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The sun hung low, painting the quiet Shibuya streets with a warm, reddish glow as Itadori and Megumi walked side by side, their steps naturally falling in sync. This wasn’t the busy heart of the city but a tucked-away stretch, far from the chaos they’d faced just a week ago.
Itadori glanced over, noticing the way Megumi was moving—shoulders tight, his arm held a little too close to his side. A worried frown crept onto his face, softening his usual easygoing look.
“Hey, Fushiguro... you sure you’re alright? You took a pretty nasty hit back there,” he asked, his voice gentle, but threaded with concern.
Without breaking his gaze from the sidewalk, Megumi replied, “I’m fine. Just bruised.” He said it firmly, like he wanted to believe it himself. But Itadori had noticed the way Megumi winced every time he tried to lift his left arm since their last mission.
“Fine,” Itadori answered, clearly not buying it. “Then at least humor me—where’s the worst spot? You know, so I don’t accidentally make it worse,” he added, a hint of playful persistence sneaking into his tone.
Megumi sighed, casting a sidelong look at him. He knew that look on Itadori’s face: the “I’m not letting this go” face. Finally, he muttered, “My shoulder. Got hit by a curse I didn’t see.”
“Right shoulder?”
“Left.”
In one smooth move, Itadori slipped behind him, hands resting carefully on Megumi’s shoulders. “Just testing something,” he murmured, pressing down gently. Megumi flinched, a flash of pain flickering across his face, though he quickly tried to swallow it down. Itadori’s expression softened. “You’re not ‘fine,’ Megumi. You’re hurt.”
Megumi tensed, brushing it off. “It’s nothing. You took worse hits.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to power through it alone.” Itadori’s eyes were warm, encouraging. “Come on. Let’s find somewhere quiet and take a breather.”
After a beat of hesitation, Megumi nodded, following him down the street to a small park nestled between tall buildings. They settled onto a bench under a cluster of old trees, leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze, and the noise of the city softened into the background.
Itadori rummaged in his bag, pulling out a small first-aid kit. “Alright, let’s see it,” he said, his voice warm but firm.
With a reluctant sigh, Megumi eased his shirt off his shoulder, revealing a deep bruise spreading from his collarbone down his upper arm. Itadori’s hand hovered, hesitant, before he gently traced the unbruised skin around it.
“This is rough, Megumi,” he murmured, his voice soft. Carefully, he applied balm to the bruised area and wrapped the shoulder, his touch surprisingly tender.
Megumi shifted, visibly uncomfortable with the attention. “It’s just a bruise,” he mumbled, his usual edge blunted.
“Yeah, but still.” Itadori shot him a reassuring grin. “Remember that mission in Kyoto? The one with that weird curse that hid in the shadows?”
Megumi let out a short laugh. “The one that jumped out when you weren’t looking? I remember. You screamed so loud it scared the thing off.”
“Hey!” Itadori protested, grinning. “That thing was creepy! And who was it that saved you when it pinned you, huh?”
Megumi gave a small, reluctant smile. “You got lucky.”
They both chuckled, the memory of that ridiculous mission filling the quiet around them. After a pause, Itadori added, “And remember that abandoned school mission? You got me out of that one after I got ambushed.” He looked over, his smile fading a little. “You didn’t even hesitate.”
Megumi looked down, rubbing at the fresh bandage. “It’s what partners do.”
Itadori’s voice softened, almost a whisper. “Exactly. So let me help you, too.”
They lapsed into a comfortable silence, just sitting together under the darkening sky, listening to the breeze rustling the branches above. For a moment, there were no curses, no missions. Just the two of them, sitting side by side, feeling something close to ordinary.
Eventually, Megumi spoke, his voice low. “It’s strange, you know?” He glanced down at his hands. “I never thought I’d feel... comfortable with anyone like this. Especially not with someone as reckless as you.” There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice, an admission he rarely allowed himself.
Itadori grinned, giving him a playful nudge. “Hey, someone’s gotta be around to balance out your ‘stick-in-the-mud’ vibes, right?”
Megumi rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You say that, but you get into way more trouble than I ever could.”
“Guess that’s why we make a good team,” Itadori laughed.
They drifted back into an easy silence, watching as the last rays of sunlight faded through the trees. Itadori stole a glance at Megumi, noting the faint shadows under his eyes, the residual tension in his shoulders. They’d both been through so much, more than most would understand, but right now, it felt... okay.
“You know,” Itadori said softly, “if you ever need a break, I’m here. You don’t have to shoulder everything alone.”
Megumi looked over, his expression unreadable, but then he nodded, almost imperceptibly. “Thanks, Itadori.”
They sat there in quiet companionship as the stars began to appear, sharing a rare moment of peace in a world that rarely offered it. And as the first stars dotted the sky, Itadori felt a quiet warmth in his chest—a silent promise that, no matter what came next, they’d face it together.