Chapter Text
Since birth, he's been treated like a little prince, given the best treatment and any material goods he could think of. His babysitter is the exception to the rule.
He doesn't need one, but god forbid something happens to the young master, right? Can't his parents see that he's too big to be babied? It's humiliating and the nanny isn't even a professional, but the neighbor teen a happy-go-lucky high schooler, who has no experience with the job he accepted. He'd never taken care of anyone before and Satoru won't be his guinea pig.
Yuji came over a few times before, got ignored and left after getting paid by Satoru's parents. He was undeterred, but his effort was futile. The food he made got thrown into the trash, any idea for a fun hangout activity was met with silence and overall, Yuji had nothing to do there. This try-hard would not stop bothering him.
In the end, Satoru heard his father say: "I'm sorry for him. He can be so troublesome for no apparent reason."
Itadori chuckled and brushed it off. "No, no. It's impressive how grown up he is."
He didn't see it coming, fully expecting Yuji to agree shyly and share some details about those they spent together. Next to each other would be more accurate, actually. 'I did what I could' or something along those lines. It didn't sound like Yuji's response meant to please his boss, like he tried to suck up to him by praising his son.
He can chide himself for his naivety all he wants, but it really did cast a new light on the image of Yuji as nothing but a brat looking for easy money. He's too old for a babysitter and too good for a paid friend. Yuji is plainly too stupid to be consciously manipulating people, so what he said has to be true. That's how he feels.
It's flattering. Maybe a little.
And so, Satoru doesn't treat him as coldly, the next time he replaces his parents for the evening.
"You," Satoru says, staring at Yuji, who's waiting before the front door.
"Yeah."
"Again."
Yuji throws him a shy smile and repeats: "...Yeah."
"Come in."
He leaves the door open and turns on his heel. Yuji lives in the house right next to theirs, so he can come anytime he's asked to. It takes him two minutes to get here, even less if he chooses to get through the fence separating the two properties. It's a pain in the ass to live so close to someone that you can see each other's yard 24/7. Zero privacy or anything, but their parents are on good terms and no one but Satoru minds this lack of space.
"Have you eaten dinner yet?" Yuji asks, interrupting his inner monologue.
Satoru shrugs.
"What does that mean?"
"Stop talking."
Where was he again..? Ah, yes, the close proximity. It's not that he has nothing nice to say about this house, but there are fewer positives than disadvantages. For example, his and Yuji's windows face each other and whenever Satoru looks out, he can get a view of Yuji's room, or a part of it if the teen draws his curtains. He doesn't care to know any more than necessary, yet he catches himself frozen by that window, watching in fascination as Yuji collects the empty water bottles from his desk, naps, face down on the pillow or..
Undresses.
"Hey, Satoru-kun..-"
"Don't call me that."
"Gojo-san?" Yuji tries.
"Makes me feel like an old man."
"Young master?"
"You know I hate it," Satoru clicks his tongue and Yuji laughs.
"I do~ What should I call you, in that case?"
Gojo bites his lip. He's not being difficult for the sake of it. Satoru-kun is what a friend would call him and 'young master' is something a servant would say. His problem with Yuji boils down to this exactly. What are they?
He changes the topic quickly to get rid of Yuji. "You can play on your phone to kill time. I won't tell my parents."
"Want me to show you the games I recently downloaded?"
"No," Satoru says in honest disinterest. "And don't follow me to my room."
Despite what he says, he doesn't close the door. He doesn't want to be alone again, while his parents have a good time in a fancy restaurant, getting familiar with their business partners. He'd be hurt if Yuji listened to him and spent their assigned time texting his little boyfriend. Pride is such a lame thing. He can't do as much as ask for company.
"I could make you something really tasty," Itadori says, as he settles down on the floor. Their knees are touching.
The memory of Yuji's pecks crosses Satoru's mind when he hears 'something tasty.' More specifically, he thinks about the flash of pink nipples. He hasn't seen anything too erotic. The most nudity he witnessed was Yuji in his boxers, but no intimate parts.
He's curious.
"Meaning?"
"Anything you want. Not to brag, but I'm good at cooking."
Oh, how proud he is. Yuji has a cute smile on his face, but Satoru has to decline. "I want chocolate."
Itadori's brows curve in worry. "Your teeth are gonna go bad."
"I don't care. Give it to me," Satoru outstretches his hand. His parents told him to listen to Yuji.
...Like hell he would.
"You'll get scurvy, you know? Do you want your gums to bleed?"
He couldn't hate it if he tried -the nagging. He'd get fed up with it if Yuji were more persistent, but when he uses it tone, it just comes off as caring.
"It won't be your problem if it happens."
"But I wouldn't want it to. You're my friend."
Satoru rolls his eyes, this time out of actual irritation. "Megumi is. I'm just a kid to you."
"I have a feeling that you don't like him," Yuji thinks aloud. He's concentrated, eyes narrowed, head tilted.
"I couldn't care less about you or your friends."
Yuji and Megumi aren't dating, but if Yuji stops being so oblivious, who knows? Anyone can see that this guy likes him.
'The same as anyone can see that I like Yuji,' Satoru thinks with a hint of bashfulness. His parents know and that's why they haven't changed his babysitter yet. They can afford someone better, but he and Yuji don't get along too badly. Satoru forces himself to admit that, as a step forward to adulthood. It's childish to be incapable of admitting your feelings. Yuji isn't that bad.
Itadori's 'Eureka!' expression is so funny. Satoru holds back from smiling.
"I know! I'll make you something healthy and yummy. Want to come with me?"
"Still stuck on the dinner topic? I'm not hungry."
Yuji waves his hand. "It's more like a snack."
His mother taught Yuji how to use the oven and showed him where everything is in the kitchen, in case he felt like cooking. It's not one of his responsibilities. Satoru sees Yuji grabbing an apple and reacts with immediate refusal.
"Don't even think about it. I don't like fruit."
"Your mom said that I can give it to you."
It sounds like he's a pet with peculiar dietary needs. Satoru eyes the candy on the counter. "Apples are hard and sour. I prefer peaches or bananas. They're easier to eat."
"Raw fruit and vegetables are the healthiest, but I guess I get it. I wanted to bake it in the oven."
"I can't think of anything more unappetizing than baked fruit."
"You like it in pies," Yuji points out.
"What else did she tell you?"
Itadori washes two apples and opens one of the drawers, looking for something he could use to cut the core out. "Ah, you know. This and that. Do you have cinnamon?"
"I don't want any. It hurts my throat."
"Whaaat?" Yuji turns to him, confused. "Are you allergic?"
"No."
"That's weird. You mean that it's spicy?"
"And bitter. I licked a cinnamon stick once and I didn't like it."
"It's good in small amounts. I'll add some and you'll see, okay?"
Satoru closes in on the kitchen table and straddles the chair. He watches Yuji, his chin against the backrest. "Are you going to sprinkle it with sugar too?"
"No, but you can have a tablespoon of vanilla ice cream to go with it. It'd be too sweet if you add so much of everything."
"I want a parfait with wafers, candied cherries and syrup."
"Maybe another time. Did you know that cinnamon is an antioxidant? You should eat it often."
Yuji uses a tiny bit of butter and preheats the oven while preparing the fruit. Satoru had never seen his mother in the kitchen, so this place is kind of new to him. He usually only walks past it, to get to another room. Most of the things Yuji uses are brand new, bought solely to fill those cabinets, the same as the art on the walls has been bought to fill the empty space.
The books in his father's office serve a decorative purpose too. The perfumes on his mother's vanity table are mostly full -she has a favorite scent and uses that one all the time, but it'd make her look bad if she had one bottle standing there, among the jewelry. They buy things because it feels right, invested in a beautiful garden, despite disliking plants. It's there, but someone else takes care of it.
They live in a dollhouse and maybe he's also one of those things his parents felt like they needed to have. He can see no personality in his parents, no passion or direction in life, unlike Kaori and Jin. It's fascinating that they became such close friends. His life is artificial to the core. Yuji doesn't fit here and Satoru doesn't fight the impulse to push him away with a mean comment.
"You have an ugly scar under your eye."
"This?" Yuji brushes his fingers against the mark. "It's a reminder not to climb tall trees. I fell and had to get stitches."
"I didn't ask."
Yuji opens the little door under the sink and is surprised to see no trash can. He looks around for it, embarrassed that he forgot where it was. Satoru doesn't help him, but he finds it eventually.
"Rich people's houses.." he mumbles.
The scent of apple and cinnamon fills Satoru's lungs. It's like a warm hug. The fruit caramelizes slowly, sizzling in the yellow light of the oven.
What was it that his mom called Yuji? Golden boy? She kept rambling about how much of a good kid he is, how hardworking and cheerful he appears to be. The perfect neighbour who greets everyone with a smile and doesn't stray from small talk. He always has something to say. The topics are simply never-ending.
"Scurvy used to be sailors' problem. Someone like you shouldn't have such a poor diet. Those men were spending months at the sea with no access to fresh food."
"Boring."
"Can you imagine being a sailor?"
"I can feel the 'Who do you want to be when you grow up' from miles away."
Bingo. Yuji pouts and lets go of the question. "It's interesting to me. You have so many options as a child genius."
"Is the food ready yet?"
"Five more minutes."
Yuji makes milk tea for both of them and Satoru doesn't complain this time. He takes a sip and licks his lips. "Pretty good."
"It's a childhood favorite. I spent a lot of time with my grandpa 'cause my parents were busy."
"How do you know that they had no time? I bet they didn't want to take care of you, so they threw the responsibility on your granddad because they couldn't afford a babysitter like my parents."
Yuji has been warned about his rotten personality, but this little of a reaction? Wow. He's unfazed.
"I know them and we love each other a lot. Your parents love you too."
"They don't."
It's that face again. He should be more respectful towards his parents, right? He's about to get told that he's got it all wrong and basically nothing he feels or says is correct 'cause he's just a kid who doesn't know anything and misunderstands simple things.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The timer goes off. Yuji opens the oven and takes out the scorching hot food. Satoru's gaze lingers on his back.
"No."
"I won't tell anyone if you decide to open up. You can trust me."
What more is there to say? For once, Satoru asks him a question, instead of responding like he's a guest in an interview. "Was it fun with your grandpa?"
"Yep, he's great. One day, we went to see horses and he let me pet the small one. It was a few weeks old."
"Horses stink."
"Kinda, but they have pretty eyes, like cows. They're soft and gentle. I think everyone resembles some animal."
Yuji hands him his plate and Satoru sinks his fork into what became an apple sauce. The ice cream melts rapidly. "Uh-huh."
"You remind me of a bunny."
Satoru lifts his eyes and meets Yuji's bright ones. "Seriously?"
"It's because of your hair. You'd look even cuter if you grew it out! I bet you're popular with girls."
"Gross."
Itadori chuckles. He takes a spoonful of the apple, blows on it to cool it down and hums in pleasure. "Yum! It always hits the spot. Do you want to watch a cartoon while we eat?"
"I don't watch cartoons. How old do you think I am?"
"Ten?" Yuji asks, worried that he remembered wrong.
The dessert is not bad, although a bit too healthy for his taste. At the end of the day, it's just fruit, but it melts in his mouth. It tastes good because it's been made for him without him having to ask for it.
"We could do something else," Yuji suggests after a beat.
"You have to leave soon, when my parents return."
"There's time."
Where did that wave of sadness come from? Is it the conviction that Yuji would rather be with someone else right now? Isn't it such a hassle to hang out with someone six years younger than you? Yuji might agree to meet him outside of 'work,' but Satoru doesn't know how to ask. Would he be okay with a sleepover if he didn't get paid for it?
He's not ready to get his insecurities proven. They've been neighbors since as long as he can remember. He was three years old when Yuji turned nine and because of this age gap, they haven't really gotten to know each other or played together. Satoru doesn't get along with his peers, but he has his reasons. Yuji seemed approachable, so why hasn't he invited him over when he felt like it?
He remembers this one day -his seventh birthday, when he was close to discarding his pride and calling out to Yuji. He was so miserably bored and when he entered his backyard, he saw Yuji sunbathing on the grass. He was lying on a picnic-type of blanket, surrounded by dewy grass and daisies. What a sight.
Yuji was thirteen at that time, too grown to entertain brats like him. He never said so himself, but that's how Satoru felt. Everyone around him was too good to spare him time. Why would Yuji be any different? He rehearsed a few sentences in his mind, something about having a trampoline and a treehouse and all those fun things he could share if Yuji played with him.
But he just watched, leaning on the fence separating their houses. Yuji's yard was basking in golden light, his skin so tan and toned. Satoru was hiding in the shadow cast by one of the old trees growing on their properties. He can't blame Yuji for not noticing him when he stayed so still and quiet.
"Bend down," Gojo says, doing a micro gesture with his finger.
"Hm? Like this?"
Itadori is at his eye level, which is rare. He's 5'8 and Satoru is 4'9. Tall for his age, but tiny to Yuji. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears. The sensation of his blood pumping in his chest is so distracting and he notices his cheeks getting warm, but pushes through the embarrassment, sucks a breath in and kisses Yuji on the mouth.
He'd like to stay like this for longer, get a good idea of what kissing feels like, because right now, it's just like any skin-on-skin contact. He heard that it feels good, but this is just a peck and he needs more.
Yuji pulls away and blinks fast. "H-huh? Why did you do that?"
He could ask the same thing. It disappoints him that Yuji didn't melt into it. Satoru sighs and looks away.
"Because I felt like it. I took your first kiss and you took mine."
"It counts only when you do it with someone your age," Yuji explains calmly. "This one was innocent."
Satoru plays dumb. "It doesn't count?"
Yuji shakes his head. "You should kiss someone you like."
"Because it's wrong between boys?"
Yuji goes wide-eyed. He scrambles to find the right answer. "Eh? Um, no. It's not wrong, but it's different."
"How so?"
No answer. Yuji's mind reports an error and he scratches his neck in consternation. "Ask your parents, okay?"
"I doubt they'd like it if I told them that I kissed you or that you let me do it."
"You can skip that part, besides, I didn't let you. I was too surprised to move away."
Now, they're both furrowing their brows. Satoru crosses his arms over his chest. "I still took your first kiss. What are you gonna do about it?" If he were any more childish, he'd stuck his tongue out and do a 'Bleeh.'
"It wasn't my first."
"...What?"
Yuji sensed that it'd upset him, but he's a terrible liar. It's safer to tell the truth. "I'm older than you. Of course I tried more things and..-"
Satoru jumps off the chair and walks past him. He hides his expression from Yuji, pretending not to care. "I lost my appetite. I want to watch TV."
He was so proud of himself, not so long ago. It wasn't a step forward in their relationship, but a leap. He's one of the few people in his class who has had their first kiss already and frankly, it's a huge thing for him. Undermining his actions comes to Yuji as easily as breathing.
Itadori takes a seat next to him and pulls his phone out of his pocket. They're watching a show about a professional dog trainer.
"Have your parents mentioned anything about getting home late today?"
"..."
"Satoru?"
Silent treatment is a struggle for those who are secretly eager to talk. Gojo responds in the most dismissive tone he can muster. "Shouldn't you know?"
"Yes, but they haven't texted me to ask if I can stay longer, or anything."
"Then they probably don't care if you leave me alone, or not. I can take care of myself if they take longer than they planned."
He can't stop thinking about what Yuji said and that the person who stole his first time was most likely Megumi. Are they dating after all?
"I'll wait."
"Do whatever you want," Satoru says, feeling a little lighter.
What would've made this evening better is if his parents never come back. Yuji's concern is understandable, but Satoru doesn't share it. They might be too drunk to text back, stuck in traffic or.. could've gotten into a car accident. He fantasizes about it and imagines that the tragic situation forces Yuji to stay with him forever, binds him somehow. That's not how it works, sure, but it's his mind and his rules.
The sound of a text message breaks his heart.
"Oh! Your mom responded." Yuji reads the message, then looks over at Satoru. "She asked if I could stay till midnight."
...And the change of plans has glued it back together. Satoru goes from sad to excited in less than a minute.
"Well, can you?"
"I have to ask my parents, but I'm sure they'll agree."
Gojo doesn't doubt it either. Yuji's parents aren't strict with him.
He looks back at the screen, where the dog trainer manages a rowdy rottweiler's anger and teaches him not to bite. He usually finds those shows dull, but he's so happy that he feels like saying something positive.
"I like dogs, do you?"
"I'm a dog person too." Yuji checks his phone for the second time. "As I thought."
"They said yes?"
"If I knew I'd stay this long, I'd tell Fushiguro and reschedule.."
"You had plans?"
"Nothing important, though."
It pleases him that Yuji calls Megumi 'nothing important', yet jealousy takes away from the sweet taste of victory. Fushiguro has two dogs and he doesn't. Surely, if he has a cute golden retriever, he wouldn't have to worry about inviting Yuji. He'd want to come over every day.
"My parents want to adopt a dog."
"Really?" Yuji asks, immediately interested.
They'll agree if he asks them for a puppy. He doesn't want one, but how hard can it be to take care of a pet? They can hire someone to do it if he gets bored with it.
"What should I name it?"
Yuji takes the assistance very seriously. "I have a few names on my mind, but I'd have to see it first."
Satoru nods. "It can be your dog too."
"Like co-parenting? You're funny."
Although the house impresses Yuji, it doesn't draw him in. Satoru has nothing to offer. Nothing that could keep Itadori for longer.
They spend the next few hours watching TV. Time passes quickly with dramatic reality shows and Gojo steals glances every now and then, waiting for the right time to make a move. He'll be a middle schooler in three years. How can he be this bad at kissing? Yuji should let him practice.
Itadori covers his mouth with his palm as he yawns.
"Lie down if you're sleepy."
Yuji declines. "I don't want your parents to find me knocked out on the couch when they're back. That's not what they pay me for."
He could at least not remind him of that little detail -that he's getting paid to be here. Satoru thinks about it way too much as it is.
"I'll sleep too if the problem is you leaving me unsupervised."
"It feels unfair. I'm not doing any work."
Satoru presses his palm to his forehead, as if he's getting a headache. "Stop overthinking it."
"..Okay."
Yuji lies down and Satoru covers him with a blanket. It's summer, but the nights are cold in this lifeless house. Gojo settles behind him and Yuji turns his head to ask:
"Isn't it cramped?"
"No."
The L-shaped sofa is more than spacious. They wouldn't have to curl up on the opposite sides just to fit there, but Satoru acts like keeping a sane amount of personal space is not an option here. He sticks to Yuji and finds him relaxed, slowly drifting to sleep.
Satoru listens to his heartbeat and tries to synchronize his breath with Yuji's. Sounds uncomplicated, but it's really not. His breath is so slow, while Satoru's heart is beating fast out of excitement. It's cool how fast Itadori goes unconscious, but what's better is that Satoru can now spoon him and bury his nose in the pink hair. His shampoo doesn't have a strong scent. It's something fruity, like strawberries.
His skin is even hotter when he's asleep. It burns Satoru's cheek and he nuzzles against it like a stray getting a taste of catnip, and just like catnip, Yuji's scent does something to him. Or is it the softness of his body? It's so new to him.
A quiet, strained sound escapes his mouth, because that, just now.. felt really good.
He checks if Yuji is still unconscious. He's been moving around so much, touching Itadori all over, yet nothing happened. He has to be a heavy sleeper. If he figured out what Satoru was doing, would he make the same face as after the kiss? Would he freak out and fall off the sofa? Gojo can't be sure about what he's doing, but he has a clue that he shouldn't and that it might be something like masturbation. He heard his classmates talking about it, but hasn't tried it himself.
Until now.
Is it okay if he rubs against Yuji? Does it make it sex if they're not touching each other's parts? Does it make it okay if Itadori doesn't find out or should he tell him later?
...Should he wake him up to ask if he can do this?
He's too shy to do that. He's not putting it inside or touching Yuji's dick. Itadori doesn't touch his either, though he'd really like him to. Satoru concludes that it's not sex, therefore, it's fine. Butt isn't a sexual body part, so he lets himself touch it and grind his growing erection into it.
"Mh, Yuji.."
It's his first erection and it hurts really badly. Is it supposed to hurt this much? Is it going to hurt more if he ignores it or would it go away? Tears well up in the corners of his eyes and he curses himself for being unable to stop his hips from moving, getting an erection in such an awkward moment in the first place and possibly making Yuji uncomfortable again if he wakes up in the middle of it.
Why did he have to get hard? They weren't doing anything sexual together. Damn it..
He's getting light-headed and guesses that it might mean release. The way his classmates described climax made it seem like heaven on earth. Satoru feels more like he's about to pass out from the amount of stimuli -the heat Yuji's skin is emitting, the intoxicating scent, friction, his own body's sensitivity. Satoru whines, his arms wrapped tightly around Yuji's waist.
The loud inhale signalizes that Yuji's sleep has been disturbed. It frustrates Satoru to the point of a groan. He's approaching something he can't name and Yuji is going to ruin it if he interrupts.
"Sato..ru?" He asks in a cute, groggy voice.
There goes his orgasm. Yuji noticed his pathetic, puppy humps and doesn't hold back from laughing about them.
"S-sorry."
"What were you trying to do?" Itadori asks, giggling.
At least he's not angry. He might be thinking that it's a random erection, and that's half true, but it's not as innocent as he assumes. Satoru sits up and clenches his fingers into fists on his thighs, as if he's explaining himself in front of the principal.
"It just happened."
Yuji sends him a kind smile. "That's fine, but remember not to do it to girls. You'll get slapped."
"You won't tell anyone?"
"No."
"Promise?" Satoru presses.
Itadori glances at the clock. His parents should be there in ten minutes. "Promise."
"Have I done something bad?"
"It.. depends," Yuji hesitates. "The act itself isn't anything bad."
"Depends on what?"
He's barely awake, so he dodges the question. "Another question for your parents. Or I might answer it some other day, when I think it through. Now, maybe you should go to the bathroom?"
Yuji points at his throbbing erection. It's amazing that he got away with this because of his age. Itadori is under the impression that he has absolutely no clue about sex and he doesn't hold back from taking advantage of it.
"What do I do about it?"
"Um.."
"Can you show me?"
"No." Yuji's response is just a bit too fast. Why can't he consider it?
"I won't tell anyone if you use your hand."
Yuji's jaw is on the floor. Anyone would react like this if the kid they were babysitting asked them to jerk him off. His presumed cuteness doesn't help him this time.
"Absolutely not."
Bummer. But he can't cross the line.
"Explain it to me and I'll try to do it myself."
Yuji blushes. He makes a half-assed gesture by connecting the tips of his fingers to his thumb and moving them up and down. "It's kind of like that. Ask your friends."
He pushes the responsibility onto yet another person. Parents, peers.. why not him? He'd learn better if Yuji showed it to him on his own body. Well, he can always just imagine it -Yuji touching himself and moaning his name.
And if he's lucky, he's going to witness it one day, while looking through the window, into Yuji's room.
The headphones he chose weren't cheap. It's a proper gift. There have to be better ways to make Yuji like him, but he doesn't know any. Itadori isn't the type of person to care about materialistic things, so the chances that it'd work on him are low. His parents do the same thing -buy him things to make him happy, no matter how many times this tactic has failed.
Recently, they thanked Yuji for being such a good influence on their son. Satoru hasn't noticed any changes within himself. Maybe that he's less gloomy and rude? But that's just a guess. He does feel better with Yuji around.
He rings the bell and Kaori opens the door. She's amused to see him there.
"He's in his room. You know how to get there, right?"
"Yes."
"Ah, Satoru," Kaori calls out to him when he's on his way. "Tell your mom to come for a coffee one day. I haven't seen her in a week."
"Okay."
She loves to waste his time, but he has to be nice to Yuji's family. It's kind of a hassle.
Yuji's room is messy, but cozy. He's lying on his stomach, engrossed in some fantasy manga. Satoru sets the headphones on the desk. Itadori pays him no mind and doesn't even flinch when he comes closer to the bed and lies on top of him.
"Hey," the teen greets him like it's a normal occurrence.
Yuji gets comfortable with people so amazingly fast. Satoru had never seen him being awkward in an interaction with another person or show any signs of self-consciousness. Gojo can't relate to that level of indifference. He hates it when someone gets too close to him, acts too familiar when he doesn't consider them a friend.
"I got you a present."
"Ooh, what is it?" Yuji asks, barely turning his head to him.
"You'll see."
Itadori's house is Satoru's second home. He now comes here whenever he pleases and though it's a great progress, it bothers him how much more frequent his visits are, compared to Yuji's.
"You weigh nothing," the pink-haired laughs to himself.
It's not as funny to Satoru. His size makes him non-threatening and he wishes he could grow up fast so that Yuji becomes more conscious of him as a man. If they were the same age, he could pin Yuji down and make him squirm.
"What?" Itadori asks, seeing that Satoru is changing position. He turns on his side so that the boy can hug him.
"I missed you."
Yuji's chest is the softest thing he'd ever felt. His nipples too. Satoru fantasized about sucking them and making them hard. Would Yuji let him, given that he sees him as a baby? No.. that's too far-fetched.
He's experiencing a sugar crash, for sure. This drowsiness is so troublesome.
"We saw each other two days ago."
"Why don't you come over more often?" Satoru asks.
"High schoolers have more homework and I'm not smart like you. I need more time to study and stuff."
"Mm.."
He shouldn't have eaten all those chocolate bars. He hears Yuji say something like "I'll lend it to you when I finish." Itadori is talking about the story he's reading and by the tone of his voice, Satoru judges that he likes it a lot. It sounds like he's talking in another language -his words melt into something impossible to understand.
He needs a nap.
Yuji continues reading his manga with Satoru in his arms, while Gojo drifts into sleep. He's been in such a weird mood these days. Getting closer to Yuji reminded him of some things he'd rather forget -the time when he tried so hard to get his parents' attention. It was a short phase in his life, but he tried all sorts of things, like putting himself in danger -hanging off the railing, so that they'd get worried for him.
'You could've fallen and injured yourself!'
They were scared at first, but then they just got upset, scolded him and started thinking about hiring a nanny. His mom hugged him, he remembers it very clearly. She said that it was stupid what he did, but she forgives him. He's better than that, right? It was just a one-time thing, when he acted like a mindless brat. He won't disappoint her again.
He's waking up slowly. He knows because his body doesn't feel as heavy anymore and he has a clue of where he is and what he's doing -that he's not at home, but hugging Yuji. Itadori's chest is not his mother's, yet it reminds him of it and he ends up mumbling: "Mommy.."
"What are you dreaming about?" Yuji asks, petting his head.
He's so content and would've been even happier if Yuji kissed him now. Instead, he hears someone wheezing.
"What did he just say?"
It's Megumi's voice. Satoru cracks his eyes open and asks himself 'How did I not notice how much time has passed?' He's a little angry about this unwanted guest, but not one bit embarrassed about what he called Yuji a second ago. He was just sleep-talking and Megumi is the immature one.
Yuji seems to think the same.
"Is it that funny?"
His reaction wipes the smile off Megumi's face. "Fine, sorry. I really can't understand why you let him sleep with you."
"Why not?"
"He's too big for that."
"Since when are you here?" Satoru butts in. His short hair is sticking out in every direction.
"Yuji and I have plans and I arrived on time. You don't have to know any more than that."
He's jealous, huh? It strokes Satoru's ego. Yuji thinks that he's crazy for getting envious of a kid, basically treating him like a rival, but Megumi's gut feeling is right. Satoru's intentions are not platonic and he'd steal Yuji away if he could.
Itadori sits up and puts the manga away. "We do have plans," he confirms to Satoru, as a subtle way to inform him that he should leave.
"Open the gift first."
Megumi's gaze shifts to the box on the desk. "You brought this?"
"I totally forgot. What is it?"
Fushiguro is quick to satisfy his curiosity. He reads the text and takes a good look at the item. "Fancy headphones. You wanted these, I think?"
Yuji faces Satoru. "I can't accept anything expensive."
"You can."
"No, seriously.."
"I bought them just for you."
"You parents did," Megumi corrects.
Asshole. He doesn't have his own money either. Who does he think he is?
"Even if it was your money, I wouldn't take it. I didn't do anything to deserve a gift out of nowhere," Yuji tells him.
This is starting to get on his nerves. Can't Yuji smile, thank him and move on? Satoru tells himself not to care. No point getting emotional over this. He doesn't like Yuji that much anyway.
"Throw it away if you don't want it."
"Are you angry at me?" Yuji asks, concerned that Satoru is turning away from him, shutting down.
"No."
"He is," Megumi says, like it's a fact.
Satoru takes one, last look at Yuji. "What are you going to be doing when I leave?"
Itadori is thinking hard, which immediately tells Satoru that he's concocting a lie. Yuji tends to say the first thing that comes to his mind, so it's suspicious whenever he takes longer to answer a simple question.
"Playing.. games?"
"None of your business," Megumi answers straightforwardly.
"You're being so rude, Fushiguro."
"Have I said anything that's untrue?"
Gojo decides not to waste his energy on him. It's the typical 'We're doing grown-up things' situation and he's not one to beg so he can stay when he's getting kicked out.
"I'll come later."
He jogs down the stairs and leaves without saying goodbye to Kaori or Jin. He hasn't realized how angry and hurt he truly is. Yuji likes him, but whenever he's made to choose between him and Megumi, he picks his friend. Satoru can never win.
His mother is surprised to see how early he came back and how much his mood has soured. "What's wrong sweetheart?" she asks as he shuts the door.
Satoru goes straight to his room and she follows him calmly. "I want to be alone."
"Something happened," she states.
"No."
"I can see that. Have you and Yuji fought?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"It may be for the better."
He looks her in the eyes finally. "What?"
"That you fought, I mean. You were getting too attached."
"I told you I'm not moving abroad."
"I've made up my mind. Father agrees."
Satoru doesn't take her seriously. Are there no good schools in Japan?
"Your aunt would be happy to welcome you under her roof," she continues. "Everyone around me sends their kids to schools abroad. There has to be a reason."
'Can't you think for yourself once in a while?' Satoru comments in his head. If people around her collectively agree to do something, she has to as well. It'd kill her to be different.
"What if I don't want to?"
"You'll thank us in the future," she says. "Studying abroad has so many positive aspects. You'll learn new cultures and come back a new person. We might not recognize you!"
Satoru closes the door. She'll change her mind and let him choose a school nearby. He has to believe that to prevent falling into a depressive state.
His parents are spoiling him so much, but never when it comes to the things that actually matter to him. They have more money than they could spend, but Yuji can't be bought. He can't ask his parents to make a deal with Yuji's and make them give up their rights to their son. Itadori can never be fully his. Too many obstacles on the way.
It doesn't surprise him to see Yuji getting kissed by Megumi. Satoru rests his chin on the windowsill, feeling hollow. His chest hurts, but he can't stop watching.
They're sitting on the floor, Yuji getting pressed to the side of the bed. Not unconsensually either. He embraces Megumi and kisses him back, showing a good amount of enthusiasm. Of course. What else would they be doing?
Yuji wants someone who's a little bigger than him, stronger and more assertive. Someone who'd take the lead. It could be Satoru if he were older and it's the lost potential that hurts the most. It could be him, but it's not and it won't be for years to come.