Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Where do you think everyone disappeared off to?”

The day was cool and rainy out and Yuuji was glad that he was inside the dorms and not still stuck outside. At least when he had been running with Maki earlier, they had managed to keep warm by running as fast as they could. And even that hadn’t been as fun as it could’ve, what with the cold air slicing through Yuuji’s skin and the spitting rain slowly but surely plastering his hair to his forehead. Even Maki, somebody who had eager enough to start, looked like an angry, wet cat by the time they had been done. “We’re still sparring today,” she had grumbled to Yuuji, flicking rainwater off her fingers and directly in his face, “but we’ll do it in one of the training rooms. Last thing I need is Yuuta crying that I got you sick.”

One warm spot though had been that Megumi had been waiting in the kitchen for Yuuji afterwards with two mugs of hot tea waiting, hot and steaming. It had tasted like ginger and honey and had seeped warmth through him all the way to his toes. It reminded him vaguely of the warmth that cascaded through him whenever Megumi’s fingers brushed against his back. Maki had danced her way through the kitchen, nabbing one of the mugs before Megumi could chase her off and immediately making her escape up to the Second Year dorms. Megumi had glared at her back and then at Yuuji’s back as he managed to get to the kettle before his Flower, telling him to sit, he’d make him a replacement mug. And judging by how Megumi had hummed in appreciation as the two of them sat and enjoyed the warm drink, the tea leaves Yuuji had brought from home were just as good as his Grandfather always insisted.

The warmth from the tea had long since faded though and Yuuji could only be glad that the dorms were kept warm. The three of them had gone exploring through the building and found a training room tucked away, probably the same one that Maki planned on throwing Yuuji around in later on. Yuuji was doing lazy stretches on the floor and paying special attention to his back and shoulders. Megumi was sitting off to the side and watching Yuuji with less curiosity and something more like morbid fascination as he went through his stretches, contorting his body to get the relief he chased. Kugisaki was flipping her hammer up and over her head again, switching hands each time she tossed the weapon up in the air. The dorms seemed quiet, far too quiet when compared to the noise Yuuji had gotten used to over the past couple of days. Or maybe that had just been the Chaos of Gojo himself seeping through the floors and walls by just being in the vicinity.

“Missions probably; Sakura, what possible reason would you have to bend like that?” Megumi watched, mouth agape with nothing short of distress as Yuuji balanced on his forearms and arched his back so his legs were pointed over his head. It sent a pleasant stretch across his shoulders and back which definitely needed it. “Where the fuck did you even learn that?”

Yuuji blinked up at Megumi and shifted on his forearms. “What do you where did I learn it? YouTube, duh? C’mon, it’s just stretching.” He balanced his legs on his shoulders and sighed in relief. “I promise it feels really good.”

“You’re going to break your whole back.”

“And mess with the sakura tree? C’mon, I wouldn’t do that. I’ve been doing stretches like this for years, it’s fun!” Yuuji bent his legs up straight and balanced on the palms of his hands, looking up at Megumi upside down. His Flower didn’t any more impressed. “And even Sensei? Isn’t he supposed to be teaching us stuff?”

Kugisaki made a sound of agreement in the back of her throat and tossed the hammer up into the air again. “It’s been hours and I haven’t seen him at all! Seriously, we’re supposed to be having classes, aren’t we? Why even bother to have students if you’re not gonna be teaching them?”

Megumi rolled his eyes and leaned black against one wall, eyeing Yuuji in concern as he slowly switched his weight to just one hand. “We are going to have classes. But he’s a Sorcerer too, we can’t expect him to be around all the time. He gets missions a lot and so will we eventually. He's a busy guy and the Strongest Sorcerer so cut him some slack; he's got more important things to worry about than just us.” He sighed and waved a hand dismissively. “They’ll probably send somebody else after us soon – Sakura, you’re going to fall flat on your face, be careful!”

"I am being careful!”

“You are going to fall.”

“I am not going to fall.”

“You’re going to fall and break your nose and I’m gonna have to carry you to Ieiri-sensei to get it fixed.”

“You wouldn’t have to carry me for something like a broken nose!”

“I absolutely would; you’d probably fall again just walking there.”

“I would not!”

“Yes you-“

Kugisaki groaned and threw her hammer up once more catching it and bringing it down on the training floor with a fierce thud. “Oh my God, would the two of you stop arguing over pointless shit? I swear, even if Fushiguro wasn’t all over you I’d still know that you’re Flowers. Only people with souls tied so close would be able to argue over nothing like you two.”

Megumi glared, red faced and embarrassed, and Yuuji folded himself back into a sitting position so he could lean heavily against his Flower’s shoulder. As expected, just the contact of their shoulders touching, even with their uniforms as a barrier, made Megumi relax. “We’re not arguing over pointless shit,” he argued. Megumi leaned a little harder against him and Yuuji easily took the weight, bracing himself on his hands so Megumi could lean on him fully. “We’re arguing over very important shit! My balance is perfect, I’d never fall!”  

“I can’t wait for that to come back to bite you in the ass,” Kugisaki said with almost a longing sigh. “You’re going to fall right on your face at the funniest time ever now because you said that.”

Yuuji scoffed and Megumi shifted, glaring down and plucking at Yuuji’s uniform like it was personally insulting him. “Would never happen, not ever. And the Second Years too? Really?” He sighed heavily and threw his head back. “I was really hoping to talk to Toge-senpai today.”

Yuuji had woken up that day feeling gross and very specifically not held. His face was wet and sticky with tears he had shed in his sleep and had almost been late to his run with Maki from cleaning his face. He always hated waking up like that; it hadn’t happened for months now and Yuuji had thought that he had finally moved past waking up with tears on his face. The talk with Yuuta the night before and the slow, embarrassing, painful process of being vulnerable had stripped Yuuji back and left him raw so he supposed that it wasn’t too surprising that he woke up with his pillow wet and his face all gross. He had felt so gross and been so tired that it hadn’t been until halfway through his run with Maki that he remembered that Yuuta wanted another video call and one with both of his Flowers. And Yuuji had wanted to at least check in with Toge before then, check to see if the older student was okay with that. He had been taking up so much of Yuuta’s time recently, Yuuji would have no problem stepping back and letting Toge spend some one on one time together.

Unfortunately, Toge-senpai was nowhere to be found and it was very possible that Yuuji wouldn’t see his Flower’s Flower until it came time for the video call itself.

Megumi shrugged and plucked at the back of Yuuji’s uniform jacket, his fingers hitting the spot right below Yuuji’s neck and where the pink sakura flowers spread out like a wave. “Probably loaded up with missions for the day. He’s the strongest Second Year right now-“

“No, he’s not,” Yuuji immediately corrected his Flower. Megumi had taken his jacket off the second they realized no teachers or upperclassmen were around and Yuuji took advantage of that, hesitantly brushing his fingers against the same spot Megumi was with only his long sleeved, white shirt in the way. It wasn’t the same, he was sure, as touching it like Megumi often liked to, his fingers against Yuuji’s bare back. But Megumi seemed to appreciate it all the same, his lips twitching upwards briefly before he returned to glaring at Yuuji’s jacket. “Yuuta-senpai’s the strongest Second Year.”

Megumi rolled his eyes and Kugisaki snickered into her palm. “Your precious Yuuta-senpai.”

“He’s not my –“

“Inumaki has more experience,” Megumi interjected with a small frown that veered on the edge between a pout and a scowl. “Pure strength doesn’t mean everything. There’s a Third Year at another school I’ve heard of that could probably beat Okkotsu.”

Yuuji shook his head immediately. “No, that wouldn’t happen; Gojo-sensei said that Yuuta-senpai’s his strongest student. And we all know that Gojo-sensei’s the Strongest so why lie about that? Yuuta-senpai would beat them.”

“We don’t know that. Just because Okkotsu’s strong doesn’t mean that he’s the Strongest. That’s Gojo.”

“Well, yeah, Yuuta-senpai’s still a student; he’s got time to get stronger.”

Megumi’s frown was definitely edging more towards a pout now. He plucked at Yuuji’s jacket petulantly. “Not as strong as Gojo . . . besides, we might still be First Years but that doesn’t mean that we couldn’t get stronger.”

Yuuji didn’t want to disagree with his Sakura, especially since he definitely planned on getting stronger himself. Plus, Megumi was already so far ahead and obviously strong as hell so of course he’d have no issue getting stronger. But Yuuta-senpai’s strength seemed absolute in Yuuji’s mind; not only was he a senpai, not only did he fight with a sword, but Gojo himself had already confirmed Yuuta as his strongest student. Yuuji couldn’t see any of them winning against Yuuta without several years of training. Which would also give Yuuta several years of training. So, really, the only chance of winning was all of them tackling Yuuta and hoping he’d just chose to stay down.

“Of course we’re going to get stronger!” Just not as strong as Yuuta; he was a Senpai, they had to manage expectations. “They’re gonna be sending us out on missions soon enough, no doubt.”

Megumi seemed placated by Yuuji’s words, humming under his breath and plucking again at his jacket. “Probably not so soon.” Kugisaki groaned and slumped against the wall while Yuuji threw his head back with a whine. “We’re still First Years; there no way Gojo is going to let us be sent out on missions without him for at least-“

The training room door slid open.

Yuuji looked up curiously, tilting his head when he saw somebody he didn’t recognize. It wasn’t Gojo or any of their Senpais or even Yaga; instead, it was one of the staffers Yuuji had seen running around, especially around a fancy looking wing of the school. A tall, lean man with thinning black hair and narrowed green eyes who was dressed in a dark blue kimono of all things. He was looking at them with consideration, a placid smile on his face. “First Years?”

Yuuji glanced between Kugisaki and Megumi hesitantly, him and Kugisaki staying silent while Megumi frowned. “Who’s asking?”

"Iori Sota; I’m one of the people in charge of handing out missions and have been instructed to direct you to your next mission.” He smiled and Yuuji couldn’t but smile back. The man reminded him a little of the teachers he’s had over the years, the ones that were always patient and calm even with a dummy like him. “A driver has been selected to bring you to the site. If you’ll come with we then I’ll walk with you to the car.”

Kugisaki sprung to her feet and Yuuji scrambled right after, glad that they’d be doing something that day. But Megumi hesitated, looking at Iori in confusion. “Gojo’s letting us go on missions without him? Already?”

Iori held up a tablet with a small laugh. “That is what the information I’ve been given says. With how many missions Gojo-sama has, I’m not surprised that a few extra of the smaller missions are being handed out.” Gojo-sama? “However, the three of you will be kept on the same mission as you’re still just First Years; another Sorcerer has also been assigned to keep watch over you.”

“A babysitter?!”

Kugisaki looked mortified and Yuuji tried his best not to look at Iori with horror. It was one thing to have their Sensei watch over them. Gojo was their Sensei, that was his job. He might tease and laugh at them but Yuuji never felt like he was judging, not really. If anything, Gojo seemed to love watching Yuuji fumble his way through simple instructions, praising him when he managed to achieve something so simple and stupid. But for a random Sorcerer to be chosen to watch Yuuji struggle to understand basic concepts or to exorcise a weak Curse? God, Yuuji could already feel his ears burning.

But Iori just shook his head, a warm smile on his face. “No, no, nothing like that, I assure you. Think of him as just another Sorcerer just there to assist if anything goes wrong. Really, it’s rare that we have another Sorcerer able to accompany younger ones on missions like this; it’s only to ensure that everything goes well.” He stepped to the side, gesturing to the door. “If you’ll please come with me? The Sorcerer who agreed to accompany one should be making his way to where the Curses are now and, well,” his smile turned a little sheepish, “as I am the one in charge of handing out this mission, it would be my fault if you three are late arriving.”

That immediately got Yuuji tugging at Megumi’s arm; if this society was anything like the one Yuuji was used to then the last thing he wanted was for some poor grunt worker to take the heat on their behalf. “C’mon,” he whispered.

Megumi’s frown deepened just a little, confusion tugging his face down. “I . . . just didn’t think we’d get any missions so quickly. Gojo agreed to this?”

Iori smiled and nodded. “Oh yes.”

“Then it’s fine,” Yuuji whispered, tugging at Megumi’s arm again, a little more insistent this time. “C’mon, let’s go.” He turned to Iori. “Can I just run to my room real quick? I just gotta grab my Cursed Tool. And my phone; it’s charging.” When Iori nodded, Yuuji brightened up and quickly squeezed Megumi’s arm. “I’ll meet you by the front,” he assured his Flower before letting go and running out of the training room and past Iori. He made sure to smile at the man who smiled warmly back at him. It was a nice change when compared to the other staffers who had only sneered at him up until now. He could only hope that there were other staffers like this.

Yuuji jogged back up to his room and had to pause because his phone was vibrating so hard that Yuuji was almost surprised that it hadn’t vibrated right off his bedside table. Notifications were flowing in so quickly but why? He had checked in with Iguchi and Sasaki after his run with Maki and he had sent a good morning text to Yuuta as he had been getting ready for it. So just which chat was blowing up now? He quickly grabbed Slaughter Demon from his bedside table, unplugged his phone and opened up his text messages. Only to find that he had been added to a brand new group chat. One that had messages being sent in every few seconds, one after the other with barely any pause. One that was named Flowers Against Yuuta.

Oh. Right. Yuuta did mention that Toge was making a group chat for them.

Yuuji looked over his shoulder and, deciding that a brief pause was okay, went into the chat. Not to scroll up, there were already far too many messages for that, but just to peek in curiously. He quickly left the room, jogging lightly back to the entrance as the messages kept pouring in.

Toge-senpai:D: [I am right, Yuuta is wrong, end of story, there we go.]

Camellia-senpai: [You are not right, you are not right! Sunflower, I love you so much but I would not win in a fight against Superman. It’s Superman, how could I ever win that?]

Toge-senpai:D: [Because you’re ridiculously strong, how else? You could fight Superman and win.]

Toge-senpai:D: [You couldn’t beat Wonder Woman though.]

Camellia-senpai: [You think I’d beat Superman but not Wonder Woman!?]

Toge-senpai:D: [You think you could?]

Camellia-senpai: [No!!! I don’t think I could beat either of them!]

Toge-senpai:D: [Which is why you’re wrong.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Wait, Itadori-kun’s online! Kohai, agree with me!]

Camellia-senpai: [Sunflower, you can’t just demand for Camellia to agree with you! He’s probably busy, he won’t have time to scroll up and read everything!]

Toge-senpai:D: [He doesn’t need to! Itadori-kun, look at me through the screen. The original question isn’t important.]

Camellia-senpai: [Yes it is!!!]

Toge-senpai:D: [Agree with me Kohai.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Do it.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Flowers against Yuuta. Agree with me.]

Camellia-senpai: [He’s not going to agree with you, Toge.]

Itadori Yuuji: [I agree with Toge-senpai.]

Toge-senpai:D: [HA!!!!]

Camellia-senpai: [CAMELLIA-CHAN!?!?!]

Toge-senpai:D: [Thank you Kohai, you’re perfect. A wonderful Flower Adjacent. This will be an alliance for the ages.]

Camellia-senpai: [I’m being ganged up on!!!]

Toge-senpai:D: [My plan from the very beginning, yes. Itadori-kun and I are allies now. Fear us, Sunflower, for your day has come. The video chat tonight will be your doom.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Itadori-kun, we’re invading Yuuta’s room for this.]

Camellia-senpai: [You don’t need to invade, Toge, our rooms are connected.]

Toge-senpai:D: [We are invading.]

Camellia-senpai: [You’re going to steal my hoodies. Because you’re tiny.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Spoils of war! Itadori-kun, are you at the school now? Go steal more.]

Camellia-senpai: [Camellia-chan, you can resist him. His technique doesn’t work over text; resist the urge to steal all my clothes for Toge.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Not all of them. Just the ones I want.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Itadori-kun, grab a hoodie for yourself too; it’s Yuuta’s Tall Tax.]

Toge-senpai:D: [Leave the rest on my bed.]

Itadori Yuuji: [Senpai, I can’t steal Yuuta-senpai’s clothes!]

Camellia-senpai: [Thank you, Camellia-chan.]

Toge-senpai:D: [You didn’t have any problem stealing one last night. All those blankets Yuuta let you take and then you had Yuuta’s blue and white hoodie on top too.]

Oh, Yuuji thought as his ears warmed at being spotted, Toge-senpai believed in friendly fire then.

Thank God, or Gojo maybe, Yuuji was at the entrance and he could see Megumi and Kugisaki waiting for him outside. Iori was standing to one side, a pleasant smile on his face as he patiently answered Kugisaki’s questions. Megumi was watching Iori with the same confused frown from before. Yuuji quickly sent in a quick reply, typing quickly and hunching to try and hide his phone while he pushed the front door open, Slaughter Demon tapping against his side while he awkwardly typed one handed.

Camellia-senpai: [Are two of my Flowers stealing my clothes when I’m not there to defend them?!]

Camellia-senpai: [I will forgive this if Toge gets me a picture of Yuuji drowning in my hoodie.]

Toge-senpai:D: [I accept this deal. Give me a few days, Sunflower, I’ll get this for you.]

Itadori Yuuji: [Okay, I have to go, me and the other First Years are doing a thing. Talk later, Senpais!]

After taking a moment to turn off his notifications, Yuuji stuffed his phone in his back pocket and quickly jogged his way over to where his classmates were waiting for him, taking a moment to bow briefly to Iori. “I’m sorry for taking up time, Iori-san.”

Iori only laughed kindly, shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it at all, Itadori-kun. I’d rather you have everything before we leave. Come now, let’s get going; the Sorcerer who will be chaperoning you-“

Kugisaki cut in with a harsh glare and hands on her hips. “I thought you said they weren’t gonna be babysitting.”

“Allow me to rephrase; the Sorcerer who will be accompanying you will no doubt be waiting for us.” He smiled and gestured them forward with one hand. “I would hate for Gojo-sama to find us standing around when he gets back, wouldn’t you?”

“Why does he keep calling Sensei that,” Yuuji asked softly, leaning close into Megumi’s side as they were led further away from the school. Megumi’s hand kept brushing against his and twitching; their fingers kept almost linking. “Is Gojo-sensei really important or something?”

Kugisaki eyed Yuuji with a frown as Iori walked ahead of them. “Are you really that clueless?” The question was tactless but she sounded almost concerned instead of mocking. “You do at least know he’s the Strongest Sorcerer ever, right? Somebody did tell you that, right?”

Yuuji rolled his eyes. “Of course I know that. Is that why Iori’s calling him Gojo-sama?” He supposed it made sense. Yuuji might’ve used that honorific if Gojo wasn’t his Sensei. But it still felt strange to picture his playful Sensei who liked teasing him and other adults calling him Gojo-sama. “Is it like a respect thing?”

“He’s not just the Strongest,” Megumi muttered. His fingers twitched as their hands brushed together and their pinkies were linked for just the briefest of seconds before momentum pulled them away. “It’s, it’s hard to explain. But he’s basically like the Head of the Gojo family.”

“Who are a big deal?”

Kugisaki scoffed. “Only the biggest deal. He’s the one that’s in charge of the Gojo Clan, one of the most influential Clans in all of Jujutsu Society. I used to be so eager to meet him; should’ve know that he’d be such a dork.”

Megumi leaned forward around Yuuji to glare at her. “Don’t call him a dork.”

“I heard you call him a dork last night.”

“That’s different; I’m allowed to, you’re not. And, yeah, he’s the Head of the Gojo Clan so it’s more, well, proper. Especially since Iori’s part of a clan too. The Iori Clan,” Megumi explained when Yuuji frowned in confusion. “It’s a smaller one. Gojo’s other Flower used to be a part of it before she joined up with Gojo’s Clan. I think it’s an off shoot of some other clan but I’m not too sure. There’re tons of clans out there and so many swear allegiance to some other. I can’t keep track of them all.”

Yuuji hummed thoughtfully. It made this world he had found himself in feel bigger knowing that there were things like clans and politics. Elders, clans, Heads; a whole society Yuuji had never heard of before now. It was startling to know that all of it had just been lying away in secret for so long. “So could Iori-san get in trouble for not calling him Gojo-sama? Could we?”

Megumi snorted. “We’re more likely to get in trouble if we do call him Gojo-sama. And I guess so, yeah, but Gojo doesn’t care about that sort of stuff. Unless it’s at some fancy gathering or whatever then he finds the whole Head stuff boring.” He paused and looked thoughtful for a second. “I guess he likes showing off the gardens. The Head of the Gojo Clan always plants the flowers they have in them. I’ll show you one day,” he promised Yuuji. “Gojo always takes me and Iori there whenever we’re at the Head Estate. Iori complains each time but I know she loves seeing all those snapdragons.”

Imagining all of those flowers, generations and generations of representations of people’s soulmates, was awe inspiring. Did Gojo have people plant the flowers for him? Or had it been his own hands that planted each and every one of those buds? Yuuji liked that idea of that far more; his teacher using his own hands to dig holes in the earth and gently, carefully tuck seeds into the earth to grow. Taking the time each day to water the flowers and tend to them. Finding the time in his busy schedule of being the Head of a clan and the Strongest Sorcerer to go back to his field of snapdragons, lotuses, and forget-me-nots and make sure they were growing properly.

Could Yuuji do that one day? He wasn’t a Head of anything or part of any clan or had any land except for his house back in Sendai. And while his house didn’t have a backyard or even much of a front one, he knew that windowsill flowerbeds were a thing. It would be easy enough with camellias and spider lilies; Yuuji was confident that he could keep those alive without any issue. A sakura tree would be another matter entirely. One as big and sprawling as the one on his back was out of the question. But maybe one of the smaller ones. Yuuji had seen some of those before, the little ones that could be grown in pots.

What would Megumi think of Yuuji growing one of those? What would he think of Yuuji having a potted sakura tree in his room? Would he think it was weird? What would Yuuji’s Spider Lily think? Yuuji was considering planting spider lilies before ever even meeting his Spider Lily in person. Was that weird?

At least Yuuji knew the reaction of one of his Flowers; Yuuta would probably cry if Yuuji planted camellias. No, actually, Yuuta would definitely cry. He was weepy though so that was okay.

It was raining when they got to the Detention Center. Because of course it was.

Yuuji’s nose wrinkled with distaste as he slid out of the car, Slaughter Demon held tight in his hand. It wasn’t pouring but still, the cold seemed to seep through his uniform all the same with the small drizzle that was going to slowly but surely soak through his clothes. He would have to take a shower after this, hopefully before him and Toge invaded Yuuta’s room later that night. If Yuuta was fussy over his Flowers not getting enough sleep, he couldn’t imagine the older boy if Yuuji sneezed during their video call.

The detention center, at the very least, looked like he had been mostly evacuated. Yuuji could see police further away, tape up and trying to usher civilians away. There was one woman who was louder than the rest, trying to shove her way past the tape. Yuuji’s heart went out to her; was there somebody she loved in there? He had to tear his gaze away; he had to focus. Yuuji offered his free hand to his Flower without even thinking and he watched Megumi’s lips up briefly before he took Yuuji’s hand to help him out of the car. The tablet he had been scrolling on during the ride over was left in the car. He squeezed Yuuji’s hand once before dropping it, eyeing the building in front of them with narrowed eyes.

In the car, Kugisaki looked up at Yuuji with a wicked grin and fluttering lashes. “Gonna help me out of the car too?”

Megumi huffed. “No.”

“Sure.” Yuuji held out his hand and shrugged at Megumi when his Flower glared. Kugisaki made a pleased sound and accepted the hand, sliding out of the car elegantly. “What? She asked, it’s polite.” A muffled laugh pulled Yuuji’s attention and he frowned as he met a tall man’s gaze.

Iori stood to the side with the tall man, head bowed in what looked like deference. The tall man was slim, nothing like Gojo and his muscular build. His hair had been dyed bright blond that did nothing to hide the dark green roots underneath and his eyes were brown, full of arrogance. He was wearing a teal kimono, much fancier and obviously more expensive than the dark blue one Iori was wearing, with a white buttoned shirt underneath. He was even wearing waraji sanders and tabi socks. Was it normal to dress this traditional while fighting Curses? Gojo didn’t, sure, but he was Gojo. The man looked very comfortable dressed in a very fancy kimono knowing that they were about to walk into a building that could be full of Curses. The only modern pieces to the man’s outfit were the many earrings decorating his ears, multiple studs and two cuffs.

And right on one cheek was a beautiful yellow hyacinth. It started down by his jaw, two green leaves stretching towards his mouth and left ear, and the bright flower ending right under his eye. The yellow flower looked so warm and buttery; if this was the reflection of somebody’s soul than Yuuji could only imagine the warmth of the person it belonged to. If it wasn’t for the smarmy smile the flower was next to, Yuuji would’ve said that it made the face it was on all the more beautiful. As it was, it was a beautiful flower on a handsome face that was ruined by that smarmy, arrogant smile.

The man grinned at him, sharp and wide, and Yuuji found himself shuffling in front of Megumi without meaning too. “Well, aren’t you a polite one?”

Yuuji frowned and Megumi had drawn right in on himself, glaring at the man through his black bangs. “Um, hello?”

The man smile seemed to stretch, looking at Yuuji down his nose. He didn’t respond but Iori did, lifting his head to smile at Yuuji as warmly as he did before. “Please be introduced to Zen’in Naoya-sama, the youngest son of the Head of the Zen’in Clan. You three are very lucky to have him accompanying you today.”

"Please; it is my pleasure to be teaching such esteemed students. Let’s see,” Zen’in smirked and raised a hand, pointing at Megumi first, “Ten Shadows,” he shifted his finger to Yuuji, “a Normie Vessel,” the finger finally landed on Kugisaki, “and a girl. Oh, yes, I can see just why they called me.”

Kugisaki bristled next to him and Yuuji’s frown deepened. He didn’t like how the way Zen’in was looking at Megumi or the way that he had said girl, like a girl being a Sorcerer was somehow even more hilarious than a normal person caging and holding Ryomen Sukuna. “I thought you were only called because they couldn’t get Gojo-sensei,” Kugisaki said, her words curling around a sneer. “How does being Second Best feel?”’

Zen’in barked out a laugh and looked down his nose at her. “Considering somebody like you will only ever understand what us Sorcerers above Grade Four experience-“

“I’m a Third Grade Sorcerer.”

“-I’m not too worried about being second best only to Gojo Satoru. Now-“

"Zen’in-san, I thought Yuuta-senpai was the second strongest,” Yuuji said, tilting his head and looking at Megumi sideways. “Or is that just at school?”

Megumi huffed and it looked like it was killing him to agree. But he nodded, glaring at Zen’in from behind his bangs. “Okkotsu’s stronger,” he agreed through gritted teeth. “So, this guy is more third best. And that’s only if we discount every other person stronger than him. Like Iori Utahime-”

“Being a Flower to the strong doesn’t make you strong too; it just means that you have somebody behind you to leach strength from. Of course, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you Fushiguro? Being the Flower to both Gojo Satoru and this,” Zen’in waved his hand dismissively at Yuuji, “this thing.”

Megumi bristled and Yuuji tried not to feel too much like an object. The way that Zen’in was looking at him made him feel like nothing more than the Vessel everyone believed him to be. “I’m not a thing,” Yuuji muttered, tearing his gaze away from Zen’in and looking at Iori and how his head was still bowed and gaze stuck on the ground. How could this man just stand there while the man he praised and held up just insulted them?

Were Clans really so important that Zen’in could stand there, insult people’s Flowers, and the only other adult wouldn’t say a word? Was it the Zen’in Clan that the Iori Clan was an off shoot of? Was that why Iori didn’t dare say a word against Zen’in?

“Ah, no, stay in the car!” Yuuji looked over at where the manager who had driven them was frozen halfway out of the car. Zen’in snapped his fingers and pointed sharply at the car. “I’ve read the report and we have enough weaklings weighing us down. You wait until we’re out of your sight and then you can raise your little barrier.”

The man, wide eyed and shocked, stared at Zen’in in shock. He had introduced himself in the car as Ijichi and Yuuji thought he was alright; straight to the point and kind enough to silently turn up the heat when Yuuji admitted he was cold. He didn’t deserve to be spoken to like that and he looked very shocked that somebody was. “I, uh, Gojo-san always insists that I give the briefing to the First Years when I’m here to give it.”

Zen’in’s smile looked far more like a sneer. “And now I’m telling you that I’ll be handling it. And as a Special Grade One Sorcerer, I think that I far outrank you here.” He waved a hand dismissively at Ijichi before snapping his fingers once more at Yuuji and his classmates, gesturing towards the Cursed Building. “Well? I’m just accompanying you. The three of you will be taking point; I’m just here to assist.”

Ijichi sputtered. “B-but, there may be a Special Grade they have to avoid and the kids have been tasked with finding the four left–“

“Quiet.” Zen’in looked down his nose at Ijichi. “Do you think I can’t handle a measly Special Grade if necessary? Please, keep your weak thoughts to yourself. Iori, you can leave now. I’ll handle things from here. The three of you, lead the way and try not to be kill yourselves by accident on your way in.” The man scoffed as the woman at the police line wailed. “God, as if these things weren’t pointless enough; we now have to deal with women polluting the scenes.”

Yuuji’s lips tugged down into a scowl. He wished that it was Gojo with them right now and not this man. No matter how much respect Iori put on him; how could anyone hear a woman cry, crying for what sounded like her son that was still stuck inside, and scoff at her? “She might lose a family member today,” he pushed back. He barely managed to keep the thinnest layer of respect in his voice. “We shouldn’t mock her for that, Zen’in-san.”

At least he had known his Grandfather’s death was coming. Yuuji couldn’t imagine for a moment going to the hospital to visit his Grandfather and finding a scene like this. Desperate to go in but pushed back, forced to just wait and wonder.

Megumi reached out and tangled his fingers with Yuuji’s, squeezing once briefly while Zen’in sneered at him. “You’ll have to learn to ignore the wailing of women if you want to be a Sorcerer.”

“Tadashi! Please, please, my son is still in there! Please!”

Ignore the wailing of women. Ignore the wailing of a mother who might lose her child. Would this man, and Yuuji called him that very loosely, want him to ignore Kugisaki too if she was hurt and crying in the field?

That flower on Zen’in Naoya’s cheek, that beautiful, buttery yellow hyacinth; did that reflect the soul of a girl or woman? Yuuji hoped not. He couldn’t imagine being the Flower of a man who mocked their gender and thought them weak or ignored their “wailing”. Megumi rubbed cream into Yuuji’s bruises and chased his touch with almost a desperation to him. Yuuta looked like he wanted to crawl through the screen to hold Yuuji both times they had done a video call. Did Zen’in’s Flower have that care?

Gojo had said that not all Sorcerers understood the weight of what was on their skin. Yuuji could now clearly see just how right he was.

"Tadashi! Please, please, get Tadashi out! Please!”

Yuuji carved that name on the inside of his heart and promised himself that he’d bring that mother her son back.

Yuuji squeezed Megumi’s fingers back briefly before pulling away with a harsh nod. “C’mon,” he muttered to his classmates. Kugisaki echoed his readiness, twirling her hammer at her side, but Megumi hesitated, staring up at the building with a anxious frown. “Megumi-san? Are you coming?”

“I . . . yeah, sorry. No, I’m coming.” Megumi quickly hurried to lead the charge. His hands were clenched tight at his side and his fingers were tapping anxiously against the lotus on his palm. Yuuji hoped that Gojo wasn’t worrying over his Flower; even if he was a mission without them, it wasn’t like Megumi was defenceless. Megumi was a great fighter, Yuuji had no doubt. And even if Zen’in Naoya was the worst kind of man and Yuuji would be covering Kugisaki’s six the entire time he was around, he doubted the man was stupid enough to let Gojo’s Flower get hurt on his watch.

Yuuji made sure to take a moment to smile at Iori. Even if he was being respectful of Zen’in, well, Yuuji didn’t know how the politics in this world worked. It was only right to give this man the benefit of the doubt. “It was nice meeting you, Iori-san; get out safe, okay?”

Iori smiled pleasantly. “Have a good mission, Itadori-kun. I hope that everything goes according to plan and that everyone's missions going forward goes well." The man walked away, hands tucked into his sleeves, and Yuuji hoped that he got out safely.

“So, there’s four left inside,” Yuuji asked them both in a whisper as they led the way in. Zen’in walked behind them at a leisurely pace, whistling, as if lives weren’t at stack here. “I know that woman was calling for Tadashi so at least we know one of their names.” Kugisaki nodded but Megumi gave Yuuji a look, something that made Yuuji pause for a second, almost stumbling over his own feet. Megumi looked like he was holding something back by the skin of his teeth. “What?”

“Nothing. Just, let’s get this done.” He reached out and grabbed Yuuji’s sleeve. “Just stay close to me.”

Kugisaki rolled her eyes. “Sap.”

“Like you’d be any better if your Flower was on a mission with you.”

“My Flowers are perfect-“

“So are mine.”

“Guys, c’mon, don’t fight; we gotta focus on – what the fuck is happening to the sky?” Yuuji froze for a second and only kept walking because of Megumi tugging at his sleeve. But even then, Yuuji kept his gaze firmly over where something that almost looked like a black dome was slowly covering the sky. “Is that the Curse?” He adjusted his grip on Slaughter Demon and wondered just how he was going to fight something that could do that.

Behind them, Zen’in laughed. “You really are clueless, aren’t you? Did nobody tell you anything about this world or are you just stumbling through this with nothing in that empty skull of yours?”

Kugisaki whirled around, eyes sharp. “Don’t call him clueless, he’s just new!” She turned on Yuuji, both of them ignoring Zen’in’s laughter behind them, and gestured harshly up at the sky. “It’s fine, it’s just a barrier being put up to keep the Curse in and Normies out.”

Oh, now that was a relief. Yuuji had been scared that a normal person might stumble their way in the detention center while they were fighting. It was terrifying enough to know that there were four people inside they had to recuse. But the idea of a normal person, or, God Forbid, a child wandering into the fight sounded like Yuuji’s actual nightmare. It was terrifying enough for him as a teenager; if he had wandered into one of these fights as a child then he would’ve died, no question.

Megumi’s grip on Yuuji’s sleeve tightened for a moment before reluctantly pulling away. “Hold on,” he muttered. “If there’s a Special Grade in there, we should probably make sure we have something that can tell us when it’s close.” And then, Yuuji watched as the boy pressed his hands together in a hand sign. It reminded him of those shadow puppets he used to make as a little kid. His Grandfather used to gently guide his fingers into place and Yuuji never really got a handle of it. He was good with his hands, sure, but he had never really good with those fine movements.

But Megumi’s movements were smooth and exact and Yuuji had no doubt that it was meant to be a dog sign. And then Yuuji watched with wide, awed eyes as a dog peeled out of the shadows, bright white and big. Any annoyance from Zen’in Naoya faded immediately as the dog stepped up next to Megumi. “This will help us avoid the Special Grade,” Megumi said, serious and curt. “Divine Dog will be able to sniff it out before – Sakura, please stop petting Divine Dog.”

Yuuji looked up from where he had crouched down, the dog’s face cupped in his hands. He could tell that it was made of Cursed Energy, he could feel that much. But it should did act like a regular dog, nuzzling into Yuuji’s hands like the good boy he was. “You can summon a dog!? You’ve been keeping this from me!”

Megumi rolled his eyes. “No I haven’t; you’ve met Divine Dog before.”

“No, I haven’t! I’d remember such a good boy like this!”

“Yeah, you have. Remember? The day we met, at the school; that’s what finished off the Curse you kicked.”

Yuuji gaped at his Flower. “Megumi-san, I wasn’t able to actually see anything back then! I thought this was some kind of shadow monster!”

Megumi hummed and tilted his head, a soft expression overtaking his face for a moment. “It kind of is.” But he let Yuuji pet Divine Dog for a moment longer before reaching out and tugging on Yuuji’s shoulder. “C’mon, I’ll summon it for you later if you like it that much. It’s got a job to do right now.”

It was only that last part that made Yuuji pull away, squishing the good boy’s face one last time. It was like a service dog, he reasoned to himself. He could play with the good boy later when it wasn't working and there weren't people to save; admire, don’t pet. “You be a good boy and help us out with this, okay?” Though the dog didn’t talk like the Panda at the school could, Yuuji watched as the dog’s tail wagged and knew that he was the goodest of boys.

Of course, the joy from the dog was immediately washed away as they entered the detention center proper and a labyrinth opened up around them. Yuuji’s breath was taken away as he stared up at walls that stretched far higher than they should’ve. The pressure that echoed around them was crushing and Yuuji felt so far out of his depth that it wasn’t even funny. There was a Special Grade here, wasn’t there? The pressure it was giving off was terrifying. Was this what Yuuta-senpai fought against as a Second Year?

Kugisaki whirled around and, for once, she looked just as freaked out as Yuuji felt. “What’s going on? Isn’t this supposed to just be a two story building? What happened?”

Yuuji stepped forward slowly, his sleeve slipping out of Megumi’s suddenly loose grip as he spun slowly around in a circle. It was hard to take everything in at once but it was like the building had been warped and twisted around them. It was terrifying to take in. “I-I don’t know. I, I’ve never seen this before.” He froze suddenly as he faced behind them. Zen’in was watching them casually, leaning against the wall and looking almost bored. Like watching them freak out was almost too pathetic to pay attention to. And, behind him, was a smooth wall. “Um, Kugisaki-san? Megumi-san? There’s no door.”

Kugisaki and Megumi’s heads snapped around and then, as one, the three of them then turned to stare at the adult in the room.

Zen’in was examining his fingernails and it took Kugisaki slamming her hammer against one a wall for him to look up. “Hmm?”

Kugisaki’s eyes were wide with rage and fear. “There’s no door.”

Zen’in glanced back at the wall in utter boredom. “Ah, yes. That happens.”

“That happens?”

Yuuji could feel the last of his patience with the senior Sorcerer starting to strain. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping us with this? What do you mean, that happens?”

Zen’in made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. “Ah, yes, I am supposed to be teaching you, aren’t I?” His already smug grin curled. “Call me Zen’in-sensei and perhaps I’ll be inclined to.”

And that snapped any patience Yuuji had left.

“Are you serious?! Call you Sensei!? You’re supposed to be helping and teaching us and all you’ve done is mock us and a woman who might lose her son! You don't even care that the door's disappeared!” Yuuji stepped in close and poked his finger directly against Zen’in’s chest, wrinkling his fancy kimono. “Why should I use that title, Zen’in?”

Zen’in’s smug smile slid away and he looked down at Yuuji in disgust. “You pathetic weakling; you think you have any right to touch me? No Clan, only weaklings for Flowers-“

“Don’t you dare call my Flowers weaklings-“

“- and nothing but a puppet for something with actual strength to use whenever it wants, however it wants. And you think you’re anything than the pathetic insect you really are?” Zen’in scoffed and batted Yuuji’s hand away with a snarl. “If I wasn’t under orders-“

Megumi whirled on them, teeth bared. “Shut up! Zen’in, don’t you dare talk to my Sakura like that! Yuuji, step away from him before you rip his head off; we’re going to actually need him to get out of this mess!” He gestured around them, nerves burst off him in waves. “We’re in an innate domain! We have to keep our heads on straight!” He sucked in a breath and curled his hands into fists. He jerked his head towards Divine Dog at his head. “Divine Dog here can lead us to the exit through smell. So, all we have to do is stay calm and focus on our mission.”

Megumi’s words were like a cold blast of water to Yuuji’s face and came with an extra helping of guilt. Four lives at stake and there Yuuji was, picking a fight with an incel. He gritted his teeth and stepped away from Zen’in, tugging Kugisaki with him until both of them were next to Megumi. Zen’in watched him step back with an almost challenging sneer. Like he would’ve loved for Yuuji to follow through and try to punch him into the ground. Yuuji would’ve loved nothing more than to follow through and punch him into the ground. But he didn’t. Kugisaki and him stayed next to Megumi, Kugisaki reaching up to grasp Yuuji’s arm and Megumi’s hand reached behind Yuuji to press against the small of his back. The three of them formed a knot, all of them glaring at Zen’in who didn’t seem bothered at all by their growing hatred.

He grinned at them, smarmy and awful, and jerked his chin forward. “Now then? Are we continuing on with the mission to find those poor, lost Normies?”

Hatred rolled in Yuuji’s chest and then came a sick echo of glee, something that could only come from the demon hiding in his skin. It made sense, in the sickest way possible. Only somebody like Ryomen Sukuna would like Zen’in Naoya.

Walking through the detention center was nerve racking. If not for Kugisaki and Megumi pressed so close to his sides, he would’ve been jumping at every noise. Was this what his weepy senpais felt like while going through haunted houses and sheds? Yuuji had always been the protector then, shielding Iguchi and Sasaki from imaginary danger with his own body. He felt like that now, Slaughter Demon held in front of him and trying to be aware of all noises in case he had to throw himself forward. Kugisaki and Megumi certainly felt the same, what with how Kugisaki had her hammer at the ready and how Megumi’s hands were up in front of him.

Zen’in walked behind them, slow and lazy, hands tucked into the sleeves of his kimono. He was humming. Yuuji hated him.

And then, and then, they entered a large room and Yuuji’s gaze landed on two bodies.

The smell was the first thing that hit him. He had never smelt a dead person before. Or, yes, he had; but his Grandfather had been freshly dead in the hospital and had already been cremated when Yuuji had seen him the second time. He had never been forced to interact with a dead body that had marinated in its death. It was pungent and made Yuuji gag before he even processed just what he was seeing. Blood was running through the entire room, metal and clotting, and it turned out that organs pulled out of bodies smelt just a dead fish. It reminded him of the times his Grandfather took him fishing when he was younger, making him carve the fish with his own hands.

But the bodies lying against the wall weren’t fish. They were two teenage boys, only a year older than Yuuji at most. They were kids and they were dead. Blotted and green with blood leaking out of their mouths, one of their bodies ripped open at the stomach.

Yuuji froze, staring down at the massacre in front of him. Zen’in looked over his head and hummed. “Oh, would you look at that? Dead Normies.”

It was that uncaring, that dismissiveness that struck Yuuji out of his frozen terror. He surged forward until he was directly in front of one of the bodies, bile rising in his throat at just how terrible the smell was up close and personal. The poor guy’s gaze, empty and lifeless, was staring up and Yuuji wondered just how tall the thing that had killed him was. He was dressed in an uniform that just had to be for the inmates and it was coated in blood and guts. “One of the dead,” he heard Kugisaki whisper behind him but his attention was grabbed away from them, down to the nametag clinging to the boy’s uniform by mere stitches. It was partially covered in blood but Yuuji was able to make out the given name.

Tadashi.

The space on Yuuji’s heart where he had carved Tadashi’s name caved in and burned.

This, Yuuji knew, was no proper death. Whatever these poor boys had gone through had been painful and scary. If Tadashi had to die then he should’ve died with people he loved, his mother there, able to whisper last words to her. He should’ve known love and contentment in his last moment, just like his Grandfather had wished for Yuuji. This wasn’t fair, this wasn’t right. And now Tadashi’s mother would lose her son and any hope for a better future.

But Yuuji could at least still bring her something.

“We need to get them out,” Yuuji heard himself say, reaching forward to grab the boy. He would have to be gentle, to try and give the woman a proper send off to her son. He could fireman carry at least one of them and Tadashi looked heavier so Yuuji would take him. Megumi could carry the smaller one or maybe Zen’in could actually pull some weight for once and do something instead of mocking them. “If we follow Divine Dog to the exit, we can drop these two off and then-“

A hand grabbed at his collar and pulled him back. Yuuji found himself tugged backwards, away from the corpse of the kid he should’ve saved, and falling back on his hands. He looked up and into the face of Megumi who stared down at him expressionless. “We’re not doing that, Sakura.”

Yuuji could only swear up at Megumi in confusion. “What, Megumi-san, what are you talking about?”

“We still have two more people to verify. We’re leaving these two behind.” Megumi’s voice was even but the hand on his collar was insistent, tugging at Yuuji and looking like he wanted nothing more to drag him away from the corpses.  

Yuuji tugged back, looking behind him at the bodies that were once living, breathing people. “We can’t, we still don’t know where the exist is! If we leave them behind then we’re never going to be able to come back for them-“

“I didn’t say that we’re coming back for them, I said we’re leaving them behind.” Megumi’s next tug brought Yuuji back up to his feet but the second he was, he let go and his hand moved down to Yuuji’s arm. He looked uncomfortable but didn’t stop trying to tug Yuuji away, grimacing when Yuuji dug his feet in. “Yuuji, look-“

Yuuji looked at Megumi incredulously. It felt like the world was shrinking, blocking out Kugisaki and Zen’in and leaving just Megumi and Yuuji as the only two people left alive. All Yuuji could feel was Megumi’s hand on his arm and all he could smell was the rotting bodies behind him. “What the hell are you talking about? Megumi, we came in here to save them-“

Megumi’s lips pulled back into a sneer. “I’m not risking your or my life for somebody I had no intention of saving.”

His words rang in Yuuji’s ears and the world around them shrunk even more. “No intention of-“

Megumi’s hand squeezed Yuuji’s arm and Yuuji had to grab Megumi’s arm in turn, trying to steady himself, trying to make Megumi see, trying to understand just where the hell this was coming from. He wished that their shirts and jackets weren’t in the way because all Yuuji wanted in that moment was to press his hand against the sakura on Megumi and against his own back in an attempt to understand how Megumi could say that. “Sakura, listen to me, this is a juvenile detention center. The people here are not good people. As Jujutsu Sorcerers, we have access to the files of people like this.” Megumi’s hand came up and pointed at the body of Tadashi in a hash accusing manner. “Tadashi here went on a joy ride, killing a six year old girl! And that’s only his second offence.”

Megumi’s words hit Yuuji right in the chest. He knew what it meant, of course, for the people they were rescuing to be in a detention center. But the weight of what Tadashi did hit him hard. But, but that didn’t justify their inaction, did it? “Megumi-san-“

Megumi tugged Yuuji closer, teeth gritted and frustrated. But his fingers were at gentle as ever, his free hand coming to clutch at Yuuji’s other arm. “Look,” he said, even and true only it wasn’t, “I know you have this idea in you of saving everyone and leading them to proper deaths. And that’s noble, Sakura, it is. But think. These are not good people and I know, I know I don’t know you that well but I know you enough to know that you feel hard-“

“That doesn’t-“

“How are you going to feel if the people you save go on to kill somebody else?!”

It was too much, all of it, the world shrinking until Yuuji’s lungs were bursting, until his skin was cramping, and suddenly only one question was in his mind and it ripped its way out of him, tearing and clawing at his throat as it escaped, breathy and small. “So, if we weren’t Flowers, would you have bothered saving me?”

Megumi’s expression fell, his eyes widened, and his fingers went lax. Yuuji had seen Megumi scared and annoyed and in bliss. But in the days since meeting him, he had never seen a look on his face like that.

Kugisaki began to say something and it took Yuuji a few seconds to even start processing, too entrapped by the horrified, heartbroken look on Megumi’s face. Yuuji’s fingers twitched and he understood why Megumi had glared so hatefully at his jacket earlier because all Yuuji wanted to give the boy some comfort. “-don’t have time for this,” Kugisaki’s words started muddling into Yuuji’s brain, sluggish and slow. “You can both do this later, when we’re not,” and just as quickly as she had started, her words disappeared but by no fault of Yuuji this time.

Because out of the corner of his eye, just quick enough for Yuuji to see only a flash of it, he watched as his classmate and friend slid clean through the floor and out of his sight.

Megumi’s grip tightened and Yuuji could only stare dumbly at where she had once been. “Kugi . . . Saki?”

Megumi stepped back, pulling Yuuji with him. Yuuji didn’t resist, suddenly terrified that Megumi would slide from his grasp. “Where, what, where did she-“

And then both of them froze. And before Yuuji even realized that there was a face that appeared between them, the pressure hit him. Worse than the Curses at Roppongi, worse than the Curses at the school. All encompassing and sickly, twisting around him and his Flower. Yuuji’s eyes slowly turned to face that white, red eyed, monstrous face that appeared between him and Megumi, and realized in a dull, terrified manner that Special Grades weren’t at all what he had been thinking. They were far, far worse.

Several things then happened at once. The Special Grade moved and Yuuji and Megumi were flung back, clinging to each other’s arms and the knife in his hand nearly being ripped away by force alone. Yuuji landed harshly on the ground and the air was knocked out of him, leaving him gasping for breath. His head lolled and he tried to make sense of just what had happened. The dog, Megumi’s Divine Dog, wasn’t he supposed to sniff out the Special Grade?

It was only when Yuuji’s gaze landed on the head of the good boy, embedded into the wall and bleeding from its lifeless eyes, ears, and the gaping hole when his body used to be that he realized just how fucked they might be.

“Zen’in, Zen’in!” Megumi was on the ground, gasping for breath and eyes on the Special Grade in front of them in terror. It was laughing at them. It was laughing at them, squirming in amusement at seeing them both on the ground. Its laughter grated at Yuuji’s ears, high pitched and terrible. “It’s the Special Grade!”

Footsteps slowly approached them, Zen’in’s sandals clicking against the ground as he moved closer. “I see that. And I assume that this is my time to help, yes?” Yuuji lifted his head just enough to see Zen’in standing between them. From his spot at his feet, Zen’in looked taller, smugger than he had before. There was a weird light in his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips. Something crawled up Yuuji’s spine, right up through his sakura tree. Something was wrong, he could feel it now, just like he could feel the pressure from the Special Grade. “Well then; time to fulfill my orders.”

And with a smooth twist, Zen’in’s foot slammed into Megumi’s head.

Megumi’s head hit the ground with a thud, a crack echoing in Yuuji’s ears as his Sakura’s nose made contact with the floor, and Yuuji was moving before he could think. It all came in flashes; him reaching for Megumi, him trying to tear Megumi into his arms, and then a blooming pain right in his chest. The world re-centered itself and Yuuji found himself on the other side of the room with his back slammed against the wall, his ribs and chest on fire, the center of the pain being right where Yuuta’s camellia was.

Zen’in Naoya had kicked him right where Yuuta’s camellia was.

Zen’in reached down and lugged an unconscious Megumi up and over his shoulder. He didn’t give the Special Grade, who was staring at the stronger Sorcerer warily, any heed. Instead, he grinned right at Yuuji. “You didn’t actually think I was here to help, did you? You really are naïve, aren’t you?”

Yuuji felt dumb, slumped against the wall behind the Special Grade his ribs were on fire, just like they had been when Gojo had punched him. Had he, had Zen’in broken his ribs? Why? Why would he, he was a dick, but why would he break Yuuji’s ribs? It took a moment for Yuuji to pull himself up, sliding down the wall once and then twice before getting back up on his feet. He could feel the urgent tapping of fingers against his camellia and horror threatened to drown him alive; Yuuta had felt that kick. “What, what are you talking about? What are you doing? Put, put him down, the, the Special Grade-“

“Won’t attack as long as somebody as strong like me is here.” Zen’in smirked at Yuuji as he stood straight, Megumi flopped over his shoulder. His shirt was hitched up, showing off the brown of the sakura’s bark and the dark, curling roots around the hips. “Of course, once we’re gone, you’ll be on your own.” He put his bare hand against the small of Megumi’s back to steady the boy, right against the bark of the Sakura tree and –

Oh, God, it hurt so badly.

Yuuji choked and nearly slid back down the wall at the foreign, terrible, painful sensation spreading across his back. It felt sick, like something invasion was clawing through him. Was this what he had put Yuuta through for years? How could the older boy even tolerate him? How could he stand to even talk to him knowing that Yuuji had willingly made him go through this pain? “S-stop it.” He swallowed down a pained whimper. “Stop it, d-don’t touch, stop touching my Sakura.”

Zen’in looked at him almost curiously. Instead of pulling away, he pressed down harder and Yuuji couldn’t contain his whimper. “Would you look at that; you’re oddly sensitive to it, aren’t you? Most people just feel discomfort but you’re in pain from me touching that.” A wicked grin spread across his face and Yuuji screamed as Zen’in’s hand lifted only to smack down hard. “That’s hilarious. Sukuna’s little pet is soul sensitive. It almost makes me wish I could play with you more. Alas, orders are orders.”

Yuuji’s vision blurred with tears. “Orders?”

“Yes, orders. You didn’t honestly think that the Elders would let you live just because Gojo Satoru declared it, did you? Flower of his Flower; none of that matters. That doesn’t make you his property.”

Yuuji tried to stand on his own feet. The tapping on his chest was getting more insistent. Camellia-senpai was worried for him. The Spider Lily on his ribs stayed silent except for a barely existent brush, like somebody looking for a bruise. “I-I’m not anyone’s property.”

You’re my property, a sickly, laughing whisper danced through his head, and it looks like they know it too.

Zen’in looked at him mockingly. “Oh, you have the same romantic view of Flowers that Gojo Satoru has; let me teach you something before you die. The stronger Flower owns the weaker one; or, at least, that’s how it should be. Anyone who disagrees is a weakling themselves. All this talk of duty; it’s a claim, nothing more.” He lifted one hand to the beautiful yellow hyacinth on his cheek. “The only duty I have to my Flower is to make sure she know her place. If yours had any sense they would’ve struck you down the second you ate that first finger.”

The thought of Megumi’s beautiful, wonderful now dead dog trying to bite him or Yuuta’s sword swinging towards his neck made Yuuji’s stomach roll. Because they would never, they would never. But if Yuuji had been Naoya’s Flower? He would’ve been killed. Immediately and painfully. And that man had a Flower of his own who he regularly put in her place.

Yuuji thought he had known hate before. He knew now he was wrong.

“But that will be corrected now.” Zen’in drummed his fingers against Megumi’s back, sending drums of pain through Yuuji with each touch. “Iori played his part well,” he said, as if revealing that the kind man had knowingly led Yuuji to this place to die wasn’t another lash against Yuuji’s back, “and now I will play mine. Honestly, if not for this one,” Zen’in jolted Megumi on his shoulder, “then you three would’ve been left in alone. But the Elders aren’t stupid enough to kill off Gojo Satoru’s Flower.” He grinned, slow and mean. “You though? There’s nothing stopping you from dying. And as long as we get Gojo’s Flower out safely? Well then, that’s all that matters.”

Fear was starting to roll in Yuuji, slow and heavy, and he was so very aware of the Special Grade between him and the man holding his Flower. “You can’t.” His voice came out small and scared. “You . . . please . . . I don’t want to die.”

Zen’in hummed and started to turn his back on Yuuji. Megumi’s head lolled against the slim back, blood dripping from his nose. He was hurt and Yuuji wouldn’t be able to tend to his wounds after. Flowers were meant to tend to each other’s wounds. “Unfortunately for you, your wants don’t matter here. But take heart! Your precious Flower will live. Maybe some greyness from death will make that Sakura tree worth actually looking at.”

The words hit Yuuji hard, right in the chest. Because it was one thing for him to call the sakura ugly but for somebody else to think the same was heartbreaking.

"What about Kugisaki?! Are you just going to leave her here!?”

Zen’in waved a hand dismissively as he started to walk away. “Maybe I’ll pull her out if I stumble across her. She’s pretty enough for a woman-”

“She’s not a woman; she’s just a girl! Don’t talk about her like that!”

“- and hopefully this will teach her just what happens to those who overstep themselves. Just as Monkey like you should now know.” He smiled at Yuuji once more over his shoulder. “Please, try and enjoy yourself. At least you’ll be dying to something very special.”

Yuuji lunged, out of desperation and terror, his chest on fire and reaching for his Sakura, intent on ripping Megumi away –

And then Naoya was gone.

And then Megumi was gone.

And then all that was left was Yuuji, a frozen rabbit, and the rabid wolf who had just found itself alone with its prey.  

Yuuji’s gaze shifted slowly, his heart beating hard under his camellia, and met the eyes of the Special Grade. Any hesitation the monster had been feeling had disappeared, just like Naoya, as a white tooth grin spread across its terrifying face. The hand holding Slaughter Demon was clammy and numb and when Yuuji raised it, he felt smaller and weaker than he ever had in his life. He had always been the strongest and faster person in any room. But when the Curse had moved before, Yuuji hadn’t even seen it.

The pressure against his chest was fast and insistent and urgent and Yuuji had to get out so he could tap back.

With a yell, Yuuji, raised his hand, intent on running forward to attack –

And his left hand flew away at the wrist, cleanly slashed off with one swipe of the Special Grade’s claws.

Yuuji turned his head to stare at where his now dismembered hand, still clutching Slaughter Demon, was lying on the ground and Gojo’s voice rang through his head.

The last thing that we need is for you to lose access to your Cursed Tool in the middle of a fight.

Oh, Yuuji thought, surrounded by pain and panic, that’s going to make touching my flowers difficult, isn’t it?

And then with a speed Yuuji had never experienced before, the Special Grade slammed its foot into Yuuji’s ribs and if they weren’t broken before, they certainly were now. Yuuji could almost gasp in pain as he flew through the air, pain flowing through him in a way it never had before. Before he even hit the ground, he was being kicked again, skidding across the floor and bouncing once. His back screamed with pain and Yuuji hoped that Megumi, wherever he was, couldn’t feel this, couldn’t feel Yuuji being toyed with as he died. It was bad enough that Yuuta had certainly felt the kick to the camellia. The boy with the sakura and wandering fingers could not be allowed to feel this pain.

Yuuji skidded hard across the floor and looked up at the Special Grade approaching him in terror.

I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die. Not like this, please, not like this. This isn’t proper at all.

“Sukuna,” Yuuji whispered, scrambling to his feet. His voice got stronger as the Special Grade slowly approached. His body felt lighter and his arm, surprisingly, wasn’t in pain. That probably wasn’t good; was that shock? Was Yuuji in shock? “Sukuna! You need me to survive, don’t you?! So, you have to help me!”

The feeling of an eye and mouth forming on his cheek barely even registered to Yuuji, only the stretch of skin as the mouth grinned. “Not true! There’re still eighteen other fragments of my soul out there. I wouldn’t call losing these two much of a loss, especially since they’ve been contaminated with you.”

Contaminated. Did Yuuji really contaminate everything he touch? First his Flowers’ bodies with the reflection of his soul and now even Sukuna thought that Yuuji had dirtied his fingers.

The Special Grade was approaching and Yuuji’s head was started to feel lighter. How much blood was he losing? He wished that he could wrap his stump or at least use his belt to stem the blood loss but taking his eyes off the Special Grade for even a moment would’ve been a guaranteed death sentence. He had to think, he had to figure out a plan. But what could Yuuji do? He was too new, too raw, he could barely pull up his own Cursed Energy. He was a First Year in every true meaning of the word.

Was this what it felt like? To be weak?

The tapping against his chest was frantic now. It made Yuuji frantic in turn. He had to get out of here; he had to get out and get back to Megumi and reassure Yuuta that he was okay. He had to make a plan. Even if it was desperate, even if it was stupid, even if it was the risker plan in the world. Yuuji had to do something.

And it was that desperation, that desire not to die like this, that need to see his Flowers again that made him do it. The one thing that Gojo told him not to do.

Yuuji gripped Sukuna’s soul and yanked him to the forefront and -

Yuuji had never liked being restrained.

Ever since he was a kid, it was the easiest way to get him panicked and scared. His Grandfather had once found him panicking, nearly to tears, because he had accidentally locked himself in the pantry. It had been so dark and closed in. The shelves had been a causality to Yuuji’s panic and he had spent days after helping his Grandfather screw new ones back in. Blankets too had been the cause of panic for little Yuuji; his Grandfather had barely gotten any sleep at night, he used to complain, because he’d wake up to Yuuji tangled in his blankets and screaming because he couldn’t move his arms. The feeling of being restrained, of being kept, was one that Yuuji had always tried to avoid. He had gotten better at locking away the panic over the years. He slept with blankets every night and learned to kick them off. He could enter small spaces without his breath catching.

But nothing compared to being enchained in his own body.

There was no feeling that could compare to it. The second Yuuji pulled Sukuna to the forefront, all sensation drifted away. His very soul felt adrift, like he had cut ties to his own body and was now drowning in it. Time lost all meaning. Yuuji could still see, could still small, could still hear, could still feel. But nothing caught and everything moved quicker than he could process. He was a passenger in his own body and nothing caught.

Sukuna was in control now and he was making the very most of it.

Yuuji’s body was moving, twisting and jumping and laughing, and Yuuji could barely understand what was happening. It was all coming in flashes; the Special Grade trying, trying, to fight back, Sukuna’s laughter echoing all around, the feeling of flesh, hot and heavy, being grasped in his hands. His hands, his hands, these were his hands but Yuuji couldn't catch, couldn't move. He had given up control, just like Gojo told him not to, Gojo told him not to, and now Sukuna was in control and Yuuji couldn’t catch.

Time started to slip away and by the time Yuuji started to catch, started to regain even a little bit, Sukuna had already realized what was happening. Yuuji could feel sick glee all around him, could hear Sukuna’s laughter. “Having trouble there, are we,” asked Sukuna with Yuuji’s mouth, with Yuuji’s voice, grinning with Yuuji’s face. “Oh, how terrible for the little Vessel. I know what will make everything better. Let’s go visit your garden.”

No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-

Yuuji could feel his feet beneath him, running and moving through the building with a stealth and speed Yuuji didn’t think his body possessed. Sukuna slipped out of the body and Yuuji’s soul followed, flapping in the wind, as the long dead Sorcerer – a Has Been, Gojo had called him, oh, oh, he was going to be so angry with Yuuji - followed the sound of screaming.

“-Sakura, you left my Sakura, we have to go back–“

“-pathetic, truly pathetic, you think for a moment you could–“

“-fucker! Fucker, waste of space, trash, you trash! Get the fuck out of my way–“

“-weren’t Gojo Satoru’s Flower, I would-“

“-going to kill you, going to rip you apart with my bare hands, if you don’t let me get to my Sakura right-“

Yuuji’s body stepped out from behind Megumi and he felt Sukuna use him to grin. “There’s no need for all the screaming. I’ve brought the brat right here to you.”

Yuuji’s vision sharpened and the first thing he saw was Megumi’s eyes, blue and green and pink and brown, looking at him with a feeling Yuuji could only describe as heartbreak.

His Sakura was back on his feet; head turned towards Sukuna but body facing Zen’in. His arms were out in front of him with his hands curled into fists. And his face, oh his face, was covered in blood. His lip was split and his nose was crooked, sending blood down his mouth and chin. And his temple, right where Zen’in had kicked him, had blood sluggishly trailing down the side of his face. He was pale and bloodless and swayed right on the spot as he saw Yuuji, as he saw Sukuna, as he saw the being once known as his Flower. His arms fell and his fingers twitched, like he wanted nothing more to chase Yuuji’s back once more.

Off to the side, crumbled and not moving, was Kugisaki. Blood was coating her back and her hammer was held loosely in her hand. Yuuji prayed more than he ever prayed before that Sukuna would pay her no mind.

And Zen’in, Zen’in Naoya, was standing in front of him. Clean and pristine and a frozen face of smugness and fear on his face as he stared Ryomen Sukuna in the eyes. His plan, Iori’s plan, the Elders’ plan hadn’t worked; the Vessel had let go and now he was face to face with the being he had tried killing in its bed.

Sukuna tilted Yuuji’s head and raised Yuuji’s arms up, his disremembered hand back on his arm where it should be; Yuuji still couldn’t catch. “Surprised to see me? That was a good plan, it really was. Really, I almost wish that it had worked; the brat could use some actual consequences for his actions and killing him would’ve only been a boon to me. But it’s alright; killing the fifteen year old failed but you still can try your hand against me.” He pointed one, sharp, black finger past Megumi’s head and directly at Zen’in Naoya. “You there. You’re a Zen’in, aren’t you?”

 Zen’in’s mouth worked soundlessly.

Yuuji felt his mouth stretch until pain pulled through him. “Yes, you are. I remember you Zen’ins. Always acting uppity and prideful, acting like you’re more than the rats you are. Some things never change, do they; still trying to pass cowardice off as strength. Really, I’m all for killing the brat but if you’re going to do it then do it. Did you really doubt that you couldn’t kill a fifteen year old brat?” Yuuji’s head tilted to the point of pain, Sukuna moving his body like a puppet on strings. “And, really, have you no respect for Flowers? If you have two people in front of you and they’re both Flowers, kill them together and in front of them.”

And then Sukuna moved.

Time stuttered and when Yuuji’s vision cleared, his body was directly in front of Zen’in, one hand reached down low and gripping something tight. Something circular and hard. And Sukuna had his other hand up, pressing his fingers gently against the hyacinth on Zen’in’s cheek. Sukuna sounded almost gentle as he cradled Zen’in’s cheek with one hand. “Do you see? I would kill you if not for this. But the world has decided to chain somebody to you, for all it’ll do for them, and they deserve to watch your life drain from your eyes. So, congratulations. You’ll be living today.”

And then Sukuna’s hand ripped backwards and Zen’in Naoya crumbled to the ground.

It took a moment for Yuuji to understand what he was watching. Sukuna had his head tilted down so Yuuji was able to watch, was able to see as Zen’in opened his mouth to let out an earth shattering scream. Blood was pooling around his right leg and something was wrong with his knee. It was spasming and jerking. And where his knee had once been was, it was, a hole was the only way Yuuji could describe it. A hole in Zen’in Naoya’s leg where the kneecap had once been, leaving the shin and thigh connected only by loose, flapping skin. And the kneecap, and the kneecap, Yuuji could still feel it in his hand. Sukuna lifted it up for Yuuji to see; the skin still attached, the whiteness of the bone, the blood dripping off it and running down Yuuji’s wrist in rivets.

And then, Sukuna brought the body part up to Yuuji’s mouth and licked.

The taste of blood erupted on Yuuji’s tongue, bright and metallic. He had tasted blood before, sure; he had bitten his tongue and had always preferred his meat rare. But this, hot and metallic and fresh off a dismembered kneecap, was real and clotting on Yuuji’s tongue. The tea that Yuuji had drank earlier that day was a long forgotten memory and this taste, Yuuji knew, would linger on his tongue for the rest of his life.

“Savour this, brat. This is the first taste of many.”

Yuuji didn’t have access to his body and he knew that now intimately. Because if he did, he would most definitely be screaming.

A sound came from behind and Sukuna twisted Yuuji’s body, slowly, as if to savour the horror flooding through Yuuji’s soul, until they were face to face with Megumi. His Flower’s face had gone bloodless, those blue and green and pink and brown eyes wide with horror and pain. His hands were shaking and he was staring not in Yuuji’s eyes but at the blood dripping from the corner of Yuuji’s mouth. His mouth worked for a moment before sound escaped. “Sakura?”

He sounded so small.

“No, not him. But you, you’re the brat’s precious Flower. Fushiguro Megumi, his Sakura. How fascinating.” Sukuna laughed, loud and awful, and tilted his head. “He was so worried for you. It was adorable.”

"Let him go.” Megumi’s voice was shaky and small, so very small. “Let him go.”

Sukuna hummed and the cold hit Yuuji, cold and sharp and awful, as his uniform was ripped off of his body, leaving his body bare and exposed. “No, I don’t think I will. In fact, I think I’ll take him hostage.”

Megumi eyes stared into Yuuji’s and Yuuji wondered if his Sakura could see him drowning. “You can’t. Yuuji will swap back.”

“That brat’s having some trouble with that right now. So, there’s nothing stopping me from fulfilling on a promise I made him.” Sukuna tilted Yuuji’s head down, giving him full view of Yuuta’s bright red, beautiful camellia on his chest. “Eyes wide, brat. This is what you get for being cute.” And then Yuuji watched, not understanding what he was seeing, as Sukuna reached towards his flower with a flat hand.

And then Sukuna’s hand burst through the camellia, into his chest, and Yuuji understood.

Pain, fiery pain, blossomed through Yuuji’s chest, the broken ribs a long forgotten memory, and all Yuuji could think of was Yuuta. Yuuta, Yuuta, Yuuta; his senpai, his Flower, his Camellia, who would’ve just felt a hand pierce through his chest. Who would feel an echo of Yuuji’s chest be split open at the flower, who may even feel the echo of Yuuji’s heart, still beating and weeping blood, be pulled out of his chest. Yuuta, his weepy, sweet Senpai and Flower, would’ve felt that.

The urgent tapping that hadn’t stopped for even a second stopped abruptly and Yuuji prayed that his own stupidity, his own stupid, stupid actions, hadn’t just killed his Flower.

“There we are.” The heart was held up for Megumi to see only to be tossed to the side without any care at all. “The perfect hostage. I have no issue at all living without a heart but your precious Sakura? Oh, I think you’ll have trouble tending to him without that.”

The sound that ripped out of Megumi was indescribable. It was a low kneeing sound, like a dog that had just been kicked, pained and low. Like it was Megumi’s heart that had just been ripped out and thrown to the side. His gaze was glued to the hole in Yuuji’s chest, bloody and gruesome. He was swaying now for real, like a single breeze could tip him over. He steadied himself after a moment, something frantic coming across his face. “What have you done?”

Sukuna replied, Yuuji knew that he did, but the words were starting to wash away into a whine. He could feel a finger, another finger, being pushed down his throat and Yuuji couldn’t think of it. All Yuuji could think of was that hole, was of his Flower, was of Yuuta having felt that. His Flower, the one who just wanted to hold him, had just felt the echo of his heart being ripped out. Was he dead? Had Yuuji just killed his own Flower? Would Toge have just felt the death of his own Flower and know it was Yuuji’s fault? Gojo had told him, Gojo had told him not to let Ryomen Sukuna out and Yuuji had and everything was all his fault.

“Yuuji. Don’t try and swap back. Not until I tell you to.”

Megumi sounded hard and calm now, like he had a plan. But what plan could he possible have that would fix what Yuuji had done? Stupid, stupid; didn’t want to die, he didn’t want to die with all his regrets and so improper and now looked at what Yuuji had done. Even if Yuuta lived, he would live knowing that Yuuji had died so stupidly and without any purpose at all. Yuuta would live knowing that Yuuji had died doing this stupid thing when he could’ve just died with grace. And now, and now, Yuuji would be forced to watch Megumi fight his own body, fight the Curse that was trying to kill his Flower, his Sakura.

Stop it, Yuuji yelled into the void, trying desperately to catch and yank his way back into his own body, stop hurting my Flower, stop hurting my Flower!

And then, Megumi surged forward and Yuuji was forced to watch as his own body brutalized his own Flower.

He couldn’t catch, he couldn’t force his way back into his body, but Yuuji could feel each time his fists made contact with Megumi’s body. He was hurting his Flower – that wasn’t supposed to happen – and Megumi kept pressing forward. He summoned more and more animals; a white snake, a large red bird, and Yuuji couldn’t even pay attention because he was hurting his Sakura and no matter how hard he tugged, he couldn’t rip control back.

Sukuna was going to make Yuuji kill his Sakura with his own bare hands.

It was only when Sukuna landed Yuuji’s directly in front of his Sakura, crumbled and clinging to his red birth on the ground, that Megumi looked defeated. The franticness had drained away from his face, leaving something that reminded Yuuji of the day before in the restaurant. Grim acceptance, only now it was laced with heartbreak. It was too fresh, Yuuji knew, the horror of it all. Megumi was staring up at him like he was a corpse walking. And he was, wasn’t he? Yuuji was nothing more now than a corpse with flowers on his skin that was being held hostage for a dead Has Been and Was Again.

Yuuji watched as the red bird dissolved into shadows and Megumi force himself back up to his feet. His Flower, his Sakura, bloodied by Yuuji’s own hand. Staring at him with grim acceptance. Words were flowing out of Sukuna’s mouth and Yuuji couldn’t even hear it anymore. Yuuji wanted to curl up, away from the horror of it all. He wanted to rip control back away from Sukuna and wrap his Flower up in his arms. He wanted to track down Yuuta and tend to him. He wanted to rip Sukuna out of his body and cry. Look at what he had done. Look at what he had done to the souls he had been entrusted with.

“Hey, Sakura. I want to tell you something.”

Megumi’s voice was soft and steady and, like the first time they had met, Yuuji’s attention was drawn to him. His Sakura’s face was dipped towards the ground but his eyes were staring right at Yuuji. Warmth and regret were twisting in those blue and green and pink and brown eyes. As much as Yuuji wanted to hold Megumi in that moment, Megumi looked like he wanted nothing more than to do the exact same thing for Yuuji.

“You asked me in there if I would’ve still saved you if you weren’t my Flower. And I couldn’t stop thinking about that. Even after Zen’in dragged me out, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I know the answer. Knew it the second you asked me. I should’ve told you the second you asked. But yes, I would’ve. Because you’re a good person. I knew that from the second I met you. And I couldn’t believe that somebody as, as good as you was somebody I was entrusted with.” Megumi’s head lifted and Yuuji was still drowning but now he was drowning in those pinks and browns. He felt, for just a moment, like he had when Megumi touched his back. Like Megumi was lifting a heavy burden off his back. “I would’ve saved you no matter what, Flower or not. And if I was still here, with no Sakura on our backs, I wouldn’t have regretted you.” Megumi stared at Yuuji and held out a hand. “Not for a moment.”

And with that hand being outstretched, Yuuji found himself finally able to catch.

Sukuna’s influence drifted away, the strings around Yuuji’s muscles drifting off into nothing. And Yuuji realized that though he had been feeling while Sukuna was in control, he hadn’t been feeling everything. Because even with the hole in his chest, his camellia ripped open at the seams, Yuuji could feel two hands pressing down and the echo of a thumb tapping down. One, Two, Three, Four; One, Two, Three, Four. Like Yuuta was holding his very chest together. It didn’t stop the blood from gushing from the hole and it didn’t stop the life gushing from it with it.

But Yuuji had something he wanted to say too. He had to stay long enough to say it.

He tried to smile, to actually smile for his Flower, for his Sakura. “Wow,” he rasped, “you sure are something, aren’t you?”

Megumi surged forward, hands grasping Yuuji’s arms. One hand pressed against Yuuji’s back and he was glad that he would be able to feel this one last time before he died. It was more than he deserved. “Stop talking,” he demanded. His free hand fluttered around the hole in Yuuji’s chest. “You just, if we can stop the bleeding-“

“No heart.” It was hard to talk. How was Yuuji talking without a heart? “No chance. Sorry.”

“Lotus will come; he’ll help. Just stop talking, Sakura, he’s gonna come.” Megumi’s hand raised until his entire arm was pressed against Yuuji’s back, supporting him from falling. “Sakura, Sakura, Sakura; just stay with me, Sakura.”

A breathy laugh escaped Yuuji, the only thing Yuuji had left to give, and it was getting harder to talk. But he had to talk, he had something to say and he couldn’t stop until he did. “I have to tell you something.”

“Sakura, please.”

“I have to tell you something.” Yuuji’s hands, jerking and twitching, raised. It took one, two, three tries for him to cup Megumi’s cheeks and they left bloody handprints in their wake. “I, I hope you live long, Fushiguro Megumi. I hope you live a long life.” Yuuji stared deep into Megumi’s eyes. Pinks and browns, pinks and browns. “Don’t . . . follow me yet . . . okay, Sakura?” And with that, Yuuji’s final words having been said, his legs gave out from under him. Megumi sunk down with him and Yuuji took it as a final comfort that he was able to die like this. It was more proper than it could’ve been; at least he was with people who loved him. Yuuta’s hands cradling his soul and Megumi cradling his body.

And being able to stare deep into Megumi’s eyes. As everything around him blurred dark. Because even as the darkness overtook him, he didn’t stop staring into those eyes, those blues and greens and pinks and browns and pinks and browns and pinks and browns and pinks and browns and pinks-