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Yuuji usually shines so bright that it's easy to forget he's human too, that there are things weighing him down, tying him to the ground when he actually wants to soar among the clouds; things that make it hard for him to breathe and let his limbs feel like lead. Sometimes, Yuuji is just sad without any apparent reason, like humans are, and Megumi often thinks it's because he has to carry Sukuna's existence on his shoulders.
They've known each other for a few months only—and they've been a couple for less—and Megumi hasn't yet learned how to handle his boyfriend in moments like this. Back when they didn't know each other the way they do now, he's already seen Yuuji become like this at times, and he's never been too afraid to approach him. Now, the new intimacy between them makes it harder for Megumi to take his place at Yuuji's side, because he's terrified of messing anything up. Part of him just wants to hug Yuuji close, tell him everything is going to be alright even if they both know it's a lie, but he's not confident to do that out in the open just yet. What if Yuuji considers his concern as prying into things that aren't Megumi's business?
So when he finds Yuuji sitting by himself on campus one day, staring into the distance apathetically, Megumi has to fight his first impulse to walk up to his boyfriend to ask him what's wrong. Experience tells him that Yuuji probably wouldn't mind, but he still feels that, this time, it's different. It's one of the times when the burdens on Yuuji's shoulders aren't his own.
Megumi simply looks at him, feeling his heart contort at the sight, until he comes up with an idea. He summons one of his shadow rabbits and lets it scamper all the way to where Yuuji is sitting. Yuuji doesn't notice the small animal at first, only when the shikigami rubs its head against his thigh. Snapping out of whatever dark thoughts are occupying his mind, he blinks in surprise before a small smile tugs at his lips. When his face lights up, Megumi feels incredibly relieved. For a while, he continues to watch Yuuji play with the shikigami, rubbing its belly and snuggling with it.
None of it chases the sad expression from his face, though. He still looks like he's on the verge of crying, despite the smile on his face, and Megumi can't think of anything else to do.
“How about you take your shikigami's place, Fushiguro?”
It's embarrassing how much it startles him to hear Yuuji call out to him like that. After gathering himself, Megumi slowly walks towards him, still a bit unsure but determined nevertheless. As he sits down next to Yuuji, their legs dangling over the wooden terrace they're sitting on, he releases the rabbit and lets it return to his shadow.
Before he can think of anything encouraging to say, Yuuji mutters, “You don't have to say anything. I just want you to stay by my side.”
Megumi nods, more to himself, and takes a deep breath. As long as he knows it's okay for Yuuji, he's willing to do pretty much anything if it lifts his mood. He slowly reaches out to grab Yuuji's hand and gives it a tentative squeeze, feeling his cheeks burn when Yuuji immediately returns the gesture.
They're silent at first, but with every passing second, Yuuji relaxes visibly. Eventually, he whispers, “I'm sorry for spoiling the mood.”
“It's okay, don't worry about it.” Megumi wants to tell Yuuji that he could never be mad at him for anything he felt. He wants to tell him how concerned he truly is for Yuuji's well-being, and how helpless he feels because he doesn't know what to do, but he's too embarrassed to say any of that out loud. Instead, he adds, “I'm sorry for not knowing how to make you feel better.”
Yuuji's sudden snort would've offended Megumi if he wasn't so surprised.
“You're definitely making me feel better,” Yuuji explains after taking a look at Megumi's expression.
“I am?”
“You didn't notice?” Yuuji leans against him more heavily and rests his head on Megumi's shoulder. In a voice so soft Megumi almost doesn't catch it, he admits, “You're my lifeline right now.”
It's the last thing Megumi has expected to hear, and he's unsure how to deal with it. Having Yuuji in his life has already given him so much, and it makes him incredibly happy to know that Yuuji is feeling the same. He's glad to know that he's worried for nothing, but after the initial euphoria passes, Yuuji's words only leave a bitter sadness behind. Megumi can't imagine how it feels to be hanging by a thread like this; he doesn't know how to help Yuuji.
He runs a soothing thumb across the back of Yuuji's hand and shuffles closer to him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Maybe later,” Yuuji answers after thinking about it for a while. “Can we just stay like this for now?”
He sounds tired all of a sudden, and Megumi thinks about how that might be a permanent state for Yuuji. There's probably nothing as tiring as constantly living with a curse inside you. Megumi gives his hand another squeeze and nods. “Sure, anything you want.”
“Anything?”
He sounds so hopeful that Megumi has to hold back a chuckle. “Yeah, anything.”
“Then promise you'll stay with me, no matter what happens. No matter what I— …what Sukuna might do.”
“I promise,” Megumi says without feeling any doubt. He's fallen in love with Yuuji because of his unshakable will, his smile that rivals the sun, and because he's all the things that Megumi will never be. He's fallen for him not despite Sukuna's existence, but because of how resilient Yuuji keeps on being in the face of the world's most terrifying curse. No matter what Yuuji might do in the months and years to follow, nothing will ever change his feelings, of that he's absolutely sure.
“Can you promise to stay with me too, no matter what terrible things I might do?” Megumi asks after a few seconds of silence, completely serious, because deep down he knows that if anyone were to harm Yuuji, he'd be capable of more cruelty than even Sukuna.
“Always,” Yuuji beams at him, completely unaware of how relieved Megumi truly is at seeing the sadness disappear from his face.