The Dying of the Light

CHAPTER 10

A few minutes after Yaga left with a promise to check on him later, Megumi sat on his bed, ignoring the searing heat from the mug of hot tea that Yuji had made for him. He heaved a shaking breath, staring without seeing to some point across the room with the most mournful expression either of his friends had ever seen.

"It's gonna be alright, bro," Yuji said in dulcet tones, rubbing the raven-haired boy's back gently. Nobara sat on his other side, softly sweeping strands of hair behind Megumi's ear.

"It is," she agreed. "You'll see. When Gojo gets her home, we'll figure it out."

"Gojo!" Megumi scoffed, followed by a sniff as his face fell. "And no, we won't," he finished pathetically, biting his lip and struggling not to cry again. He was already ignoring the mortification associated with his behavior earlier, and the fact that the whole campus had seen him cry like a baby. Gojo must have been right about him after-all. He was weak.

As though hearing his thoughts, Nobara tsked. "Megumi, there better not be any shame-game going on in there," she said, tapping his forehead. "You're heartbroken. If I were you I would be curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor, bawling my eyes out. It isn't healthy to keep it in either, so let it out if you need to, okay? Nobody is judging you. We love you and we're here for you."

Megumi heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes. "I appreciate that, but I'm better now," he said. He wasn't, not by a long shot, but he refused to break down and humiliate himself again in front of his friends. "The truth is... the truth is that she doesn't want me anymore. I don't blame her. A snivelling, weak..."

"Just shut up, you idiot!" Nobara snapped more loudly than she had intended. She took a deep breath, trying to dial it back a bit. "Just shut up with that nonsense, okay? You're not weak because you've had your heart broken. Whatever happened with Chase out there is dictating her behavior, and it has nothing to do with you! She's completely fucked up right now and until she decides to talk, we can't even begin to speculate what she's thinking or why."

"Yeah," Yuji nodded. "We don't know anything yet, man. She needs help. And that's what we're gonna get her. You'll see. Once we get to the root of the problem, we can begin to help make it better. She didn't mean it when she broke up with you. She just isn't herself right now."

"You didn't see the look in her eyes, guys," Megumi whispered, biting his lip again. "She was... there was... hatred in them. And clarity. It's over."

"It's not over!" Yuji and Nobara said at the same time.

Megumi stood up abruptly, forgetting his tea and spilling it on his pants. "Ow! Shit!" he gasped, wiping his hands on a shirt Yuji thrust at him while Nobara ran for a towel. He took a rattling breath, running both hands through his hair as he struggled for control. His arms fell to his sides, and he tilted his head upwards toward the ceiling, closing his eyes. "She doesn't want me. She doesn't need me. And I realized something back there. It's ... she... Gojo...," Megumi whispered, squeezing his eyes shut.
Yuji and Nobara exchanged a look.

"Megumi," Nobara said, carefully, "Megumi, you're wrong. There's nothing going on between them. You know that."

"Do I?" Megumi demanded, rounding angrily on his friend. "Do I really, Kugisaki? Or have I just been blind to the truth this whole time?"

"Blind to what? To the fact that Gojo and Chase are having an illicit affair behind your back? Don't make me laugh. It's too stupid for words!" Nobara snapped, and Yuji grabbed her arm in warning against being unnecessarily harsh in the circumstances.

"While I agree with what Kugisaki is saying, perhaps not in the same tone," Yuji said, shooting her a glance, "you have to admit it really is kinda ridiculous, Fushiguro. They're friends. They have been for a long, long time. And you know Chase. If she wanted to be with him, she would never have been with you. You're just irrational right now because you're so torn up about what is happening with her and your fear is taking control of you."