Chapter Text
Zooming in through the microscope, Muzan squinted at the clump of cells in the slide, trying to ignore his headache. As far as he could tell, they looked the same as the infected ones shown in the picture supplied to him by his seniors. He let out a small huff. Whatever they put on this batch, it didn’t work.
Usually, he didn’t let it get to him. Science was a field of trial and error, and it may be many more years before his team or some other team made a discovery that led to a cure for lupus. However, he’d recently come back from a flare up of the same disease that had kept him in bedridden agony for two weeks, so maybe he should be allowed to be a little pissy. The only reason he hadn’t gone to the hospital was because Michikatsu had frequently come to his house to bring him painkillers and food. Plus, the doctors got annoyed every time he showed up.
Leave it to him to get a woman’s disease.
He tried his best to manage it. He ate healthy, exercised, avoided sunlight, and tried to take medicine. However, he had never been on one that hadn’t caused him at least a little bit of discomfort. The one he was on right now had drained his appetite and caused his head to throb behind his temples.
Muzan digressed. Raising himself to his full height, he stretched before leaning back down to record his findings.
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After the long workday, Muzan laid on his couch, playing a show as background noise while he read. The headache still ebbed in the back and he’d had to force himself to eat his salad, but surely this story would brighten his mood.
Unfortunately(or maybe fortunately), someone came to ruin his peace.
Or, more like called.
While Muzan’s phone rang, he let out a small growl, a noise he would never admit to making when he was annoyed. He let it ring once, twice, before reaching across the table and picking it up. The contact was labeled, “The Up Tops”, leading him to deduce this was a group call.
The first in was Hakuji, or as the screen lovingly called him, “Feral Dog”. The other 3(?) quickly slid in afterward, various noises being picked up by the mics for a few seconds.
Muzan squinted. He saw Brother(Michikatsu), Doumu, and Queen(Ume), but no Gyutaro. What did that mean-
”Ayyyyy!” Hakuji exclaimed, excited voice carrying through the mic as his blue eyes pierced through the dim hotel room. His arm was wrapped around the neck of a grumbling man off camera. “Guess who just won RLCS World Champion?!”
“Ohhh! Congratulations!” Dōma chirped, clapping his hands excitedly as the others chimed in with their own whoops. “But where’s Gyutaro?”
The man of the hour was sheepishly pulled into the view of the camera, although his yellow eyes sparkled with the elation from his win.
“Ah, thanks guys,” he mumbled, scratching at his hair absentmindedly.
”Don’t be so humble!” Daki shot out, white brows pinched in fury. “You should be bragging! This is a big deal!”
“1.2 million US dollars is almost 183.5 million yen,” Michikatsu added, tapping against the screen audibly as he spoke. “You should be proud of yourself.”
Gyutaro laughed. “Gosh, what am I gonna do with all that money…”
“Give it to me, obviously,” Dōma said. “If it weren’t for me, you would have never entered.” His face and tone were completely monotone, but there was no way in hell he meant that.
Muzan watched the others bounce off each other. Normally, he’d chime in, but he was so tired. He was content to just listen to his friends for a little bit.
“Ok, y’all, focus up! We gotta celebrate the big man!” Hakuji said authoritatively, which was bellied by the way he was ruffling Gyutaro’s hair. “Which means we have to find some time to meet up. What’re you guys’ schedules lookin’ like?”
Muzan hummed to himself. “Same as usual. Busy weekdays, free weekend.”
’You’ve been quiet,” Michikatsu commented.
“Tired,” he muttered noncommittally. Ever the understanding friend, Michikatsu did not comment further.
“I’ve got nothing but content this month. So boring! I need to find a new project to do…” Ume muttered, pouting to herself.
”My schedule’s the same as Muzan’s. I’d try to take time off, but my bosses said they’d fire me if I even took a sick day…” Dōma trailed off, probably realizing how bad that sounded to the other well-adjusted members of his friend group.
”You need a new job,” Muzan interjected forcefully.
“But where?” he retorted. “Nowhere good is hiring. Maybe I should go back to school.”
”That’s a thought,” he replied.
Michikatsu chimed in just then. “I have an Iaido tournament to judge for in France next week, and I leave for that Sunday.”
Hakuji hummed. “So that means you’re all free, say…Saturday night?”
The 4 gave their affirmatives.
”Sweet! That’s a date!”
Ume let out an excited whoop, falling back on her bed. Then, she gasped. jumping back up. “Gyu! Have you posted about it yet?! I haven’t seen anything on my socials!“
”No? I’ve been kind of busy--”
Ume let out a frustrated groan. “Oh my god, you’re so stupid…”
Muzan chuckled before saying quietly, “I’m going to go to sleep. I have work tomorrow. ”
“Oh, I should go to sleep, too, shouldn’t I?” Dōma mumbled to himself, propping his chin on his hand. Then, he waved at the screen. “Nah. I’m bored.”
”Bye guys,” Muzan muttered quietly, before hanging up. The black screen revealed his sickly pale skin and dark eye bags.
Now, was Muzan actually going to sleep? Heck no. He never went to bed this early. That was the common trait of this group: No one went to bed at a reasonable time. If he wanted, he could have continued to chat, but he’d had enough of socializing for the day. They’d understand.
He picked up his book again, ready to immerse himself in the story once more