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“So, like… is Gojo your dad?”
Megumi tenses at that. A moment of sadness flashes over Gojo’s face, so quick it’s almost unnoticeable if you don’t know what to look for. Megumi knows what to look for. As Megumi looks away from his guardian’s face, Gojo pipes up with some Gojo-typical explanation that involves easy smiles and exaggerated hand motions, roughly translating to “No, but I have known him since he was young.” Yuuji and Nobara are easily distracted by it, and Megumi feels bad. He remembers the pain in Gojo’s expression and the multitude of good memories they’ve had together since he was adopted at the tender age of six.
Before he can decide against it, Megumi looks up again and softly says, “Yes.” His ears are red and he looks a little constipated like he always does when being emotionally vulnerable. The other three stop and stare. Megumi doesn’t blame them, but it’s still uncomfortable. Before he can change his mind he takes a deep breath and says, “I’m not embarrassed of you, Satoru. You’re a good dad.”
Yuuji and Nobara are shell-shocked at the admission, and a glance at Gojo is enough to tell he is truly moved. In typical Gojo fashion, he doesn’t let the silence sit and immediately schools his face into something exaggeratedly grateful, hugging Megumi to him.
“Aww, Gumi-kun does love me after all!” Yuuji and Nobara are now making that dumb face they make when they find something cute, especially if it involves Megumi. He hates it (not really). Gojo keeps yammering away and Megumi’s face is still a light shade of pink as he grumbles and pushes Satoru away.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he deadpans, but Gojo can tell by the slight smile gracing Megumi’s face that he’s bluffing. Not that he didn’t already know. With that, the subject is dropped and the four of them return to their sparring session.
Later, Gojo is sitting on his bed, legs folded underneath him. He is thumbing through a picture album Tsumiki had put together of their little makeshift family and his heart hurts. They had trusted him and he had let them down. He is haunted by that day- Megumi’s ugly sobbing and angry words echoing in his skull. And after all that, Megumi still loves him. Sometimes Satoru simply doesn’t feel worthy of that enormous, priceless gift.
A soft knock on the door shakes him from his thoughts.
“Yes?”
“It’s me, nii-san,” Megumi’s small voice drifts through the closed door.
“Come in, Gumi.”
The door opens slowly and Satoru smiles as the sea-urchin hair made even messier by sleep peeks through.
“Is this a bad time?”
“Nope, what’s up kiddo?”
As Megumi makes his way into the room, he shuts the door behind him quietly and rubs his arm nervously before Gojo pats the bed beside him. He sits down carefully, mimicking Gojo’s folded legs, keeping his hands in his lap and fiddling with them. There’s a bit of silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s never uncomfortable. Gojo always makes sure Megumi has all the time he needs to think and never pushes him to speak before he’s ready. Eventually, he asks, “Can I sleep with you tonight?” It’s not unheard of for them, but it hasn’t happened in a while since Megumi has been trying to seem more grown-up now that he goes to Jujutsu High, so Gojo simply says, “Of course you can. May I ask the occasion though?” He runs a gentle hand through Megumi’s hair, scratching gently at the base where he knows Megumi likes it. As expected, Megumi’s eyelids flutter closed.
“I miss you,” he murmurs, shy. Gojo stops for a second at that, ruffling Megumi’s hair one more time before he removes his hand.
“You see me almost every day, silly,” he says.
“Yeah,” Megumi starts, “but it’s not like… I don’t know. How it used to be.” He looks at his lap and begins shifting uncomfortably. Part of Gojo’s brain tells him to tease the little Zenin mercilessly, his big independent baby misses spending time with him and being looked after. However, Gojo knows better than to tease at this moment. Megumi is being vulnerable with him, and he promised to always treat him seriously and respectfully whenever these occasions arise. Before he can even respond, Megumi speaks up again.
“I just… I’ve been thinking ever since Itadori and Kugisaki asked about... um, our... relationship today. And… you do so much for me and never really ask for anything in return. And, and… I’ve been distant lately, but I… I miss you. And I know you’re ‘The Strongest’ and everything, but after everything with Yuuji I’ve just been thinking about how much,” he groans before finishing, “how much I’d miss you if you were gone.” As he speaks, Gojo's eyes soften until they’re shining with love for this kid. His kid.
“Aw, come here bud- you know I’ll be here for you as long as you let me.” He scoops up the surprisingly light teen and rearranges him in his lap. Megumi rarely lets himself be manhandled like this so Gojo smiles and coos a bit before kissing the boy’s temple. After they settle, Megumi goes limp in his hold and softly says, “I know, dad. I love you.”
Gojo resumes scratching Megumi’s head lightly, humming softly until Megumi’s breaths even out. He maneuvers them into a laying down position, careful not to wake the sleeping boy in his arms. Once that’s done, he takes a moment to stare at Megumi’s face, always so much softer when he’s asleep. As innocent as a kid his age’s face should be, not hardened with tragedy as it often is when he’s awake.
As he’s about to drift off, Gojo feels the still unconscious Megumi shuffle in an attempt to get closer to Gojo. He smiles sleepily as the boy’s hands reach out and loosely hang on to his oversized sleep shirt. He would do anything for this kid, he realizes. It’s a thought he’s had before, but it strikes him with the same gusto as it had the first time.
“I love you too,” he says, voice scratchy from lack of use. He places a kiss on Megumi's forehead, moving back the strands of hair gently. He smiles as Megumi’s face scrunches up at the feeling before relaxing completely. With his arms full of Megumi and his heart full of contentment, Gojo slips into the most restful sleep he's had in months.