Work Text:
“What’s up, Porcupine?”
Yuuji grins as he loops his arm over Fushiguro’s shoulders, to which the shaggy haired man grunts and tries to flick him off like he’s stubborn sandpaper.
Unfortunately, his grip doesn’t relent.
“I told you not to call me that,” he retorts, “But it’s a step-up from Sea Urchin.”
“I mean, would it ever kill you to do something about the do? Like, tame it a little. Long hair looks great on you.”
As soon as Yuuji plants that seed in his head, he starts entertaining things he shouldn’t be. Maybe he takes his words to heart a little too much because whether he’s aware of it or not–and Megumi is almost certain Yuuji is blissfully unaware of everything as ever–he holds him in high-esteem. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even allowed him to so much as to breathe in the same general direction as him.
“Though, Kugisaki’s right, you do have the right bone structure to pull off curly hair on a dude but I don’t know. That seems too prissy even for a nepo baby like you–!”
“--did you seriously call me a nepo baby?”
“I mean, aren’t you? Gojo’s your legal guardian and he’s stinkin’ rich.”
“I’m not sure if that even qualifies me as a nepo baby, but I’ll let you have that one, I guess.”
Yuuji quirks an eyebrow at him before grinning like the doofus he is that always seems to stun Megumi into not speaking and not because Yuuji said or did something so idiotic he can’t dignify it with a response.
Nope, it’s awe. Pure awe. That someone can be so free and pure in spite of everything that’s happened.
“Well hey, you’re still going to meet up with me, Nobara, Maki, and Yuuta for movie night, right?”
“Yeah,” he answers robotically. Still staring. Still in some kind of giggly lovesick daze (only in his mind and something he would never allow to come into the light). Hopefully not making it weird, but it doesn’t seem like Yuuji ever seems to mind.
Yuuji tosses a thumbs up with his unoccupied hand. “Great! Then I’ll catch you later because I”m going to go grab some snacks! Anything you want in particular?”
Megumi averts his gaze as a barely perceptible blush dusts his cheeks. “I really liked that chocolate and strawberry popcorn you got last time.”
“Ohh, didn’t think you had a sweet tooth, Gojo must be rubbing off on you,” he snickers before stepping back. “Alright! Tonight at 8! You better be there or it’ll be so blah without you to critique every minute of the movie!”
With that, Yuuji scurries off like an energizer bunny, leaving Megumi to ponder Yuuji’s casual suggestion about changing up his style. Well, taming the hair isn’t necessarily changing things up. It’s refining himself a little.
Yuuji deserves that much, doesn’t he? He deserves way more than that after everything. He glances at a reflection of himself through the glass of one of the shops, analyzing what to improve. His hair is long, but it’s unruly, maybe straightening out a bit? Tie it back into a tight pony like some men do before sparring?
That might work.
He can’t believe the thoughts that are flooding his mind. All because he wants some level of validation or sign from Yuuji that what has been going on isn’t one-sided or in his head.
Is this what Gojo must have felt like with that ex of his he always lamented about back in the day?
Yikes.
Megumi settles on a slicked back, shorter ponytail. His spikes are toned down with a smidge of hair gel because if there’s anything valuable Gojo taught him besides jujutsu, it’s that too much hair gel is going to leave your hair looking worse and greasier than clean cut and fresh looking. He’s given the hair some more body and his bangs frame his face in a more flattering way. He’s even made sure that his skin doesn’t look pasty or blotchy with the recommended skincare products from Nobara for good measure. He’s acting like this is a date when this is just another hangout between him and mutual friends.
But that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t want something .
Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be better .
Better for him. That’s what this is all for, isn’t it?
He raps on the door. Yuuji answers, that same stupid goofy grin on his face he greets him with each and every time. Like he’s always bursting with joy from seeing him.
It makes Megumi’s heart skip a beat.
Yuuji stops, eyes scanning him from head to toe.
“You look fancy,” he admits, gesturing to his dress shirt and pants. “This was casual and you went sharp? What’s the occasion?”
“I can’t switch it up every once in a while?” Megumi quips, scowling like usual. Yuuji shrugs.
“It’s nice. And you even straightened your hair a bit,” he comments, “You really look sharp. Like a million bucks. You always do, but man you never fail to impress, Fushiguro.”
“Yeah, well, I guess I could do something like this more often…” Megumi trails off as he enters the room, where everyone else is already waiting but chatting amongst themselves, delightfully oblivious to how his heart is hammering against his chest so hard it might break free.
“So are we watching The Hunger Games again or are we actually going to watch an actual cinematic masterpiece?” Megumi continues as he tries to fight off these raging emotions for no reason . This is what he wanted, and yet he can’t find himself able to handle even the smallest of compliments when it comes out of Yuuji’s mouth.
“Ummmm, well we could watch The Silver Linings Playbook which still has Jennifer Lawrence in it but it’s a little sad.”
“Ugh, nobody wants to watch a depressing movie, Itadori,” Nobara interjects, “Let’s choose something happy or romantic.”
“Human Earthworm,” Yuuji answers easily and with a little too much confidence and enthusiasm.
“Absolutely not,” everyone says in unison, except for Yuuta, who seems more amused by the interaction than anything else.
Megumi grumbles something to himself but if anyone paid attention the faintest smile could be seen on his face. He’s never going to outright admit it, but he’s never felt more accepted until now. He’s never even gone around looking for anyone’s approval but he easily wins it from Yuuji.
It’s a nice change of pace. That’s for sure.