Saving You (ItaFushi)

Chapter 2

Nanami started to notice a few things about the boy.

For one, Yuji seemed to be hyper-aware of his surroundings. He flinched at loud noises and tensed whenever someone came near him. It was almost like he was expecting an attack.

Second, he had a habit of staring off into space, his gaze distant and unfocused. Nanami wasn't sure what the boy was thinking, but he guessed it wasn't anything good.

Third, Yuji rarely spoke. He would answer questions when asked, but he usually kept to himself. When he did talk, it was in a quiet, almost reverent tone, as if he was afraid of offending Nanami.

Overall, Nanami could tell that the boy was carrying a heavy burden. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was obvious that Yuji had seen things no child should have to see.

Yet, he found himself caring about the boy. Despite the fact that they had only known each other for a short time, he couldn't help but feel a connection to him. Maybe it was because of the way Yuji clung to him, or the way he called him "Nanamin." Whatever the reason, Nanami felt a strong sense of protectiveness toward the boy.

"Here," Nanami said, handing Yuji a plate with a sandwich. "You need to eat."

The boy nodded, taking the plate and picking up the sandwich. He bit into it, his expression blank. Nanami sighed. It had been three days, and the boy had yet to show any improvement. He was still withdrawn and silent, his gaze always distant.

"Itadori-kun," Nanami said, his tone soft. "Are you okay?"

The boy didn't answer. He just stared at the sandwich, his expression vacant. Nanami tried again.

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"

Again, there was no response.

Nanami frowned, his concern growing. The boy was clearly in distress, but he didn't know how to help him. He didn't know what to say, or how to comfort him.

He had never been good at this kind of thing. Hell, he'd never been good at dealing with kids in general. But seeing the boy so broken and lost was breaking his heart.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Nanami asked, hoping for an answer this time.

Yuji looked up at him, his eyes hollow and empty.

"Please," he whispered.

Nanami's heart clenched.

"Please, what?"

Yuji swallowed, his expression haunted.

"Please, don't die," he begged.

Nanami stared at him, his mind reeling. What the hell did that mean? What had happened to this boy? What had he seen?

"I promise," Nanami found himself saying, even though he had no idea what he was promising.

But it seemed to be the right thing to say, because a small, grateful smile spread across the boy's face.

"Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Nanami nodded, not knowing what else to say.

He had a feeling this was just the beginning.

-

Gojo knew that he was up for a difficult conversation with Megumi.

The boy had already gone through a lot, but Gojo knew that he couldn't keep him in the dark any longer. He had to tell him about Yuji. He had to explain what was going on.

But he had no idea how.

How do you tell a boy that his friend is alive, but he's not the same? That the friend he had grown to care for and rely on was gone, replaced by a shell of a person?