Work Text:
Megumi hadn't started smoking until he left high school. He didn't pick it up as a habit exactly, but he'd take a cigarette when it was offered to him. Letting someone light it for him. Holding it between his fingers as he talked to the other men about something. It wasn't a real habit and it definitely wasn't an addiction, so he had no need to go out and buy himself any while he'd been staying with Yuji.
Now though, he felt sick at the thought of smoking one. Had even made it clear to the men guarding the main house, that if they wanted to smoke, they needed to do it when they were out of sight. It wasn't something Yuji had asked for, and truthfully Megumi didn't even know if it bothered him. The smell of cigarettes, the glow burning at the end of them, or just the mere sight of them.
Even though he didn't know for certain. Megumi also didn't want to push Yuji into any unnecessary discomfort. So, he'd done things behind Yuji's back to make sure they didn't make an appearance in front of him. Unbeknownst to Megumi, Yuji had caught onto what he was doing. He projected his thoughts, and especially his concerns, so loudly that it was hard to miss.
Though, Yuji thought it was cute and didn't want to say anything. Letting Megumi fuss about trying to make Yuji comfortable in his stay. Yuji really couldn't comment on how cigarettes made him feel. There were a lot of things that probably triggered Yuji, or would do if he allowed himself to feel and react normally. But he'd spent a long time repressing things, to make it easier to face the world.
He didn't like cigarettes, and he certainly never saw himself smoking. It was just one of many things, but the attention to such a small aspect of his life. Honestly meant enough to Yuji that he smiled over it, even now. Sitting inside one of the many bathrooms the main house had. The water was cold, chilled to an almost freezing temperature. Yuji liked it that way.
Whenever he burns himself, it's always like this. Even if the burn wasn't that serious, it made Yuji uncomfortable to use hot water for a while. Megumi had asked him about ten times if he's sure he's comfortable with the temperature of the water. But he hadn't denied him the opportunity to bathe in the icy water, helping him over the side of the tub and making sure he was steady sitting down.
Leaning over the lip of the bath with his arms folded, chin resting on them. Yuji couldn't help the smile widening over his face as he thought about Megumi busying himself telling off anyone who dared to smoke too close to areas Yuji walked around. Megumi was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, facing one of the opposite walls. He remained unnervingly vigilant, his watch of Yuji's care returning more noticeable than ever.
Seeing him out of the corner of his eye, Megumi looked over. All he could see was Yuji grinning over at him. Although he was confused, he didn't try question Yuji and just left him with a baffled expression before looking away. On top of hounding the poor guards over cigarette smoke, he wasn't even letting Yuji bathe alone. Though he wasn't being weird about it, he had just become to anxious.
Yuji didn't mind, most of his body was submerged beneath bubbles. The upper part of his body wasn't too grotesque to look at anyway, so he felt like it didn't matter much that it was visible. It wasn't like Megumi had ever made these moments feel inappropriate either. Their dynamic had evolved and changed, after the day Yuji had been kidnapped. Thankfully it hadn't gotten worse.
"Think about getting out soon." Megumi said, eyes flitting back over to stare at Yuji for a second before looking away again. "You're going to get sick if you stay in there much longer."
"Mm, just give me a minute."
Actually, Yuji had come to quite enjoy these moments. To be respectful, he could only assume, Megumi tried not to look at Yuji too much while he was bathing. This meant that Yuji could stare at Megumi as much as he wanted. Look from his messy hair down to the shape of his eyebrows. The colour of his eyes, and the thoughts visible in them. How neatly he sat himself even in the bathroom.
Not saying anything, Megumi looked back over at Yuji once more and Yuji finally gave in, "Fine, fine. I'll get out now, stop you're worrying."
Pushing up from and out of the tub using the lip of it for support. He stood there with water dripping down him until Megumi came over with a towel. This one was a soft faded yellow colour, it was comfy as it wrapped around Yuji. With his arms hidden underneath the towel, Megumi helped him step over the side of the bath and out. A determination, focused on making sure Yuji doesn't slip.
Ruffling his hair with the towel to dry it of any water that had gotten into it. Megumi made short, methodical work of drying Yuji and getting him dressed. Yuji was more than capable, and moved himself around for the most part. It was just that Megumi made sure that he didn't get lightheaded and slip over, or get dizzy and slip over, or any of the other dangerous fantasies he believed would happened if Yuji stood on his own for a second.
"When do you think you'll stop hovering?"
It was a mostly light hearted question. Since the kidnapping, Megumi had been slightly overdoing it with his protectiveness. Nothing that made Yuji truly uncomfortable or uneasy. It was endearing in a lot of ways. Made Yuji feels cared for, honestly. But he was curious, because Megumi could not keep this up forever. So focused on just keeping Yuji alive and intact that he was basically keeping him at arms length.
While he had physically been next to Yuji for the week he had been healing, it had barely felt like he was there with him. Yuji was a little uncertain in this dynamic, but he'd been able to relax in parts as well. He'd spent so long keeping it together. Making himself palatable to others. Yet he just didn't feel up to doing that to such a degree anymore, he had let loose on his restraint a little.
"'Gumi-," Yuji dragged out the name as he called out after Megumi who was leading him down the hallway.
Stopping him before he could whine anymore Megumi answered, "I'm not hovering."
Calling Megumi by the shortened nickname had, shockingly, had a fun impact on Megumi. He isn't sure he could quite say it flustered Megumi, but he always seemed a little easier whenever Yuji would use it. Megumi had been leading them straight for Yuji's current bedroom, but he turned a little, just enough to take a look back at Yuji. Trailing behind him as he was.
"Even you can't believe that sort of flimsy lie."
"I'm just doing what any good bodyguard would do."
At the expression he saw on Yuji's face he turned back around and continued to reason, "Well, I'm sure Geto would do the same for Gojo."
"I promise you that isn't the defense you think it is."
By that time they'd finally made it back to Yuji's room. There was a window open, letting in rays of soft lighting and comforting smells. Trees blowing in the gentle breeze, a gentle warmth enveloping the room. A simple set up of a bed on the floor, a mirror over to one side that was long enough to be a full body mirror. A desk of sorts that Yuji hadn't needed to use, and a closet for his clothes.
Not looking at Yuji still, Megumi busied himself with setting up Yuji's bed for him. He hadn't been seriously injured during the kidnapping at all. Sure, the wound to his head was probably something to worry over a little. Nothing had really happened though, and his shoulder had healed up fine. Truthfully though, Yuji knew it wasn't just physical wounds everyone was worrying over.
He had already been in one of his episodes, had felt his body and his mind getting worse. Even though he wanted to complain over the treatment, the rest and the care had been nice. Only complaining a little here and there, mostly just for the sake of it. Yuji soaked up the attention for what it was, trying not to feel like a burden or a bother as he let himself be seen in such a state.
Collapsing onto his bed, startling Megumi. Yuji was laying on his back and finally able to look up at Megumi's expression. Mostly focused on the task at hand, but he was clearly thinking about other things. Mind slightly elsewhere as he pulls his hands back. Unable to pull his attention away from Yuji without making it awkward, he simply started into Yuji's eyes for the moment.
"I was getting your bed ready for later, we still need to put the medicinal stuff on your muscles."
"Just do it while I'm laying here."
Megumi seemed utterly opposed to the idea as he argued, "You'll get the bed dirty, get off it for a moment and we can do it over there."
"Don't want to."
"Yuji, come on." Megumi looked like he wanted to roll Yuji right off the bed himself, but was holding himself back from doing just that.
Not arguing further, Yuji simply closed his eyes and lifted one of his legs over to Megumi's lap. The man was kneeling by the bed and caught Yuji's leg just in time so he didn't get hit. Maybe he had wanted to argue more, himself, but he didn't bother. Scooting himself over so he was keeling on the material of Yuji's bed, Megumi simply got to work. The medicinal salve smelt quite strong.
Getting enough onto his fingers, Megumi filtered through the instructions Shoko had talked him through days ago. Just applying this stuff was more than enough, but she had pointed out that if he wanted to help Yuji more, then it would be more effective to massage it in. With his mind focused on the task, Megumi methodically worked a large amount of the salve into Yuji's leg muscles.
Hands light but insistent. Careful not to put too much pressure on the muscles, not wanting to hurt Yuji further. Moving himself just enough once he was done with the first leg, to move onto the second. Yuji was almost silent the entire time, barely letting out any noise. Trying to keep even his breath even and quiet, letting even the sorest parts of his body be tended to with the upmost care.
Extra attention was given to his shoulder when Megumi got to it. Even though it felt mostly fine now, Megumi still turned it this way and that to see how his mobility was. With his eyes closed, Yuji couldn't exactly see Megumi as he worked. But he could feel his eyes on him. Almost professional for the most part, but burning a little deeper into his skin at parts.
When he had recognized Megumi's interest in the messed up parts of his body. It had made him feel complicated, bot embarrassed or disgusted. There was a certain, enjoyment over it. Megumi barely touched the scarred parts of him, not because he didn't want to. But because he was holding himself back from doing it. Didn't want to appear like he was doing something untoward with Yuji in this state.
There was a desire to know that burden within Megumi. On top of that, there was also a tactile desire to know. He clearly wanted to know what the different scars all felt like, wanted to know what they felt like to Yuji. How they felt for Yuji to have. He was being polite though, something Yuji wanted to bring to an end. He didn't mind baring his scars for Megumi to see.
All Sukuna had felt over seeing them was guilt. Even Shoko, Geto and Gojo had felt varying degrees of sadness and pity. Of course, like Yuji had pointed out. Megumi had also felt terrible when he caught sight of them. That wasn't all there was to it for Megumi though. He was interested, and he wanted to press and prod at Yuji so badly. But he'd trained the instinct out of him to push too hard.
Even now, fingers gliding over certain parts. Feather light, almost unnoticeable as they smoothed the salve over him. Yuji hadn't been wearing clothes that covered him as much anymore, so his skin was easier to get to now. Sukuna still carried his guilt on his shoulders, obvious for Yuji to see, but he was so busy and pulled in so many different directions recently that it was easier for now.
Whenever Sukuna caught sight of him, he was too busy caught up in making sure he was still in one piece to worry himself over the scars. The rest, all but Megumi, all had similar reactions. Busy enough that they couldn't wallow in it for too long. Unfortunately, though, Megumi was too restrained in the reactions Yuji did want to see and draw out of him. He wanted to see Megumi interested and intrigued.
"You don't have to be so gentle." Yuji said as he sensed Megumi was getting closer to finishing up his work, breaking the silence that had fallen over them both.
Opening his eyes just a little, Yuji continued to press on, "I've been through much worse, I can take at least this much."
Moving his body up a little in Megumi's space, forcing Megumi's fingers harder into his skin for a moment before Megumi was able to pull away. Megumi took his fingers completely away from Yuji's skin for a second. Yuji was a little worried he'd done something wrong, but Megumi just came back with more salve on his fingers. He was always generous with the amount he used, more than necessary.
"Just because you can take it doesn't mean you have to. You're already in enough pain."
Using his hand to gently push Yuji's body back down onto the bed, relaxing him until he laid flat on his back again. Still as his eyes stare up at Megumi, now wide and completely open to take him in. Megumi had been looking at some of his scars with a particularly burning and focused gaze. But he was serious about tending to Yuji and being gentle with it.
"Oh."
Yuji let himself remain quiet for the rest of the process. Taking what Megumi gave him, moving when Megumi needed to reach somewhere particularly rough. Making Yuji press his fingernails into his skin to stop himself from letting out a pained noise. His skin wasn't as sensitive as it had been, but he was still tender in parts and the ache was deep in his skin.
"Did you want to have dinner out there with the others, or in here?"
"In here?"
Had Megumi asked before, Yuji probably would have confidently asserted that he would happily leave his room to go out and eat with the others. But he felt a little unsure in that moment, requesting to take his food in the room instead. Sometimes it really caught him off guard, how Megumi treats him. He likes Megumi's intense gaze and curiosity, his gentleness is, different.
"Okay, I'll let them know. How about you take a nap before dinner, there's still time."
Shaking his head Yuji answered, "Not until you're back."
The words seemed to surprise Megumi but he didn't show it for long, "I'll come back quickly then, just get comfortable."
As true to his word as he seems to be, Megumi returned in no time. Yuji had suddenly felt bone-deep tiredness but had kept his eyes just open enough to stay awake until Megumi's return. He had just sat himself down by Yuji's bed, when Yuji fell asleep. Going completely still. He curled himself up and seemed to lay as close to Megumi as he could on the bed, without touching.
The room was still nicely warm, and Yuji hadn't even pulled his blanket up around him before sleeping. He seemed content though, having fallen asleep so suddenly. A gentle breeze filtered through the window, the wind just enough the move the hairs on Yuji's head slightly. Megumi pushed the strands out of Yuji's face before retreating back. Content to wait for him, letting him sleep until dinner time.