Archive of Our Own ^beta

There are days when Megumi feels a little different than usual. He doesn't understand it as well as he should, like he does with most of his emotions but it's heavier.

It's raining and Megumi is tucked in bed, quiet under his blanket. The sound of the rain hitting rooftops helps drown out the noise in his head but it's not quite enough.

He hasn't left his room yet and he's not sure what time it is. He woke up a few hours ago, back aching and his neck feeling a little stiff, he hadn't bothered to get up.

Ever since Yuji Itadori came to Tokyo Jujutsu Tech, Megumi had developed an odd sense of insecurity. Which was silly, in hindsight but he simply couldn't shake the tight feeling in his chest whenever Satoru and Yuji would interact. Yuji was loud and fun like Satoru and they had real things to bond about together. All the extra training sessions after class, taking Yuji out on missions. It felt like a knife twisting in Megumi’s gut everytime he saw it happen, which unfortunately was quite frequent.

It feels unfair almost. Megumi had Satoru for a good portion in his life, he should be able to share, he should know to share but selfishly enough he does not want to and it all feels so stupid because he doesn’t want to. Megumi was never allowed to be selfish growing up, it was just surviving and trying to keep things together with his sister until Satoru arived, and even then he could not be selfish. No, Megumi had to share Satoru with the rest of the sorcerer society, with Yaga and everyone else who demanded his presence. So yeah, it would be nice if he could be a little selfish now.

Megumi shifts around in bed and grabs his phone from his nightstand. He called in sick today, which is probably a mistake because his teacher is technically his dad guardian, but he could not bring himself to care.

5 new messages from Yuji Itadori
2 new messages from Satoru

Megumi glances at the clock on his lockscreen, it's 9 in the morning. He hadn't realized how early it was in the day. Technically he could still head to campus, he could catch the train and take a cab, but he cannot bring himself to get out of bed.

The black haired boy turns on his side and shuffles around under the blanket and falls back asleep.

Megumi wakes up to a knock on his bedroom door.

"'Gumi?" Satoru's head peeks into the room, shuffling the rest of his abnormally large body into Megumi's bedroom.

Megumi doesn't bother to respond, silently hoping that if he stays quiet then Satoru will think he's asleep and leave the room.

This plan backfires almost immediately.

An added weight presses down into the side of the bed and Megumi stiffens just slightly, thankfully his face is stuffed into the pillow in wrapped in his arms.

"I know you're awake." Satoru hummed softly and Megumi already feels the familiar annoyance grow in his chest. The black haired boy lets out a sigh and turns over on his back, meeting Satoru's gaze.

"What do you want?" Megumi grumbled.

"Yuji told me that you were feeling too sick to go to school."

And there it is. An odd ache grows in Megumi's chest at the mention of the pink haired boy. He shuffles under the blanket again.

"Why aren't you with Yuji… and Nobara?" A bitter taste on his tongue at the mention of the boy and Megumi almost makes the mistake of not including his other classmate.

"Because my kid isn't feeling well." Satoru replied in a matter-of-factly tone. The man reaches over and cards a hand into Megumi's hair and the boy feels selfish for leaning into the touch. He wants more but he can’t be selfish. Naturally he just wants to push the white haired man away, shove him out of his room, lock the door and not talk to anyone but he’s at an internal war with his wants and his needs.

"'M fine, you can go back to the school." Megumi replied shortly.

Satoru only shakes his head, "I already left them with some tasks."

It's quiet for a bit and Megumi looks up at Satoru.

Satoru recognizes this look, it's the I want to tell you something really badly but I don't know how to process my emotions but please be patient with me look. So he shifts a little on the bed and offers the kid a smile — a real smile, not the fake kind that he gives everyone else.

"Do you like Yuji more than me?" Megumi asks eventually, the words die in his throat almost immediately and he looks embarrassed, the tips of his ears turning red with shame.

Satoru blinks down at the boy. He opens his mouth but closes it shortly after.

Megumi understands this silence as an answer.

"It's okay, I get it." Megumi nodded, moving his gaze down, unable to meet Satoru's eyes at this point. The boy moves to turn to his side but a strong grip on his shoulder stops him from doing so. Megumi looks back up, ready to snap like he usually does, only to be met with a teary-eyed Satoru.

"Megs, you're my kid. Why would I like anyone else over you?"

oh.

Megumi feels his heart squeeze in a weird way that he’s not used to. He tugs his lower lip in between his teeth — now he just looks foolish and stupid. It was a relief to know that Satoru still cared despite everything but being vulnerable always comes at a cost.

“I… I don’t know, you two seem to get along well.” Is all Megumi can bring himself to say. Satoru shakes his head and sniffles again and Megumi feels terrible for making him feel like this.

“You’re my son, my little blessing.” Satoru shakes his head again, “Yuji is my student and I don’t want him to feel alone but you’re my baby boy.”

Megumi internally cringes at the nickname but he couldn’t help the warmth that floods through his chest, he’ll let it slide for now.

“Okay, okay… I get it.” Megumi grumbles and shakes his head again, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to look a little older than what Satoru thinks he is.

Satoru leans over and wraps his long arms around Megumi, pressing him down into the bed. The older man is still sniffling and Megumi is sure that he’s crying into his shoulder right now — yeah he feels terrible now. Satoru’s an emotional man but he usually cries over stupid stuff like his favorite mochi flavor being sold out, not on things like this.

“Do you really think I don’t care about you that much?” Satoru’s voice is muffled into Megumi’s shoulder and the vibrations tickle him a little.

The black haired boy knows that Satoru can’t see him but he shakes his head anyway, “‘M sorry.”

“I’m a terrible dad!” Satoru wails his grip tightening around Megumi’s frame. The smaller boy squirms a little.

“No, you’re not a terrible dad.” Megumi reassures him softly, shuffling around a little to gently rub over Satoru’s back.

Eventually the two manage to come to a silent agreeement to cuddle, but it was more of Satoru shuffling around the bed and Megumi being forced to become the little spoon with his face pressed into Satoru’s chest.

“I’m not a baby.” Megumi complains but it falls upon closed ears.

“We can hang out more, y’wanna go to the new bookstore down by the city?” Satoru mumbles, gently patting over the back of Megumi’s head, a small attempt to tame the mess of hair. “Or we can go to the school and play some baseball like old times… Bring back old movie nights…” The older man begins a whole ramble that would usually annoy Megumi but right now he can feel himself sinking into the embrace and the words are just floating around his head.

Eventually Megumi’s breathing deepens and Satoru notices that the boy fell asleep, a small smile grows on his face and he is totally resisting the urge to grab his phone and snap a quick selfie. For now, he snuggles up and enjoys the moment.

“I love you, kid. You’re my everything.”