Chapter Text
Tossing and turning beneath the bed sheets, the fabrics spread across the bed were holding on for dear life as the edges of the crumpled fabric struggled to remain in place from the shoves and kicks they were facing, it laid all ruffled like tossed, used tissue papers. Each one slowly losing its place as it lay abandoned and forgotten on the carpeted floors, only serving as rags than proper protection from the bitter cold. Creased and wrinkled beyond imaginable, they were descending at an improbable rate as the occupant of the bed refused to budge an inch off of the bed as they brutally tossed their blankets that worked so hard to keep them warm during the night. But, it had all but failed.
The faint pounding ache at the back of their skull fogged their head in a mindless cloud, heavy and dull. Only further numbing their deteriorated state due to the emotional whiplash and physical turmoil they had undertaken, they laid there weak and limp yet despite attempting to find the best position of fluffy sheets and tender pillows, they hadn’t managed to fall asleep for a single minute as their head clocked in overtime to even think a coherent thought, every muscle was stiff and rigid from being worn out like a squeezed out sponge, drained of all capacity to function like a normal person with responsibilities.
Becoming and accepting that a lack of sleep came with being a Jujutsu sorcerer, it wasn’t uncommon by any means, the standard being roughly 6 hours to properly function as a trainee would slowly get accumulated to the new sleep routine. Unfortunately, sometimes sorcerers weren’t given such courtesy due to the amount of work that piled up at times. They just happened to be a victim of circumstance, yet partially due to their own faults as they had allowed themselves to work tirelessly to the bone without considering their own wellbeing foremost. They felt like they could fall asleep for eternity if they simply just fell asleep, contemplating whether or not to simply make the hard task of reaching for a melatonin gummy was almost irresistible in that moment.
The back of their head felt damp with both sweat and water as the pillow that cushioned their head laid damp from the amount of water it had absorbed from their shower just a few hours ago, doing little as a makeshift cold compress as their overheated body temperature far exceeded the difference of degrees to the pillow. Offering little to no comfort to bone-crushing, scraping, dragged and beaten brain could handle, it only worsened in its wrath every second as they bore the verge of tears from the splitting and throbbing headache as it veiled the lines of an intense migraine.
In other words, they felt like complete and utter shit.
Shifting the position of their head to plant itself directly into the silk as it narrowed their supply and oxygen, with all they could do was groan and scrunch up the fabric in their trembling fists as they frustratingly kicked out their legs as it bounced up and down from the springs of the mattress beneath them, rendered completely immobile by their current state both in mind and body. An unmovable force that would ultimately collapse and fail to function as a normal person would expect, becoming more akin to a stuffed animal than an actual person. Unresponsive to even their own whims and wishes as they were left in their broken state, without motive or ambition.
“Rise up!~ Into my- World!~ Renew your definition! World so high, let me show!~ Woah~ And hear my declaration! ‘No more ties!~” Their prayers were answered as the heavens bestowed them with an unwelcome wake up call from their phone's speakers, blasting at full volume as it bounced off against the walls like a concert stage. Their dreaded alarm clock had decided to make the untimely appearance of announcing that it was time to embark on their daily routine. Much to their dismay as they forced open their heavy bloodshot eyes with reluctant resolve to move.
It took a couple of attempts to muster the correct amount of strength to reach out for their phone on the bedside table as it vibrates violently against the wood as though it were having a wild dance party, crazy enough to tempt fate by lingering over to the edge until they caught it at the last second. The movement of their shaking phone was enough to start up the weak flow of blood in their arm as it began to pump blood more progressively into their veins and shook away the verge of sleep to a state of being somewhat awake. The crook of their arm wiping away the crust and weight of their eyes as they fluttered open as they brought the screen towards their face, squinting from the brightness yet adjusting as they shut off the alarm without a hint of hesitation.
Swiping their finger upwards to reveal the barrage of notifications that had built-up overnight, some of which were Youtubers that had no concept of a sleep schedule either as they uploaded their videos in the middle of the night whilst most were asleep. The others were emails of promotions and offers, social media of likes and interactions from mutuals, their mobile games attempting to entice them to play for hours of addiction. None of it caught their eye until they stumbled across their personal messages, both from positions of authority and a few more personal ones as well. They went through and answered them one by one as work came foremost due to the importance of it, their desire for pain-killers could wait until they got out of bed and properly woke up.
…
[6:30 AM] Nanami-Sensei: Good Morning. I would like to extend my apologies as I failed to inform you of the sudden change in plans to our arrangements, it was unprofessional on my part. To explain my perspective, I was summoned for an urgent mission. One that required immediate attention. The only person I knew who would answer and respond to my messages was Gojo, given his position and relation to you. I hope you can understand, and I apologise for any trouble I caused. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, don’t hesitate to contact me.
As punctual as he himself was, Nanami was direct and straightforward in his apology towards them as he believed he had disappointed them, letting them down for cancelling their plans at the last minute. Although they would’ve preferred Nanami given how things had turned out between them and Gojo, the man prioritized work as he fell victim to the corporate workplace mentality as work became all else. He needed to make a living to pay for finances such as bills and maintenance and keep himself stable amidst the economy, being an adult came with responsibility. Especially a Grade-1 Jujutsu sorcerer as refined and composed as Nanami. The man had his own personal business to attend to, the fact he had offered to pick them up outside of his work hours was courtesy enough.
From the way he always made sure his tie was knotted perfectly onto his tailored business suit, fitted symmetrically onto his chest. Adjusting if it was just an inch out of place, standing up straight with perfect posture as he walked with a stride of purpose. Elegant as he conducted himself professionally as he rarely diverted from work unless it proved beneficial to the conversation, strict as a mentor as he corrected their foot placement on the old floor mat and swung with precision as the two worked in tandem with one another as they trained. Falling into a sense of rhythm as his choreography became like their own as they were taught to deal powerful and direct blows via their aim alone.
He had taught them a lot of what they knew in terms of society.
He didn’t need to apologise, much less inform them with the message as Gojo had practically spilled the beans as to what happened in his nonchalant ways of speech. Piecing the puzzle together didn’t take much effort as there would be any reason for his abrupt departure but despite it all, he took the time out of his way to make sure they got home safely with someone they knew and that was all they could ask for. They weren’t going to fault Nanami for it, he was a reasonable and reliable person, honest in his words. It was easy to establish trust in such a guy with his direct approach to situations to his blunt ways of speaking.
Birdie is typing…
[7:07 AM] Birdie: It’s okay! You don’t need to apologise! Dw! Work is important, I get it
[7:08 AM] Birdie: Make sure to take care of yourself! Thank you for trying though, maybe we could arrange something when you have the time!
It would likely take some time until they received some kind of response from the man, given how occupied he was with his time. He wasn’t the kind of person to check their phone upon receiving a notification, only answering phone calls on either his personal phone or his work one. His personal phone was always off during business hours and due to Nanami’s strict boundaries of contacting him via his work phone, it was reversed for business or emergency circumstances. The only two in which he would allow, which was fair on a technical standpoint as it allowed him to keep both sides of his life separate, private even. If they remembered correctly, his record was roughly 10 minutes in response time.
Closing the direct message of Nanami, they turned to the second most recent notification from none other than Principal Yaga. From the words alone they could tell he wasn’t in the greatest of moods, they rarely texted Yaga besides from updates during their missions and such but he was quite friendly in his manners of speech. However, this was strictly business from the way he worded it, unlike his usual texts that held some level of encouragement or advice to continue forward. It lacked any of what they’d come to know of the kind mentor, and they could only guess it was the result of one thing. The man who always caused far too much work for everyone, the one who could have 10 pages written about him alone for simply taking a step outside was none other than Satoru Gojo. And that man-child had likely managed to inconvenience Yaga once more, they could also guess as to why.
[7:05 AM] Boss Man: Hello, I’m expecting your report by this early afternoon. Please, don’t be late.
There wasn’t even a good job or congratulations, the man had too much weight on his shoulders that they were surprised that he wasn’t as old as the higher ups from excessive aging due to the amount of stress he was under constantly,, considering texting him back to ask if he was doing well but refrained. Preferring to offer that assistance in person would likely be more beneficial to Yaga due to an extra pair of arms around the campus, it wasn’t uncommon for them to assist in organising paperwork or helping the poor man figure out how to share a document via his email as he’d send it out in mass to everyone in the faculty. At times he joked that he considered taking them up as his personal apprentice due to their skill sets. Though, he failed to realise that they just happened to be more tech savvy than most.
The guy still owned his nokia brick from the 90s.
Birdie is typing…
[7:11 AM] Birdie: Of course, sir. I’ll have it ready by then, you have my word. I’ll see you then.
Their pursed lips spoke otherwise to their false promise, a flawed oath with no substance of data to analyse and evaluate with. No guarantee that they spoke the truth, something they weren’t persuaded they’d be capable of completing the task within such a short time frame of writing a detailed report to the expectancy of themselves and quality of writing expected from them due to how concise and diligent they liked to write. A detriment to their perfectionism as they’d have to summarise as many things as possible and leave the more detailed segments for the more important parts of the statements. Bothersome as all they could do is let out an irritated sigh, better late than never.
Though one thing they noted was that they didn’t remember plugging in their phone the previous night nor did they recall taking it out of their pocket. Perhaps they were just too exhausted to remember the exact details but thinking about the specifics would likely fry their brain far too early for their convenience and so. As the sun's rays of light shone through their window into the room, basking everything in a gentle warmth as it provided a means of sight to the empty and unlit room. Casting everything with a faint yellowish glow as it took center stage in the sky, with no clouds in sight to block its beauty from view. It’s full radiance on display for the world to see, a guiding light.
Their fluffy sleeve once again went to wipe at their puffy and dreary eyes, though it did little to aid their turmoil as it refused to lift beyond a lidded gaze, meeting with their reflection casted by the light. They saw themselves for the first time in a while, and they looked like a mess. Their hair was what could only be described as a bird’s nest as intertwined in knots upon knots like a tangled ball of yarn on the top of their head, tangled beyond belief. A frown plastered on their face that only conveyed their misery without the energy to put up a friendly face, disgruntled as they stared blankly, unblinking into their reflection as they took in the look of their eyes. A finger pressed itself against their lower eyelid, exposing their eyeball to their reflections as red veins sprouted across in a bloodshot manner, letting go revealed the bags underneath them as it stinged the colour of their skin to a faint purple.
It was manageable, they reasoned as they had gotten through much worse appearances to the public. Looking miserable and exhausted was nothing new to their companions, if anything it was a feared tale spoken amongst the students and teachers alike to avoid incurring their wrath. At least, that’s how people described what they looked like. Some said they were the complete opposite and looked like a broke teenage student with a caffeine addiction with 5 assignments due in the span of 24 hours. Which could be used to describe their current circumstances as they shook their head to clear their head of any lingering thoughts as they focused on the task ahead.
Standing up on legs that cooperated with them slowly, but feasible as they worked their fatigued legs towards their closet. Stretching as many limbs as they could as the sound of cracking bones filled the room from how stiff their joints had gotten, practically locked up as each step responded in some kind of new crack they had yet to experience. Feeling like some kind of walking skeleton, tired to the bone. As they grasped the handle of the door and gently tugged it open to go through the gap between the two spaces.
Their uniform had been torn from the battle, damaged with claw marks and stains of blood. Most likely being needed to be sent in for repairs due to the amount of hits it had taken, meaning they would have to resolve towards other means as a makeshift uniform until then. Though, as they went through the options of their wardrobe without much thought as they selected a black wool sweater, white blouse and a pair of leggings for comfort. Business casual attire would suffice for the day, they weren’t really expecting to do any other work than the report so they weren’t going to go through all the effort to keep up their appearances.
They changed from their pajama hoodie to their new attire, stuffing their sweaty worn clothes into the hamper with as much force as they could manage until it all fit snugly inside and closed the lid behind them. Exiting the room as they acquired their hairbrush, working their way through the tangles with a cringed expression as each stroke only gave out a pained hiss. Though, it wasn’t long until it became a presentable look as the matted hair now became an actual hairstyle. Ripping out a few strands of hair in the process but it was all worth it in the end, though a few untamed strands refused to stay in place as their frustration grew as it refused to work with them. Resulting in them taking a different approach, grabbing the upper layers of their hair and tying it back into a loose, makeshift bun to keep it out of the way for the time being.
It wasn’t long until they left their room in favour of the bathroom, as they approached the sink with lukewarm water and a rag, wiping away at their face to cleanse their face only to gently tap at it with a small towel at it as it soaked up the leftover droplets that clung to their face. Following the minimal amount of steps to their routine, with some cleanser and perhaps even a touch up of makeup as they found a tub of their lip balm amidst their shelf of products and amply applied it to their cracked lips to add some additional moisture to their lips. It wasn’t long until autopilot took over, returning to their room once more as they slipped their laptop under the crook of their arm as they dragged themselves towards the kitchen, placing the laptop down on the kitchen island as they turned towards the main counters to prepare breakfast.
Opening the contents of the fridge as they searched for the ingredients they needed, finding a few eggs, a lump of tofu, a container of fresh seaweed, vegetables such as spring onions and pickled cabbage. The first thing they did was grab a the bowl from the rice cooker and planting a hefty cups of rice as they rinsed it out from under the tap water to clean it, filling it to the required amount as they turned on the rice cooker, slotted in the bowl and locked in the cover, turning it on for a set amount of time as they pulled out a cutting board from one of the cabinets and a knife from the rack as they began to dice away at the tofu and spring onions, alongside the seaweed.
Turning their attention towards the eggs, they whisked away at them until they reached a firm and thick consistency and set it aside as they reached for the dashi powder and miso paste, mixing them to together into a decently sized pot to create a soup base as they dumped the seaweed and tofu into the soup until it reached a boiling point. As they waited, they reached for a square shaped frying pan to make tamagoyaki. Using their knowledge they had learnt of the technique, they worked fast as they slowly poured the beaten eggs onto the pan in a folding motion until it reached a thick and layered consistency, they had managed to poke holes, burn some spots and scrambled some part of it but it still looked edible enough and so, the main portions of their meal was complete.
Grabbing an assortment of bowls, they scooped a portion of rice into each bowl alongside the rest of the meal they had prepared as they prepared both a meal for themselves and Gojo as per their routine. Leaving the standard breakfast to his side of the island, they booted up their laptop in between bites of food as they munched away at their cooking. Lacking proper seasoning but did the job well enough to fill them up, otherwise they wouldn’t complain. It wasn’t long until they had utterly devoured their bland and mundane meal, debating whether or not they should go for a second serving as it would likely boost their energy levels but ultimately decided against in favour of boiling the kettle as they stood up, pressed down the button and waited for the water to boil.
Two tall metallic jars labelled sugar and coffee, pouring a few teaspoons of black coffee grounds into their newly acquired mug of their favourite anime printed on the front and a countermeasure of three times the amount of sugar for the rush that both came from the caffeine and glucose. Pouring the fresh boiling water into the mug, mixing it with a teaspoon as it made the desired beverage of their cravings. Only to immediately drink the substance in one fell swoop as they poured themselves another glass full to keep them steady amidst their workflow, a fresh cup of coffee that would send them into a deliberate state of productivity. The perfect plan to their deteriorated state of mind.
The effects were almost instantaneous as they fingers moved at the speed of light, creating a fresh document of an empty report as they filed in the criteria such as dates, their name, location and such into the boxes as they quickly made steady process as they began to write down the outline to the report as they noted down what they memorised from the previous events of last night, flowing together pretty nicely as they turned back to take a sip of the infectious drug that was coffee. Turning their head towards the cup only to find the source of their power had been snatched away by the hands of another as a man sporting a slightly unbuttoned white blouse and a pair of dark navy trousers stood before them.
He adorned a black fluffy sleeping mask of realistic blue eyeballs on the front, imprinted with impressive quality as caught every detail from the faint yellows and pinks of an eye. Yet, still a horrific sight to see first thing in the morning, dark navy jacket was half-hazardly worn over one shoulder as the other side slipped down the length of his arm as he helped himself to their cup of coffee, recoiling from the bitter taste of the liquid as he poked out his tongue in response to the tart and sourness of coffee as he regretted even taking a sip of the drink. To try and disguise the taste, he leaned over the island and reached for the servings of his breakfast. Pulling them over as he took a seat beside them, legs outspread to take up as much room as possible as they brushed against their legs. Scooping out a mouthful of rice into his mouth without closing his mouth to properly chew.
“Okay, so- I’m not the biggest fan… Firstly, that coffee was WAY too strong! Secondly, you didn’t even season any of this! Seriously?!” They had gone through all of the effort to make him a boring breakfast after the incident that had taken place between them last night, out of the kindness of their heart to a decent human being and not to take out their anger on servings of food. They hadn’t even gone through the effort to poison and here he was, acting as though they had planned out an attempt of assassination with their culinary skills. He pointed his chopsticks towards them, speaking between mouthfuls of food as he complained about the taste.
They watched as he began to douse their hard work in layers of soy sauce to add some subtext of flavour into their cooking, even going as far as to dip the rice into his miso soup as he made a mess of his meal, switching between the different servings. Only to stop momentarily as he bit into his tamagoyaki, pausing as he reached a finger into his mouth and pulled out a broken portion of an eggshell. His face turning from the bit of discarded food towards them with a frown that radiated disappointment and disgust, appalled that his food would have the audacity to disturb his fluffy and puffy cooked eggs. They could only respond with a deadpan glare as they watched on with disinterest, yet the faint rhythm of their heart increased at the sight in front of them. Slightly amused from the show before them, watching him wipe the food onto an empty side of his plate.
“...Good morning to you too-” Their tone was dry and plain, much like their cooking as they could hardly muster the effort into putting the emotion into their voice, sounding detached from reality as they returned their focus towards the screen, writing the text for the first paragraph as their mind swirled with thought as they went through the memories of last night like a movie with as much detail from what they could remember at the time. Concise as possible, careful as they watched for any grammar mistakes and incorrect spelling mistakes. Getting a good length into the paragraph until they nearly fell face-first into the screen before them as a burden graced their shoulders as arms wrapped around their upper arms, restricting their movement as the man clung tightly to their arms. Hindering their work.
Flinching from the sudden weight, attempting to struggle as they adjusted to the person perched atop their shoulders as their aching spine was forced to slouch further into an uncomfortable position. They couldn’t move. They couldn’t relax as their muscles froze in place, stiff and rigid like a rock on the edge of a cliff as they awkwardly let out a shaky breath as a gust of warm air brushed against their neck. A subtle weight settled against the crook of their neck, the hard and sizable head leaned down into their collarbone. Out of the corner of their eye, they could see that he had pushed his sleeping mask to the top of his head to expose his lidded eyes, fluttering his eyelashes as the white hairs brushed against their cheek, slightly nuzzling into the fabric of their sweater. Not in direct contact with their skin but perhaps a little too close for their comfort.
“W-what are you d-doing?...” Struggling out the words through stuttered speech patterns, their questioning tone conveying one of confusion as their quivering fingers clenched into tight fists as they kept them still against the marble counter, no longer hovering over the laptop as their head turned away from the sight of his eyes. Their line of sight directed towards the leather texture of the empty seat beside them as their cheeks tinged a faint red, embarrassed. Their mind racing for any possible logical reason as to the abrupt contact, perhaps even attempting an escape route should it be possible as they danced from the black-framed windows to their shoes placed not too far from the door.
They attempted to dissuade him from using them as a leaning post, rolling their shoulders to throw him off or leaning back against the chair only resulted in him shifting slightly to allow them more mobility of their arms or pressing their weight against his chest momentarily to prevent them from inclining too far back and falling off the stool. Refusing to let go as he quickly adapted to their attempts, which was unusual for them as Gojo typically let them go should they show such unease. It was a strange case that only brought them worry, puzzled as they couldn't rationalize any of it. He wasn’t an easy person to read, with years of experience under their belt it came easier but at times, Satoru Gojo wasn’t to be understood in some circumstances. At least given their position at the moment.
“Hmm?~ And, what are you doing?” Answering a question with another question was not a productive nor meaningful conversation, if anything it was brushing off what they had asked initially, ignorance. Avoidance. They could only let out a long drawn out reply as they knew it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation, especially with how handsy he could be as one of his fingers began to twirl and twist a loose strand of hair hanging beside their ear as though it were a bouncy spring for him to be amused by. His grip tightening as he nuzzled further into their neck, muffled by the layers of fabric as his speech vibrated in the collision, though he sounded rather playful with his drawn out hums.
“Uhm… I’m writing up my report?-” They explained with a hesitant and doubtful tone, as though they questioned the integrity of their answer as it came across as rhetorical more than fact, perhaps due to their current agenda being halted due to unforeseen disturbances to their work. A painful ache in their throat from dehydration only made their tone come off as more sassy than they intended due to the dryness of their vocal cords causing a very bland and plain answer. Tilting their head to alleviate the pressure on their neck as his neck began to dig deep into their muscles.
“Boring. Why not have Ijichi write it up for you?” He looked up from their neck to gaze at the screen, looming as he peered from behind his lidded eyes as grumbled. The man he spoke of was a standard looking salaryman man with a pair of rectangular glasses and black hair with a middle parting, often swamped with work as he was constantly typing analytics into his tablet or driving his car in a huddled position. A very knowledgeable and reliable assistant manager for Jujutsu Tech, something Gojo happened to take advantage of from time to time as he’d force the man’s labour for various purposes from scouring the internet for information or simply asking for the best cafes to grab a bite to eat in a populated area. He was overworked as a result of Gojo’s constant barrage of demands as he’d often have to undertake Gojo’s reports for him.
For a second, they debated taking up the offer due to the man’s kindness and his aptitude for getting tasks done within a short time frame, a report wouldn’t be of massive impact to his workflow and they were decent acquaintances. If they were to ask, they would surely return the favour to the man by taking up another mission on his behalf due to the lack of staff as of recent. A compromise, one that could work to the other’s benefit but quickly changed their mind as they refused to bother the guy and stress him out more than he already was, the man rivaled Nanami in terms of work ethic except he took overtime like a caffeine addiction. If it weren’t for him, society could potentially collapse.
“Well, unlike you- I don’t like to shove my bullshit onto other people… Ijichi has enough to deal with because of you, I’d rather not bother him.” The jap at his treatment of Ijichi had come out harsher than expected, spoken with snide and spite as they indirectly glared at Gojo through the reflection of their laptop screen, knotted brows and a prominent frown that had plagued their face since his arrival as they forced their stiff fingers to move and tap against the keyboard as they switched their focus on the lingering touch of their neck and the words appearing onto the screen before them.
“Someone’s grumpy! I suppose they didn’t get enough sleep? Hmm?~” Like luring in a fish he took the bait, but he wasn’t entirely pleased as he hummed in a low note that could almost be described as a warning sound. He increased the strength of his hold as it pinned their upper arms to their chest as he coiled around them like a serpent, the prey caught in the coils as they were held tightly in his grasp, wanting for the opportunity to strike. They had incurred his wrath from whatever unpleasantry he had gotten himself bothered with the previous night and evidently, he was typing to avoid it as per usual.
“I don’t know… MAYBE because SOMEONE came barging into my room! YELLED at me! And now, I don’t know? Tried inserting himself into my privacy?!” They weren’t willing to back down, japping a finger into his arm in a stabbing motion as they emphasized each of their words to convey the message of their words into highlighted words that would catch his attention, something for the brain to easily process and pick up and understand from a distant conversation, raising their volume as they yelled out the words. Growing more irritated by the second as they let out their built-up emotions that had bothered them for the last 24 hours and it was leaking out like a busted pipe, it wouldn’t be long until a flood emerged. It was a direct confrontation, one he couldn’t sweep under the rug.
“I’m sorry… HOW THE FUCK am I supposed to react when you don’t tell me ANYTHING?!” It quickly turned sour as the floodgates opened in a crash of waves as the argument festered into harsh words directed towards one another with the intent to dissuade the other from arguing further, only resulting in more frustration and rage as his hand dug into their shoulder as the cursed energy encompassed both of them in a wildfire of emotions as it fought against their own, fire against fire. He growled as he uttered each word, clenched teeth as he bit back many of the colourful words daring to slip from his tongue. Attempting to get them to submit, surrender before it escalated into something worse.
“I’m not a child anymore! You don’t have to watch over me like some hawk! I can handle myself- I don’t need you to-” They attempted to bite back with the fact they had grown into an adult, capable of managing themselves independently from anyone. Failure to realise that their argument came across as a more directed attack at him than intended, as his eyes widened as he bared his teeth at them aggressively. Standing up fully at his full height, refraining from removing his hold on them as he clung tightly to them to prevent them from running away, knowing all too well if given the chance. They would do so without a lingering thought of hesitation as they’d bolt out the doorway. He wasn’t going to allow that to happen, considering the weight of it all.
“I don’t care. You’re not getting away with this. Because this involves me even if you’d rather it didn't, and you know that better than anyone- …Stop it.” He commanded with irritation as he spoke between clenched teeth as he opened them once in a while to bare his fangs at them, their argument was simply an excuse to him and not some valid argument. They shrunk against the chair slightly as he shouted, feeling belittled as his cursed energy smothered their own and shrouded the room as it threatened to tear the whole place apart from his presence alone. They could only bite down their tongue as they forced themselves to respond to his demand.
“Then ask! Don’t just-” Bringing up another attempt of making a valuable argument, boundaries were important to a person’s privacy. Something he had invaded and broken their trust as he investigated into something without a clearer image, refusing proper communication as he took his anger out of them directly. Their emotions hadn’t accumulated from nowhere, perhaps from days, months or years of Gojo refusing to show them any kind of respect. He knew they were more than capable, having handled themselves independently without him for a majority of their life. Not requiring aid from someone who took up the title of mentor.
“Fine! I will!- …Why did I find that Shoko increased the dosage on your medication? Is there something you aren’t telling me?!” He leaned in close to their face, forcing them to make direct eye contact as they stumbled back in surprise, their gaze shifting across the room to anywhere but his face, yet they could feel his presence throughout the entire room, watching their every move. They felt trapped in a box with no way out, a cage. Their breathing that had wavered from yelling began to rapidly increase its intake as they gasped for air around them, their eyes glossy as a tear threatened to sprout from the corners of their eyes. Overwhelmed from the sudden burrage of emotion.
“There! We didn’t have to go through this whole process, now did we? Could’ve avoided this whole thing if you actually- “ Confronting the problem directly instead of answering his question as their tone was laced with sarcasm, spitting out whatever came to mind as they attempted to divert the topic of the argument to address something else than answering his question, attempting to shake off his hold as they increased in their struggle against him as it constricting them like a python. Their legs kicked out from under them as they tried to break free and run away, to get away from it all. From him. Anything. Please…
Their full name spoke volumes as it raced in their thoughts as they struggled to process their syllables that formed their name, like an obedient pet they immediately halted and refrained from moving. Their eyes widened as their pupils shot down to the size of a pinprick as they choked on their own spit, a crystal clear tear began to side down from the sides of their cheek as they bit down a whimper as the pain shot up from their arm. The sound of a fist colliding with the table only deepened their state of momentary shock as he slammed down his hand against the surface. Nearly crashing due to the cursed energy flicking out in response to his temper.
“Gojo… Stop- …It hurts-” they whispered between the increased pain on their arm, the crushing pressure only resulting in them letting out a yelp as it breached their pain tolerance as they flailed in response, their body acting more on primal instinct to an attack on their body as it reacted accordingly with nature. Hurried breaths as they attempted to keep themselves in control, yet on the verge of losing themselves to the temptation of flimsy protection that shielded them from the horrors of the world. Yet, the hold released almost immediately as though his hand had come into contact with frozen ice, a sharp intake of air as his hands rose to his chest, palms outspread towards them as he took a few steps back to give them space.
“Oh fuck- I’m so sorry… Are you okay?- I didn’t hold it too hard, did I?... Shit- ” His tone of voice betrayed his guilt, hesitating between reaching out to comfort and hold them in his arms or stay away in favour of not scaring them further away than he already had. The damage had been done from the words alone yet almost irreparable in thanks to the physical damage he had accidentally caused as he hadn’t realised his mistake until it was all too late. He had hurt them, intentionally or not. As he too let out a shaky breath, attempting to rectify and reverse the damage he had caused. Guilt hit him in waves as he suppressed his cursed energy almost instinctively as he pondered what to do, what action to take but he was just as lost as they were.
“It’s fine!- I get it- But, please… I don’t want to talk about this right now…” They couldn’t meet his eyes as they stood up from their seat, the pain lingering for just a moment as they rubbed their free hand into the area that he had crushed with his hand. The pain passed as quickly as it came as their blood flow that had been cut off worked its way to systematically function as normal. It wouldn’t cause any additional bruising to their body or cause another one to form as it narrowly avoided that point, only discomfort remained as they rolled their shoulder as they wiped their sleeve against their cheek to rid of the stray teardrop, letting out a sigh as their shoulders dropped.
Their gaze turned towards the floor in favour of avoiding to look at his face, using the time to compose themselves after the initial shock of what had occurred with a deep breath, closing their eyes as they loosened the tension between their shoulders as they too wracked with guilt. The rubbing became more of a source of nervous comfort than to soothe the fainting ache in their arm, which would likely result in some irritated skin but nothing more. The man was all for his theatrics, bouncing around all the time became normalcy as he constantly found some new way to breach their personal space and annoy them. It had been no exception but when they returned the favour, neither did they find pleasure or amusement from it. They gripped their arm tighter as they hissed in another breath of the muted air around them, eyebrows pinched as they found themselves boiling with anger, not at him. But themselves.
If it had been a courtroom, with Gojo as the convicted. The court would quickly change favour as they too held a level of responsibility to it all, guilty as they too had provoked him emotionally when he was just trying his best. They couldn’t fault him for that, even if he did manage to piss them off on the occasion. He wasn’t the type of person to hurt anyone, not without a reason. It wasn’t justified but it wasn’t just his fault either, accountability had to be taken.
“Okay… I- Just- I’m here, okay?- I don’t want…” He attempted to soothe them with words of comfort, alluring them to the sense of safety they so desperately craved as they finally met his worried eyes, swirling with emotions as they faintly glowed under the sun’s dim light. Shrouding his face in a gentle, blue hue as he looked towards the ground as he was wracked with guilt. Taking in a deep breath before and after he spoke, pausing on the words as he couldn’t properly form the typical words he blasted out when comforting one of his students, attempting to make it appear more genuine only to fail at the last moment as he couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
Instead of using their words, their eyes softened as they slowly took a few steps towards his direction. He was immediately alerted to their movements as his eyes shifted to their figure, pausing as he watched with a mix of curiosity and guilt. He didn’t step away, nor did he move an inch from where he stood as they stopped just a foot away from him. Looking up towards his face, they opened their mouth to speak only to find themselves at a loss for words as they couldn’t begin to find out where to start with their apology as all that came out was a stutter of incoherent words. To make up for it, they offered something they rarely engaged in on their own accord as their stiff arms rose from their sides into a more upwards position and welcomed him with open arms.
He didn’t hesitate to reciprocate, wrapping his arms around them as he pulled them against his chest. He remained stiff as he couldn’t bring himself to relax, his hold remained loose and cautious yet he offered shelter in his arms. He soaked in their warmth on the rare opportunity, gently brushing the lower layers of their hair with two of his fingers as he worked his way through the loose tangles. A sound that could only be described as a hum yet its root of expression remained unknown to them as they couldn’t discern whether or not it was one of relief, joy or sadness. A simple, cut off sound shut itself off as quickly as it came. His chin sat atop of their head, protective as he watched the area surround them.
Closing their eyes, they focused in on the shape of his cursed energy that had remained suppressed, flickering as it smothered out in a blur of distant fog. Too far out of reach to fully grasp, yet visible to them as they wrapped their arms around him in reply. The emotions swelling in his chest as it seeped out in small amounts, it became apparent to them that his infinity was threatening to break out. Something they came to know when it came to reading his soul, years of experience allowed them to know that whenever the sparks flickered. He was holding himself back by shrouding everything close to him in infinity like a hidden veil, something he had let slip on the occasion as Gojo deeply cared about the people around him, especially students. The human instinct to nurture, care and protect the young, a trait that accompanied Gojo through his everyday life.
In response, they allowed their own guard to slip for a moment as their own cursed energy emerged into the open space on full display. A sound of confusion escaped Gojo at the unexpected increase in the surrounding energy, his keen senses picking up on their sudden appearance. He could sense their presence, for once they allowed him to read them like an open book with each page filling out every crevice. Allowing their cursed energy to surround the two of them in something akin to a hug. Until it evaporated into swirls of smoke, burning away until it closed itself once more to the world. But, their determination and stubbornness remained strong from day one.
Pulling away slowly, easing away as they clutched his hand into their smaller ones. Cupping them as fidgeted with it in their hold, stretching out his thumb and rubbing the skin of his palm only for him to embrace it with his own. Holding their hand in a reassuring squeeze, loose as he’d allow them to pull away at any moment without much of a question or reason. He could only breathe out a sigh of relief as he rubbed circles into their hand as he seemed to find solace in the world around them, sitting down on one of the stools as they followed suit. Back into their original positions as he slouched forward in his seat, his elbow leaning against the counter as it held up his head between lidded eyes, which had relaxed ever so slightly.
“I- It’s fine- Please, don’t worry about it- It’s okay! It’s not your fault, I shouldn’t have provoked you like that- …I’m sorry-” They were the first to break the silence between them as they focused on the hand that cradled their own, it seized its movements for a pause as he took in their words. Only to let out a frustrated grunt at their words, not entirely pleased with the apology as it would seem. They opened their lips to correct themselves, rewrite the words they’d spoken into a better context, to apologise for their poor choice of words, to rectify their mistake. To correct what had been wronged, stopping when the hand that clasped theirs only resumed in its comfort as his words pierced the air.
“No. I mean, I still did that- I still… Birdie-” He paused as he looked back at them with the same look of guilt he’d shown earlier. The hand that held his head quickly shot up to run a sweep through his hair, the sleeping mask he adorned slipped off as it fell off his head onto the floor, remaining there as his priorities laid elsewhere. He sneered, breathing a quick gust of air between his clenched teeth as he could only choke on his own words. Closing his eyes, narrowed brows tightly knitted to his face as he could only manage a face of frustration. But when he looked back, it softened almost instantly as it melted away into a look of softness. “I’m sorry…” He finished as brought their hand to his cheek, his eyes so full of emotion as though he’d break as he leaned into their touch.
“Toru- …It’s okay, don’t worry- I forgive you…” They tried to offer comfort, yet it was an unfamiliar department as they memorised what Gojo would normally do if the roles were reversed. It was almost foreign to them, outside their expertise and knowledge as all they practically knew was from either novels or personal experience. In total, it wasn’t much but it was enough as Gojo seemed to relax at the nickname. A nickname they hadn’t called him much in recent times as they grew older and out of the phase of childish nicknames, he relaxed almost instantly as he looked fondly at them, a small smirk on his face as he slowly slipped into his usual persona once more. Enough encouragement had been given for things to turn back to a state of normalcy, as normal as things could be with Gojo as a major part of someone's life.
“Oh, Really?~ Does that mean I?-” His demeanour shifted as he let out a weak chuckle amidst his teasing drawn-out tone, leaning closer to their face as he allowed their hand to slip away from him. His smile widening as an idea sprung to mind, mischievous as he brought his fingers into view of their face. Wiggling them in a threatening motion as he inched forward closer and closer with each passing second as he looked more akin to a gremlin than anything. At any moment, he would charge at them with full relentless thought and tickle their sides without mercy. Their mouth opened agape as they were left baffled from the change, their brain struggling to keep up with it all at once. Too much emotional turmoil in one day.
“NO!- …You owe me- 1000 Yen in emotional damages!” His cheek became squished between his own strength and the upheld hand that refused to allow him any closer, unable to budge despite trying to get past their defences, a tug-o-war of sorts as they fought for the freedom of personal space. Gojo pouted all the way with puckered lips as he watched them act as though this was everyday routine and casually grab the mug of coffee with their free hand, it had gone cold during the time of their conversation but it mattered not. They drank it without hesitation, sipping at it whilst they awaited for Gojo’s compliance.
“WHA?!- Urgh!- …Damn it!- Fine!- One second…” He groaned as he pulled away, albeit reluctantly as he began to pat down his pockets in search of something until he pulled out his wallet and began to rummage through the pockets as he went through the contents inside, a few spare change falling out as he contemplated. Considering the option of one of his many credit cards, only to shove it back in when he stumbled across some cash as he handed over one of the bills to them, a broad and wide smile as he flopped it down on the counter and slid it over with his finger like a shady business exchange. They could stare down at the amount in front of them, then back at Gojo repetitively until they also let out a held back the urge to do a spit take.
“Gojo! …T-That’s 10,000 Yen!- I don’t need- ” They jolted back from the amount, refusing to even touch it as though it were a cursed object. Their stutter was clear as day as they were left baffled by it all. Truth be told, they did indeed need the money after they had managed to spend their monthly allowance after one of their favourite games managed to release a bunch of new cosmetics for their characters in game that were just too good to pass out. They had their savings but they weren’t about to reach into their account because they had recklessly spent their main account, they would be getting paid soon so it wasn’t an issue but it was far too much of an amount. They’d be able to eat a full meal, travel around Japan and even book a hotel overnight if they wanted a getaway from Gojo for the night. And here he was offering it like it was spare change.
“Shh~ Come on!~ You know, you want it!”, He practically sang the words as he pressed a finger to their lips in order to silence them, in the other hand he scooped up the cash and waved it in front of them like an attempt to catch fish through bait, tempting them to grab it and take it for themselves, to treat themselves to the luxuries of Tokyo. He was clearly amused as he teasingly wiggled his eyebrows both up and down, drawing his point of eye contact towards the bill as they attempted to persuade their eyes to follow his movements, anything to catch their attention towards the money in front of them. They could only deadpan them with a restful face, choosing to ignore him as they turned back towards their laptop and began to type another paragraph into their report from where they had left off on the page.
“Birdie… Birdie- …Birdie~” By repetitively calling them by their nickname, he tried to continuously grab their attention as he poked their cheek whilst they typed away at the keyboard. Deliberately ignoring him as their hand would raise to shove him away only to draw back before they noticed it was too late. As his attempts of communication weren’t working, he quickly began to attempt to slip it into a pocket of theirs, quickly finding that they did not in fact, have pockets. So instead, he gave up and put the note back into his wallet where it belonged as he pulled out his phone with a look of concentration as his eyes narrowed and darted across the screen.
Their phone that sat across from them on the counter, picking up on the ringbell sound as it vibrated and hummed. The vibration resulted in it moving around, as though it were having a quick dance party as they picked up their phone to check who had contacted them. Only to find a notification from their banking app as they received a deposit of 10,000 Yen into their account, recognising the number as they clicked on it to make sure it was real, and there in their transactions was Gojo’s money, in their account. Standing there, menacingly. Closing their eyes into a pout, they debated whether or not to heed his will or simply return the money back to him through another transfer. But, they knew he wasn’t going to take no as an answer. Much to their dismay.
“I was just joking….” The irony of their original comment had caught up with them and now, they couldn’t go back on their word. They didn’t even feel amused, it was the opposite as Gojo giggled upon seeing their reaction to the notification. Sounding like a high-school girl as he basked in their misery, taking in his victory as he fist bumped the air in celebration. Their surrender had meant he had won against them, they could only let out a huff of amusement as they closed the screen to fade. Gently placing it back on the table as they turned to Gojo with a heavy frown on their face, disappointed.
“I know~ But, it’s practically nothing!- If it makes you feel better, just think of it as some emergency funds or something-” They knew there was no arguing back as they relented, watching as Gojo motioned in a circle with his hand as though he were trying to use the gesture to explain the words to them. He took to finishing off the rest of the bitter substance in a swig, wiping his mouth with his sleeve as he turned towards his blouse and began to finish buttoning up the top half of his shirt. Upon finishing, he began to fiddle with his collar until it looked straight enough by his standards. He paid them no mind as they withdrew their attention from him and back towards their screen, the sound of typing filling the space around them.
“Fine… What are you up to today, by the way?-” They asked out of curiosity and to make some casual conversation between them, it would likely be a large amount of time until the two of them saw each other again due to the amount of shifts and missions Gojo took up as a sorcerer, rarely ever home for more than a few hours at a time as he took over 12 hour shifts everyday. Glancing between the screen and him as they didn’t need to pay attention to the screen for so long as they had grown accustomed to looking away and writing down the words via their keyboard. It became relaxed between them, allowing them to loosen their restrictions on their reserved guard.
“Hmm?~ Just the usual- I might go out and pick up some mochi though… I’ve been craving it lately... Oh!- By the way, Megumi’s going out to Sendai today for a big mission! …I’ll have to keep an eye out-” His focus turned between them and his jacket as he slid his arm properly through the sleeve, typing up the buttons on the front as he straightened the collar of his jacket as well, wiping off any residue of food that could’ve lurked between the creases of his clothes. Essentially dusting himself off in long dramatic swings of his arms as he smoothed out the wrinkles along with it.
Upon finishing dressing the upper half of his body, he stood up at his prime height and cracked his knuckles as their slackened state hadn’t escaped his attention. Taking a strand of hair into his palm as he began to work his way through the tangles between his hands as he manually undid every single one he could find, for once they did not flinch or pull away from his touch but comply as they let out a content hum in reply despite their tense neck. Showing affection wasn’t unusual for Gojo but for them, it was a far more complicated case than simply being touch starved. For the privilege of such vulnerability was a rare opportunity, and he wasn’t set on ruining it as their distraction allowed them to focus on something else than him. To fall into security he provided them, even if it were just for a mere moment.
Undoing the strands were akin to unravelling the burdens that had plagued their entire life, for someone else to take on the mantle, aiding in the healing process of a wound that would never quite heal. The wounds hadn’t escaped his gaze, faint markings of smaller scars built up upon another on the nape of their neck. The skin had previously been pierced rather deeply by some kind of tool, similar to a blade but he could only speculate as to what kind of tool those fools had used. Out of respect, he looked away as he came across a particularly difficult tangle. One that happened to be rooted deep in their loosened bun as the pull managed to separate the hair from its hold on the hair tie, their hair falling down to its full length.
Fortunately, he had the knowledge on how to fix his mistake from an old classmate of his who happened to style his hair into a small, tight bun all the time as he even went through the effort of teaching him how to do it himself despite always keeping his hair at a shorter length. As he began to tie back their hair, the nostalgia began to catch up with him from the memories of the past as it reminded him of his friend. His lips perked up ever so slightly as his gaze mellowed, softening with gentle and tender care as his cheeks dusted with a small shade of red as he stared fondly into the hair that reminded him of a memory. Despite not having done a bun in quite a while, it came naturally to him as he expertly tied their hair back into a more secure and tidy bun.
Observing his work with a proud smile, he let out a faint chuckle as he turned his focus onto what his student was saying. Having paid him no mind as he styled their hair, he watched as they turned their head towards him ever so slightly, with the front of their hair flying to their face as they tucked it back behind their ear. They ran a finger through his work before turning back towards the screen like nothing had happened, a form of approval that they appreciated and acknowledged his work.
“A mission?... In Sendai?- That’s pretty far out… What's he doing all the way out there for?-” They took a moment to stop typing as they processed what Gojo had said, suspicion arousing as they tried to figure out as to why they’d sent Megumi so far out. It was rare for first years to be sent outside of Central Tokyo for most missions due to the amount of curses in numbers but weaker in power, it made for great training and experience. Then again, he was rather experienced in his field so they wouldn’t underestimate him but it was about 2 hours away by train or a 5 hour drive if one of the assistant managers took him by car. It was rather odd to them, logistically speaking. One of their fingers rose to their lips in thought as they nervously bit down on the tip of a thin layer of skin.
“Oh, you know~ Just collecting one of Sukuna’s fingers~” He began to stretch out his arms as he reached towards the ceiling as he leaned from left to right until he switched as he began to stretch out his knees by outstretching one of his legs and kneeling on the other in a flurry of motion as he finished it with one big finale. He took a step forward and went over towards the wine fridge beside one of the lower candidates and reached for a refreshing can of lemonade, with another in his other hand that he had randomly selected and passed to them by sliding it across the island. Leaning against the island as he popped open the can and took a sip of the beverage to get rid of the coffee breath staining his tongue.
“Oh!- Okay- …Wait- What?!” It took a moment for them to properly process the name of The King of Curses as though it were a casual topic and not some taboo thing amongst sorcerers that many don't dare utter in favour of bringing misfortune in their life. The whiplash as they went from calm to full on shock as they loudly exclaimed as a fear of fear and concern for Fushiguro’s wellbeing became their priority in that moment. Their heart began to race in a panic as they shot up from the counter, the can that they had picked up dropped from their hand as it rolled across the island with a clunk, with Gojo catching it without breaking eye contact as he placed it back where it originally was as they stood there like a deer in the headlights.
“Relax~ I’ll be there in case anything goes south! Just focus on your work, I’ve got to get going now- Don’t hesitate to call me if anything happens while I’m gone, okay?-” Their conversation was cut short as Gojo tried to reassure them, walking back to their side as he lightly ruffled their hair. Only to reach into his pocket for his signature blindfold, wrapping it around his head as it clung tightly to him. His hair stood unnaturally from the pressure placed against the roots as he fitted it properly on his face, not without sending him a wink as he adorned his full teacher attire. His casual posture took hold as he shoved one of his hands into his pocket as the other began to quickly wave at them in farewell.
“Yes sir-” They could only manage a short slow wave as he disappeared into thin air, with nothing but a soft breeze passing as everything became empty and silent in the room without him there to fill the room. Their shock had quickly passed as held back the smirk that threatened to slip from their lips, shaking their head disapprovingly despite the fact they were very amused by the transaction. Their attention turned back to the can of soda as they twisted open the can and took a seat, their thoughts lingered on the boy but they knew Megumi was well equipped to handle such a task and if anything were to happen to him. Both them and Gojo would get there in a heartbeat, besides they could always just text him to check up on how he was doing. And they had their own things to do as well.
Turning back to their laptop, they began to revise and refine the text by correcting their grammar and spelling mistakes until it at least looked presentable to their sleep-deprived brain. It certainly wasn’t their best work but so long as it got the job done, nothing else mattered as they saved the document into their files. They made sure to double check the time before they went back to grab their satchel that had been left by the doorway, stuffing their laptop inside one of the slots as they fixed up their hair, brushed out the wrinkles of cloth and any loose strands of wool as they prepared to leave the door like an ordinary person.
Before they could forget, they needed to send in their uniform for repair as suddenly remembered as they were about to slide a foot into the sole of their shoe. Remembering they had left their jacket on the coat rack, only to find it had miraculously disappeared. They double checked but it was simply some other jackets that both Gojo and they had left there, to make sure they weren’t hallucinating. They went over to the bathroom hamper to see if their shorts and blouse were still stuffed in there only to find nothing there either. They knew it couldn’t have simply disappeared as they turned to interrogate the only subject that lived in the apartment with them, opening their phone, opening his contact and sending a quick message of questioning to him.
Short ass is typing…
[8:54 AM] short ass: Do you know where my uniform went?
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[8:56 AM] BLUEBERRIES: Yeah lol
[8:57 AM] BLUEBERRIES: Why’d u think ur phone was on the nightstand? In the laundry?
Short ass is typing…
[8:58 AM] short ass: I got it
[8:59 AM] short ass: Ty
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[9:00 AM] BLUEBERRIES: :3
With their answer found, Gojo had taken care of it on their behalf as it was one less thing on their plate to worry about. Yet, the underlying thought of Gojo managing to slip past their senses whilst they were spread out across the bed in their misery and put their phone on charge whilst they weren’t looking after their previous disagreement. Ignoring the distant thought at the back of their head that held the urge to punch Gojo in the face as they could only pinch their nostrils in frustration, they had been interacting with Megumi far too much as of recent as his behaviors were beginning to rub off on them. Tossing it aside, slipping their phone into their satchel as they secured it around their shoulder with the weight of the laptop and the items inside as they shifted their balance to accommodate.
Slipping on their favourite pair of sneakers, securing the laces with a tidy and tight bow so that they wouldn’t have to deal with the strings coming undone any time soon. Their preparations were finally complete as they took a step towards the outside world. Almost instantly their nerves shot up with a foot out the door, anxiety as their heart began to pump through the feeling of feared adrenaline as they hated going outside on their own. Yet, they steeled themselves as they pushed on as their sweaty palm slipped away from the door handle as the door automatically locked behind them, the option of going back inside was no longer an option as they walked down the modernised hallways of fake plants and plastic air. Pressing the button that would call the elevator, dancing on their feet with small kicks until it reached the top floor as they strolled into cramped space.
Greeted with the familiar yet irritating, annoying sound of snazzy jazz filled the silence that came with constant use of the pristine and shiny elevator. Immediately, they wanted to leave as they spammed the button to the ground floor as though it would make it go any quicker, the sudden shift of descent sending shivers down their spine as they fiddled with the strap of leather satchel. Each passing second was a nightmare as the smooth jazz began to stick inside their head, plaguing their sleep deprived mind with a constant stream of jazz inside of their head as it refused to budge. If they could, they would much rather deal with Gojo pestering than the music as they wanted nothing more than to slam their head into the wall and cry out. A dramatic thought but one that seemed all too tempting.
After what felt like an eternity, the doors slid open to the outer world as they hurriedly left the elevator towards the complex’s exit. Upon the automatic doors of the entrance opening, the first thing that caught their eye was the amount of puddles littering the pathways as people narrowly avoided them on the crowded streets, each one desperately trying not to get their fancy shoes wet as they passed by the building. Their hands clung to the satchel’s sleeve as they joined in on the clutter and followed the crowd as they evaded the bumping of shoulders as they worked their way through towards the nearest subway station that would take them towards the outskirts.
As they walked, they had never minded the puddles so long as someone stepped carefully into the puddle and wiped their shoes in a doorway. There was really no harm in a little water but everyone around them seemed to think otherwise, the constant chatter ranging from children, gossiping teenagers and salarymen. Pulling a pair of earbuds from a pocket in their bag, connecting them to their phone as they shoved them into their ear drums as they turned on a random playlist to pass the time as the beats and rhythm filtered out the distant chatter as they continued on their way with a skip in their step. Humming the tunes under their breath as they walked back the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and the unfamiliar faces of strangers passing by.
Their thoughts wandered back to any possible responsibilities that they may have forgotten about, they didn’t have any upcoming bills or scheduled missions and they’d already done a majority of their homework. They were practically on standby until further notice but in all honesty, they wanted a break. For at least a day until they returned back to the thrill of routine of constantly risking their life for a pay check and getting rid of some curses, without any interruptions as they got some well-needed rest, self-care of playing video games all day and cooking themselves their favourite food alongside a nice hot cup of tea. All of it sounded like a luxury or a distant dream, yet they couldn’t lose focus as they arrived at the station.
Far more packed than they expected, with it being a larger crowd as they were crammed together in a linear fashion as everyone raced towards the subway trains. Meaning they’d arrived during one of the busier hours, which also meant that they were going to have to deal with the overstimulating sensation of people pushed up against their shoulders as they suffocated to death from the amount of people. Phone in hand, they joined the line as people pushed against each other in an attempt to go faster due to the rush and they weren’t sticking around much longer than needed as they swiped their phone across the scanner and booked it to the platform with their usual train. Their hands trembling as they held onto their satchel like a lifeline, wishing they weren’t alone in that moment.
Eventually they made it to the platform, letting out a sigh of relief as they dispersed from the majority. Passing the time by scrolling through their phone as they waited for their train to arrive, it arrived within a few minutes as everyone boarded the cabin. They managed to slip past everyone towards one of the unoccupied seats as they leaned back against the plush cushioning, there weren’t too many people as they were fairly spread out as everyone took up their own space. It wasn’t long until the announcer greeted everyone on the train, reminding them of safety regulations, to inform a member of staff for help and the next stop which would take some time to reach their stop, about an hour to be exact.
They continued to play with their phone as it provided the perfect distraction to their surroundings, watching as the bustling streets of Tokyo zoomed past. Taking a moment to rest, about 30 minutes of mindless scrolling had passed as they had to switch trains to another that was far more empty due to nearing the outer areas of Tokyo where there were more rural areas than skyscrapers or popular tourist attractions. It would probably be a good idea to switch back over to their dorm room soon due to the amount of travel expenses and distance from Shinjuku, they didn’t want to bother Gojo constantly should they be short on money or anything like that, more a precaution than anything even if he said he never minded them interrupting him during work hours or anything but they needed to be more independent. At least by their standards, perhaps they could take up an online gig on the side to bring in some extra cash, people overseas were always looking for translators which could be an interesting and good way to get by.
As the thought came to mind, they began to scroll through job listings on a random site on google to get a look as to the salary, hours and such that came with such a job and before they knew it, their train journey had come to an end as they reached as far as they could go. Passing by the barriers, they began to walk the distance of Jujutsu high as they darted towards the mountains. It wasn’t until they reached the edge of the town did they take a momentary break, stretching their arms as they let out a long yawn, surrounded by the empty streets and forestry of lush greens that swayed in the summer's breeze, the leaves falling amidst the wind as they took in some of the fresh air around them. As they were outside and in the open, away from people and wanting to get to Jujutsu as soon as possible, they figured they might as well get some training out of it as well.
A small trick known as cursed energy reinforcement was within their arsenal, many sorcerers utilized their reinforcement subconsciously but when they did focus in on manipulating the application of cursed energy, it was often used more offensively and defensively. Through rigorous training under the hands of Gojo, he had taught them how to master their application through means of increasing their speed through focusing their energy on leg enhancement, which also happened to boost their agility as well. They weren’t as physically capable as others in means of direct combat, nothing like Gojo or Panda. Their technique often took advantage of long range attacks, and being able to keep up and watch over their target was always of utmost importance.
Channelling the cursed energy, their feet suddenly became as light as a feather as the heavy numbness that ached them from dragging their feet began to ease from the resurgence of cursed energy, lifting the weight from their legs as their walking speed became prominently faster until they eventually broke into a fall on sprint. Typically climbing the mountain was such a bother with the steep hills and long distance but became easier with their little trick, essentially halving the travel time in half. Feeling the pressure of the air pushing against them as they charged through, feeling the wind zip through their hair as their satchel was dragging behind them at a distance, struggling to keep up with the change in pace.
If there was one thing they enjoyed, it was the freedom that came with running as it was the closest they ever came to the sensation of flying. To spread their wings and take flight as they watched the world around them dart by as they slipped into the skies, flapping their wings to keep afloat as the adrenaline pumped through their veins, although with a far more positive output as they laughed despite their panting. It was rare for them to indulge in such behaviours but it was enjoyable nonetheless, almost therapeutic as they felt themselves break free from their shackles and forget everything for just a moment. They couldn’t help but twirl around upon one foot as they continued on, a leaf clinging to their head as it came into contact with them as it fell, with it too being set free as they plucked it out and set it free.
As their feet began to ache, they didn’t stop as they were more than used to small amounts of physical fatigue. And by the time they arrived at the gates of Jujutsu tech, they were leaning against the entrance gate with sweat beading down their face and panting heavily in dry heaves until they managed to cough it away and catch their breath after a moment. Checking their phone to see they had arrived just before 12pm, just on time as they had little time to spare as they gathered their bearings and went towards the library on campus. Without wasting a beat, barging roughly into the library like a maniac as they stumbled to get their laptop out from their satchel and booting it up and opening the document as they went into the file settings and pressed print.
Jujutsu High was not one to waste expenses and so, was equipped with one of those large standard office printers that could move around on wheels and stood above their weight as it was surprisingly tall. Tapping their finger against the touch screen to jolt the machine into awareness as they pressed the corresponding print button on it to get it to do its job, the whirring of old machinery as the printed loading its ink and began the process of imprinting it line by line onto the 2 sheets of paper as it took its time, their patience waning as a result until it finally handed them the paper as they booked it towards the other side of the library towards as they searched for a stapler to stick the two sheets of paper together with a small click as they packed away their laptop and headed back out towards the Principal's office.
This time, they walked towards the office rather than sprinting as they made it just in time of roughly 1pm as they sighed a breath of relief. Their knuckles knocked against the door, hearing shifting from within as a voice called out their name in greeting, announcing they were allowed entry as they slid open the door with a minimal gap as they entered, closing it behind them as they turned towards Principal Yaga who sat at his desk. In his hands were a needle as he stitched away as his current project as one of his dolls had recently acquired a pair of eyes as it was currently in the process of receiving arms, expertly stitching away with a clear amount of experience under his belt.
His whole office was surrounded by many of his dolls ranging from complete to work in progress, the dolls filled the corners of the room as they all stared at them with lifeless and creepy eyes. They definitely looked cute, Yaga’s work was admirable as he was able to make really creative and innovative designs. They were always so cute, they had even thought of commissioning him to make a plushie for them since they were often left in awe of his work, at least when it came to ordinary work where he’d practice different stitches and materials to create a simple doll, when it came to his technique is where they drew the line as most of his work was made of corpses. Cursed corpses. Not the greatest realization to have as all these cute little critters were once something alive.
It was unsettling, with the only exception to that fact being Panda. As a fellow sorcerer and friend, he had sentience compared to the many other dolls as well as being a good friend of theirs. As they stood before Yaga, they took in his appearance. Spiky brown hair with shaved sides, orange broad tinted sunglasses, well trimmed beard and a uniform that matched Gojo’s as the typical uniform. They almost felt out of place due to being out of uniform as they gave a deep bow in respect to his authority out of politeness, greeting him properly. His attention turned from his current project towards them as he gave a nod of approval, with them taking a seat across his desk as they slid the report over the desk as he took it into his hands.
“You came sooner than I expected.” He leaned over his desk as looked over the report, letting out a hum of approval as his fingers scratched at his beard in an idle manner as he read. They remained silent as he concentrated on the text, but briefly nodded to show they understood yet respected the silence until they were given permission to speak. They knew he wouldn’t mind some chat as he read but they had Principal Yaga’s respect for a reason, a reputation for being compliant and for their manners towards authority. At least, their superiors such as him, Gojo, Nanami, Shoko and the assistant managers. The higher ups were an entirely different story, something they unfortunately shared in common with many of the new generation.
“I see… Well done on completing your mission successfully, but I would like to ask if you’re doing alright after all that?- You noted you had sustained some injuries from the fight, with it pushing you to your limits and… You look rather sickly as well.” His brows furrowed as the reflection of his sunglasses shone into their eyes as he turned his head towards them, laying the paper flat against the table as he clasped his hands together and laid his head atop of them, patiently awaiting their reply. He seemed a little nervous as he spoke, they could only conclude that it was either that they might be out of commission for a while in order to recover or the fact that his student could’ve died that night. Either way, both weren’t good for his stress levels.
It was true they didn’t look their best, in fact it probably looked as though they had gotten run over by a bus mixed in with a broke college student that hardly got any sleep and resorted to a caffeine addiction, if that is what made up adulthood. They weren’t really looking forward to it. Their hands laid tidily on their lap as they sat up straight against the back of the chair as they composed themselves properly as they cleared their throat, preparing a reply. Twiddling their thumbs together as they formed the words inside of their head, cautious as the wrong thing could lead to Yaga taking some form of action. Whether it be leading an investigation as to who made the original commission and mislabeled the mission or simply just lecturing someone for any potential mistakes.
“Minor injuries, consisting of bruises and scratches. The more major injuries are a small gash on my arm and a contusion on one of my upper ankles, other than that I am mostly fine. I just- I didn’t manage to get much rest after the mission so I’m sleep-deprived at the moment, but I’m still active enough to take on a smaller mission if you require any help, sir!” Giving a lengthy speech to their condition as they rubbed the base of their neck as they looked away sheepishly, but genuine as they offered to help out in any way they could. They usually weren’t the type of person to stand by and do nothing, considering the circumstances, Jujutsu High needed all hands on board.
“Hmm… I’d recommend you get your injuries looked over by Shoko, she’s requested to see you after this meeting for a designated appointment if I’m correct? But- As of tomorrow, you are to take the time to recover and rest until you are fully recovered. I’ll arrange for you to take a day off but if you need more time, don’t hesitate to contact me. Alright?” There was no arguing against his word, so they nodded in agreement as they respected his word. But it was almost as though the heavens above had listened to them for the first time in ages as they had a guaranteed break for the first time in a while, at least in terms of work. Though, they couldn’t afford to miss much due to the safety of Japan and their pay.
“Thank you, Principal Yaga, sir. Please, if you require any assistance as well. I am more than happy to help- Also… If I might ask- Would you happen to know if my uniform’s repairs are in progress?-” Yaga seemed to let out a rough chuckle, standing up from his desk as he opened one of his drawers and pulled out their newly repaired and clean uniform. The stitching seamless as it looked it had never been torn before, utterly new as he handed the bundle into their hands. A sound of surprise escaping them as they knew Jujutsu High was often quick to repair any damages but this was too soon, typically it took about longer towards a full day but it had been completed in a few hours since this morning.
“No worries, I took care of it for you- Gojo brought it in a little while ago, I happened to have some spare time as well so I stitched it up for you. But, you should get going- I don’t want to hold you up any longer.” He offered a kind smile as he showed them the doorway, opening the door and bowing towards them despite being his inferior in terms of status. They carefully put their shirt and shorts into their satchel as they held their overcoat in their hands towards their chest, following suit as they returned the bow to him as they left the doorway but turned back to him for a moment.
“Sorry if I’m repeating myself, but thank you- It was far too kind of you, sir. …But I do appreciate it, I wish you well in your work and I hope your day goes well for you as well. I’ll see you soon!-” They gave a short wave before walking down the hallway turned towards the direction of the infirmary, bidding him farewell as they secured the latch on their satchel. Only to give out a tired sigh as they mentally prepared themselves to meet Shoko, if it wasn't as though they weren’t looking forward to seeing her nor did they have a negative opinion but they did happen to take a mental toll on them afterwards in most sessions. Hopefully it was just a check up, maybe Gojo had tipped her off or something.
“Good day to you too…” Their name followed them through the halls as he waved them goodbye also, shutting the door behind them as they left him to his own devices. They had always liked and respected Yaga, he was a good man. Not only that but he was one of the very few that knew how to knock Gojo down a peg whenever he got too cocky, which automatically gained their respect. Letting out an amused hum, they took a moment to slip off their satchel and adorn their overcoat over their sweater. Engulfing their figure as it dropped towards their knees as the sleeves covered their hands, along with a hood. Adorned with the usual colors and buttons like many of the standard jackets.
They had customised their jacket to an overcoat in such a means as it masked most movements of their lower arms, allowing them to cloak their hands as they often required them to utilize their technique and not only that but due to their skillset, they were often taking on more stealth based missions, reconnaissance or support. But as a Jujutsu Sorcerer, one had to be capable of taking care of themselves on more dangerous missions as well, as their coat also worked to their advantage due to the additional protection of their body and ability to blend in with the shadows and dark environments. As cursed spirits often loved to lurk in those areas. It had many other functionalities tailored to their whim, such as pockets to store their tools and equipment.
Not only that but it was comfortable, especially during the winter as it shielded them against the colder climate. With how hot it could get during the summer as well, It might not be the best for the summer but wearing thinner layers made it manageable. It felt more like a cloak than it did an overcoat, at times they found their arms slipping out from the sleeves and treating the garment like a cape as it swayed behind them whilst in combat. Resembling a pair of wings as they took flight, as described by Megumi whenever it happened. It was more an unconscious habit than anything, but it had potential as it only hid their arms further to hinder the enemy from spotting potential attacks.
Unlike earlier where they had darted across the campus like a bullet train as they rushed to complete their work, they decided to take their time walking to the infirmary. They had cut it close with Yaga, they knew he was patient with them but making the principal mad or disappointed was usually the last thing on their itinerary. The halls felt unusually empty as only some staff occupied the school grounds, with a mass majority of the students out on missions like the second years on their extended assignment and staff swamped with work as Gojo took more time taking on riskier missions. They weren’t naive, they knew the signs that something inevitable and huge was bound to happen given the rate of productivity. There were too many cursed spirits, it reminded them of the influx the previous year.
Gojo wasn’t the type of person to speak recklessly with his words either, the higher ups have to have known as well as the seals weren’t going to last forever and they were desperate to bury it before it was dug up once more. Cursed spirits were only getting stronger, like a presence resurging as the air became more putrid and potent. There had been far too many appearances as of recent, they had managed to find a few already but given the circumstances and the direct words. It only led them to believe that his revival was inevitable in the upcoming year, The King of Curses was bound to return at some point. They planned on gathering as many fingers as possible to gain the advantage, the chessboard was set and it was time for the pawns to take on their positions once more and play the game.
Though it wasn’t as simple as checkmate.
Admittedly, they weren’t completely shocked by the idea of his possible return. It had been foretold and speculated for some time, they could only guess that Gojo was taking steps to get ahead of the higher ups. As cocky and brash as he could be at times, he knew how to play his cards correctly when he wanted to. He never spoke for no reason, he was throwing out the clues as a trail for them to follow but determining whether it was a warning to prepare or he was simply trying to inform them with the knowledge, which often meant he had some kind of role for them to play in his little plan. It was never concrete, but the idea had been implemented. The year was going to be a wild roller coaster of events to be sure, if they wanted to join in on the ride was another thing entirely.
They weren’t normally one for the show, not a key actor but if Gojo needed them for a part to play. There wasn’t much of a choice as they wouldn’t hesitate to join his side, from the moment he showed them the way with a guiding hand as he took them under his wing. Swearing absolute loyalty. They worked best in the background, handling the stage from afar as they helped the main cast, the role they were most accustomed to. They’d have to ask him to clarify or paint a clearer image, they weren’t keen on being left out of the mystery. It was to be a wild ride for sure, they couldn’t say they were looking forward to it though as they had read many historical texts on Sukuna, he was not a threat to be taken lightly. Perhaps a more accurate description would be a very bumpy, wild roller coaster that was going to flip the world view of an individual multiple times.
They wanted to curse Gojo under their breath, it was a heavy burden for him to be undertaking alone. They’d have to keep a closer eye on him to make sure he didn’t do anything reckless, more concerned over his well being than anything. He was more than capable but it did little to quell their troubled nerves, the urge to demand answers from the man as they shuffled their feet across the floor. All they could do was push it to the side for the moment, they knew Gojo would come around as he wasn’t the type of person to leave them in the dark for long. They just had to listen and be patient, which was something they could do. But, one thing kept annoying them despite it all, letting out a frustrated sigh as it came to the forefront like an alarm, blaring bright red with a written warning on a screen.
What had they gotten themselves into now?
But if they wanted to be of any use to anyone, being grounded in both mind and body were essential. All too familiar with the effects of instability, they wouldn’t be all too helpful should they be out of commission. They needed to get themselves together, they needed to get stronger. A hardened resolve that no one could crack, to become as strong as they could possibly achieve into a prime state. To become reliable, to become one of the stronger pawns on the board, to play their part and role to perfection, to say they could stand alone and by others side’s. To say they were enough, that they were no longer alone, that they weren’t just an inconvenience. For him, for them and selfishly, for themselves. To fill the void in their heart.
A brief knock on the door was all that was required as they entered the infirmary, half of the room was perfectly organised with medical equipment propped against the walls and cabinets of various biochemical materials ranging from antidotes to vaccines, an examination table lined up against a wall accompanied by a metal trolley of medical tools such as a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, scalpel and a first aid kit. On the opposite wall were medical beds with crunchy plastic pillows and rubber mattresses with heart monitors and ventilators. The scent of potent antiseptic filled their nostrils and a faint lingering scent of alcohol as the air itself was almost acidic yet familiar, neither comforting or uncomforting as it came as a nuance to them. It didn’t prevent them from feeling a little faint at the smell though, it was too strong for their liking.
“Hey, Sho-” approaching her at her cluttered desk of various files and documents ranging from medical records to official documents signed and written with indistinguishable cursive that came with a doctor’s handwriting, one that the common folk would never be able to understand even the smartest people they knew couldn’t decipher her scribbles. A can of sweet apple cider stood near her keyboard as she looked completely knocked out judging by the amount of tired groans amidst her sleep, her side of the office was adorned with some nostalgic photos and cabinets filled with either extra supplies or student and other facility medical records, locked away safely with a lock. Across her desk were 2 standard black leather chairs, where they’d take a seat after waking her up.
The lady in question had face planted into her keyboard as the weight of her head typed a slurry of random keys into her open document, snoring away as she sleepily uttered random words ranging from asking for another drink to things she’d ask a patient to some more grotesque things, a mixed bag. She wasn’t completely conscious but they didn’t believe she was drunk either, judging by her slurred speech and delirium, she was likely just on the verge of sleep more than anything. Checking the can only proved their theory correct as it was non-alcoholic, knowing she was a drinker but wasn’t one to drink on the job. A soft sigh escaped them as they shook her shoulders, a routine all too familiar at that point as when she turned around to face them, she was instantly awake.
“Oh- Hey Birdie. …Did Yaga send you?” She shuffled to sit upright in her swivel chair, wiping her eyes as she cleared away the dust. Letting out a muffled yawn as held her sleeve to block the contagious reflex, though they ended up catching as they followed suit with a yawn of their own as they nodded in reply. Taking a seat at the otherside of the desk as they took their usual position on the seat closest to the window, cramping their legs and knees onto the leather as they made themselves comfortable by tucking their knees to their chest. Shoko did not take long to join them as she reached into one of the many cabinets with photographic memory, pulling out a binder, two pieces of standard office paper and a pen from her stray cup that Gojo had gotten her some time ago, taking a seat adjacent to them.
“Satoru briefly informed me on what happened, so we’re just going to do a check up- Is that alright?” She handed them one of the empty sheets of paper, wasting no time as they began to fall into a regular old habit as they began to fold away at the paper into various triangles as it slowly took shape. Their hands working meticulously away as they hummed in approval to Shoko’s words, they slowed their pace between each fold as they looked back at Shoko to show they were paying attention, who only withdrew eye contact when she opened the file with keen eyes on her work, focused..
“So, tell me… Did anything specifically trigger the hallucination?” Her voice had a cool monotone that held a distinct level of calm behind her words, careful yet deliberate. Sliding the blank sheet into the file and wrote down their credentials with ink as well as notes that led up to their appointment that had been briefly jolted down on a sticky note in the file previously, keeping everything up to standard as the she crossed her legs, pen in hand as she switched to what had been dubbed as her professional mode. Her head tilted to the side as her hair drooped in waves, staring at them with tired eyes.
“Nothing in particular… I just- made eye contact with the mirror… Though I have been really stressed and exhausted recently… I think- It was probably everything at once…” They shrugged as they shifted nervously in their seat, refusing to meet her eyes as they folded another edge into another with their sheet of paper. They returned the sentiment of monotony as they kept their emotions distant to the back of their mind, appearing almost disinterested and bored. The paper only helped to stimulate their brain in focus as they honed in on the conversation, the complete opposite of their facial appearance. Their knees pressed closer together, tighter to their chest as their chin sat atop of them.
“Given your medical history and your symptoms, that could be very likely… Well done for noticing that- Now, the next question. What do you see during that hallucination?... If you don’t mind me asking?” Memories almost came flooding back from the earlier night, the way they had remembered every vivid detail from the bone marrow to the shade of crimson was petrifying, how they clung to him as though he was their last shred of humanity and sense of self as they cried, mourned in his arms. Remembering the panic in his eyes, the remorse. They could only shake away the memory with the motion of their head, brought back to reality by a sharp inhale of breath.
“I- It was… The usual… You know…” There was hesitance, fear in the way their voice stuttered and felt weak as it was almost as quiet as a squeaky mouse. If Shoko had noticed their momentary lapse, she wouldn't have commented on it. Instead, she simply began to jolt down her observations into the file. Her gaze turned more calculating as she looked back through the file a couple of pages back for a moment, as to double check a fact or statement before nodding her head at them in understanding. She began to rotate the pen between her two fingers as she seemed to consider what she was about to say next very carefully, a knowing look behind her eyes as she began to assure them.
“Don’t worry, you’ve talked plenty about them before. But was there anything noteworthy that you saw?” They couldn’t recall anything in particular about the hallucination with any discernible difference, there was nothing out of place from the position of the body, the cracks in the mirror or any differences in the mirage. She was reassuring, though it held no affection but a faint level of care hindered by her distance. She continued in her mannerisms, observing and taking notes as she wrote down their answers to her questions. It was akin to figuring out a puzzle, with few of the key pieces missing as their mind took shape to her psychological evaluation of their state, an all too familiar routine. A dance of the minds.
Their words began to fail them as they struggled to keep up, all the mental preparation they had done to fortitude their mind was slowly unraveling as they could only shake their head in reply to her question. A repetitive cycle of answering questions, hearing what she had to say and getting a small amount of tedious progress. It was always so slow, taking forever as their patience to figure themselves out as a person took to the forefront. Waning as they scowled at nobody in particular, not too fond of questions that attributed nothing to the conversation yet didn’t hold it against Shoko, it was her job to ask these questions to understand and help them in whatever way she could, it didn’t make it any less annoying to them though.
The papers began to take shape in their hold, the shape of a diamond as they began to focus more on their work. Carefully taking the time to fold the corners into just the right angles and positions as it began to transform into something else entirely, the diamond slowly lost its form as it went from a flat piece of paper into a third dimensional shape, from 2D into 3D. The tension in their shoulders began to loosen as the stimulation that came with their hobby calmed them into a sense of stillness and calm, their grief lasting for only a moment before they turned back to a state of normalcy. Their exhaustion had begun to further clung to their eyes, only getting heavier and heavier throughout the session.
“Then nothing seems out of the ordinary… Good job, we’re almost done- Are you currently exhibiting or experiencing any lingering symptoms from the hallucination?” She hummed in response as she tapped her bed against her chin, pressing on the button that activated her pen on repeat. Her words were more reassuring than the previous, that they weren’t falling back on old habits or losing their hard work and efforts of improving themselves, they could only sigh in relief as they found a sense of comfort that they wouldn’t fall back to the deepest crevices of their mind. Though, to answer her other question, they had to pause and double check their state by reflecting over their symptoms, despite their exhaustion they felt rather fine in the mental department.
“N-No lingering symptoms, I feel…Fine?- Now?- …but during it… I don’t know?- It was one of the worst ones I’ve had in a while… Not only that but it was… more difficult to get through- Normally I can snap myself out of it- …But- I- I couldn’t… I needed… Help…” From the way they stuttered to the way they paused before admitting to their feelings, the confused tone as they voiced them. The admission of their emotions was a difficult one for them to tackle, being upfront was out of the ordinary for them. It wasn’t to say they were dishonest, but to formulate them was still something they had struggled with throughout their life since they were young, appearing disconnected from the world around them. They could only hone in on their work once more, carefully folding what could be described as a pair of wings on the shape in their hands.
“By help I’m assuming you mean Satoru?” She asked for clarification, though they refused to comply as they looked further down towards the floor. Pausing in their movements, they held their creation in their hand with slight tension as the paper warped under the pressure, resulting in a crease. Which was an answer enough as she took a moment to sigh, yet didn’t interrogate further as she set the topic to the side. Though her sigh seemed to be more of relief as she allowed her inner feelings to conflict with her work for only a moment, quickly returning back to normal as wrote down their answer to the question. From a distance, they could see she had written up to half a worth of paper already, she likely had already come to a conclusion before their questions started. She was a good doctor.
“Last question, are you experiencing any symptoms from the increase in dosage of your medication?” Her eyes focused on their eyes and mouth intently, so much so that they could feel the intensity behind her lidded eyes. So elegant despite the delirium behind them, her mind working tirelessly yet diligent, a master of her work. They attempted to soothe out the crumples of the paper to various degrees of success, thoughtful as they quirked a brow in confusion. Reflecting back on the events of the last week or so, but it had been consistent with no changes in sight. Instead, they turned back to adding additional folds to their little craft as it took on another shape as the details began to appear on its form, taking on an appearance of something new.
“Not really? I don’t think so…” They shrugged as they completed the finishing touches, shifting their legs that had gotten locked up from staying upright on the chair as they crossed their legs on the seat to allow for a break in the pressure. Placing their arms in between their legs as they flexed their fingers over the material of the paper, focusing on the texture and sensation. She nodded as she wrote down a small sentence onto her notes, then closing the document with a sigh, sliding it back onto her desk as she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward into her seat, catching their eyes as the two made eye contact with each other once more. Her eyes demanded focus and attention, which they returned with unwavering eyes.
“Okay so… You’re probably right about it being too much at once- Your brain probably couldn’t process everything at once properly, resulting in a stress-induced hallucination. The causes are most likely workload, environment, relationships, low moods and as you know, prior experiences with mental health. We’ll continue our treatment plan, you’ve only been on the increase for a short while so it might take another week to kick in properly- I think you just need to take it easy, a break for a day or two- I’ll write you up a note, just gimme a second… But, if you experience more symptoms- I’m always a phone call away.” Her words had care in intent, the small knit of her eyes displaying concern as she held a fist against her palm, shrouding it with her fingers as she leaned atop of them.
Though it wasn’t long until she returned back towards her cluttered desk as she began to carefully slip out a blank yet official looking piece of paper that was likely an empty sheet of a doctor's note in her hand. Clicking the pen against the desk as she leaned against it for a flat surface to write on, pressing the pen against the page as the ink began to flow onto the page in a small stroke. Preparing them a sick note in order for them to take a break from their duties as her word was absolute in her department, not even the higher ups fought against her if she decided that a break was mandatory.
“Wait!- I- It’s fine!- I don’t need a note!… Yaga placed me on temporary leave!- He said to come back when I’m feeling better!-” They waved their hands wildly in their air as they desperately sought her attention, their panic rising to a new high as they spluttered over their words like a nervous wreck. It was a sudden shift from the closed off sitting position to halfway off the chair as they lifted themselves a few inches off the seat, when Shoko looked back at them in confusion they only stayed still, fearful that they had been too late to stop her in her act, that all was lost. They cringed as they stopped, preparing that she had prepared the documents at a sonic speed that they wouldn’t have been able to keep up with.
“Oh?- That certainly makes my job a lot easier!- Still, I’ll schedule you in for an appointment next week. The usual time, sounds good?” They were left dumbfounded as she only slid the paper back to the top of her pile, unable to get a look at what she had written as it was stuffed into an array of papers that escaped their view, lost for all time until Shoko pulled it back from the depths once more. They stood awkwardly in a squat as they slowly retracted their hands back to their chest and sat back down in the chair, twiddling their thumbs as their cheeks flushed a subtle shade of red on their face as they grew embarrassed by their sudden panic.
“Yeah… Thanks, Miss Shoko- Sorry if Gojo was… Demanding- …Of the appointment-” Spotting that their hard work had fallen to the floor, they picked it up as they expressed their gratitude towards her, their tone akin to mumbling as they spoke quietly but due to the close distance, Shoko was easily able to pick it up as she watched them crouch down to pick up their creation. She could only lightly chuckle at the sight, finding amusement of a side she’d rarely seen from the teen as they showed a more open and vulnerable side to them, the cautious mind slipping as the clumsy interior took hold.
“Don’t worry, It’s fine. I’m more used to him since my days in Jujutsu High- He’s always been like that, he’s just worried…” She brimmed with nostalgia as she reminisced on her days as a student, a soft smile tugging at her lips for the first time in a while, a rare sight as it was almost a feat to make Shoko smile and they had simply accomplished it, but it seemed to turn sorrowful as she almost whispered the last part to herself as though to respect the man and his emotions that weren’t hers to speak of. She turned her gaze towards a photograph on her desk, framed in black as it appeared to be a very old polaroid as it yellowed and withered away through time.
There were three people in the photo, one of which looked incredibly peeved as he held a middle finger towards the camera with a scowl. His bangs fell in front of his face as it hindered the view of his eyes, waving in the breeze. One thing that particularly caught their attention was the bun, the hairstyle they currently adorned was similar to his. Making a mental connection as they realised who it was in the photo without needing to look at the others, yet didn’t comment on it out of respect. The other two were recognisable as key figures in their lives, although older they resembled their younger selves identically.
Shoko looked happy in the photo, setting aside her disinterest as she opened her mouth as wide as possible with the unlit cigarette clinging onto her tongue. Her eyes closed only further displayed her happiness as her cheeks pushed against them, a little birthmark under one of her eyes and sporting a tidy bob haircut unless the more unkempt and wilder hairstyle she adorned now as an adult. Gojo was practically the same, sporting circular glasses rather than the rectangular ones he sported now whenever he wasn’t in uniform. His hair was messier, wild in all sorts of directions that made him appear younger. Yet, those were all the notable differences they could see, he’d certainly grown and built some muscle but he just looked younger, more free. More himself.
Most others didn’t get to see the personal side to Gojo, if they couldn’t say to themselves that they had seen the full extent of his array of emotions and thoughts. Their heart thumped as a weight settled in their chest, feeling empathy that although neither Shoko or Gojo had ever opened up to them about the past. They knew all too well the world was merciless to take away loved ones, and the year prior had been an incident where the school came into contact with a man known as Suguru Geto, a prior encounter where they had memorised his face on the orders of execution. The implication spoke more than words necessary, they looked back to see Shoko with lidded tired eyes, but she seemed happy. Even if it wasn’t the kindest memory to her.
Though, she refrained from reaching out to the photo. Holding back on sliding her thumb across the frame. A bittersweet memory as the weight of the past dug deeper than any scars ever could, she was strong. Capable. She cared deeply for others, more than she originally let on and she showed that care in different ways than most. The two were the same in that regard, though theirs was more a defence mechanism than anything. Hers just happened to be the way she worked, she might appear detached at times and uninterested in deep conversation. Yet she was by far the most capable of understanding others due to a background in psychology, she knew a lot more than she let on. She was intelligent, meticulous and a master of her work. They admired her for such feats.
“He’s always worried about others… I wish I could do more to help him- Sometimes though, I just weigh him down and make things worse for him…” Continuing on from her earlier comment, their self loathing and low esteem shone through as they looked back down to their hands, feeling the paper beneath their fingers as they could only feel like a rock in the flowing stream rather than a part of it. A hindrance, viewing themselves as a problem as a key part of stress for Gojo, they only caused him worry and misery. Which didn’t make for the healthiest relationship between the two as they only weighed him down, held him back and to some degree, reminded him of his own unpleasant memories. Their past always came to the forefront no matter how hard they tried to move past it, their influence had likely infected Gojo to some capacity as no matter what, even when he was angry. He always came back, even though it was all their fault.
Even though they could never make him truly smile.
They were the problem. Always had been.
“Birdie. You don’t make anything worse for anyone. You’ve got to remember that not everything is your fault, I understand your past and I know why- But… Don’t blame yourself, especially for the past- Satoru, he- … He cares a lot about you, everyone does-” Their self depreciation was cut short but her words, as though it had cut through a thick fog with a knife as they allowed their mind to slip once more. Nervously rubbing the back of their head was a habit they had picked up from the man, both empathetic and sympathetic in different ways. They cared for others at the cost of their own wellbeing, both mentally and physically. They would dig themselves further into a hole if it meant others could find the treasure, they just had to remember that they weren’t the only ones searching. It was him too. And they knew that all too well.
Mentally, they would’ve slapped their brain for allowing such words to slip out from their slippery tongue as they often kept such thoughts to themselves as it only served to dampen the mood of others around them. But, there was truth to their words when they declared their helplessness. A constant cycle that tormented them, affecting others around them more than they’d like. They wanted to drop the topic but they knew avoiding it would only lead to further conflict down the road for both themselves and others. It was muddy at best, the hole they had dug for themselves had gotten them dirty and it wasn’t so easily washed off. It wasn’t something they could brush aside and not address, in due time at least.
They nodded their head, understanding as they let out a sigh of disappointment. Directed more at themselves than anyone in particular, Gojo was important to them and they wanted to be there for him as he was for them. A shoulder to cry on or simply just to talk to when the days got rough, yet despite being with him for years. None of them had yet to truly close that gap between them, and it only served to remind them of their own shortcomings as they wouldn’t succeed and show Gojo that he could rely on them too. The past was always a shackle that kept people tethered, with them locked away in a sea of chains as each unlock only brought them closer, but never enough.
A small part of them loathed having to rely on Gojo, part of them found pride in small segments of their independence that came with growing up as a teenager, rambunctious and rebellious though it was also deeper, more than words could convey. They didn’t like the idea of becoming reliant on people in a selfish world, which was also flawed fundamentally as that idea was forged in greed. Becoming the centre of attention, to seek the kindness of others to their own benefit to take advantage of. It hindered their ability to socialise as not many stuck around due to the depths of their psyche, opening up only resulted in more distance, relying on others only meant they were selfish. They knew it wasn’t healthy to think that way, but it had always plagued them like a fragmented ghost. They had already taken so much from others, the last thing they wanted to do was only cause further inconvenience for others.
But the words that he cared for warmed their heart, as they too acknowledged that Gojo cared about them despite their flaws, the same could go both ways as they cared for Gojo despite his ego and his approach to others. Despite their failures, they always tried to make up for it through other means such as spending time together, keeping the house clean so he could come home to a warm and tidy place to rest. They might not always show it, like he did. But their shared chains were forged in a deep bond as well, locked in together as they shared a common goal and love. They never stopped pulling at the chains at some hope they would break free and show Gojo that they too cared about him the same way.
They didn’t need to speak words, Shoko could see it behind their eyes with the way they looked at the little paper crane in their hands. It was given to her as a gift as a lot of work had gone into folding the piece of origami, each fold was perfect as the edges were perfectly straight besides for a slight dent in one of the wings. She too replied with no words as she set the little crane beside her photo, smiling growing to a more wide and happier one as she looked back at them and reached for their shoulder with a knowing look on her face. She likely saw the hint of determination brewing behind their eyes as an idea stormed inside of their head, and whenever something like that came to mind. The little bird was far too stubborn to try and stop flying.
“...Thank you. I’ll see you soon, okay?” She set them free as she let her hand slip back to her side, watching on with confidence as they stepped out of the room with newfound vigour. Waving back to her as they stumbled out of the room, letting out another chuckle that urged with delight as she looked back on her days as a teenager. The child that she’d come to know had grown so much through time, at times she forgot how much they had grown since from the days they were huddled up in a corner, refusing to sit in a chair as they crouched underneath a seat between Gojo’s legs who happened to be in attendance during their earlier sessions.
It had been set in stone for a while, but the session only reminded them. To get stronger, and they weren’t going to get stronger by standing around doing nothing. They were going to go home, clean the house and get some self care done so they weren’t just a depressed pile in the middle of their bedroom floor messing with their LEDs as they blasted caramelldansen on repeat for hours until Gojo found them and threw them into bed. No longer would he find them in such a state twice a week, the goal was now to have an episode of misery once a week. They weren’t expected to do anything either, they had the free time to do whatever they pleased.
Their mood had improved since last night, more uplifted as they strolled through the halls of Jujutsu Tech with a skip in their step in a somber beat. The light amidst the fog had begun to clear as the possibilities of productivity ran through their head, they might even have some spare time to try out some new games they’d been meaning to play or perhaps even learn some new forms of origami to improve their craft. Their mind began to run rampant with ideas but their priorities were set the moment they had stepped out the door. First thing on the new itinerary was a well, overdo nap. Their energy wasn’t going to last forever, they needed to take care of themselves if they were to even think of doing anything.
The body that kept them going practically dragged behind them like a lifeless corpse, almost as though they could pass out at any moment. They could feel their droopy eyes slowly blinking one at a time as their eyelids twitching from overuse, the way their fingers would randomly move and their ankles and joints constantly cracking like a rattling skeleton as though they were made of brittle bones. Someone would mistake them for the elderly if they weren’t careful in their approach, they were going to grow old with wrinkles and sprout white locks like Gojo. And they weren’t about to become his lookalike if they had anything to say about it, it wasn’t even the hair colour, it was the hairstyle. They already had a reputation of being bird-like, the last thing they needed were rumours of becoming Gojo Jr as his secret love child or something. They’d much rather become a curse than face that outcome.
Foraging through the pockets of their satchel for where they usually kept their purse that housed their complex key to the apartment was surprisingly empty, letting out a muffled sound of confusion as they began to descend to the floor with the satchel in hand as they searched through their array of belongings for any semblance of their purse, even going as far as to double check their phone case and their newly cleaned overcoat to see if their card had slipped their attention or the cracks of their pockets. With no results in sight, it quickly became apparent that the card wasn’t on their person and back at the apartment. In which they had no access too, meaning they were quite literally stuck on school grounds until Gojo became available with spare time from work, which could range from minutes to hours and the last thing they wanted to do was bother him with their burdens after all that happened recently. They had probably left it in their room or on the counter in the kitchen, either that or Gojo had it on his person from sending in the uniform.
Without the key card, no access to the building was permitted as it would appear both them and Gojo were in the same boat when it came to forgetting the main key to their shared apartment. They didn’t leave the building often so security wouldn’t recognise them, nor did they have any form of ID on their person to prove their identity to the staff. They were usually the one who kept their key card on them at all times, the responsible one when it came to organising everything including their life and belongings. A part of their conscience blamed Gojo as he could’ve possibly misplaced it somewhere and forgotten to tell them, the man could be very forgetful at times when it came to smaller things. Either way it was a hindrance and they were left with no other choice than to contact him.
“You’re kidding me…” They let out a drawn-out groan in a wail like cry, wanting nothing more than to crawl up in on themselves on the ground and stay there forever to avoid the embarrassment. Before reaching for their phone, they triple-checked everything just to make sure their mind wasn’t simply playing tricks on them once more only to find that this was reality. They groaned as they went limp against a pillar that made the foundation of the walls, head first as their forehead made contact with a loud slam as the sound shuddered through the air. It did little to aid their plight or reduce their increase in strength, if anything it only gave them a harbouring headache that worsened slightly from the irritated skin and the impromptu headbutt impacting their brain.
Punching in their passcode with an aggressive thump tap, their eyes made contact with Gojo’s photo they had saved as his profile picture within their contacts. It was a cropped version, but clicking on the photo revealed it to be a selfie of the two of them together. It was around the time just before they had started attending Jujutsu, more naive back then and abominably shy from crowds. Yet, their younger self appeared enamoured with the koi fish in the tank as they swam together amongst the current, standing in the background as Gojo took advantage of the camera's perspective to make it seem he was holding one of the bigger fishes in the tank. He had taken them there for their birthday that year, booking the day off just to spend time with them. He even bought them an oversized orca plushie that took a position amidst their pile of plushies on their bed.
A part of them felt bad for contacting him in the middle of the work, they knew he wouldn’t mind it but he was always so chill about it despite it taking time out of his busy day. Typing in the message with sweaty fingers as they hesitated on each key, taking their time to type out each letter as slow as a grandmother on a keyboard. It was almost as though asking Gojo for a favour was the definition of making a deal with the devil, if the payment happened to be sweet treats at the expense of their wallet. A form of guilt as they winced as they pressed send on the message, waiting on a response as they slid down the wall onto the floor, closing their eyes in anticipation and desperate hope.
Short ass is typing…
[3:11 PM] short ass: Hey Gojo, when do you get off work?
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[3:16 PM] BLUEBERRIES: Probably not until 2nite
[3:17 PM] BLUEBERRIES: Like… 11pm?
[3:17 PM] BLUEBERRIES: Why?? Miss me already???
Abort the mission. Abort the mission. Abort. The. Mission.
They had gone too far, Gojo was going to get suspicious of their question as they normally only contacted each other outside of the house for either favours, an exchange of their personal collection of memes or simply just general questions such as earlier pertaining to their uniform. Very rarely was it casual conversation, if they attempted to disguise or feign ignorance, he would immediately see through their disguise like a sheet of cling film or bubble wrap. They had grown soft, they had let down their guard and fallen in a battle they had never known, a war rumbling in the background. Their heart only beat faster as they quickly typed a reply to his tease, both embarrassed and anxious as the phone shook in their hold.
Short ass is typing…
[3:19 PM] short ass: No, just wondering lol
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[3:20 PM] BLUEBERRIES: -.-
[3:21 PM] BLUEBERRIES: I dont believe u
[3:21 PM] BLUEBERRIES: U ok???
He knew, he always knew. This man always had some kind of third sense whenever there happened to be some kind of trouble going around with the people around him, they knew the six eyes were powerful but at times it was like he was omnipotent beyond the mortal plane of existence as he was a god with abilities beyond comprehension. They had been caught red handed, they were going to be arrested and held on trial. They were going to become the laughing stock as his most reliable student had forgotten a key belonging that was out of character for them, as though such mistakes were beyond them as a person due to their diligence and hard work to maintain a front of normalcy.
Short ass is typing…
[3:22 PM] short ass: Im fine stop worrying
[3:23 PM] short ass: Just let me know when you're free
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[INCOMING CALL FROM BLUEBERRIES]
The phone sprung to life in their hands, calling out with their ringtone of their favourite music artist as it pierced the silence with their music tastes for everyone nearby to hear. They jumped in reaction to their phone, almost dropping it as they played hot potato with it to keep it in their hands before it could meet its end with the floorboards. Catching it at the last second as they scrambled to look at the screen, pausing as they realised who was calling them. Without hesitation they slammed their finger down on the red hang up button repeatedly until his number faded out from the screen, letting out a sigh of relief as it fell silent as it stopped. They had awoken his wrath and he was going to be relentless, proven by the fact he called another time after they declined the first call a few seconds afterwards.
Short ass is typing…
[3:26 PM] short ass: I SAID I’M FINE!
[INCOMING CALL FROM BLUEBERRIES]
Short ass is typing…
[3:27 PM] short ass: STOP
[INCOMING CALL FROM BLUEBERRIES]
[INCOMING CALL FROM BLUEBERRIES]
Short ass is typing…
[3:29 PM] short ass: PLEASE STOP OMFG
[3:29 PM] short ass: I WILL BLOCK UR NUMBER IN A SEC
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[3:30 PM] BLUEBERRIES: PICK UP UR DAMN PHONE!!!!
[3:31 PM] BLUEBERRIES: I CAN SPARE 5 MINS IF YOU NEED ME!!!
[3:31 PM] BLUEBERRIES: JUST TALK!! T^T
Short ass is typing…
[3:32 PM] short ass: IM FINE IM SORRY PLS ILL TALK TO YOU LATER
[3:32 PM] short ass: SORRY FOR DISTRACTING YOU
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[3:34 PM] BLUEBERRIES: JUST TELL ME NOW??
Short ass is typing…
[3:35 PM] short ass: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
BLUEBERRIES is typing…
[3:35 PM] BLUEBERRIES: DONT GIVE ME THE AAAAS
[3:35 PM] BLUEBERRIES: Nvm something came up
[3:35 PM] BLUEBERRIES: Brb
Bless the heavens above as whatever coincidence had miraculously saved them from the fate that came with a phone call from none other than Satoru Gojo, the immediate regret of contacting him was quick to take hold as they panicked and desperately tried to get out of the conversation by setting the topic aside for the time being. Gojo however, had been very persistent as he refused to give up until he was forced too, for once thankful that they didn’t need to bother him for the time being. Which also meant they delayed their means of getting home for whoever knows how long, realising all too late that they had backed out of their plans. Their impulsive anxiety had gotten the better of them, their fate had been sealed.
They immediately wanted to slam their head into the wall again, but that would prove to be counter productive. They were stuck outside amidst the wilderness of Japan to do whatever they pleased under the public eye, usually it was beloved to have such freedom for people their age. For them, it was as though the weight of the world had been unleashed upon them. Standing there frozen like a fresh bite of prey amongst a sea of predators, their get out of jail free card had come at the cost of arranging a time for Gojo to pick them up. They needed some kind of alternative plan and fast, lest they be stuck on the streets of Shinjuku until 10pm as they’d likely collapse before that point too. Maybe they could hit up an internet cafe, take a trip to a mall or relax in a corner cafe until noon.
As their mind raced with options, they thought back to their conclusion from earlier and Megumi’s mission. They needed a distraction until Gojo’s schedule cleared up and they’d been meaning to check up on him since they heard about the mission briefing, if they recalled correctly, Gojo had said he was positioned in Sendai. If they left within the next hour via train, they’d arrive by late evening at best and given the regulations of missions, he wouldn’t be allowed to leave the premises until the mission was completed. If he hadn’t somehow located the finger by then, then the boy was trapped in Sendai until further notice. It was a high stakes mission too, meaning he was taking it very seriously if they had to judge which also meant that he was going to be very occupied and taking his time which meant he wouldn’t be done by the time they arrived. Sure, they could text or call him about the mission but that would go against the effort of their distraction.
There was another issue though, their budget. At most tickets from the Jujutsu High area towards Sendai cost several thousands of yen from a minimum of eight thousand to twelve, either cutting it cost or far exceeding their amount. Scrolling through their phone until they found their banking app, they found their balance of 12,546 yen. They were dirt poor in terms of utilizing public transportation, and their pass only covered the entirety of Tokyo as anything outside required an actual train ticket. They had been meaning to avoid dipping into their savings but they were left with no other choice, bad financial decisions be damned they were going to Sendai and they were going to check up on Fushiguro if it was the last thing they did. Their mind was set on it, because they’d much rather go mid way through the country to their friend than face the real world.
They could always more than make up for it by putting in extra money towards their savings with their next payment, it only took a small portion of it anyways as they rounded up their funds to 20 thousand exactly. Which would also be enough to cover food costs alongside some extra should they encounter anything else that requires money along the way, and so they paid for the ticket through one of the many ticket booking websites as they jumped up from their slouched position on the floor and made their way back towards the nearest train station in a sprint that rivaled an Olympian as the hills became easier on the way down, only further increasing their speed due to the acceleration of their descend.
Instead of fighting against the current of the breeze, they became one with it as the zoomed around down the hills at frightening speed as they jumped and skidded down the cobbled roads in a frenzy of excitement, the adrenaline rushing through their veins as their hair became frazzled from the strain of wind and speed. Each jump felt as though they were floating mid air for a moment, their feet flying from the ground as they took flight for only a moment as they spiral down the pathways. The speed was exhilarating, the rush that came with it was almost like a battle ground to them, fleeting yet almost enjoyable so long as they weren’t facing imminent death. The rhythm as they stomped across the ground as their hair flowed in the wind, their hand outspread as it glazed the rush of air, the other desperately holding onto their satchel to keep the strap atop their shoulder.
It wasn’t long until they arrived at the train station, scanning their ticket through the barrier as they made their way to one of the upper platforms. Not without stopping by a small stand amongst the platform as they picked up a tray of ekiben of crispy battered fried tempura, servings of maki rolls and edamame on the side. They even had a small selection of baked goods as they helped themselves to a cream puff, freshly made with the fluffiest of creams and a bottle of ramune as the small selection limited their choice of drinks, heading for the safer option of the common drink. Having skipped the original timing for lunch, they desperately needed some substance as it was the late afternoon and they had been going around on an almost empty stomach of bland food, some flavour was needed to keep up their energy.
They would wait until the train arrived to eat their food, checking their phone to see that nobody had made an attempt to contact them. Meaning through the entire time they were gone, Gojo had somehow managed to get rather preoccupied. They’d ask him about it later, but hoped he was doing well as they prayed for his safety. The same for Fushiguro. It might’ve not have been necessary, but it was the sentiment that counted. Arriving shortly after, they hopped onto the train whilst minding the gap between the train and the platform. Taking a seat in the corner meant for 4 people but due to the table that came with desk space and a place to plug in their electronics, they took the opportunity as the train was otherwise empty. Making it less inconvenient for them and others, and they’d always move when asked.
Pulling out their food as they gripped the chopsticks between their fingers as it came with their meal, fortunately. They bit into their food in small bites, surprised by the flavour as it practically melted on their tongue, the fresh taste of salt fish and rice was a nice combination together that surprisingly held a good taste to it despite its simplicity. The edamame was cooked excellently with a sesame sauce that only enriched its taste, a little oily but it was good. The tempura was cooked to perfection, savory and crunchy. It was almost appallingly good that the convenience store food was so good, it was even better than the ones from 7 eleven if they had to make an opinion on which they preferred.
They’d have to go there often for a quick bite to eat now and again during their travels on missions, whoever had gone through such effort to prepare the meals was clearly gifted in the culinary arts. They would even go as far as to recommend it to Gojo Satoru. And they hadn’t even tried the cream puff up to that point, the thought of it almost had them salivating. They unwrapped it from its paper bag and took a small bite of the treat as it melted on their tongue in a sweet taste, they almost squealed with joy at the taste as it was the best cream puff they had ever tasted. As a self proclaimed expert on the opinion of cream puffs, they officially declared this one was by far the best they had ever had. They didn’t hold back as they took a heaping bite after bite until they let out a content hum in response.
With good food came a resurgence in energy that became all too apparent as they relied on either caffeine or sugar for their continuous boosts, if they weren’t careful it could become an addiction with how heavily they leaned onto the methods to keep them going. But with a boost in productivity on the way, they took to messaging Principal Yaga to send them over some of Gojo’s overdo reports for them to fill in, all too aware of all the details that transpired during the missions as whenever Gojo came home from a shift and about to tuck into bed. The man himself came barging into their room, flopped across their bed as he’d crush them under his weight and tell them all about his day for about an hour with all the details about how great he was.
They had far too much information stored in their brain as a result of those conversations, they couldn’t bring themselves to tell him to go away either as he vented about his busy day and the fact that he seemed upset that he couldn’t spend more time with them. Though sometimes whenever they weren’t too busy, the two of them would stay up all night and play video games until he was called once again out towards the field. Rare moments such as those were important to them as the two raced each other on rainbow road in Mario Kart, his main being none other than Rosalina as he had dubbed her as the most attractive person in the game, Waluigi being a close second according to his opinion.
Pulling out their laptop as they typed out his reports to hopefully save Ijichi from some of the workload on his shoulders, watching as the views zoomed past as they moved faster than the world around them in a slow motion, the vibrations of machinery working and moving beneath their feet and the overused cushions that comforted their back. It was a stark difference to their previous experience on the tracks, far more peaceful and calming than last time. It was a nice change of pace as they got to work, passing the time as they handed in the late reports to Yaga who sent them a message of gratitude with each one that came his way. They were working at high speeds as they managed to file at least 4 by the time they reached the outskirts of Sendai.
Hours had passed by that point and they had grown exhausted, more out of boredom than actual exhaustion as typing out words for prolonged periods of time. They ended up handing in the last one of the day before switching to one of their online games to collect daily materials and upgrade their stats, working their way of progressing the game slowly as each passing day they grew stronger and stronger, if only it worked in such a way in real life. Fortunately, they could allow themselves the luxury of wifi due to their phone contract having a good plan as they could game away to their hearts desires. With time passing further by as the bright daylight dimmed to moonlight, the rays of blue light shining through the windows as sunset came far too quickly.
Taking a sip of ramune, they checked the time to see it had been a couple of hours since boarding the train as it wouldn’t be long until they reached their destination. They thought about all the places they could go such as the bustling market streets, the shrines and castles in the mountains or maybe even indulge in some of the luxurious hot springs it had to offer. The thought alone was quite tempting as it was said the waters could heal the soul. Though they probably wouldn’t have the time, as by the time they had such ideas. They had already arrived, packed away their laptop and hopped off the train in an unfamiliar environment they had never been before, their first time in such a destination came with anxious excitement. But, their focus remained solely on their goal as they left the station as they avoided as many people as possible as they searched for less crowded streets of Sendai.
It almost reminded them of Tokyo, except it was far more accepting of the wilderness as it adapted the greenery into the environments as every few blocks came with trees and a patch of grass to accompany it. It felt like a mix of a rural area and a city, both of which came with their feelings of home. It was a far cry from Tokyo but it came with its own perks as the city seemed much more welcoming than the prior city, it had nice views to it. It was taken care of and well lived in as it appeared more old compared to the new modern streets of Tokyo. The differences were stark in comparison yet they couldn’t help but admire the differences that came with the place, it was more peaceful and in tune with the world around them.
With a deep breath, they closed their eyes and focused on the world around them. From the shifting of graveled stone to the brustling footsteps of groups of people conversing amongst one another with a wild degree of topics, picking up on every uninteresting word as they eavesdropped into their conversation by accident. Inhaling through their nose met with an array of differing scents, the smells of fast food to the bad breath of lingering alcohol on someone's breath, to the scent of daisies and withering weeds that grew between the gaps of stone. A faint smell of acidic mould became apparent as they quickly distinguished the scent among the others, it was strong and putrid, rotting trash that had grown old for far too long. They picked up on some distinct trails that came with the smells from differing directions, some stronger and more potent than the others. The smell of curses.
Their nose wrinkled as it hit their nostrils, cringing in disgust of the smell. Leaning against the light post that lit up the environment around them, they honed in on a distinct trail that caught their attention. Their cursed energy crackled in response to the familiar wisp of fading smoke as it lingered in the air around them, swirling like a stormy cloud as the sight of another person's cursed energy had caught their interest. It was faint and distant, fading slowly as it whisked away from their touch when they reached out to touch it. They kept up their focus as they began to track down the individual across Sendai as it only grew stronger and stronger as the boy had forgotten to suppress his cursed energy, making it far too easy to tail and find him through the dark streets.
Adorning their hood, they took to the alleyways to avoid sight from the public eye as they followed the signs of his journey, following in his footsteps as they stumbled across a closed gate of the grounds of a middle school. It was covered in his cursed energy as it imprinted around the campus that they could sense it from a good distance away; he had spent a considerable amount of time searching near this school. Though a more fresh trail left them down a few streets until they finally found him, sensing the origin of cursed energy as they found the source at last. Walking for miles that left them exhausted but their effort had all been worth it as they dulled their senses once more as they looked over the towering fence post. It was at the back of the school as he had stayed beyond the welcoming hours.
They didn’t take Megumi as someone who would trespass.
Spotting a few trees, they took to climbing them with a surprising amount of ease in thanks to the sturdy branches as they maneuvered their way through the branches until his figure became clearer amongst the tries, hopping from the tree to the fence post as they flail their arms around for balance on the thin wood as they perched atop of it, fortunately without making a sound as their steps remained as quiet as a needle dropped amongst a pile of hay. The only sounds were the chilling breeze of the evening and Megumi’s movements, they watched on as he approached what appeared to be a stevenson screen. Watching as he leaned forward towards the latch and opened it with expectation, opening the creaky door as he peered inside only to let a surprised gargled gasp as he was left appalled by the empty contents inside.
They watched on as the boy went through the five stages of grief all at once, facing a mid-life crisis in the span of 5 seconds as he double checked the inside of its contents to see if nothing was actually there. Going as far as to shove his upper body inside of the cabinet to check it for himself as the old wood shook from the shift in his knocking as he forced himself inside of the space. Only to suddenly fall down to his knees with a wide look on his face as he checked between each strand of grass for whatever he was looking for, dirting the knees of his trousers as it came into contact with the mud below as he frantically searched for whatever he was looking for. He even went as far as to climb on top of the storage to see if it had somehow made its way on top of it rather than falling below as though it had ascended in some way.
Only to open and close the doors to the latch once more to make sure he wasn’t delusional, they could see the lurking irritation and frustration on his face as he narrowed his eyes despite his wide pupils, furrowed eyebrows that were only going to give him wrinkles as the creases between his brows only grew more distinct with each passing second, his signature frown dominated his face as it hadn’t budged an inch despite his surprise and bewilderment. He suddenly turned away from the Stevenson screen with a stomp in his foot as he kicked at the ground beneath his feet. Swaying his hip to the side as he placed a hand atop of it as his free hand pulled out his phone from his pocket as he dialed in a number with the sound of ringing filled the silence.
It was almost amusing as it was pitiful, their sympathy of knowing all too well when something never went according to plan. He was angry to be sure, which is what made them hesitate on taking a step forward to aid him. He had already gone through one surprise, having another too soon would only further dampen his mood as they remained to the side momentarily. Clinging to the top of the fence as they stood on their tops to keep their center balance in place, leaning forward as their hands gripped the wood to keep their position steady. Almost like a bird sat atop of a wire, staring down at the world around them from their vantage point. They grew curious as to who he would be calling so randomly in the middle of the evening, perhaps he was reporting back to his superior on the mission.
“There’s nothing here…” he barked into the mic of his phone as he pressed his ear against the screen. Practically hissing out the words in a bitter tongue as though it were words never to be spoken, grovelling as the outcome hadn’t been all too kind to him as he seemed remorseful over the fact that he couldn’t find the cursed object within close proximity. His lidded eyes lowered ever so slightly as he admitted his guilt to the person on the other side of the phone, which was a lot for Fushiguro who prided himself on competence and responsibility. Even if it was far out of his control, he seemed worried about the consequences. He gripped the phone tightly as his knuckles turned a pure white, holding back on his building frustration.
“Huh?-” The person on the other line didn’t appear to reciprocate his plea in which they were either left confused, appalled or simply didn’t hear what he had originally said. The sound indicated as such, though they themselves recognised the sound of the voice from such a distance. Quickly piecing together that Gojo was his overseer for the mission, he was simply reporting back to him. Megumi only let out a puffy cloud of air from his nostrils as he exhaled like a raging bull, closing his eyes as he clenched his teeth. Pausing as he waited for Gojo to clarify that he had heard his original statement, only to be met with an awkward silence as he was forced to repeat himself to the other on the line.
“The Stevenson hutch is empty!…” He repeated albeit a bit louder that threatened to burst their eardrums, his tone agitated as he emphasised each word with a hiss at the end of his sentence. He scowled as he repeated himself in a more specific criteria, his eyes glaring down at the offending instrument behind him with murderous intent. His annoyance only grew more substantial as it looked like a vein would pop out through his forehead with how tightly he clenched his facial features, his lower eyelids twitching in response with the mood swing of an angsty teen. They couldn’t tell if Gojo was messing with him or really hadn’t heard him the first time during the moment.
Megumi’s face turned in a different direction opposite of their position, by some miracle they hadn’t been spotted by Fushiguro under the shade of the trees despite being in clear sight as the light reflected onto their figure. They felt their body go still as if they had been caught, it likely wouldn’t end well for them as they’d face the lecturing of a lifetime, especially with him being so angry. They were surprised that he hadn’t picked up on their presence either, they hadn’t even been suppressing much of their cursed energy much less make an active attempt to hide, yet they could easily ambush him with his back turned to them. He was vulnerable and susceptible to attack, if anything he should be the one getting a lecture from them due to not holding up his guard during a mission.
Then again, he was dealing with Gojo of all people. With normally demanding the entirety of one's brain power to handle, a conversation with Gojo when it came to work often left them feeling some degree of light-headedness. The way he talked was always confusing, it took a while for anyone to understand due to his nonchalant and dismissive way of talking. They could only imagine what it was like for Fushiguro as Gojo did not hold back at all when it came to honesty. Inside of their head, they gave Megumi a metaphorical pat on the back to wish him fortune in dealing with the trickster. They weren’t sure if they should intervene, as the outcome of the two butting heads was not what they wanted to deal with that day.
“For real?- That’s hilarious! Maybe it took a night-time stroll~” Just as they had predicted, Gojo did not hold back on his relentless teasing as he exclaimed interest and bafflement over Megumi’s words. As though he had gotten the latest snoop on breaking news that he’d surely spread as gossip among his peers, holding it over his head for days to come. Of course, the man would find the situation amusing above the literal implication over the words, more interested in the fact that Megumi had lost it rather than the idea of Sukuna’s finger being set loose upon the world. It didn’t seem to fit right with Megumi either as he growled in response as he gritted his teeth, leaning forward towards the ground as he looked down at the phone in his hands.
“I’m going to punch you.” He threatened with the full intent of going through with it, flat and monotone as he delivered it with ice cold malice. Shifting his weight from one foot to another as he brought the phone back towards his ear as he let out another irritated huff. His anger going silent but deadly as if he were a walking landmine, one wrong move would result in it going full on explosion with them in the blast radius. They only hoped Gojo had the mercy not to further press the button, cringing at the thought themselves as though it hurt them to watch from a distance with a frown on their face. Worry creased between their brows as Gojo offered no help in Megumi’s growing panic, if anything it only made it worse for the poor boy.
“Well… No going home until it’s recovered, okay?~” His tone turned somewhat serious as he reminded Megumi with the fact he wouldn’t be allowed to return without attempting a retrieval of the cursed object, requesting affirmation as though Megumi didn’t already understand the facts and misinterpreting the reason Megumi had called him in the first place, he was looking for advice due to how important it was for it to go successfully, he wasn’t asking for comfort or sympathy. Such as the harsh reality of the world, they had faced the same treatment multiple times by the same man. He didn’t sound entirely impressed either, it wasn’t a voice of disappointment but it implied such. He must’ve been more annoyed by it himself, as it could cause more problems for him as a result.
“I’m seriously going to punch him-” Letting out a sigh of surrender as he gave up on talking to his teacher that was meant to help and guide him, letting his arm fall back to his side as he hung up the phone with a look of defeat on his face. A droplet of sweat dripped down his cheek in nervousness. They too pinched the bridge of their nose in response, they’d have to lecture the man later but maybe Gojo had done it for some reason. Still, his treatment of Fushiguro wasn’t acceptable, they were going to have to be stern and put him in his place. They wanted to apologise to Megumi on his behalf, offering sympathy towards him that would only get brushed away in any attempt to comfort him. But it was always the effort that counted, trying meant more to him than he originally led on.
It was rather cruel of Gojo, they could only guess that he was dealing with his own issues as he had yet to respond to his prior messages towards them. Megumi had probably interrupted him at a bad time or something, and if he too was that annoyed it meant something happened in regards to his field of work. And given how closely he worked with the higher-ups, they could only be left to their imagination to guess what had happened between him and them. Still, they wouldn’t hold it against him for long. It was practically a normal interaction between the two as they constantly bickered with one another, it just happened to be more heated this time around. They could move past it easily.
“I’d punch him too if he pulled that on me-” Descending from their perch atop the fence into a crouch as they landed in the rough patches of dirt, clouding their shoes and figure in a brown mist as the particles clung to them. Dusting themselves off with wipes to their shoulders as they approached Fushiguro, adding onto his original threat as they proposed a metaphorical truce against their teacher. Romanticising the idea of beating up Gojo like it was a fantasy to dream about, attempting to add additional humour to make their appearance seem more lighthearted. Though also offering their condolences to the phone call that had transpired, looking up at Megumi with a calm face of reassurance.
“Wha?!- Birdie? …What are you doing here?!” He jumped at their unexpected appearance, though quickly composed himself as he coughed into his sleeve and demanded to know the answers of their intent as though they were a foe rather than a friend. Glaring down at them with piercing eyes, though they couldn’t help but notice he seemed relieved to see them by the quick sigh that left his lips. It amused them to some degree as they tilted their head with narrowed eyes, delightful as they tended to indulge in his curiosities. Perhaps they really weren’t any better than Gojo when it came to teasing as they held their hands behind their back, peering up at Megumi with narrowed eyes.
“Just wanted to check up- …I may have also lost my key card to the apartment- And I wasn’t about to stay out all night- So…” They intended to take full advantage of the surprise, taking slow steps with no pattern as they wandered in no particular direction. Explaining themselves as they tapped their finger against their chin, making up an excuse as they attempted to hide their sheepish demeanour with a placid yet drawn out tone as though they were hiding the truth from him. Drawing out the last word to draw attention that they had come to their conclusion with Megumi in mind, they were being truthful and honest though they only behaved strangely to hide their embarrassment that came with admitting they no longer had access to their home. More honest with him than Gojo as Megumi was less likely to make fun of them, if anything he’d either try and help or simply tell them to deal with it. More preferable as a result.
“You’re an idiot… You could’ve just stayed in the dorms…” He attempted to argue against their logic with sound reasoning, but it was flawed as they had already taken that idea into account but it also went against the reason they would head home in the first place. Crossing his arms as he shifted on his feet to follow their movements. Besides, they had yet to announce to anyone they were planning on moving back into the dorms at all as they didn’t have access to the room either until further notice. If they wanted such a thing, they’d have to ask a member of the faculty to process the request, retrieve the keys, and arrange moving vans to bring their stuff. It would be a lot to do and expect within such a short time frame, which despite the miraculous achievements that came with being a Sorcerer, moving an entire bedroom's worth of stuff within one day was unrealistic.
“Well… True- But, allow me to widen your perspective, dear Gumi- You really think I’m going to bother everyone with all the shit going on recently?” They tried to find reason in his argument via a means of personal connection, having known Megumi for a long time. He was more than accustomed to their traits, mannerisms and behaviours, as a social recluse himself; he would be one of the few people capable of understanding how difficult it was for them to socialise. A pack of wolves stuck together in an unknown world, only relying on themselves than others of the same species, with them being the metaphorical loner wolves. The thought alone was enough to leave them shaking in their boots as they went from withering confidence to regret and shame as he called them out. They had their reasons yet voicing them became difficult as the words struggled to leave their mouth, trying to keep up the theatrics as it slowly crumbled apart.
“You’re annoying me right now… And don’t call me that…” Megumi crossed his arms in response, mumbling under his breath as he rolled his eyes with a flamboyant attitude. His cheeks becoming a light shade of rosy red as he grumbled, the nickname had gotten to him as he attempted to keep the scowl on his face but his expression only softened. Turning away in embarrassment as he didn’t take kindly to accepting any kind of affection from others, though he acknowledged it rather than brushed it off. They knew how to get under his skin, intentionally or not, and the last thing they wanted to do was piss him off further than before as they backed away and relaxed, letting out a huff as they followed suit in crossing their arms as they stared up at the sky. Glancing back at Megumi on occasion, honest as they spoke their next sentence without the dramatics.
“Sorry- I’m not trying to… Point is, I don’t have access to my charger or my meds and well, yeah…” Looking back down at the ground as they admitted truthfully the importance of their circumstances. They didn’t need to say anymore as his eyes widened, opening his mouth as he bit back a lecture on his tongue. Holding back with an audible hiss, clutching the fabric of his clothes in worry. The implication of their words were strong enough for him to understand without having to speak further, though he didn’t appear angry as he looked more worried than anything. His eyes scanned over their figure to check for any signs of weakness, his arched back going straight as he stood tall and took a step closer towards them. He didn’t even need to ask when he came to the conclusion that they were fine himself, accepting their excuse without further comment.
“Fine- Since you’re here- ….Do you think you can track it down?” He changed the subject towards his primary objective as the motive, taking advantage of their presence to utilize their skills in aiding his mission. Resourceful in his request, taking another person into account of his arsenal. A quick thinker. They couldn’t help but sigh in relief of his acceptance, normally with others they would press further or go deeper into conversations but with Megumi. It was never needed due to their relationship of mutual understanding for one another, they came to appreciate it as the weight was lifted off their shoulders. Offering a distraction on a silver platter, they jumped right into the appetizer as they served to please, going from nervousness to determination once more.
“I can certainly try-” They spoke with an air of uncertainty, poking their head in between the hatch doors as they swiped their finger across the surface of the wood where a clear indent was left behind from the dust. The object left behind left a rectangular shape behind in its place, much clearer from the rest as it had been manually taken from its spot intentionally rather than fallen by accident. Though, they wouldn’t be able to physically track it down due to the grass in the area masking the original footprints from view. Leaving that lead of an investigation on a dead end, they switched in on their other methods as focused in on their senses once more. Adapting to the stimuli as everything heightened with their brain processing new amounts of information beyond the normal range.
Observing the cursed trail left behind from the finger was significantly different to simply following another sorcerer. Sorcerers were in control of their energy, a direct source of output of life and power, their trails were different and unique due to the cursed techniques making it a lot easier to differentiate from that of curses. Megumi’s took the forms of visual dark shadows, Inumaki’s cursed whispers, Panda’s mist of what could only be described as three different trails converging into one whilst Satoru’s took up the concept of space. It was easy to pick them up and recognise due to their traits, the only way they could think to describe it was reading soul essence.
Curses on the other hand weren’t as unique, mostly similar to one another as they rarely differentiated in terms of composition. They were the embodiment of those essences, physical constructs of cursed energy as they rarely took on different traits unless they were more intelligent and powerful than others. They still left behind what could be described as footprints but they weren’t as clear as others, foggy and blurred with an unclear message as it often took to blending in with the environment. Weaker cursed spirits left behind clearer trails but stronger ones were far more difficult for them to track. The same would apply to cursed objects as they all blended together into one big overwhelming smell.
Focusing on the particular residue left behind from the Stevenson hutch revealed a pattern of flickering images flashing through their head, greeted by something scratchy and black clouding as it shrouded their eyes in a bright image of red. A hiss of pain escaped them as they honed in on that signature, though it blended in amongst the shadows as it only pained at them to look at, Sukuna’s essence was far too strong, overwhelming for them to get a clearer picture on despite its distinct scent. Shaking their head to reintegrate focus as it became just a little clearer to their eyes through all they saw was red, red abundance that looked like a fog clouding around the entire school. It normally wasn’t this difficult to pick up on a curse, even the stronger ones couldn’t push them back or hinder them. This one hurt.
Grappling their head as they held on, pushing against the fog as they felt it fill their lungs with red smoke. Their breath was taken away as it burnt away like a fire inside of them, causing excruciating pain as they wanted nothing more than to scream. Choking on the nothingness as they drowned in the overwhelming essence, they reached the limit when they were met with some kind of resistance. It was weak but powerful, akin to a barrier as it prevented them from moving further in a blockage. It overwhelmed them as they felt weightless, out of breath and a worsening headache all at once as their knees buckled from underneath them in a sudden rush of darkness as their vision went dark, like every ounce of strength had been drained from their body.
It was like poison, venomous. It did a good job of getting anything off its trail, it was a wonder that even curses were able to sense and handle such a degree of power alone. Though, it explained why they had been easily hidden for so long without human interference, it did well in shoving them astray. Something tugged at their overcoats collar to keep them upright, the feeling was enough to bring them back into a state of mind as their senses began to slowly return to them through a stuffy nose and buzzing ears, the world around them spinning as they struggled to stay on their own two feet as a another hand rose to steady them by their shoulder. Keeping them grounded as they snapped out of their trance, it took a moment but eventually they pulled themselves together and looked back at Fushiguro who looked down at them with pursed lips, torn as he frowned down at them with a tighter grip on their shoulder to convey his presence to them, his worry.
Everything felt fuzzy, like their brain had seized proper functioning as it split itself apart with each pounding crash against their skull. Leaning their head against the knuckles of their hand as they fought to maintain their strength and keep their head upright. Lightheaded and dizzy, they had exhausted themselves and pushed their limits. A small stream of a metallic red liquid flowed from their nose down towards their lips in a thick coating, dripping from their face onto the hand that reached to catch the droplets in shock. Only to be wiped away after they came to the realization it was only a nosebleed, it stopped as soon as it came as they brushed the blood into their sleeve.
“Nope- …It’s way too diluted and murky, either the seals are still intact to some degree or something is masking it- I can’t pinpoint a direct location besides the area around the school- It’s quite mixed in that region, mostly recent too- So. it’s likely whoever's in possession of the cursed object attends the school… At least that’s my conclusion-” Despite the confident output of information they had managed to piece together with what they had picked up, their voice was a lot slower and crackly than before as they coughed between a few words, far weaker than before. Shaking their head to clear away any lingering dizziness, which only communicated it was mostly no for an answer. Information that Megumi could’ve figured on his own with the help of his Shikigami, their alliance only temporary as they were quickly taken out of commission.
“Figures… At least it’s a lead- …By the way, shouldn’t you be resting?-” It was accusatory, targeted at them as he glared down at them with intimidating eyes, a huff of annoyance as he let out a frustrated groan aimed at them. He didn’t take to discrediting their assistance, though their weakness had not escaped his notice either. Instead of directly asking if they were okay, he took to trying to slowly ease his way into finding answers like a detective picking away at someone's testimony. He already had prior knowledge of their condition due to the phone call last night between him and Gojo, he knew they weren’t at their A-game and he was about to confront them about it seeing as they had physically pushed their limits in front of him by nearly collapsing to their feet. Which, logically speaking, was not the greatest look.
In fact, he looked as though he might beat their ass. They had succeeded in completing Gojo’s original goal of stirring the pot towards the boiling point, watching a friend nearly fall headfirst into the ground because of a lack of prior care. They were injured, weak and here they were in the middle of nowhere, doing tasks they really shouldn’t be doing as he had originally asked. He had them right where he wanted, and unlike Gojo. He wasn’t so easily swayed to back off, though it wouldn’t hurt them to try as they shifted awkwardly on their feet from left to right as they began to play with a loose strand of hair that had fallen out of place of their bun, awkwardly letting out a nervous chuckle. He already knew why they were out here, he was asking why they didn't say anything about their condition.
In reality, it had been an accident as they had failed to take in account how much it took out of them to even comprehend such power, much less try to follow it. Thinking like it would be like any other cursed spirit or sorcerer they had encountered, it wasn’t the first time Megumi had seen them in such a state nor was it the last. It didn’t ease the poor boy’s heart any less, despite how much he brushed others away. He deeply cared for them as it shone through how tight he was holding onto them, fearful of letting go in case they were to collapse once more without him to hold them upright. Despite the fact they were active on their own two feet once more, he didn’t trust himself or them to let go, holding on in case of the worst possible scenario. Patting his shoulder did little to reassure him, but it did ease him enough to let go as the hands slipped away.
“Uhh- SO- Resting! Yeah! Speaking of which- How about we get you settled in for the night since it’s getting pretty late… I doubt the finger is going anywhere so you’ve got some time to catch up on sleep!” Their hurried and awkward tone, speaking some words louder than others as they clapped their hands together as a bead of nervous sweat dripped down from their forehead, intending to avoid Megumi’s wrath as much as possible as they hoped switching the topic would yield his diverted focus towards his mission rather than his current state. Though, it wouldn’t have the result they hoped as it wouldn’t work a second time, he had caught on to them. But it didn’t stop them from trying, looking up at Megumi with pleading eyes as if he would drop it.
“Stop avoiding the subject.” He snarled under his breath as he spoke with direct conviction, taking a stop closer as he crossed his arms once more at them. Hissing with each word as he bared his teeth at them, his lower lid of his left eye twitching. Despite being the younger of the two, he stood at a considerable height that almost shrouded them in his shadow as it stemmed from his being, they didn’t even need to utilize their senses to know that everything was encompassed with his darkness. He was bound to explode, warning if they didn’t consider their next words very carefully; He might step in to intervene on their behalf as a last resort of options, given their tendency of not listening at times. They could feel it with his stare alone, menacing and deep as he looked into the crevices of their soul, baited breach as they braced for an onslaught of lectures.
The hands that remained balanced against each other began to intertwine as they embraced their hands with one another, sheepishly avoiding eye contact as they looked down at the patches of grass and how they looked a darker shade of green under the moonlight. Opening their mouth to speak as they stuttered out syllables, only to be caught off by their name spoken in a warning tone, growling. They paused, frozen still as all they could do was think of what to say though it was just as jumbled as their mouth as they couldn’t properly think of what to say. Their open mouth empty as they surrendered, their upper body going limp as they slouched as they sighed. With Megumi only letting out a grunt, encouraging them to speak, to communicate with him.
“...I’m fine- I just didn't get any sleep last night and well- Not great? …It’ll be okay- I’m taking a break tomorrow, so… How about you?...” Not completely upfront, never direct but their voice took on one of solemnity. Calm but hidden undertones laced with truth between the cracks, their hands hand against their chest as they admitted what they thought would be enough. They were met with a grunt, more acknowledging than the last as he took in a deep breath as groaned at their confession. Though he did relax ever so slightly, though the tension between his shoulders never left since the moment they had arrived, unease lingering. Their words did little to reassure him as he squashed the blades of grass beneath the sole of his foot as though he were smothering a cigarette, shuffling it around in the dirt as his hands found their way into his hair as he brushed them back until they found his pockets, tucking them away from view.
“Irritated.” He confessed with a simple response, looking back up towards the sky as the wind whipped past his dark messy locks as moonlight reflected onto him. His pupils dilated from the influx of light, his hair was long as it was spiky like a porcupine or sea urchin. His eyes of dark blue matched the colours of the sky, dark and mysterious as he frowned with lidded eyes, fluttering his eyelashes as they met with the wind, long yet elegant. It was almost unnoticeable from a first glance but his eyes often reminded them of the stars. He had never been one to focus on his appearance but he was distinguished clean for being a sorcerer, avoiding dirt as he brushed absentmindedly at one of his shoulders after tucking it back into his pocket.
He adorned the standard male uniform, never bothering to stand out amongst sorcerers as he chose to blend in. He was never the type to stand out, keeping to himself. His hair was well groomed, his spikes brushed into one another to form a more coherent hairstyle with what they assumed as wax due to his natural hair being a lot more spiker when dried after a shower. His bed hair was only a different story as it laid flat against his head in a simple style, he always preferred the mess to keeping his hair down though. It was almost like he was a different person when he styled it that way. He was lean, his features sharp and narrow as it matched his personality, he hadn’t changed much over the years besides maturity. Yet he still had so many years to grow, it was a strange process to view someone as both your junior and an equal at the same time, it tended to lead to mixed interactions.
“Why am I not surprised?... But seriously, you should rest too if you hope to complete your assignment- I’ll get you a hotel if you don’t have anywhere to stay…” Rolling their eyes with a dramatic sigh, tone laced with false frustration as they spoke sarcastically like they were done with everything, almost like an impersonation of his character. An attempt to lighten up the mood given the dampened atmosphere, biting back more than they could chew as Megumi aimed for a vulnerable point in their side and shoved his elbow into place with a rough shove that nearly sent them flying off balance, a startled yelp escaping them at the unexpected poke. They were met by his unamused glare in warning of their teasing as he turned away with a look of consideration as he debated his options on whether or not to accept their offer on a nightly stay, closing his eyes as he carefully thought about his options.
“...I would appreciate that.” He accepted their offer after cautious deliberation, shrugging as he nonchalantly took it up like it was no big matter. Acting casual as his knee bent slightly as he rested it as the majority of his weight shifted to his other heel, his frown had turned to a thin line as his cheeks tinged a light red as he spoke softly with a murmur under his breath. Attempting to hide his expression by looking down as his hair fell onto his face, masking the view. Though his choice of words were enough to speak of his gratitude on the offer, he didn’t groan or tell them to be quiet, nor did he speak with the words of teenage angst such as ‘yeah, sure. Whatever’. If they were the affectionate type of person, they would probably reach up and pinch his cheeks with delightful squeals and comment on his moody behaviour as adorable. Such as with the youth, they had their moments of cuteness. It was a rare display from Fushiguro, though unlike Gojo, they didn’t take the opportunity to tease but let out a huff of amusement in a light chuckle.
He was so easily embarrassed.
“Let’s get going then!- Lemme just…” Drawing out the last syllable to indicate a pause, biting down on their tongue in focus as they pulled out their electronic device known as a mobile phone that would allow them access to the internet where they could access an array of information with a few taps of their fingers. Google maps, a trusted companion as they filtered through the various options of hotels nearby from reviews, prices and distance. There were quite a few yet none stood out as particularly great, at least in terms of reviews as many left complaints within the area. Though for the mercy of Megumi and his mission, they went for the closest hotel just under 20 minutes away with a few restaurants nearby should the two be hungry. At least the reviews on those were good, they were looking forward to trying them as they hadn’t eaten since the train and they were beginning to get more than a bit peckish, no doubt Megumi was hungry either. The man looked as though he needed a snickers bar.
With a route in mind, integrating the road layouts inside of their head as they memorised the map for the first couple of streets. They signalled for Megumi to follow suit as they approached the fence they had previously jumped over without much issue now seemed like a daunting task due to the growing physical exhaustion as their body felt like dead weight, not only that but they felt almost sapped of their cursed energy due to the overload of pain that came with pushing themselves to such an extent. With Megumi close behind, he seemed to notice their surrender of exhaustion by their limp shoulders and annoyed look on their face as he took immediate action by going ahead of them as he leaned down slightly as he clasped his hands together to create a makeshift platform. Pointed eyes turning from them towards his hands as he motioned with his head to use it, silently communicating like he would on missions.
Looking back between his hands and his eyes, stepping forward with cautious and silent footsteps only to pause as their hand hovered over his shoulder as they let out a small sound that resembled a wobbling whine as mustered the courage with baited breath as they clung onto his shoulder for balance and placed their risen foot onto his palms as Megumi took initiative of lifting them into the air with a boost, meeting the top edge of the fence as they forced their arms to grasp it, using their upper body strength to pull themselves over the fence as they climbed with practiced ease. Hooking their legs over the wood one by one as they crawled as they sat atop of the fence only to descend onto their own two feet with a thump, the force sending them into a crouch as they stood up on their own two feet. Turning back to look up to the fence revealed Megumi closely behind, easily reaching over the fence and pulling himself across in a jump as he leaped across with incredible strength and landing perfectly onto his two feet, wiping away the dirt between his hands. A simple nod of appreciation was given towards Fushiguro, who reciprocated with his own.
“It’s about a 20 minute walk- And if you’re hungry, we could pick up a bite to eat at one of the nearby restaurants?” They suggested as they began light conversation between them as they took charge in leading the way, navigating through the corners of the empty streets of the late evening. At times getting distracted by the vendors or open stores with hangings adorned with bright lights that caught their attention down to the puddles that lined the streets as their feet occasionally met with the surface, resulting in a small splash of water. With their hands tucked behind their back as they walked, looking around the new environment with interest. Megumi was the opposite, keeping his eyes lowered as he stomped his way through the pavements and puddles, occasionally sending a bigger splash in their direction.
“What kind of food?” He blatantly asked with a perked brow, direct yet interested as he practically commanded the answers before him with his straightforward manner of speech. Head tilted slightly to the side in curiosity yet his expression said otherwise as he stared down at them with a permanent frown edged into his features that never quite left his face, a constant deadpan expression as though he were done with the world. Though in actuality, he was always straight to the point in conversation, he never tended to dwell on the details of talking to people whether it be through banter or jokes. Down to earth with a low voice that sounded deep, husky and monotone except when he was angry, that was when his voice reached new heights. It always had a certain edge to it as well, almost like a constant growl with how it sounded rough at times. It was surprising he didn’t get voice cracks.
“Hmm… Sadly, I gotta be careful with the budget- Ramen?” They initially took a pause as they concentrated on the direction as the two of them turned a corner down a street, remembering the various options of food but with Megumi and his tendency to avoid very greasy foods, Ramen would probably be the safest option out of the fast food restaurants given their healthier options. Plucking a strand of hair as they curled it around their finger in a spiral, careful consideration as they announced their conclusion of the best option for the two. Only for their finger to meet with their lips for a moment as they thought, pointing it towards Megumi as they made the suggestion to keep his attention.
“Sure. Sounds good.” He agreed but sounded bored as he quickly replied to their suggestion, looking away almost instantly as his frown became more prominent on his face as he stared at the ground with tense shoulders, his movements almost robotic with each step. Typically he was more casual in his movements, often keeping a straight face and rarely ever slouched forwards in his posture. Something was off about him, in fact they noticed the way his hands shuffled uncomfortably in his pocket as his thumbs hung out of the edge of his pockets, laid exposed to the outer weather as they he was preparing for something, the way his eyes shifted to their surroundings as though he were on guard and ready for an ambush due to the darkness and obscurity around them, uncomfortable.
“Hey Megs? You look a little… frustrated? More so than usual- …Are you sure you’re okay?” They debated whether or not to reach out for his shoulder to grab his attention, pausing for a moment to look back on him as he let out a sound of surprise as he nearly bumped into them, hardly paying attention to their proximity as he immediately backed away upon watching them lose their balance for a moment before steadying themselves. Sheepishly looking away as though he had been caught, lowering his gaze towards the floor with a calculative and measured look in deep thought as he contemplated whether or not to talk about the issue that had been bothering him. Once again, he went to scratch at his scalp in a nervous habit of his, only for him to dig into his skin until it bloomed a bright red and seemed a little painful. Only stopping from a nudge of their arm.
“I’m just wondering who was stupid enough to take Sukuna’s finger- Especially with storing it at a school…” He worried over the dangers, the weight of it all he pondered all the possibilities, sharing a guilty glance as he admitted his consciousness of anxiety and turmoil, stubbornness took a while to admit his truth. Despite his worry, he had valid concerns to feel the way he did with the expectations placed upon him. Though, he didn’t seek comfort or validation as he bit down on his lip almost unblinking eyes, serious. The fabric of his trousers tightened around his pockets as he balled his hands into tight fists, clenching the fabric between his fingers as he deeply exhaled in a hissed breath. His control over his anger momentarily slipped, though it sounded more painful as if he were suffering from a headache in which they could relate to, due to their sleep deprivation as they somehow handled a conversation.
“Do you think it was intentional?” They sought more knowledge on his thought process, pressing for more key information flowing through his head to spill it out for them to listen to, their presence serving as a mediator to his thought as he compiled and stitched them together into a coherent train of thought as he took to managing everything. The boy hated being led astray, hated being left in the dark or confused, if he didn’t know then it left him confused. His brain was still learning, he might be mature and logical in his arguments but at times he still needed to vent and someone to listen, with them being the person to do so since they were kids. They were much more quiet back then, with him being the more talkative of the two at the time as a young kid often came with curiosities of the world though he often just commented his thoughts or observations, which he still did every now and again though more so in a manner of communication nowadays.
“I don’t know- …But still, some idiot still took it- It’s dangerous!…” He took advantage of the outlet as he confided in them, letting his confusion and agitation all at once as he groaned into his fist. He looked as though he were about to puff off a cloud of steam from a roaring engine, exploding with a fiery temper that rivaled that of the Zenin. Clutching his head as he growled between his teeth as the pressure got to him emotionally, despite his typical display of detachment that was his nature. With him taking charge of the route as he approached a concrete stairway and stomped his way up with thundering footsteps that echoed into the night that were far too loud for their liking, having to quicken their pace to catch up on more exhausted limbs that hardly kept up as they were out of breath by the time they managed to catch up with him, grabbing ahold of his uniform as they took a fistful of fabric into their hand, pulling at it to grab his attention before he wandered off into who knew where.
He stopped upon feeling the tug, glancing down at them with a grimace on his face as the hair shadowed his face under the night sky, ashamed and guilty of his own grievances. Instinctively, he gripped their hand in turn, torn between shoving them away in a ruthless shove or keeping it there, choosing the ladder with hesitation as he couldn’t quite bring himself to let go of their touch as it served to ground him into the world. Holding tightly onto their wrist, squeezing it with a surprising amount of strength as he held onto their arm but never enough to hurt them. Slowly letting go of the uniform with the pace of a snail, looking away from his face as their mouth hung open to speak as a beat of sweat dripped down the side of their face from nervousness with faint rosy cheeks as they stood there embarrassed.
Not realizing they had taken action to grab him whilst sprinting after him in a chase, the frenzy turning off their sense of logic for boundaries, Megumi rarely liked being grabbed so roughly. He seemed surprised but he never relented either, simply holding their hand as he waited patiently for them to talk. They wanted to apologise for their behaviour, acting out of impulse but his eyes stared down at their hand with keen focus as he observed the scratches and light bruises on their skin, left behind from their fight, edged between a look of worry and sorrow. With a deep breath, they looked back with ferocity in their eyes as they reaffirmed the touch despite their trembling fingers as they held themselves together. Holding his hand in their own with a reassuring squeeze.
“Calm down! It was probably just some silly kid who doesn’t know what they’re doing. This happens all the time, I get it- Sukuna’s finger and all… But, sometimes people just mess around with stuff they shouldn’t… Besides, you’re more than capable of handling it- You’re taking solo missions on your own! Back then, it took me like… About a year to reach Grade 2? …You’re doing great!” They offered comforting words with a hasty and quick pace as they stumbled over their words as their voice struggled to form what they wanted to convey but managed to get the message across. Assuring him that he was doing a good job, that he was doing enough and everything he could considering his circumstances as he worked hard in his effort, gifted and skilled. Everything they’d come to know about him over the years, talented.
He would no doubt become a great sorcerer, even going as far as to exceed them when it took them years of training under their belt to get to where they were now and Megumi had only caught up in such a short time, he really had the potential. Gojo had admitted himself that Megumi could even potentially beat him some day with the technique at his arsenal, he had improved so much in recent times that no doubt he would one day become a Grade-1, even higher than that. In terms of potential, they were far outmatched as a student of Satoru Gojo. Besides, they had already gone through a majority of their training at Jujutsu as they doubted that they would manage to learn anything new in the upcoming year. They’d focus on their juniors and raising their potential instead.
“...Thanks- …Honestly, it’s weird… Jujutsu High is different from middle school, I can’t tell if I like it or not yet-” He was honest in his opinion, ebbed with confusion as he reminisced about the times of his previous school. Still adjusting to the changes that came with going to a private institute run by a council of superiors to protect the public majority of the population than a middle school student who would spend his days training for the day which had now become his everyday life. Changed from the young delinquent who would beat up every other person who pissed him off in some regards, with the many times they had been called to the school alongside Gojo due to the amount of suspensions Megumi had accumulated on his record, always going out for ice-cream afterwards.
“Wait- You miss all the attention from the ladies?- Ow!- Okay, I’m listening!- Jeez..” Teasing with a playful tone, only to be met with a smack on the back of their head, hard. A rather hard one as they whimpered and shielded their head with both hands from further damage, glaring back at the annoyed Fushiguro with a look that rivaled his own, huffing under their breath as they attempted to add additional humour to the conversation. It was practically common knowledge that Megumi had quite a few admirers, with some even going as far as to mail love letters to their apartment complex for valentines. With him patiently taking the time to read each other before Gojo got his grubby little fingers on them to tease him about his good looks and charms rubbing off on Megumi, going as far as to call him a bad boy. As pissed off as he got, he never laid a hand on Gojo knowing all too well it would lead to roughhousing to a full on battle. He never had the same luxury of physical touch as they did, despite how much they despised it.
“You’ve been hanging around Gojo too much… Still, I’m only a first year and everything's so different here… I know there’s a new girl who will be coming around soon- Besides that lessons are… Fine, training is going well and I dunno?- I guess I feel more independent? As independent as I can be considering the asshole is my teacher- You’re there too, I guess? It’s different from the apartment…” He retorted back before transitioning back to the conversation as he spoke openly about the change, slowly coming to embrace them as his new daily life. It was a massive adjustment to be fair, it took them some time as well. He shrugged as he took a step forward, checking back to see if they understood to press on forward, with them following close behind as they led the way towards the hotel with them falling back into their previous rhythm as they chatted between one another. With Megumi going on about the current state of his life, going through all the thoughts in his mind.
“You’ll get used to it eventually- …How are you handling that by the way? Being on your own?” Questioning his current responsibility in a curious tone. Rummaging through their pockets for their phone as they doubled checked the route ahead towards the hotel, noting the remaining distance as roughly over half way as they continued. They knew Megumi as being independent as he spent a majority of his time catering to his own chores or hobbies with him being more than capable of handling and taking care of himself in a new environment. Moving from his old run down apartment to a luxury one for a short while until he was accepted into Jujutsu where he laid his current accommodations, it could cause stress with learning how to live on your own as he always had someone there with him previously. Either Tsumiki or them being there to prepare a warm meal after school, wash his clothes when he wasn’t looking, handle grocery shopping and such.
“It’s nice… Can’t say I miss it though, I don’t have to deal with Gojo waking me up every morning now- I hated when he-” He seemed to reach a conclusion, a positive one as he admitted the hindrance that came with living him the adult man-child that was supposed to be responsible for his two students and only proving to be more immature than the ladder as he constantly brought havoc into their lives. The morning routine of Gojo becoming the alarm clock of the three of an early riser and exposing the two night owls to the morning sun by pulling back the blinds of their windows without remorse. He shrugged though there was an underlying smirk as he looked back and reflected on recent times, cheered up from his downer mood. Meaning they had succeeded in brightening up his day.
“Sang a musical number every morning and stared at you in the dead of night with glowing blue eyes? Me too, buddy- Me too… I still have to deal with it now and again-” They cut him off with an exaggerated explanation that was far too accurate as it had actually happened to them every day for a good amount of time. Embedded were the words of broken English as he screamed out good morning with a foreign as he attempted to turn it into some kind of musical. Their body visibly turned to jello as they slouched with hunched shoulders and an arched backside as they let out a long sigh of both disappointment and annoyance. It still happened when they were 5 minutes later than usual to get out of bed. At times, he even dragged them across the floor or picked them up and locked them in their walk-in closet until they finally got dressed and ready for the morning. Great motivation for every morning.
“Good luck with that- At least, I don’t have to deal with that anymore…” Agreeing with them, at least on terms that it was annoying to their daily lives, though he was far from sympathetic to their plight as he appeared amused from the realisation that he was free from such suffering, leaving them behind to face it alone. Shrugging, staring ahead with deadpan eyes that whispered hints of joy beneath the surface as he found satisfaction watching their face turned from defeat to one of betrayal. With their face falling straight first into their palms as they let out a muffled groan as they pinched and pulled at their cheeks in irritation, only to look even more defeated as they now adorned a frown on their face. Mindful of their phone as they shoved it back into their pocket, wiping at their eyes as they adjusted to the change in light as their pupils dilated.
“You left me behind to suffer!- Oh, that reminds me… Some of your stuff is still there…” They whined, snapping at him with a pointed finger in his direction only to transition quickly calm down into normal tone as the changes too dawned on them. Their knuckles meeting their lips as they leaned against it for support due to the drooping of their lidded eyes, practically falling asleep at the seams as they thought back to the a small box tucked away of one of the bookshelves lining the living room behind a few figures to keep it out of immediate view as anything out of place always caught Gojo’s eye and his knack for privacy was almost nonexistent. He’d go through the entire box, pull out the old 3Ds he had stored who knew where and erase all the saves on the cartridges just to get a taste of Megumi’s games as he also enjoyed the genres. So much progress was lost thanks to that man, they still mourned the loss of their beloved Pokemon X save file.
“My games, yeah- I left them in a box in the living room- …He better not have gone through it- …Do you think you can bring it over next time?” Asking for them to bring the remainder of his belongings would mean Megumi had officially moved out for real, that he was finally leaving the nest for the first time. Of course, without missing a beat he took a shot at Gojo with the same detached and monotone voice of his. It was a strange thought, one they too were adjusting too themselves not in a sense of living together but rather that soon, Megumi would no longer be the kid who would spend every afternoon of school playing video games with them, the movie nights with Gojo on the weekends, no more tedious homework to get through and especially no more sleepovers when the two couldn’t sleep due to their shared insomnia and simply just spending time together. They were going to miss it, though times had to change.
“If I remember this conversation by the time I wake up, definitely. I don’t think he’s gone through it, it’s mainly just your Nintendogs, Zelda and Pokemon games right?- It was all there last I checked-” Humming in thought, closing their eyes as they paused their internal monologue in favour of fact checking their memories. Tasked with keeping an eye on his belongings, a guard dog over Megumi’s collection hadn’t slipped into Gojo’s fortunately. Which was a miracle in itself as they pondered their memories for answers. Going through each individual copy from Majora’s mask to the latest release of Pokemon Ultra Moon, he had them all and played them for hours when he was on the go or simply laying in bed.
The two used to play together, and when they were just getting into Pokemon for the first time; Megumi was there to teach them the ropes as the two would spend hours trading, leveling, hunting, catching and progressing through challenges together. Staying as long as possible until Gojo told them it was time to go home. It was nostalgic for them, some of the best memories they had for what remained of their childhood.
“Yeah, did you see the latest announcement by the way?- …For Pokemon, I mean-” He wasn't the only one reminded of such things as the subject of games seemed to bring up his more niche interests, taking on a friendlier undertone beneath the roughness of his voice as he brought it up. They didn’t miss the way his eyes lit up, looking forward to the upcoming release within the next few months. The man absolutely adored the games, to a point he played Pokemon go on the daily and taking every chance he got to spin pokestops whenever he was out on missions. They had caught him once or twice as an upperclassman, Gojo told them to guide Megumi in terms of training despite the fact that they were just doing his dirty work for missions he didn’t want to go on. They weren’t even difficult, more tedious than anything but it did improve their collaboration together as it was the real deal rather than training, so it was something beneficial.
“Pokemon Let's go? The one where you pick Pikachu and Eevee! Yeah, you sent me the trailer! Remember?” They perked up a brow in intrigue, tilting their head slightly to the side as their hair swayed in the wind behind them. Remembering the message as it had no context, only the link he expected them to watch with no additional commentary or reaction as the dry texter he was. No doubt he was looking forward to it though as he cleared his throat into his sleeve, pretending as though he were just as before despite the way he rose as his paid his full attention to them with forward eye contact and standing up straight as he stared them down with lifeless dark blue eyes, like a deep blue ocean with layers and monsters never seen, depths that had yet to be explored with potential. The slight squint of his lower eyelid that was almost missable upon a first glance was obvious to them, it was impossible to see unless you knew where to look on Fushiguro.
“Keep your schedule clear on release day. …Also, which copy are you going for? So I can preorder it from the store.” Without missing a beat, he demanded that they clear their schedule for the day with what could be interpreted as excitement. Going as far as to prepare months in advance for the journey just to receive the game, an important mission that required the utmost attention as he laid the groundwork, serious as he commanded it. There would be no escaping it, when Megumi spoke with such intent as his words were final. They could only hold their hands up in surrender under the scrutiny in his eyes, as though they had been caught doing something nefarious or illegal. Only for them to fall awkwardly hanging to their sides, folded elbows as they held their hands hovered in front of their chest. Their oversized sleeves dangling from the folds.
“Eevee, obviously. It’s okay, I’ll pay-” They were cut off by their own lips letting out a desperate cry for help in the form of a yelp that almost sounded like a goat. As they were sent scrambling forward with two left feet, shot forward by a few footsteps ahead by the force of a shove on the back of their head that nearly sent them pummeling to the ground. Their arms reached out in front of them to brace for impact, only to find balance at the last second as they stood there awkwardly with their arms stretched out in front of them, their head turning back towards Megumi with a look of betrayal from the rough push. Sadness lingered in their eyes as Megumi only walked past them like nothing had happened, ignoring the look on their face as he continued with his arm retreating back into his pocket like none of it had ever happened. Pretending as though he had done nothing.
“No. And don’t tell Gojo, he’ll make a scene…” Megumi rolled his eyes, direct as he made certain that there would be no involvement of Gojo, the incident of last time still fresh in his memory as he took them all around Shibuya to all the designer retailers just earlier that summer for a fresh wardrobe for the upcoming school year. He shifted slightly to accommodate the new weight pushing at his side, with the other charging with all their might as they attempted to knock him over, to send him spiralling to the ground as they rammed their body against him. They weighed practically nothing to him as his strength far surpassed theirs as all it took was him wrapping his arm around their shoulders to keep them at bay, pinned between his side as he moved on without a second thought. He had been pounced on, ambushed yet he didn’t spare any reaction.
It was like roughhousing in a schoolyard as they struggled and flailed to release the pressure on their shoulders, using their free hand to push at the cheek closest to them as it squished his face and pushed the flesh further upwards as it hindered his view. He grabbed their wrist with the other hand, pulling away from his face as they squirmed under his grip to break free as they fought back. Only to get reprimanded by Megumi as he snuck up on them, sending a finger flying towards the tip of their nose as it flung with a lingering sting. They hissed with a slight jolt as he let out an amused hum at their misery, finding joy in their pain as he let out a small chuckle. A foot sent flying towards the back of his shin did little to nothing in damaging the muscles in his legs as it neither hindered his movements as they dragged them alongside him by the shoulder unwillingly.
Biting down on their cheek, using the bones of their elbow and careful precision; They took another attempt at elbowing Megumi in the stomach in a direct attack, with Megumi’s arm coming to block it as he braced for the impact. Though, to his surprise it had been a ruse as his loosened grip allowed them to slip away from his hold as he slowly drew away on instinct, shrugging off his arm became child’s play as he knocked it off, glaring at him weakly with a dirty look for daring to do such a thing to them, above violence at that point onwards as they huffed angrily in his direction. He might surpass them in terms of strength, but when it came to diversions and agility, they were the superior. They were known as nimble and speedy, agile and it came to their advantage when Megumi glared back at them with disinterest at having lost his chance, competitive in nature.
“My lips are sealed!- Sheesh!- …How much longer is this walk? I don’t know how much longer my legs can carry me for…” Promising they would keep to their word with a false commitment as inevitably, he too would catch on to their plans in some way and join in. Only to falter as they groaned into the palm of their hand with their other crossed over their chest, hissing as their mind felt as though sandpaper were scratching across a metallic surface in a grinding motion, letting out sparks and a horrible noise that were grunts and buzzes. Their legs wobbled to keep up the balance of their weight as they struggled to remain upright due to the fatigue plaguing them, a finger dusting away the residue in their eyes as it built up in time. Breathing faintly yet heavily in pants, having pushed themselves a little too far with their altercation with Fushiguro, though not wanting to admit it quite aloud as they voiced their complaints in a drawn out manner.
Megumi spared them a look, glancing back with what looked to be concern as he took in their full appearance. A look he was all too familiar with due to their tendency to overwork themselves to a point of exhaustion, a knowing look of calculation as he memorised their mannerisms during these periods to determine whether or not they were going to pass out. To be fair, they did look like absolute shit with frazzled hair with a leaf that they had failed to notice up to that point, with him having to pluck it carefully from their strands of hair. Tossing it aside, he silently wrapped his arm around their shoulder once more with a small touch of warning as they went tense for a moment, yet didn’t back away as they allowed him to remain where he was, offering to share the burden as he pulled them against his side in a slow pace as he guided them in the direction of the hotel despite it feeling like they had been walking for miles despite it realistically being a singular one.
“We’re already here, bird brain.” Announcing they had arrived at their destination as they came to a sudden stop after walking just a few steps down the narrow street corner from the staircase, his aid was superficial as he only helped them at the end rather than midway through as they had reached the end all too quickly, making it redundant and pointless. Pulling it all together with a hurtful nickname as well to hone in the point, his unique way of calling them an idiot rather than the classical labels such as moron, stupid, fool or dingus with the bird motif and all. Their hands that had previously reached to grab their phone dropped to their face as they slapped themselves with a pained moan, slumping as they wailed into their hands at the irony of the situation as they came to realise that Megumi was simply making sure they didn’t collapse from their own stupidity than kindness. They could only look back at him, appalled with an agape jaw and mourning eyes.
The entrance of the hotel stood in all its glory, multiple stories piled atop each other in a towering height of collectively 8 floors to house all the residents within. Bolstering its presence with a bright neon sign that announced the name of the business of the very creative name of Hotel Haven that sparked with creativity. Holding onto traditional values in its architecture as well as modern ones as it stood with solid wooden beams to hold up the structure, a canopy of sweeping tiled curved eaves in the shape of a standard roof that one would see in shrines or old buildings. Instead of the customary red that many were familiar with, it took on one of blue with glossy windows painted elegantly with koi and waves in a classical art style. White was its complementary colour, as most of the walls were freshly painted with its hue in contrast from the dark blue meant to tie in an oceanic theming with it. Hanging from the canopy were windchimes that looked like the aforementioned fish, alongside 2 statues at the front with it.
It was quaint, worn despite it’s fresh coat of paint as many of the spots revealed the old look of the building as they missed a few spots, not only that but the paint had clearly gotten into places outside of the designated area with some areas being covered with the paint like the lower walls with intricate designs on the front having a few messed up areas. Though, it only added to its charm in a retrospective as it gave it a more homemade feeling than it being professionally done, a family run business than some corporate cheap place. Megumi tended to prefer places such as these for their services and quality due to the peace that came with them, not only that but he found to have greater experiences there than a maxed out place that housed far too many drunkards and tourists for his liking when it came to missions such as his, an opinion they too shared as places such as this tended to be more subtle and reasonable in terms of making business with Jujutsu High. Perhaps due to the high pay that came with taking care of the students or simply being humble.
Either way, the process of getting Jujutsu High to contact the hotel to cover the expenses, arrange a room and such was way too long. Especially with the time being beyond a reasonable hour, they would feel bad getting in contact with Ijichi or Yaga to handle the case for them and so, the proposed easier solution presented itself with a wallet, their own hard earned cash or whatever savings they had left over from Gojo’s wallet, whichever perspective they preferred to save them the mental turmoil as they would use that money to acquire a place for Megumi to sleep for the night as the boy most likely would be sleeping on a park bench, since he was underage to be booking accommodations in the first place. And it wasn’t the first time that had transpired either.
“Oh… Thank you for pointing it out, you angsty teen-” A small sound of disappointment escaped them as they came to terms of the entrance, standing there in its menacing glory as they braced themselves for social interaction as they danced their thumbs across each other in front of their chest, attempting to playfully tease Megumi in the process with clenched teeth and squinted eyes with their tone was more stutters and mumbles than a concrete insult. Their palms began to sweat with an accelerated heart rate as a strange sensation of adrenaline coursed through their veins, anxiety. All bark yet no bite as Megumi failed to respond to them with words, yelping as their feet dragged across the floor with levitated heels as they were lifted across by their shoulders as Megumi brought them inside towards the sliding doors.
A scratching noise left behind their feet that clung desperately to the ground as they tried to flee, clawing their way out like a feline until they were stopped dead in their tracks by the eyes of a judging receptionist as they scrambled to compose themselves. Rigid movements like a robot as they made slow yet cautious steps towards the receptionist’s desk composed of bricks and plain old wood with warped edges, housing multiple brochures in clear stands and random assortment of pens. With realistic vivid green plants in glazed vases adorning the corners of the lobby, tattered and well used sofas lined the walls in a linear fashion with complimenting coffee tables with random magazines in a messy pile. The floors were stained with marks of time ranging from wine spills engraved into the wood to small indents of torn pieces that left cracks remaining.
The carpet matches the interior with its condition, stained yet well-kept and maintained as the lingering marks were fainter than the ones on the wooden floor. Atop the desk was an old monitor accompanied by a mouse and keyboard with fading keys. The receptionist occupying the desk was a young female, staring at them with deadpan eyes that looked as though she were done with the world and her job, shoved into the night shift against her will to deal with everything. Black short wavy hair with cotton-candy pink dyed tips, sharp and piercing hazel brown eyes and lightly tanned skin with hooped and different kinds of studs in a flashing silver, a wooly black tank top and a pair of jeans that made her stand out from the traditional setting. She looked more like an intern or teenager handling the reigns until the more familiar elders took over the place, maybe a niece or grandchild taking on extra cash or something as she looked far too young to be handling a job for the quota of a night shift.
Nudging them forward, encouraging them to take a hesitant step towards the desk as they gulped down the lump in their throat. A deep breath in preparation as they faked their way with confidence as they strutted forward in a bluff. Upon closer observation, if one were to look at their hands covered under their sleeves, the wrinkles revealed their hand to be gripping their other wrist in a death grip as it twitched under the weight of it all. A presence hovering behind them like an intimidating shadow, peer pressuring them to go through with arranging a room for him as his eyes stared deep into the crevices of their soul like a hungry beast feasting on every inch of their humility. Having let go of their shoulders in favour of swaying a hip to the side with an arm perched atop, meeting the eyes of the receptionist with a matching glare as their eyes met with each other in a contest to see who would recede first. Only to be interrupted with an awkward cough that came from their mouth, calling the attention of the teenagers in the room.
“Uhm- …H- Hello! I’d like to book a room for… Me, and my… Son?- …For the night? If that’s okay with you?...” Despite the similarities in their circumstances and personality, there were many stark differences in their appearance that made it blatantly obvious that neither they or Megumi were related by any means, a pitiful attempt at misdirection and deception. It would be a miracle if they rolled well on the perception check, with a fake story and identity as they took on the role of fugitives at the dead of night rather than Jujutsu Sorcerers. It was evident given their confused tone that they had no idea of what they just asked was reality, in a delirium of slurred speech as they mumbled their way through a question with flushed cheeks festered from embarrassment as they looked back to Megumi for help. With widened eyes that they had fumbled so badly in the first request, asking for help in their dying need. Biting down on their lip as they looked like they could fall apart at any moment.
“What?... I’m not your-” He leaned in close to whisper, the temporary shock wearing off as he confronted them with a yelling hushed tone in their eardrums as he bit back the anger in his voice. They could only be left to imagine the look of sheer disappointment on his face with a shadow, glaring eyes with twitching eyelids as a vein popped out of his forehead. He sounded baffled, confused by their sudden decision to proclaim to be his legal guardian as the orphans they were. Cringing from his voice, they feigned composure with a nervous chuckle as a pause of silence was left between them as they tilted their head slightly with their cringed expression of clenched teeth, blushing cheeks and narrow eyes.
“Work with me here!-” They whisper-yelled in return, leaning back to signal that they were secretly conversing despite the looks of the receptionist who looked far too done to be dealing with the two of them, just wanting them to be done and leave. Feeling as though they could melt into a puddle of misery and sorrow on the floor and drown in their own tears, begging for Megumi’s compliance to keep up the makeshift charade. Bringing a nail towards their lip as they bit down on the hardened skin as it tore itself apart under the intensity of their bite, slowly ripping it apart in tethers to cope with the rush of anxiety that felt akin to needles pressing down on every inch of their organs in sharp pricks that harbored their breathing and only sent their heart rate spiraling as they felt back the primal urge to run on their two feet towards the nearest train station out of Sendai to never be seen again.
“Uh- …Yeah, this is definitely my parental figure-” He admittedly wasn’t the greatest actor, he had ever been taught the ways of deceit or manipulation as he preferred honesty and truth, which meant that the boy very rarely lied and when he did, he was terrible at it. The boy could not tell a lie even if his livelihood depended on it, from the ways he shifted on his feet to the way he coughed forcibly into his wrist that sounded all too fake as he too stood stiff beside them with a bead of sweat rolling down his face, matching theirs. He seemed to be trying to send a friendly smile towards the receptionist though looked more like a sadistic one than anything due to his clenched teeth and twitching lips from a lack of use as he rarely ever smiled if at all. They either looked like really awkward socially anxious teenagers or simply suspicious suspects who were trying to get away from a crime they just committed due to how roughed up they looked, it was not a particularly good picture to be painting.
They were met with another pause as they awaited the receptionist's response to conclude whether or not she had shed tears at their Oscar winning performance and they had yet to pull the sympathy card from their deck with a tragic backstory in mind and all for extra pity points if necessary. The tension in the room was palpable, so much so that one could carve a statue out of their likeness by cutting it with the right tools. With them staying still as models, it made for an exceptional reference as the only movement they allowed was the faint rising of the other's chest or their eyes darting back and forth at each other with them taking turns on catching eye contact as if it were some really strange game between them. The receptionist even joined in as they all began to stare at each other to catch all the looks they were sharing, though she didn’t share the enthusiasm as she leaned against the desk with an elbow propped up.
Normally in situations like these, Megumi would step up and take the lead in social interactions as he was more down to earth in socialising with people as though it were simply a mundane task to complete, without the trials or errors that came with them. It was either him or their mentor who became a meat shield for them to hide behind, avoiding even the smallest portions of eye contact as they clung behind their companion with fleeting glances. They would much rather take Megumi’s smacks to the back of their head or Gojo’s teasing than whatever was going on in the moment, as the adult in the circumstances it was up to them to take charge without having to rely on Megumi or anyone for once. They had to take responsibility and stay true to their promises, even if it seemed impossible. Even if it was far out of their comfort zone that left them shaking in their boots more than facing a life or death situation in conflict with a curse.
“Right… We have some rooms available so I can go ahead and book you in- You’ll have to sign some papers as well, I’ll hand over the keys after payment-” She didn’t seem to buy the whole Parent-child excuse with a roll of her eyes but they had certainly made progress as she had enough in dealing with them and gave them the benefit of the doubt, sliding over some empty documents that gave them liability of any property damages, no nefarious actions, theft and such which was reasonable. As well as some personal information pertaining to their date of birth, address and contact information and a signature to prove their identity and legally sign the binding contract that came with booking a hotel room. Pinching a pen towards their direction as its trajectory sent it flying straight towards their face, the receptionist became alarmed at his miscalculation and went to remedy her mistake before it was too late to come into contact with their face. Though, their reflexes acted before they could think twice as they swiped it midair with a flip of their fingers as it landed safely nestled in their palm, turning towards the page as the receptionist watched on, impressed.
Like clockwork, in their dominant hand as they wrote down and filled in the information with memorised ease, diligently and swiftly as all the empty boxes were quickly answered with the required criteria. By the time the receptionist had managed to pull out the card reader, struggling to keep up with their pace as they had completed all the monotonous work and slid it back across the desk towards her, pulling out their card and dragging it across due to the contactless function as went through the authorisation process, only to be quickly approved. They hadn’t even noticed the poor receptionist as she dove under the desk for the keys, they had only wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and caused this teenager the whiplash as the payment went through.
“Thank you very much, enjoy your stay!-” She held out the card to their face with a look of panic as she registered that she narrowly missed the window of acceptable time by her standards, letting out a sigh of relief as the keys were yoinked from her hands. Announcing the same etiquette that came with welcoming a customer into a store, used to having to repeat it everyday with experience as despite her breathlessness, she spoke confidently and clearly. The pair quickly reciprocated with quick gestures of gratitude as they bowed in respect in her direction before immediately booking it for the elevator, with Megumi maintaining his composure as he stared at the shut metal doors with vengeance as he slammed the call button in a spamming motion as though it would make it go any quicker. When it eventually arrived, the two practically shoved themselves against the walls as they collectively slumped and let out the long exhales that they had been holding since the beginning of the interaction, suffocating from a lack of oxygen.
They almost collapsed onto their knees as they cried out in relief, shoving their face into their overcoat’s collar to hide the lower half on their face as their bangs fell to the front of their head, serving as cover for their eyes as they gripped the keycard in their hands and information pamphlet with a hastily written room number and check out time for the early morning. Megumi too, slumped against the railing as he ran a hand through his sea urchin hair as he pulled the strands from his scalp in a long motion as it dragged between his fingers. They had managed to get it over with, complete the mission in success but it didn’t feel like any kind of victory to celebrate as the two perished by the fates of embarrassment that was now their shared coffin. They didn’t even know where to begin, should they apologise? Or should they pretend as though it never happened.
“How the fuck did that work?…” The idea of pretending it never happened went straight out the window as he spoke out bewildered in disbelief, staring down at his hands at the power he now held in his hands. Either that or he was in such shock that only the sensation and sight of his calloused hands would bring him back to reality as they shook with nerves, his mouth agape and locked. Words couldn’t describe what they saw, it was unlike any face they had seen from Megumi before that rivalled one of Gojo’s silliest faces as Megumi’s look of pure terror left imprints in their mind from how clear the image was. They didn’t even know it was possible until this very moment, right there before their eyes. Filled with doubt as they debated whether or not to reach out a hand to pull him back into reality or comfort him as he stood there, unblinking. Such a humorous moment would’ve been caught in their image gallery if they weren’t feeling the exact same in that moment.
“I have no fucking idea-” They mumbled into the fabric in a sob, shaking their head to clarify that they too were suffering the same fate as they could only look down at the loose lace of their boots that had yet to be tied. Their world view had taken a turn and they weren’t certain they would recover properly from the embarrassment they felt, never had they been so humiliated in their life and that was a statement considering they lived and breathed the same as Gojo Satoru. They wanted to apologise for their actions, sincerely as if the intention was honest and genuine, the lingering thought of being Megumi’s parent and the trials that came with raising the boy was no burden they wished to take on in any circumstance. As much as they cared for the boy, raising an infant was not on their life’s schedule and never would be.
Just like earlier, without another word as they processed it all mentally. Megumi took to looking at the information leaflet and entering the corresponding floor with the button as the machinery worked its way to pull them upwards towards their destination, the floor humming beneath their feet as the gravity shifted as they went against the laws of the world. They could only burrow their face so much into their collar as they waited, Megumi following suit as he leaned further against the rail and propped his feet atop of one another with crossed feet, following with his arms as he glared down at the wall at anywhere but their direction. Their faces were as bright as a field of tomatoes, feeling both second and first hand embarrassment for themselves and each other, silently sympathising with the other’s plight.
Neither of them budged an inch from their positions until they heard the toll of the bell that signalled their release from their confinements as their slow yet cautious steps turned to the first person who could race down the hallway and beat the other into getting inside the room first as they sprinted down the narrow corridors with alarming speed. Reaching the door that would become their temporary sanctuary, scanning their card across the handle as it unlocked. Opening the door in a slow motion as it revealed itself to have a cozy atmosphere within, alluring them to the sense of sleep as they were drawn in on the siren's call, the first thing catching their eye was the lowered twin sized white bed frame. Slipping off their shoes without a care as they jumped onto the bed that wasn’t even theirs as the plopped headfirst into the soft plush fabric, their body immediately relaxing on the spot as though it were a luxurious spa as their body thanked them for the rest it was now granted as their dark vision nearly sent them to sleep in an instant. Only to groan upon hearing Megumi’s approaching footsteps, rolling over on the sheets to look up and meet his disapproving eyes.
In a more respectable manner, Megumi took the time to line up their shoes at the doorway and sit at the bottom of the bed rather than take up the majority of the space. Though, he didn’t speak up to complain as although it was his sleeping arrangements, they were the ones who made it possible in the first place to have a good place to sleep. They looked fairly exhausted as well, or rather like a sleep deprived college student that lacked their primary source of energy that came with a caffeine addiction. He softened as he fell back in the sheets to join them as they shared the top covers and space with one another, letting out a sigh as he went to brush the strands of hair in front of their face that revealed their lidded and tired eyes, the clear bags under their eyes that he hadn’t managed to focus on as it became evident that the situation was more stress inducing than they originally claimed, taking a massive toll on them as they fell apart at the seams. He’d lecture them if it weren’t for them clearly trying to rest in that moment, they looked sapped and drained of all their energy.
Megumi didn’t stay long as he allowed them their momentary peace before bothering them about the food arrangements they had yet to make, watching them curl atop of the sheets in a fetal position, shutting their eyes. Taking the opportunity to inspect the security of the room for any possible hidden cameras and the general hygiene of the room as he double checked all the ornaments arranged in the room. The smoothed out white sheets had become somewhat wrinkled under the weight of the person occupying it, mounted pillows with firm and clean covers which were soft to the touch yet cheap quality as it scratched under his nails. A basic wooden frame, two bedside tables with one of them holding a phone to call room service and the other having a kettle to make teas in a tray from various types, sugars and long life milk in small plastic containers.
Above the bed was a painting that matched the general theme of Koi with the fish swimming in a pond, highly rendered with impeccable detail with bubbles flowing from the mouths to the gradients in the water, how the motion in the art flowed nicely together and blended perfectly with the acrylic texture. Wooden beams supported the interior of the room, yellow tinted wallpaper that bounced the warm light across the room that resembled a common room within a home. Everything was low towards the floor, even the chair leading towards the table had short legs. There were other amenities such as a bathroom with a cluttered shower and toilet seat crammed into a corner, long wardrobes dragging across the wall and a small tv that probably broadcasted game shows or the news with limited range. It seemed like an older model, meaning it likely didn’t have access to Netflix, unfortunately.
The view from the window wasn’t anything impressive as it only displayed the surrounding streets of Sendai with lights shining through the blinds. It was distracting but it wasn’t enough to warrant complaining, especially after the incident. Though it did come with free soap, towels, dressing gown, extra pillows and even a menu to order from that was likely just microwave food they warmed up and served to the patrons. It was over all just an average hotel experience, but it was certainly nice with its calm atmosphere and charm. It was rather small in size, with limited space between the furniture and thin walls but given how quiet it was, there would be no issue in falling asleep as he came to his judgement. Noticing how knocked out his companion was, half-asleep on the bed. He took it upon himself to find a spot as he stretched out across the frame opposite to them, leaning back against the backrest that came with a lump of a pillow as he pulled out his phone from his pockets for the first time in a while as he began to skim through his notifications.
An ambience of Pokemon Go filled the room as the boy went to check to see if there were anything worth collecting ranging from stops, gyms or rare encounters, only to find a Rattata and a Pidgey as the nearest creatures to him. Ultimately useless, with him having completed their dex entries and a fully evolved Pidgeot with good stats as he turned off the game, answering a few leftover messages that he had previously left on read as he opened up a food delivery app on his phone to place an order with the nearest orders, with trusty Google giving him the address of the hotel. It didn’t take long for him to find the ramen restaurant they had been talking about with good reviews and cheap foods, not that he cared about the price as he wouldn’t give them the choice of paying as they had paid for the room, the least he could do to repay their kindness was buy them food out of courtesy.
He decided on getting himself a Miso Ramen bowl, a base of miso broth filled with noodles, sides of pork, bean sprouts and butter corn as his regular order from ramen stands due to it’s lightweight and the textures blending together nicely in a rich yet mild taste that wasn’t anything bland but nothing with an extreme kick of spice or oils. Though as the one who’d be purchasing the food, he decided to impulsively indulge in a craving from the side menu as he selected a portion of Vegetable gyoza for himself, going with a basic drink of canned water as his main options. He turned towards his upperclassman in a slow motion, gently resting his hand on their shoulder as he shook them from their drowsy state. Watching on as their eyes fluttered open, a muffled groan escaping them as they wiped at their tired sensitive eyes coming into contact with the light, refusing to budge from their spot as they nestled further into the blankets with an open eye maintaining eye contact with him, meaning he had their attention albeit silently.
“What do you want to eat?” He would’ve preferred a more clear response as he let go of their shoulders, glaring down at them expectantly as he crossed one of his arms over his chest, his head finding the pillow once more. Straightforward in his approach though it still took them a long pause to reply as they processed and thought carefully on what they wanted, a hand slipped out from the resting spot as they motioned for him to hand over the phone for them to browse. Yawning as they crawled to meet the distance as he reached the phone over into their awaiting hands, flopping back into the sheets as they scrolled through the menu in silence, only to pick their option manually without his input. Going for their usual styled bowl that he could’ve probably predicted, with them adding it into the basket. They didn’t hand it back immediately for him to proceed with the payment either, a hum of thought as they pressed a button to look through the menu once more.
“...Shouldn’t we get Gojo something to eat?- I didn’t make dinner…” It was hardly above a whisper, mumbling and quiet in a lousy sluggish tone. Still struggling to adjust their eyes as they had to wipe block the light with their other hand like a visor. Even in such a fatigued state, they found themselves thinking of others as it was often them who came home early enough to prepare a warm meal for Gojo to come back to after a long shift of the day. Without them to maintain the house, they were far behind on their chores or even preparing a meal, not that they were in any state to do so in the first place. Their face looked almost sad, guilty with a small frown and glossy bloodshot eyes, furrowed brows only communicated the emotions further like puppy dog eyes. Given Gojo was probably their ride home, a payment was in order in the form of food. What was more difficult was placing an order for their mentor as he switched his tastes for ramen constantly. One week, he’d be down for the occasional spicy bowl to give him a certain kick and test his tolerance. The other, he preferred the basics or copied one of them, others he went for the richest and creamiest broths they had.
And that wasn’t even mentioning the dessert menu, if Megumi thought he was picky with his avoidance of greasy foods. Not being able to decide on a meal order in approximately 5 minutes made someone even pickier than him, as every time the two had gone out with their mentor to a restaurant for a meal. It took over 15 minutes alone for him to decide on the meal without any additional toppings or sides, the dessert menu was a completely different story as he ordered everything he could get his hands on to satisfy his sweet tooth. Which had unfortunately rubbed off on his companion as they ended up developing one after sharing many of Gojo’s treats over the years, though it was far more mild than his.
“Awhh~ How thoughtful!- …I think I’ll go with~” The third voice boomed right into the canal of their eardrums with an extremely loud volume in a mischievous tone, cut off as a phone was flung in his direction directly towards his face as the startled student began to wail and flail around with a scream that pierced sound barriers with fright, having a visceral reaction to his sudden appearance as they failed to act on their flight instinct that screamed danger to their state of sudden awakening, filled with alarm as they fell off the bed with a thump right at his feet. Widened eyes and dilated pupils as the air escaped their lungs from the collision, almost as though they were a goat that had collapsed from a sudden scare. Staring at him, confused and baffled as they couldn’t find the words to speak coherently as he caught the phone with his technique, floating directly in front of him as he held it in place, only widening his smile as he greeted them.
“Thank you!~” Expressing his gratitude as he plucked the phone from it’s pause in gravity, taking the spot they had previously occupied as he flopped down next to Megumi on the bed as he rested his head against the pillow as he pulled up a portion of the blindfold to read through the options of the menu, casual as he crossed his legs with his shoes on the bed. His other hand reached for the scruff of his students collar as he pulled them back onto the bed with ease, akin to holding a kitten as he placed them on the edge of the bed. Shifting slightly to make more room between them as he pressed against Megumi who up to that point hadn’t been too pleased with Gojo barging in without warning. With his student finding refuge next to his legs, who had only just processed Gojo in the room with them as they fell back onto the twin sized bed now housing three people, forced to take a perch as they laid their head atop his knees and closed their eyes, quickly accepting the reality and wanting nothing more than to sleep in that moment.
“Really?- …You couldn’t even bother to knock or something?-” Asking a redundant question that wouldn’t come with a clear answer, more out of sassiness than a genuine question as he scoffed at Gojo’s shoulder glazing his own as he pulled away in a snap of a finger. Puffing out his chest as he rolled over on the bed, facing the window as he crammed up as much free space as he could to avoid contact with the other as Gojo took a mass amount of space on the bed in the centre with his classmate somehow managing to rest atop of his legs like it was the best sleeping spot around, appalled at such an idea. Letting out an irritated huff when he finished the sentence, holding back the urge to kick at his legs as he normally would due to the circumstances. Holding an incredible amount of attitude, directed at Gojo as he took his accumulated frustration out on the source of his problems.
“Why?~ Were you both having an in depth conversation about the culinary arts of ramen?” Wiggling his fingers in a teasing manner despite Megumi turning away from him, he couldn’t help but tease with a cunning smile and gleaming eyes as poked at Megumi’s exposed cheek. Only to be quickly swiped at like a fly, with the teenager burrowing his face into his pillow with his hands shielding his face from further assault. He chuckled lightheartedly at the reaction, not intending further harm or anger as he quickly withdrew with a knowing look in his eyes as he turned his attention back towards the screen whilst he awaited his students' reply. Knowing all too well that he was overdue for one of Megumi’s lectures about respect and privacy, and especially about annoying him directly. Even though the boy was the one to contact him, demanding that he come as soon as possible to pick up his other student and giving him their precise location to show up at. Ironic.
“No. Doesn’t mean you can come barging in and make a ruckus… The neighbours probably heard them screaming….” He grumbled as the last thing he wanted was to get kicked from the hotel room, reasoning with Gojo with akin to talking to a brick wall that refused to budge an inch like immovable force. The words went through one ear and out the next as he gripped the sheets of the bed with tension, scrunching up the perfectly ironed quilts with wrinkles in the fabric, letting out an irritated huff as he did so. Curling up his legs more towards as far as he could manage without the possibility of falling off the edge of the bed as Gojo spread his legs in all the cardinal directions, with two teenagers and an adult crammed onto a twin sized bed that hardly allowed both him and his upperclassman to lay comfortably, it was even worse with him in tow. Gritting his teeth in regret of even contacting him on their behalf, even as an act of kindness, had its virtues.
“Awhh~ Don’t be like that, Gumi!~ No harm in a little fun! Besides, look! All sleepy!~” He cooed in a hum, hooking his arm around the student’s shoulders through burrowing his arm between the pillow and his body, forcing the offending student to his side as he nudged the resting student on his leg with the other free one. Demonstrating that they were in no state to be completely bothered by their shenanigans, likely due to yesterday’s fiasco. Even though their resting spot had been disturbed, falling off their spot with a limp head as their face planted into the sheets below with a muffled noise of discontent. They didn’t bother to relent, opting to nuzzle their face into the soft sheets that smelled like a floral air freshener, Febreeze. Only for Gojo to simultaneously rest his foot atop their sleeping form as a footrest, pointing at them with his finger as they paid no mind to the sudden weight that would normally send shivers down their spine, delirious to a point that they hadn’t properly rendered his touch.
“Just shut up-” Not too keen on the display as he rolled his eyes and shoved away Gojo’s arm, watching on as it flew into the air and landed back at his side with a plop. Turning back to his previous position on the bed, leaving Gojo alone to pout with a moody and angsty teenager at his side and the normally responsible one for resolving their bickers was a sleep deprived mess that hardly remained conscious at his feet. Puckering his lips in a frown as he swiped through the dessert menu for some kind of sweet treat to lighten up his mood from the sour taste left in his mouth from Megumi’s words. Deciding that the best combination with his option of Tonkotsu ramen was matcha flavoured ice cream and ice cream flavored Mochi’s to make up for it, the thought alone of such a delicacy was enough for him to wiggle his fingers in excitement as he added them to the rising price of the kart.
He was met with a weak punch on his lower thigh as someone finally decided to open their eyes after their momentary retrieve of rest, something triggering their awakening as they glared at Gojo through lidded eyes with murderous intent, staring daggers into his visible eye with fierce intensity for someone who was practically asleep a minute ago. Perhaps they were simply exhausting their energy as a last ditch attempt to discipline Gojo for his actions, who was far too aware of his guilty status as he feigned innocence with a curious tilt of his head, beckoning them to come closer with a pat on his leg to indicate that there was a free spot right there. Instead they opted to grab his leg and swing it over towards his other legs, effectively closing the gap between his legs as they crawled their upper half slightly to outstretch some more as they used their arms as a headrest.
Seizing the opportunity, Gojo decided to flip himself over as he flopped onto his stomach as he bounced the mattress beneath him, the squeaky springs complaining in retaliation as he propped himself up on one of his hands, smirking as he began to kick his feet against the bed like a schoolgirl desperate for gossip as he mimicked their pose with more dramatic flare as he pressed the confirm payment option to send the order towards the restaurant, grinning as he showed them the screen. Tossing the phone aside until they received the phone call to pick up the food, he opted for some idle chatter in the meantime as he rarely got the chance to talk with the three of them in a collective room together since Megumi moved out. The old group reunited once more, feeling something akin to nostalgia.
“Aren’t we a lively bunch today?~ Soo… How’s the mission going?” Upon being indirectly mentioned but alluded to, indirectly inviting Megumi to partake in the conversation who seemed to find interest in the topic as he miraculously flipped over to make service level eye contact with the two of them. Baiting him to engage in social activity, whilst also asking for a more concrete update rather than the finger simply being missing from its previously noted position. Unknown whether or not he was looking to teach a lesson or out of simple curiosity, maybe even to indulge in their personal lives for the possibility of blackmail to use against them. The most probable answer was just the fact he was looking for some juicy gossip that came with the lives of teenagers, as Jujutsu Sorcerers; The drama was spiraled into live changing trauma, battles that ended with a broken nail and stubbed toe or just simply shit talking the curses they faced as the enemy met their end. The last one being Gojo’s personal favourite.
“Fine, for the most part- Just need to pin down the exact location of the cursed object and I should be all good.” Megumi took the time to explain in deep detail the events to Gojo with exact timings, descriptive environment and exact commentary of his day's events all compiled into a single sentence. A level of monotone laced his voice but he seemed rather content with his accomplishments, holding back a small smile as he covered it with his sleeve towards his face, hidden from view as he made use of the change in position to use hand as a makeshift pillow to rest on top of. Letting out a tired sigh as his usual lack of energy seemed lacking in reverses as he seemed to drift off slightly to his own mind as he pondered a thought. Their teacher seemed content with the answer as he turned away to leave his student to his own devices for a moment as he had interrupted what little time he had to rest and properly think about his next course of action, instead choosing to turn his attention to the other occupant of the bed. The one he hadn’t expected to see in the middle of Sendai in the late evening when they were usually on their bed lounging away with either watching a movie or playing a video game, safe to say it wasn’t normally within a routine he knew like the back of his hand.
“And what’re you doing all the way in Sendai?~” He sang in a questionable song as narrowed his eyes towards them with a mischievous glint in his eye with lingering suspicion. His right hand reached away from his face towards theirs with the faintest touch against the tip of their nose, repeating it as it hindered their view of his face as he tapped away in an attempt to grab their attention from their drowsy state. When they finally registered the touch, promptly backing away with an annoyed huff as they could hardly muster the courage to swipe away his hand like Megumi would’ve, instead they turned their gaze away to the lights on the ceiling as it blinded their eyes in a basking light. The strain of their eyes allowed them to focus more on the remaining brain cells that were still somehow working with a narrow squint, their cheeks warming from the heat radiating around the room in a flush.
“...I- Forgot my… Key to the apartment… I think?-” Looking anywhere but Gojo’s face as they embarrassedly confessed their mistakes to him as though it were a confession booth to confide their sins with another. Expecting some kind of sarcastic retort or mockery as they closed one of their eyes in a wince, only then did they look at Gojo for a moment as they braced for his words. His reign of torment was just about to begin when they were met with a blank look on his face, followed by the tilt of his head as he let out a sound of confusion at their words. He looked dumbfounded as his mouth opened slightly, ajar as he stared deep into their eyes as he sought out an answer to the question running rampant in his mind. They couldn’t help but copy his noise of uncertainty as they shifted uncomfortably into the soft quilts some more, biting down on their own tongue between their teeth.
The two of them stared for what felt like an eternity, neither moving nor blinking as they stared into the depths of one another's souls in a search of knowledge. Akin to a round of musical statues or a simple staring contest, a game neither of them wanted to partake in but found themselves drawn into by their disbelief, both completely astonished as the world seemed to fade out around them. For once, Gojo’s eyes were stagnant and still without the flux of cursed energy swirling behind the blue, crystal clear as though he were caught off guard by their statement. A long pause took hold, he looked as though he were simply a tower of jenga with one block away from collapse as everything fell apart. Or perhaps they were simply projecting onto his face as his reaction remained delayed until he finally snapped out of his trance with a slap to his own face against his cheek as he brought out his wallet.
“Wait… Is that why you texted me a couple of hours ago?- …Didn’t I leave it on the counter for you?-” It all came together as he went through the various cards piled into his wallet as he went through his multitude of both credit and debit cards, only to inevitably pull out a worn key card out from one of the slits. He had kept it on his person the entire time, they hadn’t misplaced it or forgotten it if it were never there in the first place. The routine had become so wired into the back of their head that the thought of it leaving their person for too long like a magnet, attracted in a pull to one another. From all the confusion and wild hijinxs, the man responsible was right in front of them, the source of their entire anxiety for the past near 24 hours. He was the reason they couldn’t go home.
Through, whenever Gojo managed to screw them over, intentionally or not. They were always the one to keep him in line and lecture him on his wrongdoings, small or major, like a sort of balance to the chaos in practicality. It left them frustrated having to lecture an adult on his own responsibilities such as to show basic level respect to his elder colleagues or trying to keep track of his paperwork or structure a lesson plan for him to follow that allowed for both theory and experience for the students, he was far from lazy but he often found other ways to occupy his time than doing the actual work required of him. Despite it all, they couldn’t even bring themselves to be mad about it as it had also slipped their mind in the moment as he sheepishly handed over the card with a nervous chuckle as he too prepared for an onslaught of reprimands from his students as Megumi stared daggers at his side.
“...Oopsie!~ …I guess that’s kinda my fault, huh?~ …But seriously? You went through the effort of contacting me only to back out at the last second and instead went all the way to Sendai?... Pft!- That’s hilarious!~” It didn’t take long for him to burst out into laughter after he figured out the circumstances of their situation, to behold such leaps in logic to an insanely extreme degree. That their shackles had such a hold on them that they’d rather travel across the country of Japan than ask for help, the irony of it all left him breathless as he could hardly breath from it all. Falling apart as he rolled over the bed just to try and get some air into his lungs as he belted out joyous howls, nearly tearing in his eyes as he cried out. Loud as a speaker as it echoed against the walls of the room, breaking the sound barrier as he could hardly hold himself back from colliding into Megumi as he fell onto his side.
He at least had the decency to take some accountability, despite the imbecilic situation he found himself the key puppeteer of, not realizing he had caused such turmoil for his students in a funny twist in events. Panting as he flopped as flat as a pancake when Fushiguro shoved away for the audacity of touching him, falling between the empty gap between his students with his shoes dirting the pillows as he had yet to take them off. Slapping his palm against the bed repeatedly as he tried to hold back another series of laughter, trying to keep himself together as he took in deep inhales, wiping away a stray tear. Attempting to regain his composure as he sat up in a criss-cross manner, right in front of them as he leaned forward ever so slightly gently lifted their chin with his finger. Trying to keep up his wise sage act as he softened his eye to show some regard of empathy and respect but couldn’t help but let out the occasional giggle in reaction to their face.
The face that was radiating off the chart temperatures that rivalled the sun by mere degrees, so much that their cursed energy sparked off of their soul like a bursting flame of embers. Flushing a bright cherry red, matching the colours of a lovely rose all across their face. Leaving them lightheaded as though they were suffering from some kind of fever as they tackled their embarrassment in waves that only grew more and more. Their body temperature was so hot, that it warmed the area around them like a radiator, affecting the environment around them such as warm blankets and acting as a makeshift furnace should anyone want to use them as a pillow.
“Megumi- …Can I ask you to end my suffering?” Asking the only other person who could possibly aid them in this moment, the executioner for their sins as they sought a means to end their suffering from a hellish world. Pleading with scrunched up eyes as they melted apart at the seams, looking back at him without having to turn their head as it allowed them to avoid Gojo’s glint of happiness as he grinned like a Cheshire cat. Without the energy to push him away, knowing all too well they were deserving of such a fate to befall them as it wasn’t Megumi who met their eyes but Gojo peering forward as his smile grew wider and wider, watching over them as entertainment as all he needed was the popcorn. Surrounded by the people who they’d trusted with their lives had come to back them into a corner, all alone with no choice to surrender as they wanted nothing more than to face plant their head into the bed or the nearest wall.
“Nope- I’m not getting involved in this. You’re on your own. Pull the sympathy card on him or something-” Suggesting the sympathy card, their ultimate trump card against Gojo in situations such as these was futile. Especially due to all the emotional whiplash the two had gone through recently, to pull that card amidst their deck would be cruel and something they neither had the energy due to negative amounts of sleep. They were left alone in the trenches, facing a humiliating betrayal as Megumi wanted no involvement in the trouble before him. Partaking in such activities were beneath him as an individual, leaving nothing but a bitter sour taste in their mouth as they could only sigh. Their shoulders went limp as their arms slouched, no longer having the will to fight.
“Ooh~ Some good ol’ spicy betrayal~! Maybe I should grab some popcorn?~ Should I get them salted, buttered or sweet? Oh- Who am I kidding?~ Definitely sweet!” He couldn’t keep his sweet cravings to himself as they too found themselves craving popcorn over a late night movie, despite becoming the center of entertainment as he added commentary to the slight scuffle happening between the three of them, just desperate for any kind of drama to entertain him. Not only had they been abandoned, they were also having an audience reacting to everything as though their life was some kind of soap opera. At that point, they couldn’t hold a straight face as they fell into their palms and stretched out the skin of their face in a drawn out groan, with Gojo’s giggles hardly holding itself back for another round.
“...I can’t- …I’m pretty sure I used up his emotional availability for the month-” As though it were a one time voucher to use up once a month, Gojo’s vulnerability came at the price of being very far between and scarce. A one way ticket into his heart before everything was thrown off the trainwreck in one complete swoop. At the mention, Gojo seemed to stiffened as his finger that had been holding the face stopped midair since they had pulled away, confusion ebbed into his face as he tried to understand the intricate and meaning behind their words as though it were a scripture written in a foreign language. They could shrug as what usually got them out of so much trouble during their younger days had been sucked up dry, there was no getting through to Gojo to get him to stop. He was unstoppable. He held all the cards, he was the king.
“...How? What did you do?-” Accusing them of crimes that weren’t really their fault to begin with, if one didn’t count their lack of emotional availability to be vulnerable with others. Megumi’s glare had turned from Gojo to them as they held them on trial, staring deep into their culmination of their soul as he judged their character and actions up to that point. Intense with deep emotion riddled behind them as the two shared unspoken words, knowing all too well that something had happened between the two that he was yet to be made aware of, the two didn’t usually have deep arguments but the guilt in their eyes must’ve spoke wonders as he sprung up with seriousness that caught both Gojo and themselves off guard as they prepared for some kind of reprimand such as a finger pointed at their chest or a punch to the back of their head. His anger manifested in a dark thick cloud of energy, shrouded the room in a thick mist of cursed energy and shadows.
“Someone’s been keeping secrets!~” Cutting off Megumi from getting the details as he wedged himself between their views as he called his attention onto himself with minimal explanation, something he excelled at were distractions. Wiggling his fingers in a sporadic yet rheumatic movement as he danced in an attempt to hypnotise Fushiguro with them, singing his words as he drew out every syllable with his unique flare. A meager attempt at saving them from having to explain himself, perhaps out of a desire to protect himself or both of them as neither of them were ready to discuss such things. He was quick to intervene, inserting himself like it was nothing as he at least had the courtesy to give some semblance of an answer to allude to but never straightforward. If he ever was to begin with.
“Gumi… Can we please vote to kick him off the bed?...” In a turn of events, the council of Jujutsu High students had been called to decide on the fate of Satoru Gojo, whether he should fall several hundred stories on the ground solid floor or remain where he was, safe and trusted amidst his peers. A trial to be found guilty or innocent of crimes of annoyance, teaming up to enforce the laws made up by them alone. The power of two was stronger than one, collaboration in numbers was superior in terms of social peer pressure against Satoru Gojo. The man in question froze as he stared at his two students with a rapid turn of his head, only continuously blinking as he found himself at a loss for words. But their distraction seemed to have worked as Megumi relented and joined forces with them once more just like their younger days.
“Sure, I’m up for that-” The council had ultimately decided on their final verdict, Gojo was found guilty of his crimes of treason and public disturbances and in retribution; would meet his fate upon the fiery pits of hell in a long fall of descent. The lofty bed positioned several inches above the floor, radiated warmth and comfort. The ground as their refuge, their safety that had become their new settlement, their home was now to be used as a makeshift plank for the guilty to be thrown off in shame. For they would remain superior in all ways whilst he would fall from grace and suffer as he’d express his whims in a last attempt of redemption. Though there was no excusing his unspeakable crimes, this was to be his execution. Soon, he would meet his fate as the two of them prowled like predators as the executioners, waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce with intense eyes watching over his every move. The back hairs on Gojo’s neck rose in warning as he felt the sensation of being watched, of being attacked.
He had fallen right into their hands.
As the more physically capable one out of the pair, Megumi was the first to take the lead in the charge of attack on manhandling Gojo. It didn’t take much effort on his part to wrap his arms around his waist and hoist him in the air on the perch of his shoulder. Which wasn’t much considering Gojo was more kneeling on Megumi’s shoulder than lifted into the air, who let out a yelp of surprise as he went rigid and limp against his hold as Gojo began to snicker as he refused his students would plot against him in such a way, such betrayal was beyond his expectations and beliefs as he allowed himself to be treated like a damsel in distress. To be fair, manhandling Gojo was not on their bingo card of new year’s resolutions as they watched on as Megumi scooped Gojo in his arms, unsuspecting of their collective plan that required no means of communication, silent as they read one another like books. No speech required, as previous missions allowed them to yield such skills.
Such hijinxs were rare from his students, often preferring not to engage in his charades and games of trickery. Yet, he was to be bestowed the title of fool. He had forgotten about the other student behind him, the one who had leverage as he turned his back to them, vulnerable as they readied themselves to strike. Megumi’s grip hardened and tightened around Gojo as he held him in place, as two hands ripped off his shoes off the bed in a toss and gripped his ankles with as much strength they could muster in their smaller hands. Letting out a baffled sound of surprise as his legs were suddenly pinned down with weight, restricting his movements as he turned his head to observe what was happening, the severity of the situation had just began to dawn on him as his pupil shrunk as his signature smirk became stiff and nervous as he feigned fear towards them, surprised but not scared. If he was the german shepherds, they were the pomeranians.
“Wait- …Why are you both ganging up on me now?- What did I do?!” If such a thing was to fake his innocence or to plead it in his last moments, it was too late to turn back as his students turned to one another and nodded in understanding and used their collaborated skills, technique and strength together, working in tandem and teamwork against the strongest person alive. The two of them moved in sync, standing up as they held Gojo above the ground as he swung around like a swing, falling off Megumi’s shoulder as he switched to holding his arms in a restraining manner. His face was turned towards the floor, threatening to drop him face first as punishment for his crimes. They were actually going to go through with it, they were betraying him like Scar did with Mufasa in the Lion King. Ironically, as he limped in their hold; His infinity never activated to stop them from their efforts, it never held them in place as he demanded his answers, exasperated his questions in a rush of oxygen going to his head.
He instinctively kicked out and lashed in a flail of legs, attempting to try and squeeze his way out of their grasp as they nearly lost the control they had over his legs as they wobbled and stumbled with two left feet as they tightened their grip and pulled to stretch out his legs to hopefully render him more vulnerable than before. Their efforts succeeding being treated like a rubber toy was not doing him any justice in aiding in his escape as his height extended past the bed in terms of width and some of the room, leaving him hopeless as he loomed above. The last thing Gojo would do was risk kicking his student in the face, and they were knowingly using that to their advantage in a manipulation tactic as he surrendered to their will. Though, he did have one last trick up his sleeve, to reverse the roles as he’d turn the tables in their circumstances. To flip everything around so that he would emerge victorious, a method he so often used in his planning and worked every single time in his account. If he was going down, he wasn’t about to do it alone.
“THIS IS A BETRAYAL!- I AM YOUR TEACHER!- I WILL GIVE YOU BOTH EXTRA HOMEWORK IF YOU!-” Crying out as his last resort in a threat of authority, using his position as a teacher to intimidate his student’s into giving up, though it was also a plea for mercy, to seize their actions. Little did he know that he had never drilled respect into their training methods nor had he gained either of their respects; And so, the pair did not treat him with the same level of courtesy as the rest of the faculty. Perhaps his lack of respect for the same authority had rubbed off on them in some regard, a sense of pride flooding through his anxious chest and the realization that he had achieved one of his primary goals as a teacher, but now that it dawned on him that he wouldn’t be able to use his powers of title against them. They had become rebels in that moment and now, he was at their mercy. The threat of homework hadn’t persuaded them either, the workload wasn’t a bother to people who actually did their work unlike the man held in their arms. His authority meant nothing.
It was too late…
As the pair stared at each other, gazing into one another’s eyes as they understood what had to be done. In sync, both pairs of hands retracted from Gojo’s body as he was left alone to face the physics of gravity on his own. To watch on as The Strongest Sorcerer alive would fall from his pedestal of grace, satisfied that they took down such a tyrant of power but it wasn’t as grand and glorious or entertaining as they’d been expecting. Nor was it as imaginative as they’d thought up of the image in their head as a king fell off a balcony in a castle to the waters below. Instead, it was simply the sound of something hard hitting the floor in a crashing thunderous slam as he fell face first into the clean yet wobbly planks as they creaked under his weight.
He didn’t even screech or scream, he just laid there like an unmoving body. It wasn’t even amped up with his usual dramatic flair, overall very boring as they probably wouldn’t repeat it. Both the student and Megumi just blankly stared at their teacher’s body, conflicted on whether they should help him back up or abandon him to the fate they had enforced upon him. They wouldn’t even go as far as to put it in their top 10.
His body slowly rolled over so that he was facing his students, his blindfold and locks in disarray as strands blocked parts of his face, the fabric stretched and creased atop his forehead as he flopped onto his back. His face flashed with the fifth stages of grief all at once, in a position as though he were about to make snow angels on the floor as he remained in that pose for a long while, processing the fact that he had been manhandled and thrown to the floor. Even Megumi seemed somewhat surprised at their success, not expecting Gojo to go through with their plot against him in such a way as he’d usually back out at the last second with flight, teleportation or simply stop them with his technique. Slippery as a bar of soap, dirty in his methods yet had a clean record of all mischief. Safe to say they weren’t all that impressed as they yawned into their wrist, unable to determine if it was not of boredom or exhaustion. Probably the latter.
Hearing the sound of crickets outside during the early night-time as everything else was silent, not a peep out of Gojo who usually tore through the ice with his warmth. Rivalled with tension as to break the ice was treading a wrath of their undoing, to rush to the bed in an evacuation attempt would be too late as he’d catch them in a moment’s notice. They were stuck until Gojo did something, acting out in revenge as they’d come to expect as they’d have to prepare a second course of action, a back up plan to meet him. A battle with no foreseeable outcome, the future beyond reach. Rising from a coffin like Dracula as his upper torso folded into an upwards position without any additional aid from his arms as leverage as he rose, staring up at them with unblinking eyes. They couldn’t fathom the emotions or thoughts behind his eyes, unreadable as he became unpredictable. Unable to distinguish if he was upset, angry, amused, scared or anything. It was an ocean with depths beyond understanding.
The air felt as dry as the Sahara Desert, the oxygen was so thick that it was comparable to a sandstorm with excruciating heat. So much so that focusing on the individual grains of sand between their feet was preferable, their throat was parched and dehydrated with soreness as it hurt to swallow. It was unbearable to feel everything as tense as a battlefield. The wild west in a quick draw, with everyone preparing to aim their guns towards one another and fire, to see who would bite the bullet first and emerge victorious with a tumbleweed behind them as their witness. The tranquil waters had been disturbed and they were going to have to pay the price, round two was only about to begin. The anguish that came with the mental preparation to handle such a problem, to brace for his wrath was simply not there to begin with. Like the ticking time bomb had been stopped, a wire snapped and everything came to a screeching halt as their brain short circuited to comprehend everything, in fact they were just done. They wanted nothing else to do with today, all the functionality inside of their head was gone.
Though amidst their metaphorical shoot off, Gojo was the first to draw his symbolic gun in the form of theatrics as he took centre stage in one grand finale as he wanted a story to tell and spread in his legends, for this happenstance was a tale to be told for generations. Shooting as he adjusted his blindfold and combed out his locks between his fingers as he freshened himself up for the stage, only to dramatically pose with the back palm of his hand pressed lightly against his cheek in a dramatic flourish. Leaning as far back as he could without falling back to feign his innocence with false sobs, sniffling in a flare of nostrils and cringy deep inhales with one of his knees crossing atop the other as they he were a model in the midst of a photoshoot, posing for the camera with as much charm and charisma as he could muster with amateur acting skills. Puckering out his lips just to add to the role of his character.
“Oh my~ …How I have fallen from grace!- My own students… My precious proteges… Have turned against me in a heart wrenching betrayal! The tears that fall from my eyes, how my chest aches with a bleeding wound of a thousand swords!- Yearning~” He attempted to shift his voice in a British tone of voice as he mixed both very broken English and Japanese into his sentences, bellowing out his cries in a dramatic show as he ran his hands through his hair as the other wiped away a fake tear from his blindfold in place of his eyes. Only to applaud his performance and his fellow actors, the sounds of his loud claps were slow with an aching pause in between each one as it echoed in a reverberating beat.
Though it wasn’t as sincere or heartfelt as it appeared, his disguise slowly revealed itself in a twist of events, shown by the thin line of his lips drawn into a small frown. The complete opposite as his façade unravelled once more as if one were to pay attention to the shifting shadows on the blindfold, they’d observe the pinch between the brow line as well. He wasn’t amused, he was being sarcastic.
He didn’t enjoy when the tides changed from one side to the other, finding it boring if they didn’t prove to be entertaining, in a way he was pouting because he was disappointed in a childish tantrum. Crossing his arms over his chest with puff of his chest, exhaling through his nostrils as he spread his legs as far as he could to take up more space than necessary. Neither they nor Fushiguro bought it for a second, more used to Gojo than anyone else over the better course of a near decade. Instead, they both turned away as they returned to their original positions on the bed before they rested their heads, sitting on top the blankets face to face, Megumi sitting criss cross applesauce on the sheets with his hands on his knees with them taking a different approach as they applied pressure onto their kneecaps in a suffocating kneeling position that prevented their blood to properly circulate through their legs but the mild pain would allow for them to remain awake with their hands tucked away nearly on their thighs.
“...This is the man that humanity depends on for survival-” Stating a fact with a deadpan tone that conveyed a lack of interest in the subject as it became widely accepted, mumbling under their breath with each word spoken as they couldn’t bring themselves to show fake enthusiasm, robotic even. Interrupted by the yawn that cut off any further description as it only emphasized their shared boredom, exhausted as they were but without a proper means of stimulation, they looked as though they would drift to sleep with how boring proved himself to be in that moment. That he couldn’t keep the sleep deprived teenager awake for another 5 minutes amidst their tiredness.
The truth was undoubtedly fact as Gojo's birth had a massive impact on the Jujutsu world, enough to tip the power scales and, tipping the balance. It resulted in mass outbreaks of cursed energy resulting in stronger apparitions in terms of grades and capabilities but may have opened the doors for the next generation of power as well. Yet, it had not been determined by the general society on whether this change happened to be either good or negative in the changes. But as the fire still burns with smoldering embers aspiring the new flames of the next generation; They might as well throw Gojo onto the open flame in retribution, albeit temporarily. If they were going to spend their last waking moments dealing with him, they might as well take the opportunities that came with it as they gazed down at him with narrow judgemental eyes with a shade of snide alongside it.
“And the man who makes fun of teenagers for his own entertainment-” Rebutting an allegation that held some level of evidence behind given his prior behaviour of pushing boundaries. His dry tone did not manage to click with Gojo in his head that neither of them wanted to deal with his attitude or dramatics, sneering at him as he blurted out his accusation of mistreatment. Tussling the fabric of his pant leg in a fistful of moody teenage angst as he instinctively twitched with irritation as though a vein were about to instantly sprout and burst in conjunction with each other. His temperament rivalled that of the teachers who they’d witnessed deal with Gojo previously, perhaps he might beat their record on snapping at that point if their timing happened to be accurate.
The boy always happened to jump at the chance to throw someone under the bus with cynical words to downplay others whether it be to insult them or express disapproval of their actions, he was brutally honest in that way and his attitude. His influence proved to be rubbing off on them as they shared his honesty in those moments as they dug into the depths of Satoru’s character and he’d only just gotten off with his life moments prior to avoiding that heavy subject that shall no longer be mentioned. Forbidden to speak as a curse, metaphorically. He seemed to really enjoy toasting marshmallows alongside them as they bit into his pride, they could imagine themselves as reality TV stars on a couch as the two just remained upfront about their feelings and spilled out their hearts on live TV about their mentor just to get a reaction out of him. Perhaps a part of him desired revenge or just to throw some shade at Gojo, for them it was for the shits and giggles.
But what remained a statement that he was an electrical fuse about to burst at any moment. He could snap at any moment if Gojo pushed him any further.
Although they might have been a little aggressive with their harsh truths, there was no ill intent as they poked fun at him like the savages they were. It was all in the name of good fun, even Megumi probably found some kind of amusement from the situation even if he were about to break a lightbulb that was his mind. When the three lived in one apartment, witty banter was commonplace as forms of endearment towards one another. At least with Megumi and Gojo, it had been years and nothing had changed as the two were often speaking bluntly with one another with the occasional comment poking at each other. When they had no understanding of social cues, they had assumed that the two heavily disliked each other but over the years, they came to realise it was in fact the opposite. In a way, it was just all a light-hearted tease towards Gojo, payback for all the torment he put them through.
It was almost like old times as a feeling flooded their chest that they came to recognise as nostalgia, a rare feeling that only came in certain moments of calm and peace. At times, they found themselves missing when Megumi and them used to play separate copies of Pokemon Black and White on their DS’s. It was actually their first introduction to technology that wasn’t a old busted broken 90s TV, Megumi had taught them how to use the buttons and controls, what the game did and everything when he caught them peeking from the corner of the couch, watching on from the doorway or hallway at a distance as he’d invite them over to watch if he was in a good mood to interact with them. Following those events of bonding, Gojo had silently noticed and gotten them a DS for their birthday in the same year with the latest sequels to the same game Megumi would play.
They’d spent hours enthralled by the bright screen like an addiction as they were set on completing the game as soon as possible, to expand their collection of pokemon and raise powerful ones alongside it, discovering their favourites and loving the written fictional story with such details into the overarching narrative. All night and day, they’d be glued to the screen as Gojo would have to pry them away from the screen with tempting offers, only for his heart to melt when they showed him a shiny pokemon that they’d randomly caught with him having to explain that they were rare special variants. His expertise of playing the games from his childhood allowed him to join in as well, even going as far as to give them his older games from the gameboy to enjoy. Times were happier back then, when all they did was train and enjoy what remained of their childhood with the three.
When they weren’t glued to their screens, they’d visit the parks to play on swing sets and slides. Tsumiki and Megumi would always take to the merry-go-round and spin each other until they all went flying off into the gravel as either would lose their footing, taking turns before they switched to the main ground with twisting slides and rocks to climb on as they’d play on various instruments. Even Gojo would join in as he’d cram himself into the tubed slide or let the children spin him around on the merry-go-round, seemingly invincible to its effects of dizziness as they’d tucker themselves out from trying so hard to send him to the skies. Meanwhile they’d watch from a distance as they’d pluck flowers from their stems to determine if they were vibrant enough to use in their crafts as they’d make crowns out of wild flowers for Tsumiki, other times they were just sitting on the swings with Gojo in tow, gently pushing the swing to their liking.
Then they’d retreat back home or The Fushiguro sibling’s apartment to watch whatever animated movies happened to be on TV that day, ordering a fresh pizza from the parlor for dinner with slices of stereotypical pepperoni. With all four of them on the couch, stuffing slices of pizza and enjoying the quality time together. Only for Tsumiki to scream at the appearance of the musical monkey from Toy story 3 like it was some kind of horrible CGI horror movie as the oldest out of the bunch, she was by far the most squeamish with gut wrenching screams. Clinging onto Megumi whenever it appeared only to quickly compose herself as the brave older sister, like nothing ever happened. Admittedly, they always found that thing terrifying as they would shake whenever it came on screen too, they were just more quiet about it. Little did the boys know they’d both sneak off to watch DvDs of my little pony when they fell asleep.
Good times.
“OKAY!- You guys are just straight out BULLYING me at this point!-” He was determined to call them out despite his own hypocrisy as he sulked from his dethroned position as the peasant at the bottom of the bed. A hand shot to his chest as he exclaimed his words with a tone of anguish and pain, stabbed right through his heart as the words wounded his ego and pride. Approaching closer as he crawled across the floor and pulled himself atop the bottom of the bed in what resembled a kneel, resting his head on his arms as he sulked in his misfortune and misery with a pouty lip. He wasn’t about to stop being childish, puffing out his nostrils with a short exhale of carbon dioxide with mock anger in rebuttal to their prior comments. Practically whining with his words as he mocked a high-pitched non serious tone in an emphasis of each word, mimicking a child about to snitch to their parents.
To further go into the depths of his childish character, he decided the best course of action was to throw a small fit against his students to try and displease them further and perhaps reestablish his position as the self-proclaimed best person in the room. And in acting out in such a way, he poked out his tongue from the gaps of his open lips and aimed his face towards them with an upwards tilt of his head. Only to blow raspberries at them, his vibrating tongue flickering at lightning speeds as droplets of his saliva spluttered everywhere in a flurry, flying. As soon as the spit came into contact with Megumi’s skin, he shot up in alertness as he dragged his body back in an attempt to evade the attack and take cover. Realising it was futile as it had practically covered him at that point as he could only shield his body with his arms to block the impending blows, only for it to get through the gaps of his armour as well. Ducking his head down to at least keep his face safe.
Unlike Megumi’s attempt to choose cover as his approach to tackling the situation, they choose the other option of fighting back or at least they plotted to do so. A startled squeak escaped them as they rummaged through their pockets for their primary weapon to fight back against the onslaught of spit sent flying towards them, to prevent his outrage from continuing further. Quickly realising that their pockets had been completely emptied of their arsenal, their weapons were thrown away into a trash can back at the apartment as Gojo emptied their pockets prior to everything unfolded. They were left defenceless, without a means of attack to use against him, they stood no chance in rebelling. Forcing them into submission as their idea flew out the window as they came out empty handed, accepting their fate all too quickly and giving up in a disappointed hum. Allowing the events to unfold as they turned back to the ducking Fushiguro with a sad look of solemn eyes, a small frown etched to their lips as it only reminded them of responsibilities.
“Uhm… I just realised- I don’t have any of my tools on me… And I’m also low on supplies- …So Megs, do you want to come into town with me? I got a few new books I could recommend to you-” Wiping away the excess saliva that clung to them with their oversized sleeve like it wasn’t a big deal, offering to take him out was a rare course of events as the two of them were introverts at heart, taking refuge in the indoors whenever they weren’t needed by the outside world or the radiating sun of Gojo’s hijinxs. Soft spoken as they extended the offer, their tone quiet yet audible as they managed to keep them clear aloud to be heard but notably more quieter than their usual tone. It was almost more vulnerable as they were always a bit forcibly louder and guarded, their mask was slipping without their consent but they couldn’t muster the energy to do anything to combat it, allowing it by simply limiting their words.
Typically, it was an activity that Gojo and his student would share as he’d purposely avoid work or simply take them with him on his shifts for an hour or two, privately as it allowed quality time with one another without anyone like the higher ups intervening in his personal life. Giving them some time in the open fresh air and to experience the world under his supervision, chatting away about mundane or intriguing topics as he’d ramble away as they’d spot by various spots that would catch either of their interests but somehow managing to keep mostly on track. Going into a store with a few select items only for him to shove extra into the basket and slip his card over the reader before they could as he’d spoil them rotten against their will, indulging in reckless spending habits not too long after as they’d stumble across a gachapon store as they’d light up at one of the displayed merchandise whether it be a keychain or stress ball.
Spending all their spare change only for him to exchange his card for more as they’d spent the rest of their time getting the one they wanted. Not realising what had been done too late, lecturing him on spoiling them once more. Making their way home shortly afterwards just to play games all night on their Nintendo Wii U, huddled up on the couch playing Mario Kart with his Rosalina main and theirs as he’d bash them endlessly in shells and utilize shortcuts to his advantage to cheese the tracks and win at the last second when they thought they’d win. Just between the two of them, which was about to be ruined as Megumi would end up joining him without his opinion or input and he wouldn’t stand for being replaced.
Little did they know, before they could extend the offer towards their mentor as well. He had already accepted the fact that he wasn’t accepted to partake in the hangout event with them, and instead of inviting himself like he usually would by interjecting with a question. He decided that he was going to follow the same page by using the same tactic, though he wasn’t going to guilt trip them on forgetting him. He was going for a more silent approach as he’d persuade them with slight peer pressure of touch, the slightest poke was enough to drive their sensitivity to the maximum into a state of awareness. Almost self-aware of their surroundings, willingly or not they’d pick up on the sounds of breathing, creaking wood. They could practically feel everything coming into contact with them by proximity alone, even if it was meters away. Silent communication was probably one of his favourite methods, with very few understanding it even if was smothering just a small bit.
With a plan set in motion, he wasn’t about to immediately arouse suspicion after the quick succession of chaotic happenings by his hand or not. And so, as his student awaited Megumi’s response patiently, scratching the skin of their joints that left marks of irritated red skin behind. Megumi paused for a moment as the boy scratched the back of his head in deep thought, preoccupied to notice as he feigned normalcy and disinterest by fading into the background when nothing caught his fancy. He started with a slow step off the floor and dusting off his pant legs to rip off any debris clinging to his uniform only to transition into a stretch as he almost took up a good chunk of space in the room with not much room to freely move around. He could easily reach the ceiling by extending his arms upwards as he’d tilt his upper body to relieve stress between his joints from being crammed into tight spaces.
A quick glance sent his way by his student, observant as they evaluated his actions with a critical eye to decipher the intention behind his actions, quickly coming to the conclusion that he was acting within reason on their judgement, found innocent of any potential wrongdoings as looked back at Fushiguro who now seemed stumped on the decision as he struggled to come to an immediate answer to their proposition. Taking the next step in his abrupt wicked scheme as he whistled a small tune, pulling his lips together and blew out the sounds for a small distraction. Plopping himself on the edge of the bed where’d he was thrown off moments prior, acting as casual as he could as he slouched like he normally would when sitting as he clasped his hands together, his usual sitting position. One that he had purposely chosen and taken for his facade of casualness for the sake of integrity.
“Sure, I probably have a day to spare on the weekend… But, you better not drag me around all day for anything you don’t need- I don’t want you wasting my time.” Efficiency was key, as Megumi would say as he viewed distractions as meaningless unless they somehow proved to be entertaining. Speaking from prior experiences as they did happen to be guilty of such heinous crimes like being a curious cat on the occasion which led to them getting into situations they’d both rather avoid. Like booking the hotel room for example, such things were almost commonplace with them. He wasn’t joking either with his serious tone, holding straightforward eye contact with them until they nodded in understanding, resulting in him letting out a sigh as that the ordeal was over and dealt with.
Megumi seemed to double check that they understood by searching for any signs of dishonesty in their form, scrutinizing as he peered closer to see the developing bags of purplish hues under their eyes and how dulled their eyes were from the usual spark behind him. In fact, they seemed really out of it as they hardly noticed Gojo leaning closer and closer until his shoulder was brushing against theirs and for once, they didn’t even flinch. A rare sight to behold that Megumi had hardly ever witnessed before, they didn’t even register the small touch either. Still paying their full attention to Megumi, unaware of the world around them as they opened their mouths to speak to reaffirm and assure him that they wouldn’t have a repeat of earlier, to arrange a proper date and time for the event alongside just some general chatter that could be considered humour. A typical response he’d come to expect.
“I- I won’t!- Don’t worry! If you want you can-” A shriek escaped them as arms suddenly snaked around their form in a constricting coil, strength came from the appendages as they were forced from their position on the bed, lifted upwards as the world seemed to tilt around them until their back came into contact with something solid and firm. The sensation sent what could only be described as an army of ants crawling from their backside like it had gotten into contact with frozen ice. Yet it was warm as the temperature of the malleable material affected their body indirectly, sending waves of both ice and fire as all they could do was shiver from the shock of it all. Their fingers shaking and trembling as they fought back every instinct to scream at the top of their lungs, to run away and hide, to-
Before they could spiral further into the crevices of their mind, two fingers pressed against their bare and vulnerable neck as they every muscle halted movement, caught like a deer in the headlights as they could only freeze like a captive animal, held in place. They could feel the amount of pressure held, all too aware of vital veins in their neck that would allow anyone to know the signs of their pulse. Directly above their carotid artery, their breathing heavy as they wheezed and panted in short rapid breaths, feeling the blood flow of sanguine in their veins, their pulse irregular but strong. The fingers tilted in their position as it shifted towards the muscles to access the tension, with it all to tense. Someone performing some kind of carotid pulse check, often used for practical reasons such as medical or in the field of Jujutsu, confirming a kill. Hyper-aware of every touch and brush against their body, of every sound as their senses heightened to their limits as their mind raced on what to do, to catch up.
Then came skin to skin contact as a sudden warmth flooded their cheek with a familiar touch, stroking in a repetitive motion in a soothing manner until they snapped out of their momentary daze, nearly falling into a nervous system response and falling into the influx to fight, prepared to engage in combat for survival. Realising this, all they could do was left out a breath of fresh air as they’d gotten badly startled, caught off guard. A quick look around as they blinked into reality as they finally processed their current position, the one who held them decided to place them atop of his lap as he huddled close to them by slouching against them akin to a shield, head resting atop their shoulder as he hummed thoughtfully. Paying no mind to their momentary fright as he moved on like routine. As though he hadn’t just scared the shit out of them, brushing it off as happenstance. It felt like time had stopped for them when in reality it was just a few seconds, at least they were awake than before on a more positive note of an outcome.
He hadn’t used that one in a while.
Their breathing slowly regulated back to a normal pace, loosening the tension with a quiet sigh as their body relaxed ever so slightly in his hold but never fully reciprocated as they held their back straight and hands descending back into their lap as they tugged at the sleeves. They weren’t uncomfortable but they weren’t comfortable either, a mix between the two as they could neither relax or remain sharp and collected. Intimacy wasn’t their forte after all compared to the one who adored hugging like it was an addiction, if he noticed their discomfort; he didn’t seem to mind as the hand that had been dotting on their cheek transitioned to playing with the loose strands of hair that had fallen out of their bun. Megumi on the other hand didn’t seem too keen on Gojo suddenly jumping on them and smothering them without prior warning, he had never been a fan of it as his nose wrinkled only to pinch it at the shake of his head. But didn’t voice any complaints either despite his disapproval.
“And what about… ME?!~ Aren’t I invited?~” Perking up from the abrupt silence that had fallen in the room since their shriek, jutting out his lower lip and puffing out his cheeks in a fit of jealousy as he exclaimed his grief about a lack of invitation to the gathering. His tone was like a bratty child as he whined and sobbed as he emphasised each word's personal pronouns to draw the attention onto himself more than Megumi. His embrace tightened as he pulled them closer to his chest, arms slithering tighter across their shoulders in a secure grip as his head shifted as he nuzzled his nose into the collar of their uniform, fortunately avoiding their skin. A quick peek revealed that his head was angled in such a way that they’d be able to make direct eye contact with him without the blindfold. They got the feeling he was probably batting his eyelashes at him with puppy dog eyes beneath them, practically begging to be involved in the conversation.
A grumble could be heard a short distance away, the gears turning in their head as they registered the fact that the sound had come from Fushiguro. Gojo’s head turned slightly too look back at Megumi, who was glaring daggers at Gojo with arched brows as he grit his teeth in warning, holding his head up with a clenched fist that seemed all too ready to punch someone if necessary. The man holding them returned the glare with an amused huff as he smirked with pearly white teeth, leaning his head closer towards the crook of their neck. Attempting to tempt Megumi into taking the bait as their bickering went onto a completely other level, teasing him. As they quietly challenged one another for the right to hang out with the person who happened to unite the trio, the self proclaimed best was about to fight his students in a clash of superiority to who reserved the right to spend time with them.
It escalated when Gojo poked out his tongue to blow raspberries at Fushiguro once more, which only pissed off Megumi into attack as he played right into Gojo’s hands, right where he wanted him. His fist unclenched to reveal his open palm moving at inhuman speed directly towards the shadow of eyes behind the blindfold. Their selfish natures conflicting all at once, Gojo’s smirk only grew wider in confidence, leaning forward to meet the blow head on in a confrontation of ideals. As Megumi’s hand drew closer and closer, their cursed energy manifested into two clashing oceans as shadows fought against the shining light of the radiating sun. Darkness versus the radiance. It was like a pair of flint and steel creating sparks of powerful strikes, warning each other of their individual power.
Caught in between, the innocent one stuck with two tyrannical fools. One who happened to adore violence at its finest and jumped at the opportunity to fight an enemy at any given moment, the other being a trickster who loved to fit the role to perfection. In order to meet the distance, Megumi had to maneuverer his body to cover it as he pushed himself onto his knees to hit Gojo. He hoped to grab the blindfold and rip it off his snarky face, wanting to smash his face and shove him away from them, for going against their boundaries and fighting on their behalf. Meanwhile, Gojo held his position, with absolute certainty that he would prove triumphant at the last moment by holding him in place with infinity. To watch Megumi’s face get angrier with each passing second as he couldn’t move, fighting more with his words with lecture after lecture on respect.
With a resigned sigh, they took on the mantle and role of mediator once more as their hand rose from their lap as a makeshift stop sign to intercept the incoming blow. Fushiguro let out a noise of surprise at the sudden appearance of their hand, stopping dead in his tracks to avoid hitting them with a slap. He looked as though he had caught like a deer in the headlights as he slowly lowered his arm back towards his side whilst Gojo let out a disappointed whine that they had cut hi newfound entertainment short, his smile falling into a deep frown as he went to poke at their cheek in ridicule.
“You know you can always-” Just as they were about to extend the courtesy to invite him to join them, to put an end to the dispute in front of them as they out a sigh of relief upon Megumi backing down and trusting their decision or perhaps even believing that they would stand up for themselves. Rubbing circles into their knuckles with their tone quietly soft and gentle conveyed nervousness yet there was a certain spark behind their eyes glistening with determination, deep rooted and fierce. Turning to Gojo with exhausted lidded eyes, solemn yet content only for it to snap in an entirely different direction as they picked up on the nearby disturbance that broke the established atmosphere with a vendetta. Jolting upright as they leaned back into Gojo’s chest, surprised by the sudden noise as their lowered guard allowed for abrupt noises to startle them more than usual. The grasp tightened for a fraction of a second as Gojo stabilised the two of them, putting more weight on them to keep them balanced as his head turned inquisitively towards the noise.
Fate had once again turned its gears against them as everything seemed against both them and Gojo in terms of convenience, like the whole universe had it against them as it interrupted them quite rudely. Misfortunate timing proved to be quite prevalent that day as Fushiguro peered towards the sound of his classical ringtone of a technological clock that came as a standard option in the phone but instead set as his notification sound. As it buzzed on the bed sheets where it had been left abandoned moments prior but their meaningless distractions, Megumi shook his head with resignation as he leaned over to grab it with a look of disdain of what it had to say. His fingers tapping loudly against the screen as he unlocked it with his passcode, the pair peeked their heads in curiosity as to what the wise phone had to say but Megumi kept it out of view as he read it.
Gojo had apparently been holding back much of his weight as he slumped further against them, nearly crushing them in the process as he physically surrendered to his boredom with a grumpy groan of disappointment. He mumbled under his breath as he leaned in closer to the nudged his nose further into their collarbone as their shoulder quickly grew numb from the pressure, rolling it to try and keep the blood flow going as Gojo shifted in response, manoeuvring more towards their nape as the back hairs rose at the base. With Satoru out of sight and Megumi evaluating his life choices by allowing Gojo to use his phone, they attempted to escape from Gojo’s lap by crawling across the bed only to be pulled back by him, refusing to let go despite their joints locking up and wanting nothing more than to stretch out.
Perhaps his jealousy had gotten the better of him so they decided to reluctantly pat him on the arm, which seemed to immediately grasp his attention as his head returned over their shoulder to look up at them with a smile. Though it wasn’t the same as his usual ones, it was the slightest upwards curve of his mouth in a small, soft smile. They were going to open their mouth to speak, to continue what they were saying but they couldn’t bring themselves to utter the heavy words at admitting vulnerability. Instead, they sent for what they knew best as brought their hands up into view for demonstration, pointing a shaky finger at themselves then at Gojo to indicate the two of them followed by clasping their hands in conjunction to signal a welcome Then pointing at the door with a sheepish nod.
His smile widened in response as his hand settled gently atop of their head in a stroking motion, careful not to mess up their hair unlike his common ruffles as he nodded in understanding what they were saying. Picking up what he could from the context and their signals, it wasn’t difficult for him to know what they were trying to communicate about the fact he was welcome to join them. The touch was almost soothing, their head lowered slightly as they avoided leaning into it as their cheeks flushed with nervous embarrassment. Only for a cough to call for the attention in the room as Megumi looked towards the duo with the phone in hand as he gestured towards it, upon closer observation it revealed that their food they’d ordered was ready for collection. His eyes turned from them to Gojo with a critical calculating eye.
He seemed to assess on which one of them would go pick up the food, quickly ruling them out as a participant due to their evident exhaustion. It was a miracle they were still standing, rivalling their endurance as they could hold their own pretty well, holding off sleep proved to be no trial for them. But Gojo didn’t seem prompted to move under Megumi’s scrutinizing eyes, never budging a single inch away from their figure as he clung to them like a koala climbing a tree. And they both knew that Gojo wouldn’t move unless someone forced him to, and they couldn’t really force his hand as they stood no chance against him, especially with infinity and they had no bribery to tempt him with either, leaving Megumi as the only decisive option to retrieve the food as he sent a pointed look at Gojo as shot off from the bed, hugging his arms over his chest in a furious cross.
“I’ll go get the ramen. Stay here, keep an eye on him while I’m gone- I’ll be quick.” Appointing them with leadership with sole responsibility towards the most emotionally mature of the pair, given Gojo’s discord. He commanded and established temporary rules that had to be followed, simple in concept yet executing them would prove to be a difficult task as one slip could result in Gojo turning into a tornado. One second he could be sitting down and the next he’s going through a collection of romance novels on a nearby bookshelf as he read it aloud, only to comment that it was spicy in its writing. But promising a quick return relieved some of their worry as Megumi dusted off his clothes and soothed out the newly formed wrinkles, slipping his hands through his messy locks and brushing his hair with his fingers as he tidied himself up ready for the outside world.
“O-okay! Stay safe! Lemme know if you need any help or something-” Calling out in an offer of assistance, warning him of potential dangers as a reminder to remain safe as the boy was cautious but didn’t hesitate when it came to confrontation. It resulted in him getting into a lot of fights during middle school with them to clean up after his mess, it was a miracle he wasn’t expelled during that time. Watching on as he responded with a brief gruff as a form of acknowledgement, pocketing his phone into his trousers as he made his way towards the entrance and bent over to slip his shoes over the soles of his feet as he readied himself for the exit. Wanting nothing more than to have a moment of peace and leave them behind to deal with Gojo.
“And don’t forget to ask for a couple extra pairs of chopsticks!~” His hands rose up from their shoulders and extended as far as they could reach towards Megumi with a mischievous smirk on his face as he wiggled his fingers in a playful tease. Finishing his words with a light chuckle as he reminded him with a knowing look, false seriousness as he feigned his tone. It was simply just a simple and genuine reminder of picking up a few extras as the renewable chopsticks that came from such restaurants were often made of wood and the last thing he wanted was the remnants of ramen to infect the taste of his beloved mochi. He almost huffed out in frustration at the mere thought of it occurring, the adoration of sweets had no bounds and anyone who messed with it, on accident or not were met with retaliation of some means. A silent warning, do not mess with Satoru Gojo’s stash of sweets, or in this case, mixing up the chopsticks as it was outright criminal to do so.
“Got it. And don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone- The last thing I want is to get kicked out of the hotel…” were his final words as he bolted as fast as he could out the doorway, squeaky rusty hinges crying out in a long drawn out squeal as Megumi shut the door behind with sheer volume that it counted as a slam. As it would also become apparent that he took the key card with him, the slot that allowed for electricity to circulate around the room was now empty as the room shrouded in a deep darkness with no source of light in sight. Both literally and figuratively as they couldn’t see and the source of power had been stripped away. The only guidance was their sense of touch which was currently being occupied by Satoru and the last thing they wanted was to search for their satchel to retrieve their phone as they quickly realised that they hadn’t left it in their pocket.
“No promises!~” Singing the words like a Broadway musical at the volume of a whisper as he waved farewell to his student who had already left the room, seemingly scheming to unleash his ultimate plan of getting them kicked out of the building as he chuckled mischievously as his chest rumbled as it slowly faded into a thoughtful hum as he sat his head atop of theirs as his fingers found their way into their strands of hair and wrapped them carefully around his fingers as he went into deep thought. Twirling the locks of hair between his fingers into a tight bundle only to allow them to unravel as it descended into a loose curl, repeating the action over and over again as he played with their hair as silence fell before them.
They wracked their brain for any sort of stimuli, a conversation topic to keep their mind occupied and awake as their drowsiness grew from the adjustment to the darkness. As much as they hated to do so, they honed in on every movement they could feel from Gojo from his breathing, the faint sound of his heartbeat, how many times he toyed with their hair. Noting that he seemed to retract his touch slowly but surely as the arm slung around their shoulders went limp and slowly cascaded back towards his side and reduced the speed of each twirl until he finally let go with them being granted the freedom of escape if they so desired. To slip free from his grasp and take advantage of the free space to spread their legs and maybe even take a 5 minute nap without interference.
Yet, it was never so simple.
The arms that had once wrapped around their shoulders found their way around their waist gradually until they secured themselves in a tight and secure grip, any space from their temporary freedom was quickly taken away as his chest collided with their back like a set of magnets as he stayed still, the only sound was his breathing as they couldn’t determine the intention behind his actions. They stiffened as their face scrunched with worry, about to ask if something was wrong as he was discernible and unreadable, a cipher that couldn’t be solved without the right clues to figure out. A hand found its way to his wrist as they gave a small tug into persuading him to let out, trying to communicate that he was pushing it a little too far and that they had enough, they wanted to leave.
That was until gravity shifted as the world tipped upside down, flipping on its head as a sudden force compelled them into a crouched position, tucking their knees as much as they could against their chest. Only for them to start kicking out as the shift sent shivers down their spine like an ice cube shoved down their shirt, colliding with another pair of longer legs as they failed hitting the persons shins and knees in the process. Everything turned and spun like a boulder tumbling down a cliff as performed a unanimous tuck-in-roll, until to uncurl halfway through as Gojo laid flat across the bed with his legs outspread as he inevitably let go of them as they were left a jumbled mess atop of him, their eyes spinning in spirals as the dizziness caught up to their brain that left them incredibly lightheaded. He couldn’t help but laugh at the sight in front of him as he blurted out as hard as he could until he was out of breath from how much he was trying to hold back his giggles like a school-girl.
A pat on the back of their head was enough to send them into action, scrambling to find some semblance of solid ground as they pushed themselves away from his warm chest, flooded with laughter. In an instant, their hands extended outwards to gather their bearings by touching everything possible within their surroundings until they felt the comforting material of the bedding. Attempting to crawl away until to tumble into a lacklustre roll like a dog found playing in a pile of mud, finding themselves on the least occupied of the bed as Gojo took up the majority of it. It wasn’t long until they discovered a pillow nearby, pulling it closer to alleviate their head as something to rest on as they groaned into the satin fabric of the cover to try and clear their head as they fought back against the dizziness of a dazed mind.
His laughter faded into a quiet ambience as a dim pale blue glow lit up their nearby surroundings like a night light, the sound of ruffling fabric as something moved adjacent to them. A finger snagged under his blindfold and lifted to reveal one of his eyes, emitting a soft gleam as though it were natural bioluminescence from the cursed energy swirling behind his eyes. Glistening with an holy and otherworldly light, basking them in its radiance in a flame of his soul. His white eyelashes highlighted his eyes, fluttering with narrow eyes as he tugged the blindfold towards his forehead. He let out a thoughtful hum as he stared, filling the silence as his breathing slowed and relaxed into the fabric as he watched them with fascination and a level of softness.
A small sheepish peek from their makeshift burrow of soft fabric that acted as a safety blanket, their head slowly turned to meet his gaze beneath layers of hair covering their face, shielding them from complete view as solemn, exhausted eyes with bags clinging under them. Heavy in purplish hues that rivalled Shoko’s, painfully visible beneath the layers of hair that hid them. Barely able to keep them open under the weight of their burdens, close to the land of sleep as they began to doze away until slender fingers brushed away the stray hairs from their face with a tender touch. Like unsheathing the curtains, he finally managed to see the full extent of their condition as they could hardly keep their eyes focused on him with pinprick pupils, pushing themselves to give him the time of day.
He continued to brush away their hair until half of their face lay exposed, tucking it behind their ear as he let out a soft sigh that clouded their face with warmth. His hands continued the motion until it laid dormant on their cheek, gentle as it hovered there like a welcoming touch. Even as their eyes closed every time he stroked their face, they didn’t push it away nor did they curl up into a ball, didn’t reprimand him with words either as they leaned further into the pillow as they relaxed for the first time in a while as they exhaled some air through their noise. A voice called out their first name, the syllables as quiet as a passing breeze as it was akin to a sacred whisper. Encouraging them to open their eyes and look at him with a swipe of his thumb, fluttering their eyes open as they tilted their head slightly in response to his questioning tone.
“Soo… Any particular reason you chickened out from asking me for help?-” Upon asking the question, he was met with them returning to the cushions by shoving their face as far as they could into the depths of fabric as they shook their head in response. He attempted to add some humour into his tone by drawing out the words so it wouldn’t appear as serious, it wasn’t a direct confrontation but rather asking them if something was wrong. He shrugged as he talked, appearing nonchalant as he normally would as he tackled more heavier subjects with his students, to make the burden seem less so. Even as he spoke, concern seeped into his words as he couldn’t help but display worry over their wellbeing after everything that had transpired, seeds of guilt laid ridden on his chest that sprouted into bursts of concern.
Their reaction wasn’t a simple no as he’d like to believe, trying to hide themselves from revealing their feelings was a common strategy they liked to succumb to into avoiding heavier subject matter. Though his goal wasn’t to pressure them into spilling everything all at once, they had told him that wasn’t what they wanted and he wasn’t about to break their trust over something like that. Years of patience, bringing them out of their shell as they’d previously run away at the sound of a dropped utensil or hiding away under the bed frame as they whimpered and sobbed. Long ago, Shoko had told him that it was okay to slowly coerce them into talking in small amounts, he’d simply have to start from scratch in some regards in order for them to open up fully to them. He needed to let them know it was okay.
The memories flooded to the forefront of their mind, the embarrassment that came from the reminder as their cheeks flooded with a tinge of red as the blood flowed towards them. Both embarrassed to face it but also ashamed to admit the fact that they were still scared after so much time had passed and they still couldn’t handle a simple request on their own accord. They braced for some kind of tease, for some kind of reprimand for their mistakes but it never came. Only for the hand that had been stroking their cheek to transfer towards their hair as the touch they had grown so familiar played with their hair like routine, twirling it around his finger and allowing it to fall in rhythms as it reminded them of his presence, that they weren’t alone in handling their inner thoughts.
He didn’t expect any response, just focused on comforting them until they relaxed slightly once more and slowly lifted their head to look back at him as they leaned slightly into the hand that now cupped their cheek with tender care. They couldn’t meet his eyes as they avoided looking into the light, staring down at the clenched hands clutched towards their chest as a stray finger scratched away at their knuckles in a nervous fit. Noting their fidgeting as a coping mechanism, he lowered hand as he carefully slotted it between theirs as his hand engulfed theirs in a gentle squeeze, laying his palm on top of theirs as it remained still. Allowing them to find the courage to reciprocate some kind of touch as their cold rough hands began to intertwine with his own as they took it into their hands, rubbing circles into his knuckles as they inspected it with a hint of curiosity.
“You know… I don’t mind if you need to contact me for these things, right? Especially, when it’s as important as not getting into your own home…” Attempting to prompt some kind of response, to get them to engage in the conversation with him as he welcomed them with inviting and welcoming eyes as he lowered his gaze to meet theirs. His tone was serious and authoritative as it was light-hearted and soft as a whisper, emphasising his responsibility towards them as both a mentor and caretaker as despite the importance of his work, his priorities would always stand with his students as foremost. A stance he was always firm on and acknowledged without hesitation, a hindrance towards the higher ups yet also a valued trait as an educator.
Their shaky fingers slipped between the gaps of his fingers as they clasped them tightly in a tangle of hands, squeezing his hand as though it were a lifeline as their trembling also shook his hand in turn, allowing him to feel the lingering nerves of shivers that riddled them. He attempted to appear approachable as possible by planting his head beside theirs, returning the squeeze with a reassuring one of his own, slowing down his breathing and allowing himself to limp to look relaxed and casual. All in an effort to make them comfortable, their hyperawareness combined with their senses allowed them to pick up on even the slightest hint of insincerity or bad intentions like a bad stench. A reason why they never interacted with many people, his demeanor and aura was what allowed them to be comfortable, the more natural and genuine he was, the more likely they were to return the gesture.
They needed to know they were in a safe environment, that he was there to provide it for them as he always had and always would. He caught their eyes for a moment, bloodshot and red from how dry they were as they were unable to properly produce the liquid needed to hydrate them properly. It looked almost painful from how vibrant the veins looked at a closer glance, they hadn’t gotten a wink of week. A pang of guilt flooded his chest as he was the root cause of their given stress, his brows could only lower in both shame and remorse as his mind rewound to that moment, one where he could’ve approached the situation differently and handled it better. Yet, there was no fixing the mistakes of the past, only the present and he was going to use that to his full advantage. He had extended his hand, they just needed to reach out and grab it.
They were never one for intimacy nor were they particularly great at reciprocating or accepting it unconditionally, they might apologise for not meeting expectations after someone complimented their skills, they’d freeze up the moment he gave them a hug and always turned down favours or offers in fear of being indebted to someone. For them to be able to hold his hand without so much as a flinch in that moment was silent progress that he could only celebrate inside of his head to cherish, he wished that they could also acknowledge their progress but they never seemed to notice. As much as they strived for bigger and better accomplishments, the smaller ones went out the window.
Hence why they could only turn their head away when they noticed the extent of his concern, not fully pushing him away but they wouldn’t admit that they knew he was right. Perhaps his stubbornness had rubbed off on them a little too much, then again they’d been stubborn since the day they met. From the first time he extended his hand towards them, they could only allow their cheeks to flush with reddened cheeks and turn away with an exhale of breath as they attempted to hide their face once more. The hair tucked away slowly descended back onto their face, covering it from view as gravity worked its magic, much to his objection as he could only sigh and reach out his other hand to push it back further against their head and securing it against their ear with a little more attention to care as he wouldn’t allow for them to sneak away from his words. Seeing no other option as they held eye contact once more, backed into a corner as they lowered their gaze with a small frown.
“I don’t- …I- ….I just- I didn’t want to bother you… You’re busy, you’ve got enough to deal with without me bothering you all the time- You don’t need me to-” Cutting themselves off before they could ramble into oblivion about their self-worth compared to the value of Satoru Gojo, the floodgates had opened and all they could do was cling tighter to his hand as they lowered their head towards their chest as they knees followed in a curl of a ball, making themselves appear as small as possible to have some semblance of protection. As honest as they were, it was also deprecating towards themselves as they couldn’t help but speak negatively, the message was there but it was never as straightforward as they would’ve liked to communicate.
Truth be told, they weren’t like Gojo or Megumi when it came to being direct, they couldn’t simply state that they felt bad for bothering them. They were always detailed thorough explanations, they had to purposefully stop themselves to prevent themselves from turning into a sobbing mess. As much as they’d like to be, hitting someone without warning was like a sneak attack. They might specialize in that front on the terms of combat but by means of communication, the thought was enough to make them wince. They were always the one to blame, they always had been as a consequence of their actions and life, for karma would come knocking at the door to take all they had to offer. A book with such a story to tell with many different beginnings to tell, so many small details to mention that not even the closest knew the full extent of it all.
A web of half-truths, a tangle of thoughts, a hindrance to progress and improvement. Their inner monologue of thoughts sprouted from deep roots with no end in sight, a vicious cycle of agony and torment as they faulted themselves for a lack of confidence due to self-esteem issues. They shifted their gaze towards his hand, focusing on the minute details from the granules of sugar sticking to his long fingers from having stuffed a sweet treat prior to visiting them in the hotel room. Not only that but there were small scuffs of dirt clinging to his skin as they found themselves scraping away the scraps of excess from his nails with careful precision and focus as they left little evidence of interfering. Not daring to leave marks behind on his skin that wasn’t there own as the last thing they wanted was to hurt him, even if it was just irritated skin.
They thought that all the tears had dried up from the well after sobbing into the night, but they were proven wrong when a stray tear escaped their attention as it dabbled down their cheek in a trail of sorrow. They let out a small noise of surprise of the sensation of it running down the side of their face, caught off guard by its sudden appearance as they hadn’t expected their parched and dense eyes managed to muster out a singular tear from their eye sockets in one final attempt of crying out. Even after all of them had run dry, they had no particular reason to cry but the flooded emotions seemed to creep out in small amounts. It was strange to them, unexpected as they suspected their own body of doing something against them. They were upset, sure. But it wasn’t the end of the world to cry about, they weren’t some kind of cry-baby.
The strongest already had enough to deal with, he didn’t need them to burden him with requests and questions. If they were the shackles to his chains, he would never truly be free with them by his side.
“Pft- Please! You think I wouldn’t miss out on the chance to get away from those old geezers?~ I’d take anything, any day over dealing with them!~” Before they could reach up and wipe away the tear from their cheek, a direct poke beat them to the chase as it flicked away the anomaly. His voice rose louder as he let out a light chuckle at the audacity of an accusation that he wanted to participate in such a meeting, a pointed finger of rebuttal at their claims. Instantly, he went from his quiet demeanour to brash and loud as his smirk only widened with amusement with mock anger as he forcibly furrowed his brows as his face slowly fell into a pout. Playful but offended as he turned slightly as he took their hand towards his chest as he crossed his arms with them in tow, leading to them almost joining him as they were pulled closer against their will.
They attempted to fight back by pulling away from him, but their arm wouldn’t budge as he refused to let go of it. It was as though their appendage were stuck in place under layers of solid cement, as they could neither move their upper body as something in the air moved around them like an invisible veil. Losing all control of their body as they remained still as a painting, incapable of movement as infinity activated all around them as they were left to the whims of Gojo Satoru to do as he pleased. Falling victim to his schemes as they had allowed themselves to be lured into a sense of relative safety for him to take advantage of, they could only watch on in disbelief as their autonomy was taken away. Bracing for what was to come as their eyes widened in horror as they wanted nothing more than to get away.
As terrified as they were, they were inclined to agree with him as they’d take on any life threatening missions over dealing with the higher ups. The two of them had that in common as the old ways of the society were not the best with poorly handled and executed situations, they had the ability to prevent so many more deaths from happening yet they never took charge as they only took to enforcing rules that were far too old to be viable in a modern society that had changed substantially since the Heian era. Not including personal biases, hence why they believed in Gojo’s dream of overthrowing them or initiating that change for the younger generation. Even if they were a part of that criteria, they were probably a lot more mature than many others far beyond their years due to the circumstances they grew up in.
Instead of some overbearing hug or tickling them until they were left breathless though like they had come to expect, he slowly removed his hand from theirs as his arms extended over them in a loose embrace of a hug. Bringing them closer towards his chest as he slowly encouraged their head to lean against them, careful to gauge their reaction to see if there was any discomfort as their head laid limp against him as their ears filled with the sounds of his heartbeat and the breathing of his lungs expanding with air and letting all go. It served as a reminder for them to keep breathing but also that they weren’t alone in their suffering as he rubbed circles into their back in a soothing motion. He was there, always had been.
“But! On a more serious note… You can always ask me for help, I really don't mind- And if it takes me saying that every morning like an alarm for it to get into your little head, I’ll do it!- …Just remember- …I’m here, okay?” Pausing as he uttered the last words of reassurance, that he valued them as he spoke with conviction and seriousness but also genuine emotion as his eyes softened with a small frown yet the warmest swirling hues. Holding them tighter for just a moment to just show his extent of affection as he snuggled them, shoving their head into the crook of his neck as he shuffled against them to hold them as close as possible like a teddy bear. Not only that but he rarely allowed anyone to get so close to him despite how affectionate he might appear, he was the most guarded out of everyone they knew yet here he was, exposing the most vulnerable body part like it was no big deal.
The restrictions on their body withdrew little by little. Warmth flooded their chest as for once they reciprocated by nuzzling into his neck as they let out a sound of contentment with a quiet hum. Allowing themselves to be enveloped with his care and affection as they wrapped their arms around his neck for additional security. He let out a muffled shocked gasp at the sudden turn and quickly began to dote on them by running his hands through their hair as he’d play with the loose strands and tightening the bun, resting his head atop of theirs as he smiled wholeheartedly with his teeth shining brightly. He chuckled upon seeing his plans succeed in cheering them up as his six eyes saw a burst of emotion through their cursed energy.
Infinity enveloped the pair of them like a pair of gigantic wings of a seraphim angel, shielding them from the outside world and the terrors that came with it. A guardian. Offering his presence as a semblance of safety to the unfamiliar and daunting, a safe space for them to express themselves and be themselves. On the inside, they were still a child at heart and it shone through the same spark of wonder behind their eyes. Hungry with a thirst for knowledge that he couldn’t help but nurture and guide, to teach all he could with everything he had excess to whether it be from experience or simply the books they liked to browse whenever he took them to the main estate in Kyoto. It was rare he got to indulge in the sight before him. Where he got to see who they really were beneath all the pain, genuine moments of vulnerability. The trust in their eyes. And most surprisingly, it wasn’t unbearable to touch someone for the first time in forever.
He would always be there for them, no matter what.
To them, his thought process was otherworldly, beyond their understanding as they could only imagine what he might be thinking in the moment. But they knew truthfully that their mentor was truly the strongest. His eyes shone with concern, care and affection seeping into every crevice of his soul. An impossibility became possible, uncertainty became certain. For once, he wasn’t just the strongest but himself as he allowed them to see his inner emotions without any hesitation. And they wanted to show that he mattered to them just as they did to him, even if it was just a simple hug. But in reality, it meant the world.
Just as they were about to open their mouth to apologise for causing him stress and worrying him half to death due to their miscommunication, wanting to make up for their mistakes. He was already one step ahead of them as he seemed to know what they were thinking just by the mannerisms and the look on their alone as he shook his head in disapproval, pulling away from the hug just to hush them with a finger pressed against their lips as it muffled their speech. Pressing his forehead against theirs as he brushed back their front hairs, nuzzling them as he opened his eyes with tender care and endearment, filled with unspoken emotion. He seemed to find joy in their surprise as they went to swipe away his finger only to be nuzzled like a scrubbed dish rag, letting out a startled noise of surprise followed by an annoyed huff.
Just maybe, they could allow themselves to feel hopeful.
A brief hug, one that lasted no longer than a minute in the grand scheme of time as it passed on like nothing had occurred. A minute in a million as the world moved forward and ever changing as the moment they shared went into the back of their minds as they slowly withdrew and returned to the mediocrity of the mundane, settling down into normalcy. A new record in terms of willingly hugging someone, a genuine hug where they weren’t afraid to participate as a partaker of the affection as they bit back the upward tug of their lips. Their head returned to its perch on the pillow but as they allowed themselves the space to breathe, Gojo wasn’t quite as set on them leaving just yet, wanting it to last just a little longer as he clung onto them. Allowing them some space with a spacious gap between them but he refused to retract his hands.
Rolling their eyes in feigned annoyance, prying off his arms as they compromised as they allowed him to hold one of their hands for additional time, begrudgingly so as they really shouldn’t be condoning it by enforcing their boundaries but they could make an exception or at least pretend to as whenever Gojo was like this, there was really no denying him of it. But, he never poked at them or moved frequently enough to warrant attention, he was just enjoying the moment of holding their hand. Unnaturally still for someone so active, as though he were living in the moment of it all.
But something was different, something had changed. The same glint in their eyes, it was the same yet but something had altered its appearance just a little bit that it was almost unnoticeable. The eyes with a thirst for vengeance, cold as it held the capacity to kill without a hint of mercy; The same ones that looked at him with kindness and inspiration as they strived to follow in his footsteps. There was something else he couldn’t quite perceive, never able to fully point out as it flickered in and out frequently but something had changed. Perhaps they were showing a side of them that had become so repressed it was only beginning to show, maybe they were healing? Perhaps they were even simply allowing themselves to experience happiness? He couldn’t tell. A different form, twisted yet perfectly flawed.
Maybe they were changing slowly, but surely.
To determine whether the consequences were positive or negative were yet to be foretold, but it didn’t matter to him. Their future selves could deal with processing the information later as he was always one to live in the moment, nonchalant about most things as life tended to throw things at him from a variety of things from life altering decisions to a car. But, he couldn’t bring himself to let go yet. Their body posture was more lean and relaxed, never fully tucking their knees towards their chest as they’d usually curl up into a protective ball. A lot more open as they allowed their cursed energy to flow in small amounts, not all at once as they often kept it suppressed due to other factors but it was there, manifesting. Wiping away the dark circles under their eyes with the silky sleeves of their uniform as they let out a tired yawn, opening their eyes as they paused, staring at their wrist with some thought as something came to mind.
In fact, they were almost curious or intrigued as they returned their gaze towards him with a tilt of their head, humming with consideration as they began to hold their chin in contemplation. A sound of rhetorical questioning as ideas run rampant. Hesitating to speak aloud the question as they paused with an open mouth, closing it for a moment as second thoughts came to mind. Refraining from speaking their mind as they couldn’t find the words, scrunching their nose as though they were about to bring up a touchy subject. Bracing for the worst, he tried to appear encouraging with a tense smirk to encourage them with a green light in order to continue. Squeezing their hand reassuringly to persuade them to go through with their decision.
“...By the way- How’d that meeting go with them anyways?...” Just a simple question, casual conversation with so much build up that he felt relief over the topic, letting out a deep breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Sighing, he couldn’t help but chuckle as he imagined the worst case scenario. Perhaps their timid and anxious nature was rubbing off on him too, as they were stumbling over how to ask him about something so boring that he couldn’t help but want to add flair to his response just to keep them from falling asleep from the amount of boredom a detailed explanation would bring. They looked up at him with a curious brow as they were confused by his sudden laughter out of nowhere, trying to piece together the context that resulted in him reacting that way, the desire to understand.
A part of them still had that natural inclination to know more about the world, discovering new things for the first time, experiences that made them who they were. Naturally curious to learn something new, he knew that they liked to ask questions. More prevalent when they were younger, the youth always observing and absorbing information. For a moment, he thought it might’ve been something more serious or deeper, preparing to play the role of wise mentor and become all philosophical like an old sage. But sometimes it was just simple, and there was nothing more to it. Their brain had reflected on the day's events with one particular subject catching their interest after having indirectly affected their day, the higher ups' interferences had consequences on the three of them. Affecting each of them differently. Simply wanting to inquire the details of the events, to know context.
“Oh!- Right… Just the usual spiel about their paranoia and all that!~ Blah- Blah- Blah!~ Get yourself together Satoru Gojo! Everyone depends on you! …Bullshit!- If you ask me… I just wish they’d crawl up in their graves already… How’d you know?” He was quick to wish death towards his elders, they might not like their elders but that seemed a little cruel for their taste. Just shove them into retirement homes and live out the rest of their days, telling stories about the old days and growing senile. Whether that was actually a better fate, they didn’t know but it was morally better than outright murder. Shrugging as he preached on about their lacklustre ways, how their warnings weren’t to be taken seriously like a rebellious child going against his parents. Clicking his lips in annoyance with a snarl at the mere mention of them, making a chattering motion with his hands until he went full on a rant.
He ended his rant with a pouty lip as he withdrew his hold as he hugged his arms over his chest in a cross, playfully furious. Lifting a brow as to inquire how they obtained such information as his hands tugged the blindfold and secured it back over his face, covering his eyes from view but his radiating cursed energy remained as vibrant as ever, allowing them to preserve him to a degree without a normal means of sight. With his withdrawal, they sat up against the headboard with the pillow to prop them up and support their back. Gojo remained on the bed, allowing himself the privilege to spread his legs and occupy as much room as possible for whatever reason, he could not leave their personal space. Tucking his hands behind his head to support it as he made himself comfortable on the sheets. He didn’t even see it coming.
“About that…” Given their newfound track record of starting revolts against Gojo, he didn’t seem to suspect that he had another round incoming. He didn’t even find anything suspicious when they sat up straight just to stretch and yawn in one long, overdue relaxation as their muscles expressed gratitude over releasing their air from their stiffened joints, freedom. He simply believed that they were contemplating what to say once more, all a part of their plan in a revolution as they brandished their new offensive weapon, a symbol of hope and victory. Gripping the edges as they stealthily raised their weapon as silently as they could manage, taking in a deep breath as they lifted it as high above their head.
A brutish weapon, much like wielding a hammer as it smashed against obstacles in its wake with devastating destruction. Dealing heavy blows against opponents, mass amounts of damage from strength alone. Simply dropping it would immediately eradicate a curse, a tool to be used in combat with muscle and physical prowess. Imbuing it with cursed energy would only make it more formidable in combat, like a brick wall being thrown against their face. It was both thick and dense, essentially functioning as a broadsword as it required two hands to properly reach its potential as a lethal deadly weapon.
May Gojo Satoru live to see another day.
“DON’T. BE. MEAN. TO. MEGS!” Whacking the weapon against him with such ferocity that he stood no chance at survival, beaten to a pulp as he was left battered and bruised by their onslaught. Pausing between each blow to cry out their words, yelling out with the anger that rivaled the purity of cursed spirits as impacts knocked the air out of his lungs from the total whiplash that left him breathless, unable to react. Carrying out revenge for their fallen ally, pounding it repeatedly against his face as the object hit him with tremendous force. He cried out in alarm, attempting to block the blows with his arms only for them to change the trajectory and hit him somewhere else every time, inconsistent.
It was a fucking pillow.
“ACK!- Okay!- Okay!- I get it, that’s enough!- I’m sorry!- Please- …ACK!- SERIOUSLY?!” Pleading for mercy, curling up into a ball as he flinched at every impact. His hands rose in surrender only to fall to their attacks as it slapped against him relentlessly. For a moment, they considered accepting his apology as they shared prolonged eye contact, a certain look on his face with a quivering lip, mimicking a sob. They were bullying him at that point, finding delight in his suffering that was all too amusing. Understanding why he teased them so much, it was fun for them as it was humiliating for him. They would savour it for all of time, delivering one final attack as they succeeded in their conquest.
They wanted to get in the extra gut punch as well, just to deal a blow at his ego rather than physical damage. Only for a kilogram of feathers to turn as thick and heavy as steel, their feather pampered pillow had turned into a solid state as it stopped midair, caught in a moment of time. Their bodily autonomy had once more been stripped away as they were shrouded with infinity, caught in a tight rope as they struggled against it only to drop a beat of weight as it only grew tighter with each tug. He sat up with newfound purpose, moving carefree as he turned back to them with a devious smile, snatching the pillow out of their hands as he shoved it back in place where it belonged originally. Frozen, they were helpless as he cupped their cheek with the same level of care as earlier only to falter at the last moment, his smile falling into a thin line as he hesitated on his next words.
“...Also, Birdie- …I-”, he began with a tone that was out of character for him, like it was new territory or ground that he had never walked before. Unfamiliar as he sighed in defeat, scratching the back of his head nervously as he second guessed his words. For once, they really couldn’t tell if he was sincere or acting, joking around or being honest and genuine. They’d seen him like that for certain but it was odd with how nervous he had suddenly become, as though he were too scared to speak openly about it, like a well kept secret. As infinity enveloped them, holding them in place; they couldn’t even reach out to reassure him with a hug and words were unexplored territory for them as well.
As much as they wanted too.
“What are you two doing?-” The two of them froze as though they had been caught doing something nefarious, like a pair of a bunch of squirrels ready to book it towards the nearest tree with their nuts in tow. Apparently they weren’t as alone as they believed as Fushiguro returned a disgruntled questioning look on his face, with one foot into the room as he attempted to silently slip past, only to spot Gojo being Gojo as he dragged his student into his Hijinx. Immediately, Infinity evaporated into nothingness as they were left to fall back against the bed as they bounced, the sound of squeaky springs filling the springs as they creaked under the pressure.
He eyed the two with suspicion as none of them immediately spoke up to defend themselves and their honour, even Gojo was at a loss for words. Megumi just ended up awkwardly shifting after interrupting them as he could tell he had walked in on something he wasn’t really supposed to see, he knew he had probably just ruined a bonding moment between them. He only sighed as he brought up the plastic bag into view, signalling that he had successfully retrieved and gotten the food back to the hotel without issue. Slotting his card back into place as the lights shone like spotlights all around, allowing them to visibly see once again without issue. Not without a painful hiss as they adjusted their sight to the additional brightness, wincing as they could hardly keep them open as they stood up to help Megumi sort out the food as who belonged to whose.
“Nothing!~ Just hand over the food already! I’m STARVING!” Rubbing his hands against one another as it created a whooshing sound as he prepared to gorge on a gourmet meal, anticipating every bite as he salivated at the mere thought of consuming it all as drool pooled from his mouth as fell down his chin. They could only watch with disgust as they backed away towards the shelf they were using as a makeshift desk to sort out everything, Megumi paying no mind to him at that point as Gojo demanded that he get his food on the spot. Sighing as he placed the crinkly bag onto the shelf and began to untie the knot of the two co-dependent bags tied into one bundle, separating the two from both hot and cold dishes as he began to plate everything into piles of whose food was food, fortunately labelled with what ramen was which.
Carefully opening the crinkly bag revealed three small Styrofoam trays with freshly cooked noodles with the various toppings all neatly arranged in a satisfying display, not only that but three decently sized bowls carefully stacked and secured with a clear lid with steaming hot broth inside. They slowly shoved the other bag to the side, out of view so Gojo wouldn’t immediately go after them. It was essentially a hidden dessert pile, and knowing Gojo he’d much prefer the taste of a sweet treat over a nutritious meal anyday. Just a precaution as they handed him two pairs of chopsticks, his tray and bowl.
Next to take his seat on the bed was Megumi as he grabbed his food, making sure to rearrange Gojo’s legs to clear up some space for him to sit down as he sat beside him. Sitting with his back straight with composure as he popped the lid off his bowl and began to arrange the toppings like any other ramen bowl. With their back turned, the sensation of being watched never quite left them as one of the boys watched on with a keen eye. It wasn’t until they grabbed their order and turned around to see Gojo sitting there with his order in hand, unmoving as he stared at them expectantly. His head followed in their direction like a still painting as they ended up just taking a seat on the other side of the bed, legs hanging over the edge with the food in their lap. The three of them formed some kind of weird cycle like students would in preschool.
When they didn’t budge an inch, only opening their bowl and picking up the toppings into the bowl as they allowed them to absorb the broth and drown in flavour, only raising the food towards their mouth as they began to slowly slurp on their noodles in small amounts after noticing his stare. He continued to stare with a thin line in the form of his lips, moving robotically as he ripped the plastic off the bowl and opened up his tray and titled it down as all his toppings slid into the bowl with a large splash. Half the noodles with a topping or two were nearly falling out of the bowl from an improper landing, only for him to grab a pair of his chopsticks and break them in half. He scooped up a large chunk of noodles only to painfully slowly slurp the noodles as loud as humanly possible, nonstop. The sound of slurping noodles was all the pair could hear as they tried to respectfully eat their food in peace even as he greedily drank up the broth and finished the meal in less than 5 minutes when he students weren’t even half way through.
He instantly went for the desserts, helping himself to the matcha flavoured ice cream with a sweet earthly taste hitting his buds as he moaned in delight of the treat, bite after bite as he dug into the bittersweet dessert both rich and powdery. Leaving him to his own devices, they tried to enjoy what remained of their ramen and their appetite as they picked up the various toppings of veg and meat, finding it all flavourful and amazing, great texture and just to their liking from the tenderness of the noodles to the richness of the broth. It tasted like a home cooked meal, brimming with nostalgia as they sipped lightly at the broth with a content hum. They weren’t the only one pleased with their meal as Megumi was tidying up his empty tray and bowl into a neat pile, shoving them aside with fairly clean plates. He wasn’t one to comment but if he finished it in a short time frame, it was good food and they were inclined to agree.
“Thanks for the food, Fushiguro!- I’ll have to pay you back as soon as my next pay check comes in…” Expressing graduate for the sole saviour towards their hunger, nodding in respect as they promised payment in return for his generosity. Following in his footsteps as they collected both their and Gojo’s dishes next to his in a growing pile of trash, only to shove it into a trash can in the corner of the room. Kneeling over it to make sure that it wasn’t going to overfill, debating whether or not to crush it down to max out the amount of space. A pang of pain at the back of their head as something bumped against them, falling to the floor with a collision as it rolled across the floor. Rubbing their head with a slight wince as they plopped the empty container that had been thrown at them into the bin, correcting its intended target.
“Oops- Sorry, Birdie!~” Calling out over the distance of the room as he attempted to take a shot of the bin, their movements had gotten in the way of its trajectory as it hit them square in the head, an accident resulting from coincidence if they believed his apologetic tone to be genuine. Though, they weren’t entirely against believing he was trying to get revenge for not bringing him his sweet treats sooner. Opening out the other container to reveal rice cake dumplings stuffed with various flavours of ice cream ranging from vanilla, strawberry, matcha and chocolate. Using his extra pair of chopsticks to pluck up one as he tossed it into his mouth, speaking with his mouth full. They only shrugged in response, indicating that it wasn’t a big deal as they made their way back towards the bed as Megumi turned towards them with his arms over his chest, pointing towards Gojo.
“It’s nothing. And don’t worry about it. Just get him out of here when he finishes, I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.” His words held a level of snide as he spoke with clenched teeth, almost grumbling in warning as though he were on the edge of losing it with Gojo. To be fair, the two of them had overstayed their welcome and the last thing they wanted was to get on Megumi’s bad side for pushing it, he had a busy day tomorrow and the boy was going to need all the rest he could get. Evidently, he was grumpy and they looked at Gojo with pleading eyes as they silently requested that he hurry up in taking his sweet time to eat, literally. But still, they seemed to have kept the wolf dormant by giving him positive reinforcement as his cheeks lightly blushed at their words, pleased.
“Yes, sir!~” Gojo agreed to his demands with a mock salute, drawing out each word with certainty as he emphasized his respect for authority by calling him sir. Whilst they could only nod rapidly in quick succession to express their understanding. Teasing him most probably as the next second he was tossing another piece of mochi into his mouth squealed from the burst of flavor filling his mouth, nudging his student with his elbow as he hovered a piece of mochi towards them with a perky smirk. Gesturing for them to open their mouth with his own as they stared at him, dumbfounded yet did as they were told with the mochi being dropped in as a cold frosty treat hit their taste buds. He had picked out one of their favourites, flooding their mouth with a sugary treat as they chewed away with a hum of approval.
Apparently he was sorry for his actions as it came as a peace offering, he even went as far as to offer one towards Megumi who slapped it away with a hiss. He quickly retracted his arm before Fushiguro made contact, saving his delectable treat as he grumpily shoved it into his mouth with a look of disapproval. They imagined him rolling his eyes underneath the blindfold, clutching the container close to his chest protectively after Megumi became aggressive towards him. Prioritizing the safety of his desserts as he ate them at a faster pace, watching Megumi with a glint of suspicion and caution. They could only wipe away any residue clinging to their face with their sleeve as another drastic yawn escaped them as they sleepily blinked with one eye at a time.
“Don’t call me that…” He grumbled with a tone laced with venom, rolling his eyes with a look of disgust as he cringed in second hand embarrassment despite there being no audience to look on in horror. Scoffing as walked across the room, grabbing their shoes and satchel together and shoving them in their face as he silently commanded them to get ready to leave, officially kicking them out of the apartment. They scrambled to take them from his hands as he stormed off to take off his jacket, hanging it up on the clothing rack inside of the closet as he smoothed out the creases with his hands without the access to an iron.
Hurriedly, they rushed to tie up their shoes properly as they couldn’t fit their foot into the sole of the shoe for a moment. Eventually, they managed to get the shoes on, securing the strap of their satchel across their chest, they turned to hope that Gojo was ready to leave as the ticking time bomb was bound to explode at any second. Only to see him eating the last piece of mochi with an open mouth, chewing obnoxiously loudly. A wave of anxiety rushed over them as their hands rose against their chest, rubbing circles into their knuckles as they sought for some kind of emergency exit to leave before the deadline in case Gojo didn’t hurry. He took his time in eating the treat, tossing the container onto the bedside table as he stood up to his full height.
He began to do extreme stretches by squatting in a kneel, spreading his legs as far apart as he could manage as he balanced. His hands snagged his knees as he stretched his upper body in different directions, only to stand tall in one final stretch as he stood on his tip toes with his arms above his head. Rolling his shoulders afterwards with the additional support of his arms just to ease the tension in his joints as he readied himself with a bounce in his step, cracking his neck and knuckles as Megumi glared daggers into his back. He dusted off his clothes as well, adjusting his blindfold and smoothing out his hair as he swept them back, only for them to spring back to life with newfound vigour. And then he bowed, one foot behind the other as he lowered his head with mock respect, one arm crossed over his torso with his other hand extended towards them with an open palm.
As though it were a formal event by offering them a dance, they could only shake their head at the sudden display in both amusement and disbelief, looking down at him with squinted eyes. Their lower lids lifted in expression to display their glee as they stood up from their seat, passing by Megumi to take Gojo’s hand as they intertwined. His smirk only grew as he pulled them closer towards them, causing them to stumble into their arms as they momentarily lost their balance. His hand gave one final squeeze as he tossed an arm over their shoulder and slouched against them. Without another word, he gave one final salute towards his general with a chuckle and evaporated into nothingness, disappearing before Megumi could give some kind of comeback as the two were gone. Leaving him to his own devices in the room as the warm silence became isolating without their presence, letting out a sigh as he tossed off the lights with a flip of a switch. Tucking into the bedding as he made himself comfortable for the night, shutting his eyes with one final exhale as he braced for what was to come.
It wouldn’t come easily.
Teleporting was something they’d never get used to, one moment they were on one side of the country and the next they were back in the luxurious apartment, located in Central Tokyo. It always left them with a feeling of unease, as though they had committed some kind of sin as the impossible became possible for a fraction of a second. It left them breathless like a strong gust of wind took all the air with it as their hair flew in all sorts of directions until it settled back down, they hadn’t even realised that Gojo had snagged the collar of their uniform until he released them back onto the ground, their knees nearly crumbling underneath them as they quickly found their footing. Taking in their surroundings with a cautionary blink as they focused, the familiar space of their bedroom processed into their brain.
Everything was just as they had left it earlier that morning, everything was mostly in place aside from a mess of a sight that was their bed. Plushies were strewn across the floor, blankets were ruffled up layers of fabric clumps that crinkled the high quality fabrics that tinged them with wrinkles. Pillows had fallen out of place as they fell off the edges onto the floor, leaving it a bigger mess than initially. All a result of them tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep and now they could only dread making their bed as they proclaimed loudly with a drawn out groan. Begrudgingly taking a step towards it, weakly clasping the edge of a pillow and throwing it back onto the bed where it belonged, prepared to repeat the process for the next 10 minutes as they collected everything, only to rearrange it all into a proper bed.
They weren't as alone as they anticipated as Gojo joined them in collecting the pillows and plushies, catching them by surprise as he came to their aid rather than leaving them to deal with it on their own. Taking his time to fluff the pillows and placing the plushies into a tower on the corner of the bed, working together as time went faster with the power of two over one. It wasn’t long until every pillow and plushie was back where they belonged, with the only thing left to do was return the blankets back to the back and get ready to tuck in and sleep. They bent over to grab one of them when a hand came into contact with their shoulder, looking behind them to see it was none other than Gojo.
“How about you go get changed and brush your teeth?~ I’ll finish up here-” Without waiting for an answer, he took the blanket out of their hands and waved it like a flag in the air until it fluttered down and settled onto the bed. A short yet surprised noise escaped them, pausing as they about his offer. But given the benefits of the deal that would allow them to get into bed and fall asleep sooner, they ended up slowly backing away in case he changed his mind. Only for him to wave his hand at them, encouraging them to go as they quickened their step towards their closet, grabbing a random pair of pajamas that happened to be in view as they scrambled off towards the bathroom to get changed.
Not wanting to make Gojo wait any longer as he worked fast with most things, they were multitasking in getting ready for bed as they scrambled to pull up their trousers with a toothbrush shoved into their mouth as they tried to brush at the same time. Somehow, they managed to get fully dressed and toss their uniform into the hamper by the time their mouth stung like a spicy dish from the toothpaste. Rushing towards the sink to spit out the contents and rinsing out the lingering taste as it left them with a minty breath. A sigh of relief escaped them as they managed to get ready in time, looking up to gauge their appearance in the mirror. Only to freeze upon making eye contact with their reflection.
What caught their attention wasn’t their mess of an appearance, they already concluded that they looked like utter shit with the looks they’d been given in passing from strangers to their teachers, dark circles clinging under their eyes with heavy baggage that looked rough to look at. But what caught their eye was the bun that had managed to stay put together all day without issue, still secure and going strong. The one Gojo had affectionately put effort into making, surprisingly knowing his way on how to tie a neat bun despite having hair on the shorter side that was often just a bit messy. A knowing look returned their gaze as they slowly untied the knot holding it all together, watching on as their hair fell back towards their shoulders, resting where it normally would.
Turning away as they left the bathroom back towards their sleeping chambers, adorning a random oversized t-shirt with a pair of comfy shorts, leaving their kneecaps exposed to the heated air around them. Shoving the hair tie over their wrist, their injuries were practically an afterthought as the lingering pain hadn’t really bothered them. Despite the trouble their foot had caused, it felt fine at that point, it wasn’t agony so they assumed it was fine. They were on break as well so they wouldn’t be doing extensive combat for a few days, meaning they could recover. It probably wasn’t the prettiest sight to have a bandage wrapped across their arm and ankle though. But, they didn’t want to dwell on the past as they pushed on as they reunited with Gojo just in time as he was slouched over the edge of the bed, waiting for them.
He was quick to notice their swift return, the sensation of being watched came back almost immediately as they were left to assume he was double checking their injured condition. They approached with a nervous step, hesitant on planting their two feet into their room. Staying still until Gojo concluded his brief scan as he patted the empty space beside him for them to rest on, obediently they followed as they sat on the corner of the bed with the knees tucked against their chest as they looked down at him, expectant as they awaited him to initiate some kind of conversation after he made no indication to move from his spot. Tilting their head with curiosity as to what he might be plotting.
“My hands are going to be a bit more full than usual, tomorrow. Soo~ Someone better not miss me and cause trouble while I’m gone- And should TOTALLY go to SLEEP right about now~ So they wake up with a good amount of sleep to properly rest TOMORROW.” With each emphasised drawn out word, it was met with a poke at their side as he made sure that they got the point, literally. Laying on his side, looking up at them with a tenacious smirk until his face flat flat with a sigh, falling back down limply against the bed as he pinched the crease between of his brow, adjusting his blindfold.
Taking in a deep breath, he looked almost exhausted. Or at least it came off that way as he relaxed in front of them without a second glance or care towards the world, he seemed to need the rest more than them from the time he rarely got between his shifts and work and downtime. Never a dull moment but never a moment to relax or simply have some time to himself, even when he did; He was usually taking the time out of his day to check up on his students or taking care of them, Selfless.
“And, Birdie- Since I’ll be gone by the time you wake up, remember you can talk if you need to. Saying this in case I forget or something~ Rest up and get some sleep, alright?” Peeking out one of his eyes beneath the blindfold, his look softened with a small affectionate smile as he reached out towards the top of their head as he roughly ruffled their hair with his hand. Making their hair go in all sorts of places as they stood on ends, out of place in messy tangles and layers. Resulting in them trying to cough away the hairs that got caught by their mouth as they spluttered to clean it up with him tucking their hair back after his assault, trying to half-heartedly fix up his mess with a light chuckle.
Then, he withdrew one final time that night as his hand slowly returned to his side, almost hesitant as he covered his eye with his blindfold once more as he sat up from his position, rising to his feet as he turned to head out towards the exit. Only to stop as a pair of hands clasped over his own with a slight tug, holding on to him as he looked behind him to see that they had followed in his footsteps. A pinch between their brow, a sign of determination with their lips pierced shut as though it had been ziptied as a beat of sweat fell down the side of their face as they struggled to muster up the words to speak. Noting their anxiety, he gave a squeeze as though he were sending them courage through mere touch alone as they seemed to find it as soon as he’d reassured them.
“W-Wait… Before you go, do you wanna play some Portal with me?...” They couldn’t meet their eyes with the request, their hands retracting as they rose towards their chest as they fidgeted with twiddling thumbs. Almost taking a step back as a precaution of rejection as their hair fell over their face, covering their nervous expression. But, he could feel his heart melt at the request. Closing his eyes beneath the blindfold as his smile only grew wider despite him actively holding back the urge to smile, as not to embarrass them further as he couldn’t help but ruffle their hair again as they yelped in reaction to their head being forcibly lowered.
“... I’d love too~” Accepting the offer as he jumped onto the bed and made himself comfortable, throwing his jacket and blindfold to the side as he tidied up his hair to keep it out of his face. Leaning back against the assortment of pillows as he reached out towards the bedside table to turn on the TV with the remote. With them joining with two controllers in hand as they turned on the console as the two prepared for their gaming session together, passing him one of the controllers as the console launched with a mechanical hum, the brands logo brandishing on screen as it displayed the main menu. Making themselves comfortable by crawling into bed and tucking into the layers of blankets as they laid the controller on their lap as Gojo took control of navigating the menu to find the game.
Selecting the game, the two found the Co-op option and selected it with split-screen play as they readied themselves with the controllers, pressing continue to start off where they last left off since they’d last played the game together. The machinery hummed as it loaded in the level onto the screen, sending them straight into the action with a test chamber as the announcer of a feminine robotic voice spoke out sarcastically to them with gut wrenching commentary as to their performance as players. Calling out bad behaviour and sometimes even rewarding it, as GLaDoS tended to be quite a bitch at times during Gameplay. He ended up playing Atlas due to the blue colour scheme, suiting him best as they played P-body, the least accurate in terms of height.
Analysing the elements granted to them in the level, trying to figure out the first step to take in solving the complex test. His brain wracking for some kind of solution took in the orientation of the mechanics and positions of key places, noting the position of the exit at the back of his head as he walked across the screen with his character to fully take in the intensity of the puzzle. Humming with dramatic thought, he began to mess around with buttons to see with one of them did and what kind of jumps would be possible with he portal placements, crossing his legs over one another as he slouched forwards towards the screen as he poked out his tongue in anticipation and excitement that came with solving a thrilling puzzle, with options in mind as he opened his mouth to purpose on how to tackle it all and what steps they should take in a collaborative effort.
Pausing when he felt something bump against his shoulder, a weight settling beside him as they slouched against him only to tumble down and fall into his lap due to improper balance. Caught off guard by them being the one to initiate the touch, he reached down to check if they were okay by the suddenness of it all. They were still warm and breathing as he swayed the hairs away with his hand, feeling the airflow from their nose, but it became quickly apparent that they were no longer conscious with him as his eyes met with closed ones. Their breathing was slow, faint yet strong. The barely audible sounds of snoring as they almost choked on their saliva that had begun to drool from their mouth.
As it would turn out, a person could only stay awake for so long until they fully shut down. He was surprised that they hadn’t passed out on him back at the hotel given how loopy and delirious they were, somehow they had managed to preserve and prove him wrong as they handled his chaos, conversations and problem solving in such a state. He knew they had great endurance and this wasn’t the full extent of their strength. They could stay up for days if required but if they had fallen asleep just like that, it meant more than he could imagine as he bit down on his tongue to hold back a squeal. Needing to hold back a chuckle as he could only silently laugh to himself with how things had taken a turn.
Careful as not to disturb them, he took his time patiently tucking them into the layers of blankets until they were a bundled tortilla. Wrapping their arms around one of the plushies, taking extra precaution to make sure they were comfortable and secure so he wouldn’t find that they had fallen off the bed again during the night. Giving one final pat on their head as he slowly backed away from the bed and turned away with the controllers in hand as he set them aside on the bedside table. Turning off the TV and lights as he made his way out of the room as quietly as he could, taking his blindfold and jacket in hand as he gazed back at them for the last time that night.
“...Goodnight~ ” Bidding them farewell as they parted ways for the night, shutting the door behind him as he went on about his day with a bounce in every step, his smile never fading even as he fell asleep that night.
