Chapter Text
2026
Yuuji didn’t sleep well.
It isn’t nightmares- not like it used to be. It’s just the quiet. The kind of quiet that deafened and echoed around the four walls of his room. He’d learned to lie still and wait it out. Count the cracks in the plaster in his room. Listen to the hum of the fridge down the hall. Stare at the high school photos on his bedside until his eyes started hurting. But tonight it doesn’t help at all.
Tonight he wished that he had stayed on Nobara’s couch, the way he used to, with a fierce telling-off, a glass of water appearing by his side when he woke up and a couple of extra blankets thrown on top of him because her apartment was far colder than his. He wanted the company tonight. Nobara would’ve thrown a shitty movie on, one that neither of them would remember the plot to once it had finished and when Yuuji fell asleep on her shoulder, she would shove him off and then tuck him in, placing a sleepy kiss on his forehead when she thought he was unconscious.
He had shot her a message earlier, saying that he missed her and couldn’t wait until her mission was over and she got back to Japan. The quiet of his apartment tonight was far too loud. He wasn’t expecting a reply, or anything more than a ‘you idiot’ from her. So when his phone lit up, glowing against the dark of his room, he reached out to grab it.
Megumi Fushiguro
For a second, Yuuji thought he had imagined it. Along with some leftover reflex of being seventeen and always half-expecting a call in the middle of the night. A mission. A hospital scare. A Yuuji, where are you? I need you.
He rolled onto his side and unlocked it. There was only one message.
Megumi Fushiguro [1:07am]
Hey. I’m getting married next month.
Yuuji stared at it. He read it again. And again.
He almost laughed.
Yuuji checked the contact like it might be someone else. It isn’t. Same number that Yuuji had memorised off by heart. Same quiet little profile picture Hana took years ago- Megumi standing in a kitchen, sleeves rolled up, pretending not to smile.
Yuuji wondered whether she was asleep next to him right now.
Married.
The word doesn’t feel sharp. They don’t cut the same way he had expected them too. They just… settle. Heavy.
Of course he is.
Yuuji sat up slowly, placing his back against the wall. The room is dark except for the blue light of his screen. Outside, a car passes. Somewhere above his apartment, pipes creak.
He typed:
Me [1:12am]
wow. congrats megumi! that’s-
Deleted it.
Typed:
Me [1:15am]
congrats fushiguro! i will see if i can make it.
Deleted.
His thumbs hovered over the keyboard.
He shouldn’t assume that it meant anything. Maybe Hana insisted he invited everyone. Yuuji wondered whether Nobara had received the same message at the same time he had. Yuuji felt the loneliness sink into his chest, crawling its way into his lungs and his heart and his entire being. The silence was suffocating. The years of silence. The years of hoping and fighting and… He stared at the message for far too long, his head whirling with the thought of replying to Megumi right now. He didn’t even know what to say, it had been so long since they had talked to each other. Let alone seen each other.
A text bubble appeared at the bottom of his screen, Yuuji waited as he saw the bubble appear and disappear. Somewhere across the country, Megumi was sat deliberating on a message to send, just as Yuuji had been moments ago. Thinking of Yuuji, his best friend, the only one Yuuji had ever had and ever will. It didn’t help the sinking pit that was in his stomach.
Megumi Fushiguro [1:22am]
I miss you
Yuuji switched his phone off. Which was better than throwing it across the room. He wanted nothing more than to sleep. Nothing more than to go to work tomorrow and forget he had ever seen the messages. Nothing more than to move back to Sendai and live a peaceful, happy life.
It had been years. People drift. People grow up. People fall in love with girls who are gentle and steady and not built out of shared trauma and late-night hospital trips and a world filled with so much decay that they are trying to fix.
Yuuji should be happy.
He is. Maybe. Sometimes.
He pictured Megumi in a suit on the day. Black, probably. Something simple. Handsome and softer around the edges than he had been in his teens. A picture of Tsumiki carefully placed in the front row and next to that, one of Sensei. Nobara somewhere nearby, pretending not to cry. Their senpai congratulating him.
The only issue was the fact that Yuuji could only picture himself next to Megumi. Pledging his life and love to him, for days of eating dinner together and watching their laundry dry in the afternoon light. Maybe if they ever got the chance, retire from jujutsu society later on in life and explore the world around them because they were made for adventures without the rush of near-death experiences. They could buy a house somewhere quiet and serene for Megumi who always hated the bustling city, adopt a dog or two and take them on walks every morning without worrying about being called overseas for a job and maybe never returning.
Yuuji swallowed back a lump in his throat. He stared up at the ceiling. He could only dream after all.
It took everything in Yuuji not to open his phone again. He curled himself into a ball.
He whispered into the dark of his room, “I miss you, too.”
There was once a time where Megumi didn’t need to message him at one in the morning.
He would have already been there.
The next morning, Yuuji woke up to a call from Nobara. Her face displayed on the screen, a photo from a new years party a few years ago, slightly drunk but smiling wide and free. She looked beautiful. It didn't entice Yuuji to pick up the phone anymore though. It was 6am for god’s sake, time-zones really threw them off when she was travelling. He doesn’t pick it up, instead opting for 10 more minutes in bed before he had to get up for work.
When his phone rang again, he sighed and picked it up. Throwing it to the side of his pillow, resting his eyes a little he said, “Mornin’.”
“Guess who’s coming back home!” Nobara said, a static voice coming through on the speaker. “Me!”
Yuuji’s eyes shot open, “Hey! That’s great!” he said, all the sleepiness escaping him, a smile appearing on his face, “When?! It’ll be great to have you back!”
“In a couple days, I think. You’re coming to pick me up from the airport so I will see you there.”
“I didn’t agree to that.”
“But you will.”
Yuuji sighed, “Yeah, yeah.” He replied. He would obviously, but it would have been nice to be asked first… That’s not Nobara’s style though.
“How’ve you been?” She asked, Yuuji heard shuffling in the background, Nobara probably packing away the stuff that she had brought from abroad. “America is so hectic, we should go sometime, it’s quite fun. So different from Tokyo.”
“I’ve been okay…” Yuuji replied, “Hmm, yeah. It would be good to get away.”
“You sound awful, have you been sleeping?” She huffed, annoyance seeping from her voice.
“Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” Yuuji rolled over in his bed, choosing to ignore the insult thrown at him. Nobara had a weird way of showing her concern. “It’s so early here, you woke me up.”
Nobara hummed, not fully convinced of his story apparently. Yuuji didn’t want to think about anything right now though, willing himself to fall back into his peaceful slumber and forget about the world.
“How’s work been?” She asked, a large banging came from the speaker and Yuuji winced as Nobara screamed curses into the void.
“You okay?” Yuuji said, when he got confirmation she was fine, just dropped the suitcase on her foot, he replied, “Work’s keeping me busy, you know… first grade and all.” He let out a small laugh.
Nobara hummed, Yuuji wondered whether she could see through his bullshit. She definitely could. “We should go out when I get back, I miss the Tokyo stores. So much cuter over there.” Nobara said, “I think I’m back on Friday, I will message you the time.”
“Okay.”
“We can have a catch-up then since you’re not working the next day. Maybe order some takeout.”
“That would be nice.”
A pause. Then Nobara sighed, “You better not be this depressing when I see you again! It’s been over a month, Yuuji!”
“I know, I know.” Yuuji let out a laugh, “Sorry, I’m just tired.”
“You idiot, you need to take better care of yourself.” She replied, then in a quiet voice, almost like she didn’t want him to hear, “Missed you, you big oaf.”
“I missed you too, Nobara.”
True to her word, Nobara had messaged him the time to pick her up, so when the time arrived, Yuuji got into his car for the long drive to Narita airport. It was just over an hour, minus traffic, but since her flight came in so late, it was a pretty alright trip. It gave Yuuji time to think. Which was something he really didn’t want to do. So, during the drive, he played music that was far too loud (stuff Nobara would hate and would tell him to turn off) and sang along to it.
Yuuji got to the airport too early. Maybe he was too excited to see his friend.
He leaned back in his seat, staring out at the sliding glass doors of people exiting the building, watching strangers reunite in bursts of laughter and relief. God, he was so tired.
He felt a notification buzz in his pocket.
Bitch Face <3 [9:32pm]
Landed! If you’re late, I’m stealing ur car <3
Yuuji snorted despite himself.
Me [9:32pm]
you don’t know how to drive
Bitch Face <3 [9:33pm]
I’ll learn out of spite
Yuuji inhaled slowly and stepped out of the car. He was glad Nobara was home.
Nobara came through the doors like she owned the airport not too long later. Head held high, headphones around her neck, wearing a jumper Yuuji was pretty sure she stole from his wardrobe. She was dragging her two suitcases, her eyes sharp like she had already judged everyone in the building.
She spotted him instantly.
“Finally,” She called out, “My chauffeur.”
“You’re lucky I didn't leave you stranded.” Yuuji shot back, attempting to pull her in for a hug that lasted approximately five seconds before she shoved him off. He scoffed, “You’ve been gone for a month and this is the thanks I get?”
She dropped the suitcases dramatically at his feet. “Carry these.”
“You have two arms.”
“I’ve been on a plane for fourteen hours.”
“And?” Yuuji smiled and rolled his eyes, picking up the suitcases anyway. She shoved him and he stumbled but laughed nonetheless.
She studied him as they walked back to the car.
“You look taller.”
“I don’t think I can get growth spurts anymore.”
“Second puberty.” She said, matter-a-factly, with a shrug.
“I’m 24, Nobara. Not 18.”
“Thinner, then.”
“You’re just insulting me at this point.”
They arrived at the car, Yuuji packing the suitcases gently in the back- knowing that if he didn’t do it with enough care then he would get a slap on the head.
He didn’t tell her what he knew. She would’ve brought it up already if she knew. Nobara isn’t the type to beat around the bush, especially not when there’s Megumi involved.
So he didn’t tell her.
Not when she complained about the flight and its disgusting food. Not when she connected her phone to the bluetooth the second they got in the car.
“You’re not playing whatever depressing gym music you’ve been listening to lately.” She said, already scrolling through her endless playlists (Yuuji called it).
“It’s motivational.”
“It’s awful.”
She put something loud and obnoxious on. Some western music she had been listening to on her trip. He turned it down. She turned it back up. He swatted her hand away and because he was driving, he got away with a slap on the shoulder instead of her usual kick to his shin.
It was nice to have her back.
He kept glancing over to her at the red lights. He imagined casually saying it.
Oh, by the way, Megumi is getting married.
Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. He probably would be thrown out the car, Nobara really would learn to drive out of spite if he said it like that.
There’s something I forgot to mention.
That’s even worse. He couldn't say that, she would think someone died or something. Yuuji sighed, deciding it would be better once they got back to her apartment to discuss this. But the words sat heavy in his mouth.
So, he let Nobara talk about her trip. How she managed to retrieve the cursed item from over there and how someone had insulted her shoes and then she nearly got arrested for battery because of it. She complained how she missed decent food and how she definitely didn’t miss Yuuji.
“Yeah, right.” Yuuji said, giving her a quick smile. “You literally said it the other day. You missed me!”
“No way! You stink!”
Yuuji would reply at the right moments, laugh when necessary. She doesn’t know. Why doesn’t she know?
The hour slipped by quickly and by the time they reached her apartment, Yuuji’s stomach was growling. Nobara’s place smelt faintly stale when she unlocked it, and luckily she held the door open for him since he had his hands full of her suitcases (he had been expecting the door to slam in his face). Yuuji had always loved Nobara’s place, it was homely and safe. Memories of their high school life littered the walls, soft plush furniture and, Yuuji’s favourite, a huge TV where they have their movie nights sometimes.
“Home sweet home!” she exclaimed, Yuuji entered her living room and placed her suitcases down before flopping onto the couch. “Oh my god, Yuuji, look at this.”
Mail was piled in a swamp on the floor. Letters, leaflets, bills. A month's worth of unattended life.
“Damn, someone’s popular.” Yuuji replied as Nobara swiped up the pile into her arms and made her way towards him.
“Order some food whilst I look at this.” She said, “You’re paying.”
“No way.” Yuuji said, opening his phone and scrolling through delivery apps. He was half-listening as she flopped down onto the floor beside the couch and began tearing open the envelopes.
“Bills. Trash. Bills. Why is everything a fucking bill?” She groaned, “Ohhh, this is cute actually! My magazine subscription, yay!” Paper tore, “Junk, more junk.”
Yuuji chose sushi for their dinner tonight but the usual one they ordered from was closed since it was so late so Nobara would have to deal with it and whatever he picked. He chose not to include any extra ginger.
He clicked the order and made sure to put the right address in, “Alright! Food’s gonna be about half an hour. Man, I’m so hungry.” Yuuji said, looking down to Nobara.
She was sitting very still, an embossed envelope on her lap, a card in her hands. The sharpness in her posture dulled her into something brittle.
“Nobara?”
Her thumb traced the lettering on the card like she didn’t quite believe it was real. Yuuji caught a glimpse of what it said.
“Yuuji…?”
Nobara Kugisaki, It read, her name written in Megumi’s neat writing. In text it followed:
Megumi Fushiguro and Hana Kurusu humbly invite you to celebrate their marriage.
Elegant script. Formal. Clean. It looked too pretty to be Megumi’s doing.
“...Is this some kind of joke?”
19th June.
Yuuji could only stare.
Please RSVP as soon as possible by contacting one of us.
“Did you know?” Nobara stared down at the invite in her hand, she was trembling.
Yuuji didn’t want to speak. He didn’t want to tell her. Oh god she was going to kill someone and that someone was definitely going to be him. He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to know why he didn’t get an invite posted through his door. He didn’t want to think about that at all.
In hopes of delaying his execution by Nobara’s hands a little longer, he nodded pathetically. “I only found out a few days ago.” He whispered.
“I didn't even know he was engaged.” Her voice nearing a whisper, standing now, invitation crinkled slightly in her grip. “Did you get one?”
Yuuji hesitated, pursing his lips together. He mustered up the courage to shake his head. Nobara laughed once, short and disbelieving. “That idiot.”
The room was quiet for a moment, too quiet. Yuuji held his breath, as if it would break any amount of bravery he had if he were to exhale. Nobara sighed, and took the seat next to him so hard he felt the couch shift.
“Who told you?” She grumbled, a hand gripping his shoulder. “I will kill that insensitive idiot if it’s that last thing-”
“Megumi.”
“Huh?” Nobara’s voice was sharp enough to cut.
“Megumi told me.”
“But… You-?”
“I know.” Yuuji placed his head into his hands, a lump forming in his throat. “I know.”
Nobara stared at him like he just confessed to a murder. After a pause, her voice dangerously low, “He told you…” She said, slowly. “And he didn’t send an invite?”
“He said he wanted me there.” Yuuji muttered into his clammy palms.
“That’s not what I asked.”
Yuuji lifted his head, a crooked smile appeared where a frown should have been. “He texted me.”
“A text?” Nobara’s voice rose an octave and a half. “A text?! I just got back after flying half way across the fucking planet and I get a fucking embossed card and you get a goddamn text?!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” He said, waving his hand to dismiss her worry. “It’s Megumi. He’s not exactly-”
“Considerate? Normal?” Nobara snapped, then started down at the card again. She let out a sigh. Yuuji is surprised to see she’s not gone grey in the last minute of their conversation.
“It’s not like that.” He stared at the coffee table in front of him instead of her. “We haven’t talked properly in so long, I don’t think he even knows I’m back.”
“He doesn’t?”
“Yeah.”
“You didn’t tell him?”
“No.”
God, he was really going to die today. Nobara leaned back slowly, studying him now instead of the invitation. Her anger shifted.
“What else did he say?”
Yuuji really wished she hadn’t asked.
He swallowed. “Just… that.”
“Just that?”
Silence.
“Yuuji.”
He let out a big sigh, his fingers curled into the fabric of his hoodie.
“He said he misses me.”
Nobara went very still again. “Yuuji.”
“I know.”
Nobara grabbed his phone, typing in the password she knew for some reason (Yuuji needed to change that) and opened his messages. He didn’t try to stop her.
“That fucking idiot.” She mumbled. The words felt as heavy as Yuuji’s heart. “You didn’t reply.”
Yuuji half-laughed half-huffed, “I didn’t know what to say.”
She reached over and smacked him on the head. “Idiot!”
“Maybe.”
“You are.” She jabbed her fingers into his chest. “You always do this. You’ve already decided your feelings are less important and that you’re going to this fucking wedding and suffer quietly for his sake like it’s noble!” She shouted, “It’s not! It’s not and you’re a fucking dumbass and I’m so fed UP of you two just dancing around each other and pretending nothing is wrong!”
“Nobara-”
“Shut up!” She looked like she was about to scream or burst into tears or both. “You’re allowed to be angry, Yuuji! God, I’m so fucking angry! You’re allowed to think it’s messed up that he says he misses you at fucking one in the morning whilst he’s sending wedding invites to people. You both are fucking… Ugh!”
Nobara slumped into the couch and Yuuji joined her, grabbing the colourful blanket behind him to shield himself against any sadness he felt. He wasn’t sure if it worked but it sure felt cosy. He sighed. He wasn’t angry, he didn’t really feel angry about it. Not since maybe graduation, or maybe after that. Yuuji wasn’t sure if he had ever felt angry. Sad, yes. Frustrated, sure. Angry… at Megumi? He wasn’t certain. It just felt like a bundle of feelings he couldn’t place a name to, ones that infect his heart and his body and would take over until he felt normal again. A normal without Megumi in his life.
“I’m not sure how I feel.” Yuuji muttered, honesty heavy in the air. “I don’t know if I’m angry. I just miss him.”
“I know.” Nobara replied, grabbing a side of the blanket to cover herself as well. “I miss him too.”
Yuuji hummed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. “I just…” He picked up his phone that rested at Nobara’s side and opened it to see the messages he had received. “I don’t know if he misses me as much as I miss him.”
“He does.” Nobara said, “He’s just a fucking idiot. Even more than you are.” She huffed, “God, I need a drink to handle this”
“I’m not sure resorting to alcoholism is going to help.”
“First it was Maki and now Megumi? I think we both need a drink.”
(Yuuji doesn’t recall a lot about the night Maki got engaged, he remembered Nobara sobbing and many bottles of soju consumed. Nobara really did get this situation a lot better than anyone else would. He was glad she was here again.)
Yuuji shrugged. “I could go for a drink.”
So that's how they ended up sprawled on Nobara’s living room floor, full of less than decent sushi and some random alcohol that she had stored in the back of her cupboard.
Yuuji stared up at the ceiling, feeling a slight buzz take over him. He never really liked drinking, he always got far too nostalgic about his high school experience and reminiscing on that was always something Nobara hated. Well, as nostalgic as he can be after you know, being possessed by one of the strongest sorcerers in history, then his best friend doing the same- oh, and also his beloved teachers dying. It did get better afterwards, he always said. But today, he thought Nobara wouldn't really mind the reminiscing.
“You’re both stupid.” Nobara slurred, slapping Yuuji’s chest.
“So you’ve said.” Yuuji grumbled.
“It’s just,” Nobara started, rolling over to lay on her stomach and resting her head on her arms. She pouted before she continued, “It’s been so long since we’ve all seen each other…”
“Yeah, it really has.” Yuuji replied, staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t even know what I would say to him. Especially after… how we left it.”
“We should see him before the wedding.”
“What?” Yuuji looked at the woman who just came up with the worst idea in the entire world. “No way, I can’t do that.”
“God, Yuuji. When did you become such a coward?” Nobara spat, sitting up and swigging the alcohol straight from the bottle. “You know how awkward it’s gonna be for me at this wedding?! We need to break the ice! Just meet up for a coffee or something!”
Yuuji groaned, “I can’t. Do you remember the last time I saw him?”
“I remember you sulking for 6 months and running off abroad, yeah.” She said, “Come on, Yuuji. This is our best friend. You have to reconcile at some point. You want to, don’t you?”
Yuuji sat for a moment then sat up. He grabbed the bottle out of Nobara’s hands and drank some before replying, “...Yeah.”
“Good. ‘Cuz I’m fed up.” She punched him on the shoulder then- being more affectionate in her drunken state- leaned her head against him. “Yuuji…”
“Hm?” He replied.
Nobara placed a hand on his forearm, her eyes glowing with a rare show of sympathy. “You okay?”
And the answer…? Well, he wasn’t quite sure himself.