surrounding her arm falter. Megumi winces in sympathy. Friction against a wound is the worst. She lies Itadori on the bed near their friend’s and grabs a chair for herself.
She zones out for a while, hearing Shoko talking to Kugisaki and assuring Ichiji they’d be fine. She lets her gaze wander around the room, looking at pens, pillows and whatmore, not pausing or paying attention.
“Megumi?” Shoko’s raspy voice brings her back to focus.
She blinks a few times. “Yeah?”
“Itadori’s fine, she just needs some rest and she should wake up by tomorrow. I was asking if you could bring Itadori back to her room. I’d do it myself but I was called elsewhere,” she explains calmly, putting her coat on.
Considering the woman’s eye bags, Megumi thinks she would have offered to do it even if Ieiri was available. “I will, Ieiri. Thank you,” she says, and bows her head.
“Megumi, you’ve known me for years. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Shoko?” Ieiri asks, a bemused smile floating on her lips.
Megumi frowns. “That would be disrespectful, as I have already dropped the honorific.”
Shoko doesn’t retort, just ruffles the girl’s hair before pushing the door open. As she leaves, she seemingly remembers something and turns to Megumi once again.
“Call me if anything happens.”
A nod, and she’s gone.
When Megumi’s eyes fall on Itadori, she notices Kugisaki’s absence. She must have returned to her room while Ieiri examined Itadori.
Once Itadori is secured in Megumi’s arms bridal style, she carries her back to their dorm. It’s a bit of a struggle opening and closing doors without making too much noise, but she manages.
Soon enough, they’re in Itadori’s doorway. Megumi switches the lights on and grimaces at the sudden assault on her vision. She gets used to it quickly enough and makes her way to Itadori’s bed.
As softly as possible, she drops the other girl down on the mattress, making the bedframe squeak. She straightens up, and she’s about to go crash in her own bed when she notices the dirt on Itadori’s clothes.
Megumi hesitates. On one hand, if she changes Itadori into her pajamas and sees the other’s soulmark, Itadori might get mad at her for invading her privacy.
On the other hand, Megumi really doesn’t think she will. There’s no particular reason for it, she just doesn’t. Call it a gut feeling. Plus, she can’t just leave her injured friend in an uncomfortable, dirty, sweaty uniform. If sleeping unwashed is already annoying, sleeping in filthy clothes is even worse.
Just like that, Megumi has made her decision. She rubs at her eyes and convinces herself to stay awake for a bit longer, for Itadori’s sake.
When she spots Itadori’s wardrobe—if you can call the tiny cupboard provided by the school a wardrobe—she gets there in a few strides and flings the door open. She hums in contemplation as she stares at the display before her. Itadori usually wears sweatpants and a large shirt to bed, so the issue of what is settled, but now she wonders where they’re hidden. She finds them on the bottommost shelf after a minute.
Itadori still hasn’t moved, and Megumi isn’t sure if it’s a good thing or not, but the bubble of saliva at the corner of the girl’s mouth pulls a smile out of her.
She places the clothes on the nightstand and delicately moves Itadori so that she’s in a sitting position. Then, she removes the girl’s shirt, trying to stay patient when it gets stuck. When she finally takes it off completely, she freezes.
Oh.
Oh.
Right here on Itadori’s left shoulder blade, there’s her soulmark. It’s a drawing of a sun, intertwined with an intricate pattern of stars, fine lines curved around them, smooth and continuous. It’s beautiful.
It’s painfully familiar.
Megumi removes her glove slowly, hand trembling. On her right palm, there lies the same drawing. Or well, almost the same. In place of Itadori’s sun, Megumi has a moon crescent. A crescent with a curvature of the size of her friend’s sun.
A drop of water falls on Itadori’s pajama shirt, discarded on the floor. It takes three others for Megumi to realize that she’s crying. She closes her eyes and rocks herself on her heels, breathing deeply. It’s okay. It’s okay.
She calms down eventually, and she has the consciousness of making sure that she isn’t mistaken (even if her soul screams that she isn’t, even if everything in her yearns to be with Itadori). She gulps and lets her hand place itself on Itadori’s shoulder blade, its counterpart.
When they make contact, it feels so right . Natural. Meant to be, if Megumi is being bold.
Her lips part with a soft sound and she stares in awe at the glow that is emitted by their skins—their soulmarks—touching. She watches the soft, but strong, seemingly unwavering, purple light that symbolizes her and her soulmates.
She has no idea how long she stays that way, captivated. It must be a while, though, because when her hand slides down Itadori’s back and the glow stops, she becomes aware of the world around her once again, and her body feels sore from staying immobile, and her mouth feels dry.
Maybe that’s because of the shock and not the time.
Megumi does nothing but blink for a minute as her brain starts functioning again. When it does, she realizes that Itadori is going to get sick if she stays shirtless for any longer and hurriedly dresses her up, making quick work of the girl’s pants.
She folds Itadori’s uniform neatly and leaves it on the foot of her bed. Giving everything a quick look over, she doesn’t see anything out of place and decides this is her cue to leave.
Once she gets to her own dorm room, she’s already threatening to fall asleep standing up. She strips down to her underwear and flops onto her bed, not bothering to wear anything else. She doesn’t think she even has the energy to move a finger anymore.
Sleep comes to Megumi easily that night, enveloping her in its warm embrace, and her dreams are pleasant, wrapped in a soft, purple glow.
She’s woken up the next day by the sun blazing through her windows, bare of blinds Megumi had forgotten to close in her haste to crash in her covers. It’s a slow waking, but brutal nonetheless. Tiredness seeps into her bones as soreness pulls at her muscles.
She groans, throwing her arm over her eyes, hoping that Morpheus will be nice enough to take her back under his care. A vain wish, surely, but a woman can dream.
Megumi floats in a half-awake state for a bit, relishing in the warmth and comfort of her bed. When awareness starts to come back to her, she doesn't fight it this time, content that she could rest for a while longer.
Stretching her arms over her head, she starts to remember bits and pieces of yesterday night. The fight with the curses, Itadori getting knocked out, Kugisaki’s injury.
It feels like there’s something more important, but she doesn’t linger on that, lets the feeling tug at the back of her mind and memories flow back to her.
Ichiji’s car, the visit at the infirmary, bringing Itadori back to her room.
Oh. Megumi’s eyes widen momentarily as she’s reminded of Itadori’s soulmark. She bites her lips as she thinks of the familiar design, of the glow their contact created.
She sighs. There’s nothing to do but move on, is there?
And so, she stands up, legs wobbly, be it from the emotion or the dull ache from her effort yesterday, she doesn’t know.
As she moves around to get ready for her day, her mind doesn’t stop racing, far from it. Megumi isn’t sure what the right path to take is now. Should she tell Itadori that they’re soulmates? She might get sad to have missed their first contact though.
Or maybe she’ll be mad that her soulmate is Megumi.
Megumi certainly wouldn’t blame her for that. But she doesn’t want to see the disappointment dancing like flames in Itadori’s eyes. The simple thought makes her stomach churn and her heart clench.
Staying silent it is, then.
She finishes getting ready, her mood soured further. As she’s about to grab the door handle, she notices something missing.
Her glove.
Oh no. There’s no way she’s this unlucky. She brings her hands to her neck, nails pressing against the skin.
How could she have forgotten it in Itadori’s room? She tightens her teeth, the gritting sound only annoying her even more.
Think Megumi, think.
No replacement glove except at Gojo’s, and it’s too far to go without anyone seeing her palm. Something else then.
She runs to her bathroom, opening the cabinet with enough force to pull the doors off. She rummages through creams and disinfectants, but her search is far from fructuous. No bandage. Kugisaki must still have it, she asked for it last Friday.
Megumi sighs, tipping her head back.
No other choice but to ask Kugisaki, better her seeing Megumi’s mark than Itadori’s. She swallows down the hurt that she’ll never be able to show Itadori her mark, trying to bring forward the comforting warmth in her chest that she has a close enough friend to trust with this intimate part of her.
She slips on a large hoodie and slides her right hand in the big pocket. At least her mark is hidden.
The hallway is silent except for the sound of her breathing and her quiet footsteps. Megumi thanks the universe for this tiny bit of good luck. She has no idea if she could have dealt with lying—no, omitting information, it’s not lying and it’s for the best—to Itadori with her palm bare from any protection other than a pocket.
Once she arrives in front of Kugisaki’s door, she takes a deep breath and knocks against the wood.
Hopefully Kugisaki was already awake. If she wasn’t, Megumi is going to be torn apart—as she deserves to be.
She hears rustling on the other side and a faint grunt, but no yelling. That’s a good sign.
After a few more seconds of standing there awkwardly and glancing furtively to make sure no one is approaching, Kugisaki’s face peeks through the door. Her hair is a mess and she’s still in her nightgown, but Megumi is still in one piece, so she assumes she hasn’t woken her friend.
Kugisaki’s face scrunches up as she catches sight of Megumi. “Fushiguro? What are you doing here so early? We have a day off today.”
“It’s a long story,” Megumi answers. She pauses for a moment, brushing her fingers through tangled strands. “Can I,” she asks, “come in? I can explain everything but, uh, I don’t want anyone else hearing it.”
Her friend's eyebrows raise at her words, and she opens the door wider, stepping back.
Megumi takes it as an invitation and doesn’t waste a second to enter, closing the door behind her.
She clears her throat. “So. I’m not sure where to start.”
“People usually start by the beginning,” Kugisaki jabs, crossing her arms on her chest.
“Ha ha, very funny.” Megumi rolls her eyes.
“Chill, I’m joking. Tell me why you’re here at—” she checks her alarm clock, “—nine in the morning even though we came back at three and I’m sure you went to bed later than me.”
“I forgot my glove in Itadori’s room,” Megumi mumbles.
Kugisaki seems even more confused, eyes squinted. “Okayyy,” she drags out, “Then why are you not asking her to get it back?”
“My soulmark is on my palm. And if I don’t have anything to cover it, Itadori might see it and I wouldn’t mind but—” Megumi bites her tongue, heart racing.
“But what?”
“Itadori is my soulmate,” she blurts out.
The silence is all encompassing for a second and it’s long enough for Megumi to start planning to move to Antarctica.
“Ah,” Kugisaki says, seemingly unfazed. “And what’s the problem?”
Megumi sputters. “What do you mean ‘What’s the problem’? Everything is the problem!”
“If she’s your soulmate, she’s already seen your soulmark, right?”
Without thinking, Megumi covers her face with the back of her hand, embarrassed from hearing someone talking about her soulmate.
Kugisaki lets out a soft sound and Megumi realizes her mistake. Oh well, she was prepared for this anyways.
“Your mark,” Kugisaki starts, “It’s very pretty, Fushiguro.”
Megumi sighs, twisting her lips into a small smile. “Thanks.” She looks away. “Also, er, Itadori doesn’t know that we’re—you know what.”
“Oh, fuck. Right, she was unconscious yesterday.”
Megumi nods. “And I don’t want to tell her, because it’s just not the same as experiencing it for real.” She looks down at her feet. “And I’m not sure she’d like to be my soulmate.”
She feels a flick on her forehead and when she raises her head, she sees Kugisaki scowling down at her.
“That hurt,” Megumi grumbles, rubbing her forehead. She’s going to have a bruise.
Kugisaki shrugs. “I had to stop you from being an idiot. I understand the first part of your reasoning, but the second part is just bullshit. Itadori will be ecstatic when she learns it.”
“Whatever,” Megumi mutters, not holding much belief in her friend’s words.
“You still haven’t gotten to why you were knocking on my door looking like a kicked puppy.”
“Ah, sorry. I wanted to ask if you still had the bandages you borrowed from me the other day. I wanted to use them as a replacement until I can ask Itadori for my glove back,” Megumi explains.
Kugisaki hums, finger scratching her cheek. “I think they’re somewhere in this area,” she says, gesturing to a pile of random objects near her bed.
In Megumi’s opinion, it’s a miracle it hasn’t collapsed yet. It’s a neat pile, sure, but she’s not sure a lip balm is supposed to be able to hold a book.
That doesn’t seem to scare Kugisaki, because she’s twirling around it, poking things and removing others without much care. Megumi watches her friend in a mix of terror and admiration until she finds the bandage, rolled perfectly somehow.
She throws it at Megumi, who catches it without much trouble. For her reputation, she still complains a bit, but Kugisaki can tell she doesn’t mean it by now. “A warning would have been nice.”
“Sure.” Kugisaki jumps on her bed, sitting cross-legged. “You need help with wrapping your hand, lover girl?”
“I hate you,” Megumi says, but she still walks up to her friend, settling down next to her. “Also, may I remind you of who started crying about how amazing Maki-senpai is the last time we pulled an all-nighter?” she teases, unable to hide her smirk.
Kugisaki bumps their shoulders, eyes darting up from Megumi’s hand. “Hey, I bribed you not to say anything about that again! I’m over it now.”
Megumi shakes her head with a smile. “Sure you are.”
Her friend tsks but doesn’t respond to the teasing.
“Okay, I’m done,” she says, gently tapping Megumi’s hand. “Did you need anything else, Fushiguro? A makeover maybe?.”
Megumi snorts. “No thanks, I’m good.” There’s a beat. “Actually, there’s something else I wanted to ask you.”
“Oh?”
“Call me Megumi?” She was trying to seem determined, but the inflection at the end of the sentence makes it seem more like a question. “You’ve seen my soulmark and I don’t show it to just anyone, so.” She continues, trying to hide her affection and nervousness.
“Aw, getting sappy on me, Megumi? I’m honoured.” Kugisaki sing-songs, placing a hand on her heart. She turns to Megumi and smiles. “Of course I’ll call you Megumi, you moron. You’re one of my best friends.”
Megumi can’t stop the upturn of her lips and she knows she can’t hide her happiness under her usual grumpy mask. “Thanks, Kugisaki—”
“It’s Nobara to you, now,” she orders, wiggling her index finger in front of Megumi’s face. She smacks the finger away, fake scowling.
“Get that dirty thing away from me, Nobara.”
“How rude. I’m offended.”
“Good. That was the point.” Megumi snickers. She glances at her friend’s clock, trying to catch a glimpse of the time. Almost ten thirty. Itadori should be awake by now. She looks back at her friend. “Let’s go get breakfast. I’m hungry.”
Fourty minutes later—Nobara took forever to get ready—they’re talking in the kitchen, Megumi nodding while stuffing some bread in her mouth and Nobara babbling about a singer she likes and her new album, an apple in hand.
Their conversation is interrupted by Itadori’s cheery voice.
“Good morning!” she greets, walking to the fridge.
Kugisaki tilts her head back, looking upside down at their friend. “Itadori! We were wondering when you were going to wake up. How are you doing?”
“I’m okay! I feel a bit weird, but not hurt,” she replies, upper body in the cupboard. When she takes it out, she has a tight grip on a bowl. Megumi can’t take her eyes off the other’s hand, her long fingers’ strength mesmerizing.
“What happened yesterday, by the way?”
“You got knocked out,” Megumi explains. “I carried you back to the car. Then we went to the infirmary, Ieiri checked on you and asked me to get you to bed.”
Itadori’s face scrunches up. “Sorry for the inconvenience,” she apologizes, “I didn’t want to be a burden.”
“It’s fine,” Megumi says, trying to convey her sincerity in her tone. She’s not sure it works, but Itadori’s face seems to loosen up a bit and the girl takes the chair next to Megumi.
As she takes a spoonful of yogurt, she seemingly realizes something and lets out a muffled noise.
Nobara snorts. “Don’t even try to talk with your mouth full, Itadori.”
She smiles and shakes her head, visibly swallowing. She turns to Megumi. “By the way, you forgot your glove last night. It was on my nightstand when I woke up.” She drops her spoon on the table and stuffs her hand in her pants’ front pocket, pulling out Megumi’s glove.
Megumi grabs it, maybe a bit too hastily, but Itadori doesn’t seem to notice, staring at Megumi’s hand with a frown.
“Did you get injured, Fushiguro? Why is your hand bandaged?”
At her words, Megumi chokes on her bite of bread. She hears Nobara’s snickers in the background and shoots her a half-hearted glare, pretending to clear her throat.
“Yeah, I got… a cut on my palm.” Megumi mentally prays that Itadori doesn't hear her hesitation. “I didn’t want it to get infected,” she adds with more confidence. “Ieiri didn’t have time to heal it yesterday.” Huh. She’s getting good at this lying thing.
Itadori nods. “That’s a smart idea. I’m not sure what effect infections have on soulmarks but it would be a shame if it was damaged. Yours is really pretty.”
When the words register, Megumi’s heart skips a beat and she stops breathing. What had Itadori just said? There was no way that she’d seen Megumi’s soulmark, right? She would have said something.
Megumi looks at Kugisaki to find her looking back, just as confused. As she sees Megumi’s clear panic, Kugisaki lightly kicks her shin under the table, a wordless sign that she’ll handle this.
“You’ve seen Megumi’s soulmark, Itadori?” she asks, no emotion other than slight surprise on her face. She’s a surprisingly good actor.
“Yeah! It was about one month ago, I think. We were having dinner and she wasn’t wearing her glove for once so I saw it. Why? Is something wrong?”
Apparently Itadori’s perception skills surpass Kugisaki’s acting, because her brows furrow and her head tilts in confusion.
“Also, since when do you guys call each other by your first names?” she asks, pouting.
Megumi and Kugisaki lock eyes again, both racking their brains for a convincing story to tell their friend. Megumi’s heart is pounding in her chest and her emotions are threatening to flow out of her at a rate she won’t be able to control.
She gulps, her saliva burning her throat. “Sorry, nothing is wrong. I just, er, wanted to show it to you today,” she lies, trying to grind down the truth that’s sitting at the tip of her tongue.
“It’s actually also why she called me Megumi. I’m not— I don’t make friends often, much less show people my mark. I realized I felt comfortable with you both and, yeah. When we crossed paths in the hallway, I showed Nobara my mark and told her that she could use my first name,” she rambles, ignoring the heat creeping up at the back of her neck. She’s not used to talking so openly about her feelings, either. Sure, she’s omitting some things, but she knows that Nobara can tell most of it is pure, unhidden truth.
Megumi takes a deep breath and continues. “I guess I was just a bit shaken that you’d seen it before I could show it to you,” she says, a shaky smile on her face.
“Oh,” Yuuji just says, her mouth a perfect round. “I’m sorry. I didn’t pay attention to the fact that it was a mistake and you probably didn’t feel ready yet. I’m glad you are now.” Yuuji beams, and Megumi’s heart slows down. Her mind doesn’t, but it’s a start.
“It’s okay, Yuuji. I don’t mind.” Almost the truth. Megumi is still very confused and a bit upset that Yuuji didn’t say anything, even though their marks clearly look alike. But then again, she’s staying silent too, isn’t she?
The smile on her friend’s face at the words makes it worth it though. “Thank you, Megumi.”
Hearing her given name pronounced that way by that soft voice makes it even more worth it.
A few hours later, Megumi has still gotten no explanation for Yuuji’s silence, but the thought has settled into a corner of her mind, far from forgotten, just smothered by other things. Like the action movie she’s watching, pressed against Yuuji’s side, Nobara’s back to their legs. She’s warm, so warm, but content.
Her hand slips out from under the blanket to scratch her nose that’s been itching for a few minutes and she doesn’t bother covering it again, just places it on her thigh.
The questioning that had tormented her earlier comes back to the forefront of her brain when Yuuji hesitantly moves her hand towards Megumi. There’s no move to stop her, and she takes it as her okay to grab Megumi’s hand, turning it so that her palm is facing the ceiling.
“You know,” Yuuji says quietly, barely loud enough for her friends to hear it, “I meant it when I said that your mark is pretty. It’s gorgeous.”
Megumi feels like there’s something else, something Yuuji can’t quite muster up the courage to say, so she stays silent. Nobara does too, although her thought process is unknown to Megumi. She turns around, sitting facing Yuuji.
There’s a sigh, and then Yuuji flashes both of them a sad smile. “I wish I could show you guys mine, but,” she says, her voice cracking, “I don’t have one.”
Megumi’s heartbeat stops once again, and she wants to scream that she does, she has a soulmark, and a soulmate, and that soulmate is Megumi . She opens her mouth to say just that, but the words stay stuck in her throat, then they burn her tongue like fire she can’t spit out.
The silence might last a little too long, because Yuuji scoots away from Megumi, bringing her knees to her chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hide from you. It just never came up.” She sniffles. “I understand if you’re mad.”
“We’re not mad, Yuuji. There’s no reason for us to be,” Nobara says, and Megumi is so thankful for her, because her tongue still feels numb and her vocal cords don’t work.
“Don’t you think I’m—defective?”
Yuuji’s words pierce Megumi’s heart like a freshly sharpened arrow. The idea of her soulmate—one of her best friends feeling that way all of this time without letting anyone know makes tears prickle at the corners of her eyes.
Nobara punches Yuuji’s arm, but Megumi can tell there’s no force into it. It’s just a reflex. It’s familiar enough to make the corners of Yuuji’s mouth lift slightly.
“Yuuji, I don’t give a single fuck if you don’t have a soulmark or if you have seven toes,” Nobara scolds, a glint of pride showing in her eyes at Yuuji’s wet giggle, “You’re still the dumbass I know and unfortunately love, got it?”
Yuuji rolls her eyes fondly, but she nods. “Got it, ma’am.” Her gaze falls on Megumi, and her lips morph into a thin line, her brows furrowing. She’s obviously anxious, waiting for Megumi’s answer.
Except Megumi isn’t sure she can reply without the truth spilling out from her lips. What are you supposed to say to comfort your soulmate who thinks she doesn’t have a mark? Megumi would grab her phone to check, but that’d just accentuate Yuuji’s idea that Megumi hates her. She can barely suppress a sigh, disguising it as a cough. She knows she’ll have to talk soon enough, the silence getting heavier and impossibly more awkward every passing second.
She gathers her words and takes a deep breath. She can do this. She can lie to Yuuji’s face and tell her it’s okay that she doesn’t have a soulmate, even though she does, she does and it’s Megumi. She can.
“I don’t mind either,” she ends up saying.
Yuuji’s eyes are still fixed on Megumi, and she thinks she can discern something akin to disappointment even in the dark of the room. Megumi’s stare moves on to the other girl’s cheeks, tear stains barely visible in the dim light of television. She tries to pretend the sight doesn’t affect her, going back to watching the movie and beckoning her friends to do the same. Nobara’s burning glare and Yuuji’s shining skin don’t leave her thoughts, far from it.
The characters on screen are stupid and annoy Megumi to no end, but she doesn’t dare move her eyes. The heavy atmosphere weighs on her more than she could fathom, as the rest of the evening is spent in relative silence. Nobara and Yuuji bicker for a few seconds, but the spirit is obviously not at its best. Megumi doesn’t say a word, and she’s well aware that it’s not helping, but her jaw stays stubbornly locked.
When the credits roll out, guilty relief floods her and she gets up, hastily saying her goodbyes before rushing to her room.
The next morning, when she enters the kitchen, she’s intent on grabbing whatever she can find without being spotted and retreating to her room as fast as humanly possible—she’s not above asking Nue to carry her if needed.
But apparently fate is as cruel as it always is, not making an exception for confused teenages, and Nobara is leaning against the doorframe, her leg blocking the entry. Technically, Megumi probably could ignore her and walk over her limb, but she doesn’t want today to be her last day on Earth—wait, now that she thinks about it… It doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
The rest of her plans for the day (lying in bed reconsidering all of her life choices) are thrown out the window when Nobara shoves a shopping bag into Megumi’s chest. She stumbles backwards at the force of the shock.
“I hope that you know that you fucked up, Megumi Fushiguro. You royally fucked up, and you’d better fix this right now,” Nobara orders.
Megumi nods slowly, her face scrunching up.
Nobara sighs. “Look, I understand that you didn’t mean it, blablabla,” she adds, “But Yuuji doesn’t, and she thinks you despise her because she doesn’t have a mark.”
When Megumi opens her mouth to retort, Nobara holds her hand up in her typical Shut up, I’m talking motion. Megumi’s mouth snaps shut.
“I know that she has one, but she doesn’t, for some unknown reason.”
Wow. Does Nobara have a second cursed technique that allows her to read minds? Megumi is about to test her theory when her friend brusquely grabs her by the shoulders and turns her around.
“Now, you’re going to be a nice friend and roommate and go grocery shopping with Yuuji. She’s in the entryway. Tell her I didn’t feel so good or something, just make up an excuse.”
Megumi squints her eyes suspiciously.
“Nobara, are you using your friends’ feelings to get out of doing your chores—” Megumi’s sentence is cut off by her own yelp as Nobara firmly pushes her forward with her palms on Megumi’s back.
“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m just being the considerate person I’ve always been,” Nobara replies, muffling her snickers in her palm.
“Considerate is a way to say it,” Megumi grumbles, heading towards Yuuji’s location.
She can’t lie, the thought makes her a bit dizzy, but she doesn’t have time to sit down. It’s not like it’ll do her any good anyways.
Each step brings her closer to confrontation and to possibly revealing the truth, and each footfall becomes slower than the one that precedes it. Her stomach twists and and her breathing falters, while all her saliva decides to leave her for Canada, which leaves her mouth uncomfortably dry.
She’s tempted to close her eyes when she gets to the entryway, trying futilely to delay the inevitable. She can’t.
In front of her, Yuuji is sitting on the box they use as a bench, eyes closed, face illuminated by the early sun rays. Her hair shines, the amber light reflecting and complimenting its warm shade. The sun highlights the bridge of her nose and the curve of her lashes, the glow of her lips and the pink of her cheeks.
She’s beautiful. Megumi couldn’t take her eyes off her if she tried.
Instead of singing her praises and asking her friend to marry her right here among dirty shoes and old-fashioned leather coats, Megumi limits herself to a simple greeting.
“Hi.”
Yuuji's eyes open, and Megumi would have regretted the loss of the moment had the brown of Yuuji’s irises not become so majestic mixed with the lazy glow of a late morning, colors previously hidden amongst dark eyes revealing themselves in all of their splendor.
“Good morning,” Yuuji replies, after a moment of stunned silence.
An unasked question hangs into the air, and Megumi grabs onto it, seeking an opportunity to redeem herself and to show Yuuji that she doesn’t despise her, to the contrary.
“Nobara wasn’t feeling too well,” she explains, eyes not leaving Yuuji’s for a single second. “She went back to her room and asked me to come with you. She said she would go next time.” Okay, maybe she didn’t, but she should have.
“Oh,” Yuuji says, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Do you think we should bring her some medication? This is weird, she seemed fine less than an hour ago.”
Megumi shrugs. “She said it took her by surprise.” She pauses. “Now that I think about it, we don’t have any aspirin left, and bandages are running low. We can stop by the pharmacy on the way home, if that works for you?”
“I don’t mind,” Yuuji agrees easily, head nodding unconsciously.
As they tie their shoes and put on their coats, they don’t hold any conversation the way they normally would, discussing the weather or training or whatever comes to mind. Today, their mouths stay firmly closed, except for the quiet “Thank you” that comes out of Yuuji’s lips when Megumi holds the door for her.
When they would normally share earphones while walking down the streets, the only sound to be heard this morning is the cracking of brown, red or orange leaves under the soles of their shoes.
“I’m sorry,” Megumi blurts out, stopping dead in her tracks in the middle of the paveway.
Oh? Was she doing this now?
“What for?” Yuuji questions, but it’s only out of courtoisie. Both of them know exactly why.
Megumi rubs the back of her neck, turning her head to the side. She searches for something she can focus on, something that can make her forget that she’s talking about feelings, in the middle of a passenger street. She decides on a gold-colored mailbox, metal damaged by shocks and paint scaled by strangers who don’t care enough to respect the world around them.
“I reacted—” she tries, but the words don’t come to her. A sigh, long and coming from deep inside of her, escapes her.
She turns her head back towards Yuuji, because she always does. No matter how hard she tries, her eyes always end up staring right where Yuuji stands. And when she’s not there, they seek a reminder of her.
Her lip wobbles, and she sees Yuuji taking a small step forward.
“Yuuji,” Megumi calls out. She wonders if the other girl can hear how much love the word is spoken with, with how much care it’s pronounced, like it’s a fragile crystal glass. Something precious, something that could never be replaced.
“I’m sorry for my reaction yesterday. I know that you were seeking reassurance from your most trusted friends, and I didn’t— I couldn’t offer it. I should have said something, anything, but the words just wouldn’t come out,” she states, hands tightening into fists.
“It was totally an asshole move. You told us something that you kept for yourself for a long time and I didn’t even tell you that I don’t mind. Or well, I did, but not the way I should have.”
She stops to take a breath. She’s not used to talking that much. Yuuji doesn’t speak up, just watching Megumi with a slightly open mouth and wide eyes, apprehension still visible in the crease of her eyebrows.
“But I wasn’t lying,” Megumi continues, “I don’t care if people have a soulmark or not. I care about them, not about a stupid tattoo that appears on a random Tuesday when you turn fifteen.”
Yuuji’s shoulders drop with relief, her worry morphing into confusion. “But then… why?” she urges Megumi to explain.
Megumi’s gaze wanders back to the mailbox. It’s hidden from her view, replaced by the back of an old man. She watches as he walks up the small stair that leads to his front porch, sitting down next to a woman, frail and white-haired, enveloped in a colorful shawl. When he leans in to whisper something in her ear and she shakes with laughter, Megumi looks away.
Her eyes meet Yuuji’s, and she feels warm. Megumi smiles, and it’s a tiny thing, but it’s genuine, and it’s her. Yuuji’s confusion doesn’t disappear, but it’s softened by the way the corners of her lips lift up, much like Megumi.
“Will you tell me later?” Yuuji queries.
“I will,” Megumi replies, and she means it.
“Okay.”
And that’s that. Yuuji turns on her heels, starting back her walk to the grocery store.
Megumi stands there for a bit longer. When she’s confident that Yuuji can’t hear her anymore, she smiles a bit wider.
“I love you,” she whispers. It’s lost to the wind, the words flying away before anyone can hope to steal them.
She strides towards Yuuji, not wanting to lose the other girl in the crowd that’s waiting for them a few dozen meters away.
When she catches up to her, Yuuji offers Megumi an earphone. She laughs softly and readily accepts it. They’re not so silent anymore, commenting on people’s dogs and the colors of the sky. The fear in Megumi’s stomach settles for a bit. It’s nice.
They don’t take too long to shop, not lingering in the alleys longer than they need to and only buying what’s on the list, which is an accomplishment for them. They make a stop at the pharmacy, grabbing bandages, aspirin and some disinfectant. They can’t rely on Shoko all the time, after all.
By the time they’re done, it’s already noon.
Megumi stretches her arms (and her bags) over her head, reveling in the warmth of the sun, high in the sky.
“I’m so hungry,” she remarks. Her stomach rumbles right at that moment, as if on cue.
Yuuji snorts, covering her mouth with her hand. “Didn’t you eat this morning? It’s barely lunchtime,” she points out, though not unkindly. She is nothing but kindness.
“No, Nobara caught me right when I was going to the kitchen,” Megumi says, blinking at the realization.
“Oh.” Yuuji’s mouth turns into a frown.
Then, she suddenly turns towards Megumi, a huge smile on her face. “I have an awesome idea!” she says, her big grin not faltering in the slightest.
Megumi raises an amused eyebrow. “And what is it?”
“Let’s go to a cat cafe! There’s one not too far away, it opened a few days ago,” Yuuji explains, batting her long eyelashes at Megumi.
Megumi pauses, lips jutting out in a fake thoughtful pout. After an exaggeratedly long moment, she smiles. “Lead the way,” she says in lieu of an answer.
She doesn’t expect Yuuji’s hand to suddenly take hers, and her mouth opens in surprise, but she doesn’t have time to say anything before Yuuji is tugging on her arm, almost skipping in front of her. “Come on, Megumi!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”
And almost as quickly as one would count to ten, they’re standing in front of a store, with big bold letters announcing its name; «Cat-fe addict». There’s a wide window behind which Megumi can see a few customers drinking or eating, and most importantly, she spots cats. So many of them. Tabby, black, orange, siamese, you name it.
When she looks at Yuuji, the girl is beaming. “I didn’t know you liked cats so much, Megumi!”
“I don’t. What makes you say that?” Megumi asks.
Yuuji giggles. “Sure you don’t. Your eyes are literally sparkling.”
Megumi whips her head to the other side. “No, they’re not.”
“Yes, they are,” Yuuji insists, taking Megumi’s face in her hands and turning it towards her again.
She keeps one of her hands under Megumi’s chin while the other fumbles for something in her bag. She pulls out her phone, and before Megumi can react, she hears the characteristic click of a photo being taken.
Yuuji’s hand retracts, and she shows her phone screen to Megumi, a proud expression on her face, toothy grin and all. “See? You have sparkly eyes,” Yuuji laughs.
In the picture, Megumi’s face is flushed and squished by Yuuji’s palm. A corner of her lips is lifted, betraying the fact that she wasn’t mad at all. There’s a glint in her eyes that she’d never seen before, but there’s no way she’ll admit that, or the fact that the cats weren’t wholly responsible for it.
She pushes Yuuji’s phone in the girl’s chest and makes her way to the door. “You’re just seeing things,” she says over her shoulder, amusement seeping into her tone. “Maybe your fall yesterday did more damage than we thought.”
Yuuji’s laughter rings in the air again, and it’s music to Megumi’s ears.
Megumi enters the cafe, holding the door open for Yuuji, who flashes her a thankful smile and grabs Megumi’s jacket sleeve.
“Where should we sit down?”
“Near the window?” Megumi suggests. “I want to enjoy the sun. It’s been a while since we had any.” It’s technically true, but she mostly wants to go there because a lot of the cats are lying there, basking in the warmth of the sun rays.
Judging by Yuuji’s expression, she clocked the half-lie immediately, but she doesn’t comment on it, just shakes her head fondly. “Sure.”
They find a free table right in the middle of the window, and Megumi sighs happily as she slumps down on her seat, the light warming up her face and her legs finally getting some rest.
Yuuji doesn’t seem even half as tired as Megumi feels, not sitting down just yet. As she leans on the back of her chair, Megumi has the leisure to observe the way her biceps bulge when she moves and the veins on her hands. She wonders if Yuuji works out a lot outside of training. Could she carry Megumi with one hand? That would be…
She’s shaken out of her thoughts by the call of her name.
“Megumi, are you back with me?” Yuuji asks, waving her hand in front of Megumi's eyes.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.”
“Good. I was asking what you wanted to eat and drink.”
Megumi places her chin in the palm of her hand, humming in thought. “I’m not sure,” she ends up answering. “I trust you, choose whatever you think I’ll like.”
“Are you sure?” Yuuji asks, eyes wider than usual and a dumb smile decorating her face.
“I am,” Megumi reaffirms, and Yuuji’s gone with a promise of ordering the best thing on the menu.
She zones out for a moment again, just relaxing in the comfort of the cafe, until she feels something soft brushing her ankles. She looks down under the table to see a ball of fluffy white fur staring back at her with wide green eyes.
“Hello there,” Megumi greets. She’s answered by a soft meow and a paw thumping on her shin.
“Oh, you want to come sit next to me?” she deduces. “Hold on.”
She scoots in her seat, pressing her side against the wall, before lightly patting the empty space next to her. “There.”
The cat jumps up gracefully and moves around a bit, eventually lying down on Megumi’s lap. She almost coos until she remembers that she’s in public. She settles on petting the animal’s head, scratching its neck. It leans into the contact,
nuzzling its head in Megumi’s hand.
When she feels vibrations against her skin and hears purring right in front of her, she can’t stop a huge smile, the kind that makes your eyes close and your cheeks hurt.
Maybe Yuuji was right and Megumi does love cats.
She keeps stroking the cat’s fur, murmuring it praises for being so soft and kind and sweet and pretty.
She only looks up when she hears footsteps signaling Yuuji’s return. She blinks. Had the cat been there that long? It seems like it only lasted a minute.
Yuuji carefully places a tray on the table, a knowing grin plastered on her face. “You don’t like cats, right?” she teases.
“Don’t let it hear you say that,” Megumi frowns, covering the cat’s ears with her hands.
They stare at each other in silence for a moment until both of them burst into laughter.
Megumi calms down quickly though, because the cat lifts its head and looks up at her with confused eyes, its head tilted. She whispers some reassurance, offering a few more pets until the cat goes back to purring on her lap peacefully.
When she’s confident she fulfilled her self-assigned task to make the cat feel better than it ever has, her mind wanders back to her hunger.
“What did you order?” Megumi asks.
“I got myself a mango bubble tea and I thought you’d like an iced coffee,” Yuuji answers proudly, picking up her drink.
“Uh. It’s been a while since I’ve last had an iced coffee,” Megumi realizes.
“Does that mean you like them?” Are smiles supposed to be this blinding? Megumi doesn’t think so.
“Maybe.”
“Oh! I also ordered some pastries since you were hungry. I wasn’t too sure what was better so I picked a few,” Yuuji adds. “A Paris-Brest, a small strawberry pie, coffee jelly and melonpan.”
“At least there’s no chance we’ll still be hungry after that,” Megumi says, bemused.
Yuuji pouts. “Aw, come on. I was reasonable this time.”
“Sure you were,” Megumi taunts.
“What was it that you said again?” Yuuji wonders aloud. “Ah right. You’re just seeing things.”
Megumi snorts. “Fine, you win.”
She looks over the choice of desserts and grabs the coffee jelly, while Yuuji chooses the strawberry pie. It doesn’t surprise Megumi. Yuuji looks like a strawberry person, whatever that might mean.
“So,” Yuuji starts, through a mouthful of food.
Megumi grimaces. “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she scolds.
“Sorry mom .” Yuuji rolls her eyes, though her smile doesn’t shrink. She dutifully swallows her bite. “So, do you prefer cats or dogs?”
“I’m not answering this question.”
“Come on! You must have a favorite.”
“I don’t.” Megumi shakes her head. “You won’t get another reply out of me.” As to prove her point, she makes a show of focusing on the cat curled up on her thighs once again.
“Even if I tell you my favorite in return?” Yuuji tries to bargain.
“I know that you don’t have one either, Yuuji.”
There’s a sigh. Yuuji grips her shirt over where her heart is, dramatic as always. “Fine, you got me.”
“Eat your food before it gets too warm,” Megumi says, hiding a victorious grin in the hem of her shirt.
Yuuji obeys without any complaints.
They spend about an hour and a half in a similar fashion, bickering and laughing between bites of foods and sips of Megumi’s drink that they end up sharing because a siamese cat spills Yuuji’s trying to ask for cuddles. Obviously, they don’t deny the request, because who are they to refuse anything asked by such a superior being?
When they leave and the bell rings behind them to signal their departure, Yuuji turns to look at Megumi, walking backwards. She opens her mouth to talk, but she’s interrupted when she trips on something, almost toppling over. Megumi reflexively grabs her jacket, pulling the other towards her. They’re close enough that Megumi can feel Yuuji’s breath against her skin.
“Careful,” Megumi says, breathless. Her heartbeat picks up, and she feels her pulse everywhere.
Yuuji visibly shivers, but she doesn’t blink, eyes locked with Megumi’s. “Have I ever told you how pretty you are?”
Megumi doesn’t think her heart could possibly go any faster, its pounding in her chest harder than it ever was. She feels like she can’t breathe properly, and her stomach leaps inside of her, but it’s surprisingly pleasant. Exhilarating. She grips the other’s shirt harder.
“You haven’t,” Megumi says. She leans in to whisper in the shell of Yuuji’s ear. “But I think I’d really like that.” Another shiver, and then lips on the corner of her mouth. They’re soft, and the peck is light, and Megumi feels like she’s in heaven, her head spinning with feelings.
When they pull away, Megumi is disappointed, until a warm hand slips into hers, interlocking their fingers. “Let’s go home,” Yuuji says, smiling as if nothing happened. Megumi would have been upset, but even her strongest resolve couldn’t hold up a second to Yuuji’s gaze.
“Okay,” she agrees, returning Yuuji’s smile.
“Do you want an earphone?”
They walk up the streets silently again, but this time the atmosphere is far from heavy. They don’t talk about their joined hands or their almost-kiss earlier, but Megumi can tell they’re both still thinking about it, heart thumping in their chests, breath short and cheeks flushed red.
It gives Megumi an absurd amount of time to consider every possibility of what could happen, to review each scenario and what she should do. By the time they see the school gates, she’s positive that she can deal with anything Yuuji will throw her way.
Being pushed against the wall by Yuuji wasn’t a planned scenario though. Megumi is on her own for this one, nothing but her instant reactions to help her.
“Yuuji?” she murmurs, looking up to meet the girl’s eyes.
Their faces are close, so close. It would be so easy for Megumi to pull Yuuji’s shirt and smash their lips together. She doesn’t do that, even though she craves the feel of Yuuji’s mouth on hers like a starving man.
Yuuji doesn’t reply. She smiles at Megumi and kisses her cheek once again, before softly bumping their foreheads together. Their bodies are flush together, and Megumi’s skin burns where it makes contact with Yuuji’s.
Megumi can feel Yuuji’s heart beating against her chest. Their pulse is in sync, and the realization makes her inhale sharply. She wonders if Yuuji feels it too.
They’re still staring into each other’s eyes, and Megumi is still backed against cement.
“Megumi,” Yuuji says, carefully articulating each syllable. Megumi doesn’t see her lips moving as much as she senses it in the way air is blown on her nose. “Can I kiss you?”
The world stops spinning for an instant, time freezing as Megumi’s mind starts racing for an answer.
Her first kiss. With Yuuji. Now? Shouldn’t it be when they know they’re soulmates? Or is that too superficial? Feelings don’t care about faith, after all. Megumi doesn’t want Yuuji to think that’s what she believes.
And… Yuuji’s lips are so enticing. How long has she wanted to claim them as hers, to devour them as softly as she can? Too long.
Fuck it. Soulmarks reveals can wait.
“Yes,” she responds, clear and demanding.
Before she has time to regret her choice, before she can back out, Yuuji’s lips are pressing against hers, and her breath is taken away, just like any thought of something else than Yuuji.
Sparks flow between them, and Megumi welcomes them, parts her lips to moan into the kiss, and slides her tongue along Yuuji’s lips. She tastes like fresh strawberries and coffee, and it’s thousands of times more appetizing than the food they had earlier, as delicious as it was.
When the tip of Yuuji’s tongue licks the inside of her mouth, from her teeth to the roof, she shivers. Not out of disgust, far from it. The remnants of their desserts mix together as they keep kissing and Megumi hums in contentment. It’s messy, but it’s inexplicably them .
When they pull away, a thin trail of saliva links their mouths together and she doesn’t waste a second to swallow it. For a moment, the only thing to be heard is their heavy panting and the rush of blood in Megumi’s ears.
The silence is broken by Yuuji’s breathy laugh, softer than usual and carrying more emotion than Megumi thought possible. “Wow,” she whispers.
“Wow? Is that all you have to say?” Megumi mocks, raising a teasing eyebrow.
Yuuji pouts, taking a step back to get a better look at Megumi’s face. “Sorry for not being a poet,” she retorts. “I don’t hear you saying anything better either.”
Megumi crosses her arms, pushing herself off the wall. “If I wanted to, I could.”
“Let’s hear it then,” Yuuji suggests, giggling.
“I’ll pass.” Megumi isn’t lying. She does have a lot to talk about, but there’s no way she will. Even just thinking it, she feels the tip of her ears heating up, an undeniable sign of her blushing.
“Aw, that’s too bad. I’m sure you’re great at poetry.”
“Shut up,” Megumi says, smacking Yuuji’s shoulder, but there’s no heat to it. “Let’s get back to the dorms. Nobara must be wondering where we are.”
Yuuji perks up. “Oh, right, Nobara! Wait, let me check if she texted me earlier.” She fumbles for her phone, letting out a satisfied noise when she finds it. “Let’s see… Ah, she sent me a message half an hour ago.” She squints at her phone screen. “She was wondering if we died in a ditch. She asked if she could get your money,” Yuuji relays, looking up at Megumi.
“No way, I’m giving it to my dogs,” Megumi snorts. “Come on. If we wait any longer, she might take it by herself.” She turns on her heels and strides towards the dorms.
“Hey! Don’t go without me,” Yuuji calls out, running up to her, laughing.
A few hours later, Megumi’s in Yuuji’s room playing a video game they received in the mail while they were out shopping. Nobara declined the invitation to play under the pretense of wanting to watch her favorite show’s new season, but Megumi suspects it’s because she has an idea in mind. And Nobara’s ideas are rarely (if ever) a good presage.
They’re just eating popcorn and throwing quips at each other as they test out the game until Yuuji suddenly pauses and reaches to place the gamepad on her nightstand. Megumi blinks in confusion, tilting her head to the side.
“Are you okay?” she asks carefully, surprised at her friend’s behavior. “Do you want to play something else?”
Yuuji moves closer to her bedframe and Megumi crawls towards her to sit side to side with her friend, her concern flickering in her eyes.
“It’s not that,” Yuuji says, a feeble smile plastered on her face. “Sorry, I didn’t want to ruin the mood.”
Megumi bumps their shoulders. “It’s fine. What’s wrong?”
“I just… Sometimes, I remember I don’t have a soulmark, and it’s just lonely, you know? When you and Nobara will be gone to live with your soulmates, I’ll just be alone. I did my research, there’s barely anyone who’s willing to be with someone who’s not their soulmate, let alone for an entire life. And I can’t blame you for that.”
Something in Megumi’s heart pinches and her guts twist in a mix of anger and sadness. How could Yuuji think that Megumi would ever abandon her? She understands, though, and it makes her feel sick to her stomach.
“Yuuji. I’m not going to leave you,” Megumi insists, trying her hardest not to lose her remaining calm.
Yuuji smiles a bit more, but it’s still as sad as it was before, even as she tries to make it reassuring. “No, no, you are, and that’s normal. I’m happy you let me have you even for a minute. You have a soulmate waiting for you somewhere, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to stop you from being with them.”
“Yuuji, I’m not going to leave you,” Megumi repeats, accentuating the «not». Before Yuuji can retort, she continues. “I’m not going to leave you, because I don’t give a fuck about anyone who isn’t you, and I would never let fate or whatever guide me away from the people I care about.”
“But, you can’t— Your soulmate—”
“My soulmate is you, Yuuji,” Megumi blurts out before she can think any better of it. When the words are out in the open, she smacks her hands over her mouth.
The silence is suffocating. “What?” Yuuji breathes out, eyes wide as saucers. “This isn’t funny.” Tears shine in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill out. “I thought you were better than this.”
“I’m not joking,” Megumi affirms. “I promise I’m not. I would never.”
“I don’t understand,” Yuuji says, eyes seeking an answer in Megumi’s. “I don’t have a mark Megumi,” she sputters.
Megumi gulps. “You do. I saw it when I changed you the other day.”
Yuuji’s eyebrows furrow. “When I passed out? That was before I told you I didn’t have a mark. Why didn’t you say anything then?”
“I was scared,” Megumi explains, lips wobbling and throat tightening in fear, a sob threatening to spill past her lips. “I thought— I didn’t want you to be disappointed.”
A drop of water lands on her knee.
“Disappointed? I would never feel anything negative because I’m your soulmate,” Yuuji says, and it’s so earnest that Megumi believes her.
“I know that, now.”
For a minute, they don’t talk. Megumi can only guess that Yuuji is trying to process everything she’s been told.
The silence is broken by Yuuji’s audible inhale. “If you’re not lying, then show me my soulmark.”
Megumi moves to face her. “Okay,” she agrees. Anything to be with you , she doesn’t say. “It’s under your shirt.”
Without a word, Yuuji strips her top, and Megumi looks away out of respect.
“You can look. It’s fine,” Yuuji waves her off.
Megumi shrugs, but doesn’t disagree.
“Where is it?” Yuuji asks, voice cracking.
“On your shoulder blade,” Megumi replies without missing a beat. She bites her lip. “Do you want to see it?”
“Please.”
Megumi’s heart rate must be through the roofs. She isn’t sure why she’s so anxious at the thought of her soulmate seeing their soulmate. It’s not even bad stress either. Just a fleeting apprehension at what Yuuji will think of the mark that means they’re destined to be together. Whether you believe in it or not, it’s still an important thing.
She takes Yuuji’s hand and leads her to the bathroom. She flicks the lights on and tells Yuuji to sit down. Seeing your soulmark is an experience, and it’s not uncommon to collapse, be it out of shock or happiness.
“Do you have a pocket mirror?” Megumi questions.
“In the first drawer starting from the top.”
Megumi doesn’t talk as she rummages through towels and makeup, and Yuuji seems to be more than fine with that, her eyes fixed on her bouncing leg.
Once Megumi finds the item, hidden beneath a summer towel, she turns Yuuji so that she’s facing the mirror.
“Are you ready?” she asks, trying to convey in her tone that she doesn’t mind waiting if necessary.
But Yuuji nods determinedly. “Yeah. Let’s get on with this.”
Slowly, Megumi raises the pocket mirror and orients it in a way that Yuuji’s soulmark is shown in the mirror. When the girl catches sight of it, her lips part.
“Oh,” she says, a quiet sound that Megumi can only hear thanks to the utter lack of noise around them. Yuuji turns to look at Megumi. “Can you—”
She doesn’t have to finish her sentence. Megumi understands. She extends her hand towards Yuuji, a clear offer. Yuuji holds it like it’s a precious thing, and she removes Megumi’s glove shakily.
“Oh,” she repeats as she traces the lines on Megumi’s bare palm, a smile making its way across her face. Megumi feels warm, so warm.
Yuuji stands up and stares right into Megumi’s eyes, and Megumi feels like she can see right through her. She’s still holding Megumi’s hand, firmly, but not enough for Megumi to be unable to get out if she wanted. Not that she does. Yuuji moves Megumi’s hand and lays its palm on her soulmark.
“Is it glowing?” she interrogates, eyes sparkling.
When Megumi nods, Yuuji laughs, and Megumi can hear the relief and the happiness that emanates from it.
“Do you want to see it?” Megumi asks, a huge grin on her face.
Without waiting for an answer she already knows the content of, she spins them around and stops when Yuuji is facing the mirror.
“Wow,” Yuuji says, her face as lit up as their soulmarks.
“Is that the only thing in your vocabulary?” Megumi teases.
Yuuji doesn’t bother to bicker back, instead, she grabs Megumi’s head between her hands, squishing the girl’s cheeks, before pecking her all over, from her forehead to her chin, lingering on her lips.
Megumi wants to grumble but she can’t stop herself from giggling, throwing her arms around Yuuji’s neck.
“You’re my soulmate,” Yuuji sing-songs, her smile not faltering the slightest bit, “We’re soulmates, I have the best, prettiest, smartest soulmate in the whole world,” she chants.
“Don’t be so mushy,” Megumi mutters, burying her face in the crook of Yuuji’s neck to hide her blush.
“Sorry,” Yuuji apologizes, but she doesn’t sound sorry at all. She kisses Megumi’s cheek.
Megumi pulls away slightly, taking a good look at Yuuji before pressing their lips together. She sighs into the kiss, hugging Yuuji close.
“Who’s being mushy, now?” Yuuji raises an eyebrow. She doesn’t have the time to say anything else before Megumi pulls her back in, grabbing her t-shirt. She yelps, the sound transforming into a laugh.
Megumi feels Yuuji’s smile against her lips, and her heart feels full, and her soul feels complete.
She breaks the kiss for a second, ignoring Yuuji’s murmurs of confusion.
“I love you,” she whispers, for the second time that day. This time, it’s not lost to the wind, and the one who the words are meant for hears them.
“I love you too.”
They don’t waste a second to kiss once again, and if they could merge together to become one, they would have. It wouldn’t be that big of a change.
Their souls already belong to each other.