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"Megumi, I need you to come here" Yuji’s voice cracks, wavering unfairly.
There's ruffling on the other end of the line.
"Please" Yuji pleads, his voice sounding so broken.
"I'm on my way, what happened?"
"There's a curse here, I- I can't exercise it" Megumi can hear the sobs coming from the other boy on the phone.
Megumi pauses, unsure what to say. Yuji not even trying to put up a fight with a curse? That's something unheard of. He jumps into the back of Ijichi's car, keeping his phone on his ear with his shoulder.
"Yuji, what is the situation? Where are you?"
There's a shaky, heavy sigh on the other end of the line.
"I'm- I don't know" He can hear the panic in Yuji's voice. He can make out someone talking in the back.
"He- It say's we're at the shopping center. The curse can- it can make itself look like someone you know."
Megumi puts together that the voice is likely the curse speaking to Yuji. The curse is probably projecting himself as Yuji's grandpa to protect itself. It's probably very weak as its ability is changing the way it's viewed. He knows Yuji is more than capable of handling this curse, but he knows the boy is also very sensitive. Having to kill his own grandpa is something that Yuji would find very difficult, even though Yuji can sense the cursed energy on him.
However, Megumi will come anytime Yuji asks him to, even if Yuji can handle it on his own. Megumi feels ashamed for a moment, wishing he hadn’t let Yuji shop around by himself so soon after Shibuya.
"I'm almost there Yuji, just keep reminding yourself that he's not real."
"I'm scared, he keeps trying to talk to me and make me believe that's he's real."
Megumi can infact hear the curse talking in the back. Though the man does sound substantially younger than he originally thought.
"-adori just breathe. Shit- I'm sorry" As the voice comes closer, he realizes he knows that voice.
It's Nanami.
Somehow, it makes the pit drop further in his stomach. Nanami is a really recent wound for Yuji. Moreover, the curse is making itself act in character as Nanami as well.
He knows how much his death hurt Yuji, how much he looked up to him. He saw the many times Nanami helped guide Yuji when Gojo was acting as a child or gone to do something else.
"Yuji, I know it's very convincing. Just hang in there."
He tries to reassure Yuji, and he hears silence from his phone. He can only hear the fake words the curse is spitting out.
"Listen, I'm sorry it happened this way, Shoko suggested that I act normal, and introduce myself back into your life in a non-blunt way, to make it easier on you. She didn't want to shock you, but there's a reason she's a healer and not a psychologist."
Megumi slams open the car door open and hits the ground running as soon as the car nears the shopping center.
He can pretty much predict where Yuji is, he would be at the manga store. He wouldn't dare be at any clothing shop, not so soon after Kugisaki.
He summons his demon dogs and eventually after running a slight bit, runs into the scene.
Yuji's still holding his phone, stiff as a board with tears streaming down his face. The fake Nanami stands infront of him crouching and had his hands out- trying to touch Yuji, but not quite making the contact.
He immediately senses that something is wrong.
The fake Nanami's cursed energy isn't the right amount for a curse like this. Infact, it's the right amount of cursed energy the actual Nanami would have.
So, this curse is either a lot stronger than he thought previously or,
or that's Nanami.
Well he has one idea to figure out which one it is.
"What's something only you would know" He states, letting a hint of sass seep into his tone.
It seems as though the two have just noticed he had arrived. Both of their shoulders sag in relief.
"Fushiguro, thank you for a trying to understand. I am sorry for causing such a scene."
Megumi only nods.
"Well, I swore secrecy to Itadori, so I am sorry in advance." He winced slightly at the thought of breaking a promise to Yuji.
"Just a while ago, when we came back from our mission Itadori tripped up the stairs at the school and broke his nose." He had a soft smile on his face. He took a deep breath and continued.
"He begged me to act like he had gotten hurt on the mission, instead of the cause being his own clumsiness, and I begrudgingly agreed. He didn't want to embarrass himself infront of you and the second years."
Megumi had to applaud the man standing before him, as that sounded like something Yuji would definitely do.
That seemed to be the correct answer as it caused Yuji to break. His entire body collapsed, and as Megumi ran to catch him, Nanami did.
Yuji's sobs now grew louder, they were more raw and filled with relief.
"Nanamin?" He gasped out from the floor, looking straight into the man's eyes demanding an answer.
"Itadori- Yuji, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm here, I'm here now." Nanami grabs the boy and pulls him in his chest, tears now in his eyes.
Yuji's cries only got louder and his small frame shook with his wracking sobs.
Megumi released the dogs and opted to join Yuji on the floor, sitting close enough for their thighs to touch.
Megumi couldn't help but feel relief, he could let his guard down. He didn't have to protect Yuji in this moment.
He moved his hand to the shaking boys back, running his hands up and down his spine and through his pink hair in an effort to calm him.
"We're going to be okay." Nanami stated with no room for arguments. And Megumi believed him, if Yuji trusts this man with his life then Megumi trusts him too.
He doesn't know how long the three sat there, on the floor in the mall. Long enough to make a lot of people concerned he supposes.
When Yuji had tired himself out, Nanami took an arm around the boy, and the other under his knees and picked him up. Megumi followed slightly behind them to the car.
Poor Ijichi was still outside waiting for them in the drivers seat. Nanami helped settle Yuji into the car, who was now seemingly asleep. He sandwiches Yuji between the two of them in the middle seat.
As he watched the trees fly by in the window Megumi couldn't help keep his eyes from drooping. He leaned into the warmness next to him and closed his eyes. He finally could let his body rest. They were safe, Yuji was safe, and one of the heavy burdens on his mind had been lifted.