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Home is a word that Gojo only knew but never really understood. Gojo’s never been at home ever since he was born. His title and crown were already placed on his head the moment he was born; expectations were already set the moment his abilities manifested. That’s why the people around him - his family and his clan never really treated him as one of them, and that’s why Gojo never really knew what home was.
That is until he met his one and only best friend, Geto, who showed him what true happiness meant, what it meant to live, and to be excited for the future. It was Geto who showed him what heaven looks like and, eventually, what hell feels like.
Geto was his first for everything: his first true smile, his first true laugh, his first embarrassment, his first challenge, and his first heartbreak. He was the first one who pushed Gojo to branch out to other people, and Geto was the one who introduced Yu and Nanami to him. He taught him that having friends is not a bad thing, and he was the one who taught Gojo to open his heart to others.
That is why, despite everything that happens between them, Geto is still the reason why Gojo now knows what Home means and what home should look like.
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Gojo walks the world alone; even if he knows that Shoko and his students are there, he feels like he's truly alone, especially when Nanami leaves him. Gojo thought that it would be him and Nanami against the world, with Shoko patching them up after their mission. He already planned on training Nanami so that he could be by Gojo’s side, so that he would not be left behind. But Nanami left him, too. Running away to live a fake ‘normal’ life, away from the jujutsu world, away from their past, away from the image of home that Gojo drew in his mind, away from Gojo.
And that hurt him more because, in Geto’s case, their path clashes- their goals are different from each other, but in Nanami’s case, it's different. That's why it hurt him more. And then suddenly, the picture-perfect home that Gojo has planned vanishes in his vision.
He thought that he would never feel what home truly felt until his responsibility towards Toji’s children knocked on his door. Megumi and Tsumiki have brought him joy, something that he never thought he could have, but something is still missing. And he thought it was his best friend, and in some ways, that's true.
But the joy that he felt when Nanami called him to inform him that he was coming back has opened something in Gojo’s heart. And that is when he knows that he's in love.
If Geto defined what is home to Gojo, then it is Nanami that makes Gojo feel what home truly is.
A safe place to be himself. A place where he could put his guard down and will not be ridiculed for being a person with feelings, a man who can be exhausted and not get judged.
A man who can make mistakes and be reprimanded because the man reprimanding him doesn't care about his status or his abilities.
A place where he could be a human, not a saint nor a devil, but what is in between. A place where he will get scolded for his actions and irresponsibility and make him remember that he's a human and not a god.
A place where Nanami exists, where Nanami will bake him some pastries while telling him to be more responsible in teaching the new generation. Where Nanami will help Tsumiki with her schoolwork and praise Megumi on his training when Gojo can’t. Where Nanami will scold Gojo about his carelessness and selfish behaviors. Where Nanami will open his arms to comfort him and let him cry.
Gojo’s home is where Nanami is; Nanami is Gojo’s home.
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Gojo has his own wing on their clan house, but Nanami’s single apartment is his favorite place on earth.
The genkan is cramped due to being filled with four pairs of shoes, two for adults and two for children. Their hallways were filled with plants and bookshelves full of books; some weren’t read because of their busy schedule, but Gojo liked filling the gaps with books that Nanami put on his TBR list. Their kitchen and dining are in one room, and sometimes it can be cramped, especially at times when Gojo invites his students to have a dinner that Nanami cooks, their pantry filled with foods that Nanami likes. Their bedroom is neat, but once you open the closet, you know whose side is Nanami’s and Gojo’s. Each corner of the house has a signature of the both of them and though it’s small compared to Gojo’s own, he will always choose Nanami’s apartment.
Gojo is untouchable, but Nanami is not. But Gojo always forgets that knowing that Nanami is strong on his own accord. But some nights are reminders that Nanami is human, and Gojo hates those nights because he knows that Nanami doesn’t want to be treated like a glass, but sometimes Gojo wants to lock him up in a cage so that death will never touch him. But Gojo knows that is not what Nanami wants; Nanami even comes back to make a change - to save some while saving himself. When those nights came, all he could do was cage Nanami in his arms and make sure that he was safe.
Nanami has a kind heart; he loves true and is loyal at fault. He would do things that he would not regret and would not harm others. He appreciates the littlest of things and will make sure that everyone can have some happiness in their life. He will sacrifice himself piece by piece just to make sure that the children will still be children, unlike them.
There are nights that he would mourn his lost friend, and Nanami would hold him as he breaks, will put him back piece by piece, save him from the darkness of his own mind. And when nights where nightmares will attack Nanami, Gojo would be there to chase them away.
Shoko would call them unconventional, while Gojo would call them one of a kind. Because Nanami understood Gojo’s love for Geto, and Gojo understood Nanami’s love for Yu.
It’s simple: Nanami loves Gojo, and Gojo loves him. Nanami is Gojo’s home, while Gojo is Nanami’s safe haven.
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Death is a thing that Gojo thought would never touch them, but when he opened his eyes and they told him that Nanami was dead, he wanted to mourn, but he could hear Nanami’s voice nagging him to correct everything and to protect the children. Telling him with his signature scowl that he can cry for him later after he has done everything and to make sure not to curse the children.
So, instead of mourning, he lets himself be busy and correct everything that goes wrong. Protect the children and correct the mistake that he has made before; he must bury his friend’s body properly, then fight Sukuna.
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He fought so hard to win. For Megumi, for his students, the future of the world, and to make Nanami proud, and he tried so hard, he put everything that he had learned into the fight. But apparently, he was not strong enough to win against this one.
He didn’t feel the pain; he didn’t even understand what Sukuna was saying. Because as he closes his eyes, all that he can see is the familiar face of Nanami, his home.
Nanami was smiling gently at him.
“I lost.” He uttered, “I’m sorry, Nanami.”
Nanami keeps on smiling at him, “I know, Satoru. You did well.” And just like before, Nanami opened his arms for him.
And Gojo runs.
“I’m home.” He says once he felt Nanami’s body against him.
Nanami chuckled, “Welcome home, my love.”
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