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Megumi was annoyed.
It wasn’t like annoyance was an unfamiliar emotion for him, most people around Megumi were perfectly capable of evoking it but this was just irritating to a new degree. He’d been peacefully dozing off in the backseat of the car when Ijichi-san had gotten a call from Kugisaki and then taken an uncharacteristically risky U-turn to take him back to the city with no explanation. He didn’t know what made the assistant manager so subservient to Kugisaki’s instructions but Megumi was sure her hammer was involved in it.
It didn’t even turn out to be life-threatening danger. Kugisaki was just sitting there in the diner talking to some stranger and Megumi didn’t know what he was supposed to be doing here.
“Hey! What the heck is this about?” he asked when he reached their table, infusing as much aggravation in his voice as possible.
“Yo Fushiguro!” Kugisaki greeted. “Does Itadori have a girlfriend?”
Megumi stared at her. “Huh?”
He hadn’t expected that.
Kugisaki gestured to the stranger sitting across from her. “This is Ozawa Yuko. She used to know Itadori in Junior High.”
Ozawa waved meekly at him. She had short blonde hair and a shy demeanour, and Megumi still didn’t understand why this introduction was being made.
Kugisaki pulled him down into the booth beside her and mercifully explained the situation. Apparently, Ozawa had liked Itadori when they were classmates but didn’t ask him for his number since she was going to move to Tokyo. She even showed them a photo she’d taken with him during their graduation and Megumi could hardly believe that the girl in the picture and the one sitting across from him were one and the same.
And now she was here, having spotted Itadori in Tokyo as well and harbouring thoughts that maybe she still had a chance with him. She’d employed Kugisaki’s help, who in turn had dragged Megumi into it.
Ozawa’s cheeks got increasingly red as the conversation continued, while Megumi paled, trying his hardest to keep his face devoid of expression.
He glanced at Kugisaki out of the corner of his eye, at the determined set of her shoulders and groaned internally.
There was no way she didn’t know. Kugisaki, who was on top of every scrap of gossip flying around both the Jujutsu schools, couldn’t possibly not know that he and Yuuji—
“So? Do you think he has a girlfriend?” Kugisaki asked eagerly, bringing Megumi back to reality.
“I doubt it,” Megumi answered in a clipped voice. He doesn’t have a girlfriend, he has me.
Kugisaki leaned forward. “What makes you think that?”
Megumi hesitated.
Ozawa was paying rapt attention to every word he spoke and he wanted to run. The girl seemed nice enough and maybe even would be better for Yuuji than him considering everything, but Megumi was not selfless enough to just let Yuuji go, not when he’d just got him back. He was a jujutsu sorcerer, not a hero.
He needed to get out of there fast.
The girls waited with anticipation and he racked his brain for an explanation to Kugisaki’s question. “Uh, I guess he didn’t seem bothered that he was moving to Tokyo all of a sudden and I don’t think his room décor is the kind a girlfriend would like.” Not that Megumi cared about it.
“Do you know what type of girls he likes?” Ozawa wanted to know next.
Megumi sighed. Probably the entirety of Japan knew what kind of girls Yuuji liked. “Something…about tall girls.”
That was as much detail as he was willing to provide but it still turned out to be the wrong thing to say because Kugisaki and Ozawa suddenly shot up in excitement and clinked their glasses together.
“Nice!” Kugisaki exclaimed. “I’m gonna get Itadori over here! You’re okay with that?”
Ozawa nodded fervently. “Yes!”
Any sound of protest died on Megumi’s tongue and he could only gape in horror as Kugisaki whipped her phone out and fired off a string of texts to Yuuji, who predictably agreed to come. The enthusiasm radiating off both the girls was threatening to choke him and he wondered if he could just get up and leave.
A pop song blared from Ozawa’s phone in the middle of her and Kugisaki’s celebratory chatter and she excused herself to take the call outside. Megumi rounded on Kugisaki as soon as the other girl was out of earshot.
"What are you doing? Why did you call me here?" Megumi hissed.
Kugisaki was sat back with a self-satisfied air, as though she’d just achieved something monumental. She loudly slurped her drink through the straw.
"Well, the poor girl needed help and Itadori'd be in my debt forever if I got him a girlfriend, I know he can’t do it on his own. And I thought, who better to ask for advice than you? You two are always attached at the hip and—”
"And you didn't think there’s a reason for that?" Megumi asked through gritted teeth.
Kugisaki glanced at him quizzically. "A reason? What do you mean?”
“Never mind.”
“What are you so upset about anyway? Do you not like Ozawa?”
Megumi huffed, averting his gaze. “I’m not upset and she’s fine.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Megumi floundered, trying to come up with something that wouldn’t embarrass him to high hell. He could already feel his face getting warm.
“I just don’t think Itadori wants a girlfriend right now.”
Kugisaki looked at him suspiciously. “How do you know that? And why do you care? Unless. Unless—” her eyes widened abruptly and she gasped. “Wait. Wait. You don’t mean—seriously? You and Itadori?”
Megumi squeezed his eyes shut and prayed for strength.
“Fushiguro! Answer me!”
“Y-yeah.”
Kugisaki gawked at him. “What? For real?”
"For real," Megumi mumbled.
Performing the most unfair action in the world, she hit him. Hard. "When did this happen? How did it happen? Why didn't you tell me?"
Megumi scowled, rubbing his arm. "Firstly, it's none of your business and secondly, I can’t believe you didn’t already know. The past few weeks have been a lot more obvious than I’d like them to be."
Kugisaki looked shocked and for some reason, offended. “So, there was always something secretly going on between you two? Are you saying I've been a third-wheel this whole time? I'm too pretty for that!"
Megumi could see a headache in his future. “Is that really your takeaway from this?”
She scoffed. "I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’ve always given me big gay vibes,” she informed him. “But with Itadori and all that nonsense about girls like Jennifer Lawrence, I thought—”
"Okay, then unthink,” Megumi said curtly, crossing his arms. “And get me out of here. I don’t want to help with this.”
Kugisaki’s mouth lifted into an infuriating smirk and Megumi thought she’d gotten over the revelation way too fast.
She elbowed him suggestively. “Yeah, I bet you don't, Megumi-chan. Is that what Itadori calls you now?”
Megumi pushed her away. “Shut the fuck up.”
Thankfully, Ozawa made a reappearance. “Sorry about that, where were we?” she said with a sheepish smile as she took her seat.
Megumi leaned into Kugisaki’s side and murmured, "Fix this."
Kugisaki gave him a subtle thumbs-up and turned to smile wide at Ozawa. "We were talking about Itadori."
Ozawa flushed. "Y-yes, Itadori—"
"But," Kugisaki cut in decisively. "We don't need to waste any more time on him. Let's talk about you. You're a girl. What do you think of other girls?"
Ozawa seemed confused and Megumi stared at his friend in astonishment. Kugisaki's smile had turned borderline flirty as she leaned closer to Ozawa over the table and twirled her hair with her finger.
And really? This was her approach?
Ozawa chuckled nervously. “Uhh, I like them? Girls are nice.”
“Girls are great, much better than guys in my opinion,” Kugisaki replied. “Are you sure about Itadori? He’s kind of dumb and way too much of a pain in the ass most of the time.”
Ozawa frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
Hopeless. This was hopeless.
“Oh, come on,” Kugisaki said with a tinkling laugh. “Have you looked at yourself? I’m sure someone like you can do so much better.”
She winked at Ozawa, who blushed.
Megumi wanted to die.
He tuned out their conversation out of sheer second-hand embarrassment but then to make things even worse, Yuuji stepped in through the doors of the diner and headed straight for their table.
Kugisaki and Ozawa noticed him immediately too and Ozawa sat up a little straighter, smoothing her skirt.
Megumi swallowed, a sudden spike of fear going through his heart. What if this actually worked? What if Yuuji saw Ozawa and some past feelings got rekindled and he left Megumi? What if he really was only into girls and had just confused his feelings for Megumi because there was no one else around? What if—
“Hey! What’re you doing here, Fushi?”
Megumi looked up at Yuuji and all his fears melted away like ice under the sun when he caught sight of the delighted grin on his face at seeing Megumi. He felt his mouth lifting up in an answering smile.
Yuuji turned his gaze towards the other occupants of the table and his eyes widened in surprise. “Hey Ozawa! What’s up?”
Kugisaki let out a sound of surprise. He still recognised her.
Ozawa looked too flustered to speak and just lifted a hand to greet him.
Oblivious to everything that had transpired there in the last half an hour, he came to stand by Megumi's side and ruffled his hair affectionately. “This is an odd combo of people. How do you two know Ozawa?”
“We just met, actually,” Kugisaki answered.
“Oh. Really? That’s awesome!” Yuuji said brightly. “I always considered Ozawa a good friend!”
Ozawa smiled shyly while Kugisaki observed them like a hawk.
Yuuji’s hand was still on Megumi’s head and Megumi's heart lurched when he felt Yuuji absentmindedly entangle his fingers in Megumi’s hair as he talked.
Kugisaki’s eyebrows went high followed by a shit-eating grin and Ozawa glanced between the two of them, her smile dimming a little.
The back of his neck was tingling and Megumi buried his face in his hands before so he didn’t have to look at them anymore.
Yuuji still didn’t seem to have gotten a hint and instead of taking the empty spot beside Ozawa, he squeezed in with Nobara and Megumi. There was hardly any space left, which ended up with him half on Megumi’s lap, an arm thrown carelessly around his shoulders.
And well, Megumi didn’t have a choice then, did he? He had no choice but to wrap an arm around Yuuji’s waist in return, both to prevent him from falling down and because he was a little bit of a possessive bastard. It was equal parts a pleasing and mortifying ordeal.
The seconds seemed to stretch on for hours and Ozawa couldn't hold eye contact with him anymore. All the colour that had flooded Megumi's face had drained from hers.
Megumi felt a little bad, she didn't deserve this. It was a terrible situation overall.
After exchanging a few awkward pleasantries with Yuuji, Ozawa decided to make a quick escape.
"It was so nice to see you again, Itadori," she said with forced enthusiasm. "But I have to run now. Just got a text from my mother."
"Oh, already?" Yuuji was sporting his large puppy eyes and Megumi had to clench his hands into fists.
"Alright. Maybe we can all meet up again sometime?" Yuuji suggested with a hopeful grin.
Megumi winced and Kugisaki muttered, "What an idiot."
Ozawa chuckled weakly. "Maybe," she allowed. "Well, I better get going. See you later."
"I put my number in your phone!" Kugisaki said to Ozawa. "Just in case."
Megumi sent her an apologetic look. "Bye."
Ozawa’s features softened and she nodded with a more sincere smile, moving to exit the diner.
Kugisaki exhaled loudly as soon as the other girl was gone and slumped back. "God, what a disaster."
Yuuji blinked. "Did something happen?"
Kugisaki grunted critically but didn't answer. She roughly shoved Megumi's side. "Budge over, Fushiguro. Take your boyfriend and sit over there. I need a little space from boys and stupidity."
"Hey! Megumi is not stupid!" Yuuji protested as he settled on the other side.
Megumi couldn't help a chuckle, hopelessly endeared. "Thanks. You aren't either. Kugisaki is just jealous."
Kugisaki snorted. "Of you? As if."
"Sounds just like something a jealous person would say," Yuuji teased, leaning forward on his elbows.
"Oh please, Itadori. Don't flatter yourself," she scoffed. "Besides, you and Fushiguro owe me dinner."
Yuuji pouted. "What for?"
"For keeping this,” Kugisaki gestured between him and Megumi, “a secret! Am I not your best friend?"
Yuuji contemplated that, keeping one hand on the table and lifting the other to his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. My best friend? Actually—”
Kugisaki's eyes bored threateningly into Yuuji’s and Megumi could see the murderous intent in them. "Think about your answer very carefully, Itadori."
Megumi rolled his eyes. "Ignore her Yuuji, let's go. You wanted to watch a movie, right?"
Yuuji turned to look at him with surprise. "Really? I thought you were tired."
Megumi’s lips twitched into a small smile. "Not anymore," he said quietly and kept his hand on top of Yuuji's.
Yuuji beamed at him, his honey eyes warm and alight, and turned his palm up to lace his fingers with Megumi's.
Kugisaki watched the display and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, I can't decide if this is sweet or sickening."
Megumi ignored her and Yuuji flushed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Can’t believe that you two of all people found someone before me. I'm way above you,” Kugisaki whined, crossing her arms.
Megumi steered Yuuji out of the booth. "Maybe Ozawa will call you back."
Kugisaki sighed and glanced at her phone. "Nah, not my type."
“Not enough skill with cursed tools?” Yuuji snickered, waggling his eyebrows. “Or is it the lack of glasses? And a ponytail?”
Kugisaki glowered at Yuuji dangerously and addressed Megumi, “Don’t blame me if you end up widowed, Fushiguro.”
"We're not married," Megumi mumbled.
"I'm sorry, I was only kidding!" Yuuji backtracked swiftly. "I totally don't know anything about you and Maki-senpai."
Megumi worried for Yuuji's safety.
Kugisaki wordlessly started to take out her hammer from her purse and Yuuji laughed nervously. "Hehe what are you...Kugisaki?"
Megumi quickly took Yuuji's wrist to drag him out. "We're leaving. See you back at the school, Kugisaki," he said. "Zenin-senpai likes haunted houses, by the way."
Megumi didn't wait for a response and led the way to the exit.
"Does she really?" Yuuji asked as they stepped out into the sun.
"I have no idea," Megumi confessed, suppressing a smirk. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
Yuuji cackled, throwing his head back. "Oh you're evil, Gumi."
Megumi tried not to react to the nickname, Yuuji had quite a few of them for him by now, but his chest still flooded with warmth. Yuuji's beautiful brightness never failed to leave him a little breathless.
He'd barged into their world unexpectedly, upending Megumi's carefully constructed life into chaos, all blinding grins and pink hair, and Megumi couldn’t imagine it any other way.
I'm glad you're here, Yuuji, he thought. Almost like he'd somehow heard him, Yuuji smiled softly and squeezed his hand.
Megumi squeezed back.
It was a good day.