Chapter Text
It was all over in one moment.
All Itadori did was swallow down the last finger.
And it was all over.
Their long search.
Their mission.
Their purpose.
Those weren’t important—at least not to Fushiguro.
He was stuck with one thought.
Yuji’s going to die.
But that voice was quiet like it was only the echo of his imagination.
So Fushiguro decided to ignore it—focusing only on Itadori’s bright, slightly bruised smile.
He watched silently as he and Kugasaki shouted with joy, wet hair bouncing in the cold rain.
“WE DID IT!”
Fushiguro let himself smile softly, relishing in the sudden, gentle hug Itadori wrapped him in.
Everything’s gonna be fine.
Nothing’s going to change.
Fushiguro forced himself to focus on enjoying Itadori’s warmth.
His touch.
His voice.
His laugh.
His very being.
All of those will be taken away.
He pushed the thought away.
“Alright!” Gojo’s annoying yet (he would never admit) endearing voice caught Fushiguro’s attention. “Tonight, we’re celebrating!”
Kugisaki and Itadori’s shouts only got louder.
Itadori let Fushiguro out of the hug, but their scarred hands settled comfortably against each other.
Gojo and Kugisaki started walking ahead of them, talking about what would come next.
“Megumi.” Itadori whispered, sending shivers down his spine. “What do you think’s gonna happen now?”
Fushiguro froze at that.
You’re going to—
“I have no idea.” He shook his head slowly.
Itadori gave a deep sigh.
For a moment his smile faltered—the glow in his eyes shattered, revealing someone afraid and slightly crazed by it.
It was only for a second, but Fushiguro caught it.
He always did.
After all, living with Gojo taught him never to trust a smile—after all the brightest smiles always hide the darkest pains.
Itadori’s grip on his hand tightened. “Well, whatever happens…don’t ever forget how my hand feels…alright?”
Fushiguro simply stared at him.
What…?
He averted his gaze, face flushing furiously.
What was that supposed to mean?
What was he supposed to do with that?
How was Fushiguro supposed to look at him properly now?
“Don’t tell me you’re blushing?” Itadori chuckled as he leaned closer to see Fushiguro’s face.
“Go away, you idiot.”
His defiance only made Itadori laugh harder.
And, Fushiguro was fine with that.
Somehow, he was content with making Itadori laugh for the rest of his life.
Gojo shouted at the two to hurry up, Kugisaki telling them she was starving.
Itadori shouted something back but Fushiguro’s heart was beating too loudly for him to hear it.
The next thing he knows, he’s being dragged by Itadori into a run down the deserted alley.
Fushiguro could stay like this forever.
Just here, his hand constantly held by Itadori.
The air around them was so thick and heavy with joy and…a strange warm feeling that Fushiguro couldn’t name.
At that moment, the world felt so full—so light—that the heavy whisper in the back of Fushiguro’s mind was practically silenced.
Yuji Itadori is going to die.