Chapter Text
Tuesday, 3:35 AM
YUJI: I can’t sleep 😔
YUJI: Are you awake 😔
MEGUMI: Yeah just reading
YUJI: Reading what 😔
MEGUMI: Idk just stuff
YUJI: 😔
MEGUMI: 🙄
MEGUMI: Why can’t you sleep yuji
YUJI: Can’t stop thinking about how I kissed you 😖 /neg
MEGUMI: We’re gonna talk about it tomorrow
YUJI: It is tomorrow 😖
YUJI: Or did we mean we gotta wait a whole nother 24 hours 😭
MEGUMI: I think it’s just that we need sleep first
MEGUMI: And food
YUJI: Let’s just make a snack then and talk
MEGUMI: That only tackles one of the issues
YUJI: Well how awake are you rn
MEGUMI: 😑
MEGUMI: I’ll meet you in the kitchen ig
YUJI: YAY
YUJI: I mean
YUJI: 😔ok
MEGUMI: 😑
Tuesday, 5:45 AM
YUJI: COUNCIL MEETING
YUJI: [Video of someone banging pots and pans together]
MEGUMI: STOP
MEGUMI: Nobara’s sleeping
NOBARA: Nobara’s what now
MEGUMI: Don’t listen to him he’s delusional
YUJI: I need you to settle something for us
MEGUMI: I’m telling you she’s not gonna be able to settle anything
MEGUMI: She wasn’t there
YUJI: You’re just saying that because you exhibited objectively SUS BEHAVIOR
NOBARA: 😳
NOBARA: Did something happen at your event thing?
MEGUMI: We kissed
YUJI: MEGUMI KISSED ME
MEGUMI: BACK
MEGUMI: I kissed you BACK. YOU kissed ME first
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Missed FaceTime call from Nobara]
NOBARA: [Call lasted 1hr and 24min]
NOBARA: I’m coming over.
MEGUMI: We need to sleep
NOBARA: In the same bed 🤨
YUJI: IN SEPARATE BEDS
MEGUMI: In case you forgot we’re going to YOUR workplace in the afternoon
NOBARA: To go on a date 🤨
YUJI: FOR TRAINING.
MEGUMI: IN CASE YOU FORGOT. I’M TAKEN.
NOBARA: By yuji 🤨
YUJI: NO. NOT BY YUJI. 🙅♂️
MEGUMI: I’m gonna stab you.
NOBARA: I know I’m just joshin
NOBARA: I love that you two are always introducing new jokes to our council dynamic 😀
MEGUMI: Glad our lives are a joke to you 😑
YUJI: You didn’t tell us enough about your 😍 fIrSt ReLaTiOnShIp OoOoO 😍
NOBARA: ❤️ OoOoO ❤️
MEGUMI: It’s weird to talk about it isn’t it?
MEGUMI: You don’t seriously want to hear about your brother do you
YUJI: I mean it’s not like yall are SLEEPING together
NOBARA: Nah he just said that to be polite
MEGUMI: [Reply to “Nah he just said…”] Halt with the misinformation there. I’m telling the truth.
MEGUMI: Which means I don’t really know what else to say ig yall know everything now
YUJI: But like
YUJI: What’s he like
MEGUMI: You know what he’s like you live with him
NOBARA: He means romantically
MEGUMI: I don’t know
YUJI: YOU DON’T KNOW??
NOBARA: YOU’RE DATING HIM. YOU SHOULD KNOW THESE THINGS.
MEGUMI: Idk we just make out a lot
YUJI: STOP
NOBARA: OH MY GOD
YUJI: I CAN’T HANDLE THIS
MEGUMI: SEE? I FUCKING TOLD YOU.
NOBARA: I think I just had a heart attack
YUJI: I MEAN, ASIDE FROM. THAT.
MEGUMI: Idk
NOBARA: You’re really admitting that your relationship is purely carnal. On national television??
MEGUMI: Making out is NOT a carnal activity
MEGUMI: It’s more like I want to bite his face ig
NOBARA: CARNAL 🫵
YUJI: THAT’S NOT CARNAL THAT’S CANNIBALISM.
MEGUMI: I LITERALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO TELL YOU GUYS.
NOBARA: Do you hold hands
MEGUMI: Not really? Maybe in private
NOBARA: Does he get you things
MEGUMI: I mean he gave me limited edition stardew merch for my birthday
YUJI: WHEN?? I DIDN’T SEE THAT
MEGUMI: I’ve been hiding it
MEGUMI: I also just get nervous about taking it out of the box. It’s really expensive.
YUJI: WHAT
NOBARA: What are his thoughts on Yuuta
YUJI: 🫢
MEGUMI: Why do you need to know that
NOBARA: HA I KNEW IT
NOBARA: You’re holding out on us
YUJI: 👀
NOBARA: Is he jealous of Yuuta
MEGUMI: Yeah he calls Yuuta a prick
MEGUMI: It’s kinda funny
YUJI: Omg
NOBARA: He’s so jealous that’s so cute
NOBARA: What else
YUJI: Was he jealous of me when you told him about the kiss
NOBARA: 👀🫢🤭
MEGUMI: At first yeah and then I explained the situation and he started laughing
NOBARA: You’re joking
YUJI: WHAT
YUJI: What did you tell him???
MEGUMI: I don’t remember I think I blacked out a little
MEGUMI: I just remember I got to the proposal part and he started laughing and called us weird
YUJI: WHAT
NOBARA: Oh my god
YUJI: So he’s just FINE WITH IT?
MEGUMI: Yeah I mean I’m gonna talk with him about it again later but he seemed cool with it
YUJI: So he’s jealous of Yuuta but not of me
NOBARA: 🫢
YUJI: Am I not enough of a threat????????
MEGUMI: Dude wtf you don’t WANT to be a threat
YUJI: I just think our relationship deserves a little more weight here ya know
YUJI: I mean, we’re best friends who have kissed. Does that statement mean NOTHING to him?
nobaraleft: Why do you even want to make him jealous?? Don’t?? Stop?? I beg you??
NOBARA: Seriously yuji don’t poke the bear
YUJI: I’D be jealous of me
MEGUMI: Dude you don’t wanna go there
YUJI: I could take him.
MEGUMI: Oh so now you wanna fight him
YUJI: CLEARLY he doesn’t take me seriously
NOBARA: YEAH, BECAUSE YOU AREN’T A SERIOUS THREAT TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP
MEGUMI: To be fair neither is Yuuta
MEGUMI: Or Choso
MEGUMI: Or Yuki ig
MEGUMI: Or Meruem
YUJI: HOW LONG IS THIS LIST THAT APPARENTLY DOESN’T INCLUDE ME?
YUJI: HE’S JEALOUS OF OUR COUSIN??
NOBARA: Mans fighting the whole world except yuji lol
YUJI: THAT’S NOT FUNNY
NOBARA: It’s a little funny
YUJI: [Reply to “I don’t remember I think I blacked out a little.”] WHAT DID YOU TELL HIM TO MAKE ME APPEAR SO UNASSUMING
MEGUMI: I guess I told him about the pity kiss exchange? He starting smiling a little around when I offered to pity kiss you
YUJI: DID YOU CALL IT A PITY KISS?
MEGUMI: Yeah
NOBARA: Oh my god
YUJI: WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST TELL HIM IT WAS A REGULAR KISS
MEGUMI: ARE YOU INSANE?
YUJI: MY THERAPIST SAYS I’M NOT
MEGUMI: I’m not telling Sukuna we both seriously and mutually asked each other for a legitimate kiss WITH FEELING. That’s insane and not what happened
YUJI: WELL, NOW HE THINKS I’M A LOSER
YUJI: SO.
MEGUMI: He does not think that
YUJI: Ask him.
MEGUMI: I am NOT asking him if he thinks you’re a loser
YUJI: ASK HIM
NOBARA: Yeah now I wanna know
MEGUMI: Fuck FINE
MEGUMI: Hang on
Tuesday, 7:56 AM
MEGUMI: Answer me seriously
MEGUMI: Do you think Yuji’s a loser
SUKUNA: Lol yeah
MEGUMI: Wtf you’re not supposed to say that
SUKUNA: But it’s true
MEGUMI: Do you think I’m a loser?
SUKUNA: Yeah kinda but affectionately
SUKUNA: Yuji’s a loser derogatory
MEGUMI: Well don’t tell him that
MEGUMI: His ego’s hurt because you don’t feel he’s a threat to our relationship
SUKUNA: Good lol
SUKUNA: Let’s keep it that way
MEGUMI: He’s genuinely pissed about it
MEGUMI: Just text me “nah he’s not a loser” so I can screenshot it
SUKUNA: Nah he’s not a loser
MEGUMI: Thank you
MEGUMI: Also why are you awake?
SUKUNA: Streaming
MEGUMI: Wait seriously
SUKUNA: Just say you don’t have my notifs on ig 🙄
MEGUMI: Lol was this an impromptu thing it’s not on your schedule
SUKUNA: Yeah couldn’t sleep
SUKUNA: I think that espresso shot before the party did me in
MEGUMI: Skill issue
SUKUNA: Aren’t you supposed to be studying for work
MEGUMI: I mean considering how long I’ve been up I probably coulda finished the exam
MEGUMI: Been talking to nobara and yuji. Had a two hour council meeting to discuss the kiss
SUKUNA: Oh my god
MEGUMI: Completely derailed any flack I probably woulda gotten for secretly dating you so that’s a perk
SUKUNA: Nice lol
MEGUMI: Ok I’ll stop distracting you hope stream is going well
Tuesday, 8:12 AM
MEGUMI: [Screenshot of Sukuna saying, “Nah he’s not a loser”]
MEGUMI: See?
NOBARA: Damn I was really hoping
YUJI: Why would you hope that 😭
MEGUMI: Can we close this council session I really need to sleep now
NOBARA: Sure lol
YUJI: I guess 😔
Tuesday, 8:15 AM
SUKUNA: [Screenshot of the start of the conversation where Megumi asks, “Do you think Yuji’s a loser” to “Yuji’s a loser derogatory”]
YUJI: FOUL
YUJI: JAIL. JAIL.
SUKUNA: All in good fun
YUJI: THAT’S NOT GOOD FUN THAT’S A FATALITY
SUKUNA: Your loser is also affectionate but platonically
YUJI: So Megumi’s is affectionate romantically
SUKUNA: You get it
YUJI: 😑
YUJI: I’ll be taking this up with my therapist 😤
SUKUNA: When’s your training session
YUJI: Two
SUKUNA: Since I’m streaming now I can cover dinner tonight
YUJI: Fr?
SUKUNA: Yeah is that cool with you
YUJI: Hmmm
YUJI: I’ll allow it 😠
YUJI: Goodbye 😤
SUKUNA: Wtf
SUKUNA: Bye? ig
Tuesday, 8:22 AM
YUJI: [Screenshot of Sukuna’s screenshot]
YUJI: YOU LIE
MEGUMI: I’m gonna strangle him
NOBARA: HAHAH
Since the restaurant was closed that day, training was made easy and brief. As expected, Megumi’s lack of sleep and zero studying made remembering the drinks difficult, but he managed. He accepted the fact that he wouldn’t be the show-stopping bartender twirling mixers in the air anytime soon.
He delivered mocktails to the back where Yuji was taking notes while the owner walked him around the kitchen. They were wrapping up, but one look at Yuji confirmed for Megumi that he was dizzy with information overload.
They walked home more exhausted than when they’d arrived. Yuji collapsed just after the foyer step to nap on the wood floor that had yet to be mopped. Thanks to their pinball session, Megumi had cleaning duties (again).
The house smelled incredible though. The spices nearly made Megumi’s eyes water, nose tingling.
“Back from training?” Sukuna asked.
“Yeah, it was good,” Megumi answered for Yuji, who just put a thumbs up in the air, still facedown. Megumi slid onto a barstool, folded over the counter, and said, “Do you have a liquor cabinet? I kind of want to practice later…”
Sukuna crossed the kitchen to the pantry where, on the top shelf, he revealed his liquor stash. He gestured to the step stool hanging inside the door, and then shut it. “I’m less of a drink expert, but I could be your test subject. Geto’s more into that whole scene.”
“Cool… Gojo’s into wine. Not much of a cocktail guy…”
Megumi’s eyes were too far closed for him to register the faint smile on Sukuna’s lips as he came to stand across from Megumi. Megumi’s eyes squeezed shut when Sukuna’s hand came to ruffle his hair. He dragged his thumb along Megumi’s hairline.
“You’re oily with kitchen grease. Take a shower and nap. Still another hour on dinner.”
Heavy with exhaustion, Megumi slunk back to his feet. He shuffled over to nudge Yuji, who let himself be slowly and gently kicked across the wood floor until his body found resistance on the living room rug. Only then was he properly forced to his feet.
Once clean and swathed in pajamas, Megumi collapsed on his bed for a quick nap. A “quick nap” turned into nearly an hour before the stove timer went off downstairs and woke him. He checked his phone and felt like he was in a different timezone. Still, he was awake and desperately hungry for Sukuna’s food.
His plate was waiting for him on the counter when Megumi shuffled down. The television was on and a familiar tune kickstarted Megumi to full alertness. It was the Stardew Valley title screen, and Sukuna was already on the couch with Yuji.
“Wait, I need to get my Switch,” Megumi said, and ran back up the stairs to do so.
As he went, Yuji’s eyes trailed after him. He looked back at Sukuna to observe his brother doing the same. Only, Sukuna did so with a faint smile that he smothered with a mouthful of steaming hot food.
Sukuna gasped a little, startled by the heat, and waved a hand in front of his mouth. “Hot, hot,” he hissed, and leant over to fetch his water.
“Have you been purposefully putting me between you guys whenever we play Stardew?” Yuji asked.
Startled by the question, Sukuna realized that he was, indeed, sitting at the armrest. Yuji was in the middle. Megumi’s usual spot was at the sectional. “I always sit here.”
Yuji shrugged a little. He poked around his plate with his chopsticks and said, “But, like… don’t you wanna sit next to Megumi?”
Sukuna gave him a dull stare. “Don’t read into it.”
“I’m not—!”
“If Megumi’s between us, I can’t do this—!” Sukuna wound his arm around Yuji’s neck and wrestled him into a knuckle sandwich. Yuji shrieked, plate tipping precariously in the air.
This was the scene Megumi returned to. “Why are you guys fighting?! You were fine, like, two seconds ago.”
“Break us up! Break us up!” Yuji begged, and so Megumi did, indeed, break them up.
Yuji bounded to the sectional half, fleeing with his food. He burrowed into Megumi’s spot and said, “Keep him away from me! I need to eat!”
“Dramatic,” Sukuna tsked.
Megumi sat between them, huffed, and shoveled in a mouthful of food before Sukuna could warn him just how burning hot the main entree was. Megumi immediately spat it out with a curse, tongue fire-engine red.
“Careful! Jesus,” Sukuna said.
“Wew, I would be if you warn me!” Megumi cried, tongue immovable. He spat out a colorful, “Fuck!” before accepting Sukuna’s water glass as his own.
Yuji hid his amusement in his own glass and tried (unsuccessfully) to not continuously steal glances at Sukuna and Megumi for the remainder of the time they played Stardew that night. Because gradually, over the course of hours, their shoulders gravitated together in such a way Yuji suspected they weren’t aware of.
They’re so obvious. This thought was immediately followed up by Yuji scowling to himself, Am I just oblivious?!
The answer was probably. But that was for his therapist to decide.
