Megumi felt a pair of eyes on him, emanating from a familiar gaze he hadn't encountered in a long while, at least not solely from that individual.
"Hey, kid," Gojo's voice rang out.
Megumi glanced down at the few boxes occupying the trunk and backseats of his sedan. Just as Toge had mentioned, Megumi had lost his job and was now relocating to Gojo's apartment near Okkotsu. The idea of being so close to the man who had captured Toge's heart still caused a twinge of pain, but Megumi had grown accustomed to such discomfort.
"What's up?" Megumi grumbled, turning to see Gojo's smirking face.
"I hope you don't mind that I brought on a new guy you might know," Gojo said.
As was typical of Gojo Satoru's visits, the white-haired man was dressed casually. Beneath a pair of sunglasses, his brilliant crystal irises gleamed like ice – cold and unyielding. His jacket hung unzipped, revealing a light gray t-shirt underneath.
"Who would that be?" Megumi inquired.
"You two went to high school together. Remember Itadori Yuji?" Gojo asked.
Megumi pretended to ponder for a moment. Deceiving Gojo was always a priority. It was the Friday following Toge's date with Okkotsu, which likely meant they were discussing Muta Kokichi's revelations. The date itself had been difficult to digest, but learning about potential contingencies involving Okkotsu and Itadori only added to the complexity. Nevertheless, Megumi remembered Itadori quite vividly.
"Oh, the blonde from the meeting the other day? Yeah, he punched a hole through the club room wall," Megumi recalled.
Gojo chuckled. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, he blamed it on a game they were playing. Didn't make sense because it was an occult club or something. I had the feeling he just joined because he liked creepy stuff," Megumi shrugged.
"Ah, that makes sense. He's a big fan of horror movies. Gave me a few recommendations. Also mentioned something about a JLaw movie. Silver something. I'll look it up again," Gojo said.
Megumi sighed. "So, when you say you hired him, you mean we'll be working together?"
"Yep! And you'll be neighbors. I told him to drop by if he had time and lend you a hand with settling in. He helped me move out some of my stuff so you could move in," Gojo explained.
Rolling his eyes, Megumi muttered, "Great."
"You don't sound too thrilled for someone who invited him over," Gojo remarked.
"But I didn't invite him," Megumi groaned, already resigned to his fate.
"Oops, did I do that? Anyway, I've got a date. You two have fun and all that jazz," Gojo said, departing with a wave of his hand.
Megumi felt a wave of relief wash over him as he watched Gojo leave. Working with Gojo was sure to test anyone's sanity. Then again, Maki worked there and managed to keep a level head. Itadori didn't seem like a bad guy, just overly friendly – the kind of person who could smile through anything.
During the drive to the new (or rather, repurposed) apartment, Megumi found himself contemplating Itadori's existence once again. Who was he, really? Gojo seemed to trust him a fair bit, and Okkotsu did too. Apart from making Toge slightly uncomfortable, Itadori seemed to be on good terms with everyone. He was an ally, along with that Kugisaki girl.
Upon pulling into the parking lot, Megumi spotted the familiar blond man standing in a hoodie with a smile. Megumi immediately groaned. He had hoped for some time to settle in alone before facing social interaction, but of course, Gojo had to ruin that too.
Megumi opened his door, expecting Itadori to approach. But he didn't. Instead, the man kept his distance, offering a quiet wave. Perhaps he was shy, or maybe Megumi had to admit to himself that this was a peculiar encounter.
"Uh, hey," Megumi greeted him.
As he awaited Itadori's reply, Megumi made a mental wager with himself. One shot said that Itadori would say "Yo, bro," and two shots said he would want a high five. There wasn't enough alcohol in the world to cope with Itadori if he tried to hug Megumi.
"Hey, did you need my help now, or did you want me to be on standby?" Itadori asked, strolling over slowly.
That was incredibly odd. Megumi must have made a face because Itadori frowned and stopped walking before reaching the car. Megumi looked down, attempting to compose himself.
"I don't have to help. Not saying that in a rude way or anything, I just know some people are private about their belongings, so yeah, I can just leave you to it," Itadori said, nodding.
"Uh, yeah. Actually, that would be great. Thanks for the offer, but I can handle everything," Megumi replied.
"Cool, well tell me if you need anything. My place is on the corner before you head into the hall that goes to your door. I'll leave a window open, so just shout if you need anything," Itadori said, smiling again before turning around.
That felt off. Megumi couldn't quite place what it was about the situation, but it was strange. This couldn't be the same guy who punched a hole in the wall. It couldn't be the frat bro from the meeting. Was he a skinwalker?
Megumi shrugged it off and proceeded as if it hadn't happened. Isn't that what someone was supposed to do if they heard a weird sound in their house, anyway? Megumi knew the rules of not succumbing to demons.
He opened the back of his car and grabbed the first box. As he turned to begin walking toward the apartment, he caught sight of the seemingly inhuman Itadori once more. The blond leaped, grasped the edge of an apartment balcony, and pulled himself up. Then, Itadori opened the door and went inside. What the hell was he?
Megumi shook off the thought and continued with the move. He took one box, then another, and another. Each time he passed Itadori's apartment, he half-expected the blond to poke his head out and offer help again. But it never happened. The spiky-haired man was in good shape, so the move wasn't overly strenuous.
However, it was taking longer than expected. If Gojo had offered to help, Megumi would have accepted. Or Toge, even that Todo guy. It was just the fact that it was Itadori, someone he didn't know well, that made it feel a little awkward.
He huffed, looking over at his car from the entrance to the unit. There were plenty of boxes in there, and Itadori had offered to help. The blond hadn't insisted nor had he done anything obnoxious. Maybe Megumi was truly misunderstanding the guy at his core.
Megumi slowly approached the balcony with the open window. When he listened closely, he could hear the sound of a random movie playing. He bit his lip. Why was it making him nervous?
"Itadori?" Megumi called out.
In a matter of seconds, Itadori's waist appeared in the window, then the blond walked out onto the balcony. He wore a smug smile as he looked down at Megumi.
"Need something, Fushiguro?" Itadori asked.
"Could you actually come help? There are a lot more boxes than I anticipated," Megumi lied.
Megumi must have made another expression, revealing his annoyance at the lame excuse, because Itadori's smile only widened. Without a word, Itadori climbed down the railing and jumped to the ground.
"Well, let's get movin' then," Itadori said.
"Okay, but only take the stuff I tell you to take," Megumi said.
"You got it, boss," Itadori replied.
Megumi winced. "Never mind."
"Heh, okay! I was just joking," Itadori laughed.
As they unloaded the rest of Megumi's trunk, nothing significant happened. They didn't chat much aside from Megumi giving instructions. Itadori was stronger than Megumi had expected, but the man also displayed remarkable acrobatic skills.
Once they finished, Megumi couldn't help but appreciate Itadori. The job was completed quickly, and nothing was broken. However, something weighed on Megumi's mind.
"I have a question for you," Megumi said, standing outside his car while Itadori stood behind him.
"Yeah? What's up?" Itadori asked.
"Did we know each other well, you know, in the splinter?" Megumi inquired.
Itadori blushed deeply, looking at the ground. "You shouldn't speak that freely about all this."
"I know, but I don't doubt there's some kind of spying equipment in the apartment," Megumi replied, glancing at the entrance of the hall from the parking lot.
"There aren't. I checked," Itadori said.
The spiky-haired man raised a brow. "You checked?"
"Yeah, it's a long story, and I don't think you'd believe me if I told you, since you really don't know me," Itadori frowned.
Megumi bit his lip. "You didn't answer my question."
Itadori looked straight at Megumi. His eyes were like rings of sand, or the center of a log. The blond had sharp features, and his eyes were large. Even under a hoodie and a shirt, Megumi could see Itadori's big chest.
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to. That's one thing I've learned since this all started," Itadori said.
"Are you trying to sound deep?" Megumi asked.
"Nah. Just giving you an out since I know more than most of the people you've met. Other than the engineer, I suppose," the blonde said.
"Why would I want an out?" Megumi furrowed his brow.
"I know your type," Itadori said.
Megumi frowned. "What the hell are you on about?"
"You like blonds, you also like when your partner is themselves. You like someone kind that treats you like a person with autonomy. You have a sister too, who is sick. Her name is Tsumiki. You can't handle your alcohol, but you pretend like you can," Itadori explained.
Megumi blushed. "Not much of a secret there. Most of that is public information."
"You like guys. Or at least you liked two," Itadori said.
Megumi hadn't met the blonde's gaze again. There was something about the words he said that felt familiar, but they weren't. Did Toge say that to him? Maybe it was Gojo? But there weren't two men. It was just Toge.
"Look at me," Itadori demanded.
Megumi looked up to see wells forming in the corners of Itadori's eyes. That was it, wasn't it? Itadori must have remembered a time when they had been together. How long was that? What did Itadori know that he wasn't saying? There was so much Megumi wanted to ask, but words weren't coming out.
Finally, Megumi spoke, "D-did something happen?"
Itadori wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "Yeah, something did. And I really don't want you to remember it. But if everything goes to plan, you will."
"Did you do something to me?" Megumi blinked.
"No," Itadori responded.
"Did I do something to you?" Megumi asked.
"No," Itadori responded, colder.
"Then, it won't be a problem if I remember. The goal is unequivocal. There is no one who won't be affected by our decisions. That sucks, but it's the only way to restore the timeline," Megumi nodded.
"What if I said I could make you remember me?" Itadori asked.
Megumi blushed. "Are you soliciting me for sex?!"
Itadori jumped back, wide-eyed. "No! Not what I meant! I just have a way I could maybe restore part of your memory. I don't know if it works or not. But Ms. Ieiri said it should."
Megumi contemplated for a moment. He took in a breath, releasing it from his nose. At least Itadori wasn't a complete idiot. Then again, Megumi was extremely aware of how touch-deprived he had become, so if Itadori were to extend a real offer, there could be a chance. Not a high chance, but still, it could have been possible.
"Let's get a drink, 'kay? Then I'll hear out this plan of yours," Megumi said.
"Fushigu-bro is drinking after I told him how weak he was?" Itadori smiled.
"Shut up, Ita-dorky. Before I change my mind," Megumi narrowed his eyes.
With that, Itadori gave him a toothy grin, and they entered Megumi's new residence. After going through a few boxes, the spiky-haired man retrieved two glasses and a bottle of some random whiskey Gojo had bought him. Megumi wasn't one for a lot of dark liquor, so the bottle had only been touched once to taste it.
"Let's do a toast, alright?" Itadori said.
Megumi pressed his lips together, staring at the brown liquid in their cups. "A toast for what?"
"Let's keep it simple. A toast for a better tomorrow," Itadori suggested.
"That's kind of lame," Megumi commented.
"You come up with something then," Itadori pouted.
"A toast to ending the world. It's been real," Megumi made himself smile.
"Bwahaha! Oh my god, that's bleak! Okay, sure, a toast to the end of the world. I'm glad I get to spend it with you," Itadori said, clicking the edge of his glass against Megumi's.
The spiky-haired man blushed before he chugged the bitter liquid. It hit him like a bag of nails to the twins between his legs. Megumi knew in that moment, he had messed up. Some people became sad when drunk, others tried to start a podcast. Megumi, however, was the flirty type of drunk with more energy and less social awareness. He knew that about himself, yet he put himself in the situation.
"You know, I haven't eaten today. Money has been kinda tight," Megumi felt his cheeks and fingertips grow warm.
Itadori frowned. "Why is it that no matter the timeline, you are always a mess when you finally let me hang out with you?"
"A hot mess!" Megumi tilted his head to the side, looking over at the bottle of whiskey.
Itadori pressed two fingers to his temple. "Let me call my friend. He'll get us something to eat. Does something cheap and easy work for you?"
Megumi poured himself another drink. "I'm not cheap, and I'm definitely not easy."
"Pfft, okay. That's your last one on an empty stomach. I don't want to celebrate your new place with a bathtub of vomit," Itadori snickered, sending a text.
"How the hell do you work for Gojo anyway? Is it because he's hot in a scary way? Not like one of those monsters you see online where you look at it and say 'You know maybe I'd smash,' but more in the way where he has perfect symmetry and smells like a tree?" Megumi rambled.
"This, this is hilarious," Itadori grinned with his canines exposed.
"I'm just saying, I get it. But that guy has so much drama. When I was a kid, he put me in modeling classes after school. Told me he wanted to be a cool dad. He's not even my dad. He barely pays for my sister's medical bills on time. It's not even an issue of money; he's just an airhead," Megumi ranted, sipping his second cup of whiskey.
"Didn't think you had a thing for Gojo," Itadori said.
"Oh, ew. No. No way. Absolutely not. He's not my type at all. Like you said, I like blonds with a good personality who isn't afraid to be themselves. That's why I thought it was weird you were acting different," Megumi clarified.
"You noticed?" Itadori blushed.
"Nah, it was more that I had an expectation. You just caught me off guard. I like you more when you act a bit more ridiculous. Feels more real," Megumi said.
"Ah, yeah. That makes sense. I was just worried you wouldn't want to interact with me," Itadori admitted.
"You're right, I probably wouldn't have. But now we are, so you can just act as usual," Megumi shrugged.
There were a few minutes of idle chatter before Megumi began rummaging through the boxes, putting away the few belongings he had. There were some dishes, silverware, and pans for the kitchen.
Megumi decided, purely for efficiency, that it would be a good idea to send Itadori to unpack the bathroom boxes. Nothing in there was extremely private, just bottles of soap and various toiletries. Megumi intended on unpacking his bedroom on his own.
As there was a knock on the door, Itadori popped out of the bathroom that wasn't visible from the kitchen. Megumi could feel the alcohol settling in his veins, but he was still quite wobbly. The spiky-haired man stared at Itadori, trying to figure out what was off about him.
When he opened the door, Megumi saw Itadori wearing a bright blue shower cap over his hair. What an idiot. Did he not know anything about privacy? That wasn't even Megumi's; it was his sister's, and he just hadn't thrown it out or returned it. It was kind of a keepsake.
"Yo! Todo! Thanks for grabbing this stuff!" Itadori said to the familiar man in the doorway.
"Anything for my brother. You can always rely on Todoordash. No, Todo To-Go," Todo's booming voice echoed into the room as his eyes met Megumi's.
Megumi looked away from the large man who was not only tall, but wide. Todo was the type of figure that could scare anyone. However, what was surprising was the fact he knew Itadori and they were possibly brothers.
"Ah, Fushiguro, good to see my worries were unfounded," Todo said.
"Worries?" Megumi asked.
"Nothing to be concerned with. Oh, Itadori, could you tell Okkotsu I appreciate the gift he sent me next time you see him? I didn't know the man had an eye for footwear," Todo said.
"Yeah, he'll like hearing that. For a guy who lives here, he does have good taste. Just couldn't afford it before," Itadori said.
With that quick conversation, Todo left the doorstep. Itadori returned to the kitchen, which was only a few paces from the doorway. In his arms were two bags that hung heavy with food.
"Hope you like egg rice. It's the base of this bowl I like to get when I'm a little drunk. Lots of yummy meat," Itadori said, placing the bags on the counter.
"Are you going to wear that shower cap the whole time?" Megumi asked.
"Gotta keep myself clean," Itadori grinned.
Megumi snorted. "Pfft, fine."
He didn't understand why it hadn't bothered him that Itadori was wearing Tsumiki's shower cap. He didn't know why he was feeling so light in the situation. Megumi didn't care though. It had been a while since he had fun. Was that what it was, fun?
"You know Todo too?" Megumi asked.
As they separated out the utensils and the food, Itadori answered, "We're in the same Yakuza family."
Megumi's eyes widened, then settled. "Somehow, that isn't that surprising."
"I'm a newbie, so Todo is kind of my mentor. He's an enforcer. We met in a different timeline, actually, maybe even my timeline? It all starts to blur together after a while," Itadori said.
"Do you think that's what will happen when Muta finishes the machine?" Megumi asked, stirring the food in his container with a pair of chopsticks.
"Eh, I'm not too sure. Ms. Ieiri said it would be like blurring lines. The further back the memories, the less you'd clearly remember, but the more pungent they were also mattered. Something about the way time nodes worked for each person. I don't think there's a universal rule though," Itadori shrugged.
"Here I thought you were kind of stupid," Megumi said.
"I am, but this all feels like a movie at this point so it's easier to understand. I think," Itadori shoveled food in his mouth.
"So the whole brother thing with Todo?" Megumi began to ask a question.
"Yeah, that's just how he is. He latched onto Okkotsu and me. But this Okkotsu doesn't remember. I guess I should just call him Yuta, you call Inumaki by his given name too, right?" Itadori said.
"Yeah, but we are childhood friends," Megumi said.
"That makes sense why you would fall for him. He's the only guy that I would trust with Yuta. I knew someone a lot like Yuta, and I just wasn't strong enough for him to rely on," Itadori said.
"An ex?" Megumi asked.
"Yeah," Itadori stabbed at the food.
"Anything you need to talk about?" Megumi asked.
"Maybe another time. I'm having fun just eating with you. No need to bring up the past. I will say, he wasn't really an ex, just well," Itadori trailed off.
In a moment of sobriety, Megumi said, "If it's something you want to wait until later for, I'll wait to listen."
Itadori blushed, "Okay. But, well. If we're going to try and recover your memories, it's a bit important that you know a little more."
"Okay, then just tell me what I need to know, no need to dive into details you don't want to," Megumi said.
They were standing in the kitchen as they ate. Megumi was too drunk to distinguish the flavors apart. All he knew was that the meal tasted good. He could see the outline of Itadori's biceps under his clothes.
"His name was Junpei. He was my first. The reason I need to tell you this is because the only way to combine the fractured nodes together is by using hoodoo magic, and this specifically requires conjuring the spirit of someone you were close to. Part of the reason Ms. Ieiri hasn't done the merger is that she doesn't have a strong enough connection with anyone to initiate it," Itadori explained.
"Yet again, not that surprising. Hoodoo magic, huh? Who would have known something so wild would be real," Megumi said, choosing not to comment on Junpei.
"I know, right? Anyway, when you're done eating, if you want to, we can try merging your nodes. I'm pretty sure Yuta could do it no problem, but I learned too," Itadori said.
"Okkotsu has someone he was that close with?" Megumi asked.
"Oh yeah, but you should ask him about it. Not me. Not my business," Itadori nodded.
Megumi huffed, then ate as quickly as he could. The food did wonders for his sobriety, bringing him back to a point where he felt more level-headed. He cracked his neck before nodding.
"Let's do it then. Make me remember you," Megumi said.
Itadori followed suit, eating the rest of his food and washing it down with the whiskey. He took off the shower cap, as if it were going to inhibit his power. Megumi shook his head at the sight.
"Junpei, you there?" Itadori said.
A hushed male voice responded, "Yes, Yuji. I am here."
"Would you mind helping me? Gather Fushiguro Megumi's nodes," Itadori said.
There wasn't a response.
"Junpei?" Itadori questioned.
"Are you happy?" Junpei's voice said back.
Itadori looked at the ground, "Happier than I have been."
"I'll help you, if you can do something for me," Junpei's voice said back.
"Kill Mahito?" Itadori responded.
"What? How did you know?" Junpei's uninhibited voice spoke back surprised.
"I already planned to, so will you do this for me?" Itadori nodded.
He was going to kill someone? Megumi felt an itch on the back of his neck. Itadori was part of the yakuza now. That meant his hands would get bloody over time. That was something Megumi hadn't thought about.
Itadori stood, "Let me get this tea from my place, I'll be right back."
In a matter of seconds, Itadori had left and returned with a jar of what appeared to be black tea. He was so fast. Why did they need tea?
"This is a tonic that Ms. Ieiri made. You need to drink some once Junpei says he has gathered every node. Then, we'll begin the merger," Itadori nodded confidently.
"You're going to kill someone?" Megumi asked.
"Yes, and I'd do it one hundred times over," Itadori said.
Itadori chugged what was left in his glass before pouring some of the tea into it. With one hand, the blonde wafted the smell into his nose. Was it sweet, or maybe it smelled bad? Megumi wasn't sure by the lack of expression on Itadori's face.
"Okay, we're ready," Junpei's disembodied voice spoke once more.
It was then that Megumi could begin to feel it. Like a weight on his shoulder, Megumi felt pressure building. It was almost tangible.
"Fushiguro Megumi, do you understand the consequences of what is to come?" Junpei's voice asked.
"I don't, but I will accept them nonetheless," Megumi answered as the weight on him increased.
Itadori held the cup in his hands, "Reach out and grab this cup. Raise it to your lips. Drink the tea. Afterward, the weight of the world will fall from your shoulders."
Megumi wanted to ask if Itadori had gone through the same thing, or if this was a test run of the process. If it was a test, then Megumi was a willing guinea pig. The man that he had loved for so long was with someone else. He had no family other than a dying sister. There was nothing left for him, so if it went badly, it didn't matter.
It was like moving through lead. Megumi's arms felt tethered to the floor as he moved forward. It would be easy enough to just wait until they perfected the process and performed it on the whole world. That was just cowardice speaking.
His hands met the cup, and he could feel Itadori's body heat radiating from his fingertips. Megumi's vision began to blur as he pulled the cup to his lips. It smelled bitter, but the taste was almost salty. No, that wasn't quite it. The flavor was layered with sweetness, umami, sourness, and bitterness.
Megumi's face twisted as he sucked down the foul liquid. As it drained from the cup, his mind grew foggier and his shoulders lighter. Finally, it was all gone.
He didn't remember falling over, nor passing out. But surely enough, Megumi opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. That was right, he was in Gojo's old office apartment. His cheeks were warm like he'd been drinking. That didn't make sense though.
The only person Megumi would have drunk with was Itadori Yuji. The pink-haired man, no. That wasn't right. Yuji was blonde. Regardless of his hair color, Yuji was dead, right? But, he was just there.
Megumi shot straight up screaming, "Yuji?!"
Yuji's voice came from behind him, "What? Chill dude."
The spiky-haired man turned around and saw the familiar face of his friend, no, that wasn't right. They were more than that. Megumi lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Yuji's waist and buried his face into Yuji's hoodie.
"You're alive!" Megumi said, feeling the tears run down his cheeks before he felt them leave his eyes.
"Shush," Yuji said, patting the back of Megumi's head.
"Don't tell me to shush! You idiot! You're not allowed to die again, or I'll kill you," Megumi's shouts were muffled by the fabric.
"I won't die. That's a promise," Yuji said.
"But the node of death can't be undone," Megumi said.
"That's only true for the original timeline. I only died in fractures. Yuta restored me the other day," Yuji calmly said.
Megumi slammed a fist into Yuji's chest, "You didn't start with that!? I thought I was going to be the first, and now... Well, now I don't know what to think."
There were a lot of blurred lines. There were conversations he remembered having that happened three months in the future, and others with people Megumi hadn't seen or met. He did meet them, just it wasn't in the current fracture.
"The you that was here, well, the you that is part of you, didn't really know me," Yuji said, running his hands through Megumi's hair.
"There was a timeline where we used to hang out a lot," Megumi said.
"Yes," Yuji said.
"There was another where I hated you," Megumi said.
"Yes," Yuji said.
"And," Megumi started.
"And?" Yuji asked, quietly.
His voice vibrated through Megumi's head. Yuji's heart was racing; it sounded like sneakers in the dryer. Megumi raised his face, staring into Yuji's sandy golden eyes.
In one deft motion, Megumi planted his lips on Yuji's. The blonde fell backward with Megumi on top of him. Their tongues touched, creating a string of saliva between their lips as they separated.
"There was a time when I started falling in love with you," Megumi said.
"Yes," Yuji smiled.