Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Past the fields of onion and plum trees you will find a small Japanese house. 

At a simple glance it doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary. With its rich dark wood that resembles the lightly sprinkled earth in spring and the shoji-paper doors that extract the colors of the kingdom of deciduous trees in autumn to dress itself, the house turns from a deadly fort in the winter with naked tree branches extending outwards like the thorns of a rosebush, driving intruders away, to a gently-used dwelling in the summer. The simple Japanese house exists naked to the eye, present yet gone, like a chameleon who’s mastered the art of camouflage. You wouldn’t even notice how absurd the location of the site is. After all, who builds a house in the aftermath of onion fields? 

“Now, girls” A middle-aged woman with short curly hair took one final glance around her. The description of the house was in actuality a fallback strategy expert gossiper aunties transitioned back to whenever the situation called for it. The short-haired woman nodded to herself before retaking the conversation. The perimeter had been secured. “Listen closely”. 

The true core of the conversation was the inhabitant who resided in that forest of tart sweetness. 

There is said to live a cursed spirit at the center of that same plum field. “Place a hand vertically across the middle of your face”. That’s right. The spirit possessed two faces. Now, the left side—a normal man as any other human being. He is the kind neighbor who shares the harvests of his garden. “A simple, humble young man who just like many of us brings out the comforters to wash when the heat is in its highest form”. The spirit wears this disguise during the summer. 

The right side. Well, it’s the other half of his face where you will begin to see the cracks to his mask. From the right side onwards, the cursed spirit wears the face of a ghastly creature. He is all scars and tender tissue, reflecting a mysterious kind of past. “Have you ever wondered why the ground beneath your feet trembles in the colder months of the year?” It’s that spirit stomping his feet, counting the days until the first snowfall. 

No one knows why the spirit switches from personality to personality so often, but if there is one thing that never changes is the faint smell of tobacco oozing out of the forest of plums. 

“I wonder if we'll ever see that kind spirit again” 

A teenager leans forward, chin resting against his kneecaps. His eyes stare into the vastness of a garden in boredom, the same old talk repeating in his head.

A spirit with two faces. 

He guessed that’s what the heat of the sun did—melt the ice away to find buried things forgotten over the winter. It was always around this time of the year when that story would resurface. 

The boy watched the way the sun shied from the trees most immediate to him. Some of the sunlight filtered through the canopies of the trees, leaving kiss marks on the ground. 

Yuji extended his arms out, testing if their length were long enough to reach the small rays of the sun. 

Unsuccessful, he dropped his arms to his side.

The fourteen-year-old was in the timber-floored corridor outside of his house, staring out into the backyard at having nothing better to do. He let out a blow of air. Noon was upon them and he was in prison. A teenager could only entertain himself with plants for so long before his attention drifted elsewhere. Out! He thought. He should be out doing something! Beyond these confining shadows where the exciting thrill of adventure shined brightly!

Yuji leaned sideways, replacing the chin on his kneecaps with his left cheek. There was a pout on his lips, eyes glazing with honey like he could transmit these same thoughts to his companion. 

They begged: 

‘C’mon, let’s do something!’ 

But his companion was so deep in a meditative trance that all his efforts were in vain. 

Sitting beside the boy was a man in his early thirties. His short pink hair was slicked back. The ever-present crease in between his eyebrows was for once absent. He possessed an effortless kind of beauty that was hard to come by. Skin, adoringly wrapped around a sharp jawbone, an edge to his eyelids that could cut like a blade and naturally gifted eyebrows of which arches were pivotal in recreating the man’s infamous glare. Although there was much time left for the boy to grow into a young man, he already showed signs of exhibiting the same noble features the mature man possessed. 

Deep inside all that sharpness the man handled, however, hid a delicateness. If the man wanted he could soften his handsome features to appear more neighborly. This was the younger boy's interpretation of his own phenotypic attributes. The older man's philosophy differed. He viewed his features as a tool, an instrument to use to his advantage. 

The only greatest difference between the two insofar was their eye color. Amber and garnet, the family's famous gems, passed down from their maternal and paternal side across generations. 

Yuji sighed, unfolding from his position to stretch like a cat. While the older man’s presence sat heavy and menacingly, the teenager still held on to the jovial fascination and optimism that life provided. Briefly, he wondered whether this boredom would have been quenched if he had a pet. Despite living in the countryside, he’d never been allowed to have one. The first time he proposed the idea he was met with the quick dismissal of a ‘You can barely take care of yourself, brat. You really expect that thing to make it out alive with you as its caretaker?’

Yuji had grumbled, his opposing opinion only to be met with a pointed glare—the decision was final. The conversation was over before it even began. 

Sure, whatever, he could have presented a better case for himself, but Yuji had only been living with the man for a few months— Only actually that wasn’t quite true, was it? Yuji had never been good at math. The point was, there was still much about the man that was shrouded in mystery and the recent talk that had been circulating around the town made him wary. His friends weren’t making it easier on him either.  

Yuji’s gaze on the horizon only intensified. This was what he had itched for, wasn't it? The electrifying excitement of something interesting happening. So why did he feel so anxious? Wasn't solving these kinds of mysteries what kids his age were supposed to enjoy anyways? 

His reluctance was interrupted by a screen of smoke. Yuji whirled his head around, the potency of a question sitting at the tip of his tongue. He was about to ask, motivation fueled by the sight of smoke, when he noticed the location those garnet eyes rested upon. 

Yuji followed his gaze. 

Indeed, his uncle’s property extended beyond the radius of the shade provided by the trees. Just a little far ahead was a clothesline. Its position was a bit removed from the immediate proximity of the house but it was close enough that the distance could be traveled in less than a minute. 

Yuji blinked, short pink eyelashes fanning honey gold eyes. They were two weeks deep in summer and the town hadn’t missed the chance to use the longer hours of sun to the best of their advantage. An assortment of colored linens hanging outside homes had overtaken the vista of the small town. 

The next item his eyes fell upon was the concrete washboard right beside the clothesline. It was held up at standing height by a series of bricks stacked up. The floor area around it was surrounded by large flat stones to prevent stepping on the mud that would inevitably form from the washboard. 

Yuji’s eyes quickly darted to the man beside him before returning to the spot ahead. He was definitely looking at the washing station.  

Now isn’t the best time then. Yuji retreated to the position that felt safest. He hugged his knees close to his chest and peeked below lidded eyes to continue staring at the bamboo posts holding down the empty clothesline. 

We’re falling behind , his mind supplied idly, then with more pushback: It’s not like I haven't been taught how to handwash! ‘Not like it was rocket science either!’ He defended himself firmly, already hearing the judgmental murmurs of their neighbors clinging to his back. 

I could do it! I would do it! But… There was another furtive glance at the boundary drawn between the shade of the trees and the beyond. The contrast between light and dark drew a metaphysical barrier that restrained him. He wasn’t ready to cross the line. Judging by the empty stare of the man, he wasn’t either. 

Another cloud of smoke melts into the overhang of the roof and Yuji’s eyes return to his companion. 

The man stood to his feet, shrugging off a sleeve from a muscular shoulder. The sleeve of the Yukata he wore fell down his side. He then slipped a hand inside the revealed opening, hugging his mid-waist. Like this, half of his chest was exposed. They weren’t at the peak of summer heat yet and he had already taken out the light summer garment. 

Yuji’s attention was met with a raised eyebrow. The teenager’s eyes drifted to the lonesome washboard in the distance, but before he could speak out loud the question occupying his mind, the man had already slipped inside the house. His smoke break was over. 

Yuji let out a defeated breath. He was always one to run hotter than the average person. 

He's left alone to his thoughts in the engawa. 

+++

“So?”

Yuji startles, pulled out from his thoughts. 

“So what?” He asks while contorting his body to pat the underside of his backpack. His palm met the smooth surface of a plastic water bottle. Relief washed over him. 

The last time he forgot to pack a water bottle he received a smack on the back of his head so strong that it had him flying forward. That man never knew how to reel in his strength. When he managed to recover from the force of the hit, the confusion he showed was received by the low rumble of a “Today was gym”. 

Yuji was stunned, face flushed from the exertion of that day’s school activities. His shirt was wet from perspiration. He felt disgusting. 

The older man then proceeded to point to the direction of the dining table. On it was Yuji’s water bottle, laid forgotten due to his irresponsible management of time. 

“You didn’t have to smack me so hard!” Yuji shrieked. But the man only reminded him, unremorseful: 

“Don’t make it a habit” 

Everything would have been alright too if the school wasn’t too cheap to invest in fixing the only drinking fountain they had. Better yet, it wouldn't kill them to add another one. But everyone was already so used to the administration's negligence that they had silently agreed to be responsible for their own drinking water. 

Yuji hunched his shoulders, keeping the memory of the steady weight of a hand against the back of his head fresh in his mind. 

“Agh, c’mon, you already know what I mean!” Kugisaki groans, making it her top priority to force her way to the forefront of his mind. 

The girl stomps her foot, pulling her body into a menacing posture. She shoves her disgruntled fists into the pockets of her skirt and stretches as tall as she can to make up for the height she lacks. She looks at him with the face of a troublemaker. Yuji smiles at the picture she makes.  

The girl narrows her eyes at him, dissatisfied with the result of her intimidation attempt. 

“Did you ask him?” 

Yuji looks down the road, their other friend's house coming into view. He answers.

“I didn’t think you would care. I thought you said childish legends like that were below you?” 

The girl flicked her dark brown hair back. Yuji had a feeling she wouldn’t let go of the topic so easily. 

“Only I get to dictate what stuff is lame or not and if I find this particular legend intriguing then it automatically becomes un-lamed” She shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head in disbelief. There was a challenging glint on her eyes when she spoke next. “Just say you were too much of a coward to ask” 

A wave of indignation shot up his spine. 

“If you want to know so badly why don’t you ask him yourself then?!” 

The girl only dismissed him with the flick of a wrist. “Don’t you think I would have done that already if I wasn’t sure he was the cursed spirit from the legend? Why would a simple mortal risk their safety when I got his nephew to do my bidding for me?” But the confidence she showed was superseded by a much more honest reaction that followed afterwards. 

‘Guy’s scary’, she muttered under her breath.

Yuji heard. He couldn't stop the frown already forming on his face. He chose to focus instead on her previous statement. 

“I haven’t ‘cuz he’s not!” He yelled back. But his defensiveness only managed to revive the words she had said last. Yuji shook his head. He shouldn't read that much into it. She didn't mean anything by it. 

“He doesn’t even have two faces to begin with” He replied less enthusiastically. 

His friend only crossed her arms over her chest, looking him up and down with poorly veiled disappointment. “You see? If you’d shared this information with me when we first started this hunt then I would have been able to stay up to date with the creature’s appearance!” 

Yuji stared at her incredulously before coming to a stop in front of light blue gates. He knocked twice and returned to face the girl. 

“You’re talking about my uncle here” Yuji flinched at his tone. It was far more vulnerable than he had intended it to sound. The girl might have shrugged it off the first time, but this time she looked at him with a slight furrow on her eyebrows. The concern became evident in her gaze. 

“Ita—” before she managed to voice her concern, Fushiguro came out of the blue gates of his house. 

Yuji’s guardian angel spoke, breaking the awkward atmosphere that had quickly enveloped the space. 

“Same spot?” He looked at them expectantly, clueless to the turn his friends’ conversation had taken. 

“Yup!” Kugisaki nodded and Yuji for one was grateful for the disruption. 

The trio headed towards the opposite end of their homes’ direction. Hectares of sugar cane ran across the expanse of the fields they encountered. 

The trio arrived at a clearing just short of a boundary dividing one owner’s field from another. 

Yuji lowered his backpack as soon as the other two teenagers found their seats in some boulders they had previously placed there. 

Yuji threw each a bottle of water. 

+++

“And you know what was even worse? He stood me up! Can you believe that?!” The girl took a bite out of a piece of sugar cane. She was crouching on the ground, all that talk about ladyship flying out the window as soon as the conversation somehow shifted to her past suitors. She sneered, all teeth and anger. 

“This is why I firmly rejected him all those times! I knew he couldn't be a grown-up about it. Women, we can see it. Men talk all this talk about us being too sensitive when they don't take accountability! You’re damn sure I ignored his ass after that” The girl spat out the grass fibers before muttering, ‘Making me waste my damn time’. 

Her judging gaze flicked towards them like she had only just realized the type of company she kept with. “If I hear that any of you guys are playing those kinds of games, I'll kick both your asses” Her words were filled with disdain. 

Yuji only raised his hands innocently.

Her brown gaze turned towards their black-haired friend. The disgust in her eyes shifted into something much more mischievous.  

“By the way Fushiguro, I've heard some things about you~” She drawled. Her teasing tone had the boy rolling his eyes. Fushiguro stood up, planning to cut their meeting short if it had come to this. But Kugisaki gave Yuji a look, and the boy pulled Fushiguro down with a smile.  

His friend narrowed his eyes at him. Yuji paid no heed. 

“Word says you've got a fanclub of your own~” The girl’s voice sing-songed in a high-pitched tone before lowering. “Disgusting” A shadow fell over her face. “Don't tell me all that prettiness mommy Fushiguro blessed you with finally got to your head? She would be disappointed” She shook her head in disapproval. 

The boy sent a wry look her way. “I've no interest in that stuff” 

Kugisaki scrutinized his reaction, dissecting him apart with one determined gaze. If there was a lie, she would find it. After another second of silence, she retreated. She took another bite of the stolen piece of grass. She sucked the piece dry. “Whatever. You will someday. Everyone does. Just wait till we're in high school and then we'll see who's mister unfaced by earthly desires” 

“What about you, Itadori?” She followed absent-mindedly, burying the chewed fibers under the dirt. 

“Huh?” Yuji looked up from the ground.  

The girl spat another piece of sugar from her mouth before repeating. “Do you have anyone you're interested in?” 

Love. 

When he was a child who they still read bedtime stories to, Yuji had been the kind of kid that wouldn't shy away from a good twist. He loved happy endings, but happy endings were much more satisfying after a series of hurdles. He loved all kinds of stories, be it adventure, horror, or yes, even romance. The more unrealistic, the more ridiculous, the more fun it was. He liked to let his imagination run wild. 

Yuji’s only knowledge of love came from a bedtime story that wasn’t about love. Although he was still unsure about many of the details leading to that conclusion. 

This particular non-romance story would lose the curtain of fantasy mid-recital. Yuji loved stories, but this one left him confused. 

“Let's see. How about this?”

There once lived a beast amid a forest of plums. This creature had two faces. One side was kind and compassionate while the other was evil and detached. This differentiation allowed the beast to survive in the harsh environment of the forest. Whenever a problem surfaced with the other residents, the tougher, harsher side would take over. But if something required mental fortitude, the kinder side would take control. 

The creature also possessed four arms and so it was able to make a living from them, but while a pair bended and yanked, the other healed and nourished. All sides of the beast complemented each other. 

The days would run their course just like this, without much of a hitch. 

Then she came along. 

A fairy with sweet features and a liking for fruits. Every time the beast would shoo her away, but none of his techniques ever worked on her. Despite her delicate aspect, none could compare to the determination she held when it came to collecting the sweet nectar of the beast garden’s plums. 

The fairy visited often. She wasn't afraid of him. And she eventually captured the beast's gentle heart. 

“Listen, now kid. This is no love story. The beast shouldn't have ever allowed her entry. That woman was a witch disguised as a fairy. She infected the man with a wretched thing. She manipulated him. She turned him against me. And one day, without any warning, she sneaked him out only to discard him the moment she conceived the fruit of their union”

“Sukuna! Just what are you telling him?!”

“No! He has the right to know! He may be a kid but he isn't dumb! He notices things! He can see that everyone else except him has a m—” 

“What's holding you up? Thinking about her~?” The girl sent him a sly smile. The sudden pause caught their usually uninterested friend’s attention as well. His dark eyes surveyed him with curiosity. 

The memory dispersed within a breath. Yuji exhaled, choosing to focus on the vibrant color of his sneakers instead. It was best to avoid this topic altogether. There were ears in the trees of this town after all. 

“I don't have that kind of charm” Besides, it was true. Yuji wasn't the most romantically inclined. He wouldn't even know where to start. Fushiguro had his looks going for him. But him? Yeah, no. 

“Ozawa begs to differ” 

“Huh?” Amber eyes shot upwards. Scalding hot water trickled down his chest. It sat uncomfortably on his stomach. When did he give her that idea? Did anyone else believe this? 

He turned towards Fushiguro. The boy assented with a curt nod. 

Kugisaki continued. “She gets this misty look in her eyes whenever she talks about you” She nodded to herself before saying matter-of-factly. “She's a nice girl” like she was a mother approving of his son's girlfriend.  

Yuji quickly shuts it down. 

“She's just a friend” 

Kugisaki shrugs her shoulders, unbothered by his defensiveness. “If you say so” 

“Now let's get out of here. The mosquitoes are out to hunt” 

The journey back is uneventful. The sun shines on the horizon with the fall of evening. There’s not much to do in a small town for teenagers like them. Kugisaki dreams of the big city, fashion designers, and glamorous nights. Fushiguro is apathetic. He’s got both his mom and dad. He leads a calm life. He doesn't ask for much. 

After this summer they will start another chapter of their lives. High school. Everything will turn more serious. If they want a chance at university that is. 

“Hey,” Kugisaki pats his shoulder gently. “Consider what I said” She says before diverting in the direction of her house. She waves a lazy hand at them in farewell. 

Except Yuji doesn't know what she means. Were they still talking about Ozawa? Or were they talking about his uncle? He turned towards Fushiguro in confusion. He was more perceptive than him. Perhaps he could share the answer with him. But the boy was already starting a light jog. The gates of his home had clicked open. An energetic pair of guests were making their way towards him.   

Before he knew it he was falling backwards, one of Fushiguro’s dogs had barreled into him. Yuji responded to the enthusiastic greeting with laughter. 

“Hello, to you too~ It's been a while hasn't it?” The hairy creature licked the side of his face in response. Yuji petted the soft fur behind his ears. His eyes darted to his friend before leaning down and whispering. “Sorry, I don't have any treats for you today. I'm being watched by your master” 

Yuji felt a shiver run down his spine. “Go. Go. He’s onto us” He whispered in a rush as he pretended to pick out a leaf from the dog's fur. 

“Hahaha Fushiguro, lovely pets they are, right?” 

The boy only narrowed his eyes at him before his gaze slid to Yuji’s partner in crime who was quickly making his way back to the man at the entrance of his home. 

Fushiguro Toji was always a sight to see. The man was as big and broad as no human had the right to be. Yuji wondered whether Fushiguro would grow to be like that as well. Kugisaki wasn't wrong when she said he had inherited his mom's beauty. Maybe he will inherit his dad's body in the future. 

Somehow, he couldn't picture that. Fushiguro didn't have the same consuming air his father carried with him. While his dad was loud and assertive, Fushiguro was someone who couldn't be bothered. That wasn't to say his friend was meek by any means. There had been moments, rare as they were, but there were times when the air around Fushiguro got packed with electricity. 

Perhaps he'd yet to fully master his dad's genetic potential.

The sweet voice of Mrs Fushiguro fluttered through the air. “Mr Fushiguro! Please remember to get the things from the list I gave you on your way back!” 

The man rested the full weight of his body against his fence to gaze lovingly at his wife. There was a fond smile on his face as he waved back the piece of paper in the air.

He drawled, too uncharacteristically sweet for such a deep voice. “Yes, Mrs. Fushiguro~” 

Yuji tilted his head to the side. Maybe it was a matter of who the Fushiguros were talking to. They did say that Fushiguro Toji was much more of a delinquent before meeting his wife. 

“See you in a few days then” 

Yuji waved as Fushiguro nodded goodbye. The boy squeezed past his dad, who refused to move a millimeter for him, and Yuji caught the low sound of the small talk mother and son occupied themselves with. 

Yuji climbed to his feet, dusting the dirt off his shorts. 

Fushiguro Toji approached with the family's dogs trailing short behind. He extended an arm. A white plastic bag engulfed his vision. 

“Here. Give this to your old man for me, will ya? There's some ume daifuku in there as well. The wife made them from the plums you guys shared with us. Tell him she says they were delicious” 

“Oh! Yeah, I will” Yuji took the bag into his arms. 

The man folded the list in his hand before pocketing it away. “How're summer preparations going along? You guys need a hand?” 

Yuji rubbed the back of his head. He offered a sheepish smile. “Not really. I'm gonna try to push him to get started this upcoming week” Then he mumbled more for the sake of the conversation. Their families knew each other well enough that he didn't need the reminder. “Things slow down a bit for us around this time of the year” 

Mr Fushiguro nodded in understanding. Nonetheless, he still offered. “You sure? I know it can be hard to juggle both the home and the field at the same time. It can't be easy on the man. We've got some kids helping us this summer. I'm sure I can afford to be gone a few days. It's no problem at all. Otherwise, I'm certain the missus would jump to the opportunity of helping around the house after what he did for us” 

“Thanks, Mr. Fushiguro. I'll let you know if we need any help” 

Yuji politely bowed, ignoring the unconvinced look the man sent his way. He knew Yuji was too nice to outright reject their help. He knew they wouldn't ask for help even if they needed it. 

Instead of pushing further, the tall man simply sighed. 

“Alright. You take care” 

Yuji smiled, bowing one last time before heading home for the evening. 

Just like many families in town had their crops to take care of, the Fushiguro family also had their own to supervise. Home and work. Yuji thought about the duality of the Fushiguro family's division of responsibilities. The rest of the town was just like this. 

Yuji’s eyes drifted to the various houses with the laundry out. 

His family had been like this once upon a time too.

The sun was on the cusp of retreating when he caught sight of a short figure just on the edge of his uncle’s property. He squinted his eyes at the figure, noticing the elegance the person carried themselves with. He knew this person. 

“Ozawa?” his voice carried through the wind and into the trees full of ripe plums ready to be collected. The girl had been seconds away from picking one of the small fruits from the ground. 

“Ah!” She jumped back. “Itadori-kun. How are— I mean. Sorry! It's not what it looks like! I was just captivated by the sight that I couldn't help but want to try one! Please, don't tell your uncle. I don't want to give him a bad impression of me!”  

Yuji blinked once. “Tell him what?” 

Ozawa opened her mouth then closed it again as she considered her words. The next time she opened her mouth, she was much more collected. “That I was about to steal from you guys” 

Yuji’s confusion turns into a bubble of laughter. He smiles, quickly brushing off Ozawa's concerns. “Grabbing one doesn't count as stealing, Ozawa! Besides, I'm sure we're gonna end up gifting most of these anyway! They're too many, even to sell!” 

The girl nodded rigidly like she wasn't sure whether the boy was telling the truth or just trying to make her feel better. 

He offered a sincere smile. “It really is fine, Ozawa. Don't worry” 

This time, the short-haired girl returned the smile. 

“I'll take your word then, Itadori-kun!” 

Yuji's eyes trailed to the empty basket in her hands.

“Oh, this! I was on my way back from giving my siblings dinner. They're gonna stay the night out with the herd tonight. They said it was too nice out to pass up the opportunity. I don't know how they can sleep outside with all these mosquitoes out and about” she laughed softly, swinging her arm in the air to emphasize her point. Even in the dim light, he could see the tiny insects swaying in the air. 

An idea took root in his head. 

“Would you like to take some home with you?” 

The girl's cheeks flushed red with excitement. “Really?! I– I don't have any money with me though” 

“Free of charge. What do you say?” 

“Okay!” 

+++

Yuji looked at the horizon. The sun had been completely swallowed for the evening. There was a knot forming in his heart. The feeling only propelled him forward. His quads burned with the exertion. 

Yuji was running home as fast as he could. 

He had taken longer than he'd expected. After helping Ozawa gather some plums for her and her family, Yuji noticed there was hardly any sunlight left. His subconscious would have been heavy if something were to happen to her, so he offered to walk the girl home. 

Ozawa only blushed, shyness creeping up her face. 

“I'd appreciate it, Itadori-kun. Thank you” 

He didn't think it would take as long as it did. He only hoped it wasn't already too late. Internally, he cursed at himself for not anticipating this. He had been keeping track of the sunset! He knew better than to mismanage his time! He wasn't a little kid anymore. 

“Gahhh!” Yuji groaned, speeding up. The sole of his shoes met pebbled ground. Staring ahead, he could see that most of the lights had already been turned off for the night. The only light that still remained on was the small sconce on the front of the house. It illuminated his path somberly. The sight had the knot in his chest twisting painfully. 

Yuji hauls the door open, kicking his shoes off and dropping his bags before crossing the threshold in a few quick steps. He rushed towards the living room, amber eyes running across the space in search of the man. Everything was too dark. 

He takes another step forward, planning to head to the bedrooms, when he notices a dim light filtering through the backdoors leading to the engawa. 

The doors are open. 

Yuji bites the inside of his cheek, feeling his heart trashing against his ribcage. He cant tell whether it's due to running all the way here or anxiousness. Maybe it's both. Maybe the two are blending together. It doesn't help with the breathlessness that punches his gut when he takes in the sight before him. 

Beyond the engawa stands his uncle. He's looking at the moon. He's so still. He looks like a man who's lost his way home and doesn't know how to make his way back. 

“Unc—” Yuji’s step is muffled by the fabric of his socks, but the sound is enough to have the man’s head snapping towards him. 

Yuji flinches back at the movement. 

It's not often that he finds his uncle scary. He wants to fight off the feeling as soon as it registers. He doesn't want to feel this way. He can't. But his uncle is making his way towards him like a beast on the hunt. 

Yuji wants to run. He wants to hide. But he knows from experience that it will only make it worse. So he forces himself to stay still, as stll as he can. He clenches his eyes shut even as he feels a breeze brush past him. 

But then… 

Then there's nothing.

He opens his eyes again to see his uncle looking more human than the first time he laid his eyes upon him. And his heart breaks because he looks so young like this. 

For once, he's not scowling. He's not growling. He's not pulling a pretense of being the unbudgeable wall he plays.

Yuji’s view is overtaken with the loving gaze he saw on Fushiguro's dad earlier that day. Except this time it is on his uncle. 

The man runs towards him, stumbling his way up the engawa in his haste. The sleeve of his yukata has been pulled over his shoulder and Yuji’s face is cradled between his hands. 

“Jin” He breathes out, relief flooding his voice. 

Yuji’s pulled into the tight embrace of a hug. His face presses snugly against the protection of a firm chest. There’s a hand on his nape, gentle fingers grasping on the short strands of hair. A chin rests on top of his head. 

Yuji's hand grips tightly onto the back of the man’s Yukata. He bunches up the fabric in his fist. 

The boy counts his breaths, allowing the man to savor the moment before ripping it away from him. It’s a necessary pain. 

His voice trembles as he speaks.

“Dad. It's me” 

The fingers carding through his hair come to a halt. The reaction is immediate. So is the recovery. 

“Of course” The response ghosts against the crown of his head. 

There's a second more of silence before the hand on his hair falls down to his shoulders. Yuji tries not to release the cry he's been holding at the blatant disappointment of this action. 

The man squeezes his shoulders, chin still resting on top of his head. 

“What time is it?” He sounds exhausted. 

Yuji shakes.

“I'm sorry, chichi” He squeezes his eyes shut, letting the tears freely stream down his cheeks. He grips tightly onto the man, pressing closer to the warmth of two men where there should only be one. “The time just flew by. I didn't mean to— It wasn't my intention to—” 

The older man gently pulls at the boy’s hair. He admonishes the young boy. “I thought I told you I have no patience for crybabies” 

The teenager’s breathlessness transitions to a tired laugh. The boy looks up. He gives the man a small smile.

“That’s better” There's a fondness in his voice that has Yuji curling up. He doesn't want to let go. But his uncle only permits another second more of their emotional reunion before extracting himself with a grunt. “Now go to bed. It's late already and your father would kill me if he knew I wasn't properly taking care of his only son” 

The man heads towards his room, not giving Yuji any time to respond. 

Yuji is only able to stare worryingly at his retreating back. 

He knew his uncle wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night. 

+++

As carefully as he possibly can, the teenager slides the door of his uncle’s bedroom open. Amber eyes scan silently around the room before landing on the empty futon placed beside the man's. 

It's eight in the morning and his uncle hasn't risen up. 

Yuji slides the door shut and heads to the kitchen. 

His uncle prepared dinner last night, so his only job for the morning is to reheat it for breakfast. 

Yuji releases a sigh. He leans his upper body against the kitchen sink. He almost wishes his uncle hadn't cleaned up the night before. At least that way he would have had something to occupy himself with instead of returning to the events of last night. 

Yuji turns on the stove, placing last night's dinner on the metal burners. 

It's twenty minutes later when the tea's just about ready when the rattle of a door being forced open is heard. The tired, displeased, voice of the other resident of the house makes an appearance. 

“You should have woken me up” It's very clear by the way his hair is a mess that the man shot up awake. The light fabric of his Yukata hangs loosely around his body. It seems like he hadn’t bothered to change into his sleeping clothes last night. 

The teenager turns around to start setting up the table. 

“You should wash up before grabbing breakfast”

The man is pinching his brows together. His jaw is tense with barely restrained annoyance. Yuji knows he's not pleased by this situation. He doesn't like losing control. He doesn't like being taken care of by others. 

Most importantly, he doesn't like being taken care of by Yuji, who is supposed to be under his care, not the other way around. 

Yuji wants to tell him it's alright. He takes too much weight upon his shoulders. 

He doesn't have to try so hard to be a parent. 

Sometimes, Yuji feels guilty for being such a burden on the man. His uncle never asked to be in this position. But Yuji’s hasn't got anyone else. They’re the only family they've got left. 

Crimson orbs stare at him. Yuji, who had been too enveloped in his thoughts, just noticed. They look at him, analyzing, like he's read his inner thoughts. There’s a bareness in his eyes the man doesn’t partake in often. He's thinking. He's thinking how to speak. 

Uncle Sukuna isn't very good with words, you see. So sometimes you've gotta give him a little push. 

“It’s okay, uncle. I'm okay” 

A frown settles on the man’s face. He lets out a noise of irritation. The noise is not directed at Yuji but at himself. Yuji knows he tries. He tries so hard. Perhaps it's because he was born as another's half. The talking skills a person was usually born with got transferred to a different person. Either way, they were never meant to be his to use. 

The man turns around. He's had enough of emotional constipation for one day. 

The soft thud of his steps fade into a dull noise before the running shower can be heard. 

Yuji sits at the table, taking a sip of his tea as he glances out the open doors. He stares where he knows lies an unused washboard. 

“He really needs you, dad” 

+++

Sukuna scrubs his hair. The manner he does so can be described as anything but gentle. 

He hates how no matter how many years pass, he doesn’t get any better at this. 

‘Communication!’, his brother used to laugh to his face, blocking his path with a palm every time Sukuna was about to “talk” with an annoying neighbor. 

When they were young, Sukuna would snap at him for being too soft. ‘Look where that got dad at the end!’ Just like Sukuna, the old man had never been too good with words. He doesn't know whether it was his old age or the regrets of his youth that made him want to change. They had each other's back back then and before passing away, their father left them with the necessary skills to fend for themselves. 

This time it was different. The boy's father wasn't here to teach him and Sukuna no longer had a brother to watch his back. 

The stakes were higher. He couldn't afford to make a misstep. The kid couldn't end up all alone. He couldn't put him through that nightmare. 

Sukuna closes his eyes, the memories of a betrayal wash over him like the water streaming down his face. He still remembers those days. At first, it seemed like any other day, but the day slowly came to an end and the figure of his brother never came into sight. 

He stood watch the entire night. Surely something had held him up. But the sun had already risen and his brother never made his way back. It hit him then. The whole foundation of his life overturned under his feet. 

His brother had really abandoned him. 

An anger overcame him that morning. All those years spent together, all those hard days of work towards making something of themselves, what was it all for? What did it all mean when apparently all it took was that woman to shatter their bond all at once? 

Sukuna’s world had collapsed overnight. 

Then defeat overcame him that evening. ‘Communication!’ His brother liked to preach. It was in that moment that Sukuna yearned to understand, yearned to tap into his emotions as well as his brother had done. Maybe then he would have anticipated this event. Maybe then he could have expressed why he shouldn't trust that wench in a way that didn't drive him away. 

Sukuna survived. They had leaned on each other for so long that he had forgotten how to live for himself. 

Some of the days dragged on for too long, some of the nights were unbearably quiet. Sukuna would stay up late, unable to find it in himself to sleep, to stare soullessly at the front door. 

Coming morning, he would do what he did best—work. He would plow, he would fertilize, and he would sow the soil, preparing the land for another growing season. He much preferred to sweat tears from exhaustion than shed tears of affliction. 

It was his fault after all that his brother fell under her trap. Now he had to pay for the fatal mistake of ever allowing her in. 

When Sukuna thought his fate would be the same as his father despite growing up fighting it, he returned. 

He wasn't the same boy he had seen last. The fire in his eyes had diminished and there was a paleness on his skin that didn't look healthy. He looked exhausted, drained of the life force Sukuna had been so used to seeing. 

“Sukuna” he gasped, stuttering a breath like Sukuna had been the one to exit out of his life and not the other way around. In his arms, tightly wrapped in a bundle of blankets, was his child. He was the carbon-copy of his brother. His short pink hair was visible even in that thick blanket he was wrapped in, and when he opened his eyes he saw his brother's sun-kissed eyes. 

Sukuna was glad fate had decided against giving him anything of hers. It made it so much easier to accept him. 

Jin and him raised the boy by themselves. Sukuna didn't know how to take care of a creature whose survival depended solely on him. He had lived most of his life on equal footing with someone. He had only ever filled in in places where someone lacked. This dynamic was different.

“Here. When he’s crying like this, it means he's hungry” His brother would bring warm milk and ease the baby into eating. Even in his wilted state, he was better at feeding people than him. 

Sukuna felt like a first-time father learning from a better versed older family member. 

Jin kept pushing him into that role and Sukuna, just trying to get his brother to get more rest, followed along. 

In the dim light of the bedroom the three slept, Jin revealed one night, “You’re better at this than you give yourself credit for”

Sukuna wasn't sure why those words felt so encasing. It wouldn't be until a few months later that he would find the answer to his question.

He had been feeding the small boy. There was a gurgle and when he removed the bottle to give him a break, he spoke the first words that should belong to someone else. 

Sukuna had frozen. Jin was ecstatic. 

“He called you dad, Sukuna!” He smiled, the corner of his eyes softening into something fond, into something sad. A victory had been secured on his end.

Sukuna stared long and hard. He was speechless. He was stunned. He realized that his brother was planning on abandoning him again. 

Cancer, they said. It seemed like a curse by this point that all the good people in their family were subject to it. 

The anger simmering underneath Sukuna’s skin finally burst. 

That was the first fight they had engaged in after such a long time. 

He released it all, the betrayal, the fury, the indignation because how dare he leave him without a word of his departure? How dare he make him wait all those nights believing the worst had happened? How dare he start a new family when he had so easily discarded his last remaining one? Then he comes, knocking on his door with the air of a single-mother seeking for help and in his arms the spawn of that fucking bitch after he told him so! He hadn't trusted that saccharine smile. Evil recognized evil and she had something up her sleeve. His brother had been victim of her little fucked up social experiment. He saw it in her eyes then—the glint of trying to bring ruin to the small paradise the two had worked so hard to build for themselves. 

Jin cried. Always a crier when Sukuna's anger was directed at him. He didn't fight Sukuna. He didn't defend himself from the truth he had spoken. He only looked at him with those tear-filled amber eyes. 

“You’re not evil,” He spoke. And Sukuna felt the blow of his words. 

Of course. It dawned on him. It was his fault after all. For all Jin was better at understanding people than him, he was blind to the darkness people harbored inside of them because of him.

If Sukuna was capable of being good, not even being good, being decent, then surely in his brother's eyes, people had the ability to change. 

What his brother didn't know was that Sukuna could only manage that because he had someone whose safety came before his. People around those parts back then, they only cared about themselves. Sukuna could threaten, he could frighten when necessary, but he always made sure to reel it back enough or they would realize if they couldn't harm him then they could harm his brother. 

Sukuna was in disbelief. All the fight in him dispersed into nothing. Jin could always dismantle him so easily. 

Somewhere, he could hear another cry. This wasn’t Jin. This was someone else. He looked down to find the baby crying for his papa. He gasped breathlessly, he inhaled painfully. The noise had Sukuna reaching forward and picking up the small child into his arms. 

Jin smiled knowingly with that tired fond way of his. Sukuna frowned. Who could imagine his brother was a sleek strategist beneath all that innocence? 

A bond had been formed, and Sukuna wouldn’t be able to slip so easily out of it. 

But no matter all that hard planning, Jin forgot that those glasses weren't enough to disguise his identity. By sharing the same face, the little boy had effectively obtained two fathers. And the small child, not knowing any better, referred to the both of them as dad. 

They allowed the title to be shared among them. Neither of them would have ever been prepared for the misunderstandings it would create in the future. 

Even when the child came to understand that they were in fact not the same person, he still continued to call the both of them dad. The damage had already been done. 

Then one day, the baby now five-year-old, ever observant like his father, asked: 

“Wbhy do my friends have a lady-dad?” 

And that spurted another conversation between the two men because they had never really spoken about the child's mother since the night of their fight. 

Jin wasn't ready to talk about it. The wound had never fully healed even after so many years. But Sukuna persisted. He hadn’t liked the idea any better, but he was bound to know. He didn't know about kids but he was familiar with people's darkness well.

He knew he would become a target. He knew he would need to be ready for it. 

Jin evaded the topic. He wanted to wait until he was older. Sukuna knew that he was asking for the impossible. His health was deteriorating. How much was he willing to wait? How old was old enough? The kid had the right to know who his real parents were. He had the right to treasure his time with Jin more than with him. Maybe in another universe they could have taken as long as they wanted. Maybe they could have never told him and just quietly raised the boy between themselves. But Jin was dying and his son only had so much time with him left.

Jin and him weren't equal. Not in this. A father would always be higher up the ladder than an uncle. Was he really gonna keep him in the dark like he'd done with him? 

It ensued another fight in the evening during storytime. 

Seeing the men break into a fight, the child took hold of Sukuna’s hand. He looked up at him with those disarming amber eyes. 

“Is okay, pa! I don't need a lady-dad. I don't need it!” He pulled at his arm like the force by which he pulled was equivalent to the force needed to convince him. 

Bewildered, Sukuna had looked at Jin. The same amber eyes stared back at him. He was being attacked on both ends. 

“He really is your son, huh” Sukuna turns the shower off before dressing up in a pair of pants and a loose gray shirt. 

The conversation from back then never reached a conclusion. The only information the child ever received was a story of fantasy, and the kid never asked to know about his mother again. 

Sukuna walks over to the kitchen once dressed. Yuji is looking out the opened backyard's doors while drinking a cup of tea. His food is untouched. The seat in front of him has a serving of last night's dinner. 

If Sukuna had taken after their father then the kid had taken after his. 

After everything that went down on that end… then it was all the more reason for him to do better as his guardian. He wouldn't let him meet the same fate as Jin. 

Becoming aware of his presence, the baby he had met one morning of spring turned to greet him now as a young teenager. The vivid image of his father's smile stared at him back.

“Took you long enough”