Chapter Text
Megumi had liked him the moment he’d laid eyes on the boy. Bright amber eyes, unusual pink hair (though his guardian being someone with pure white hair and startling blue eyes was hard to compare to), and a gleaming smile that, whenever he saw it, made even Megumi himself want to smile.
Megumi had no logical explanation for wanting to save this stranger, someone so full of life, and someone who’d been thrown into a different world just by consuming something (though, to be fair, eating a finger of the King of Curses, Sukuna, would do that to you) and a chance encounter. His athletic abilities had been incredible when he first saw him, and Megumi was, surprisingly, excited to see who he would turn into. Someone still incredible, surely.
He had no idea what Itadori would do to his life. He didn’t know how much of an impact he would have on his heart, and he was excited to see what they would grow into, though he would never admit it. “Can you save him?” Megumi had asked Gojo, trying to hide his desperation, the night Itadori had swallowed that finger.
The next day, Yuji was registered to go to Tokyo Jujutsu High, with Fushiguro.
Itadori was certainly social. Always being nosy, wanting to hang out with Fushiguro, play video games, borrow his manga, get food together. His persistence and annoyance reminded him of Gojo, though he liked Itadori much more, he’d come to realize.
Megumi started looking forward to them hanging out. He liked, no, loved, the boy’s company.
It was odd, considering they’d been complete strangers a month ago, yet now he couldn’t imagine his life without him.
“Fushiguro!” Itadori would call, with that same, stupid smile. Megumi had to do everything in his power to keep a bored or at least straight face and stop his ears from turning red when this happened.
Then everything changed, and Fushiguro’s life was flipped upside down. It started with that stupid emergency mission. Two weeks later, Yuji’d died.
Nobara was barely keeping herself together, and just as Megumi had confirmed his sexuality (bi-sexual) and come to terms with himself also liking men, the one person that had changed his life was gone, just like that.
Megumi didn’t realize he’d been crying until he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks, clouding his vision. He took in a shaky breath and sat down on his bed, gripping the fabric on his pants as tears splashed against the back of his hands, sitting in the uncomfortable and uncomforting silence of his bedroom.
Why was he crying? He shouldn’t be crying, he’d seen people die before, he’d had colleagues die before. He was going to die in the end anyways, he would have always been killed, execution or otherwise. So why did it hurt so bad?
Megumi knew the truth.
Yuji hadn’t just been any person, he hadn’t just been a colleague. He’d been a friend, and, embarrassingly enough, Megumi’s crush. Someone he loved. He’d been a loved one.
—————
Nobara and Megumi were doing fine. A few weeks had passed since the death of their classmate, and the pain had dulled.
Nobara was talking to him, something about looking forward to beating up Mai’s ugly face at the exchange-event between the two Jujutsu schools.
Technically, they wouldn’t normally had participated, but considering the absence of the suspended third-years, they’d been dragged along.
The pair had come to a tacit agreement that they would participate, for Itadori, to get stronger.
Gojo had been especially cheerful, and therefore especially suspicious, that morning of the meeting of the sister schools.
When Megumi had asked what Gojo was up to, he’d just snickered, then replied in a sing-song tone:
“Ohhhh, nothing!”
It’s absolutely something, Megumi had thought with a slight sigh, moving on.
It was surely just Gojo’s usual shenanigans, Megumi had convinced himself.
He was wrong. Very wrong.
The two schools now stood face to face, Panda and Todo being the largest.
Megumi particularly disliked Todo, considering how he nearly beat him half to death a few days earlier for having a “lame” taste in women (though Megumi didn’t think it was that bad- what was wrong with liking someone good and nice?).
Tension brewed between the groups, especially between the twins.
Kugisaki was wasting a perfectly good bitchy glare as she stared daggers at Mai, as Mai’s full attention was on her sister in front of her, and she didn’t notice Nobara.
Maki had her long cursed tool in her hand, like a staff, the other on her hip as the faint breeze tugged at her high, green ponytail. The sunlight caught her magenta glasses.
Todo was already shrugging off his jacket, as if he were about to start fighting right this moment, the scar mangling his face making him seem even more intimidating.
The sound of something metallic squeaking was heard in the distance as a figure towards them from the extended stone-brick path, the contraption’s wheels rattling against the uneven ground.
“Heyo!”
Megumi didn’t even have to look at him to know it was Gojo.
What in the world could he possibly be carting? Megumi thought, feeling a twinge of both annoyance and irritation.
“Sorry for the wait,” Gojo continued, way too amused and pleased with himself about whatever he was about to pull off.
Miwa’s expression changed so quickly Megumi felt whiplash. She looked like she was about to start squealing like some fan-girl. The contrast between her in-awe eyes and Utahime’s clear disgust made the corner of Megumi’s mouth twitch.
“Glad to see everyone all gathered together. Back from this super important and private business trip. You’re all in luck, because your all one and only has brought souvenirs!” Gojo exclaimed, now pulling up in front of them with his giant box.
Utahime looked seriously annoyed, while Panda seemed mildly surprised. “This is sudden,” he noted.
“Everyone from Kyoto gets this super awesome wrapped protective charm doll- except for you, Utahime,” The six-eyes user continued, dropping a pink doll in the students’ hands. Miwa looked as though she was holding the most valuable thing on Earth, something touched by the gods.
“I don’t want one!” Utahime snapped furiously, falling to Gojo’s rage-bait as she shook her clenched fists furiously.
“And now for you Tokyo folks! I’ve got… this!” Gojo smiled, spinning the cart, making it almost fall off its carrier as it tilted to the side with the jerking motion, then slammed back down as gravity pulled it the other way.
“… It’s really creepy when adults get all excited,” Kugisaki deadpanned, Megumi matching her energy with his expression.
Gojo’s excitement was unwavered, seemingly not taking any hints anyone had given him so far.
The lid to the box flew open, and Megumi saw a flash of pink and red. The figure jumped out of the box with a proudly displayed peace-sign, two fingers raised.
“Hey! Peace to the Pacific Ocean!!” Itadori exclaimed, eyes twinkling mischievously.
“It’s your long dead friend, Yuji!” Gojo announced with much enthusiasm, spreading his hands out dramatically toward the boy.
Nobara looked horrified.
Megumi’s heart stopped. Everything faded. What…?
Without thinking, Megumi rushed forward, curling his fist and punching Yuji so hard he fell back into the box. Yuji hit the metal and yelled out, looking up and glaring incredulously, smile wiped from his face.
“Ow, what the hell, Fushiguro?” Yuji yelled, hand shooting to his cheek where he’d been hit. He opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off when Megumi grabbed his arm and pulled him up violently, forcing him into a tight hug.
Megumi’s hair fell over his eyes as he struggled to keep his breathing steady and stop any pathetic whimpers that would show how close he was to breaking down and sobbing in Yuji’s arms.
Itadori seemed startled at first, but his arms settled around Fushiguro a few moments later with a bitter sweet expression.
Itadori rested his forehead on Fushiguro’s shoulder, and Fushiguro’s heart wrenched to hear a little sniffle from Yuji as his hold tightened slightly.
“Missed you too,” Yuji whispered, already knowing what Megumi was trying to say.
The other students had gone quiet, watching the sweet exchange the boys shared.
Even Utahime’s bitter expression had softened into something knowing and understanding, and glad.
Nobara stepped forward eventually, smacking Yuji upside on the back of his head (though there was no real force behind it), then pulled herself into the hug as well.
“Y’know, people usually don’t greet thought-to-be-dead friends by hitting them,” Yuji laughed quietly, wrapping his other arm around Nobara, who was biting her bottom lip.
“Well, you scared us, jackass,” Nobara snapped, though her voice wavered at the end.
The wind continued to tug at everyone’s uniforms as a few beats passed.
Yuji looked up when he felt a heavy and large hand land on his shoulder reassuringly.
He jumped slightly. “A panda?” He asked, cocking his head and pulling out of the hug. Megumi almost smiled- the reaction was so… Yuji.
Panda barked a laugh. “Yeah! I’m one of your second years, though you’ve never met me. Good to meet you, Itadori!”
“Oh! You too, I guess?” Yuji smiled, accepting Panda’s offered hand.
As Yuji stepped back into line with his fellow Tokyo students, standing next to Fushiguro and Kugisaki, Megumi felt a sort of peace and relief that couldn’t be described with Itadori back with them again, where he was meant to be.
And truly, finally after the endless weeks, Megumi felt okay.
—————
After the chaotic Goodwill event, where everyone from Kyoto had ganged up against Yuji trying to kill him a second time, Todo became delusional and seriously thought he and Itadori were brothers, and several other dramatic disasters had occurred, everyone was wiped.
Yuji’s top half of his face was blood covered, along with a lot of his uniform from being pummeled by Aoi Todo.
Megumi knew what that felt like, and it certainly didn’t feel good. He spoke from experience.
Nobara had several bruises from being shot by Mai’s rubber bullets, and Megumi was sore as well.
Gojo seemed oblivious to their exhaustion and wounds as he chatted cheerfully, walking along the path with the trio of teenagers.
As tired as Megumi felt, the feeling was eased a he looked at Yuji. Beat up, sure, but alive, happy, living again.
Yuji caught Megumi looking at him. “What are you smiling for, Fushiguro?” He asked, smirking slightly and tilting his head slightly to the side like a puppy.
Megumi’s ears burned red. “Nothing, idiot,” he snapped quickly, smacking the back of Yuji’s head, mostly out of impulse.
“Ouch! Okay, okay, sheesh!” Itadori scoffed, rubbing the back of his head. “Remind me to never ask you something again! Jeez,” he added for extra effect.
The sun had begun to set, painting the sky shades of peach-ish-purple, fading into a gorgeous orange, the clouds closest to the sun burning a bright yellow, as though the sky was on fire. Pink was the decided backdrop of the sky, the last of daylight’s blue sinking below the horizon, as though it was reluctant to leave, and a dark purple visible on the other end of the sky, as night was coming, surely but slowly.
Megumi had fallen slightly behind the group, looking at the back of Yuji’s head, pink hair a mess, reflecting the sky, almost.
Gojo looked over Itadori and Kugisaki, and called for Megumi to catch up.
Fushiguro quickened his pace, falling back into step next to Itadori.
When they made it back, Shoko checked them all out and used her reversed curse technique to heal them all up. The second years had gone out to get food, which was why they hadn’t accompanied the first years on the trip back to the dorms.
Yuji had a bandage wrapped around his forehead, his hair falling over it, and a patch on his cheek. Nobara had a patch on her cheek as well.
The two of them flopped onto the main-room’s couch simultaneously, releasing a sigh. It felt so normal, yet so right seeing this again. It was funny, seeing them in sync once more.
It was like Yuji’d never left. They should have had this so much sooner. A deep irritation bubbled in him. Megumi turned to Gojo and felt his earlier anger spike. “Why didn’t you tell us he was alive?” He demanded.
Gojo looked up from his phone. “Hah?”
“You heard me- we thought he was dead. I know you think it would be some funny big reveal, but we had a right to know!” Fushiguro then spun on Itadori, and he flinched immediately, raising his hands. “Why didn’t you come tell us? Why’d you make us think, for weeks, that you were dead?”
“Fushiguro…” Itadori started but couldn’t find the words. The level of hurt on Yuji’s expression made Megumi feel a twinge of guilt, though he tried not to let it show.
“Kid,” Gojo interrupted, “don’t get mad at Yuji, alright? It’s not his fault, just blame it on me.”
This was so surprising, Megumi paused and visibly blinked. Since when was Gojo accountable and responsible like that?
Megumi shook his head, reminding himself why he was mad. “Fine, then. Answer my question. Did you not stop to think about our feelings?”
Gojo’s smile was gone for once. Even though Megumi couldn’t see those blue eyes under that blindfold, he expected if he peeked behind that black strip of cloth he’d find them matching his solemn and guilty expression.
“I’m really sorry, Megumi, but no one could know. I’m sorry you had to wait so long, that I kept you in the dark, but what happened tonight was proof of what I suspected would happen.
I needed to be able to train him in private, and stop any rushed decisions to execute Yuji after what happened in the detention center, him losing control to Sukuna and all.”
Megumi’s tight fists had loosened slowly as Gojo spoke. Yuji was quiet and staring at his feet, sitting properly on the couch now, demeanor guilty and sad.
Megumi’s expression almost dropped as he saw this, realizing it was his fault for making Yuji sad, chest squeezing.
“…I’m going to bed,” Megumi sighed, running a hand through his hair then walking past Gojo to get to his dorm room, not knowing how else to deal with this.
Yuji looked up and watched him walk down the hall, his indoor slippers making the only noise in the building, besides the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen behind them.
Megumi wasn’t able to see Yuji watching him leave, as he hadn’t looked back.
—————
A few hours later that night, Megumi heard a knock on his door.
He’d ignored it first, eyes flicking down to the crack beneath it, seeing a shadow, likely Yuji’s.
It seemed as though he was about to knock again, but the shadow shifted, reluctantly walking away and past Fushiguro’s door and probably to his own dorm.
Fushiguro slid his hands down his face, having no clue how to deal with this. Why couldn’t he just have opened the damn door?
He considered getting up and calling Yuji back, but when he finally shifted to get out of his bed, he heard Yuji’s door close next-door.
Fushiguro sighed, knowing he’d missed his chance, and felt even more guilty at knowing he probably was making Yuji think he hated him or something.
Megumi could barely stand that thought. How was he going to sleep now?
A few moments after that reassuring note, Fushiguro reached over and switched off his lamp, turning over and facing the wall, then closed his eyes.
He shifted a couple seconds later. Megumi opened his eyes, pulling his blanket higher up over his shoulder then sliding his arm under his pillow, then closing his eyes again.
His brain buzzed with activity, not able to stop replaying how he treated Yuji this evening, replaying the hurt on Yuji’s face.
Fushiguro shifted, lying flat on his back and shifting his neck slightly.
The knock Fushiguro had ignored.
Megumi sat up to puff up his pillow, then lay back down in a different position.
The way Itadori had flinched when Megumi’d turned on him angrily.
Fushiguro groaned, sitting up and kicking his blanket off angrily. The fabric slid off the bed and spilt to the floor like a miniature waterfall, spooling in a pile on the wooden boards, landing with a soft “swump”.
Should he go apologize to Yuji? No, he’s probably asleep, his thoughts chastised.
Damn, since when did he ever get this worked up?
After a few minutes of having an internal war with himself, he decided he’d just be extra nice to Yuji tomorrow to make up for it.
He figured he wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably on the bed tonight, so he grabbed his pillow and blankets, settling on the floor.
It actually wasn’t so bad.
Megumi checked his phone, recoiling at its brightness and hastily turning it down. He then checked the time, his intention for grabbing it, and his eyes widened when he saw the time read 1:17.
Fushiguro set his phone down again with a displeased and grimacing look, turning it off and laying it flat next to him.
Sleep finally welcomed him a few minutes later, after his nerves had finally settled enough.
Yuji slept in the room beside Fushiguro’s, per usual, as Gojo had originally placed him, and he’d had trouble sleeping too, though not nearly as much.
He had a habit of falling asleep with his thumbs tucked into his hand, like a fist but held the wrong way, the way you would make a fist if you wanted your thumbs broken.
Itadori had acquired this trait from when he was a baby.
The soft moonlight filtered through both Fushiguro’s and Itadori’s curtains, catching their faces at different angles, making them seem ghostly pale.
Particularly bright stars faintly spotted select sections of the close rooms, the accumulated light casting shadows across the room instead of leaving them in total darkness.
The faint noise of raindrops dripping from the dewy leaves of the trees outside along with the chirpy birdsong signaled the start of morning.
Fushiguro slowly woke, turning on the floor and inhaling deeply through his nose, then exhaling, eyes fluttering open.
Despite sleeping on the floor and going to bed late, he’d actually slept well and felt energized. Well, energized enough, at least.
Megumi sat up, gathering his blanket and pillow, then used the side of the bed to help push himself up.
He then made his bed, throwing his blanket onto the twin-mattress and straightening out the edges so it was even, then tucking in its sides.
Lastly, he puffed up his pillow by grabbing either end of it and stretching it in then out, similar to a slinky, and set it in place, at the head of its frame.
His bed was simple, and most people slept with two or more pillows, but that always fostered bad posture and made his neck hurt. So he slept with one.
After finishing, he got dressed, throwing on a baggie shirt and sweatpants then slipping on his socks, he opened the door and walked out of his dorm, past Yuji’s room, though his walking slowed slightly, just enough so that he could tell Yuji was still asleep in there.
Megumi continued to the main room, where Nobara was currently combing out her hair after what Fushiguro guessed was a shower, based off her wet hair, on the couch.
“Morning, Fushiguro,” She yawned, tone bored, lifting one hand to cover her mouth at the motion, then returning it to its original position maintaining her hair.
“Morning,” Megumi grunted in return, pulling out a barstool and sliding into it, grabbing his phone from his pocket as he looked at which breakfast places were open.
He set his elbows on the counter and began scrolling on his phone, eyebrow giving a twitch as this app was extremely hard to navigate, and all the currently open places were either too far away, or too expensive.
Fushiguro let out an audible frustrated groan, rubbing the side of his head, eyes squinted in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” Nobara asked, raising an eyebrow and looking over the couch, hands on its head.
“Nothing… Well, not nothing, I just can’t find a good breakfast place.”
“What app are you on?”
“Forager,” Megumi replied, looking over his shoulder as Kugisaki got up to help.
“You’re really stupid, this app is, like, the easiest to navigate. Why haven’t you got anything toggled?” She demanded, taking his phone without asking and tapping the settings icon in the top left corner.
After applying a few random settings Fushiguro wouldn’t have thought to ever look at a second time, Nobara now had a list of recommended restaurants- ones with decent food, that were currently open, not too far, etc.
“Wow- thanks, I guess, how’d you do that?” Megumi asked, looking up from his phone.
“You just need to toggle ‘near me’, customize your price limits, customize how many stars the place has to have, stuff like that. It’s seriously not that hard,” She replied, rolling her eyes but explaining nonetheless.
“What’s not that hard?” Yuji asked, stepping out of his dorm with a hoodie and basketball shorts on, still wearing the bandages around his forehead.
“Oh, g’morning,” Kugisaki greeted, then hopped up on the counter. “Just old boomer here not being able to navigate a simple app.”
“Hey!” Fushiguro snapped, but his attention went to Itadori as he sounded an amused chuckle.
Megumi looked away immediately as he felt his ears heat up.
Kugisaki noticed of course and raised an eyebrow. She had no reason to suspect anything… yet.
“Well, did you decide on a place yet?” Nobara asked, thankfully reading the room and changing the topic.
Itadori stepped over innocently, peering over Fushiguro’s shoulder to look at his screen, and Megumi felt his ears and face heat up again. He had to get that under control.
“I’m debating between these two,” He answered with a grumble, tilting his phone to the side so the pair could see.
“I’ve never been to the second one, Daytime Eggs,” Itadori said, looking at the two options.
“It’s not bad,” Kugisaki shrugged.
“Daytime Eggs it is,” Fushiguro sighed, getting up out of his stool.
“Hold on, let me get ready first! My hair isn’t even dry, you expect me to go out in public like this? What if I get scouted?” Nobara scoffed, as though the idea was simply ridiculous.
Yuji and Megumi rolled their eyes simultaneously.
Nobara glared at them then turned away, running back to her dorm bathroom, hair flying behind her, brush still in hand.
“Classic Kugisaki… good to see she’s still the same,” Itadori sighed fondly.
While Nobara got ready, the silence between Megumi and Yuji was almost painfully awkward.
“So,” Yuji coughed. “How’s life been?” He asked, pulling out the stool next to Fushiguro casually.
“Ah… good, good… you?”
“…Also good.”
“That’s nice,” Megumi responded awkwardly.
“I, uh, made a friend, actually.”
“Oh? How?” Megumi asked, turning his chair to look at and face Itadori.
“Oh, his name is- er, was, Junpei. It was part of this mission- he had the ability to see cursed spirits but he couldn’t output any cursed energy.” Something about Yuji’s tone was casual but so sad, like he was trying to hide it.
Was…? Fushiguro’s mind echoed, expression softening into concern. “Is he… dead?”
Yuji looked down at his feet and nodded once.
Megumi knew how upset Yuji got on the behalf of others. Sounds like he really cared about this Junpei too.
“I’m really sorry that happened,” Fushiguro said after a moment.
“Yeah,” Itadori sighed, slumping slightly.
The background noise of Nobara’s hair dyer that the boys had filtered off abruptly shut off, Nobara exiting the bathroom a few beats later.
“Alright boys, let’s get going!”
Yuji looked up, a smile appearing on his face so quickly it looked like he’d been doing it for years.
Megumi frowned but didn’t say anything.
—————
The trio arrived outside Daytime Eggs at around 10:30. Not a lot of other people were there, so they were quickly placed at a table.
Daytime Eggs was a quaint little restaurant, with a nice modern-cottage-core hybrid aesthetic, with vines and lights and hanging pots.
Awnings decorated most of the outside windows, striped blue and yellow, red and white, and other colorful variations that made the restaurant seem more approachable, and friendly.
Of course Yuji had picked this place out.
The waitress wore a nice black collared shirt with matching black leggings, her top tucked into her pants, along with converse shoes, her name tag pinned on her left pocket and reading Suki.
Megumi was glad this wasn’t some weird maid-cafe, he couldn’t stand those. It wasn’t that the food was bad or the ladies were dressed slightly odd, it was the fellow customers. Gross old perverts eyeing the servers. Nasty.
Fushiguro shook his head, shaking the random tangent from his mind and following Suki to their booth.
They were seated along one of the walls, a table between two cushioned booths and a window they could look out of. The awning outside this window was purple and yellow, the light filtering through the cloth and landing on the table matching those colors.
Megumi found it interesting each booth had different lighting, and an inexpensive way to do it too, without having to buy different colored lenses for pricey lights.
Nobara took one side of the booth, Yuji took the other. Megumi had two options: sit next to Kugisaki or sit with Itadori.
As if deciding for him, and trying to test something out, Nobara set her purse on the seat on her right, taking up where Megumi could have sat. She watched Megumi’s expression closely.
Shit, she caught me blushing earlier and now she’s testing her damn theory, Fushiguro’s mind realized.
He slid into the booth with Itadori casually, thanked Suki for the two menus she offered him, then passed the other to Itadori.
“Can I get you guys started with any drinks?” Suki asked kindly, offering a smile.
“Just water for me, thanks!” Yuji exclaimed, smiling back with that stupidly adorable and perfect grin of his.
“Black coffee,” Fushiguro ordered, tearing his gaze from Yuji next to him.
“Iced tea for me please. Your number… ah, fourteen. No, thirteen. Wait, I’m sorry, fifteen,” Nobara finally decided, though somehow still indecisive.
Yuji, being curious, looked at the beverage menu, trying to find the difference between the tea number thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen.
His expression shifted so sillily as he read them with an incredulous look. “They’re literally all the same…” He muttered, shaking his head.
The light highlighted his pink hair orange, some of the purple catching his face as well. You wouldn’t think it looked good, but it did, like a mosaic.
“Mhm,” Megumi nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to what Yuji was saying.
Itadori continued to talk, looking at Megumi at times, others spinning the stem of a flower between his fingers, one he’d grabbed from the center decoration placed on the table.
After a few moments of Fushiguro giving noncommittal responses like “sure” to “how are you doing?”, Yuji frowned and waved his hand in front of Megumi’s face.
“Fushiguro? You there?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow, flower back in its tiny vase.
“Oh- yeah, my bad, I’m a little distracted, I guess,” Megumi stammered, caught off guard. Yuji hadn’t ever seen Fushiguro like this before, so he kept his eyebrow raised and leaned forward a bit to inspect his face.
Fushiguro felt a flush creep up his neck, warming his ears drastically and dusting his cheeks pink. He hoped the cover of the colored lighting would help.
Nobara’s jaw dropped as she stared at the two across from her. “No way,” she said, disbelieving at first, but absolutely knowing what was going on. Megumi could practically see the gears turning behind in her head as she pieced it together
“‘No way’ what?” Yuji asked, turning his head and leaning over the table to try and see whatever he thought Nobara was reacting to. “What is it, Kugisaki.”
“I think what Megumi was distracted by earlier was your f- ow!” She yelled, cut off as Fushiguro kicked her from under the table, expression furious, shaking his head slowly.
“Y’know what? I’m gonna head to the bathroom,” Nobara said, slyly winking at Megumi.
Oh no, she’s trying to get us alone, Megumi thought dreadfully.
“What was that about?” Yuji asked with a visibly confused expression on his face as he leaned back into his seat.
“How would I know?” Fushiguro asked bluntly.
“Oh well. Isn’t this place pretty, though? I like the lighting,” Itadori stated.
“Yeah… it’s not too bad, I guess,” Megumi shrugged, following Itadori’s wandering gaze, fully taking in the place.
“Oh, hey, Yuji, it’s our waitress, I think those are our drinks,” Fushiguro said without thinking.
“…Fushiguro, you just called me by my first name,” Yuji blinked.
Fushiguro stared. “Oh. Did I? Sorry, guess it just slipped out.”
“No, it’s fine,” Yuji said, a little too quickly, then, though it probably was Megumi’s imagination, blushed. “You can… call me Yuji. We’ve been through a lot together,” He explained with a small chuckled, then continued, “So I don’t mind. … Can I call you Megumi?”
It took everything in Fushiguro’s power not to melt on the spot. The way Yuji had said his name felt so right and natural, made Megumi feel so warm inside.
He could have sworn his heart fluttered. “No, yeah,” He choked, then coughed once, clearing his throat. “Megumi’s fine.”
Yuji smiled. The one that made Megumi stare, the gleaming smile he loved, the one that made Megumi smile. He always tried to hide it, but he returned the bright grin.
Yuji blinked, mouth in a literal “o” shape. “You can smile!” He exclaimed, grin returning back stronger as he pointed at Megumi.
“What? I’ve smiled before,” Megumi frowned at Yuji.
“I swear you haven’t,” Yuji countered.
“I do! Who do you take me for, some emotionless vampire?” Megumi scoffed.
Yuji burst out laughing, holding his sides. A few nearby customers glanced over at the sudden commotion, but turned their attention back to their food with knowing smiles as they just saw the pair of teenage boys.
“Vampire!” Yuji wheezed, hitting the table. Thanks to his superhuman body, it splintered slightly.
Megumi’s eyes widened slightly. “Careful, you idiot, you’re going to cost us hundreds.”
Nobara came back from her bathroom trip and stared at the crack in the table. “…That was there before, right?” She asked, sitting back down and setting her purse onto the seat.
“… No,” Yuji answered guiltily.
“… Yeah,” Megumi answered simultaneously.
“Let’s just go with ‘yeah’. No way am I paying for that,” Nobara said, rather unbothered by the fact there were several cracks in the center of the table, like a tree branching out.
“But we can’t just let it get blamed on someone else,” Yuji protested, worried an innocent person would be fined, or worse, their waitress.
Itadori and his big heart.
Megumi released an exasperated sigh. “Yuji…”
Kugisaki looked up questioningly as Megumi called him by something other than his surname.
“You two on a first name basis now?” She asked.
“Shut up,” Megumi muttered.
“Yep!” Yuji answered cheerfully.
“I’ll just pay,” Fushiguro muttered begrudgingly, pulling out his wallet and dropping a one-hundred dollar bill and a fifty on the table.
Nobara and Yuji stared. “You’re rich!” Yuji gasped.
“What-? No, I’m not, I just have a big allowance.”
“I didn’t even have any allowance!” Yuji pressed back.
“You’ve been holding out on us, haven’t you, you nasty little liar! Remember that one time we were all out shopping, and I was two dollars short of this half-off super cute shirt? And you did nothing?”
“I do remember that!” Yuji said unhelpfully.
“Why should I care about some stupid-looking shirt and waste my money on it,” Fushiguro defended with a scowl.
After the bickering continued for a little while, causing a commotion in the once-quiet Daytime Eggs, they were asked to step outside and leave.
The fact Yuji broke the table also helped the staff come to this conclusion.
“I’m so, so sorry!” Yuji practically chanted as they were escorted out, bowing repeatedly.
“Yeah, yeah, just don’t come back,” The manager grumbled, shutting the glass door and not buying into whatever act he thought the trio was putting on.
Yuji looked at the semi-transparent barrier between him and the manager and frowned. “Sorry,” he muttered again, raising a hand as he waved goodbye, then turned back to Nobara and Megumi.
“Well, that sucked! We didn’t even get our drinks, let alone food,” He sighed.
Megumi usually would have replied and said something like “Well, it’s your fault” but something about how guilty the boy seemed made Megumi decide otherwise.
“It’s fine, Yuji, no one blames you. We can just ask Gojo to get us something,” Fushiguro sighed, running a hand through his hair.
Nobara looked up then exhaled. “Yeah, he’s rich too, so.”
“Oh, I guess that’ll work,” Yuji said. His hand subconsciously moved up to pick at the bandage around his head, but Megumi met him halfway, grabbing his palm gently yet firmly and stopping him from making any of his injuries worse.
Itadori blinked, looking at their joined hands. Fushiguro still hadn’t let go yet.
His ear went red for about the millionth time that day as he quickly let go and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Don’t pick at it, you’ll make it worse.”
“…Right,” Yuji said, cheeks slightly pink. No, it must have been the lighting.
—————
Yuji’s bandages were removed after they’d gotten breakfast, though his head still hurt, just faintly.
On his way back to his dorm to sleep it off and rest, he found himself smiling in the entrance to the hallway, looking at Nobara and Megumi.
The pair was bickering, again, on the couch about something stupid. Nobara began to laugh and Megumi frowned, trying to hold back a smile.
Yuji shook his head slowly, chuckling softly as he walked to his door, setting a hand on its knob, turning, and opening it.
The door shut behind Yuji with a soft “click” as he walked to the other side of his room. He grabbed the edges of his curtains and pulled it shut, spreading some dust which had settled in the weeks the room had been inhabited.
Yuji looked at the poster he had above his bed, the blonde in the bikini, and rolled his eyes. He crawled onto his bed, reaching up with his fingers and slipping them to the peeking-out corners of the poster, and pulled back, removing the staples from the top half of the image, then pulling the bottom two out.
He didn’t have a stapler-remover, so he’d have to borrow or buy one later to remove the tiny slits of metal from the wall.
He rolled the inappropriate image up and set it in his trash-can, next to his bed.
After this, he shrugged off his shirt and then pulled back his covers and crawled into his bed, ready for his nap to cure the lingering exhaustion.
“The Human Earthworm series? It’s really niche, but I actually liked it!” Yuji had said when Junpei had mentioned it.
“Wait, for real?” Junpei had replied.
“Yeah! I wish they included more of the original scientist in this new one- when I saw the trailer and saw Dr. Kaijuto in it, I swear, I got so excited, but he only had, like, two minutes of screen time.”
“I felt the same way,” Junpei’d gasped.
Yuji and Junpei had hit it off almost immediately. They’d only known each other a few hours, but Yuji ended up going to his house for dinner and to watch a movie with him.
While the two sat on the couch together, Yuji occasionally giggling at a stupid comment or remark one of the actors had said.
The movie changed. Transfigured humans were the stars, begging for someone to help them. A red-hooded sorcerer started killing them ruthlessly, without mercy, blood flying everything.
The person’s hood was pushed back, revealing… Yuji himself.
No… Yuji thought dreadfully, a chill going down his spine.
“Would you do that to me?” Junpei asked, smile gone, staring at Yuji.
Suddenly they weren’t in the small living room anymore. They were back at the highschool, where Mahito and Junpei had tried killing the students.
“What..? No, of course not, Junpei—”
“You said you’d help me!”
Yuji flinched hard, taking a step back but going forward, reaching out a hand.
“You said you wouldn’t ever hurt me, Itadori Yuji!”
“I—”
“You let me die! I didn’t want to die, you promised you’d save me,” Junpei continued relentlessly, voice distorted.
Junpei was shifted violently into the transfigured form Mahito had given him.
“S… Save... save me…” It managed, as though each letter hurt to choke out, his new form horrible.
Yuji dove forward, but the floor dropped beneath him, letting him fall eternally.
The last thing Yuji remembered of the dream was seeing Junpei’s desperate, sobbing face, full of pain and misery.
Yuji startled awake, hyperventilating and in a cold sweat, clutching the fabric of his blankets so tight it hurt.
His pupils were small and frightened, slowly enlarging as they searched for light.
“Oh,” Yuji sobbed, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face between his legs, holding himself tightly.
What even was a proper death, the thing Yuji was obsessed with achieving for everybody? Some imaginary thing.
Yuji remembered what Megumi said the night he’d died:
What are you going to do if someone you saved goes on to kill someone else?
Yuji’d killed people before, transfigured humans. According to Shoko, they’d already died from the shock of being transmuted, but he didn’t see much of a difference.
Especially when Yuji had to kill those three transfigured people to help fight with Nanami and save himself.
You’re so selfish. You’re horrible, you’re a murderer, his mind sneered.
Yuji drew in another shaking breath, releasing a muffled sob as he tried to remain silent, holding himself tighter.
Megumi woke up that night, for no apparent reason. He rubbed at his eyes, looking around his room, wondering why he’d woken up now, at all times.
It was silent, nothing but the sound of his own breathing and the AC.
He had a nasty feeling sitting in his chest however. Megumi got up, pulling his pants and shirt back on, and decided to investigate.
He stepped out of his dorm room, using his phone’s camera as a flashlight, to navigate the hallways.
It felt too quiet outside Itadori’s room. Megumi frowned and pressed his ear to the wooden door, turning off his phone’s flashlight to avoid waking him up.
A quiet sob and a sniffle was heard from inside the otherwise quiet room.
Megumi’s heart sank. Oh.
Megumi knocked gently before opening the door a crack, peeking inside.
There Yuji sat, holding his bare shoulders and chest, facing the other way, using his hand to block his teary face.
“Itad- I mean, Yuji? You okay? Can… I come in?” Megumi asked softly, though it was hard to act so gentle.
Yuji’s shoulders tensed slightly before he nodded once.
Megumi’s eyebrows pulled together slightly, creating a worried furrow between the two, sitting down on the edge of Yuji’s bed, trying to give the crying boy some space. He had no clue what to do.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Megumi asked after a moment.
It took Yuji a moment before he shook his head once, then added a rough “No.”
“That’s fine. I’m, uh, here, I guess. Sorry, I'm not great at this stuff.”
After a few moments of silence and Megumi seeing Yuji’s face- slightly puffy; pink eyes, cheeks glistening in the faint moonlight from the leftover wetness his tears had traced through his face, eyes low and bottom lip quivering occasionally, Fushiguro got increasingly awkward, having no clue what to do.
“You probably just want some space- sorry, i’ll just go,” Megumi said after a moment, getting up and heading for the door.
He was stopped as he felt a hand clasp around his wrist. He could easily pull it away, but he looked behind himself to see what’d happened.
Yuji’s arm was extended as he’d reached out to stop Megumi from leaving. “No- it’s okay, you’re helping. You don’t… have to go.”
Megumi would have usually blushed, but the seriousness of the situation and Yuji’s expression stopped him from feeling fluttery.
“Okay. If I make anything worse, just tell me,” He replied, moving back to the bed to sit on its edge, closer this time.
Yuji nodded, scooting slightly closer.
The silence was much less awkward this time, even though their close proximity made Megumi slightly nervous.
The two eventually faced each other, instead of staring at their knees.
Without thinking, Megumi swiped a few of Yuji’s tears away, brushing his thumb under his eye, ones that had gathered around his eyelashes again, making his lids heavy.
“Oh- sorry,” He muttered.
“Why are you apologizing? You were just trying to help, Megumi.”
“…I guess you’re right.”
Yuji smiled slightly but it faded a few seconds after. “I’m sorry about last night. How I never told you I was alive, you’re right, I didn’t stop to think about your feelings.” Yuji’s expression was broken and guilt laden, eyebrows pinched together tight as his eyes glistened again.
Megumi frowned immediately. “No— no, no, don’t apologize. It’s me who should be apologizing, I meant to do that today… It wasn’t your fault, okay? I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that, really.”
Yuji avoided Megumi’s gaze and swallowed hard. “…Thanks.” He fidgeted with the hem of his pants, pinching the skin on his knee.
“I was just… really worried. You, uhm... you’re important to me, and I thought you were gone forever,” Megumi continued.
Yuji looked up, earlier expression fading but being replaced with one of surprise. “I am?”
“Of- of course.”
Megumi quickly turned his head and gaze away, feeling his cheeks heat up once more as Yuji blinked at him with those thick-lashed eyes of his.
Megumi looked back as he felt Yuji’s hand land gently on his shoulder. “You’re, uhm… you’re important to me too.”
I’m important to Yuji? Megumi’s mind echoed. His brain practically stalled. Was there a chance? Absolutely not. Right now isn’t about these stupid feelings of yours, it’s about how Yuji’s feeling.
“Well, uhm, good,” Megumi managed after a second, looking away again and setting his hand on the base of his neck, the skin beneath his palm hot. Why was he always so damn warm around Yuji?
“You good?” Yuji asked, lifting his hand from Megumi’s shoulder, setting it on his own knee.
“M-Mhm.”
“Okay… I'm glad. Did you, uh, want to stay a little bit longer? You don’t have to…”
“No, I can stay. I don’t mind,” Megumi reassured him quickly, looking him in the eyes with a faint smile and shrugged.
Yuji returned the small smile and nodded. “Alright,” He sighed.
The pink-haired boy shifted so he was half-laying against the headboard, legs pulled up so they wouldn’t invade Megumi’s space.
Megumi sat against the wall, the door across from him, Yuji to his left.
It was quiet for a minute, a comfortable silence that the two could sit in as Yuji breathed. Megumi liked this- this quiet and at least peaceful moment with the boy he loved, and how natural it felt.
After a few moments, Yuji spoke up. “Remember that one time I broke a table in Daytime Eggs?”
A smile teased the corners of Megumi’s lips, tugging and trying to get him to grin.
“That was today, idiot,” Megumi replied, a hint of amusement lingering in his tone.
“Yeah, I know,” Yuji smirked, poking Megumi with his toe.
The two exchanged smirks before simultaneously laughing. The interaction continued, Yuji eventually pulling a blanket up over himself, to his chest.
They continued talking about mundane things, until Yuji’s eyes got heavy.
Megumi was lost in a story when he’d realized Yuji’d stopped asking questions half-way through and saying things like “mhm” to show he was listening.
“Yuji?” He asked, looking over. Yuji was asleep.
Megumi’s expression immediately softened. As carefully as possible, he got out of the bed, then gently pushed Yuji down so he was laying down fully. After making sure he looked comfortable, he grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it up and over Yuji, to make sure he didn’t get cold.
Unable to control himself, he brushed away some of Yuji’s hair from his forehead, face burning as he found himself performing the maternal gesture.
He pulled his hand away immediately, as if he’d been burned, but let it slowly fall to his side.
Megumi smiled faintly, pushing his hair back as he took a step backwards then turned towards the door, walking to leave.
He carefully opened the door, trying to prevent it from squeaking, then carefully closed it.
Megumi walked back to his room, hands in his pockets, and a content smile on his face was still lingering on his face.
It wasn’t until Megumi was safely back in his own room when the realization hit him: Yuji’d been shirtless the whole time. Megumi suddenly had the complexion of a tomato, and he hurriedly shut his door closed. He couldn’t help the blushing-smile spreading on his face.
It was the same thing all over again, too, how Yuji would always go: “Fushiguro!”, but now it was “Megumi,” in that steady, gentle voice of his.
More than anything, though, Megumi hoped Yuji would be okay. Seeing his peaceful expression as he was asleep helped reassure him.
Another morning arrived and Yuji was still there.
The previous day hadn’t been a dream, Megumi realized as he found Yuji sitting outside, looking at his hand.
Megumi looked through the window, watching, seeing Yuji talk.
Two things made Megumi go approach him: he felt like a creep watching the guy through a window, and he wanted to know what was so interesting about his hand.
His question was answered as he stepped outside, closing the door behind him, walking up to Yuji.
One of Sukuna’s mouths was manifested on Yuji’s palm, and the two were having a conversation.
Megumi blinked. “What are you doing?” He asked.
Yuji jumped, looking behind him as Megumi seemingly just appeared, in his eyes.
“Oh, hey, Megumi! Sukuna and I are just talking.”
“Talking… with the King of Curses?” Megumi asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“Well, yeah. It’s mostly him just giving me threats, and him wanting to try ‘rectangular yellow potato slices’, which are french-fries by the way.”
Megumi blinked then looked down at Yuji’s hand, when Sukuna stuck his tongue out and then disappeared.
“Well, bye, I guess,” Yuji said without much conviction.
Their interaction had felt so casual. Who comfortably said they were just having a conversation with the King of Curses? No one but Yuji, Megumi supposed.
He turned his gaze to the view in front of them, a stone path on which people traveled by; worn from years of use, grass lying beyond and to the side of it; bright green with occasional flowers scattered over it.
Tree branches rustled in the wind, branches that started from a thick and sturdy base which extended high up, branching out like vines reaching across the sky, green blossoming everywhere in a vibrant miniature canopy, and a sparrow swooped from overhead, singing sweetly, miniature compared to the vastness of the structure.
Megumi gazed drifted from the scene to Yuji still sitting there on the porch, feet planted on the ground, forearms resting on his knees.
The morning sun highlighted his soft pink hair and warm brown undercut, making it seem as though someone had spilled honey over a painting that Megumi was blessed to behold.
Blessed to behold? Megumi echoed, interrupting his narration. That was awfully dramatic. Well, maybe, he was in love with the boy, and he looked all too well in this position.
Megumi shook his head, as if to clear it, and sat next to Yuji.
“So… you good? After last night? If you want to talk about it… I’m here,” Megumi shrugged, not great with words, but he hoped Yuji saw his sincerity behind his pair of green eyes.
Yuji turned and stared for a moment before smiling reassuringly. It didn’t seem fake.
“I’ll be alright, I’m doing a lot better today, anyways. And you?”
And me? Fushiguro was caught off guard, once again, surprised by the question, even if it was such an “Itadori” thing to say.
“Yeah. Yeah, I'm good,” he replied, shaking his head slightly and sitting down on the porch next to Yuji.
Itadori smiled and looked over, eyes only expressing relief, and serenity. “Mm good.”
“Good,” Megumi nodded, offering a ghost of a smirk and looking forward, admiring the view.