Work Text:
Megumi is thirteen when he does it the first time.
Gojo had just brought home groceries and was putting them away, stuffing ramen bowls into the pantry. Most of what he buys is microwave meals because he's terrible at cooking and doesn't have time for it anyway. Due to his workload he's forced to leave Megumi home alone more often than he'd like, and Megumi doesn't want to cook either.
Not that Gojo could teach him anyway.
He does buy fruits and frozen vegetables though, because they don't require cooking. He bought a little bowl to put fruit in so they don't just sit on the counter - it's ceramic with painted grapes on it.
He flaunts it to Megumi, who's reorganizing the fridge.
"Look at this fruit bowl I got. Isn't it cute?"
Megumi doesn't even look. He's kneeling on the floor picking lettuce out of a drawer that has been sitting too long. "You forgot lettuce, didn't you?"
He did. "Of course not."
Megumi huffs.
"I'll get some next time! I was too busy thinking about my new fruit bowl," Gojo says. "You'll just have to go without salads this week. How terrible."
Megumi organizes the new foods how he likes. Heavy things like milk and juice on the bottom, produce in the drawers, yogurt and snacks on the middle shelf. Nothing on the top shelf, because it "blocks the light."
They eat takeout for most of the week anyway, the groceries are just to make sure Megumi has plenty to eat when Gojo isn't around.
Megumi's pouting about the lettuce, he can tell. He'll pick some up tomorrow.
The boy shuts the drawer harder than necessary and stands up, doing the same with the fridge door. Then something comes out of his mouth that leaves them both speechless.
"Dad-"
They both stop moving. Megumi freezes completely, arm half raised by his side, his eyes blown wide and stuck to the fridge door.
He was clearly addressing Gojo, by the way the word came out. It sounded exasperated, like he was about to complain about something, and instead of saying Gojo's name, he said- well, that.
Gojo, who is usually quick with his words, is stunned for a moment, just from the weight of the word. A grin starts to form on his face, both shit-eating and sincere at the same time. Because while this is a hilariously embarrassing mix-up that Megumi obviously did not intend to say, he did actually say it. Something in him sees Gojo as parental.
It's something kids just do, right? Gojo remembers accidentally calling one of his teachers mom before, when he was very little.
Very slowly, Megumi slides his gaze to Gojo's. The expression on his face makes the tease Gojo was preparing die in his throat.
He looks guilty and embarrassed, sure, but he also looks scared. Scared like Gojo is about to hit him, or have some terrible reaction.
Gojo blinks. "Yes?" He finally settles on, keeping his voice light to treat it like a joke and get that expression off the boy's face. It's not his best response but Megumi's reaction threw him off.
Megumi looks at the floor. "I didn't mean to say that. I don't know why I said that."
"Aww, my Megumi sees me as a parent," Gojo says, collecting himself and deciding the teasing can begin. He approaches the boy, ready to ruffle his hair. "I'm touched."
"Shut up!" Megumi spits, angrier than usual and backing away from him. "No I don't. And I'm not yours."
He doesn't even give Gojo time to respond. Quick as a bird he rounds the corner to the hallway and disappears into his room, slamming the door.
Ah. Maybe teasing wasn't the right way to go. But what else was he supposed to say? He doesn't think he's ever heard Megumi spit words at him with so much venom before.
I'm so bad at this.
Raising children is more difficult than fighting any curse. So often he feels like he says the wrong thing or acts the wrong way or just does something that makes Megumi hate him more.
And what was that "not yours" comment? Pfft. As if Gojo hadn't been his sole caretaker for the past six years.
Sometimes he thinks he just wasn't meant for this, but Gojo tries his best anyway and just hopes it's enough. At this point, he's all Megumi has, even if the kid hates him. Giving up is never an option.
He'll give Megumi time to cool off and maybe he'll bring it up again. Or maybe he won't and just ask him to come get ice cream with him instead. Gojo isn't good at talking about things that matter, but he knows how to be there. Maybe ice cream can talk for him.
The evening debrief on his schedule gets ignored. He mutes his notifications so he doesn't have to worry about the repercussions of that while also worrying about Megumi.
Megumi doesn't leave his room for the rest of the afternoon. Using his eyes, Gojo can tell the child has been curled in a ball on his bed the entire time. He isn't sleeping, either.
Gojo lets another half hour pass before knocking on Megumi's door. "Megumi! Come get ice cream with me."
No response. The lump on the bed doesn't move.
Gojo lets himself in, grin plastered on his face. "I know you're not asleep. Come on, ice cream time."
A big huff from the bed lump. "I don't like ice cream."
"So we're just lying now. Okay. Then I can't wait to go to work tomorrow. I'm just thrilled."
"I hate you."
Gojo opens Megumi's closet and ruffles through it, finding some shorts and tossing them on the bed. This is good; Megumi feels comfortable enough to argue with him again. His tone isn't as pissed as it was before, either.
"That's fine, but put those on."
Megumi finally leans up and looks at him, his expression unimpressed.
Gojo gets an idea. "We can even go to the farther one and go look at the ducks after. It's spring, there might be babies."
Megumi adores the ducks.
The boy looks down and fidgets with his blanket, contemplating. It looks like he's thinking about much more than just if he wants to get ice cream or not. His face, while subtle, is doing something very complicated.
"Fine." Megumi mumbles, throwing his blanket off himself.
They take a walk in the warm May air to the ice cream shop near the river, which is really just small waterway that's an offshoot of the Edo river. Gojo tries their new cheesecake flavor with sprinkles and Megumi gets strawberry. Gojo always gets a cone because it's delicious and Megumi always gets a bowl because he doesn't want his hands to get sticky.
It's dinnertime, so the city is populated with people getting off work and enjoying their spring evening. Megumi sticks close to him as they stroll another five minutes to the pedestrian friendly part of the river. There's a few sitting areas around, with families eating together and young kids running around playing. The evening sun reflects off the water beautifully, rippling and shimmering. And of course, the ducks.
There's often ducks and geese here because people come to feed them, and those that don't will usually slip the waterfowl something from their own food.
They sit on the ground under a tree, in the shade and away from people. Gojo's almost done with his cone already while Megumi carefully picks at his, like there's a correct way to eat it. They watch the ducks float around and dive, some of them sitting on the sun-warmed rocks.
Gojo really enjoys doing nothing.
He almost never gets to do this unless he neglects a responsibility. How nice it is, to just sit and think about nothing while watching the world turn. It's even nicer with company.
There's a younger couple down by the water, splashing in the shallows with their toddler. All three have have discarded their shoes and the little boy is squealing as his father splashes water on him. Gojo catches Megumi staring at them a bit too long.
The father picks up his son and spins him around, plopping him gently back in the water. Megumi has stopped eating his ice cream.
Gojo knows exactly what he's thinking about. He feels the need to say something, considering what Megumi called him earlier, but out of all the things he could fuck up, he really doesn't want it to be this.
He's mulling over it when he sees another duck float down the waterway into view, with a host of little hatchlings behind her.
Gojo gasps and points. "Babies!"
Megumi breaks out of his trance and looks to where Gojo's pointing. A little life returns to his eyes when he sees the ducklings.
"Let's get closer." Gojo says, already moving to stand. He knows Megumi wouldn't move unless he was encouraged to, so he could act like it was an inconvenience.
He shoves the last of his cone in his mouth as both of them move closer to the water's edge.
"Don't bother them." Megumi says, just loud enough to be heard.
"I'm not, we're just looking!"
At the shore, they can hear little peeps from the babies and the occasional quack from their mother. They swarm around her treading water with their tiny feet. Megumi stands next to him, close enough to brush arms.
It's a good sign. Gojo schools his features so Megumi can't see his excitement.
They watch the ducks. The toddler and his family are farther to their right, still playing. Megumi sneaks a glance or two at them, and then moves his attention back to the ducklings. He finishes his ice cream.
The sun warms Gojo's side pleasantly after standing there for several minutes and Megumi uses him as shade. The mama duck moves on down the river, her hatchlings following closely.
"I didn't mean to get so mad earlier." Megumi says quietly.
Gojo keeps his surprise concealed. His instinct is to deflect with joke, but if he did Megumi would never bring something serious up to him again. He keeps looking at the water so Megumi feels more comfortable.
"I didn't mind. It's nothing."
Megumi stands there stiffly. He can tell the boy wants to say something else, but he's nervous and embarrassed.
Gojo encourages him. "I didn't mind what you called me either. It happens." He nudges Megumi with his elbow.
Moments of quiet as Megumi grows the courage to say what's on his mind. A duck quacks nearby as it settles on a rock.
"I'm happy it's you, and not him."
This time Gojo cannot hide his eyes widening. Thank god Megumi's staring holes into his shoes. Megumi might as well have just told him he'd fall to his knees and sob like a grandmother at church if Gojo were to ever leave him. That was probably the closest he'd ever get to Megumi saying he loved him.
Gojo knows exactly who he's talking about. "He was that much of a bum, huh?"
Megumi shrugs.
"Well, I'm happy it's me taking care of you, and not him."
The mama duck and her babies swim out of sight. The father on the shore picks his son up and doesn't put him down again, grabbing their shoes as he moves to leave.
"Ready to go?" Gojo asks, trying to catch Megumi's gaze.
The boy nods and glances at him. His eyes aren't troubled anymore. Gojo smiles and ruffles his hair as they walk back home.
-/-
The second time it happens, Yuji and Nobara are there.
The four of them are walking back to the school from some hands on training Gojo wanted them to do (it was a mission for grade three curses that Gojo just supervised.) Yuji's complaining that he's hungry and him and Nobara are bickering about where to stop for dinner.
"Revolving sushi!"
"We just went there. I want udon."
"Megumi, what do you want?"
Megumi shrugs. "I don't care."
Nobara rolls her eyes. "You always say that. Can't you have an opinion for once?"
"No."
Gojo decides the conversation needs his input. "Ah, Megumi is too cool to have an opinion, didn't you know?"
Megumi pulls a face. "Shut up, dad."
Yuji slows down, eyes wide as he looks at Megumi. Nobara stops walking entirely. Gojo presses his lips into a line to stifle his grin.
Megumi doesn't even realize what he said. Nobara bursts out laughing and Megumi stops walking to stare at her when he realizes he's the subject of a joke he doesn't get.
Nobara laughs so hard she snorts. "That was too good. Fushiguro, say that again."
Gojo watches as Megumi's face morphs from apathetic to looking like he's seen a ghost. He pales and stiffens, uncomfortable and indignant.
"I-" Megumi starts, but has no idea how to finish the thought. Gojo saves him by making it worse.
"Aww, my sweet baby!" Gojo coos loudly. He crushes Megumi in a hug and lifts him off the ground. "I love you too."
Megumi squirms earnestly but Gojo just holds him tighter.
"Shut up! Let go!"
"Aw, is Gojo-sensei your dad, Fushiguro? Do you see him as a father figure?" Nobara teases, still giggling.
Gojo plants a big kiss on Megumi's cheek, making the noise as loud as possible.
"I don't- ugh-" Megumi complains, still squirming. When Gojo still won't let go, Megumi resorts to biting his shoulder.
Gojo finally puts him back down and ruffles his hair, and Megumi swats his hand away, his expression irritated and his face red.
"That's okay Fushiguro, Gojo-sensei is like a dad to everyone." Yuji says. "We can share!"
Megumi rolls his eyes. "I'm going home."
Nobara fake gasps. "And leave your dad without his baby? Make him eat dinner alone? How could you?"
Megumi looks like he's about to become homicidal. "Grow up."
It comes to his attention that Megumi has never told the others that Gojo basically raised him. He probably hasn't told them much of anything about his life before Jujutsu High.
Gojo takes pity on him and changes the subject. "I'm feeling the Korean buffet. Let's go there."
Yuji literally jumps in excitement. He's easily distracted. "I love their barbecue, oh my god."
The dad jokes are left alone for all of ten minutes.
Yuji pulls on Gojo's sleeve as they walk through the entrance. "Dad, can we get dessert after? We've been good today."
Gojo laughs, patting the boy on the back. "Of course! The three of you did such a good job with those curses, you deserve it."
Yuji pumps his fist dramatically and Megumi tries to kill him with a glare.
"Let it go. He's not my dad." Megumi grumbles.
"That's not what you said earlier." Nobara says.
"I didn't mean to say that."
The topic changes again and the dad jokes are left alone for at least the rest of dinner. It isn't until the next week when Gojo is training the three of them on combat skills when it comes up in conversation again.
Megumi gets pinned for the third time by Yuji. He isn't focused, and Gojo has a funny inkling as to why.
But he won't point it out in front of everyone. He's not that mean.
Instead he calls, "Come on, Megumi, you can't use your dogs for everything."
Megumi shoves Yuji off him with a blush that probably isn't just from the heat. "I don't."
He is pretty good without them. The matchup isn't fair anyway because Yuji is much heavier, but jujutsu is never about fairness. Megumi just has to be smarter.
Which he is not doing because he's too busy crushing on his opponent with big muscles.
"Could we train with the dogs soon, though?" Yuji asks. "I love seeing the puppies."
"They're not puppies." Megumi bites, dusting himself off.
Gojo walks over. "Aw, they used to be, though. They grew up with you, Megumi. They're still pretty young."
Yuji gasps. "Really? Fushiguro, you never said!"
Megumi rolls his eyes as Gojo explains further. "They were! When Megumi was up to my hip, they were just as small. They still had that puppy look on them. Puffy fur and everything."
Yuji is slapping the dirt off himself and stops at Gojo's words. "You knew Fushiguro when he was little?"
"Well duh, that's his dad, remember?" Nobara chimes in, sarcastic.
Yuji takes it seriously. He glances between Megumi and Gojo. "I… thought that was a joke."
"It is." Megumi grumbles.
"Wait- how long have you known each other? Why'd you meet him as a kid?" Nobara asks, bordering on accusing, like they've done something wrong by hiding this information.
Megumi could not look more disinterested. He looks a little awkward too, scratching at nothing on his sleeve.
Gojo chuffs air through his nose. Why'd I meet him as a kid? Well, I killed his father after he tried to kill me. No, we haven't talked about it. Megumi still doesn't know.
"Megumi-chan needed someone to look after him! He just fell into my lap, and I couldn't say no. Just look how cute he is." Gojo walks toward Megumi with the intent of cheek squishing but he doesn't even get close before Megumi is maneuvering away from him.
"You adopted him?" Yuji almost yells.
Well. Not legally. "Sort of? I'm his guardian."
"You're literally his dad. No way." Nobara says, stunned. "Fushiguro, you were serious!"
"I'm over this." Megumi says, deadpan. He starts walking away.
"My sweet baby, where are you going?" Gojo calls, making his voice extra annoying. "Class isn't even over!"
-/-
Gojo's on a mission in Thailand when his phone lights up with a call.
It's Megumi.
Megumi never calls him. He's also supposed to be on a mission himself. His heart rate spikes as he answers.
"Megumi? Are you okay?"
A raspy exhale comes through the line. A reedy inhale, then: "I need help."
Gojo's heart leaps in his throat. He knows immediately this is no small issue. Megumi would only call for help if he was halfway dead, and even then he might not.
"Where are you?" Gojo asks insistently. He's gripping his phone so tightly he hears it creak under the pressure.
More shallow breaths, like Megumi is trying to get enough air in to speak and can't. His inhales are wet like he's got bronchitis.
Something ugly and frightening grows in Gojo's chest, something he hasn't felt in ten years.
Panic. He shoves it down because he can't afford to feel it.
"Just give me a city, baby, I can find you from there." Gojo begs.
He hears Megumi inhale again. "Osaka."
Gojo is gone from his spot the moment he forms a picture of where he's going in his mind. He's been to Osaka once, luckily.
Once he appears, he immediately scans the area as fast and as far as his brain will allow. Megumi's energy is a dull blip a mile away, pulsing quietly.
Gojo teleports again, this time directly to him. Megumi is in an old textile factory, long abandoned and in disrepair. Remains of a dead curse are crumpled in a far corner, mauled to death by teeth.
Megumi is in the open, on his back, on the floor.
"Megumi." Gojo says, trying not to let the fear seep into his voice. He kneels by his child, trying to understand what's wrong with him. Megumi's eyes are wide but unfocused. There's blood on his teeth.
Weakly, Megumi raises and arm and grasps at Gojo's, his fingers unevenly brushing against his sleeve like he's trying to grab on but can't get his hand to cooperate.
"Hey, Hey," Gojo hushes gently, grabbing the boy's hand. "I'm here, I've got you."
Megumi's mouth hasn't closed, and he breathes through it raggedly and too quickly. His inhales are too shallow. Gojo watches tears form in his eyes.
"I-" Megumi starts, struggling and trembling. "I can't breathe."
His lungs have to be damaged. He must've taken a big hit, or been thrown too hard against something. Megumi's next breath is too wet and he chokes instead, face contorting in pain as he coughs, the need for air overwhelming the need to stifle the pain. A whimper escapes him as the coughing stops.
He's coughing up blood. He's close to drowning in it.
Gojo needed to get him to Shoko ten minutes ago.
"Hey, look at me," Gojo encourages, putting a hand on the side of his face. "I'm gonna get you back to the school, Shoko will fix you up just fine. You're gonna be okay."
Megumi's eyes meet his, glistening and scared. He weakly clutches back at Gojo's hand.
Gojo needs to carry him to teleport, but Megumi probably has a host of internal damage that isn't just pertaining to his lungs. Possible broken ribs, bruised organs. Not only will it be horrifically painful, they risk further damage by moving him to much.
But there's no other option.
"I'm gonna sit you up while I call Shoko, I think you'll be able to breathe better." Gojo says, already moving in to position. Megumi's brows furrow stressfully and he shakes his head back and forth. A tear escapes his eye and rolls down the side of his face.
"Hurts." The boy rasps, hardly loud enough to be heard.
Gojo clenches his teeth so hard it aches. If the curse in the corner wasn't already dead, Gojo would've plucked out its eyes and skinned it. He wants to make something scream.
"I know, baby, but it'll help, just for a bit until I can get you back to the school," Gojo explains, edging a hand under Megumi's back. "Don't use your muscles, I'll do the pushing for you."
It kills him to let go of Megumi's hand, but he needs both to distribute the boy's weight as evenly as possible. Megumi tenses as he feels Gojo position his hands.
"Relax for me, I promise it'll hurt less. Once you're sitting up, just lean on me. Don't tense."
Megumi grimaces, but nods. Gojo had never seen such barely concealed agony on his face. He does something he hasn't been allowed to do in years - he leans down and presses a kiss to the top of his boy's head.
Gojo starts talking to distract him. "Do you remember what you told me about that girl that asked you about Yuji?"
He gives Megumi a half second to understand the question and then, gently but firmly, he pushes Megumi into a sitting position.
Unable to hold it back, Megumi cries out, but with his limited amount of air it hardly lasts. Then it's just him with his mouth open with no sound, more tears rolling down his face. Completely reactionary, he gasps deeply at the pain he's experiencing which only hurts him worse. His hands come up to clutch at his chest and side as he whimpers.
At the very least, his gasp wasn't as wet this time. Hopefully gravity will keep most of the blood out of his airway. Megumi tensed, obviously, but goes limp as soon as he remembers what Gojo said. Gojo slips behind him, easing Megumi's weight onto his chest. The boy's head falls to rest on his collarbone, black hair tickling Gojo's face.
Megumi's hand looks for Gojo's again and he gives it to him immediately.
"Dad." Megumi rasps, a plea.
Help me, make it better, the plea is saying.
Gojo wouldn't be surprised if his heart gave out after tonight. Megumi genuinely thinks he's about to die and at the same time finally understanding that he really doesn't want to.
Because that word he just used was no accident.
His eyes sting under the blindfold.
"I've got you, shh, I've got you," Gojo kisses his head again. "Thirty seconds tops, and we're out of here."
Gojo dials Shoko's number. She answers on the fourth ring, right when Gojo thinks he's in danger of breaking his phone again.
"What?" She asks, vaguely annoyed.
"Get a bed ready in the infirmary. Now."
The tone of voice he used leaves no room for debate. She knows what's at stake.
"There's a few ready. What am I preparing for?"
"Megumi might have a ruptured lung. He's coughing up blood and can't breathe well. Probably a decent amount of internal damage too."
Her voice becomes grave at the mention of Megumi. "Alright, give me-"
"Run, Shoko."
"I am. How bad is 'can't breathe well?'"
"Bad." Had Megumi not been listening, something like "he's fucking drowning" would've came out instead. "Make sure the bed is tilted up, he chokes worse when's he's flat."
She puts the phone down. Twenty seconds of listening to her slam cabinets and rustle through supplies.
Megumi coughs again.
"Shoko." Gojo barks.
"I know!" Another five seconds, and then closer: "Okay, first room on the first hall. Bring him."
Gojo throws his phone. He needs both hands again.
"Easy now, we're going. I'm gonna pick you up, try not to move."
Gojo adjusts, keeping Megumi's angle the same, slipping an arm behind his back and another under his knees. He makes sure to choose the side that hurts less.
"Ready?"
A groan. Megumi screws his eyes shut, bracing.
As gently as possible, Gojo lifts him, taking his weight with his arms and leaning back so some of it is held by his chest. He tries his best not to touch Megumi's right side at all.
The boy gasps again and then chokes raggedly but Gojo is already warping space to his will.
The infirmary is bright, a stark contrast to the dark textile plant. Shoko is flicking a syringe next the the bed, her medical gloves making that unique sound as she moves her hands.
Her eyes flick to them when they appear. She motions to the bed. "Lay him down."
Gojo does, placing Megumi on the bed like he's handling a newborn. Megumi whines against his will, unable to stifle the noise. He clutches at his right side.
"Cut his shirt off while I get this ready." Shoko orders, handing him scissors.
Gojo grabs them, turning to do as instructed. "What is it?"
"Morphine. Then I'll work on him."
As he cuts the shirt, the damage becomes clear. A massive bruise is forming on Megumi's right side, from his armpit to his last rib. It's mostly red and yellow, with a bright red impact spot in the middle. The whole area would be purple by tomorrow.
The sickening part is a few of his ribs are either snapped or shattered, because there's a slight dip where they're supposed to be. They must've punctured his lung.
Megumi leans his head back, mouth breathing with his eyes still closed tight. He's trembling.
"Almost there. You won't feel much after this," Gojo consoles, putting a hand on his shoulder. "And then you'll be good as new. You'll laugh about it tomorrow."
He definitely wouldn't, and not just because Megumi hardly laughs.
Shoko sticks the needle in the crook of his elbow and Gojo starts rambling again to distract him while she works. "I'll cancel classes tomorrow, you should go see that movie with Yuji. I know he's been looking forward to it. Maybe you can convince Nobara too, I'll give you my card."
It only takes moments for the morphine to make it to his brain. Megumi's face loses some of its tension and his shoulders loosen.
Shoko puts the syringe on a metal platter and snaps her gloves off, throwing them in the direction of the trashcan.
"I'm going to fix his lung first, then I'll worry about everything else," she explains, knowing Gojo is going to ask a thousand questions if she doesn't. She address Megumi. "You're doing great, kid."
Megumi groans. He's still aware, just a little high. Gojo takes his hand again and Megumi closes his fingers around it, almost like a reflex.
Shoko places both of her bare palms on Megumi's injury like she's handling tissue paper. Megumi squeezes Gojo's hand harder.
Shoko's cursed energy fluctuates as she begins to work, finding the damage inside the boy's body and mending it back together. Her eyes are closed, concentrated.
Megumi grimaces and squirms at the feeling of being healed. His breaths are still haggard, but then his chest stills mid-inhale and his eyes widen, unable to breathe.
Only a second passes and then his chest stutters, finishing his inhale and then rapidly exhaling, repeating the process just as quickly. It's a clean breath as well - the blood is gone from his windpipe. Relief is evident on his face.
"I'm not done," Shoko speaks up. "That was his trachea and the punctured parts of his lung. He's got three broken ribs and torn muscles. Sit still."
Megumi hums in response, dazed. He hasn't let go of Gojo's hand.
Diligently, Shoko keeps working. Gojo can only tell what's happening by Megumi reacting to it, which is hardly at all. Shoko told him to sit still, and other than a few twitches, he's listening.
Suddenly, Megumi flinches hard and his grip on Gojo's hand tightens like a vice. He groans and leans away from Shoko, pressing into Gojo's arm.
"That was a rib," Shoko explains. "Sorry."
The rest goes without much of a fuss. Once Shoko is done, the red welt is still there but Megumi has finally completely relaxed, his expression soft and his muscles loose.
Shoko flexes her fingers, moving to the sink. "The worst of the internal damage is healed. He had two fractured ribs and another had broken into several pieces and put holes in his lung and part of his trachea. Lots of bleeding and damaged tissue. He'll be sore for a few days at least."
Once she took her hands off him, Megumi had laid his head back, eyes closed, and hadn't raised it again. He must be exhausted.
"Thank you." Gojo says quietly to her.
She nods. The weight of meaning isn't lost on her, she knows how important his kids are to him. "Of course."
They both watch Megumi for a moment as he rests.
"The rapid cell regeneration will leave him exhausted, but you already know that," Shoko says, keeping her voice low. "The fighting and then dealing with all the pain tired him out, too. You can take him back to his room and let him sleep. Oh, and the morphine will wear off in two or three hours, but he shouldn't feel much but aches."
Gojo nods as he brushes the bangs out of Megumi's eyes. Not that he's using them.
"You ready to go?" He almost adds honey at the end but now Shoko is here, and Megumi is liable to come to immediately and smack him for it.
Megumi cracks an eye open and struggles to keep it that way. He manages to raise his head and belatedly realizes he's still holding Gojo's hand.
Shyly, he slides his hand out of Gojo's and leans up, shaking.
Gojo shrugs his jacket off. "Put this on. I'll get you another uniform shirt later."
Megumi eases it on, still favoring his right side. Gojo helps him with it and zips it up for him when his fingers don't cooperate. The jacket dwarfs him, the sleeves too long and the bottom crumpling up on the bed. Shoulders slouched, eyes half open, and being swallowed by clothes too big for him-
He looks so small.
Gojo gets the urge to squish his cheeks and give him twenty head kisses but refrains, knowing that truly would make Megumi start punching him.
He settles for the next best thing and picks him up again, fairly quickly so he can't squirm out before Gojo gets him off the ground.
"I can walk…" Megumi protests, but goes boneless once Gojo is holding him properly, resting his head against Gojo's. He's really too tall to be held like this, but Gojo doesn't care.
"Of course you can." Gojo humors him. He nods at Shoko, and then he's teleporting to Megumi's lightless room.
Megumi remains limp, he probably wasn't even aware they'd left. Gojo is really enjoying getting to hold his kid so much, so he doesn't mind.
He stands still in Megumi's dark room for a moment, holding him and listening to his easy breaths. His boy is alive and safe in his arms and God what a blessing it is.
Just a moment more, and then Gojo leans down and puts Megumi on his bed. The boy wakes a little at the movement and starts feeling the bed, his body sluggish and a bit uncoordinated. Gojo chuckles a bit, knowing while some of it is from being utterly exhausted, he's also high.
"Where..?" Megumi asks, confusion evident in his voice.
"You're in your bed, Megs."
Megumi doesn't move, using all available brain power to understand what Gojo said. He runs his fingers over his sheets for a while.
"Oh." He finally says, and then goes boneless again.
Gojo smiles and tucks him in properly, pulling out his bedding from underneath him and making sure his head is on the pillow comfortably.
Megumi moves like he's trying to help but he really isn't doing anything at all. Gojo pulls his sheets up to his chest and sits next to him. He leans down, pressing a kiss to Megumi's forehead.
Megumi hums at the warmth of it and Gojo watches his eyes struggle open, squinting at him in the dark.
"Go to sleep. I know you're tired." Gojo says to him, humor in his voice.
He listens, closing his eyes again immediately. Megumi's hand reaches out however, slowly fumbling and feeling until it reaches Gojo. He manages to snag a belt loop and hooks two of his fingers in it, satisfied.
Gojo chuffs. "Yes, I'll stay."
He kicks off his shoes and adjusts, getting further on the bed so he can lean his back against the headboard. Megumi's fingers still hold tight to his belt loop as his breaths become deep and slow. Safe.