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The day Itadori Yuji turns 17 starts off a day like any other. She'll shoot up from bed, skin sticky from a nightmare, and she'll take a quick shower before getting ready for school.
Brush her teeth, brush her hair, stare at her closet before grabbing the same things she always wears (a hoodie over her uniform). All before creeping down the stairs and past where Sukuna had fallen asleep on the couch last night, and sitting on the porch with her backpack on her lap to wait for Megumi to pick her up.
Megumi.. Yuji’s cheeks flush just thinking about the other girl. Her girlfriend! She still couldn’t believe it. That anyone would even want her, despite all of the vileness beneath her skin. And yet, Megumi does. It makes her dizzy just thinking about it.
Toji’s truck pulls up the gravel driveway, and Yuji hops off the porch and gets into the passenger's seat, putting her backpack down and leaning over to give Megumi a kiss. The other girl accepts it, and when they pull back Megumi takes her hand and runs her thumb over Yuji’s knuckles.
“Happy Birthday, love,” and at this Yuji blinks once. Twice. “Huh?”
“Yuji. It’s March 20th?” Megumi watches the cogs turn in her head as she realizes what that means. Yuji flushes as the other girl laughs at her, “You forgot your own birthday?”
“Ahh… how embarrassing,” Yuji puts her hands over her face, “I forgot my own birthday..”
Megumi only chuckles, moving Yuji's hands off her face and littering it with kisses. Yuji giggles and bats her hands away, “‘Gumi, we gotta get to school!”
“Alright, alright,” the other girl sighs and pulls away, backing out of the driveway. Yuji watches the trees pass by, light filtering across her face as she thinks. 17, huh? And yet, I don’t feel any different. She looks over at her girlfriend, concentrated on the road. At least I have this one thing.
The school day is mostly the same. Well.. Gojo-Sensei does embarrass her in front of the whole class, singing happy birthday horribly out of tune. She almost slipped out of her chair while she was sinking down in it, but at least her classmates were nice wishing her quiet happy birthdays.
Nanamin also wished her a happy birthday, but he had held her behind after class to do so as to not fluster her even more. It was nice. Really nice. All of these well wishes for her.. It made Yuji feel happier than she had been lately. Excluding being around her girlfriend, of course. Nothing could beat the feeling of warmth that Megumi provided. Speaking of which..
Megumi and Nobara meet her outside after the last bell rings. She pulls Nobara into a hug, not having seen her all day due to their differing schedules. The shorter girl only huffs and pulls her down, ruffling her hair before letting her up. Yuji laughs and moves to stand next to her girlfriend, giving Megumi a kiss on the cheek and getting one in return.
“Eugh, enough being lovey-dovey. Yuji!” She looks over at Nobara, the other girl puffing out her chest and pointing to herself, “We’re going birthday shopping, on behalf of yours truly!”
Yuji cheers, grabbing Nobara’s hands and jumping with her. Megumi shakes her head in amusement as the three of them head towards the car and getting in.
They stop by the store Nobara wants to shop for her at, and Yuji lets herself be dragged out the car and into the store, with Megumi walking behind.
She ooh and ahs all the clothing choices, letting Nobara pile into her arms anything Yuji shows slight interest in. She ends up with a decent sized pile, and Nobara herds her into the dressing room, leaving her to change. Not before throwing pairs of tights in, though, knowing Yuji’s discomfort with her legs showing. It makes Yuji smile as she undresses.
Yuji felt her breath hitch as she saw herself in the mirror, smile disappearing quickly. There were bruises across her body, reminders of the violence inflicted upon her. Just looking at them made her body ache, so she quickly went through the clothes picked.
A lot of the options were cute, but just didn't make her feel comfortable in them. A cute dress with too short sleeves, a pretty blouse that's neckline cut too low, cropped too short shirts, and so on. She was running out of choices quick, and Yuji chewed on her lips. But..
Yuji can feel tears swell up in her eyes as she looks in the mirror. She looks pretty. She feels pretty. The blouse is frilly and cute, long sleeves flowy and loose, covering up bruises. The skirt is cute, too, if not a little shorter than what she's comfortable with. But it's okay. The tights cover all of it up, and they bring the whole outfit together. She feels human in these clothes, and it makes her feel nice.
A knock at the dressing room door reminds her of where she is.
“You doing okay in there, love?” Megumis voice carries through the door, and Yuji blushes at the pet name.
“Ah- yeah! Just got a little distracted,” she replies, before opening the door to see her girlfriend.
Yuji feels eyes rake up and down her body, and, for the first time, she doesn't feel a wave of disgust crawl up her, cause she can see how Megumi’s face reddens
“You look-”
“Oh my god! Yuji, you look so good!” Nobara sticks her head in, back from looking through the clothes, “You’re making me jealous.”
“Ah, really?” And Yuji feels tears well up again. She does look good! She looks pretty! And it makes her so, so happy to feel this way. To not feel like someone's discarded trash for once.
Megumi comes up and wipes the tears that had fallen from her eyes, “You alright?”
Yuji just nods at her, leaning into the other girl's touch.
“I wanted to say, uh, you look really good, ‘uji,” Megumi says, removing her hands from Yuji’s face and holding her hands instead.
“Yeah, I know!” Yuji giggles, swinging their hands back and forth. She tilts her head up slightly and kisses Megumi's cheek, “Thank you.”
“Are you two lovebirds done? I gotta pay and then we can go!” Megumi's face flushes as Yuji calls back, “Yeah, yeah.”
Yuji changes back into her clothes, handing the clothes she liked to Nobara as the other girl rambles and pays at the register, “We can swing by my place before heading out again so I can doll you up! You’ll look soo cute!”
“Thank you Nobs! I really do appreciate this,” Yuji says, letting go of her girlfriend's hand to hug Nobara.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!” The other girl says teasingly, before returning the hug and saying, “And of course, Yuji. You deserve to feel pretty!”
“Nobaraa…” Yuji feels her lips tremble, smiling at the other girl with a warmed heart.
They exit the store and as they walk down the street, Yuji’s smile starts to dim. She had so much fun today, and yet at the end of the day she still has to return to that house. Megumi and Nobara notice her slowing down and share a look.
“Hey, Yuji, why don't you spend the night at my place?” Megumi asks, walking closer to the other girl and linking their arms together.
“Really?” Yuji looks over at Megumi, stars in her eyes, “I'd like that, but I don't have any clothes..”
“That's ok. You can borrow mine,” Megumi says, face a flaming red.
Yuji’s face shares the color at the idea of wearing her girlfriends clothes and she exclaims, “Really? Okay!!”
Her pace picks back up as they head to where Megumi parked, hopping into the car to head to Nobara’s house. Yuji and Nobara fight over the radio, before eventually settling down when Megumi changes it to some rock music and they both reluctantly concede.
They ended up at Nobara’s grandma's house in peace, with the shorter girl dragging Yuji (for the second time that day) inside, Megumi trailing behind again. They wind up in Nobara’s room, with Megumi being shoved out, Nobara telling her that she was “Going to doll up her girlfriend!” With Megumi begrudgingly shuffling into the kitchen.
Yuji lets herself be wrangled around by Nobara, only complaining when she pulls on her hair too hard but let's everything else happen. When she’s done she lets Yuji look into the mirror to admire her work, and admire Yuji does. She looks..more alive. Nobara had pulled some of her hair back in a bow for a half-up half-down look, and lightly blushed her cheeks.
There's tears in her eyes again and she throws herself at Nobara, sniffling, “Nobsss, you made me so pretty!”
“Stop calling me that! And of course I did,I have an eye for these things!” Nobara returns her hug, before shaking Yuji and telling her, “Now go show your girlfriend! I need to get some things.”
With that Yuji’s done being weepy and she opens the door and runs to where Megumi is standing in the kitchen, jumping on the other girl.
“Megumi! How do I look? How do I look?!” She’s giddy with excitement, shaking the both of them back and forth before Megumi puts her hands on Yuji’s shoulders and they still.
Her girlfriend brushes a strand of hair behind Yuji’s ear, moving closer and pecking her on the cheek, “You look beautiful, Yuji.”
And Yuji stands there for a second, cheeks heating up as she looks into seafoam eyes, before lighting up and returning Megumi’s kiss, “Awww, Megumi! You think I’m prettyyy!”
“Of course I do, who wouldn’t?” And at that Yuji pauses. A lot of people wouldn’t, and right now Yuji could think of a few. She shifts in place, before pulling away from Megumi, suddenly uncomfortable. It feels like her skin is crawling and she doesn't know why.
She was having such a good day.. so why..? Someone grasps her hands and she looks up. Megumi is looking at her, concerned. Oh. Yuji links their fingers together and swings them slowly, and she leans her head on the older girl.
“Sorry, I just-” but Megumi cuts her off.
“It’s okay, Yuji, you don’t need to explain anything.” And Yuji just nods, and they stand there in the kitchen, taking in the others company before Nobara comes in with a bunch of bags and shoos them into the dining room.
“Ahh? What’s all this?” Yuji asks as shes sat down at the head of the table and bags are placed in front of her. She tries peeking into one, but Nobara swats at her head and she retreats with a pout.
“We figured that you probably didn’t want to be in public for this, so I decided we could have a mini birthday party here,” Nobara says, taking a cake that Megumi had been getting out the fridge and placing it in front of her, “Personally, I got you the best presents!”
Yuji feels her heart warm as she looks up at Nobara and Megumi, a smile across her face. They really do care about her a lot, thinking about what she’d want. Megumi puts down some candles and Nobara lights them, standing beside her as they sing some-what in tune. Kind of.. It’s the thought that counts.
“Okay, so now you have to make a wish! But don't tell us what it is,” Nobara says, putting an arm on her shoulder as her and Megumi watch.
Yuji clasps her hands together, in a mockery of a prayer and she thinks to herself. I want to feel this happy more. I hope that these feelings stay with me, so I can feel happy even when I’m hurting. And she blows out the candles.
Nobara goes to cut the cake as Megumi leans down and kisses her nose, “What’d you wish for?”
“Hey! I can’t say,” Yuji responds, playfully shoving Megumi away, “You’re trying to sabotage my wish!”
“Oh no, you got me.” The other girl deadpans, standing to full height again and grabbing a plate from Nobara and handing the cake slice to Yuji, “Birthday girls first.”
Yuji beams at her before biting down into the slice. It’s strawberry flavor, just how she likes it. She sighs, placing down her fork after she's done and just watching the other two. It’s nice, not being alone. She has a girlfriend and a best friend, and Yuji doesn’t think she could ask for anything more. And yet, they still go out of their way for her, to make her feel comfortable and happy.
For the umpteenth time that day Yuji feels water in her eyes, and she lifts up a hand to wipe it away. Megumi grabs it and wipes it away instead, taking her hand and giving it a kiss while Nobara makes a gagging noise in the background. Yuji only giggles, blushing and smiling.
“Here! Open mine first,” Nobara gives her a pink striped bag, which Yuji immediately grabs and starts throwing tissue paper from.
“Awww, Nobara!” Yuji pulls out a strawberry shaped purse, red and bright, “This is so cute!”
“I know, I know, I'm the best!” the orange haired girl says, flipping her hair as Yuji giggles at her, “Here, I got more for you!”
She opens more of the presents from her. Lots of hair clips and headbands, a cute bracelet making kit, (“So we can make bracelets together!” Nobara had said) and many, many pins.
Yuji, of course, squeals in excitement at all pf these, giving Nobara more hugs before Megumi gets her attention.
“Here,” Megumi hands Yuji her present, a black bag with black tissue paper (how mysterious!). Yuji takes it, holding it close as she opens it. Inside is a yellow hoodie, and she lets out a small oh as she pulls it out.
“I know you were upset that the last one got ruined, so I figured I’d get you another one,” she doesn't make any mention of how it got ruined, but just saying that it did brings Yuji’s mood down a bit. Megumi notices and adds,“There’s more in there, y’know.”
Yuji appreciates it, holding the hoodie to her chest and looks back down. There’s a wolf plush inside, black with red markings on its fur and Yuji can’t help but coo at it, “Awww, Megumi! It’s so cute!”
“I have a matching one at home, so that way we both have something to remind us of the other,” and Yuji slides out of her chair and into Megumi’s lap, giving her kiss after kiss upon her face before pulling back.
“Gumi! That's so cuteee!! It’s a good thing they’ll be together tonight, then, right?” Megumi blushes at this, pulling the other girl down for a few more kisses before Nobara groans loudly and pesters them to help her clean up.
They oblige, of course, helping their friend pick up all the trash, gather Yuji's presents and pack the leftover cake away in some tupperware for them to bring. It was nighttime by the time they gave their farewells, with Yuji hugging and thanking Nobara once more before they walked back to the truck.
They drive to Megumi’s house in relative silence, with only each other and the low hum of the radio to fill the comfortable void. Yuji plays with the ear of the dog plush Megumi got her, leaning her head on the window, watching the night sky pass.
They pull up to the driveway, with Megumi helping her gather all her things, slinging Yuji’s backpack over her shoulder and heading inside. Megumi gives a quiet hello to her dad, still awake at the dinner table, who just gives a curt nod back as they head past.
They lay down Yuji’s bags at the foot of the bed, Yuji flopping down on it to put the two dogs together and Megumi rummaging through her doors to find some clothes for Yuji to wear. Megumi finds some, turning around and seeing Yuji holding both the dogs, make them boop snoots together. The older girl lets out a huff of amusement at her girlfriends antics.
She leans down and kisses Yuji, handing her one of her t-shirts and a pair of shorts, “Here you go, dear.”
“Thank you Guuuumi!” Yuji pecks the other girl before taking the clothes and heading towards the bathroom, grabbing the new hoodie along the way.
Yuji wipes off her makeup first, before she takes off her new clothes carefully, folding them up in a nice pile before throwing on Megumi’s clothes and the hoodie she got her. Yuji only does a once over of herself before heading back to her girlfriends room, throwing herself on top of Megumi on her bed, nuzzling into her neck.
“Hi,” she whispers, pulling back just to look into Megumi’s eyes.
“Hey,” Megumi responds, moving a hand to her cheek and rising to give her a chaste kiss on the lips. Yuji giggles, leaning down to pepper the other's face in kisses, before laying her head back next to Megumi’s.
They stay there for a bit, just staring at each other before Megumi rolls Yuji off of her, grabbing her own laptop, frowning a bit at the bruises on her legs, (but not commenting. she knows yuji doesn't like to talk about it) and telling her to pick a movie while she makes popcorn. Yuji pouts a bit at her leaving but relents, scouring websites for a specific movie.
By the time Megumi’s back, drinks and popcorn in hand, Yuji’s already found a movie and is sitting up waiting for her girlfriend.
“Is it that weird worm movie again?” Megumi says, placing the drinks and popcorn on the nightstand before settling down on her bed. She pulls Yuji back against her and they settle there.
“It's not weird!” Yuji retorts, grabbing the popcorn and putting it in her lap, “It's a cinematic masterpiece!”
“Ah.. you're so lucky I love you,” the other says, reaching a hand over and pressing play. And Yuji leans her head back on Megumi’s shoulder, wolf plushies beside them, watching the intro with a feeling of safety and warmth surrounding her and whispering,
“I really am.”