Chapter Text
The sunlight intruded into the room, feeling like too early in the morning to get up yet. Causing you to slightly groan and twist your body in bed. Pulling the blanket over your head as if it would hide all the problems that were a nuance. There were many things that being an adult brought to life, one of these things was stress, and many more that anyone else could name but had no true reason or desire. There was no point to sound like a broken record. Everyone who is an adult really doesn't like their life or strives to change it. Everyone simply accepts it and calls it a day because that's what life is. People spend more time complaining than actually taking out the time to change it, and when you do it isn;t even guaranteed you'll be put where you hoped.
Acceptance.
That’s what they called it at least.
Which, they weren’t wrong. Who thinks they would have a kid by twenty years old?
Yeah you surely didn’t.. and thats a fact. Regardless, at twenty three today there had not been an ounce of regret over Megumi. He was a good kid for sure, and honestly made the job as a parent pretty easy. Still, sometimes with his quiet and reserved nature made you wonder if he was okay, maybe he was just mature for his age? To be fair he was more open between people he trusted in his life, for example obviously his parents and some of your family. It could’ve just been his natural personality.. Hopefully.
“Fuck I’m tired,” You mumbled softly, not even to anyone directly. Word’s just simply slipping out of your mouth with nowhere to belong.
Eventually after a reasonable amount of debating you decided it was time to get up. Checking the clock on your nightstand it read,
6:58 AM
Yeah that definitely tracked.
Life might’ve been a bit worse if you had work today.
Now pulling off the covers you moved to stand up, knowing there was the cutest three year old alive that needed his breakfast. Hopefully he was still sleeping, normally he didn’t wake up unless someone else did this early and woke him up. Megumi was a night owl if anything, a small habit you’ve been trying to correct since he needs to be on a normal schedule. There was a small bit of worry that Toji hadn’t been properly putting him to be on the agreed time of 8 PM, which started this habit in the first place.
Once your feet hit the floor you moved to the kitchen, grabbing a plate and setting it down on the counter. Then grabbing the pancake batter from the cabinet and some water. Which everyone knew you were supposed to measure, but let's be honest..
You don’t remember ever calling yourself a chef.
Which was fine, since your critic was a three year old who wasn’t hard to please in the first place. He literally started like chicken nuggets only because some of the dino nuggets looked like puppies.
Kids sure have a damn good imagination that’s for sure. Cause even when you squint your eyes it's not coming to you, and to be frank it probably wasn’t ever. At least he would eat the nuggets so there was not much to be complaining about. Just.. lets hope he doesn’t ever make the connection any time soon.
Once you finished mixing the batter until it looked like it had a decent amount of measurements, you bent down to get a pan from the bottom cabinet. Before hearing a ringing.
Who the hell calls this early in the morning?
One look at the contact confirmed it was Toji Zen’in that called this early in the morning. Question being why? It wasn’t even his day for pickup. You had Megumi on the weekdays while he took weekends. Mainly because his work schedule was less flexible, and you actually to this day did not really know what he did for work. According to him, he was a hitman of some sort, but knowing him he oddly had a ton of bullshit up his ass. What was even the truth anymore?
Okay he wasn’t a liar in the traditional sense.
He just… wouldn’t say things at all. One of the traits that truly infuriated you. How are you even supposed to talk and connect to someone if they aren't even being authentic?
You clicked the accept button as you flipped your phone open, immediately hearing a familiar voice on the other side,
“Mornin’,” Toji said, it was as if you could imagine that arrogant smile plastered on that bastard's face.
“What do you want, it’s Thursday.”
“I’m free until Sunday, wanted to know if I could pick up Megumi today instead of Friday?” The man asked, voice seemingly slightly rough, as if he also just woke up. Seeming sweet that his son was the first thing on his mind. Regardless of what it looked like he did truly adore Megumi. The one thing that did change his life, for the better at least. Ever since he saw that small boy in the hospital room something completely changed.
“Yeah, I’m making him breakfast and then am going to wash him up,” You began, the phone between your head and shoulder while you turned on the heat from the gas stove, each crack indicating the heat went up higher, “When did you plan on getting him?”
“I’ll be there in an hour if that's alright with you.”
“Yeah, he’ll be ready.”
The call ended by a firm slap of the flip phone shut. Toji wasn’t even being an asshole today. Just messing with him was a bit funny to be fair. As you put the butter into the pan, waiting for it to warm up before putting the batter in, it made you think about how things were early on. Toji was… complicated to say the least. It wasn’t like he was a bad guy or anything. Actually looking back you two met while you had a job as a waitress at some cafe while you were nineteen. At first not thinking anything of it, he was a customer simply.. before he became a regular. Finding an excuse to see you every other day by going to that cafe.
Then finally having the guts to ask you out.
Undeniably, you clearly had said yes. The first date was custom chopstick making, which didn’t sound too interesting, but ended up being adorable. Thinking how his face slightly tensed up in concentration trying to make his chopsticks right. As if he wanted to impress you.
It was truly cute.
At the end of the date you two both swapped chopsticks giving them to the other.
The pair he gave you were currently in the box they originally came in where the rest of the utensils are, slightly separated from the rest.
He was a sweetheart at the end of the day and you knew that. Nothing bad even happened between you two to begin with, just after a few nice dates lead to a hookup or two.. then Megumi came along.
You two never just gave it an official shot to be together.. or more so you didn’t.
-
After Megumi was finished eating you had put him in the bath to wash up. Afterwards getting him dressed which left him in the current predicament of sitting on the couch with watching Pokemon.
“Mommy, when is Papa coming over?”
“In a few minutes, I doubt he’s far,” The words leaving ur mouth softly, his head rested up against ur side. Ever since he’s been getting older he still looks just like his dad. That same black hair and dark blue eyes. The only difference was Megumi’s features were more soft in comparison to his father. Sometimes as kids grew up they would look more like either parent, maybe he would start looking more like you as he got older.
Then not too much longer a few knocks come on the door, in return you get up and move over to the front door. Looking through the peep hole before opening it, even if realistically you knew exactly who was at the door.
“Hey, Momma,” Toji spoke as if it was natural, before seeing a small pair of legs running over to him. As he walked in. Once the door opened his face twisted slightly, as if he smelted something out of place, before correcting himself. Another voice cutting you off before you even had anything to say about the nickname, and before he had any time to address what he noticed.
“Papa!” Megumi rushed over, undeniably happy to see his dad. Before he could collide into his legs Toji leaned down and engulfed his son into a hug.
“Hey, brat. I missed your little self,” Toji smiled slightly as the words escaped his lips, squeezing Megumi before letting him go, “Say bye bye to Mommy before we go, okay?”
“Bye Bye, Mama!” Megumi bursted out, as if he had forgotten all about you. Quickly leaving his dad to give you a quick hug. Before moving back to his dad, grabbing onto one of his fingers to hold his hand.
“Please make sure he’s going to bed on time.”
“Yes ma’am, nothing but that.”
“Mhm.”
Looking into his dark blue eyes you just reluctantly let out a scoff Though seeing that face made you think back to when you first met him, he seemed.. really sad, like emotionally exhausted. Toji never talked about his family at all. Probably the most he has said over the years was the fact he was abused growing up and cut off complete contact.
Again him and the secrecy.
“Who had been over here?” Toji asked randomly, there was a faint trace of an interrogative tone underneath.
“No one, why?’
“Stop lying to me.”
“What are you even talking about?”
His lips twitched hearing the same play of ignorance on your face, his lip twitching slightly before a scoff left right after. Most people would’ve shut it down, actually.. most people wouldn’t have even known anyone had been over, but there was another scent inside the apartment completely out of place. Only due to his heavenly restriction, which related to his heightened senses practically ratted you right out.
“Okay, someone just knocked on the door yesterday. Just talking about how a preschool opened up nearby and if I had a kid between three to four to attend. You know the waiting lists are long for preschools, especially nearby where it won't be a struggle for both of us to bring him to school,” You quickly explained, Toji was clearly just being overbearing. The faster an answer left your mouth the quicker he would get out of here, “They just asked normal questions about Megumi, and then wanted to let me know they are flexible to schedule and would be willing to contact again.”
“Where is the school located?”
“...Now thinking of it I don’t remember if they ever even told me, but I’ll figure it out.”
A long sigh left from Toji, slightly irritated while his eyes looked towards the floor as he saw his son below him. Only three years old, and Megumi was a good kid. He didn’t deserve to face any issues due to the life he was born in.
No one should.
Toji hoped he was being paranoid, there was a familiar scent near the doorway. One he hadn’t smelled in awhile, still one he could never forget.
Someone from the Zen’in clan was here.
The problem is why and which bastard was at his baby Mama’s house?
Not to mention how they even figured out about his personal life.
Regardless, Toji wasn’t stupid. He knew that his son has the Ten Shadows, and Megumi's cursed energy input was naturally higher than average. It didn’t take much for someone familiar with jujutsu society to realize what’s happening.
The Ten Shadows technique.
What a miracle was it, someone born with Heavenly Restriction who’s been a monkey to the world, complete garbage, has a son who has such a powerful technique and will be manifesting it in a few years?
Recently, ever since Megumi was born, Toji hasn’t been taking jobs as risky. Beforehand he was, but in exchange to not having to take them for longer periods of time. Though Toji was faced with a dilemma, it was clear that his life wasn’t just important to himself only.
He needs to come home for his son.
And due to that, Toji decided he was going to complete jobs that he knew for sure he could complete. Did that mean the pay was worse..?
Of course it did, but his son needed a father more.
Even then it wasn’t like he didn’t get money or a decent amount still, now thinking back when he met you he was pretty shitty to say the least. Fresh out from the Zen’in clan, or in other words free. Whatever you wanted to call it didn’t matter, but for one thing he was a mess. Honestly, if Toji had to be honest he would say that the only reason he’s changed so much was because of Megumi. That boy was a blessing, and never once has he regretted a second since his eyes laid on him.
Honestly just wanting to leave that life behind himself.
Start something new.
“Alright.”
You glared at Toji, hearing him act so nonchalant after internally losing his shit was weird to say the least. All this started over him smelling the scent of another person, and yeah a good question would be, how was his nose that good?
It was pointless to ask.
Though ever since you’ve met him he’s always been.. special you could say. It was the small things like his oddly quick reflexes, grabbing a glass before it fell off the counter, to be able to identify what perfume you had on you immediately, tasting everything used in a dish without failure, to even not liking anything too powerful in seasoning since he’s a bit sensitive towards stuff of that nature, or even hearing when you whisper a comment under your breath.
As if all his five senses were heightened.
That was just stupid shit that happened in fictional stories.
Maybe you have been watching too many cartoons with Megumi recently…
“Goodbye, Toji.”
“See ya, Ma.”
Toji took Megumi’s hand in his and walked towards the stairs down the parking lot as the door closed behind him. His car was parked right by, already with Megumi’s car seat in place. Honestly he never cared to take it out since he was the only person who even rode in the car beside Toji himself. During the short trip he couldn’t stop thinking about what you told him. What did the Zen’in clan have planned where they needed to see you? The small pit in his stomach didn’t tell him it was a good thing either, or maybe that was actually guilt.
It’s been so long where he’s been lying constantly about his life, himself, and even your son.
It wasn’t even in a malicious way, he truly wanted to separate everything regarding jujustu from the life he was building now. Keeping you away from the hellhole that existed inside such a society was better anyways, and if you never had to know.. the better. It has never been an issue to keep a secret to the grave. Still, he has accepted that it won't last forever. Megumi is already inhabiting clear signs of his technique, and it’s a matter of time before you find out something is really fucking wrong.
Though how does one even go about telling someone about.. curses and all that bullshit.
Like yeah, I’m crazy.
Might as well just throw in a unicorns are real at that point..
Toji opened the backseat of the car, before picking up Megumi and placing him into the car seat. Going ahead and getting into the driver's seat himself while starting the car. Moving his hand to adjust the rearview mirror, seeing a smaller boy looking out the window, kicking his feet with no idea what the future portrayed.
It’ll be okay.
Right?