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Satoru Gojo knows better than anyone what it's like to be a teenager in love with your best friend. He knows exactly what it's like to be stupidly and foolishly in love and not do a single thing about it. He knows well the terrible ache that comes with it. He knows the fear of ruining a good thing, the hundreds of worries that come from it all.
Which is exactly why he refuses to sit back and watch Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro yearn for each other for the rest of their lives. As a benevolent teacher, a responsible adult, and most importantly, a man who knows when to take initiative, he decides he will not allow his precious students to suffer a tragic fate.
February 14th is like any other day of the year, if you really think about it. A completely normal and totally fine day to send the two students everybody thinks are in love with each other out on a mission. Gojo simply wants his students to thrive and grow into strong sorcerers.
Megumi doesn’t think much of it at first. A mission’s a mission, and Yuji’s at his side like always.
It isn't until they're settled on the train, knees brushing lightly against each other, that he realizes something might be wrong. Not by his own accord, of course. But by the fact that Yuji had spent the last few minutes dramatically sighing at seemingly nothing.
Megumi finally decides to take the bait, mumbling to the boy next to him. "What is it?"
"Fushiguro..." Yuji sadly shakes his head, a look of despair on his face. "Can you believe it? A mission today?"
"We have missions nearly every day, you idiot."
The boy lets out another long, dramatic sigh. He pouts rather pathetically, his lower lip jutting out. "But it's Valentine's Day!"
Megumi raises an eyebrow. "You're single."
"I know that!" Yuji shoots him a glare before turning toward the window, pressing a finger to the glass. It's cool to the touch, unsurprisingly. February had been nothing but low temperatures. They'd spent the season a little closer to each other because of it. For warmth, of course.
"Look at all those people!" Yuji continues, staring out at the city slipping by. "They're probably inside, comfortably watching movies. That's what I wanted to do today, Fushiguro. I had plans!"
"To sit and do nothing?" Megumi follows his gaze to the window, shaking his head at the sight of one big blur. No people. How Yuji had managed to come to that conclusion at all is beyond him.
"Actually, I was going to eat some candy too."
Megumi lets out a huff of amusement at that, the corners of his mouth twitching before he can stop it. He feels Yuji's phone buzz in his pocket, the feeling subtle against his own thigh. Yuji pulls it out, squinting at the screen. "Oh, it's Gojo!"
"Tell him you think he's stupid for sending us out today."
"I'm not telling him that!" Yuji squawks out, fingers nimbly typing away. His brows knit together as he reads, confusion seeping into his voice. "Actually, he just said the mission was cancelled."
"Really?" Megumi perks up, leaning to stare over Yuji's shoulder. Sure enough, he reads that the curse had been stronger than expected. Another group of sorcerers better equipped to handle it had been dispatched instead, giving them the day off.
On one hand, this was a good thing. No more work to do. On the other, they were an hour deep into a train ride with no other plan for the day. "What does Gojo want us to do?"
Yuji clears his throat, looking over at Megumi sheepishly. He already knows his friend won't be happy to hear it. "He's... telling us to find something around the city."
"Are you serious? Let me talk to him-" He tries to grab Yuji's phone, grumbling in annoyance when the boy holds it out of reach.
"Hey! Wait, wait!" Yuji laughs nervously, "We're already out, so we might as well, right?"
Megumi thinks for a moment, crossing his arms and leaning back into his seat. "I guess. It'd be pointless to have come all this way otherwise."
"Then leave it to me!"
Megumi doesn't really disturb himself with whatever Yuji is searching for on his phone next to him. He knows he'll let Yuji drag him around no matter what it is.
When the train comes to a stop and the doors chime open, they spill out onto the platform alongside the rest of the passengers. He lets the pink haired boy lead, following the directions on his screen. He's focused intently on getting them to the right spot, lightly grasping Megumi's sleeve as they slip through the crowds.
Of course, it was busy today. It seemed everywhere Megumi looked he spotted a couple out celebrating. He wonders, briefly and against his better judgment, if anyone looking at them would think the same.
Yuji comes to a sudden halt, and Megumi bumps into his back with a soft thud.
"Hey-" He goes to scold, distracted momentarily as he looks up at the boy. Yuji is already grinning, examining the building in front of them. Megumi groans. Of course. He should've seen this coming.
"We're here!" Yuji simply smiles at him, dragging him inside, giggling at the disgruntled expression on Megumi's face. The warmth of the building washes over them, much nicer than the slight chill of the outside. "Quit frowning, come on. They're playing good stuff today, I checked!"
"You're gonna make me watch something weird."
"I'm being serious! You'll enjoy it!" Yuji proclaims, veering over to the concessions stand. He's quick to order a big basket of caramel popcorn for them to share. That would satisfy Megumi, at the very least.
When he opens his wallet to pay, Megumi can briefly see what looks like a photo of them tucked snugly inside. Yuji hands over a messy, slightly crumpled wad of cash before shutting it again. He tries not to think too hard about it, taking the bucket into his arms with a quiet 'thanks'.
They step onto the carpeted floor side by side, munching on their food in silence. Yuji slows as they reach their screen, nudging the door open with his shoulder. To his relief, they had still made it in time for the previews.
Megumi follows close behind, the bucket of popcorn jostling against his hands. They step all the way up to the back row, making their way across the empty aisle. Yuji stops near the middle, dropping into a seat without much thought.
Megumi joins him, elbows bumping slightly on the armrest as he settles. Neither of them care enough to move. "It'll be good." Yuji assures quietly, a lopsided smile on his face.
"You said that the past few times." Megumi shoots him an unimpressed look, before focusing his attention forward. Whatever. If Yuji wanted to watch it, then he'd indulge him, like always.
When the previews grow louder, and the lights begin to dim, they fall into a comfortable silence. Megumi settles further into his seat, adjusting the bucket of popcorn between them. The warmth of it seeps into his fingers, and by extension, into Yuji’s hands brushing against his own as the boy reaches in for a handful. Every now and then, Yuji whispers a comment about something on the screen, low enough that only Megumi can hear. He can feel the warmth of Yuji’s breath, see the light catch his lashes, the way the glow of the screen softens his face.
Yuji was, in all honesty, so beautiful. The pink-haired boy is completely absorbed in the movie, oblivious to the way Megumi takes him in. A subtle smile forms on his face at the sight. Megumi’s eyes flicker back to the screen, but his attention doesn’t really follow. He keeps thinking of Yuji, always thinking of Yuji.
As annoyed as he is with Gojo, maybe he's a bit grateful for the sudden cancelation of their mission. Getting to see Yuji relax for once, doing something he loved, was worth an hour train ride and a million more. He'd give anything if it meant he could keep hearing that sweet laugh every time something stupid happened on screen.
When the movie ends and the lights slowly start to brighten the room again, he listens to the boy go on and on about how good it was. His eyes are sparkling as he leans forward, finding his way into Megumi's space. "Did you like it, Fushiguro?!"
Megumi swallows, his ears burning slightly at the sudden proximity. "Uh... yeah. It was good."
"Told you!" Yuji is gone just as quickly, standing up with a stretch. He rocks back and forth on his feet, watching as Megumi begrudgingly gets up too. "I'm kind of hungry..."
Megumi glances down at the empty popcorn bucket, then back at Yuji. He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
"Seriously." He gives him a bashful look, before guiding their way out of the theater. Megumi throws out the bucket, before quickly joining his side. The chill air hits them once again as they step back outside, the sudden brightness burning their eyes as they try to adjust.
"We should get something to eat!" Yuji suggests, his smiling growing wider as Megumi shakes his head exasperatedly at him. "I think there's like, a cafe nearby or something."
"...Fine."
As expected, upon arrival, Yuji orders his usual atrocious amounts of food. Megumi opts for something smaller. They pick their spots at the window. Yuji claimed it would be interesting to see all the people out today. And, to his credit, it kind of was.
"Ohhh, look! Those two are cute!" Yuji points. Megumi follows, nodding in agreement. One was beaming up at the other, in the same manner Yuji did. All sweet and bright, in a way that made Megumi's heart race. The other seemed happy too, in his own way. It wasn't far off from the pair of them, actually.
“Everyone’s coupled up today, huh.” Megumi mutters, voice low.
Yuji glances over, “Yeah… I guess. Makes it kinda obvious we’re single.”
Megumi feels his chest clench slightly at that, chewing slowly. He swallows, giving a little shrug. "Yeah. Suppose it does."
"Um... you've never dated anybody, right?" Yuji prys, sounding a bit nervous.
Megumi quirks a brow. "No. You?"
Yuji shakes his head, "No. We're in the same boat. But I mean, you've liked people before, I bet."
Megumi tries to ignore the way his ears turn pink. He looks at Yuji, seeing the slight flush on his cheeks. Was he embarrassed, or something? "I guess." He says quietly. He can't really admit that the guy he liked was right in front of him, his best friend. "Everyone has."
"True. I just... don't know how people have the courage to say something." Yuji lets out a soft laugh at his own admission, voice shaking slightly.
Megumi feels his stomach sink at that. His eyes widen slightly, and his gaze travels from Yuji back to his plate. "Is there somebody you like, then?"
"No! No.. I mean, maybe. Yeah." Yuji squeezes his eyes shut in embarrassment, willing himself to hold back a groan. Great. He wishes it wasn't so easy to talk to Megumi. He shouldn't be saying any of this. But the way his gentle eyes look back up at him makes it hard not to. He sees the crease in Megumi's brow, the way he almost looks worried.
"...I like somebody too." Megumi admits, clearing his throat slightly. Warmth spreads across his face as he speaks. "I wish we could've been dating in time for today."
"Don't you wish you were actually together right now?" Yuji asks quietly. Now, it was his turn to feel sick. "Instead of out with me?"
Megumi falls silent at that. He can feel Yuji's eyes on him, and he lets out a sigh. Sometimes, he was so dense. "Itadori."
"Yeah?" The boy innocently asks, tilting his head in confusion. It's only when Megumi continues to stay silent that he begins to piece two and two together. His eyes widen. Maybe somehow, he'd come to the wrong conclusion. There was no way. "Fushiguro..?"
Megumi looks away towards the street outside, taking a shaky breath. "I know we're... just friends. I'm sorry."
His eyes widen when he hears Yuji laugh. Soft, surprised, and for some reason relieved. His looks back over, bewildered to see such a wide smile on his face. Wasn't he about to reject him? How was he not weirded out?
"Fushiguro. I don't want to be just friends." Yuji's cheeks are on fire, and he only grins wider when sees the other boy's turn just as pink. "You're the one I like."
Megumi blinks, swallowing heavily. A soft smile graces his face, and he laughs slightly at his own stupidity. At their stupidity. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh. This is kind of like a date already, isn't it?" Yuji's smile wobbles, "It'd be nice to make it official, though."
"Then I guess we should, huh?" Megumi grins back, his heart beating in his chest. He feels so warm, so full as he stares at the boy in front of him. As if he ever had a chance to not fall in love. “Yuji… do you want to be my boyfriend?”
"More than anything." Yuji nudges their knees together from under the table, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Happy Valentines Day, Fushiguro."
"Happy Valentines Day, Itadori."