"I do hope this isn't some ruse to get you excused out of training because of a hangover because I'm sorry buddy, but the sooner you learn to fight curses while hung-over, the better."
"Gojo-sensei I'm only fifteen."
"I'm not encouraging you, but I was fifteen too and not too long ago to know what kind of life lessons you could only need at this ungodly hour."
Unlike Yuji, Gojo looked alert, refreshed even, as if he got all eight hours of sleep plus an hour of meditative yoga by the sea-side and knowing him, Yuji wouldn't be too surprised if his assumptions weren't far off.
Vocalising his thoughts (and never passing the opportunity to praise the coolest and bestest teacher he knows) Yuji chimes in a "Gojo-sensei, you look tanned, it looks good!!" a compliment Gojo enthusiastically gobbles up, clasping his hands together and gushing about the 'beaches in Australia'.
It's so easy and safe, just being in Gojo's presence, mindless banter despite the late hours and circumstances of their rendezvous as Yuji eats up Gojo's latest anecdote from Thailand (forgetting to ask why Gojo happened to be in Thailand at all for such a random trip but whatever, Yuji's not very good at remembering basic details and stuff anyway) awe-struck as he 'oohs' and 'ahhs' happily - that Yuji almost forgets his reason for being here.
"Ahhh... So good indeed... Ne, itadori-kun, will you finally tell me what the I can help with emergency is?"
"Oh, well it's not exactly really an emergency but... Well, you said I should come to you whenever I feel Sukuna's influence or presence and I had a really disturbing dream and,"
He takes a steadying breath, it sounds so silly now and stupid, but it felt so... Real and he was next to Megumi the whole time, possibly endangering him. It is in both of his and Gojo's interest to keep him safe and away from this, so if Gojo concluded the dream as somehow threatening to Megumi, Yuji would have to find a way to change that. Whatever the cost.
He continues his recollection of the dream, going into as much specific detail his brain allows him, but it's all so... hazy now. More and more. It's almost like half of it escaped him when the relief came with the memory of his hand submerging into the crimson waters, but he still tries to describe the feeling, the dread, the relief, fear and pain without meeting his guardian's solemn gaze.
Gojo's expression is carefully blank, schooled in careful consideration though his eyes are piercing, thoughtful and observant as they drink in each twitch on Yuji's face, picking up the shifts in his expressions as he relives his nightmare.
He's like an open book, Satoru Gojo always thought when conversing with the fifteen-year old. Fond and wistful as a voice inside of him murmurs 'just like you were at that age' but he shuts it down every time. He's seen too much, learnt and lost too much to make such emotional comparisons. But yet, the voice only roared louder when he noticed the lingering touches and soft gazes exchanged between his protégé and new student, both his parental and own festering heartbreak screaming 'STOP THEM' as he always turned a blind eye.
But now he just listens and observes, making a mental note of distracting and reassuring Yuji of his concerns (leaving out any remarks and concerns about Megumi's well-being because of his pettiness, I mean, him not having the heart to lie and echo his own possible fears).
"Yuji-kun... You say you felt physical distress following the nightmare? And that Megumi-kun was whimpering when you woke up...?"
Yuji nodded gravely.
YOU ARE READING
A Little More Selfish (Itafushi Fanfic)
Fanfiction"Megumi never once regretted saving Yuji Itadori's life. Never regretted saving the infuriatingly positive, irritatingly wholesome pink-haired boy. The boy who died but awakened something inside Megumi for the first time. Sparing his life had been a...
