Chapter Text
~Burnt Milk & Honey~
They had noticed it a couple of days ago when they had gotten back from a particular mission. The one concerning Megumi’s sister, Tsumiki.
Now, Nobara and Itadori had no idea he had a sister until they were assigned that mission and found out that she had been cursed, slipping into a coma not too long after.
However, that wasn’t the point, pretty much, their emo boy was sad and needed to be comforted. They just didn’t know how to do that. They had been racking their brains for the past week trying to figure out what to do that would cheer him up.
It had seemed simpler in their head, getting him to laugh or smile was their first plan. Then it promptly failed, him not even looking at them whenever they were around. Then they tried inviting him out to go get some food, now to their credit, he didn’t refuse, but he wasn’t there, there .
He was there physically, but mentally, he was somewhere else on someone else. It’s not like they didn’t understand, they did, they were just worried and so were the rest, even if they didn’t show it.
So then Nobara and Itadori along with the second years continued to come up with ways to cheer him up, even if it was just by a little bit.
But they couldn’t get him to respond to anything, he’d do things like eat or give none verbal responses, but would never say anything, lost in his world.
Then came the nightmares, or what they assumed to be nightmares if the growing and deepening eyebags and screams at night were any indications.
They would try to ask him if was ok or if he needed someone to talk to but he would brush them off and retreat into the confines of his room. The others concluded that he just needed time, and their efforts were not needed. Expect for Itadori, he knows that he can’t force him to open up or talk to him, but he wants to at least be there for him, even if it’s just in presence.
So he attempted to spend time with him but was rejected when Megumi opened the door, saw him, and then closed it. Making it clear he didn’t want anyone around him.
Then, they all got a text from the Gojo in the group chat, saying he was almost back to the dorms. Gojo had been on a trip for the past week and hadn’t been answering his phone, as the reception wasn’t very good where he was.
The students hadn’t taken much notice of the text until Megumi responded with a thumbs-down emoji. Now, that got their attention. Megumi didn’t ever, ever, answer in the chat unless a question was asked of him. Gojo's response was to ask ‘blue?’ With Megumi confirming it, ‘blue.’
They wanted to ask in the chat what that meant but then decided against it, they would just ask Gojo when he got here. They never did.
Gojo came but twenty minutes later, his hands full with bags, which they assumed were souvenirs.
“ Yo,” he greeted them, “ Where’s Megumi?” he asked them, looking around looking for that familiar face. “ He’s in his room,” Maki answered taking a seat on the couch, “ He’s been…. not like himself lately,” she adds, turning to face Gojo who was standing behind the kitchen counter.
He nodded, “ I see, well, I’ll be back.” He said disappearing into his room. The students who were gathered in the living room heard the shower not too long after.
Fifteen minutes later he was out of the shower, wearing a hoodie and some sweatpants, the most relaxed and casual they’d ever see him.
He walked into the kitchen, grabbing the milk, honey, a pot, and two mugs. The others watched as he poured some milk into the pot, warming it up. Then, when it had been warmed up to his liking, he poured it into the two mugs, adding the honey and spoons as he finished.
They watched on in interest as he took the two mugs and walked in the direction of Megumi’s room, moving one of the mugs to one side and knocking on the door. Megumi answered it, accepting the mug that Gojo offered him.
The pair disappeared into the room, closing the door behind them.
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Gojo was a bit worried, Megumi had been doing amazing at handling and expressing his emotions. Not have gone through a blue, white, or even red day in a while. However, when he saw the text of the thumbs-down emoji, his heart sank.
There were only two reasons as to say he’d be having a blue day, one: someone on or something reminded him of his sister, or two: he was just feeling sad. Not for any specific reason but he was. Do you know how sometimes you get sad with no real cause? Yeah, that’s what Megumi could be going through right now.
Gojo would be more than happy to be there and cheer him up or just offer his presence as comfort, as Megumi doesn’t like when other people try and interact with him while he’s feeling like this unless it’s Gojo or his sister.
But he had gotten a private text from Itadori that had made the situation clear to him. A mission that the first years had been assigned last week, was linked to his sister and was the cause for her being cursed and going into a coma.
Remember how I said that there were only two reasons for a blue day? Well, if this is the reason then it usually leads to crippling guilt, and just for good measure, nightmares.
This means for the past couple of days or so, he has been having nightmares and going through this without his rock, his boulder, the only real anchor he has to ground himself when he going through this.
But Megumi was strong and they have some backup measures just for this. So to say he was relieved to see Megumi was an understatement.
He offered Megumi a mug, watching as slightly shaky hands reached out and grabbed it, taking a small sip from it. He moved to the side to allow Gojo to walk in, them taking their seats on his bed.
They sat there in silence as they drank from their mugs before Megumi tugged on Gojo’s hoodie, “ Do you want my hoodie?” Megumi gave a slight nod, he smiled at him, taking off his hoodie revealing a white t-shirt underneath. He handed it to him, watching as the young teen put it on, pulling the hood over his head and resting his head on his shoulder.
“You wanna talk about it?”
Megumi shook his head, taking another sip from his mug. “ Thanks,” he mumbled, sniffling a little, “ for being here, I mean.” he finished, his voice getting quieter.
Gojo smiled at him, leaning his head on his, “ Of course, Gumi. You know I’ll always be here for you.” Megumi’s reply was a quiet rumble, telling Gojo that he was dozing off. The drink( which was his comfort drink.) took hold, making him sleepy.
Gojo reached one of his hands into the hood, scratching at the base of Megumi’s neck, the place he likes scratched when he’s dozing off. Not even ten minutes later, Gojo heard his breathing even out. Gojo thought about leaving him to rest, after all, he had the work he needed to get done, but as he watched the young teen sleep, he decided that his work could wait a bit.