Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Kento Nanami stood in front of the plain brick building, triple checking the address on the card Satoru Gojo had given him.

When Gojo had said he couldn’t miss it, he’d assumed it would be much more interesting. This little handicrafts shop blended right into the rest of the offices and storefronts in the neighborhood. He could’ve easily walked right past it without sparing so much as a single glance.

But this was it, all right.

He opened the door and was hit by a wave of warm, almost tropical air.

“Welcome in, sir!” said a woman wearing an elaborate maid’s costume. “Do you have an appointment, or are you here to pick up an order? Or perhaps you’re just here to browse?”

“Hello, I’m Kento Nanami. It’s nice to meet you,” he said, performing a full bow to the employee. “I’m here to pick up an order under the name ‘Satoru Gojo.’”

“Oh, yes! The boss is just finishing them up now! Please, have a seat! Make yourself comfortable! I’ll be right back.”

Nanami already regretted agreeing to pick up the first years’ uniforms for Gojo. It figured he’d choose such an odd little shop. Gojo probably sent him here just to have a laugh.

“-ah ha ha! They didn’t think we could meet their deadline but Mine, my dear, you and I are unstoppable! Is this our client now?”

“Yes, boss. This is Nanami-san.”

Nanami was already bent forward in a deep bow. “Hello, I’m Kento Nanami. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Enchanté, Nanami-san. I’m Ayame, dressmaker extraordinaire and owner of this establishment. I see you’ve already met my lovely assistant, Mine.”

Clearly, this Ayame was a deeply unserious person.

“Yes,” Nanami replied, straightening his back.

As Ayame talked, confirming details of the order, Nanami studied him closely. He was an unusual-looking man, to say the least. He had long, flowing white hair, striking yellow eyes, and he wore a long, red military coat.

But what piqued Nanami’s interest most was something else. Something Ayame couldn’t see, of which he probably wasn’t even aware.

Ayame was cursed.

What was more, this curse was unlike any Nanami had ever encountered before. It took the form of a cord wrapped around one of Ayame’s forearms, stretching across the store and unfurling into roughly a dozen strands, each passing through the walls of the shop in slightly different directions. One rope was larger than the rest, as though it were connecting him to the main body of the curse.

If Nanami had to guess, he’d say it was probably a parasitic curse, possibly one that tried to control its host.

And it looked like there were other victims.

“…and it appears Gojo-san prepaid, so unless you’d like to place an order for personal use, and trust me, it’s every dressmaker’s dream to create for such a handsome gentleman as yourself, you should have everything you need.”

“Yes, thank you very much, Ayame-san.” Nanami took the bag with the uniforms from him. He took a final look at the cord binding Ayame’s hand. “Can you do me a favor, Ayame-san?”

“Why, of course!” Ayame answered at once. “At Ayame, we strive to ensure every customer leaves satisfied.”

“Good,” Nanami said. “Please, hold your arm out like this.”

He extended his arm to the side and Ayame mirrored him. Using the section between Ayame’s wrist and the point at which it began coming apart, he divided it into ten segments.

“I must say, Nanami-san, no customer has ever asked such a thing of me, but for a handsome man like you I certainly don’t mind. Are there any other positions you’d like me to assume?”

Nanami ignored Ayame’s wink and struck the curse at the weak point he’d created, only for his hand to pass right through the cord as if it weren’t even there. Puzzled, he tried again, but still wasn’t able to make contact. He attempted to grab the cord, but it was as though it were made of light and air.

“Nanami-san?” Ayame asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Nanami sighed and stepped back. “My apologies, Ayame-san. I… I believed I saw something. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Ah, it was my pleasure. Au revoir! Come back soon!”

“Goodbye.”

That evening, Nanami met up with Gojo at Tokyo JuJutsu High to drop off the uniforms.

“Nanamiiiin!” Gojo exclaimed as soon as he crossed the threshold. “So, what did you think?”

“Think about what?” Nanami demanded. “And here are those uniforms.”

“About the shop! Notice anything strange?”

Gojo grinned and shook his fists excitedly, the paper bag swinging from where it hung on his elbow.

Nanami pinched his forehead. “You knew he was cursed, didn’t you?”

Gojo threw his head back dramatically and draped his arm over his forehead. “You’re no fun, Nanamin.”

“This is your idea of fun?”

Gojo ignored him. “Well, what did you find out? Anything we can use to exorcize it?”

Nanami sighed. “No. I couldn’t even make contact. My technique was useless.”

“Mhm, mhm,” Gojo said. “And…?”

“And… I think there are others.”

“…and???”

“If there’s something you want me to say, just tell me now.”

“You really are no fun.” Gojo slumped onto a bench in the courtyard. “I believe we’re dealing with an unregistered special grade.”

“Yes, that seems accurate.” Nanami glanced at his watch before taking a seat beside Gojo. “Anything else?”

“Itadori saw one of them, too,” Gojo said. “He couldn’t exorcize it, either.”

“I assumed.” Nanami loosened his tie. “What do we do now?”

“We wait for the first years to report back.”

“All ri- wait, what did you do??”

Gojo grinned. “I assigned the mission to those three.”

“They’re not the minimum level-”

“Relax. Their job is just to find out what they can. They’ve been given strict orders not to interfere beyond that.”

“It’s still a special grade!”

“One that didn’t fight back when you tried to exorcize it.”

“Yet.”

“Don’t you know me better than that, Nanamin?” Gojo lifted one edge of his blindfold, his bright blue eye looking right through Nanami. “No one has the right to take youth from the young.”

Nanami relaxed. “So. How do you expect them to do this?”

Gojo lowered his blindfold. “Starting tomorrow, our three will be students at Kaibara High School.”

In another part of the city, Tohru left the Sohma dojo with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She’d really hoped Kazuma would be able to tell her more about the curse. She didn’t know who else she could possibly ask.

The visit wasn’t a total loss, though. He’d explained the power Akito had over them, and it was comforting to know there was at least one other person who’d fight for Kyo’s freedom when the time came.

The thought of losing Kyo in little more than a year was almost too much for her to bear. When she dwelled on it, the weight on her shoulders grew so heavy she could barely stand on her own two feet.

“Nee-san? Excuse me, nee-san? Are you okay?”

Tohru snapped out of her thoughts. She’d fallen to the ground, and a kind young man was holding a hand out to her.

“Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry, I must’ve spaced out! How silly of me, I’ll just-”

The young man smiled and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad you’re all right!”

“O-oh. Well, thank you very much, o-nii-san!”

This kind stranger had hair that reminded her of Haru; the top was pink, and the underside was a much darker brown. He had deep lines under his eyes— she wondered if he was really as young as she initially thought.

“Oi, Itadori, we gotta go find our apartment.”

For the first time, Tohru noticed two people standing behind Itadori. There was a gloomy-looking boy with spiky black hair who reminded her of Kyo, though she wasn’t quite sure why, and a very cute girl with short brown hair held back by two pins.

As Itadori turned to rejoin his friends, Tohru called out.

“Ah, Itadori…san?”

“Huh?”

“Are… are you moving into the neighborhood?”

Tohru wasn’t sure what came over her, but something was telling her she should make friends with this trio.

“Yeah! How’d you know?”

“Fushiguro just said so, stupid!”

“Ooooh.”

“Please, if you’d like, I can help you find your apartment!”

“Really?”

“Oi, don’t tell a total stranger where we live!”

“Ignore him, he’s always a cranky ol’ coot,” said the girl. “Name’s Kugisaki. The grump over there’s Fushiguro.”

“Oi!”

“Kugisaki-san, Fushiguro-san, Itadori-san, it’s a pleasure to meet you all!”

“What’s your name, nee-san?”

“Ah! I’m so sorry-”

“Hey, Tohru.”

Tohru nearly jumped out of her stockings. “K-K-K-Kyo-kun!”

Kyo stepped in front of her and scowled at the three strangers. “Are those guys giving you a hard time?”

Kugisaki and Fushiguro started whispering to each other excitedly at Kyo’s arrival.

“Hey, you’re the guy from the other day,” said Itadori.

Kyo frowned. “Huh?”

“Yeah, I remember you ‘cause of your hair.”

“Oi. You’re one to talk.”

“Hah, yeah. Mine’s always been like this, though.”

Kyo cocked his head. “Wait. Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh,” said Kyo.

“What, is something wrong with that?”

“No, it’s just- never mind.”

“Kyo-kun,” Tohru said. “These are our new neighbors! They’re moving into a place over by the supermarket!”

“Huh,” Kyo said again. “Aren’t you three a little young to be livin’ alone?”

“Who said we’re living alone?” Fushiguro replied. “You two, let’s go.”

“Tohru-san, Kyo-san, come on!” Itadori called, grinning.

“Stop inviting total strangers to our apartment!”

After they’d found the apartment building and said their goodbyes, Kyo and Tohru headed home.

“I don’t trust them,” Kyo said. “You gotta be more careful around strangers when I’m not there to protect you.”

Tohru frowned. Itadori and Kugisaki had been so nice, and Fushiguro was just a bit awkward, but he wasn’t a bad guy. Why didn’t Kyo trust them?

“Look,” he said, “I’d hate to see you get hurt, okay?”

He turned away as he spoke, but Tohru could still make out that his cheeks were bright red.

He was worried about her.

“Oh, thank you for worrying about me, Kyo-kun!” Tohru exclaimed as tears filled her eyes.

“What!? Why- I mean…” he groaned, his face an even deeper shade of red than before. “Just… c’mon. Let’s go home, you big crybaby.”

“Right!”

Kyo knew it was silly to be so suspicious of three strangers no older than himself, but at least Tohru didn’t press him on it.

Truthfully, they didn’t seem like bad people. No, what worried him was something his hearing, enhanced by the cat spirit, had picked up when Fushiguro and Kugisaki had been whispering.

They knew he was cursed.

Chapter Text

“Student Council President Yuki Sohma to the front office! President Yuki Sohma to the front office!”

Yuki groaned. It was far too early for a summons like this.

Begrudgingly, he turned around and made his way toward the office. He hoped Vice President Manabe hadn’t caused any trouble.

By the time he arrived, a crowd of students had already formed outside the front office, hoping to get a glimpse of him performing his presidential duties. He sighed and plastered on his most princely smile, then cleared his throat.

“Excuse me. May I come through?”

The effect was immediate. Several students gasped and the crowd parted to let him past.

He closed the door behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh, Sohma-san!”

The office manager waved him over to her desk. “Sorry for paging you first thing, but you’ve got some new classmates starting today. They’ll need you to show them to your classroom.”

He blinked. “Oh, that’s— wait, classmates plural?”

“You know, that’s just what Mayu-chan said! But yes, there are three new students in class 2-D beginning today.”

She gestured to a group of students behind her. There sat a gloomy-looking boy with spiky dark hair. He nodded quietly as an energetic girl with short brown hair whispered excitedly in his ear.

Yuki groaned to himself and braced for two more obsessive classmates. But then, among the girl’s whispers, he clearly heard the word “cursed,” and he froze.

Did they know about the Zodiac curse?

“Hi!” the third student exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. He had a pink undercut that reminded Yuki of Haru’s strange black-and-white hair, and deep lines under his eyes that might’ve been scars. He abruptly bent forward in a bow. “I’m Yuji Itadori. I like tall women, like Jennifer Lawrence! Nice to meet you!”

“Do you really have to say that every time?” grumbled the dark-haired boy.

“Yeah, Fushiguro’s taste in women is way better!” added the girl.

“You, hush,” the dark-haired boy scolded, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Wait. Fushiguro told you what kind of woman he likes and not me!?”

“Itadori-san, it’s very nice to meet you,” Yuki said, forcing himself to smile.

“Oh! Nice to meet you, too, President!”

“Fushiguro,” said the dark-haired boy, standing up and grabbing his backpack.

“Jeez, Fushiguro, why are you always such a wet blanket?” teased the girl. She turned to Yuki and grinned. “I’m Nobara Kugisaki.”

“Fushiguro-san, Kugisaki-san, it’s nice to meet you both. Can I show you to our classroom?”

“All right!” Itadori exclaimed, pumping his fist as he led them out the door.

The entire way to their classroom, Yuki tried to stem his panic.

Maybe they were talking about a different curse. Maybe it was all a coincidence, and Yuki was freaking out over nothing.

But he really didn’t want to lose his friends all over again.

Although… did he really even have friends here? Aside from Tohru and Haru, was there anyone here he truly thought of in that way?

“Excuse me, President?” Itadori interjected. “Is everything okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes. Just… a lot to do today,” Yuki answered, flashing his princely smile once more as he opened the classroom door.

Yuji’s face lit up at the sight of Kyo and Tohru already at their desks. “Oh, hey! Kyo-san, Tohru-san, you’re in this class, too!”

“Oi, stop calling me that!”

“Itadori-san! It’s so nice to see you again!”

The look on Yuki’s face was murderous. Of course it was that stupid cat’s fault. “You,” he spoke through gritted teeth, grabbing Kyo by the collar. “With me. Now.” 

“Get your hands off me!” Kyo yowled as Yuki dragged him to an unused classroom down the hall and slammed the door.

“What. Did. You. Do?” Yuki demanded, throwing Kyo to the floor.

“What the fuck are you even talking about!?” Kyo shouted. “I was just sitting there—”

“How do they know about the curse?” Yuki hissed, leaning over him. “Did they see you transform?”

Kyo’s eyes went wide. “Wait. What did they say?”

Yuki pinched his forehead, turning away from Kyo. “Idiot! Do you have any idea what this could mean?”

“Of course I do!” Kyo roared, leaping to his feet. “And they didn’t see anything. I haven’t even transformed since Shishou…”

Yuki didn’t need him to finish the sentence. He still wasn’t ready to grapple with his own feelings from the night Tohru saw Kyo’s True Form. 

“Then how could they possibly know?” he groaned.

“You gonna tell me what happened, or do I just gotta guess?” Kyo demanded.

Yuki sighed. “I could’ve sworn I heard that girl… Kugi— what was it?”

“Kugisaki,” Kyo supplied.

“Kugisaki… I heard her whispering about me to that gloomy boy, Fushiguro. I swear I heard her mention something about a curse.”

“Fuck,” Kyo hissed. “That’s exactly what happened to me last night.”

“You met them last night?”

“More like Tohru—”

As Kyo cut himself off, they met each other’s gaze, both wide-eyed.

“You don’t think—”

“She’d never!”

“But what if—”

“Out of the question!”

“But were you actually there the whole time?” Yuki asked, a pained expression on his face.

Kyo scowled silently for several seconds. “No,” he finally admitted.

Yuki scoffed. “You can’t mention this to anyone.”

“You think I don’t know that!?” Kyo snarled.

“If Akito finds out, he’ll have her memories erased,” Yuki said, his eyes narrowed at Kyo. “That can not happen. Understand?”

“You think I want that to happen?”

“Just making sure we’re clear,” Yuki said as he turned away from Kyo.

Kyo ran a hand down his face. “Should… should we ask her?”

Yuki frowned. “I— I don’t know. Would it accomplish anything?”

After a long pause, Kyo groaned. “Look. I’ll… talk to her. I won’t accuse her of anything! I’ll just… ask what they were all talkin’ about yesterday before I got there.”

Yuki narrowed his eyes. Normally, he wouldn’t trust Kyo to handle anything with subtlety, but when it came to Tohru, even he had to admit Kyo was probably the best person to talk to her.

“Fine.”

Meanwhile, back in the classroom, a tall, blonde girl entered and walked right up to Tohru, taking in the three strangers who were talking to her friend.

“Oi, Tohru. Who’re these guys?”

“Uo-chan! This is Itadori-san, Kugisaki-san, and Fushiguro-san! They just moved to my neighborhood!”

Uo nodded at them, giving Itadori a questioning look. “What’s with the hair?”

“Who, me?” Itadori asked.

When she nodded, he said, “I dunno. It’s always been like that.”

Uo snorted. “What are you, some long-lost Sohma? They’ve gotta have every color in the rainbow by now!”

Itadori scratched his head; Fushiguro and Kugisaki exchanged glances.

“Well, who’s up for a game of cards?” Uo asked, breaking the awkward silence and pulling a deck from her pocket. 

“Ooh, me!” Itadori exclaimed.

“I’ll play, too,” Kugisaki said.

“Do you play cards every day, Uo-san?” Itadori asked.

Uo laughed. “Pretty much, yeah. And Uo’s just what Tohru calls me. It’s short for ‘Uotani.’ Her mom came up with it.”

Tohru closed her eyes and smiled; it reminded Fushiguro of the way Itadori had smiled when they reunited at the sister-school goodwill event. A grin underlaid with a deep sadness that made Fushiguro’s heart ache.

“Come to think of it, she’d probably’ve called you ‘Kugi-chan,’” added Uotani. 

The classroom door opened and two boys, one with black hair and another with shaggy brown hair, entered.

“Yo, Ueno, Hayashi,” Uotani called out. “We’re just about to play cards. You want in?”

“Definitely!” both boys replied in unison.

“Fushiguro,” Kugisaki said. “Are you just gonna sit there?”

“Mhm.”

“Oh, please play, Fushiguro!” Itadori begged. “Please!?”

Fushiguro sighed. “Fine.”

“You know,” Uotani said with a smirk, “you remind me of someone.”

Just then, the door opened, and the three sorcerer’s eyes went wide at the dark-haired girl who stood there, an aura of immense cursed energy emanating from her.

Fushiguro leapt to his feet and raised his fists in front of him, ready to summon a shikigami; Kugisaki pulled out the hammer from her hidden belt, and Itadori assumed a fighting stance in front of the others.

“Oi. You got a problem with Hanajima?” Uotani growled, drawing a steel pipe from beneath her skirt.

“Please!” Tohru squeaked, putting herself between the sorcerers and her friends. “Hana-chan’s such a good friend! There’s no need to be alarmed!”

The three sorcerers exchanged glances. Fushiguro had only seen one other person with so much raw cursed energy, and that person was currently training overseas. He lowered his hands, and Kugisaki and Itadori followed his lead, relaxing their postures but not yet taking their seats.

Hanajima came up to Tohru and placed a hand around her waist, pulling her close. “Tohru-kun, are these three giving you any problems? I could always use my waves.”

The two boys, Ueno and Hayashi, gulped and covered their heads.

“No, there’s no need!” Tohru replied, waving her arms. “They’re friends! Hana-chan, meet Itadori-san, Fushiguro-san, and Kugi-chan.”

“You three have such interesting waves,” Hanajima intoned, walking over to her desk. “Especially you, Itadori-kun.”

“What are these ‘waves’ you keep talking about?” Kugisaki demanded, her arms crossed.

“Hana-chan has special powers!” Tohru answered cheerfully. “She can… um… how does it work again?”

“I can sense one’s thoughts and feelings, and put my own out into the world. I caused quite some trouble at my last school.”

Fushiguro and Kugisaki exchanged apprehensive glances.

“But don’t worry!” Tohru added. “She only uses her powers for good!”

“Yes,” Hanajima agreed. “And amusement.”

Tohru gulped just as the door opened and Kyo and Yuki returned.

“Sohma-san! Kyo-san!” Itadori called, grinning and waving them over. “You’re just in time for the next game!”

“I told you to stop callin’ me that!” Kyo growled.

Yuji cocked his head. “Did I get your name wrong?”

“He doesn’t like -san,” Tohru explained.

“Oooh. Just Kyo, then?”

Kyo nodded sullenly.

“He really likes being called Kyon-Kyon,” the black-haired boy, Ueno said.

“What? Shut up, no I don’t!”

“Ooh, or Carrots,” Uotani added, laughing.

“Hah! Carrots!” Kugisaki joined in. “’Cause the hair!”

“Shut up!” Kyo growled, slamming his fist on his desk. “Damn delinquent!”

“Yeah, come to think of it, you need a nickname, too,” Uotani said, looking at Itadori. “I know! We’ll call you Blossom!”

Yuji cocked his head. “Blossom?”

“’Cause of your hair!”

“Ooohhh. What about Fushiguro?”

“Don’t!”

“But you’re the only one without a nickname!”

Megumi smacked the top of Itadori’s head.  “Yeah, and I wanna keep it that way!” Itadori winced, rubbing at the spot Megumi hit with a slight pout.

“Too bad, Grumps,” Uotani said, grinning. “Everyone gets a nickname.”

Megumi scowled. “Whatever. Just deal us in already.”

At lunch, the three of them joined Tohru out on the grass, which, they quickly learned, meant they also ate with Uotani, Hanajima, Kyo, and Yuki.

“So, Tohru-kun,” Hanajima said, “did you already submit your career plan form?”

“Yes!” Tohru replied.

“I don’t know what I wanna do,” Uotani said. “So I haven’t filled mine out yet.”

“Me neither. It’s too early to decide,” Hanajima mused. 

Uotani took a bite of her boiled egg. “Oh yeah, Tohru— still the same plan?”

Tohru nodded. “I want to start working so I can support myself.”

“Yes, working sounds good,” Hanajima agreed airily.

Uotani leaned over and whispered something in Kugisaki’s ear. The two laughed, then, with a smirk, Uotani said, “You know, Tohru… you could always get married.”

“Huh?” Tohru exclaimed, her face beet red.

“Oh, dear,” Hanajima said. “Perhaps I should go to college to get a better job, then.”

Uotani cast her a sidelong glance. “What’re you gonna do, marry her? Anyway, I was thinkin’ more like one of these two,” she said, nodding in Kyo and Yuki’s direction.

Kyo looked like he was about to short-circuit, and Yuki let out an incredulous laugh.

“Hey!” Uotani roared. “What’re you actin’ all surprised for, huh? It better not be ‘cause you’ve got somethin’ against Tohru, dammit!”

“Th-that’s not it at all!” Yuki exclaimed.

“Oh? Let’s see which of us wins, then,” Hanajima challenged.

“We didn’t even say anything!” Kyo shouted. “Stop pickin’ fights!”

Itadori laughed, breaking the tension with startling ease. All of them turned to look at him.

“Sorry, sorry,” he laughed. “It just feels like I already know you so well!”

“Eh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Kugisaki demanded.

“Umm!” Tohru blurted. “I-if I ever do get married, I’m sure it’ll be many years in the future!”

“Who knows?” Uotani replied, grinning. “Maybe I’ll surprise you all and be the first one to get married out of all of us.”

“Like anybody’d want you,” Kyo muttered.

Uotani whacked him sharply on the head, to a loud guffaw from Kugisaki.

“Marriage aside, I did meet a guy at work that I’m maybe kind of into.”

Tohru immediately paused her fussing over Kyo. “Wh-what?”

“You never told us,” Hanajima remarked. 

“Ooh, what’s he like?” Kugisaki asked, leaning in. Itadori was at her side at once, his expression rapt.

“Hmm… well, he was kind of like Tohru, I guess!”

“Huh? He’s like me?”

Kugisaki grinned. “Aw, he sounds sweet!”

“I’d love to meet him,” Hanajima announced.

Uotani gave her a sidelong glance. “I can guarantee he’s not like what you’re imagining, Hanajima.”

As the girls continued talking about Uotani’s mystery man, Megumi tried to ignore the distinct tugging sensation behind his navel.

Marriage wasn’t something jujutsu sorcerers got to experience. Most of them died before they met the right person.

And, according to Gojo-sensei, those were the lucky ones.

Gojo hadn’t told Megumi much about his life before they met, but Megumi heard enough snippets of conversations around the school to know there had been someone he loved before.

The worst curse-user, Suguru Geto.

Geto had died during the Night of One Thousand Curses, and Gojo hadn’t been the same since.

He had wondered for years how someone like Gojo could let himself fall in love when he knew how those things often turned out for sorcerers.

And then Yuji Itadori happened.

Yuji— kind, selfless Yuji who’d been the one good thing in his life since Tsumiki had fallen into a coma.

Yuji, who’d had his heart ripped out of his chest and who’d bled to death in front of Megumi only a few short months ago.

Yuji, who was slated to die again once they found the remaining fingers. Permanently, this time.

Megumi knew he was in too deep. He’d been a goner for Yuji since the day they met and he’d asked Gojo to save him, his heart hammering in his chest.

Sorcerers weren’t supposed to fall in love. The risk of death was too high, and Yuji Itadori was a separate matter entirely. Megumi had known from the start that Yuji would be executed one day. It was only a matter of time. Sukuna was simply too dangerous.

But Yuji had died once already. Megumi would give anything to prevent that from happening again.

“Oh, how rude of me!” Tohru exclaimed, pulling Megumi from his thoughts. “Fushiguro-san… we can talk about something else if you’d like!”

“Huh?”

“It’s just… we don’t have to talk about career plans if you don’t want to!” she blurted, waving her arms frantically.

“Oh,” he answered. “No, it’s fine. We already know what we’ll be doing.”

“Yeah? And what’s that?” Uotani asked.

The three sorcerers exchanged glances. 

“We have government jobs lined up,” Fushiguro answered.

Uotani raised an eyebrow. “That’s all we get?”

He nodded and went back to eating silently.

“You’re a tough nut to crack, Grumps.”

“Tell me about it,” Itadori groaned.

“Oi, enough of that.”

At the end of the day, Kyo left for the dojo, Yuki for student council, and Uotani and Hanajima for their own pursuits, leaving Tohru to walk to work with the three sorcerers.

The moment they stepped out into the hall, an excited voice shouted, “Tohruuuu!”

“Oh! Momiji-kun!” Tohru exclaimed, her face lighting up. “Are you joining me today?”

“Ja , of co-”

Suddenly, Momiji paused and gave Megumi a very strange look.

Megumi’s eyes went wide and his hands twitched.

“Sorry,” he muttered, swinging his bag onto his shoulder. “I just remembered, I’m supposed to meet someone. I’ll see you guys at home.”

As he hurried off, Nobara leaned over to Yuji. “I wonder what that was about,” she whispered.

“Um… will Fushiguro-san be okay?” Tohru asked.

“I think so,” Itadori answered, still looking in the direction Fushiguro had gone. “I wonder who he’s meeting...”

Nobara gave him a sharp jab in the side.

“Oww! What was that for?”

“You’re really dense, you know that?” she grumbled.

Momiji giggled. “Tohruuu, who are your friends?”

“Oh, please forgive me! I’ve been so rude! Momiji-kun, this is Kugi-chan and Itadori-san. They just moved to our neighborhood, and they’re second years in my class along with Fushiguro-san!”

“Oh, lucky! You get to be in a class with Tohru!” Momiji pouted.

“And you are…?” Nobara questioned, raising a brow.

“Momiji Sohma!” He twirled in place, his arms raised above his head.

“Sohma, eh? There’s a lot of you here, aren’t there?”

“Ja, four of us at Kaibara. You must’ve already met Kyo and Yuki?”

“Sure did,” Nobara answered as they walked out of the school together. “Are they always at each other’s throats?”

Momiji tilted his head thoughtfully. “Not as much lately, no. But they do argue a lot. Why? Did something happen?”

“Um, Yuki-kun was very upset with Kyo-kun this morning,” Tohru answered.

“Ach so! What happened?”

“It was kind of out of the blue,” Itadori said. “As soon as we got to the classroom, Sohma-san dragged Kyo-s— I mean, Kyo out into the hall.”

“Yeah, but they were fine by the time they came back,” Kugisaki said.

“You said Yuki was the one who started it?” Momiji asked.

Itadori nodded.

“That’s very strange,” Momiji said. “Usually Kyo is the hot-tempered one.”

Kugisaki nudged Itadori. “Like someone we know.”

Soon, they reached the intersection where Tohru and Momiji split off for work.

“See you tomorrow, Kugi-chan, Itadori-san!”

“Bye Tohru,” Yuji called out, waving to his new friends. “Nice to meet you, Momiji-san!”

“Yeah, nice meeting you,” Nobara added.

“You too!” Momiji replied cheerfully.

Once they reached the building where Tohru worked, she asked, “Do you and Fushiguro-san know each other, Momiji-kun?”

“Nein,” Momiji answered, “we hadn’t met before today.”

With her forehead creased, she began her cleaning routine, Momiji at her side.

“It’s just—” she began, “what I mean to say is— well… it seemed like you might’ve known each other!”

Momiji frowned. “I don’t know him, but… but I think…”

“What?”

“Well,” he said, his eyes focused on some faraway spot, “I think the Rabbit spirit might.”

After work, Tohru went up to the roof to find Kyo lying on his back, looking out at the city.

“Yo,” Kyo said, sitting up as she stepped off the ladder.

The weight of his future had been on her mind all evening. One day, not far from now, he would be locked up somewhere on the grounds of the Sohma estate, and she would never see him again.

The thought of losing him—his warmth, his smile, his comforting presence, his awkward kindness—it was shattering. 

She sat beside him, wringing her hands.

“You doin’ okay?” he asked.

“O-oh. Yes, everything’s great!”

Kyo frowned at her. “Hey. What’s goin’ on?” he asked.

When she didn’t respond, he nudged her shoulder.

“You can talk to me,” he reminded her.

“It’s just… do you remember what we were talking about?”

Kyo blinked. “We talk about a lotta things, y’know.”

He knocked her on the head and gave her a lopsided grin.

Tohru couldn’t help but return his smile. “No, I don’t!” she insisted, her cheeks aflame.

“Yeah, you do,” Kyo teased. “What, I’m supposed to remember everything we ever talk about?”

“No!” Tohru exclaimed. “Today… at lunch?”

Kyo raised an eyebrow. “Oh. About gettin’ married? You remember what I said. When you get a boyfriend, I’ll support you.”

“N—” Tohru began, but she couldn’t finish the word as tears filled her eyes.

“Not this again,” Kyo groaned, leaning over to dry her tears on his sleeve. “I swear, you cry over everything.”

“I d-don’t h-have—”

“Okay, okay! I’ll stop teasin’ you,” Kyo promised. “Geez. What’s goin’ on with you lately?”

Where could she even begin? Arisa was hurting because she hadn’t seen Kureno for months, Kureno was unwilling to see her, Momiji and his sister were being kept apart even though they wanted to know each other, Yuki and Momiji and her other Sohma friends faced uncertain futures, and she was still no closer to breaking the curse.

Every day that went by was a day closer to losing Kyo forever.

“Actually… there was somethin’ I wanted to ask you,” Kyo said, turning away from her. “Those new kids… what were you guys talkin’ about before I got there yesterday, anyway?”

Grateful for the change of subject, Tohru smiled. “Oh! Nothing much! I…”

She couldn’t tell him she’d gone to see Shishou to ask about the curse. If she got his hopes up only to prove completely useless, that would be unspeakably cruel.

“I was just… I fell, and Itadori-san helped me back up. Then they were looking for their apartment, and I offered to help.”

Kyo was still frowning. “And that was it?” he asked. “You didn’t talk to them about anything else?”

“Not a thing! You got there just after I did, Kyo-kun!”

She beamed at him, but he didn’t smile back. It tugged at the knot in her stomach. If he was already pulling away from her…

“And today?” Kyo asked. “What did you guys talk about on the way home?”

“Oh, well… Kugi-chan wanted to know about shopping in the area, and Itadori-san wanted to know if there were any conveyor-belt sushi places nearby. Maybe you could go with him sometime!”

“And Fushiguro?”

Tohru frowned. “I don’t think Fushiguro-san is very comfortable around new people.” She giggled. “He kind of reminds me of you in that way!”

A snort sounded from under the eaves.

“Was that… Yuki-kun?” Tohru asked.

“Probably. Stupid rat,” Kyo muttered, his eyes narrowed. “Look, I know I’ve said it before. Just… promise me you’ll be careful, ‘kay?”

“I promise!” Tohru said. “But Kyo-kun?”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe… if it’s not too much trouble… I’d really like it if we could all be friends!”

He tilted his head and grinned at her. “You really are somethin’ else, you know that?” 

Their eyes met, and the warmth in his smile made Tohru’s face burn.

“Ah— I should be going to bed!” she exclaimed, then scurried down the ladder.

Kyo couldn’t shake the sense that Tohru wasn’t telling him something.

He didn’t think she was lying about her conversations with the three new students, per se, but he couldn’t dismiss the possibility, either.

You have no right to be suspicious of her, he thought. Even if she did tell them, what you’re hiding is a thousand times worse.

He stifled the memory that haunted him and descended the ladder.

With a glance to ensure Tohru’s door was closed, he slipped into Yuki’s room.

Yuki sat on his bed with his back against the wall, reading a book. A half-eaten bag of chips lay next to him, crumbs down Yuki’s front.

“Don’t eat that in here!” Kyo hissed. “We’ll get—”

“…rats?” Yuki supplied, not even taking his eyes off the page in front of him.

Kyo scowled and swore under his breath.

“Were you at least able to get some answers?”

Yuki always sounded so smug to Kyo’s ears. Of course the precious Rat would look down on him, just like everyone else.

“It wasn’t her,” Kyo replied, barely suppressing his disdain.

“You’re sure?”

Kyo’s hand twitched, briefly forming a fist. “Yes, I’m fucking sure!” he hissed.

Yuki put down his book. “Look, I’m not happy about this either. But you know we’ll both lose her if Akito finds out.”

Kyo scowled. “Yeah, I know.”

“As long as those three don’t tell anyone else, we’ll probably be fine.”

But “probably” wasn’t good enough for Kyo, and from the uneasy look on Yuki’s face, Kyo got the sense he felt the same way.

Once he was a safe distance from the house, Megumi emerged from the shadows.

He hadn’t learned as much as he’d hoped, but it was a start. 

He’d have to tell off Kugisaki later. Her big mouth meant those two knew they were being investigated.

But he did learn that they already knew they were cursed.

He didn’t trust either of them. There was something distinctly off about them both that went beyond the curse they bore.

As for the others… he sincerely didn’t know what to make of Uotani, Hayashi or Ueno. They seemed harmless enough, at least.

Uotani reminded him a bit of Kugisaki.

Hanajima, on the other hand, would require a careful hand. Anyone with that much cursed energy was immediately suspicious, especially if they’d managed to fly under the radar of JuJutsu Tech.

Megumi groaned. What was Gojo thinking? This would’ve been a tricky mission for the strongest himself, let alone three inexperienced first-years. If they ended up in a situation where they had to battle against Kyo, Yuki, and Hanajima, they very well might be in over their heads, depending on the techniques those three used.

And then there was Tohru.

It didn’t surprise Megumi that everyone he’d met held such strong allegiance to her. Tohru seemed like the sort of person who always put others before herself.

The kind of person who always saw the best in others.

Who’d eat a cursed finger to try and save a near-stranger, even if it meant her own certain death.

Megumi knew quite well what it was like to feel irrationally attached to people like her. He couldn’t begrudge any of them for caring about her. She was kind, selfless—the kind of person Megumi wanted to save.

Even if she did think he had anything in common with that loud-mouthed delinquent, Kyo.

Thinking back through everything he’d heard at the house, there was one exchange that bothered him.

“We’ll get—”

“…rats?”

Yuki’s wry tone and Kyo’s resultant annoyance gave Megumi the distinct sense that there was a layer of meaning he was missing.

Beyond that, his Rabbit Escape shikigami had reacted so strongly to that blond boy, Momiji. His shikigami were supposed to be an extension of him, but in that moment, it was like there was someone—or some thing —else to which the rabbits had an even higher loyalty.

He didn’t like it one bit.

Chapter Text

“Live a long life.”

Megumi awoke with a start, cool beads of sweat rolling down his face like the raindrops on the night Yuji died.

Nightmares were nothing new to Megumi. Working as a jujutsu sorcerer for as long as he had meant he’d witnessed more than his fair share of gruesome deaths. He’d lost partners in the field and recovered children’s bodies and seen civilians killed by curses in more ways than he would’ve once thought possible.

He’d known his wouldn’t be an easy life, and he accepted that. He knew the work of sorcery was brutal and he accepted death as an inevitable part of that work. 

Nothing had prepared him for Yuji’s death.

The thick sheets of rain that fell as Megumi retrieved Yuji’s still-warm heart—carelessly discarded on the grass like a piece of trash, the weight of Yuji’s body on his shoulders as he carried his corpse to the car, the soft smile that lingered on Yuji’s face as his head rested in Megumi’s lap on the ride home—he could still feel all of it, every single night.

And even though he knew Yuji was only sleeping, just on the other side of that wall, he needed to be absolutely certain.

Megumi pressed into their shared wall, disappearing into the shadow of his dark room and reappearing from the same darkness in Yuji’s room.

It always took Megumi a minute or so to adjust to the lively decor of Yuji’s bedroom. The posters of tall, swimsuit-clad blonde women that hung by his bedside created such a stark contrast to the bleak utilitarianism of Megumi’s bare walls.

Yuji would hate him if he knew.

With a sigh that was more fond than he cared to admit, Megumi crept closer until he was at Yuji’s bedside.

He never could tell right away. Sleeping and dead didn’t look all that different.

He dropped to his knees and pressed his ear over Yuji’s heart.

…lub-dub…lub-dub…lub-dub…

Megumi let out his breath. Yuji’s heartbeat was strong as ever. He stood, and—

“What would this brat think if he knew you were sneaking in here night after night, I wonder?” Sukuna’s voice rang from a mouth he’d opened on the palm of Yuji’s hand. 

“Shh,” Megumi hissed, immediately aware of his mistake. 

As if Sukuna cared whether Yuji awoke or not. 

“You think you can order me around?” Sukuna asked, his tone calm, as though he were asking about the weather, and not debating which method of torture would be most fitting for someone who defied him his position at the top.

Megumi called his bluff. “Tell him,” he whispered. “Or don’t. Doesn’t matter to me.”

Sukuna narrowed one of his eyes at Megumi. “You’re a terrible liar, Fushiguro Megumi. You’re lucky this brat is as thick-skulled as he is.”

Megumi’s stomach dropped. Did Sukuna know?

Just then, Yuji began to stir. 

Megumi quickly dropped into the shadow at his own feet, reappearing in the kitchen, out of breath. He cursed, slamming his hand onto the counter, as he tried to regain his breath. The door to Yuji’s room clicked open, and Megumi busied himself pouring a glass of water.

“Hey,” Yuji said, yawning and stretching his thick arms over his head. “You couldn’t sleep again?”

“Thirsty,” Megumi grunted, holding up the glass of water before taking another gulp. 

Yuji tilted his head, then let out a puff of air, his lips pursing into a pout.

“What?” Megumi demanded, perhaps more harshly than he meant.

“No, it’s nothing. It’s fine.”

“You suck at lying.”

“Well, so do you!” Yuji retorted.

Megumi froze. Had Sukuna told him?

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied.

Yuji sighed. “I really thought we were past this, Fushiguro.”

Megumi scowled. This conversation was moving into dangerous territory. “Past what?”

Yuji groaned. “Why do you think you can’t tell me when something’s bothering you? I told you already,” Yuji continued. “You should rely on us.”

On us.

So Yuji still had no idea how Megumi felt. He still believed he and Nobara were the same, that they were both just good friends and that he wasn’t Megumi’s entire world. 

Megumi could work with this.

“You’re one to talk,” Megumi deflected.

Yuji’s brows pinched together and his lips turned downward in a frown. He leaned against the kitchen sink, his arms folded. He stood close enough that Megumi could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“You’re right,” Yuji said, his trembling voice barely above a whisper. “I guess it’s just… people aren’t supposed to die when they’re still in high school.” 

All the breath left Megumi’s lungs at once. Yuji’s face was usually adorned by a smile brighter than the sun. Now, that smile was gone, and Megumi couldn’t look away. It was a knife directly to his heart. All he ever wanted was for Yuji to smile again, on a face two, ten, fifty years older than the one before him now.

Yuji turned to meet Megumi’s eye, and at once, his pain was replaced with a look of deep concern for Megumi.

“Hey, wait, I didn’t… oh. Never mind.”

Yuji suddenly looked defeated, but it was over before Megumi was sure it had even happened, the smile back on Yuji’s face as though they’d only been talking about class, or video games, or anything but his impending death.

“Well, I should try and sleep again!” he said with a grin, clapping Megumi on the shoulder before returning to his room.

The door latched behind him, and Megumi remained, bereft.

In the morning, over breakfast, Megumi relayed what he’d overheard at the Sohmas’ home to Yuji and Nobara.

“Rats, huh?” Nobara echoed, taking a large bite of her natto. “I wonder what that’s about.”

“Maybe he has a pet rat?” Yuji suggested.

“You’re an idiot,” Megumi groaned.

“Wait… you said your rabbits were acting weird yesterday, too!” Nobara exclaimed. “When that foreigner stopped by our class.”

“Oh, yeah. I liked him!” Yuji said.

“Shush! I mean… Fushiguro, none of your shadows are rodents, right?”

“No. Aside from the ones you’ve seen, I’ll eventually have a deer, an ox, a tiger, and… a final one.”

“Dogs, bird, frog, snake, elephant, rabbits…” Yuji muttered to himself, ticking off each of his fingers as he counted the remaining shikigami. “That’s ten, and no rodents.”

“So…” Nobara continued, “maybe if you did have a rat, you would’ve noticed somethin’ about the student council president, too. Which means we just have to get our hands on a rat.”

“That’s… actually a good idea,” Megumi admitted. 

Nobara pulled out her phone and began composing a text. “Pssh. Don’t sound so surprised.”

Megumi ignored her retort as he opened his own phone. “There’s a pet store nearby. We can go there after school today.”

Within seconds, his phone dinged. 

You have received a deposit from Gojo Satoru 

¥ 50,000 🐀😉

Megumi let out a noise of disgust. “He has no idea how much things cost, does he?”

“With money like that, why would he ever need to?” Nobara replied. “Now I can finally afford those designer boots! I’ve had my eye on them for weeks!”

“Ooh, ooh, or we could all go out for a steak dinner!” Yuji suggested, his eyes gleaming.

Megumi brought his fist down on Yuji’s head, earning a pained yelp. “Oi, who said you could use mission funds as spending money?”

“Gojo,” Nobara deadpanned, holding up her phone. 

Message from Gojo Satoru:

Make sure Megumi shares with you two! 😉🤑🛍️

“I am going to punch him,” Megumi muttered.

As the school day went on, Megumi’s mood soured.

He’d always done well enough in school. Gojo was only ever called when he got into fights. Or, more accurately, when he beat up any of the wastes-of-oxygen who spent their time bullying others.

But Jujutsu Tech was a very specialized school. They didn’t learn much in the way of standard school subjects.

And even if they had, Megumi was still a year behind his new classmates. It was becoming clearer every day that he would actually have to study to pass this term. And if he was struggling, he didn’t want to think about how Itadori was doing. 

He understood why some of the second years wouldn’t do for a mission like this—Inumaki’s tattoos would stand out like a sore thumb, and Panda was, well, a panda—but wouldn’t Maki have been a better fit for this mission? Or Okkotsu - not only was he the same year, but he was a Special Grade sorcerer, too. 

He was so going to punch Gojo the next time he saw him.

So at lunch, as Yuji and Nobara followed Tohru and the others outside, Megumi went to the library to hit the books. 

Just as he found a quiet table where he could brush up on his English, he heard something that piqued his interest. 

“…truth is, I really like you, Sohma-san!”

Doing a quick check to make sure no one could see him, he slipped into his shadow and crept in the direction of the speaker, where he saw Yuki looking apologetic as a younger girl confessed her feelings to him. 

“…so, what do you say? Will you go out with me?”

As Megumi watched closely, just out of sight, Yuki sighed wearily, his polite smile growing more strained by the second. “It’s like I told you last time, Yoshida-san. I’m not interested in dating anyone right now. Truly, I’m sorry.”

The girl threw herself at him, arms open, and Yuki’s eyes widened in a moment of panic before he leapt well out of the way, sending her crashing to the floor.

“It’s not fair!” the girl cried, turning on her knees to face him again. “You get that you’re the most sought-after boy in the school, don’t you? There’s not one girl here who wouldn’t kill for just one date with you. At least I’m brave enough to actually say something! You’re not so stuck-up that you—”

Megumi had heard enough. 

“President, there you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

Yuki’s eyes widened as Megumi emerged from around the corner. “Fushiguro…san…?”

“Are we still on for tutoring today?”

Yuki cocked his head to the side, confused.

“You said you could help me with our English assignment. Is this why you were late?” Megumi said, giving a contemptuous look to the girl on the floor. 

A quick glance told him that Yuki was still catching up to the situation. The student council president and so-called prince of the school sure was a lot more socially inept than he initially seemed. Eyes still on the girl, Megumi continued, “You know, it’s really not kind to pester someone who’s already told you no.”

The girl’s eyes flared, but she said nothing, only pushing herself to her feet and storming away.

“I’m sorry, Fushiguro-san. I don’t remember agreeing to tutor you,” Yuki said, scratching the back of his head.

“It was a lie. It looked like you could use some help ending that conversation.”

Yuki blinked. “Oh. Oh— thank… you…?”

“It’s fine.”

They stood in silence for a moment, neither quite sure what to say. 

“Fushiguro-san,” Yuki said, “I do sometimes tutor Honda-san. If you wanted to join us sometime…”

Megumi had to stop himself from immediately rejecting the offer. As much as he would rather study alone, it could be useful to have a reason to spend time near one of the Sohmas. 

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, yeah. Thanks.”

That afternoon, the three sorcerers split off from Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo a few blocks early, heading in the direction of their neighborhood pet store. 

By the time they left, they had not one, but four rats (how could Megumi say no when Yuji begged with those eyes?), a large cage, several toys, food, bedding, a small carrier, and more. Only ¥1000 remained of Gojo’s money. 

“Aw, now I’ll never get those boots!” Nobara whined.

“Spend your own money!” Megumi grumbled.

The next morning, Megumi carefully stowed the rat carrier and a large air pocket in his shadow, ensuring he could open the door without alerting any of the other students to his actions.

When they got to the school, he waited for the thumbs up from Nobara before reaching into his shadow and unlatched the door, taking the rat they’d chosen for today in his hand. As soon as Yuki was settled at his own desk, Megumi released the rat into the classroom.

The little creature took off at once, making a beeline for Yuki Sohma’s desk, before pausing, then doubling back and stopping two desks in front of Megumi.

Megumi held his breath as the rat sniffed the pigtailed girl’s shoes, before deftly climbing up the girl’s knee-high socks.

“Wha… OH MY GOD, A RAT!” she screamed, flinging the poor rodent sideways and throwing the class into complete chaos.

Several girls screamed and ran out of the classroom, the pigtailed girl included. A few boys did, too. Uotani leapt to her feet and shouted, “Where?” wielding her steel pipe. 

Kyo had jumped up on his desk, his hair standing on end, his eyes with slits for pupils scanning the floor for the creature. Megumi couldn’t help but think he looked like a cat— all he needed was a puffed-up tail to complete the picture.

He shook his head. What a strange thought.

Hanajima simply continued reading her romance manga, a small smile on her face.

“There!” cried Nobara.

Yuji dove after the rat but it scurried out of reach just as their teacher, Mayu-sensei, opened the door.

“What is going on here?” she demanded. 

“Ah, sorry, Sensei!” Yuji volunteered, his shoulders hunched sheepishly. “My pet rat— uh, Choko— got out. She must’ve hitched a ride in my backpack today.”

Mayu blinked once, then slowly closed the door, muttering something about needing a raise.

“Here.”

Class President Yuki Sohma dropped the rat onto Yuji’s desk. The rat stood on its hind legs. almost as though it were gazing at Yuki adoringly, but… that would be crazy, wouldn’t it?

“Ah… thanks, President!” Yuji said, picking up the poor creature and scratching the top of its head softly. “I think she likes you!”

“You mean ‘he’,” Yuki replied, his eyes widening as if shocked at the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“Choko… Choko’s a boy?” Yuji asked. He cocked his head and furrowed his brows and Megumi felt a rush of affection for how genuine he could be. “How do you know?”

“Uh— I— ahem, I mean, yes. I— uh— had a pet rat when I was younger.”

Kyo hopped down from his desk with a loud snort.

“What was he named? Yuki?”

Yuki swiftly delivered a roundhouse kick to the side of Kyo’s face. “You are such an idiot,” he scoffed. Turning back to the sorcerers, he continued, “His name was Maru, because he used to curl up in a little ball when he would sleep.”

“Aw, I gave Choko a girl’s name,” Yuji whined. “Wait! That means he’s like you, Fushiguro!”

“Not another word,” Megumi warned.

“My brother is Megumi as well,” Hanajima intoned without looking up from her manga. “I think you’d quite like him.”

Megumi was quite certain he never wanted to meet Hanajima’s brother if he could help it.

“You never told her your name, did you?” Nobara asked, under her breath.

“It’s a good thing you caught him, Prince,” Uotani said, her steel pipe on her shoulder. “What with all the stray cats that live around here, lil’ Choko would’ve been a goner.”

“Stray cats?” Nobara asked, an eyebrow raised.

Uotani laughed. “You should ask Kyon here. They seem to love him!”

“Shut up, gangster girl!” Kyo hissed, still rubbing his cheek. 

“Uhh…maybe we should talk about something else!” Tohru squeaked.

“Honda-san,” Yuki said abruptly. “You have work today, right?” 

“Yes!” Tohru replied. “There are dinners in the fridge for the three of you.”

Yuki sighed affectionately before turning to Megumi. “In that case… Fushiguro, would you like to meet for tutoring after school today?”

“What’s this?” Nobara blurted.

“If even Fushiguro needs tutoring, I guess I’m toast!” Yuji joked, pointing a thumb at himself.

Megumi conked him on the head. “Yes, thank you, President. Does the library work?”

Yuki blinked, looking between Fushiguro and the others. “Itadori-san, Kugisaki-san, do you want to join us?”

Yuji and Nobara exchanged glances, then immediately broke into matching sinister grins.

“Study party at the apartment!” Nobara exclaimed.

“We’ll get snacks!”

“Or you could make that spicy ramen!”

“Ooh, good idea, Kugisaki!”

“You always sound so surprised when you say that!” Nobara complained, giving Yuji a shove that was too rough to be entirely friendly.

“Do not! Ooh, President, have you seen Human Earthworm 4 yet?”

Megumi groaned, sliding a hand down his face. “We are studying. And you have to stop inviting people to our apartment!”

As they returned to their desks, Kyo grit his teeth and lowered his voice so only Yuki could hear, “Are you sure about this, Rat Boy?”

Yuki shrugged. “They’ve been kind to me. It’s the least I can do.”

His voice growing louder, Kyo hissed, “If your stupid offer gets us found out, I’ll—”

Yuki’s foot connected with Kyo’s face once more, shutting him up only moments before Mayu-sensei returned, wearing gloves and safety goggles and doing a thorough visual inspection of the classroom before heading up front to begin her lesson.

As Yuki left his new classmates’ apartment that evening, he let out a sigh of relief.

From the moment he felt Choko’s presence in the classroom, he’d been terrified his secret would be revealed. Thankfully, Choko got the message to ignore him, and the others in the apartment followed along, too.

He hadn’t intentionally communicated with rats in months, but these tutoring sessions presented a rare opportunity.

He now had a man— four men, actually— on the inside.