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Yuji is tired.
That’s something he never thought he could feel- but he did. He was dead to the bone tired- his muscles aching, his body covered in cuts and bruises, and his head clouded with thoughts he couldn’t shake off. And yet- he couldn’t give in to it. He had to keep going, keep fighting, keep living- because right now, he has one goal in his mind. Almost everyone he has loved or cared about has died around him- Kugisaki, Nanami, Gojo, Choso. At one point, he thought it was his fault (and a part of him still did.) After all, how was it fair they had all died while he had been allowed to live? How was he any better than the lives that had been lost around him? But right now was not the time to think about any of that. Only one person mattered- Fushiguro.
Fushiguro Megumi, the first sorcerer he ever met. His first friend at his new school. The first person he ever fought with using jujitsu. The first person he died for, and the first he came back to life for. The first person he fell in love with. He was all that mattered now. And yuji- Yuji had mad a promise. And he was ready to give his life to fulfil it.
“I’ll do this as many times as it takes. Wake up, Fushiguro!” he says, landing another dismantle on Sukuna. He and Todo were working in tandem now, switching places and landing hit after hit. He had noticed Gojo- no, Yuta in Gojo’s body join them in the fight. He was shocked, taken aback, like he couldn’t move- but his heart refused to let him lose his focus. And so he pushed the thought to the back of his mind, and continued his fight. He threw punch after punch, his hands aching, his lungs wheezing, his heart throbbing wildly- but none of it was of any significance to him.
He saw Angel above Sukuna’s head, chanting. He knew the moment had come- his last chance to save Megumi. He lurched forward as Angel’s spell came down, using all the strength and energy he had in his worn out body to land a final punch- yelling out as all his efforts throughout the fight came to a tipping point. Suddenly, there was a blast of cursed energy pulsing and pushing everyone back, which had Yuji falling to the ground.
However, the next time he opened his eyes, it wasn’t Sukuna who was in front of him- It was Megumi. Lying on the ground, curled up, shaking. Yuji couldn’t see Sukuna anywhere, but he wouldn’t have cared even if he was around- because he had done it. Megumi had come back. He got up shakily, rushing to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Fushiguro.” He called out his name. Megumi’s breath hitched at his touch, and his eyes opened, looking at Yuji. They were the color of forests, of hidden gems in forgotten corners. They were his eyes, and not anyone else’s. “Fushiguro. It’s me, Itadori.” He said. Megumi kept looking at him, eyes wide and body frozen, like he was there physically but his mind- his mind was elsewhere. Yuji started to feel a sense of panic grip him. He couldn’t lose Fushiguro when he had come this far, when he had done so much to save him, when-when he had fallen in love with him. He sat down in front of him, now gently cradling his face in his hands.
“Megumi.” He whispers softly, the words sounding foreign on his tongue- but he knew it belonged on there. That got a reaction out of Megumi, his eyes clearing, and his gaze finally, finally seeing past it all and now focused on Yuji. His lips parted, a short breath coming out before- “Yuji.” He says, voice raspy and tired. That’s all it took for Yuji to break- his arms wrapping around Megumi and pulling him in. Yuji couldn’t believe he’d done it, that Megumi was here- until Megumi started sobbing and Yuji realized just how he felt. After all, Yuji had felt it too. So he held him tighter, moving him onto his lap, Megumi’s head resting on his shoulder and held him.
And he knew, that it wasn’t over- that they had a long way to go. But for now? All he could do was hold onto Megumi and think to himself again what made him so lucky.