Work Text:
Yuuji dreamt about that night.
The one in the abandoned hotel, where Yuuji couldn’t sleep and Megumi’s eyes reflected the stars. The night that Yuuji admitted he was sure he was in love, and Megumi stuttered like the teenager he should’ve been. The night just before—
The sliding door hitting the wall abruptly breaks Yuuji from his sleep.
Itsuki, Fumiko, and Rumi burst in, transitioning quickly from their loud banter to heckling Yuuji for falling asleep in the classroom. Yuuji leans back in his chair and covers his face, snickering, which elicits annoyed whining from Fumiko.
“Itadori-sensei! It’s not funny! We’ve got a mission later—we need you awake to help us.” This whining causes Rumi to elbow her sister, muttering about Fumiko never actually taking her missions seriously.
Yuuji loves his first years.
They start class, slightly later than usual, going through the motions. Yuuji tries his best to make sure everyone understands the material, Fumiko tries not to fall asleep, Rumi complains about Yuuji’s handwriting, and Itsuki takes notes lazily. After an hour, the kids head off to eat lunch, excited for their upcoming mission.
Yuuji sits back in his chair, tidying up his papers frantically, before he checks the time—turns out, he has an hour before he needs to get ready for his own mission.
Yuuji leans back. He never has any time anymore—he hasn’t even had a day off in months. He loves teaching the next generation of sorcerers, and working as a special-grade gives him purpose, but damn if it’s not demanding. He hardly ever gets to see his boyfriend anymore.
Megumi gets home at night long before Yuuji does, so Megumi is dead asleep by the time Yuuji crawls into bed. He sleepily tries to convince Megumi to stay with him in the mornings, but Megumi always gets stuck with missions early in the morning.
These last few months have been exhausting.
Lunch slips his mind as he debates on going back to sleep. When the door slides open, Yuuji half-expects it to be Fumiko, coming to copy down the notes she neglected.
When Yuuji turns his head to check, he wants to cry when he sees Megumi walking through the door, holding a bag of takeout from a restaurant they frequent.
♡
Sitting at Yuuji’s desk, eating cheap stir-fried rice and chicken, Yuuji beams at his boyfriend who just got finished with his own mission.
Apparently, Megumi peeked at Yuuji’s schedule. Upon seeing he had time in the middle of the day, decided to bring him lunch. Like the saint he is.
“Stop ogling me.” Megumi mutters, taking another bite of his food.
“Hey, I’m allowed to!” Yuuji shoves another bite in his mouth, far from gracefully. Megumi rolls his eyes. After Yuuji yawns for the twentieth time, Megumi finally speaks up.
“What time did you get to bed, Yuuji?”
“Not that late.” Yuuji slurs in response. That earns him a glare.
Megumi sighs, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “Are you okay to go on your mission? You should really cancel it. Or have someone cover for you.”
“I’ll be fine. Besides, it’s a first-grade. I wouldn’t have anyone else handle it.”
Megumi sighs once again, trying and failing to scowl. As much as it warms Yuuji’s heart for Megumi to worry for him so fiercely, he can’t help but want to wipe the troubled expression off of his face.
The two return to eating, Yuuji chattering on about his students. Megumi listens, finishing his food long before Yuuji.
When Yuuji runs out of stories, all he can do is notice the way Megumi's cheek rests on his hand, looking at Yuuji like he's the most interesting thing in the world. Yuuji loses his train of thought in Megumi's eyes.
Upon noticing, Megumi simply rolls his eyes and moves to throw his trash away.
God, Yuuji loves him.
♡
Yuuji can’t do anything but watch Megumi leave, longing to be close the second they part.
Why can’t they just be together all the time? Is this really fair? They deserve to be together. They deserve to see each other after work, at least. They deserve to—
Yuuji wants to slam his head against the desk when he thinks about how badly he wants to propose. How badly he wants to spend the rest of their lives together, following some huge gesture that tells Megumi, “I never want to part from you”.
Yuuji lays his head down on the desk, sighing. He’s just been waiting for the right time. Once they’re not so swamped with work, once they’re ready to plan a wedding, Yuuji will do it.
…
Yuuji shoots his head up from his desk, exasperated with himself. God, am I stupid?
Why is he letting his work control his life? Yes, he loves his students, yes, he wants to work as a sorcerer as long as he can, but why is he waiting for balance to restore itself? What does that say about his love for Megumi?
He needs time, so he’ll make time. The higher-ups can screw themselves.
♡
After he finishes his first afternoon mission, Yuji clears his schedule for the rest of the day, ignoring the bitching from the principal. Then he calls Nobara.
“...You’re not manic, are you?”
“No!” Yuuji scrambles to defend himself, without giving away the exact reason he needs her help.
“...So you need me to teach your class… for a week… while you do, what, exactly?”
Yuuji winces hearing the disbelief in Nobara’s voice, knowing any second it could turn to anger. He glances around—the school corridor is empty, but he won’t risk his secret being spilled by speaking aloud. “You don’t need to teach them, just… stand in the classroom for a little while every day. I’ll have worksheets prepared for them! You’ll hardly have to do anything.”
“Answer my question.”
“Okay, just… send me the location of your favorite jewelry store, and meet me there. As soon as possible.”
Before Nobara can respond, Yuuji has hung up and gathered his belongings to leave for the day.
♡
After receiving a location, Yuuji walks all the way to the store. He would’ve asked an assistant manager to drive him, but he’s too wary—Nobara is the only person he’s willing to tell. If any Jujutsu High staff find out—or, god forbid, the students—he knows Megumi would find out immediately.
He waits for about an hour before Nobara pulls up with her chauffeur. She steps out of the car and glares at Yuuji, but softens as soon and he pulls her into a hug.
“You wanna explain?” Nobara grumbles into Yuuji’s shoulder.
Yuuji pulls back abruptly, holding Nobara by the shoulders, resisting the urge to shake her back and fourth. His expression matches hers of surprise, as he whisper yells—
“I’m proposing.”
After about five seconds of staring into each others eye(s), Yuuji opens his mouth to speak, —
“Took you long enough, Jesus!” Nobara’s face falls into something exasperated.
“I know, we just haven’t had the time! That’s why I’m calling us out for next week.”
“You need a week to propose?”
Yuuji’s hands fly up into the air, while he stutters. “N-no, but—I mean—okay, I haven’t thought this through. But it’s necessary, seriously. Right now, I need your help picking out a ring.”
After more grumbling from Nobara, the two enter the store. Ignoring the stares they receive, they start looking. Nobara brushes off advances from salespeople, while Yuuji attempts to get their attention. To Yuuji’s surprise, he and Nobara don’t argue for all that long before Yuuji finds a ring that they both agree is the right one.
Yuuji has no clue what the difference between “cubic zirconia” and diamond is. Nobara scoffs every time he asks, and he's too embarrassed to ask the sales associate. The former, however, he knows is much cheaper, and Megumi would kill him if he spent too much, so Yuuji calls it a win.
The ring he watches the associate place into the velvet box is titanium, with a thin band of gemstones in the middle. Nobara isn't too happy about the simplicity, but Yuuji knows it's perfect.
♡
Each day that passes feels like a decade. It's only Sunday, two days since he bought the ring, and he feels like he's going insane. Tomorrow he'll have to tell Megumi that they don't work for another week, deal with his anger, and figure out a way to put a ring on his boyfriend's finger.
Nobara had hundreds of proposal ideas, somehow, that she continues to text to him throughout each day. Having to hide his phone under the mattress at night probably doesn't look too good.
He knows Megumi would hate a restaurant. Or any sort of public proposal, for that matter. A picnic wouldn’t be a bad idea, if he hadn't chosen the hottest week of August to do this. Maybe he'll do it over dinner at home?
These are the thoughts that Yuuji is currently contemplating, while fighting two second grade curses.
Yuuji strikes his fist through the chest (?) of the second articulated mass, silencing its garbled chanting. Purple guts spew out onto Yuuji's uniform.
Maybe he shouldn't be so distracted.
♡
Six hours later, it's midnight, and Yuuji has showered at Jujutsu High. After the longest day of his life, he trudges home as usual. It takes him about 30 minutes to walk to his and Megumi's apartment—he always walks home at night, since he'd rather not bother any assistant managers by the time he gets done with work.
After arriving at his apartment, Yuuji slowly turns his key and opens the door.
Megumi should be asleep, as he always is, but Yuuji removes his shoes silently all the same. He walks quietly around the house, ensuring the lights are off and doors are locked, before finally opening the door to the dark bedroom. Yuuji steps in, closing the door behind him, and turns one dim lamp.
There Megumi is, hair pressed up against his pillow wisping out in all directions, eyelashes perfectly still against his fair skin, breathing even, spooning Yuuji's pillow.
Yuuji takes a second to admire him, knowing that they'll finally be able to stay together in the morning, for the first time in months. He plans out what breakfast he's gonna make as he brushes his teeth and strips, turning the light off and sliding into bed next to Megumi.
Yuuji snakes an arm around Megumi's waist, eliciting a soft sigh from his boyfriend, as Yuuji promptly passes out.
♡
Yuuji feels the warmth leaving him as that stupid alarm of Megumi's blares at 6am sharp.
Panicking, Yuuji throws himself forward, hoping to stop Megumi from leaving. Still mostly asleep, Megumi's annoyed protests fall on deaf ears.
“Yuuji, you are crushing me. Get off.” Yuuji only groans. The dark room is no help, only encouraging Yuuji to slip back into sleep.
Megumi lays there for a few seconds longer despite his protests, before trying to rouse Yuuji once again.
“I need to get up.”
“No you don't”
“Yuuji.”
Yuuji doesn't move. Megumi is eventually able to wiggle out from underneath Yuuji, who then sits up and wraps his arms around Megumi's torso, pressing his head against the back of Megumi's neck.
“Megumi…” Yuuji whines.
“What?” Megumi whines back, mockingly.
“You don't have work today.”
Megumi doesn't respond. Yuuji twiddles his thumbs. His heart beats louder in his chest as the silence stretches on, and his tight hold on Megumi lessens in hopes of evading some of the anger.
“Says who?”
“...Me. I called us out of work.”
Silence again. Yuuji closes his eyes and leans his weight against Megumi, hoping he'll get the hint and lay back down.
“...For the rest of the week. We don't need to work until next Monday.” Yuuji mumbles into Megumi's back, half-hoping it was too quiet to be audible.
“Until Monday?” Megumi asks, almost rhetorically. His voice is deadpan, and Yuuji is betting on him being too tired to care all that much. Yuuji hums an affirmative.
Megumi sits in silence for long enough for Yuuji to nod off, already half-asleep by the time Megumi sighs, swinging his legs back over the bed and laying back down. Yuuji follows suit, throwing half his body over Megumi's and nuzzling back into bed.
“Why did you call off?”
“Mm… don't we deserve a day off?” Yuuji murmurs.
Yuuji watches as Megumi's eyelids droop, struggling to stay open. “I guess. But a week? Who’s teaching your class?” Megumi mumbles sleepily in response.
Yuuji only shushes Megumi and urges him to just go back to sleep, finally shutting his own eyes after placing a kiss to Megumi's jaw.
☆
Megumi can’t remember the last time he saw the sunrise from bed.
He opens his eyes, watching the colors change on the ceiling in the shape of the blinds. He sighs, content with being able to stay near the warmth next to him, for once. He slowly turns his head to the side.
Yuuji. He lays there on his stomach, one muscled arm draped over Megumi, half of his face smashed into the pillow. The sunlight casts gorgeous light over his fluffy pink hair, split up through the blinds, disappearing into the rest of the dark room. He snores lightly, but Megumi’s never minded.
Megumi just stares for a long time. With everything that’s gone wrong in his life, he did get pretty lucky with this one.
Gradually, Yuuji stirs. He opens his latte-brown eyes, groaning at the beam of sunlight shining directly into one, before shifting away from it. Megumi watches as Yuuji’s eyes finally focus on him.
All they do is stare for a long while. Megumi watches Yuuji’s eyes as they roam—back and forth between Megumi’s eyes, his nose, his lips, eyelashes, etcetera. Megumi can tell Yuuji is thinking—about what, he has no clue, for once. Why did he call off work for so long?
Slowly, Yuuji smiles. “Hi.” He murmurs, with a stupid grin on his face.
Megumi rolls his eyes. “Hi.” He responds.Yuuji leans in close and places a soft kiss on Megumi’s lips. Megumi wishes it would linger longer when Yuuji pulls away.
“How did you sleep?” Yuuji asks, tilting his head with that smitten look on his face. Megumi wants to roll his eyes again.
“Well.”
“That’s good.”
Megumi pouts. “Okay. What’s this about?”
“Come on… Does it have to be about something?” Yuuji pouts in turn. He dramatically rolls over and groans. Megumi instantly misses the warmth and shifts up against Yuuji’s back.
“No… But it’s odd.” Megumi presses his forehead to Yuuji’s shoulder. “Why now? Is it an anniversary of something?”
“No…” Yuuji whines into the pillow. “It’s been months now though… I come home and you’re already asleep, and you’re gone by the time I wake up.” Yuuji pauses. “I guess I just missed you.”
Megumi hums. Maybe it’s not that weird, he supposes. He forces himself to respond with something equally as sweet, as much discomfort as it causes him. “Missed you too.” he mutters. He can almost see Yuuji’s grin from behind, the way his head dips into himself and he huffs through his nose.
“I still feel like you’re up to something.”
“You know I suck at surprises." Yuuji refutes, turning his head to grin at Megumi. Megumi lifts his head to look Yuuji in the eyes. “Yeah. You can’t keep a secret to save your life.”
“Mm, don’t remind me.” Yuuji rolls back over to face Megumi, dropping his arm over him once again and burying his face in Megumi’s hair.
Megumi’s never been one to crave touch like Yuuji has, but he can’t say it’s not endearing to always be so wanted. Megumi brushes his fingers against Yuuji’s side, making him squirm. Ticklish.
Yuuji drums his fingers on Megumi’s back. After a moment, Yuuji speaks again, muffled in Megumi’s hair. “Aren’t you excited, though? We can go on dates, watch movies, cook… We could find a new bookstore, now that you have a few days to read something new.”
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Megumi mutters, smiling to himself where Yuuji can’t see.
Times like this have always been Megumi’s favorite. Laying in bed with Yuuji with nothing better to do, while the sun paints the room and they simply lie there with the others' presence.
If Yuuji was trying to give him a gift, then he already got everything he would’ve wanted. Even if he had to go to work later in the day, he would be fine with it.
Megumi finally shifts and stretches, and though he’s still laying down, Yuuji whines and holds him tighter. “Don’t get up..”
“I’m not.” Megumi rolls over to face the window, still being hugged tight from the back. The room gradually grows lighter, the shadows shifting through the room as the sun rises further. What time is it, anyway?
As if reading Megumi’s mind, Yuuji shifts, presumably grabbing his phone. Megumi lies still, debating on going back to sleep. He closes his eyes. Yuuji returns to hugging him.
“...Megumi?”
“Hm?”
Yuuji kisses Megumi’s shoulder. Megumi can feel his boyfriend's pulse growing faster. He opens his eyes, confused, before he sees a square box in Yuuji’s hand, opened towards Megumi with a silver ring perched inside.
☆
Yuuji thinks he might have a heart attack. If you’d asked him on any given day, Yuuji would never think Megumi would say no to him, but… with Megumi’s silence, Yuuji feels like he might cry. What for, he’s not sure.
This was not at all what he had planned. He didn’t actually have anything planned, but this certainly would not have been it. It’s just, this entire time, all he could think about…
Those little sighs Megumi makes, the way he melts when he relaxes, the way his fingers always absentmindedly rub Yuuji’s arms when he’s content… When Yuuji thinks of when the perfect time would be, these moments when Megumi is just happy were all he could think of.
However, his certainty wavers as Megumi doesn’t speak, even after twenty seconds pass. He opens his mouth, not sure what he would even say, when Megumi turns his head.
He doesn’t wear that expression often—where his eyes are wide circles, jaw slightly ajar. He simply stares, face growing pink like a teenager.
When Megumi doesn’t speak, Yuuji opens his mouth once again. Say something. Say something. Say it. Say—
“Seriously?”
The one word from Megumi’s lips erases all the confidence Yuuji had built up. He finds himself speechless and breathless for a second time. After a moment of attempts to speak, while Megumi just stares, all Yuuji can do is grin.
He smiles wider, laughter bubbling out. He knows he needs to say something, but with Megumi staring like this, Yuuji can’t bring himself to speak.
He looks like he did the night in the hotel.
Yuuji dips his head to Megumi’s shoulder again, giggling uncontrollably into him as he recalls.
“Yuuji.”
Megumi’s clearly trying to be stern, but failing when his voice breaks between syllables. Yuuji’s giggle attack finally tapers out, and he looks up at his boyfriend—his expression has softened, though still painted with disbelief.
“Sorry, sorry… Megumi, will…” Yuuji clears his throat, lip suddenly quivering. “Will you marry me?”
Megumi opens his mouth and pauses. He looks back to the ring, then back at Yuuji, then back at the ring. Very slowly, he lifts his hand and cups it over Yuuji’s, running his thumb over the ring.
Megumi looks back at Yuuji, expression now soft and promising. He speaks quietly, voice hoarse.
“Yes.”
☆
Really, Megumi supposes he shouldn’t be so shocked. They’ve been together for seven years now, and it’s not like they had any intention of splitting up. But, for Yuuji to actually do it…
Megumi always thought it was cliche to freak out so much when being proposed to, but now he understands the feeling.
Dammit, he knew Yuuji was up to something.
Megumi’s voice comes out embarrassingly hoarse when he responds, his throat closing up at the idea; they’re getting married.
Yuuji stares at him, mouth agape. His eyes begin to shine over.
“Are you gonna cry?” Megumi says in an attempt to tease, but his voice is too quiet for it to come out right.
Yuuji only shakes his head no, sniffling like a little kid. “...You’ll really marry me?”
Megumi’s nose begins to sting.
“Idiot. Did you think—” Megumi’s voice breaks. “...think I’d say no?”
“I don’t know what I thought!” Yuuji replies, a little too loud. He grins, which quickly turns to giggling, which quickly turns to full-blown laughter as he buries his face into the pillow. Megumi turns back around to look at the ring Yuuji still holds.
It’s pretty. Megumi runs his finger over the smooth metal again, admiring it. It’s simple, but will still catch your eye—exactly something Yuuji would pick for him. Exactly something Megumi would wear to say “I’m engaged to him.”
He begins to pull it out of the box when Yuuji gasps, halting his giddy laughter. “Wait!I Wait, lemme do it.”
Megumi lets him. They both sit up together as Yuuji plucks the band from the foam, taking Megumi’s left hand in his, and gently sliding the ring onto the proper finger. Megumi look up at Yuuji’s eyes, and—
Tears are streaming down his face.
Yuuji takes Megumi’s hand that he hasn’t released and brings it up to his mouth, kissing it tenderly. He sniffles and closes his eyes.
The sight makes Megumi tear up, biting his lip to stop it from quivering. When Yuuji looks back up at him, he looks to the side to hide his face. This makes even more laughter escape Yuuji, until he’s pushing his forehead into Megumi’s chest, giggling while tears run down his cheeks. Megumi smiles.
Yuuji holds Megumi's hand, rubbing his ring finger while he sniffles and giggles into Megumi's chest. Megumi can’t help but giggle to himself as he speaks—
“You did it wrong, you know.”
“Hm?”
“You're supposed to kneel down.”
After a moment of silence, Yuji starts giggling again, harder this time. He raises his head to look Megumi in the eye, grinning sheepishly. “I know, but… I had a hard time thinking of what would be better than this.”
Megumi looks to the side. “Mm, I suppose not much.” He muses, while Yuuji beams at him.
Yuuji takes Megumi's face in his hands, leaning in to kiss his lips. Megumi immediately reciprocates, kissing him back passionately. When they break, Yuuji doesn't go far, resting his forehead against Megumi's and caressing his face.
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.” Megumi sighs, content, moving to rest his arms over Yuuji's shoulders. They sit like this for a moment, before Megumi suggests they go back to sleep.
“Anything for my fiancé.” Yuuji coos.
Megumi rolls his eyes, knowing Yuuji is gonna be insufferable about this. He lays back down, Yuuji following suit, as they cuddle back into each other.
The two lay there, drifting back to sleep, ready to spend the rest of the week occupied with nothing but each other.
♡