Archive of Our Own

Fushiguro was having nightmares again.

Itadori woke up to his partner groaning in his sleep, his arms and legs jolting as though he were fighting something off. Itadori sat up and reached out to turn on the bedside lamp, knowing that it would be better for Fushiguro to see his face when Itadori woke him. Then he rolled over and gently shook Fushiguro awake.

Fushiguro's eyes snapped open with a gasp and he looked around confused until he saw Itadori's face. Itadori put a hand, the one now missing a few fingers, to Fushiguro's cheek, cupping it gently, as Fushiguro breathed out slowly. 

“You were having a nightmare,” Itadori said. Fushiguro just nodded, closing his eyes and leaning into Itadori's touch. “Was it the same one as before?”

“A little different,” Fushiguro said.

Itadori knew he wasn't the smartest guy around but it didn't take a genius to figure out why Fushiguro was having nightmares. He hadn't had them in over three years but with the five year anniversary coming up, Fushiguro's mind was evidently deciding to be cruel to him.

“Do you need me to get you anything? Tea? A blowjob?” Fushiguro chuckled and Itadori smiled because a laugh was exactly what he was trying to get. Fushiguro just rolled onto his side so that he could face Itadori.

“Just hold me,” he said. Itadori nodded and laid back down. He immediately wrapped his arms around Fushiguro, pulling their bodies close together. In response, Fushiguro's arms tucked against Itadori's chest, his palm over Itadori's heart. He tucked his face into the crook of Itadori's neck and Itadori turned to kiss his scalp.

“Wake me up if you need me, okay?” Itadori said. Fushiguro just nodded. Neither of them spoke for a minute and Itadori felt his eyes get heavy with sleep again.

“Yuji?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” Fushiguro said. Without opening his eyes, Itadori smiled.

“I love you too, babe. Get some sleep.”

-

Itadori was sitting in the foyer putting his shoes on when Fushiguro came towards him wearing his own jogging clothes. He hadn't woken Itadori up with any more nightmares, but he didn't look rested. His eyes had dark circles under them and his feet were moving a little sluggishly. Itadori tried not to look concerned. Five years into their relationship, married for over a year and a half, and Fushiguro still clammed up whenever Itadori fussed over him too much.

“I was wondering where my running hoodie went,” Fushiguro said with a nod at Itadori. Itadori smiled, reaching up to adjust the shoulders of said hoodie.

“That's the best part of having a husband taller than you. You get to wear his big hoodies.”

“I'm barely taller than you,” Fushiguro said. He sat down next to Itadori and started pulling his running shoes on. Itadori nudged his shoulder against Fushiguro's.

“You grew like another several centimeters before we were out of school. You can't fool me.” Fushiguro smirked and Itadori stood up, reaching down to pull Fushiguro up. Yuji turned around to grab he and Fushiguro's water bottles off the counter at the same time Fushiguro brought his hands together to summon his Divine Dog. The shikigami immediately pushed its nose into Fushiguro's palm and Fushiguro scratched its head.

They left the house, Fushiguro stopping to lock the door and gate, before turning towards their usual run route. They'd moved to a Tokyo suburb two years ago, using money Fushiguro had inherited from the Zenin's to buy a two bedroom house. It was private but still close enough to the school and their friends should something ever happen. A decision that took more convincing on Itadori's part, but he'd finally caved after the neighbors complained about the noise at their last apartment. They were just getting older and too in love to continue living in a community arrangement like that.

“Wanna do a short run or a long one?” Itadori asked.

“When do you leave for your mission?”

“Tuesday.”

“A short one,” Fushiguro answered. Itadori smiled at him.

“I'm only going to be in Sendai for two days.” 

“Two days will feel like forever,” Fushiguro said. Then he took his water bottle from Itadori and started running, the Divine Dog on his heels. Itadori watched him run for a second, admiring Fushiguro as he always did, before he took off after him.

-

The night before Itadori left for his mission, Fushiguro had another nightmare. This one must have been more intense because Itadori woke up to Fushiguro thrashing around in bed. Itadori didn't bother turning on the light. He just immediately grabbed Fushiguro's shoulders and shook him awake. Fushiguro's hands instinctually pushed against Itadori before his eyes finally snapped open.

“Yuji,” he whispered.

“They're getting worse,” Itadori whispered. Fushiguro let out a heavy breath and Itadori wrapped his arms around him. Fushiguro was quick to do the same so that they were holding each other tightly.

Itadori remembered how bad Fushiguro's nightmares got before. Fushiguro was running on barely any sleep,  the nightmares keeping him from truly resting before Fushiguro began his own self-imposed insomnia. Itadori hadn't forced him to sleep. He knew what kind of nightmares Fushiguro was having even before Fushiguro had described them. He'd had his own version for a long time, about what his body had been made to do without his consent. The memories mixed in with his brain’s imagination to make a nightmare combination. He couldn't make Fushiguro sleep knowing that was what was awaiting him. It felt too cruel and Itadori couldn't bring himself to do it even though Fushiguro had desperately needed to sleep.

Then one day they just stopped and Fushiguro had slept for almost thirteen hours, smiling sheepishly at Itadori when he finally woke up. Itadori had just opened his arms so Fushiguro could cuddle with him on the sofa. No more bad dreams for years and both of them thought this was over, Fushiguro could sleep through the night and Itadori didn't have to sleep lightly enough to wake him.

And maybe they wouldn't get that bad this time but Itadori wasn't willing to let it get that terrible. He'd suggest the thing he should have before.

“You should talk to someone about them,” Itadori whispered. Fushiguro didn't say anything for a second and Itadori just waited patiently.

“I knew you'd say that,” he finally whispered back.

“Megumi--”

“I'll be okay once the anniversary is passed.”

“Will you?”

Fushiguro didn't respond. He just brought his hands to Itadori's cheeks and held him in place as Fushiguro kissed him. It was slow, gentle, two souls who had a million kisses between them and a million more on the way. Itadori kissed him back, only pushing as much as Fushiguro was, only wanting to take this as far as Fushiguro did. When Fushiguro finally pulled back, Itadori could just make out his features in the dark.

“I don't know,” Fushiguro answered in response to Itadori's early question. His thumbs ran over Itadori's cheekbones and Itadori made a content noise in his throat. How nice it was when he and Fushiguro finally got together, all those years ago, so that Itadori could be touched so lovingly like this. “I keep seeing him in my sleep.”

He didn't need to say who he was referring to and Itadori didn't need to ask. The same person who'd given Fushiguro nightmares before, the same person who Itadori had seen in his own. Neither of them ever spoke his name in their house. It was their private sanctuary and saying it felt like inviting in evil, something that was a horrifying possibility to both of them.

“Do you want to come with me tomorrow?” Itadori asked. They both knew Itadori ignoring his mission to stay behind wasn't a viable option for either of them. Itadori would never forgive himself if someone was hurt by the curse he was supposed to exorcize and Fushiguro would never ask him to do that.

“I don't think that's necessary. I'll be fine.” Itadori reached up and grabbed one of Fushiguro's hands, turning to place a kiss on his palm.

“I'll be thinking about you,” Itadori told him. Even in the dark, Itadori just knew Fushiguro smiled at that. The soft smile he always reserved for Itadori, for when Itadori said romantic stuff to him. He'd admitted early on into their relationship that he'd liked it, when Itadori got corny and sentimental, and Itadori had only cranked it up afterwards.

“You better be thinking about your mission.”

“Before and after the mission, I'll be thinking about you,” Itadori amended.

“When was the last time you thought about someone else?” Fushiguro asked. He didn't sound jealous because he wasn't. Itadori had done nothing but prove his love and devotion over the last half decade. This was more like reminiscing on their adolescence.

“Truthfully? Probably not since you kissed me for the first time. The last night of the Kyoto exchange event.”

“We were fifteen, Yuji.”

“I knew then that there wasn't anyone else I wanted to kiss. You were upset--”

“Because I had thought you were dead.”

“--and I thought you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.” Itadori leaned forward to kiss Fushiguro's cheek. “You're still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.”

“If Todo asked you your type now, what would you say?”

“He has,” Itadori said with a laugh. He kissed Fushiguro's cheek again but this time closer to Fushiguro's mouth.

“What did you say?”

“C'mon, you already know the answer,” Itadori said. He slid the hand he had on Fushiguro's back lower until it was resting on Fushiguro's behind. “A tall guy with a big ass.”

Fushiguro started to chuckle and Itadori kissed him before it could turn into a full laugh. Fushiguro opened his lips instantly, moaning low when Itadori licked into his mouth. Fushiguro looped his arms around Itadori's shoulders and one of his hands slid to the back of Itadori's neck, fingers rustling the hair there. As the kiss intensified, Itadori kneaded Fushiguro's ass which he so lovingly worshipped.

“Will you make love to me?” Fushiguro whispered against Itadori's lips. Itadori propped himself up on his elbows.

“As if you ever have to ask.” Itadori kissed him again. “Do you want it fast or slow?”

“Slow,” Fushiguro answered. Another kiss, this one a bit longer.

“Can I turn on the light?” Itadori asked.

“Yeah. I know you like to watch me while we have sex.” Itadori didn't deny that because it was absolutely true. He'd admitted that to Fushiguro before, numerous times, sometimes mid-fuck.

Itadori extricated himself from Fushiguro's arms so he could move across the bed to the end table. He turned the bedside lamp on and looked back at Fushiguro who was watching him with a look of such utter love and desire. Itadori smiled and reached down to pull his loose sleep shirt over his head.

Itadori crawled back over to Fushiguro, immediately returning to the type of kissing they'd done earlier. His hands pushed Fushiguro's own shirt up, breaking away from Fushiguro's lips to pull the shirt off, before he resumed kissing Fushiguro. Itadori didn't immediately remove Fushiguro's pants. Instead he put his hand down the front so he could take hold of Fushiguro's cock, only half hard, and stroke it.

Fushiguro's hands gripped Itadori's shoulders, squeezing as he moaned in pleasure. Itadori just kissed him harder. He licked over every inch of Fushiguro's mouth, an area he knew well, before moving to kiss the scar on Fushiguro's left cheek, under his eye. While he did, Fushiguro's hands moved to Itadori's back and he slid them lower until his fingers dipped into the waistband of Itadori's sleep pants.

“Yuji,” Fushiguro gasped. Itadori smiled before he moved to kiss Fushiguro's other scars, the ones by his right eye. Itadori gave Fushiguro one more stroke before he let go of Fushiguro's cock. He took hold of Fushiguro's pants and briefs and started pushing them down. Fushiguro, familiar with this process, maneuvered his legs to make the undressing easier. 

He sat back enough that he could throw Fushiguro's clothes into the floor. Then he turned back to admire Fushiguro naked. All these years, making love more times than they could count, and Itadori still couldn't believe that anyone could be this beautiful. Fushiguro's dark hair, on both his head and body, presented such a stark contrast to his pale skin. Paired with his long eyelashes, his soulful eyes, and muscles he hid under his long sleeves, Fushiguro looked like a traditional painting. Itadori thought his photos deserved to be hung in a museum.

Or maybe not since Itadori didn't want other people seeing his husband like this. 

“Yuji, you're staring,” Fushiguro whispered. He was giving Itadori a soft smile, staring up at Itadori from the mattress. Every time they had sex like this, Itadori remembered the very first time. In Fushiguro's tidy dorm at Jujutsu High, Fushiguro's back to the mattress and his face buried in Itadori's neck. Itadori kept staring at him, as if to confirm any of it was real. That he was losing his virginity to a boy, to his friend, to someone he was already certain he was in love with.

“I feel so lucky to have you,” Itadori told him back in the present. He reached out and took Fushiguro's cheek in his hand, his thumb running over the scar under Fushiguro's left eye.

“You don't think I've cursed you?”

“Sure, you have,” Itadori said with a smile of his own. “You know what Gojo used to say.”

“Love is the most terrible curse of all,” they said in unison. Itadori got off the bed so he could start removing the rest of his clothes. Fushiguro rolled onto his side to watch.

“He knew about us, you know,” Fushiguro said.

“He did?” Fushiguro nodded. It felt good to talk about their former teacher. He'd been dead for almost five years, but both Itadori and Fushiguro still felt all the ways Gojo had touched them. For Itadori, as a mentor and an inspiration. For Fushiguro, the closest thing he had to an older brother or even a father.

“After you died at the detention center, he came to talk to me about grief and about losing someone you have feelings for. I couldn't figure out how he knew. I hadn't even really known how I felt about you. But then he told me that he'd been through a similar loss and I guess he recognized that in me.”

Itadori came back to the bed. He immediately crawled between Fushiguro's open legs. Itadori pulled him closer, his hands on Fushiguro's hips, so that Itadori's hard cock pushed against Fushiguro's ass. Itadori looked at him.

“You must have looked so lovesick,” he told Fushiguro.

“He said he could tell when we finally got together because he'd never seen me look so happy.”

“I want you to be happy,” Itadori told him. He took Fushiguro's legs and tucked them under his arms. Fushiguro gasped as Itadori leaned forward, bending Fushiguro almost in half. Itadori dropped one hand to take hold of his own cock, lining it up with Fushiguro's entrance. “I want to be the one who makes you happy.”

“You do.” Fushiguro groaned as Itadori started the slow push in. His eyes slammed closed as Itadori got deeper, as slowly as his control would allow so he could fuck Fushiguro like he'd requested. Fushiguro moaned out Itadori's name when Itadori was all the way in, his hips flush to Fushiguro's, and Itadori leaned forward to kiss Fushiguro. Fushiguro slipped his arms around Itadori's shoulders and slipped his legs free from Itadori's hands so he could wrap them around Itadori's waist instead.

Itadori pulled his hips back, slow, and thrust back in, equally slow. This wasn't chasing friction. This was enjoying the connection, reveling in the way their bodies fit together. This was the kind of love making reserved for couples who were soul deep in love, had been for a time. Extra true for Itadori and Fushiguro considering they'd literally seen each other's souls.

As Itadori maintained that same slow rhythm, the kiss between them intensified. Itadori didn't let up, his lips pushing against Fushiguro's, his tongue sliding against his lover's with hunger. It was only when Fushiguro moaned Itadori's name that Itadori finally pulled back so they could both breathe. And even then, Itadori recovered first, moving to instead suck a bruise onto Fushiguro's neck while Fushiguro panted and groaned.

“Yuji,” Fushiguro moaned out, his toes curling in pleasure as Itadori collided with his sweet spot. Music to Itadori's ears whenever Fushiguro said his name like that. He'll never forget when Fushiguro started using his first name, their relationship becoming serious enough that Fushiguro thought it appropriate.

After everything that had happened at the end of their first year, it had taken them a few months to be intimate again. Fushiguro hadn't felt comfortable being touched for a long time and Itadori had understood. He'd never pressured Fushiguro. He just wanted to love and support him. But that had been Itadori's first real sign that Fushiguro's healing journey was starting.

They'd been sitting in the grass beside Jujutsu High's track field, enjoying a particularly warm day. Itadori had made them a simple lunch they were sharing and Itadori was rambling about the recent mission he'd been on. Fushiguro was listening but he'd seemed distracted.

“Can I call you Yuji from now on?” Fushiguro had asked suddenly. Itadori stopped talking and just stared at Fushiguro.

“Of course,” Itadori had responded. He smirked. “Don't get me wrong. I'd really love that, but why the sudden change? We've been hooking up since last September.” Fushiguro was quiet for a second, staring up at the sky before he responded.

“If we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, I should start sometime, shouldn't I?” Itadori couldn't stop the wide smile from his face and Fushiguro glanced at him briefly before he looked away with a blush.

“You wanna spend the rest of your life with me?” Itadori asked.

“You're the one who said it would be lonely without me,” Fushiguro whispered. It was the first time Fushiguro was willingly bringing it up, Itadori's somewhat confession at the worst moment of Fushiguro's life. Itadori's words had been the thing that made Fushiguro want to keep living, the reminder that he was loved and cherished and wanted. By more than just Itadori but especially by Itadori. Itadori had been willing to let him go if it's what Fushiguro had truly wanted but hearing those words made Fushiguro realize that it wasn't. He'd wanted life. He'd wanted to be loved. He'd wanted Itadori.

Itadori had reached down and taken hold of Fushiguro's hand, squeezing tightly as he intertwined their fingers. Fushiguro looked at him again and Itadori had tears in his eyes but he was smiling happily. Itadori had asked if he could kiss him and Fushiguro nodded. Before their lips had connected, Itadori had called him Megumi. And for the first time, Fushiguro had been thankful to be named that.

Now, five years later, Itadori had all kinds of affectionate names he used for Fushiguro. Some Fushiguro liked and others he didn't though none he disliked enough to forbid Itadori from using them. Lots of the usual pet names and little jokes about Fushiguro's hair when it got too long or Fushiguro's tendency to get too cold.

“Good, babe?” Itadori asked in the present. He placed a kiss under Fushiguro's ear and the sound he made reverberated against Itadori's lips. Fushiguro couldn't respond as another wave of pleasure overtook him, but he slid a hand up the back of Itadori's neck, over his scalp, and into his hair. His fingers took hold of the short locks and that told Itadori all he needed to know.

They didn't talk much after that. Itadori just kept up his rhythm, his hips and his lips and his hands all working in tandem to get Fushiguro ever closer to release. He took hold of Fushiguro's cock when Fushiguro announced that he felt like he was close, the constant pressure on his prostate bringing him there. Itadori finally increased his pace as he watched the pleasure wreak havoc on Fushiguro's expression and body. He only got a cry of his name from Fushiguro's mouth as warning before Fushiguro was coming, hot and heavy into Itadori's hand. And as intended, that was enough for Itadori to climax, pulling out just in time to spill on Fushiguro's thighs. Itadori collapsed on top of Fushiguro, his cheek on Fushiguro's clavicle, as they both panted.

“Thank you,” Fushiguro whispered after several minutes. Itadori smiled.

“You don't have to thank me for sex. I enjoy it too.” Fushiguro turned to look into Itadori's eyes.

“It's not just the sex and you know it.” Itadori nodded. He reached over Fushiguro's body and took hold of his hand, linking their fingers together.

“You feel tired enough to sleep?” Itadori asked. Fushiguro just nodded. Itadori tilted his head up so he could kiss Fushiguro, slow and sleepy and lovely. By the time Itadori broke away, finally sitting up so he could slide to the edge of the mattress, Fushiguro was already having trouble keeping his eyes open. Itadori worked quickly to get a wet rag to clean them both off.

When he came back to the bed after depositing the soiled rags in the hamper, Fushiguro was already curled onto his side,  snoring softly.

-

“Toothbrush?” Fushiguro asked.

“Check.”

“Phone charger?”

“Side pocket.”

Both of them had been on enough solo missions that they didn't really need to do this. Packing was practically automatic, the repetitive routine of putting the same necessary items into a suitcase before traveling. But they liked doing this together, ensuring the other was prepared for the journey as a way to prolong the moment one of them left.

When Itadori's bags were packed and sitting by the front door, the only thing left to do was say goodbye. Itadori went over to Fushiguro and wrapped him in a bruising hug. Fushiguro returned the gesture so that they were just standing in the hallway holding each other.

“I asked Kugisaki to check on you for me,” Itadori said.  He finally stepped back so he could look at Fushiguro though his hands remained on Fushiguro's hips. Fushiguro frowned.

“She doesn't need to do that.”

“I don't think you should be completely alone right now.”

“Do you think I'm a danger to myself?” Fushiguro asked. His tone was a little too apathetic for Itadori's liking.

“No,” Itadori answered. “I don't really like hearing you even say that, but no.” He reached up and took Fushiguro's cheeks in his hands. “I've seen you when you thought you had nothing to live for. I know this isn't the same.”

“I love you,” Fushiguro whispered. It almost sounded like a thank you, like Itadori's love was something Fushiguro was grateful for. When Itadori had needed a purpose, Fushiguro had tasked him with saving Fushiguro. And it was Itadori's love that had done that. Fushiguro was thankful, then and now, that Itadori still thought he was worth saving.

“For however long I have left, I will never stop loving you,” Itadori told him. That had been a line in his wedding vows, which Itadori had written himself. It was at risk of becoming a heavenly vow with how sincerely Itadori had said it on their wedding day and how much he still said it with sincerity.

“Call me tonight, please,” Fushiguro said.

“I will. Sleep with the dog if you think it'll help. It might bring you comfort.” Fushiguro nodded. Itadori was sure his ride was already outside waiting on him but he didn't step away from Fushiguro.

“When you get back, we can watch that action movie you really like,” Fushiguro offered. Itadori smiled.

“Are you going to let me get more than twenty minutes into it before you jump me?” Itadori teased.

“No, probably not,” Fushiguro answered honestly. He smirked at Itadori and Itadori kissed him. 

Eventually they couldn't delay any longer and so, hands clasped together, they made their way out of the house and to the street where a sleek black car was idling. Itadori put his bag in the trunk while Fushiguro waved to the driver, a newer manager named Makoto who had assisted Itadori on several past missions. Then Itadori came back and kissed Fushiguro a final time. With another round of I love yous, Itadori finally got in the car. Itadori turned to watch Fushiguro out the window until the car rounded a corner and he was gone.

-

Fushiguro still went on his regular run, with Divine Dog in tow, but he didn't run nearly as far without Itadori to motivate him to go further. Then he returned to the house, showered, and made himself a meager breakfast. He was just starting to wash the dishes when the intercom for the gate rang. Fushiguro didn't even bother responding. He just hit the button to remotely unlock the gate. Within seconds, someone was pounding on the door.

“I'm fine. Really,” Fushiguro said as he opened the door for Kugisaki. He knew it would be her and hoped he could reassure her to leave him be. Judging by the unimpressed look she was giving him, itself impressive given her missing eye, Kugisaki was not convinced.

“Itadori is worried. If you're fine, stop worrying your husband.” 

Kugisaki sidestepped him into the house, stopping to take off her shoes in the entry, before she made her way to the kitchen. They'd all remained really good friends even if they didn't go on group missions as much anymore. But whenever they could, they still hung out like they'd done as first years. Therefore, Kugisaki didn't even ask before she opened the fridge and pulled out a soda, the particular low sugar brand they kept stocked just for her.

“You know how he is,” Fushiguro said as Kugisaki took a seat in one of the stools at the island. She spun around to face him as she opened her drink and took a sip.

“So you're not having debilitating nightmares that are causing you not to sleep?” Kugisaki raised her remaining eyebrow as if daring him to deny it. Itadori had evidently filled her in as a way to convince her to do this. Fushiguro sighed.

“It's not something you can help me with.”

“You and him really are perfect for each other. You both try to solve everything by yourself.” Fushiguro knew she meant it as a slight to his refusal to open up, but he smiled softly anyway. He and Itadori were perfect for each other and he liked hearing other people say it.

Fushiguro grabbed his water bottle off the kitchen counter and came to sit opposite Kugisaki at the island. She played with the pull top on her can as if she wanted to say something but wasn't sure if she should. Finally she decided to just speak her mind.

“I wasn't there,” she started and they both knew exactly what she meant by there. “So I can only rely on what everyone has told me. They've all got trauma. Maki, Okkotsu, and the others. My point is that you don't have to do this alone.”

“Yeah?” Fushiguro asked. He almost sounded a little angry. As much as mild Fushiguro ever did outside of battle. His hands tightened on his water bottle. “Did he forcefully take over their bodies and use it to kill their sister, their teacher, and hurt their friends?”

Itadori loved Fushiguro too much to prod at his pain. When Fushiguro got angry enough to revel in his trauma, Itadori tried to soothe him. But Kugisaki had never been a bullshitter. She loved him too, as a long time friend, but she never had shied away from tough love.

“No, but it's not a competition, Fushiguro,” she said. “Maki lost her sister. Okkotsu body swapped himself into Gojo's body without knowing if that was reversible. He used Itadori to kill thousands of people. He tormented all of us.”

“Because he was a monster.”

“All curses are,” Kugisaki said with a shrug. And Fushiguro actually found that comforting. She wasn't being nonchalant. She was just being factual. They were jujutsu sorcerers. They hunted curses. But sometimes the curses hunted them too.

“Did Yuji tell you about my dreams?” Fushiguro asked.

“Not in detail.”

“Do you want to hear them?”

“If you think it'll help,” she said.

And if there was anyone that Fushiguro knew he could open up to, it was Kugisaki. As it was, she probably was the person who knew him best after Itadori. Itadori was obviously his best friend as well as his husband, but Fushiguro would be inclined to say Kugisaki was his best friend that he wasn't married to. If talking with her helped his nightmares to stop, it was worth a risk.

“He used to talk to me. Monologue about the things he'd used my body to do. The things he was going to do. In excruciating detail because he knew it would hurt worse.”

“Like he'd do to Itadori.” Fushiguro nodded.

“Mostly it's him killing Tsumiki,” Fushiguro said, his throat tightening over her name. “Sometimes Gojo. Sometimes I see the things he told me he'd wanted to do. The awful things he'd have done if he wasn't stopped. I know it's him, but it's my hands I see. They're my shikigami. In the dream it feels like me.”

Fushiguro wasn't a crier. He'd laid his cheek on rock bottom without shedding a tear, too numb from a lifetime of pain and suffering as a sorcerer. But his body felt like he was crying. His chest and head hurt like he'd been crying for days.

“It makes me so angry,” Fushiguro said. “That I even think about him at all, even subconsciously. My life is better than I ever could have imagined. I have friends. I'm married to the perfect guy. I'm a stronger sorcerer than I ever have been. But he still makes me feel like a helpless teenager. In my dreams, I'm powerless to do anything but be a victim.”

“Yeah,” Kugisaki said. “That would piss me off too.”

“But there is nothing I can do about it. I can't stop my dreams so long as I sleep, so I'm just trying my best to deal with it.” Fushiguro dropped his water bottle and crossed his arms. “Yuji helps. It's hard to be negative with him.”

“He does have that effect,” Kugisaki said with a smile. “And you can downplay it all you want, but you're different around him.”

“In what way?” Fushiguro asked.

“You laugh more.” Fushiguro smirked because that was true. He didn't think he ever really laughed so much until Itadori had walked into his life. “You're softer. You're gentle with him.”

“Not true. I'll still hit him when he does something stupid.”

“You and I both know you think he's cute when he's stupid.” Fushiguro covered his mouth with his hand so he could hide his smile. Kugisaki wasn't fooled though.

“Thanks for all your help with the wedding, by the way,” Fushiguro told her after a second. It had been a very small ceremony, just them and their fellow jujutsu sorcerers. They'd had a traditional Japanese ceremony but a Western style reception. Fushiguro hadn't really cared about the party aspect but Itadori had so they'd enlisted Kugisaki's help with getting everything planned.

“Of course. My two favorite idiots were getting married. I was happy to help.”

“Don't call me an idiot,” Fushiguro said with fake annoyance. Kugisaki smiled briefly before she got serious again.

“Fushiguro?”

“Yeah?”

“When was the last time you visited Tsumiki's grave?”

“It's been a few years,” Fushiguro admitted quietly. “It's difficult to face her.”

“I think you should do that. I'm happy to go with you if you want, but I think it'll be easier if you go with Itadori.” 

Fushiguro didn't respond for a minute, thinking about what Kugisaki was suggesting. What could he possibly say to Tsumiki? She was dead and Fushiguro had been too weak to prevent it. Nothing would ever change that fact, regardless of how strong he felt he was now. He'd only be offering her useless apologies.

“I'll think about it,” was all Fushiguro said. Kugisaki rolled her eye but didn't push further. While Fushiguro could follow a superior's order and understood the importance of chain of command in the field, amongst his peers, he wasn't likely to be bossed around. She understood that so she let the subject go.

“Well, don't sit around moping until Itadori gets back.”

“I'm not moping.”

“I'm exorcising a Second Grade this afternoon. Wanna tag along?” Fushiguro smirked.

“Sure. My shikigami could use the practice.”

“The shikigami, sure,” Kugisaki said with a laugh.

-

“I miss you,” Itadori said. Fushiguro was laying in bed with his phone pressed to his ear. It was nearly midnight but Fushiguro had stayed up, waiting for Itadori to call him which he knew Itadori would do whenever he was back at the hotel.

“I saw you fifteen hours ago,” Fushiguro told him.

“I miss you whenever you're not with me.”

“I miss you too,” Fushiguro replied. Which wasn't a lie for as much as he tried to be nonchalant about it. Every time he was apart from Itadori there was an ache in his chest. “How'd your mission go?”

“Good. The cursed spirit was only ranked First Grade because of its healing ability. I was able to overcome that pretty easily.”

“Are you coming home with any scars?”

“Just the ones I left with,” Itadori said. Fushiguro just made a noise of acknowledgement in his throat. Which Itadori mirrored himself before saying, “It's so nice to hear your voice at the end of a long day.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Did Kugisaki stop by?”

“I don't need a babysitter, Yuji.”

“I know. I just want you to be okay.”

“I can't just magically be okay. You, of all people, should understand that.” Itadori was quiet for a minute.

“You're right. I'm sorry.” Itadori sounded a little hurt, in that self flagellation way he was prone to. Like any mistakes were something he internalized and blamed himself for. Fushiguro understood it because he did it too.

“I love you,” Fushiguro said as a peace offering. He didn't want to fight with Itadori. Didn't want to let that bastard drive a wedge between them. “I'm just irritated from the lack of sleep.”

“What's your excuse all the other times you get irritated?" Itadori asked and Fushiguro could practically hear the smile in his voice.

“Kugisaki said that I was gentle with you today.”

“So she did stop by?”

“Yes, Yuji, because you made it sound like an emergency.” Fushiguro rolled onto his side so that he could face the part of the bed where Itadori usually laid. “She said I should visit Tsumiki.”

“Will you get mad if I agree with her?”

“We can talk about it when you get home.”

“I'm gonna check out some residuals tomorrow so I'll be home tomorrow evening.”

“What are you doing right now?” Fushiguro asked.

“I'm about to take a shower and then go to sleep,” Itadori said.

“Are you going to think about me in the shower?” Fushiguro asked. Itadori chuckled.

“My mission is over so you're the only thing on my mind.” Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's pillow and pulled it to his chest, burying his face in the pillowcase and breathing in Itadori's smell.

“Will you talk to me until I fall asleep?”

“I'll do anything for you,” Itadori told him. Fushiguro smiled because Itadori's utter devotion to him always made Fushiguro feel safe and free. Others might have felt overwhelmed by it, but it just meant that Fushiguro could fully be himself, always, and Itadori was there to love him. When he was sullen or too serious or nonchalant, Itadori wasn't bothered by any of it.

Fushiguro could hear rustling on his end and he wished they'd chosen FaceTime instead. It was always like this when one of them had to travel for a mission. Being jujutsu sorcerers, especially after all their sacrifices, was something very important to both of them. Neither of them would ever neglect that, even in favor of each other, but that didn't make the little sporadic separations any easier.

“I'm laying down in the bed now. I'm all sweaty and gross. I hope you're happy,” Itadori said. Something told Fushiguro that Itadori was laying on the right side of the mattress, like he'd do at home, and Fushiguro could practically see him as though Itadori were across from him.

“I like it when you're sweaty.”

“People think you're cool and normal, but I know the real Megumi. You're a weird guy.”

“Must have been because I grew up with Gojo,” Fushiguro joked.

“I'm married to a real weirdo.”

“That makes you also weird by association.”

“Tried to take his last name, but he wouldn't let me.”

“That's not true,” Fushiguro countered. Legally, they'd hyphenated both of their last names. On any documentation, they were Itadori-Fushiguro. Though professionally they continued to use their birth surnames. Unconventional but wasn't that their way. “I didn't want you to give up your grandpa’s last name. Not for the name of a family of ghosts.”

“I wanted to give you a family, Megumi.”

“You have, Yuji,” Fushiguro said, closing his eyes.

“You laying down?”

“Yeah.”

“Eyes closed?” Fushiguro just made a noise of affirmation. “If I were home, I'd kiss your eyelids.”

Itadori continued like that, telling Fushiguro all the little ways he'd touch him when he got home. None of it was sexual, a hand through his hair or a kiss to the spot on Fushiguro's neck that Itadori knew he liked. He kept going until Fushiguro fell asleep, soft sounds coming from his end of the line.

And by whatever miracle, Fushiguro didn't dream at all that night.

-

Was it a waste of cursed energy to have Divine Dog sitting out on the front lawn so that the shikigami could alert Fushiguro the second Itadori got through the main gate? Especially since Itadori would undoubtedly text Fushiguro the second he got out of the car? Yes.

Was Fushiguro going to do it anyway? Also yes.

As soon as he heard Divine Dog's howl, Fushiguro was making his way towards the front door. He pulled it open to see Itadori walking down the path to the house, scratching the shikigami's head. He looked up to find Fushiguro smiling at him and Itadori returned a smile of his own, though Itadori's smiles were always wider and less restrained than Fushiguro's. Fushiguro released his shikigami as soon as Itadori was at the door.

Itadori dropped his bag as soon as he was through the threshold and wrapped his arms around Fushiguro. In seconds, Fushiguro had him pushed back against the wall and was kissing him deeply. Fushiguro was holding Itadori's cheeks and Itadori molded against him, licking his way into Fushiguro's mouth. Fushiguro only pulled back when his lungs were screaming in pain for air.

“Coming home to you after a long day is even better,” Itadori said. Fushiguro leaned heavily against Itadori, dropping his cheek to Itadori's shoulder. Itadori raised a hand to Fushiguro's hair, running his fingers through Fushiguro's dark locks.

“You know that just because I don't say stuff like that doesn't mean I don't feel it,” Fushiguro said. Itadori chuckled and turned to kiss Fushiguro's temple.

“I know. You wouldn't be here unless you loved me. I know that.”

“I love you so much,” Fushiguro whispered.

“I don't mind hearing you say it again if you want."

“I love you so much,” Fushiguro said again as he raised his head to kiss Itadori again. He could feel Itadori smiling against his lips as Itadori dropped a hand to Fushiguro's hip, sliding it up under his shirt. In response, Fushiguro dropped a hand to palm Itadori through the front of his pants.

“You're not even going to put the movie on,” Itadori joked.

“I'd ask if you're too tired to fool around, but you've never been too tired in your life.”

“You found an upside to not being entirely human.” Fushiguro stopped what he was doing so he could give Itadori a more serious look.

“We don't know that for sure,” he told Itadori. Itadori gave him a smile that was sad and maybe a little pitying, like Itadori had realized some hard truth that Fushiguro hadn't.

“I think we do, Megumi.” Itadori grabbed Fushiguro's hand and placed it over his heart. “Choso knew it and I do too.”

Fushiguro searched Itadori's face while he tried to calculate his response. In the last six years, more things became possible to Fushiguro than anything ever before. A lot of it centered around Itadori so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that his sweet husband could be something between human and curse, given the evidence.

“The more time that passes, the more I'm sure,” Itadori said. “I'm not like you.”

“Well, that's not true,” Fushiguro said. He grabbed Itadori's cheeks and tilted Itadori’s face forward so he could put their foreheads together. “You're the other half of my soul so whatever you are, I am too.”

Itadori chuckled before he tilted his face to kiss Fushiguro. They went back to holding each other, arms wrapped around waists and necks to press them against each other. Finally Itadori pulled back so he could smirk at Fushiguro.

“And you think you aren't romantic,” he said. Fushiguro smirked and rolled his eyes. Then he grabbed Itadori's hand and pulled them both towards the living room. Itadori glanced questioningly at their bedroom door but didn't say anything as Fushiguro led him to the sofa. He turned to push Itadori onto it. Then he reached down to grab the edge of his shirt, pulled it over his head, and then crawled onto Itadori's lap.

Itadori's hands settled on Fushiguro's hips, the fingers squeezing tightly. Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's chin and slammed their lips together, so aggressively that he pressed Itadori's head against the sofa's back cushion. Itadori's hands slid along Fushiguro's lower back before slipping into his pants to caress Fushiguro's ass. Fushiguro groaned and Itadori bit down lightly on Fushiguro's bottom lip.

Fushiguro reached for Itadori's shirt, his fingers grabbing the hem and pushing it up. His knuckles brushed Itadori's abdomen and chest as he went higher, finally pulling back from the kiss so Fushiguro could pull his shirt the rest of the way off. Immediately Fushiguro's hands were on Itadori's chest, caressing and kneading Itadori's exposed skin and the muscles underneath. Itadori moaned this time when Fushiguro ground his hips down into Itadori's.

Itadori sat up so he could hold Fushiguro against him, chasing Fushiguro's lips with his own. Fushiguro's hands continued moving further down Itadori's chest, over his stomach, the flesh quivering under Fushiguro's fingertips, to Itadori's joggers. As Fushiguro started to undo the tie on them, Itadori deepened the kiss, licking his way into Fushiguro's mouth and devouring the moan his lover made.

Fushiguro reached into Itadori's loosened pants and wrapped a hand around Itadori's dick. Itadori groaned, pulling back from the kiss to groan again as Fushiguro stroked him. Fushiguro kissed the scar beside Itadori's mouth as he stroked slowly with his left hand, Itadori fully hard in his palm.

“I love your hands,” Itadori gasped out. Fushiguro smirked.

“What do you like about them?” Fushiguro asked. He moved his lips to Itadori's neck, soft kisses down the column of Itadori's throat.

“Whatever you're doing right now,” Itadori whispered, bucking his hips into Fushiguro's grasp.

“I thought you were going to say my hands make me a good sorcerer,” Fushiguro joked.

“Your quick thinking in combat makes you a good sorcerer.” Fushiguro's smirk was a full smile now.

“We can't all have your lightning fast reflexes and instincts,” Fushiguro said. He started stroking Itadori faster and Itadori moaned out, Fushiguro leaning forward to quickly kiss his chin and then his lips. “I've seen you fight Special Grades with your bare hands and it's so hot.”

“You're so elegant with your technique,” Itadori complimented. “The first time I saw you use it, I thought I was looking at something special.”

This was dirty talk to them, the usual main source of foreplay. Not filthy promises of what they'd do to each other, those things didn't need to be communicated any more. So instead they whispered romantic, and often repeated, confessions of love and devotion. Admissions of desire and longing, dreams of both the past and the present for their future together.

“Even if they were other people's plans,” Fushiguro whispered. “Fate brought you to me. You've felt like my destiny since we met.” And how dare Fushiguro say something so poetic and from the heart with his hand down Itadori's pants. How was Itadori ever supposed to not fall in love with him, not lose his heart over someone so perfect.

“Megumi,” Itadori warned. He grabbed onto Fushiguro's elbow, the one connected to the hand currently jerking Itadori off. “If you don't stop, I'm going to--”

Fushiguro kissed Itadori before he could get the rest of his sentence out, licking his way into Itadori's mouth as he stroked even faster, feeling encouraged that Itadori was close. Fushiguro felt Itadori's moans against his mouth and he just kissed harder, pulling back only to briefly pant along with Itadori. Itadori let out a low cry of Fushiguro's name, the individual syllables of Megumi drawn out as Itadori came. Fushiguro stroked him through it, peppering Itadori's jaw with soft kisses when Itadori tossed his head back to let out a final moan. Then he slumped back against the sofa cushions, his orgasm done, and Fushiguro sat back to stare at him.

“I'm home,” Itadori whispered, opening his eyes to look at Fushiguro. Fushiguro smiled.

“Welcome home,” he responded. Itadori smiled too, beckoning for Fushiguro to kiss him again. Fushiguro did, leaning forward to kiss Itadori slowly, gently, inadvertently grinding against Itadori when Itadori took Fushiguro's cheeks in his hands.

“Can I return the favor?” Itadori asked. Fushiguro just nodded, pulling his hand loose from Itadori's joggers. His hand was covered in cum and Fushiguro was going to pull away so he could get a rag to clean them up. But the second Fushiguro started to move, Itadori spun them around so that he was pinning Fushiguro against the back sofa cushions, a reverse of how they'd been before. Fushiguro gasped.

“Your stupid speed,” he griped, annoyed. Itadori gave him a peck on the lips.

“Stay here.”

“Where would I go?” Itadori didn't respond but he stood up, adjusted himself in his pants, and then walked in the direction of the kitchen. He came back a few seconds later with a wet towel. He wiped down Fushiguro's hand, and Fushiguro remembered how embarrassed Itadori had been the first time they'd done this.

They'd both blushed practically the entire time, from the second they started undressing to when they were wrapped in each other's arms to sleep afterwards. But it had taken several times of them hooking up for Itadori to stop apologizing for the mess, as if Fushiguro hadn't been an active and very much willing participant in that.

“I just don't want you to feel uncared for,” Itadori had said. Fushiguro hadn't said anything, a bit emotionally overwhelmed. The truth was that, with Itadori, Fushiguro always did feel cared for. That was still true all these years later, perhaps even more now, after what both of them had been through.

Fushiguro now clean, Itadori tossed the rag onto the floors. That made Fushiguro frown in response. 

“Don't you think you'll need that?” Fushiguro asked. Itadori just smirked at him.

“Nope,” he said before dropping to his knees on the floor in front of the sofa, indicating how he was planning to get Fushiguro off. Fushiguro couldn't stop the shaky breath he let out as Itadori reached for the button on his pants. Fushiguro spread his thighs so Itadori could fit between them, leaning forward to kiss Fushiguro's lower stomach.

“Yuji!” Fushiguro gasped out as Itadori undid Fushiguro's pants and pulled them halfway down Fushiguro's thighs. Itadori took hold of Fushiguro's cock, stroking it while he kissed Fushiguro's hip. Fushiguro groaned low in his throat and then put his hands on Itadori's back. Itadori kissed his way up the shaft and then put his lips to the head and sucked. Fushiguro let out a loud cry of pleasure, proving exactly why they'd had to move out of their prior apartment living arrangements.

Itadori took Fushiguro into his mouth and Fushiguro's thighs tightened reflexively. He'd have pinned Itadori between them if Itadori hadn't preemptively put a hand on Fushiguro's thigh to halt him.

“You're so--” Fushiguro didn't finish his thought as another moan overcame him. Itadori knew how Fushiguro liked to be sucked off, when to bob his head fast and when to do it slow. When to use his tongue and his hands and his throat. Fushiguro was the only dick he'd ever had in his mouth and he knew it well.

And Fushiguro loved watching Itadori go down on him as much as he enjoyed the act itself. Itadori's lips around his dick. Those piercing eyes occasionally glancing up at him. Itadori's unusual hair wild from Fushiguro's fingers pulling and gripping whenever Itadori did something particularly pleasurable. Itadori always seemed to be enjoying himself, loving the role he got to play in getting Fushiguro off. It was hard not to feel worshipped.

Fushiguro grabbed onto the back of Itadori's head, holding him in place as Fushiguro shallowly thrust his hips into Itadori's mouth. Itadori took hold of Fushiguro's thighs, grabbing them to help Fushiguro shamelessly push his cock deeper into Itadori's mouth. Fushiguro could hear how he sounded, the low groans and high cries in tandem with the wet sound Itadori's lips made. He wanted to be embarrassed, but he just found it so incredibly hot. Itadori going down on him reminded Fushiguro of one of his personal favorite sexual memories with his now husband, a work trip that had functioned as a pseudo honeymoon.

Almost a year and a half ago, they'd been sent outside Tokyo to a traditional Japanese inn and hot springs that was being haunted by a First Grade cursed spirit. The ryokan had been built over the site of a local mudslide and the town's negative association resulted in a cursed spirit that had devoured several locals.

The ryokan owner had been so thankful to Itadori and Fushiguro that he'd offered them each a room for the night. They'd taken just one room, in a wing all by themselves, enjoying the unusual free night of relaxation. They'd gone down to the hot springs, spending over an hour making out in the now private bathing space.

Fushiguro had such a vivid memory of laying on his back in the futon, his legs pushed to his chest while Itadori ate him out, Fushiguro's head turned to see the moon out the open paper doors. This far outside of Tokyo there was barely any light pollution so the moon was bright and detailed. When Fushiguro's body felt like it couldn't take anymore without bursting, Itadori had pushed inside him and Fushiguro managed to hold it together until Itadori came apart first. And that had only been the first time that night that they made love.

“I'm close,” Fushiguro warned. Just like how Fushiguro hadn't stopped before, Itadori didn't slow down, his head still quickly bobbing on Fushiguro's cock. He made a sound of affirmation in his throat which only made Fushiguro's toes curl in pleasure. A few more masterful bobs of Itadori's head, a press of his tongue to the slit, and Fushiguro was finally coming.

Fushiguro wrapped his fingers in Itadori's hair and cried out, arching his back off the sofa involuntarily. Itadori just kept going, pleasing Fushiguro until he was spent, collapsing back against the sofa while Itadori swallowed him down. Itadori took his time pulling Fushiguro out of his mouth and Fushiguro was panting by the time Itadori was kissing his way up Fushiguro's stomach. To his chest, up his neck, and to Fushiguro's lips.

Fushiguro wrapped his arms around Itadori's shoulders, happy to slow kiss him, even if he could taste himself on Itadori's tongue. Itadori grabbed Fushiguro's pants and pulled them up with Fushiguro lifting his hips to make it easier. Itadori used the moment to push them both flat onto the sofa, spreading out, Fushiguro on his back and Itadori laying his weight on top of him. If Fushiguro hadn't just gotten Itadori off, he'd think his husband was trying to initiate something.

“You can't be hard again already,” Fushiguro said after Itadori finally let his lips go. He sounded annoyed and a little horrified, though they both know the latter was more for effect than being genuine. Itadori feigned looking hurt.

“Not even I can get it up that fast again.”

“Can you imagine what you'd do to me if you could,” Fushiguro deadpanned.

“You're the one who pushed me up against the wall as soon as I got home!” Itadori tucked his face into Fushiguro's neck and tugged him even closer. Fushiguro turned his head to bury his face against Itadori's scalp. “Would you really not help if I did get another boner?”

Fushiguro didn't respond but he smiled. They both knew that he would.

-

Itadori woke up and made them both breakfast the next morning. Fushiguro was still asleep and Itadori turned off the alarm for their usual morning run. They'd laid on the sofa for a few hours, talking and kissing, until Fushiguro started to yawn. Itadori had eagerly offered to carry Fushiguro to bed, but Fushiguro had just playfully pushed his face away before getting up.

Not that Itadori didn't chase after Fushiguro the second he was up. Fushiguro took off at an acceptable speed for inside their house. Itadori caught him in the hallway, a hand around Fushiguro's waist, and Fushiguro turned almost immediately to kiss him. Itadori smiled against his lips before he leaned back.

“You weren't going very fast,” Itadori said.

“Because I'm not going to full out sprint in our house,” Fushiguro said in annoyance. “If I was trying to get away from you, I'd be in a shadow.”

“Using your cursed technique is cheating,” Itadori complained.

“In what world,” Fushiguro said. He pushed open the bedroom door and pulled Itadori in after him. They'd made love again, Fushiguro's back to Itadori's chest as Itadori slow thrusted into him, and either from exhaustion or from getting off twice in one day, Fushiguro seemed to sleep through the night without any nightmares. Itadori had stayed up extra late to be sure, his eyes and ears trained on his sleeping partner. That was why Itadori had let him sleep in.

Itadori was just finishing rolling an omelet when he heard Fushiguro sleepily say his name. Itadori turned to smile at him before gesturing with his spatula at the various dishes he'd already prepared. Fushiguro just nodded and went to the electric kettle. He reached into the cabinet above and pulled out a mug which he filled with hot water. Itadori had preloaded the tea strainer with Fushiguro's tea and Fushiguro smiled before he dropped it in his mug to steep.

“You're the one who just got back from a mission,” Fushiguro said. He came up behind Itadori and wrapped both arms around his waist. He leaned forward and put his forehead to the back of Itadori's shoulder. “That means I'm supposed to be spoiling you.”

“The handjob last night wasn't you spoiling me?” Itadori asked.

“No. I just wanted to do that.” 

Itadori took the pan off the hot burner and placed it on a different one. He shuffled over, Fushiguro moving with him, to grab two plates from an upper cabinet. Then he used the spatula to divide the omelet in the middle and place one half on each of the plates. Only then did Itadori turn around in Fushiguro's arms so he could stare at his husband.

“Feel free to do that more,” Itadori joked with a smile. Fushiguro smirked but he was blushing a little, like he always did when Itadori flirted with him. “I like spoiling you, Megumi. I just want to show you how much I cherish you.”

“I know,” Fushiguro said. “You've only ever shown me that.” 

He leaned forward and kissed Itadori briefly before finally stepping back. Itadori turned and grabbed one of the plates, handing it off to Fushiguro. Fushiguro took it to the island where the other items Itadori had cooked were waiting. He started adding food to his plate while Itadori joined him to do the same. Then, with plates and drinks in tow, they went to the dining room table and sat down to eat.

While they ate, Fushiguro asked for a more detailed breakdown of Itadori's mission. Itadori described exorcising the First Grade using both blood manipulation, a cursed technique Itadori was still mastering, and his physical prowess to overcome its regenerative abilities.

“How are the kids doing?” Itadori asked. He put way too much food in his mouth and Fushiguro smirked.

‘The kids’ were the first and second years that Fushiguro was teaching. He hadn't really planned to take over from Gojo, along with Kugisaki, teaching the new generation of students at Jujutsu High. They'd finished school in name only after Gojo died, various sorcerers stepping in for their education. And then Fushiguro found himself staying there, lending all he'd learned to the new children with cursed energy who showed up a few years later. He still went on missions, but far fewer than Itadori did.

“They're good,” Fushiguro said. “Kobayashi's cursed technique is impressive. She's got incredible control over her cursed energy. I think she'll be First Grade by the end of the year.” Itadori smiled at him.

“She's your star pupil,” Itadori teased. Fushiguro didn't respond but he blushed slightly at being called out for showing his favoritism. Itadori knew Fushiguro liked all of his students but the first year, Kobayashi, was shaping up to be his protégé. They had similar cursed techniques, both shikigami summoners, and so Fushiguro was able to instruct her in a way that was different and more personal to him. Itadori doubted that it was missed by anyone else.

“I don't play favorites,” Fushiguro said. He took a bite of food. They sat quietly for a bit, eating, Itadori casually running his foot against Fushiguro's leg. Fushiguro finished eating first. Not because he ate quicker than Itadori but because he often ate less. So he just sat sipping his tea, watching Itadori eat,  not quite smiling but the mirth in his eyes nonetheless.

As he was drinking the last of his glass of water, Itadori said, “I'm proud of you. I know there are parts of teaching that have been hard but you're trying your best. You care and we know how much of a difference that makes.”

“Thank you.” Fushiguro was quiet again but Itadori knew he was just thinking of how he wanted to voice his thoughts. Itadori just remained silent, patiently, for Fushiguro to speak again. “I think I understand Gojo better now that I'm a teacher. How much he wanted to set us up to live good lives. The hope he must have felt for us. You, me. Kugisaki. Okkotsu, Zenin, and the others. The thought makes me happy.”

“You're so beautiful when you string long, thoughtful sentences together,” Itadori said suddenly with a smile. Fushiguro rolled his eyes but there was that pretty blush again.

“You could always stop by the school,” Fushiguro said. “The students would love to meet you.”

“Been bragging about me?”

“You're famous, you idiot, whether you want to be or not.” Itadori's smile dropped just a fraction.

“I know,” Itadori said. The simple truth was that they both were, for the singularly unique thing that had happened to both of them. For being one-time vessels for one of the worst curses in history, they'd both gained a notoriety that never of them wanted. Even the second year, Matsubara, who wasn't even from a sorcerer family, knew who Fushiguro was when they first met.

Itadori smiled again, reaching out to grab Fushiguro's empty hand. He quickly squeezed their fingers together before he nodded at the clock on the wall in the kitchen. Fushiguro glanced at it. 

“Let's get you to school, teacher,” Itadori said as he stood up, pulling Fushiguro up with him.

-

“Fushiguro-sensei, is that your husband?" the other first year, Oribe, said. Everyone, including Fushiguro, turned to look at where Oribe was pointing. Sure enough, there was Itadori, leaning against the school's front gate with his hands casually in his pockets. Fushiguro smiled before he realized he was standing in front of the first years. He wiped the smile off his face to maintain professionalism.

“Continue with your exercises,” Fushiguro told them before heading off to where Itadori was. As if he could sense Fushiguro getting closer, Itadori turned to him and smiled. This one Fushiguro returned since Itadori was the only one who could see it.

“I told you to come at the end of the school day,” Fushiguro said when he got closer. Itadori shrugged.

“I got bored waiting.”

“Whatever,” Fushiguro said fondly. He held out his hand and Itadori took it. Fushiguro led Itadori over to where his students were pretending to do their exercises while they watched them. Fushiguro only dropped Itadori's hand when they got close. Itadori was looking around at the school, the minor changes since the last time he was there, before smiling at the students who were staring at him wide eyed.

“Woah,” Oribe said, in awe.

“Yuji, meet my first year students, Oribe and Kobayashi.” Fushiguro gestured first to Oribe, the boy first year, who had shaved down hair and thick eyebrows. He was tall and lean and he was currently holding a bo staff, his preferred weapon.

Then he gestured at Kobayashi, the shikigami user, whose straight black hair was in two braids, her eyes partially hidden behind long straight bangs. Around her waist was a small pack with ink and brushes, tools she used for her technique. They were both in uniform, with the slight personalized features that all jujutsu uniforms had.

“Yuji Itadori,” Oribe said, still in awe. 

“Yo,” Itadori said. Itadori raised his hand and gave an adorable little wave. Fushiguro covered his mouth so no one could see his little smile.

“You interrupted afternoon exercises,” Fushiguro told him. Itadori sat down on the grass, glancing up at Fushiguro.

“You guys can continue.” Oribe and Kobayashi turned to look at him.

“Sensei, can we show him our techniques?” Kobayashi said.

“Can he show us his?” Oribe asked. Fushiguro sighed and looked at the three sets of eyes staring at him expectantly.

“It's up to Yuji,” Fushiguro said. Itadori was already nodding his head and the first years cheered. Fushiguro smirked as he sat down on the grass next to Itadori. Oribe volunteered to go first and Kobayashi took a seat a little ways away, politely giving her teacher and his husband some polite privacy.

“It's weird being back here,” Itadori said, glancing around while Oribe did light stretches. Which he should have already done but Fushiguro decided not to lecture. Fushiguro looked around the school too, or what could be seen from here. “Reminds me of being a kid.”

“We're barely older than kids ourselves,” Fushiguro remarked.

“How many times did Kugisaki put me in a headlock out here?” Itadori reminisced. Fushiguro smirked. Itadori pointed to his left towards a cluster of trees. “You and I used to sneak off and--”

Fushiguro, knowing exactly what he and Itadori used to do, turned to Itadori with a glare. Before Itadori could reveal their inappropriate behavior, he slapped the back of Itadori's head. Itadori turned to see Fushiguro's expression and his protest died on his tongue.

“Nevermind,” Itadori said. They both looked to see Kobayashi glancing at them. She caught them looking and turned away with a blush. They were saved from the situation by Oribe announcing he was ready. They all turned to watch him.

He did several practice twirls with his staff before he started smacking it on the ground. He wasn't using cursed energy yet, probably showing off his physicality for Itadori to start, but Itadori sat up straighter when he sensed Oribe's cursed energy. The next time Oribe slammed the end of the staff into the ground, a large crater appeared with a thud. The ground shook a little and Itadori gave a little clap. Oribe twirled the staff and slammed it into the ground again. But this time the bo staff bent like rubber, dragging against the ground at an angle as Oribe twisted it up.

“Oribe can alter the density and hardness of anything he touches with two hands,” Fushiguro explained as Oribe continued his demonstration. “Only inorganic material but we've been working on applying his technique to cursed weapons for an effective offensive strategy.”

Oribe finally stilled and turned to them, flush faced and panting, seeking approval. Fushiguro gave a nod and Itadori flashed him a thumbs up. Oribe bowed in respect but he had a wide smile on his face. Oribe came over and collapsed next to Kobayashi, giving her shoulder a shove to indicate that it was her turn.

Kobayashi stood, brushing the grass off of her shorts, before she went to stand where Oribe had been. She undid the pouch on her belt and pulled out one of the ink vials and a brush. Fushiguro turned to watch Itadori's face, eager to see his reaction to Kobayashi's technique. Kobayashi opened the ink vial and dipped her brush into it. Then she started to paint long lines down her exposed arms, looping and twisting black marks that, as they watched, glowed faintly with her cursed energy. As soon as she pulled the brush away, the lines started to lift off her skin, coalescing in the air in the shape of a cat. The shape dropped to the ground, rotating at the last second so that it landed on its feet, and suddenly it wasn't just lines of ink, but a sketchy rendering of a real cat.

“Kobayashi can summon a shikigami of whatever she draws. She imbues the ink with her cursed energy,” Fushiguro said. Itadori nodded, impressed.

“Does it have to be on your skin?” Itadori asked. Kobayashi looked at him with a blush and shook her head.

“Paper is just hard to carry in battle,” she said. Itadori nodded again. It explained why her uniform was knee length shorts and a short sleeved button down. It gave her the maximum amount of appropriate canvas.

Kobayashi's shikigami cat meowed and stretched before it turned and darted over to Itadori. It rubbed its head against his leg, leaving a faint smear of ink. Itadori smiled and reached down to scratch its head. He could hear it purring.

Fushiguro raised his hands and put them together in the shape of a rabbit, his shadow reflecting the call sign for Rabbit Escape. The rabbits appeared, just a small amount of them, and Kobayashi's shikigami turned to watch them with fascination. Then the ink cat pounced, chasing after Fushiguro's shikigami as they hopped away. Fushiguro smirked and turned to find Itadori watching him with a fond expression.

“See what I'm dealing with,” Oribe said to Itadori conspiratorially. Itadori turned to him. Oribe gestured between Fushiguro and Kobayashi. “I'm the odd man out with their techniques.”

“And I don't get to bond with you guys over physical combat,” Kobayashi told him. Oribe shrugged.

“We're working on your combat skills,” Fushiguro reminded her. “But being a jujutsu sorcerer means understanding your technique and cursed energy and building a strategy around that. Shikigami users don't often fight in combat themselves.”

“You do,” Kobayashi said with a little pout.

“Yeah, well,” Fushiguro didn't say anything else and instead went quiet. In his mind, he was hearing something that was said to him years ago and Fushiguro hated how clear it sounded.

Kind of a waste of your talents, no?

It was all in a second, Fushiguro going quiet and his hand tightening into a fist on his knee, but Itadori noticed the miniscule changes. He reached out and put a gentle hand over Fushiguro's, squeezing slightly. Fushiguro turned to him and nodded in appreciation. Oribe and Kobayashi hadn't caught Fushiguro's subtle mood so they just gave each other a slightly scandalized look, to see their beloved teacher suddenly so affectionate.

Itadori stood up and stretched. He gestured for Kobayashi to switch with him and she nodded, moving to sit down beside Oribe. Itadori did a couple more stretches and asked the students what they wanted to see.

“Blood manipulation,” Oribe said at the same time Kobayashi said, more specifically, “piercing blood!”

“No, piercing blood,” Fushiguro vetoed. “It's far too destructive for the school.” And Itadori was still learning to perfect convergence which Fushiguro knew would wear him out. Itadori smiled at Fushiguro, obviously aware of the real reason Fushiguro had declined it.

Itadori put his thumb in his mouth and bit down on it, pulling it out and pressing on the finger until a bead of blood appeared. Instantly the blood responded to Itadori cursed energy, shooting straight up into a small orb in the air. Itadori pulled out more blood, making the orb larger and larger, before he laid his hand out, palm up. The blood dropped, spreading to cover his hand before it hardened. Itadori curled his hand into a fist, turning his hand over to show the students the coalesced blood armor over his skin.

“My brother taught me this one,” Itadori said with a small smile.

“Woah,” Oribe and Kobayashi said at the same time. Itadori smiled and released his technique, the blood all slowly liquefying before sliding back into Itadori's open cut. Then he used a flash of reverse cursed technique to heal it. The whole display had the students excited and they immediately started asking Itadori questions. They were fun at first, questions about his technique and his experience mastering it.

“What was the Culling Game like?” Oribe suddenly asked and Itadori went instantly quiet, as did Fushiguro. Oribe, not understanding the sudden mood shift, continued. “You were there with Fushiguro-sensei, weren't you?”

“Hell,” Itadori answered solemnly. “That was one of the worst things I've ever been through.”

“Because of the King of Curses?” Kobayashi guessed. Itadori glanced at Fushiguro who wasn't looking at any of them. He was staring at his hands, clasped tightly together in his lap. Itadori looked back at Kobayashi and just nodded.

Oribe was just opening his mouth to ask another question, likely related to the last one, when Fushiguro stood up suddenly. Everyone went quiet as they turned to look at him. Fushiguro released his cursed technique, the rabbits disappearing, including the one currently being feasted on by Kobayashi's shikigami kitten.

“We shouldn't hog Yuji,” Fushiguro said. “Let's go see Kugisaki and the second years.” Oribe looked disappointed but Kobayashi just nodded, looking astutely between her teacher and Itadori. Itadori himself didn't respond but kept watching Fushiguro's face.

As Fushiguro stepped past him, to go find Jujutsu High's other occupants, Itadori turned to stare at his expression. Based on the way Itadori pursed his lips, Fushiguro knew they'd be revisiting this when they were alone.

-
"I think you should visit Tsumiki's grave," Itadori said as they walked home, hand in hand. Fushiguro didn't answer for a second but he didn't stop walking so Itadori just waited for him to speak.

"What do you think I'm going to get out of that?" he finally asked.

"What are you getting out of not going?" Itadori countered. Fushiguro finally stopped and turned to Itadori, his thumb running on the back of Itadori's hand.

"My sister's dead, Yuji. She can't forgive me or tell me it's not fault. It's just ashes in an urn."

"I didn't know your sister well, but I don't think she'd want this for you. She'd want you to be happy."

"Well, she's not here to tell me that herself and nothing is going to change the fact that I'm at least partially responsible for that."

"You know you aren't responsible for what he used your body to do," Itadori said gently. Fushiguro looked away from him, first down the street and then at their intertwined hands.

"Did you believe that when people said it to you after Shibuya?" Fushiguro asked him. Staring at Fushiguro, at the sad expression on his face, made Itadori's chest ache. The street was empty so Itadori stepped forward, pulling his hand from Fushiguro's so he could instead pull Fushiguro into a tight hug. After a second, Fushiguro returned it, wrapping his hands across Itadori's shoulders and tucking his face into Itadori's hair.

"No," Itadori whispered honestly in response to Fushiguro's question. "But when I needed someone to tell me it was okay to go on living, you were that for me. I'm trying to do that for you, but I think you need to be the one who does that for you."

They just stood there holding each other and Itadori reached up to smooth down Fushiguro's wild hair. Itadori thought he could feel Fushiguro's heartbeat in his chest, an echo of his own, a harmony from two hearts meant to beat as one. Itadori wished he could make this all better for Fushiguro, could kiss him until all his guilt and pain and sadness went away. Itadori loved him with every ounce of his soul, with every molecule of his being.

But Fushiguro was right. Itadori couldn't make this magically okay for him. Not matter how much he wanted to.

"I don't know how," Fushiguro whispered, barely audible over the usual sounds of the afternoon outdoors. Itadori leaned back enough to kiss Fushiguro's temple.

"Go talk to your sister," Itadori told him. "Tell her about all the things you think she'd want to hear. The things that make you happy. Your students. Your daily life. And imagine how she'd smile to hear those things. Don't turn her memory into a curse, Megumi. You're not honoring her by doing that."

"She'd be happy to hear about you," Fushiguro said.

"What're you gonna tell her?"

"I'll tell her about how my sweet, loving, dumb husband proposed to me while I was covered in cursed spirit blood."

"That's not fair!" Itadori exclaimed. He laughed and Fushiguro smiled. "That was just when I said I wanted to marry you. The actual proposal was over dinner later."

"Yuji, telling someone you want to marry them is a proposal," Fushiguro said. Itadori shook his head.

"No, that was me telling you I was intending to propose. Not the same thing." Fushiguro laughed and Itadori smiled wildly, thrilled to see Fushiguro smiling after their conversation. He loved him so dearly. "Besides you told me you liked that I did that afterwards."

Fushiguro moved his hands to Itadori's cheeks, holding his husband's face affectionately. Fushiguro smiled softly, one corner tipping up in that loving smirk he only ever gave Itadori. Itadori just met his eyes.

"I did. I still do. I was ready to marry you then."

Fushiguro leaned forward and kissed Itadori, just the soft pressing together of lips, but they stood there kissing until the sound of an approaching car finally pulled them apart.

-
Fushiguro agreed to go to his sister's grave on his next free day. And before Itadori could even get the question out, Fushiguro had taken his hand and asked Itadori to come with him. Itadori had agreed, squeezing his hand in return.

Fushiguro woke up early and took a long shower, standing in the scalding water as he tried not to dwell on the feeling of dread that had been building in his chest since yesterday. He wasn't sure how'd he feel looking at her grave so close to a major anniversary of her death, but he suspected that he'd feel pain. The same pain and guilt that he'd been compartmentalizing for the last half decade.

He heard the door to the bathroom open but he didn't respond. Just stood there, watching the water go down the drain, even as footsteps got closer and closer. Finally the shower door opened and Fushiguro glanced over his shoulder to see Itadori getting into the shower behind him. Fushiguro didn't say anything as Itadori stepped up behind him, looping his arms tightly around Fushiguro's waist and placing his cheek on the back of Fushiguro's shoulder. Fushiguro let out a contented sound that was barely audible over the water and leaned back into Itadori.

They just stayed there like that, the warm water flattening their hair and making their skin slick as they stood embracing. There was something intimate about the shower, but also something protected, a safe space where you could speak truth to your most vulnerable thoughts and feelings. Itadori placed a few gentle kisses on Fushiguro's shoulder and neck. Fushiguro didn't need to say anything for Itadori to know how to comfort him, to know that he even needed comfort. Fushiguro didn't need to feign strength for Itadori. Itadori knew all the ways Fushiguro was weak and was strong for him instead.

"I really need you today," Fushiguro whispered.

"I'm here," Itadori assured him. Fushiguro reached down to loop his fingers through Itadori's, squeezing tightly. Fushiguro wasn't sure this would help him, though maybe that could be his own reluctance talking, but if Itadori thought he needed this, if Itadori wanted him to do this, then Fushiguro would.

"What if this doesn't help?" Fushiguro said. He'd had nightmares the night before, jolting awake after midnight, covered in sweat, to Itadori saying his name. Fushiguro had just curled onto Itadori's arms, clutching onto him until he fell back asleep.

"It might not, but I still think you should do it. You love her. You've always loved her. That doesn't stop just because she isn't here anymore. Let her remain a part of your life."

Fushiguro turned around to kiss Itadori softly before he put his forehead to Itadori's. Itadori ran a hand soothingly up his back, the other hand remaining on Fushiguro's hip, as Fushiguro rest his hands on Itadori's chest.

"I don't think you ever really grieved her, Megumi, and you can't really move on until you do." Fushiguro could tell that Itadori had more he wanted to say so he just kept quiet, his eyes closed under the water. He heard Itadori draw in a breath before he continued. "And I think it's time we finally talked about—"

"I'm not talking about him." Fushiguro opened his eyes and met Itadori's so Itadori would know he was serious.

"Megumi—" Fushiguro tightened his fingers against Itadori's chest.

"Not today. Please," Fushiguro whispered. It sounded like he was begging and Itadori just nodded, not feeling like he had any other choice. He didn't want to compound Fushiguro's pain and Fushiguro was thankful for that today.

"Will you wash my hair?" Fushiguro asked as a peace offering. He gave Itadori a small smile which Itadori returned.

"Sure, you know how much I love doing that."

"I know. You're the only person I'd ever let touch my hair." Fushiguro reached up and took Itadori's chin in his hand and kissed him, this time deeper. When he pulled back, Itadori was smiling at him and Fushiguro smiled back.

As long as he had Itadori, Fushiguro could endure. This or anything else.

-
Itadori could tell Fushiguro was having a hard time, just from the way the muscles in his jaw were tensed, and they weren't even in the cemetery yet. Fushiguro had the option to bury her in the Jujutsu High graveyard but he'd opted for one he'd chosen, on a large hill outside the city with a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji. Itadori knew the plot was expensive, it was an older cemetery and most of the existing plots were family owned, but Itadori knew Fushiguro would spare no expense for his sister. Fushiguro hadn't known what became of his biological parents or if they had a plot somewhere so he'd started one for Tsumiki.

"Love?" Itadori asked. It was a term of endearment he rarely used. Mostly because Fushiguro found it embarrassing if used too casually, so Itadori saved it for moments of unusual seriousness. Moments when Fushiguro needed him to be calm and collected and sincere.

"I dont—" Fushiguro said before cutting himself off with a shake of his head. "I can't do this, Yuji."

"You can." Fushiguro just stared straight ahead of him, at the path going deeper into the cemetery and all the gravestones on either side. Itadori stepped in his field of view and he reached up to take Fushiguro's face in his hands, forcing Fushiguro to look at him. "I've seen you face Special Grades with a reckless fearlessness."

"Because I knew that if there was a chance of me dying, I could just summon Mahoraga to take down the curse with me."

"My point, " Itadori said with a smirk, "is that this is easy, babe. It just feels hard. I'm sure Tsumiki's spirit will be happy to see you. Don't greet her with a frown."

Fushiguro nodded, reaching up to squeeze Itadori's hands on his cheeks. After a second, he steeled himself and Itadori saw him square his shoulders. Vulnerability wasn't something Fushiguro showed easily. His natural demeanor was aloof and nonchalant but he felt comfortable with Itadori. He had since they'd met, Itadori bringing out some heightened emotional state he'd buried deep underneath. Itadori wore his feelings and his heart on his sleeve and he'd inspired Fushiguro to do it too, with the people who mattered to him at least.

Itadori intertwined their fingers together and stepped into the graveyard, pulling Fushiguro behind him. Though as soon as they were over the threshold, Fushiguro moved to lead since he knew where Tsumiki's plot was. Even a well kept and expensive private graveyard like this was still overflowing with cursed energy. But it seemed suppressed and Itadori guessed that they kept a cursed talisman nearby to ward off cursed spirits.

They passed older and newer haka, some scrubbed immaculately clean and others overgrown with moss. A caretaker greeted them and they'd stepped apart to return the greeting, holding hands again once they were past the old man. After a few turns, they came to an end to the path and there was a tombstone with the name Fushiguro engraved down the stone.

Fushiguro went still and Itadori looped his arm around Fushiguro's shoulders to give them a reassuring squeeze. Then, slowly, as if he was scared to spook the spirits, Fushiguro approached the grave. Itadori stayed slightly behind and watched as Fushiguro dropped to his knees. He stared at the name for several seconds, his chest now rapidly rising and falling, before he closed his eyes and raised his hands in prayer.

Fushiguro wasn't a prayer. He and Itadori often went to the shrine on the various holidays with Kugisaki and the others, but Fushiguro never went through the rituals of spiritual belief. Itadori knew he didn't really believe in anything, shirking off the Japanese traditions as respectfully as possible. He didn't even pray over his food.

Itadori could only assume that he needed the additional comfort, even if he normally wouldn't. Or maybe he felt it appropriate to do here and now. Either way, Itadori kneeled behind him and did the same. He said his only silent prayer to his late sister-in-law, asking for help in easing the pain in Fushiguro's heart.

When Itadori opened his eyes, he saw that Fushiguro's were already opened and he was staring at the grave. Itadori just kept quiet. He'd come to be Fushiguro's support in whatever way that meant. He'd only speak or act if that was what Fushiguro needed him to do.

"Yuji?" Fushiguro said.

"Yeah?" Fushiguro turned to look at him. He gave Itadori a small, reassuring smile.

"I'm okay. Could I have a few minutes alone with my sister?" Itadori nodded.

"Of course. I'll be nearby. Call me whenever you want me to come back, okay?" Fushiguro nodded and Itadori stood. Before he could walk away, Fushiguro motioned him closer. Itadori went, bending down so Fushiguro could kiss his cheek, before he turned and walked away, leaving Fushiguro to talk to his sister.

He walked through some of the rows, looking at the various haka, before he took a seat on a stone bench. If he twisted, he could see Fushiguro's back a few rows over, now standing with his hands on his pockets. Itadori smiled sadly to himself and hoped this would bring Fushiguro the comfort they both hoped.

Staring at the tombstones, Itadori thought about his grandfather. He'd have to make a visit. It had been a while since Itadori had gone and he was sure there was stuff he had to tell his grandfather about. He'd told him about getting married but that was probably the last time he'd visited. All the traveling kept him busy.

Then he thought about Choso and the others, his half brothers for how fucked up his genetic lineage was. The other death paintings were a part of him, but he'd lost Choso. Eso and Kechizu as well, without realizing their significance to him. Itadori hadn't really known them, but he'd known Choso as much as he could in their time together. He mourned him, the love and care Choso had displayed to him. How much Choso wanted him to live and learn and grow. It was only after Choso was gone that Itadori realized how much he'd liked being someone's little brother.

His thoughts inevitably turned towards his fallen mentors. Gojo and Nanami and Yaga and others in more recent years. All the adults who cherished his childhood innocence, had wanted to protect it and him from the cruelty of the world while giving him the tools to survive it. They'd seen his potential as a sorcerer when so many hadn't. They'd known that he was more than just a vessel, that he could be a valuable sorcerer with time and education. They'd all saved his life regardless of their personal intentions in doing so. He'd be repaying that for as long as he lived, fighting and protecting others as they'd done for him.

He was a jujutsu sorcerer. Death was their profession both because of the cursed spirits they exorcised and the high probability of occupational hazards. The death never got easier, losing a comrade always made Itadori feel responsibly weak, but Itadori found that he was getting better at compartmentalizing it. Shoving the grief away until he could deal with it at an appropriate time.

It's what Fushiguro had done and why Itadori suspected this might help. Except Fushiguro never had dealt with it. He'd just kept it locked away, using his nonchalant matter of factness about the situation as a placeholder for his grief. He'd accepted that Tsumiki was dead, but that didn't mean that he'd ever actually grieved her. It meant that his pain was just shoved into a corner of his mind, building until the looming anniversary caused the dam holding it back to crumble.

Which led Itadori to thinking about the other thing that he and Fushiguro had never properly addressed. Itadori knew that, somehow, that was the harder one because of the intimate nature of what had been done to them. And while Itadori had let a lot of his anger go over the years, Fushiguro clearly hadn't, and Itadori had agreed not to bring it up. Maybe that had been the wrong decision, but Itadori couldn't deny that speaking Sukuna's name aloud felt like a bad omen even if Itadori felt like he'd understood the King of Curses more at the end.

Sukuna. Even if the curse hadn't been inside Itadori for years, Itadori felt like he could still feel him sometimes. It was likely just the residuals, the bleeding through of Sukuna's technique into Itadori's body. The curse was gone, of that Itadori was sure, but sometimes he felt like he wouldnt know the true effects for years to come. Itadori could use Sukuna's precious technique on command, but he was determined to make it his own. Let history remember Shrine as his, dismantle and cleave as his, with only him to remember Sukuna's horrors.

Itadori perked up, drawn from his inner thoughts when he saw Fushiguro walking over to him. Fushiguro came over to the bench as Itadori made room for him and sighed as he sat down. He leaned heavily against Itadori and rested his head on Itadori's shoulder. Itadori cradled his head with a hand and kissed his scalp.

"How do you feel?" Itadori asked. Fushiguro was quiet for a second while he thought about his answer.

"I feel good," Fushiguro said. "I did what you suggested. I told her about all the stuff I think she'd like to hear. I told her about how much I like being a teacher. I told her about how much I've furthered my technique. She wouldn't really understand that one but she'd be excited for me anyway." He turned to look at Itadori who was smiling at him. "I told her about you."

"Yeah?"

"I told her that I feel lucky to have met my soul mate at fifteen and how wonderful to me you are. I told her about how you cried at our wedding."

"That's supposed to be a secret."

"You did it in front of the whole room, Yuji."

"What can I say," Itadori told him, "you looked so beautiful and I was so happy to marry you."

"I told her that you're corny."

"Guilty," Itadori joked.

"But I told her that she doesn't have to worry about me. I'm taking care of myself and if I'm not, you are."

"That's great, babe."

"I know it sounds untrue," Fushiguro said. "But I felt her. Like she was standing with me smiling."

"You and I both know death isn't so permanent," Itadori remarked. "If curses are real, why can't regular spirits be? Why can't blessings?" Fushiguro smirked, knowing that Itadori was making a remark about his name. It hadn't felt like a blessing for a long time, Itadori knew. Fushiguro hadn't felt like anyone's blessing for a long time. But hindsight had shifted that for him and Fushiguro had readily admitted how much he'd been that blessing for many. For Itadori certainly.

"Thank you," Fushiguro said. He knew that didn't cover everything but Itadori didn't need to hear more.

"Ready to go home?" Itadori asked. Fushiguro just nodded and they stood up, walking back towards the entrance like they'd entered it, hand in hand. Itadori took out his phone and dialed the number for the driver to come get them. And Fushiguro, wanting to be proper inside the cemetery, waited until they were waiting outside to lean over and whisper into Itadori's ear all the things he wanted to do to him on their day off. He must have been feeling bold because he had even Itadori blushing and when Itadori glanced at him, Fushiguro was looking away down the road, smirking and blushing himself

-
Fushiguro's nightmares were getting worse. The dreams themselves weren't too different but they were more intense, Fushiguro feeling somehow more trapped in his body. Terror increasing with each passing day as it got closer to the anniversary. There was going to be a large memorial honoring those who died, the sorcerers who gave the greatest sacrifice and the innocent people they could not save.

Two days before the anniversary memorial, Fushiguro woke up in a puddle of his own sweat with Itadori clutching him impossibly tight from behind. Itadori was saying his name over and over again.

"I'm sorry," Fushiguro whispered.

"Don't apologize to me. Not for this."

"You're not getting any sleep."

"Megumi, please." Itadori squeezed him tighter and Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's arm across his chest. "Why, now?"

"Because that bastard's still trying to torture me," Fushiguro whispered.

"He's gone, love. He's gone."

Fushiguro just let Itadori hold him until the soaked sheets made him shiver. Itadori gave him a long, gentle kiss to the temple. Then he got up and helped Fushiguro strip off the sheets. He brought them to the washing machine while Fushiguro changed out of his clothes. When Itadori came back later, he found Fushiguro sitting on the ground of the bathroom, his back to the wall and his knees pulled up to his chest. Itadori sat down beside him.

"If you're not going to talk, can I?" Itadori asked.

"Of course," Fushiguro whispered. Itadori sat quietly for a second, tapping his thumbs against each other as a sign that he was thinking about what he wanted to say.

"I know that what he did to you is slightly different than what he did to me," Itadori said. "I was only a vessel because I ate that finger. Even with our familial ties, he never would have gotten inside me without my choosing to eat that finger. With you, he—" Itadori trailed off but Fushiguro knew what he was going to say and finished the thought for him.

"He wanted me so he took me," Fushiguro supplied. Itadori closed his eyes for a second, like hearing that caused him pain, and nodded.

"Yes, so I know that when I talk about it, I can't understand what you went through entirely. He killed people in my body, but the people he killed in yours were much more targeted to cause you pain. So I understand why maybe it's uncomfortable or it hurts to talk to even me about this."

"Then why do you want me to do it?"

"Because it's eating you alive, Megumi. You're telling me that you're going to go to that memorial and not have a breakdown? Look at you."

"When have you ever seen me have a breakdown?" Fushiguro said, sounding annoyed. Itadori just stared at him incredulously and Fushiguro looked away from him. The simple truth was that Itadori was the only person who had ever seen him break down. How else could one describe the state of Fushiguro's soul when Itadori had seen it?

"I love you," Itadori said. "I love you more than I even knew I was capable of. So out of respect to you, I'm not going to answer that." They both went quite for a second. Itadori leaned over and rested his forehead on Fushiguro's shoulder. "You're in pain and seeing you in pain, causes me pain. I can't take it away for you, but I can help you with the burden. That's what I promised to you when we got married, Megumi. Your struggles are mine. Let me help carry them."

Fushiguro turned to look at him and Itadori held his gaze. Itadori was flashing his puppy dog eyes at Fushiguro and Fushiguro couldn't help smiling slightly. He leaned forward and kissed Itadori's forehead, just a peck, before kissing Itadori's lips when Itadori tilted his face up for it. It was chaste but it left them both feeling reassured. Itadori knew that whatever Fushiguro said, he was going to finally open up. And Fushiguro knew that Itadori was with him, that like he'd always known subconsciously, Itadori would handle his pain the same way he handled anything else about Fushiguro. With love.

"Let's get off the floor," Fushiguro said when he pulled back. Itadori nodded and they both stood up, Fushiguro taking Itadori's hands to help him up even though they both knew Itadori didn't need the assistance. Fushiguro led them out of the bathroom, through their bedroom, and into the kitchen. The low rumble of the washing machine could be heard down the hall.

Fushiguro started to make tea while Itadori leaned against the kitchen island. Fushiguro put the full kettle on the stove and went over to wrap his arms around Itadori. Itadori hugged him back, holding them together tightly as the water came to a boil. They only broke apart when the kettle whistled and Fushiguro grabbed two cups from the cupboard, poured the hot water over two tea bags. It was after four in the morning so the cheap and easy tea would have to do.

They went to the living room and sat on the sofa, Fushiguro curled into the corner and Itadori sitting less than a foot away. Itadori just set his tea on the coffee table while Fushiguro sipped his. Itadori put his hand on the top of one of Fushiguro's feet, his thumb rubbing the side of Fushiguro's ankle with what Itadori hoped was comfort.

"What he did to me," Fushiguro started, "makes me feel like I've been violated." Itadori nodded, having long guessed that this might have been what Fushiguro was feeling. It didn't make it any easier to hear though. "The way he did whatever he wanted with my body feels like I've been—" Fushiguro stopped so he could take a deep breath. "I don't know how to feel okay with that."

Itadori didn't say anything for a second but Fushiguro could see how much it pained Itadori to hear that. The anguish was evident on his face, to finally hear Fushiguro's explanation of how he felt about what had been done to him. Given the circumstances, it was an understandable way to feel. Fushiguro's body had been used against his will, to do things he didn't consent to. It was a violation, the fact that it was done by a cursed spirit irrelevant.

"He used to talk to me," Fushiguro said.

"When he was in your body?" Itadori asked. He already knew about that. Fushiguro had told him that before and Itadori knew from his own time as Sukuna's vessel that the King of Curses loved to taunt. But Fushiguro just shook his head.

"When he was in yours," Fushiguro corrected. This was new information to Itadori so he looked surprised. "Sometimes he'd talk to me when you were asleep. I'd lay there next to you and he'd tell me that one day he'd do whatever he wanted with me and you wouldn't be able to stop him. I thought he was trying to scare me or keep us apart. I thought I knew what his threats meant." Fushiguro gave a little humorless laugh.

"I'm so sorry," Itadori said. Fushiguro just shook his head.

"He never did anything to me in your body," Fushiguro said, kindly trying to reassure Itadori. As if using the proximity Itadori afforded him to torment Fushiguro wasn't bad enough on its own. How many nights had Itadori and Fushiguro made love, for Sukuna to then keep Fushiguro awake with threats of violence while Itadori slept? Itadori looked ill and he stood up. Fushiguro watched as Itadori paced a little, to the other the end of the sofa, back, and then to the other end again. He put his hands behind his head and he sighed.

"I'm so sorry I never said anything," Itadori said as he turned back to Fushiguro. Now it was Fushiguro's time to look confused. "He used to make the same threats to me too. He'd tell me that, if I didn't protect you, he'd do all kinds of things to you. I thought he was just trying to torment me, to force me to ruin the thing we had out of fear. I never guessed he was doing it to you to. I'm so sorry I never told you."

"It wouldn't have mattered, Yuji. We both knew he had plans for me. He just made sure we thought it was something other than what it was. The worst part is that sometimes I wish he had just assaulted me if it meant he left my sister alone. Instead I still feel like he did and Tsumiki's dead too."

"Please don't say that," Itadori said. He sank down onto the sofa and put his head in his hands. "In that scenario, it's my body he uses to do it. I'm not sure I would have been able to handle that."

"You're right. That was cruel of me to say. I'm sorry." Fushiguro put his hand out to Itadori and Itadori took it, squeezing tightly. Itadori brought Fushiguro's hand to his mouth, placing a little kiss on the back.

"He used to whisper such awful things to me," Fushiguro whispered. Itadori looked at him with such an anguished expression, genuinely pained to hear Fushiguro describe this. And Fushiguro knew that Itadori loved him so much. He loved him so much that Fushiguro's pain was Itadori's. "So it's not hard to feel like he made good on those. He described them in such vivid detail that I can picture them like they're memories."

"You must have been so scared," Itadori whispered back. Fushiguro swallowed around the lump in his throat, but he would not cry. Not because of what that bastard threatened to do.

"I was." Itadori reached up and cupped Fushiguro's cheek, his eyes shining with unshed tears. That almost broke Fushiguro. "And I never woke you because I knew you'd insist on staying away from me and I couldn't endure that. I wanted you so badly. I wanted to find a way to get him out of your body so we could be together peacefully. I didn't want him to torture you anymore."

"Don't endure for me," Itadori said with a shake of his head. "I'm not worth that."

"Yuji, I went to bed every night next to you knowing that he was there too, that I might have to hear him whispering. But that was nothing compared to getting to go to sleep next to you. Seeing you smile at me when you wake up in the morning is the reason I wake up in the morning. That's what got me through those nights. The idea that he could never scare me away from you. His violence would never be more powerful than your love."

Itadori was crying now, heavy tears falling down his cheeks. Seeing Itadori weeping for him finally filled Fushiguro's eyes with tears. Then he was finally crying, for what had been done to him all those years ago, for the violence inflicted on him and how'd he continued on. Angry tears for the sister he couldn't protect. Sad tears for the boyhood stolen from him. Happy tears that he was not alone in all of this and that he had someone who loved him so much that they wanted to help him carry his pain.

"That's still what helps me endure now," Fushiguro told him. He reached up and wiped away the tear on Itadori's cheek.

"You're not supposed to be comforting me."

"I'm not, Yuji. I'm selfish. I'm explaining how I comfort myself." Fushiguro smiled and God, how he felt lighter. He didn't need to keep all of this so tightly locked in his chest anymore. He could talk about it and it wouldn't kill him. It wouldn't make Itadori go running. And now, finally, someone will understand how hard it's been and how strong Fushiguro was for surviving.

"Megumi, I have to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me." Fushiguro nodded. Itadori looked at him and this time is was Fushiguro's chest that ached to see the expression on Itadori's face. "When you look at me, do you see hi—"

"No," Fushiguro said adamantly before Itadori could even finish the question.

"Megumi—" Fushiguro wrapped his arms around Itadori and pulled Itadori against him, tucking Itadori's head against his chest. Itadori returned the embrace, his fingers clutching into the back of Fushiguro's shirt.

"I've only ever seen you, Yuji. Your smile. Your voice. Your kindness and your strength. I look at you and I see the boy I fell in love with at fifteen. He was a tourist in your body, like he was in mine. You don't ever need to worry that I'm seeing anyone else in you."

"I love you," Itadori whispered.

"I love you too. I'll love you forever, Yuji."

"Promise?"

"I wouldn't have said my vows if I didn't promise that." Fushiguro kissed Itadori's temple and Itadori returned a kiss to Fushiguro's chin. Then they were kissing, gossamer touches of lips to lips, meant only to comfort each other after all the painful things they'd discussed tonight.

"Megumi?" Itadori asked after they'd pulled apart. Fushiguro just made a low sound in his throat encouraging Itadori to continue. "Is there anything I can do for you? To help you be more comfortable? Or to help you with your feelings?"

"No," Fushiguro told him. "I hate him, Yuji. I'll hate him for the rest of my life. But he's gone, like you said, and I don't want to let him take anything else from me. No more time. No more happiness and comfort. I want to live. With you. I just want these dreams to stop."

"There will be an anniversary ever year," Itadori said.

"Five feels monumental."

"What about ten?" Fushiguro smiled at him.

"My frontal lobe should be fully developed by twenty five so hopefully everything will feel less intense," Fushiguro joked. Itadori laughed for a second before he got quiet. He relaxed against Fushiguro, his back to Fushiguro's chest, and Fushiguro wrapped his arms around Itadori.

"What if I don't age, Megumi?" Itadori asked seriously.

"We don't know what you will or won't do," Fushiguro assured.

"I already look younger." Itadori sounded like a kid when he said it, lost and maybe a little scared, and Fushiguro realized that maybe Itadori had been spending a lot of time thinking about this. "Cursed spirits don't age."

"Yuji, you know you aren't a cursed spirit. A death painting like Choso? Probably. But you aren't a cursed spirit."

"It's sweet of you to try and act like those are different."

"They are different. You weren't born from negative emotions. You had parents. Your grandpa—"

"For however fucked up that makes me."

"Stop that," Fushiguro said. "We've already dealt with one crisis tonight. You can have yours next year."

"You'll keep aging," Itadori continued sullenly.

"Everyone will think inappropriate things when I'm fifty and you look barely twenty." Itadori just looked ill and Fushiguro smiled. "I'm joking, Yuji."

"Ha ha," Itadori quipped humorlessly.

"We're jujutsu sorcerers. None of us are guaranteed a long life."

"I don't know if I can do life without you," Itadori said. Fushiguro kissed his scalp.

"Keep talking like that and you'll curse me to come back like Okkotsu did with Rika."

"We'd be a really scary pair then, wouldn't we?" Itadori said, finally cracking a smile. He snuggled even deeper into Fushiguro's arms and Fushiguro smiled fondly, so content to hold Itadori. "Thank you for talking to me."

"Thank you for being patient with me. I'm sure you've wanted to know for a long time."

"I didn't want to know for my own curiosity. You've been in so much pain. I just didn't want you to feel alone. You're not alone. You've made me feel lighter than I've ever felt. You can count on me to do the same for you." Fushiguro ran his hand over Itadori's chest, slow and soothing.

"I've never felt as in my own body as I do when I'm with you," Fushiguro said. "That's always been true. The first time you kissed me, I felt right. I felt like I understood who I was and who I wanted to be. You make everything align for me, Yuji."

"And you don't think you're romantic," Itadori said to him again. He turned his head and Fushiguro leaned forward to kiss him. It was still more soft kissing though Itadori did reach up to bury his hand in Fushiguro's hair. Fushiguro finally pulled back, smiling at the way Itadori chased his lips.

"You still do that for me," Fushiguro continued. "When I didn't know how to be comfortable in my body after him, when even the idea of enjoying my body scared me, you always made me feel right." Itadori just nodded, pulling Fushiguro back into another kiss.

They laid together on the sofa until just before the sun rose. Then Fushiguro complained about not getting any rest so Itadori picked him up and carried him back to the bed, despite Fushiguro's objections to being held. Itadori dumped him on the bed and crawled onto it afterwards. Fushiguro was still grumbling so Itadori kissed him a few times before pulling them both to the mattress, wrapping Fushiguro in his arms.

When Itadori got up later to start breakfast, Fushiguro was sleeping peacefully. Itadori didn't know if it was from the exhausting night or if talking had helped soothed his nightmares, but Itadori was just happy to see Fushiguro resting. Itadori just sat on the edge of the bed and watched him for a bit before he went to get his phone.

Kugisaki would just have to do double duty with the first and second years today because Itadori had no intention of waking Fushiguro up.

-
"Well if it isn't the Itadori-Fushiguro's," Kugisaki said with a smile. Itadori waved at her as they made their way through the school gate. The school was chosen for the site of the memorial given the ease with which all the sorcerers could get to it. The sun was going down and it was unusually warm.

"That is a mouthful," Fushiguro said regarding he and Itadori's combined names.

"I know. It's why I told you guys not to do that," Kugisaki joked.

"Where is everyone?" Fushiguro asked, ignoring her.

"In one of the shrines. They set up the memorial in there." Kugisaki nodded in the direction and they all set off in that direction. Itadori took Fushiguro's hand as they walked and Fushiguro smiled as Kugisaki and Itadori chatted.

The shrine was decorated in the traditional memorial style with an alter set up with all the portraits of those lost. They'd included the sorcerers lost in Shibuya as well as those lost in the Culling Game. There was already a line of people waiting to pay their respects. Fushiguro and Itadori started making their way towards the line when a loud booming voice called out for Itadori.

"My brother!" Itadori smirked before he turned to see Todo coming towards him.

"Hey man," Itadori said, graciously returning the bruising hug Todo gave him. "It's been a while."

"Not since you got married," Todo told him. Then he turned to Fushiguro and Fushiguro put his hands up in a warning.

"Don't hug me," Fushiguro told him.

"Nonsense. We're in-laws and you always greet your family with a hug." Before Fushiguro could evade, Todo had him wrapped in a hug that was crushing. Which was saying something since Fushiguro routinely got hugs from Itadori. Fushiguro grimaced and looked over to see Itadori and Kugisaki chuckling. Fushiguro imagined he must have looked like a cat who didn't like to be held. Todo finally released him.

"What a bunch of weirdos," a feminine voice joked. They all turned to see Maki approaching, Okkotsu on her heels with his trademark sweet smile. Fushiguro glanced between them and Kugisaki, wondering if that particular polycule was still active. Kugisaki shot him a look and Fushiguro looked away.

"You're one to talk," Fushiguro just said instead.

"I was counting myself," Maki said with a smirk. "How have the lovebirds been?"

"Don't call us 'the lovebirds'," Fushiguro said.

"I kinda like 'the lovebirds'," Itadori joked, breaking off from his side conversation with Todo. Fushiguro rolled his eyes to express his disagreement.

"We've been good," Fushiguro said, choosing to answer Maki's actual question. "Yuji just got back from a mission. My students are studying for finals. So the usual."

"When are you guys gonna have us over?" Maki said.

"The idea of all of you in my house at the same time fills me with dread," Fushiguro said. Maki playfully punched him in the arm which hurt, a lot, and Fushiguro frowned.

"This is very surreal," Okkotsu said suddenly which made everyone in their group quiet.

"Can't believe it's been five years," Kugisaki said in agreement. Fushiguro looked around and saw several other familiar sorcerers, even some who had since retired, from both the Tokyo and Kyoto areas, pass by. He nodded his head at the ones he knew.

"So many things are different now," Todo said. "Yet so much is still the same." Fushiguro glanced at Itadori and saw that he was staring at his feet. That comment reminded them both of the conversation they'd had about Itadori possibly not aging. Fushiguro looked away and noticed that their whole group was also looking at Itadori. Most of their expressions were sad. Clearly the minor changes in Itadori's youthful appearance hadn't gone unnoticed by those around them.

Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's hand, giving his fingers a squeeze. Itadori looked up at him and gave him a soft smile. Fushiguro said something about his students to engage Kugisaki into changing the subject. She played along and the conversation shifted. Itadori pulled his hand out of Fushiguro's so he could step closer and put his arm across Fushiguro's shoulders, his hand resting on the spot between Fushiguro's neck and shoulder, this thumb at Fushiguro's hairline. Fushiguro normally didn't like public displays of affection, but today he didn't mind presenting he and Itadori as a team.

Fushiguro could feel the eyes of people staring at them. He knew from the last few years that half of the looks would be impressed at finally seeing the famed duo of former vessels. The other half would be concealed scorn. The truth was that there were still some jujutsu sorcerers, typically older and more conservative, that believed Itadori and Fushiguro should have been put to death for being vessels at all. An even smaller number of them were also just generally homophobic, deriding the fact that two of the strongest and most well known sorcerers were two married men. The silver lining was that they were all too cowardly to act on their prejudice given how highly the wider jujutsu society thought of Fushiguro and, even more, Itadori. Itadori's huge contribution to defeating Sukuna and his tireless work to exorcize curses since made him revered by the majority.

"We should get in line," Fushiguro said. It was longer now than it had been when they arrived, various sorcerers lining up to pay their respects to those who died, some of whom may have been dear loved ones. Fushiguro had submitted a framed photo of his sister and Itadori and Ino had chosen a photo together for Nanami.

They said goodbye to their friends with promises to all get dinner together afterwards and went to stand in line. Fushiguro put a hand on the small of Itadori's back though he wasn't sure if it was to comfort himself or Itadori, who was unusually quiet.

"You doing okay?" Itadori asked him quietly once they were in line.

"I should be asking you that," Fushiguro responded.

"Why?"

"You're being quiet."

"I guess I'm wondering how many more of these am I going to have to go to," Itadori said lowly. Fushiguro just stared at his face, trying to ascertain the expression on it. Itadori looked sad, mostly, but also something almost like fear at the very real prospect of having to go to more memorials for more fallen friends.

"As many as any of us," Fushiguro told him. He tightened his grip on Itadori's lower back. "You could die in a few years from something random so there's no use dwelling on the long life thing now." Itadori laid his head on Fushiguro's shoulder but he smirked.

"Was that supposed to cheer me up?"

"No. It was supposed to be realistic. Cheering you up would be telling you that you look handsome in your dress clothes." Itadori's smirk turned into a smile and he straightened up.

"Flirting with me here? Very inappropriate of you, Megumi." Fushiguro rolled his eyes but he was blushing.

They moved up the line, getting closer towards the front. Fushiguro could see just how large the memorial alter was, with hundreds of photos along its length. Made sense that they chose to do this in an unused shrine. It was the only place large enough to accommodate all the people.

Fushiguro saw his students, Kobayashi and her old brother, who was one of the second years, and he nodded when they waved at him. They were with their mother, a kind older woman who was not a sorcerer herself. Their father had been but he'd died years ago, Kobayashi inheriting her technique from him.

Finally, after nearly half an hour of waiting in line as others paid their respect, it was Fushiguro and Itadori's turn. They were immediately met with a photo of Gojo, one that they both recognized since it was one he'd taken with them. His hair was down and he had his sunglasses on, accompanying his students on an excursion from early on in their first year. He was holding up two peace signs and smiling and if the photo hadn't been cropped, you'd have seen Fushiguro, Itadori, and Kugisaki standing beside him doing the same. Except for Fushiguro who was hiding his hands in his pockets despite Kugisaki's best efforts.

Fushiguro felt an immediate pain in his chest and he turned to see Itadori blinking back tears. Minutes ago they'd been joking around but suddenly being faced with this array of their fallen comrades had sobered them up. Itadori dropped to his knees and lowered himself into a bow. People were staring and, even though Itadori wasn't the first person to pay respects like this today, his fame made the gesture more of a spectacle than Itadori had likely intended. In solidarity, Fushiguro matched his posture though he did it much less dramatically.

When they rose, Fushiguro saw that Itadori hadn't let any of his tears fall. Fushiguro took Itadori's hand and squeezed as they made their way down the memorial, acknowledging those that had died in both Shibuya and the Culling Game colonies, until they came across the next photo they both knew.

Yuki Tsukumo. And while Fushiguro and Itadori didn't have a personal relationship with her, Fushiguro knew her place on the memorial simultaneously represented Choso's. Itadori didn't have any photos of Choso to put on the memorial, there hadn't been time to take any, so Tsukumo had to represent herself and Choso, her death a sacrifice for him to live a bit longer. Itadori lowered himself at the waist in a bow, a whispered thank you directed towards her portrait.

Fushiguro went rigid when they came across the photo of his sister. He'd supplied it as the living family but seeing it actually placed on the alter, surrounded by fallen comrades, hurt more than Fushiguro expected it too. Now it was Itadori's turn to squeeze his hand, that silent confirmation of support helping Fushiguro to once again go to his knees in a bow. Itadori went down beside him, his hand a comforting presence on Fushiguro's back. And with everyone staring at them, Fushiguro was glad to have Itadori beside him in such a personal but public display of grief.

Then, there at the end, was the photo of Nanami. It was a candid photo of him checking his watch, tie and sunglasses off, over dinner at a restaurant. Ino had taken it himself after a mission once and Itadori had liked it for the simple fact that it was Nanami at his most relaxed. He wasn't the sorcerer or the salary man in that moment. He'd just been Nanami, treating a junior to dinner, a thing they often did.

"Nanamin," Itadori whispered. He dropped into another bow and he whispered his next words low enough that only Fushiguro, and hopefully Nanami Kento, could hear. "I hope I've made you proud. I wanted to make you proud."

Fushiguro put his hand on Itadori's head, giving it a gentle brush. Itadori straightened up and Fushiguro saw the tears in his eyes again. Itadori didn't wipe them away, just stared resolutely at Nanami's photo. Then he gave just a bow of his head and turned away from the alter, Fushiguro behind him. Fushiguro took Itadori's hand as they made their way out of the shrine.

They ended up in an empty hallway, the one they had been standing in when Itadori let slip that he loved Fushiguro for the first time, years ago. Without all the prying eyes, they just wrapped their arms around each other and held on tightly.

-
Fushiguro woke up and noticed the spot beside him in the bed was empty. He rolled over to look at the clock and saw it was after two in the morning. There was a faint light coming from under the other side of the bedroom door, which was unusual, so Fushiguro got out of bed and went to see what was going on.

Itadori was sitting in the living room in the dark, only the light from the kitchen barely illuminating Itadori's shoulders. He turned to look over his shoulder as Fushiguro came into the living room. He gave Fushiguro a small smile and Fushiguro came around the sofa.

"I'm the one who isn't supposed to be sleeping," Fushiguro said. Itadori gave a little shake of his head.

"I'm so happy that you're sleeping," Itadori said. Fushiguro wasn't sure he'd say that. Tonight was the first night he'd really slept, the nightmares continuing past the memorial though they seemed to be getting less intense. But Itadori had laid beside him and kissed him for an hour and Fushiguro thought that had worn him out enough to sleep.

"What's wrong?" Fushiguro asked. Itadori looked like he was going to deny that anything was bothering him but then he just smirked at Fushiguro. He held his arms out and Fushiguro stepped into them, letting Itadori pull him down onto the sofa. As soon as Fushiguro was settled, Itadori laid down so he could put his head in Fushiguro's lap, closing his eyes and sighing comfortably when Fushiguro ran his fingers through Itadori's hair.

"I keep thinking about what you said. About how you felt violated." Itadori whispered that last word like it hurt him to say. Fushiguro just nodded for Itadori to continue. "I wanted to think about if that's how I might feel, but I just don't think it is."

"I don't want you to feel like that if you don't," Fushiguro said. "It's terrible to feel like someone did whatever they wanted to you without your permission. It can make you feel like your body isn't yours anymore. I don't want that for you."

"I'll always feel responsible," Itadori said. "I ate that finger knowing there would be consequences. He wouldn't have had a way to do the terrible things he did if I hadn't opened the door for him. I don't feel violated. I feel like he used me to do the violating." Fushiguro was quiet for a second. When he spoke his voice was incredibly gentle, probably the kindest Itadori had ever heard it.

"That still is a violation, Yuji," Fushiguro said. "Ignoring the fact that you couldn't have understood the true consequences of eating that finger, and couldn't truly consent to that, you didn't give him permission to do anything that he did. You didn't give him permission to kill all those people. You didn't give him permission to torment me. He did those things against your will too."

"That makes me feel angry."

"And guilty. And sad. And ashamed," Fushiguro added. Itadori's eyebrows were pulled tight and he looked the part.

"I know it's not about me, but it really hurts to hear you say that that's how you've felt all these years. I don't want you to ever feel pain, of any kind. I want to create a world without that for you." The words were so similar to the idea Fushiguro had for a long time about the world he'd wanted to create for his sister. And he knew how much it had destroyed him to lose her.

"While sweet, I think that's probably unrealistic, Yuji, and far too great a burden for you to try to take on." Fushiguro went quiet for a second trying to formulate a nice way to say what he wanted to. "Even if you eliminate every curse on this planet yourself, they'll just keep coming back. And even if they don't, humans still have the capacity to do plenty of harm. You can't prevent that and I don't think it's good for you to think you can."

Itadori was quiet and Fushiguro moved his hands to cup Itadori's chin, turning Itadori so he had to look at Fushiguro. His thumbs made slow, gentle tracks over Itadori's cheeks.

"If I have to spend a lifetime killing curses, then that's what I'll do," Itadori said.

"Yuji—"

"Its okay," Itadori said, his favorite phrase to try and placate Fushiguro. "I'm not going to argue with you about this, Megumi."

"You really think that's going to bring you a happy and fulfilling life?" Fushiguro asked.

"I don't think that matters," Itadori said.

"To who?"

"To me."

"I think it does matter," Fushiguro told him. "I don't want to see you in pain either. The difference is that I'm not arrogant enough to think that I can change the entire world anymore." Itadori sat up and turned to Fushiguro.

"You think I'm arrogant?" Itadori asked, sounding a little hurt. Fushiguro sighed.

"Of course not," Fushiguro said. "But I think the idea is."

"Wanting to help people?" Fushiguro slid closer to him so he could once more take Itadori's face in his hands. He brought their faces close together, locking eyes with Itadori.

"Thinking that you alone are the deciding factor, when we both know that isn't true, is arrogant. You should do your part if that's what you feel you have to do, but don't take on this impossible mission and then blame yourself when it inevitably fails."

"You always say that we're jujutsu sorcerers and this is what we do."

"It is," Fushiguro said with a nod. "All of us. Together."

"But I'm not like you," Itadori whispered. He sounded a little pained by that, reaching up to take hold of Fushiguro's fingers on his cheeks.

"In what way?" Fushiguro asked. He knew what Itadori meant but if they were going to have this conversation fully, why not just say it all. "Because you're not fully human?"

"Yes," Itadori said, standing up and pacing a ways away. He finally turned back to Fushiguro. "How are you so nonchalant about that?"

"How do you want me to be, Yuji?" Fushiguro asked after a quiet second. "Scared? Disgusted? Happy? Nothing about your parentage has changed since we met. We might know more now, but you've always been what you are. Why is it any different now?"

"You should be disgusted."

"Well I'm not," Fushiguro said, leveling Itadori with a long, challenging look as if daring Itadori to fight him on it. Itadori just let out a sigh and then sank back onto the sofa beside Fushiguro.

"I don't deserve you," Itadori whispered.

"I will hit you," Fushiguro admonished. Itadori turned to him and gave him a small smile. Fushiguro reached out and laid his right hand over Itadori's heart, the thing beating against his palm. "You're so kind. You care about people in a way that I haven't always understood. I'm just scared that this purpose you've given yourself is going to kill that. Especially if—" Fushiguro stopped suddenly but Itadori seemed to understand what he was going to say.

"I outlive you?" Itadori guessed. Fushiguro took a second before he finally nodded, a tentative shake of his head before a more assertive one. Itadori reached up and grabbed onto Fushiguro's hand as if it was a lifeline, a tether to the humanity he was so recently fixated one.

"I don't want to think about that."

"Then don't," Fushiguro put his other hand on the back of Itadori's head, giving it a little shake. "Stop letting all these thoughts rattle around in your head. You're not human? You're not aging? I don't care."

"Are they rattling around because I don't have a brain?" Itadori joked. Fushiguro smiled.

"Exactly. Stop worrying so much about the future. We'll take every day as it comes."

"I love you," Itadori whispered.

"I love you too," Fushiguro answered. He leaned forward and kissed Itadori, slow and gentle.

They seemed to be having all their hard conversations in the middle of the night recently, but Fushiguro thought that was okay. They'd never had barriers between them. Secrets, sure, but never barriers. Itadori had seen the well of abject sadness that was his soul and he'd still wanted Fushiguro, had wanted to carry him back into the light. What was a late night conversation in the wake of that?

-
A few weeks later, Itadori was working out in the second bedroom, which they both used as a gym, when Fushiguro came in. Itadori smiled over at him, put the weight back on the bar catch, and sat up, his arms already reaching for Fushiguro when Fushiguro approached. Fushiguro stepped close enough that Itadori could grab his waist.

"Good morning," Itadori said. He leaned forward and kissed Fushiguro's hip.

"It's almost ten," Fushiguro grumbled.

"That's still morning. Besides, I don't have it in me to wake you up now that you're sleeping." Fushiguro made a soft sound before he got even closer, forcing Itadori back on the bench as he straddled Itadori's waist. Itadori smiled before Fushiguro leaned forward and kissed him.

This was not a gentle kiss. This was breath taking, Fushiguro slamming his lips into Itadori's hard enough to make them tingle. Itadori happily kissed him back and slid his arms around Fushiguro's waist to hold him tighter. Fushiguro bit down on his lower lip and Itadori groaned.

"Not that I'm complaining," Itadori said when Fushiguro moved to kiss the scar beside Itadori's mouth before kissing his chin and then his neck, "but what's going on with you?"

"I'm well rested," Fushiguro said before resuming his task.

"How well rested?" Itadori could feel his cock getting hard. Could feel Fushiguro's too if he rubbed their bodies together just right. If Fushiguro wanted a late morning fuck, Itadori was more than ready to give it to him.

"I slept all through the night," Fushiguro said before going back to kissing Itadori's mouth. Itadori smiled before licking his way into Fushiguro's mouth, ramping up the kiss as his tongue met Fushiguro's. Fushiguro slid his hands to cup Itadori's face, his fingers in the hair at the base of Itadori's neck, holding Itadori in place as he slid his body closer.

They just kissed for a bit. It was something they'd both always enjoyed, the passionate making out, ever since they were teens. They'd been each other's first, for pretty much everything, and Itadori thought about the first time they'd kiss. They'd just stood in Fushiguro's room, lips pressed together until Fushiguro had sighed against his mouth and Itadori had taken it as an invitation. Itadori had kissed him until Fushiguro was panting, pushing Itadori away to complain that he felt a little dizzy. Then they'd ended up on Fushiguro's bed, still kissing, this time slower and Itadori had touched Fushiguro's face and then his chest, all casual petting until it wasn't.

Now here they were, five years later, dry humping in the guest bedroom of the house they owned.

"I definitely don't want to stop," Itadori said when he finally extricated himself from Fushiguro's mouth. "But I don't think the weight bench is an appropriate place for sex."

"You better pick someplace appropriate then," Fushiguro said. He already sounded blissed out, his words slow and slurry. Itadori smiled as he moved one of his hands from Fushiguro's waist to under Fushiguro's sleep shirt, hot skin to hot skin as his hand touched Fushiguro's back.

"You're in a mood today," Itadori joked. Fushiguro kissed him again but these were just slow, brief pecks. Finally Fushiguro sat back and Itadori smiled at the heavy blush on Fushiguro's cheeks.

"You were in my dream last night and when I woke up, I just wanted to see you. But then you were working out, all sweaty, and I suddenly wanted to do more than look at you."

"Must have been a good dream."

"It wasn't that kind of dream," Fushiguro said. He let out a low sound of pleasure when Itadori's hand ran up his spine and then back down again, Itadori's thumb sliding over the ridges of his vertebrae.

"What kind of dream was it?"

"The same one I've been having for weeks." Itadori looked at him confused. He wasn't sure how he suddenly played into Fushiguro's recurring nightmares or why that would make Fushiguro respond like this.

"I don't understand," Itadori remarked. Fushiguro smiled at him, his fingers lovingly caressing Itadori's face.

"It was the same dream I've been having but I wasn't alone. You were with me and that made me feel less scared. He's just a demon haunting my dreams but you're real and you're mine and I can do anything with you by my side."

Itadori melted at that. Fushiguro had admitted to him a long time ago that he liked when Itadori was overly romantic, when Itadori confessed all the sappy things in his heart. But the truth was that Itadori liked it when Fushiguro did it to. The difference was that Fushiguro wasn't trying to be romantic. He was just speaking honestly about his thoughts and feelings, but those things were so inherently romantic that Itadori fell for it every time.

"I'm so in love with you," Itadori whispered. He pulled Fushiguro closer so he could lay his head on Fushiguro's chest, closing his eyes and listening to the heart beating under his ear. His heart even if it wasn't in his chest. For as long as he lived, that's where Itadori would always truly belong.

"Yeah? Don't tell my husband," Fushiguro joked. He looped his hands around Itadori's shoulders to hug him tightly and Itadori practically purred with content.

"Can he fight?" Itadori asked. He slid the hand on Fushiguro's back lower, dipping into Fushiguro's pants to grab his ass.

"Really well actually."

"You're worth fighting for, Megumi."

"I really believe it when you say it."

"And I really mean it when I say it." Fushiguro smiled before leaning down to kiss Itadori's hair.

"Yuji, I'd like it if you took me to bed now." Before Fushiguro was even done speaking, Itadori hoisted them up off the weight bench and carried Fushiguro back to the bedroom. And Fushiguro didn't even complain about being carried or about being pushed onto the mattress. He just looped his arms back around Itadori when Itadori ducked down for another passionate kiss.

Itadori settled on top of Fushiguro. Itadori was like a broken record, bursting with all his love for Fushiguro. Every inch of him. Every molecule. Itadori liked the way Fushiguro felt underneath him, on top of him, beside him, curled up a foot away on the sofa while they watched a movie. He loved his shy personality, his brilliance, his snark. The soft sounds he made when they kissed, when Itadori did more, went the extra distance to please Fushiguro until he couldn't handle anymore.

"Yuji," Fushiguro whispered against Itadori's lips and Itadori dropped to kiss Fushiguro's neck, the spot just under his ear that Itadori knew made Fushiguro squirm. And squirm he did, his neck arching and his hips pushing up against Itadori's. Their cocks collided and they both groaned, the sound a vibration under Itadori's lips. "Yuji."

"I'll never get tired of that," Itadori whispered, moving back to place a soft kiss to Fushiguro's cheek. "I'll never get tired of this. Of you."

"Even when I'm old and grey?" Fushiguro asked. Itadori put his forehead to Fushiguro's right temple, their scars overlapping.

"I can't wait to watch you get old. I pray every day that I get to do that."

"Just keep your eyes on me. I'll be happy with that." Itadori chuckled and kissed Fushiguro's chin before sitting back to look at him.

"Can I work you open?" Itadori asked. Fushiguro snorted.

"Do you think I'll need it?"

"You never think you need it." Fushiguro shrugged.

"My body remembers the shape of you."

"It definitely doesn't work like that," Itadori said with a smirk. "But I wanna be inside you. Every part of me for as long as possible."

Fushiguro smiled and it was a confident, sexier smile than Itadori knew he'd ever given to anyone else. He only ever felt comfortable showing this side of himself to Itadori and Itadori was so grateful to be on the receiving end of it. It meant that Fushiguro felt comfortable enough with Itadori to be flirty and unrestrained. Being the safe space for someone, after all they'd been through together, was such a treasured gift.

Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's hand, the one missing the two fingers, and brought it to his chest, holding it against his sternum. Itadori looked at his face.

"I'll carve open my chest and you can climb in," Fushiguro told him.

"I'm already there, Megumi. You let me in years ago and I never left." Fushiguro brought Itadori's hand to his lips. He kissed the blunt knuckles of Itadori's two missing fingers and then he opened his mouth and put the remaining two fingers inside. Itadori groaned as Fushiguro's tongue slid against his fingers, between them, sucking on them without looking away from Itadori's face.

"Megumi."

Fushiguro pulled Itadori's fingers fully into his mouth, demonstrating how far Fushiguro could get them without a gag reflex. Itadori groaned again as Fushiguro pushed his tongue between Itadori's pressed together fingers, slow thrusting between the digits as Itadori ground his hip against Fushiguro's.

"Megumi," Itadori moaned again.

After another display of his impressive sucking skills, Fushiguro pulled Itadori's fingers out of his mouth. As soon as they were clear, Itadori surged up to kiss Fushiguro. While he did, he dropped his hands to Fushiguro's waist, quickly undoing Fushiguro's sleep pants and pushing them down. He got one leg off before Fushiguro widened his thighs and Itadori slipped a hand between them. He didn't immediately put them to Fushiguro's entrance. Instead he started palming Fushiguro's hard cock. Not a full stroke, but a languid rub of his hand against it. Fushiguro's hips thrust towards Itadori's hand but Itadori kept going slow.

"Yuji," Fushiguro moaned.

"I'm gonna get the lube," Itadori said, finally pulling away. Fushiguro gave a frustrated sigh and settled back against the mattress, tossing his hands over his eyes. Itadori thought he was cute so he leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss before sliding to the edge of the bed.

"You really are going to take your time, huh?" Fushiguro asked. He wasn't looking at Itadori but Itadori smiled anyway.

"You don't get to jump me while I'm doing bench presses and then get mad that I want to make love to you."

"It's not the love making that's annoying," Fushiguro said, turning to look at Itadori. He had a sour face on but he also wasn't wearing pants so the affect was more comical than anything. Itadori pulled his shirt over his head and then stripped out of his pants. He went to get the lube from the bedside table. While he did, Fushiguro slid his pants the rest of the way off and then removed his shirt. By the time Itadori crawled back to the bed, popping the lid on the lube, they were both naked and Fushiguro was propped up on the pillows, his legs spread and bent at the knee. Itadori settled between them as he coated his fingers.

"Do you really not want me to do this?" Itadori asked. Fushiguro sighed.

"Of course I do. Anything you want to do to me, I want done. I just have to be a contrarian about it." Besides they both knew that Fushiguro's pleasure was the star of the show anyway. Itadori got off on getting Fushiguro off, on drawing out the experience so that Fushiguro got full satisfaction, an orgasm so intense it was practically painful. Without edging him off anyway which had the opposite effect by putting Fushiguro in a bad mood. Fushiguro cared about Itadori's pleasure too, of course, but since Itadori wanted to please him like that, Fushiguro let him. He gave himself over to Itadori, trusting Itadori completely, letting Itadori ease out whatever pleasure he wanted from both of them.

"You're so cute," Itadori said with a smile as he pushed the first finger in. And maybe Fushiguro was onto something because Itadori met little resistance and Fushiguro himself barely reacted. Just a little intake of breath at the first second of entry before he settled back against the pillows. Itadori pushed the finger up to the last knuckle before sliding it out and then in again. Itadori leaned forward and put his forehead to Fushiguro's as he slowly worked his finger in and out. Fushiguro grabbed Itadori's supporting arm with one hand and gripped it tight. Then he put the other on the back of Itadori's head to keep him close.

"I like being able to feel inside of you," Itadori said. Itadori added a second finger, still not meeting much resistance, though Fushiguro moaned out when Itadori's fingers were all the way in. Itadori was avoiding his sweet spot intentionally, wanting to work up to the really good pleasure. Fushiguro closed his eyes, his body tensing slightly with the increasing arousal, and Itadori just watched the shadows on his cheeks from his long eyelashes. "I'd love to taste you."

"This will end quickly if you do."

"I know. I just wanted you to know." Fushiguro smiled and pulled Itadori into a kiss, slow moving lips to mirror the slow pump of Itadori's fingers. Itadori chose that moment to push the pads of his fingers into Fushiguro's sweet spot. Fushiguro jolted like he'd been electrocuted, dropping his head against the headboard with a thud as he cried out in pleasure

"Yuji!"

Itadori didn't let up. He just slow massaged his fingers over Fushiguro's spot and then pulled back to thrust into it again. Fushiguro moaned out, his hands tightening where they gripped Itadori, a reactionary spasm going through him. On the next thrust of his fingers, Itadori added a third finger, intensifying the stretch which only made Fushiguro's moan louder.

"You're so beautiful," Itadori told him.

"Yuji, please." Fushiguro was blushing, a combination of the physical pleasure and the compliment. His cock was already leaking, so was Itadori's, and they both knew Fushiguro would reach his limit soon. Itadori's fingers weren't going fast but the slow intensity made Fushiguro squirm all the same.

"Almost, babe, almost."

"Let's see how much you'd like it," Fushiguro said. Itadori smiled.

"I'd be fine. You're the one who said you didn't like topping."

"As much," Fushiguro corrected, the words coming out as a whisper as another wave of pleasure overcame Fushiguro. "I said I didn't like it as much."

"Feels too good like this?" Itadori asked and Fushiguro just nodded, his wild hair shaking with the motion. Itadori smiled and gave a final press with his fingers before he pulled them out. Fushiguro gasped and Itadori immediately kissed him, deep and intense, as he slid an arm around Fushiguro. He pulled Fushiguro into his lap, Fushiguro's legs naturally going around Itadori's waist. They just kissed for a bit, occasionally grinding their hips together, as Itadori lined his cock up with Fushiguro's entrance.

Itadori braced himself with a hand on the mattress as he pushed the tip into Fushiguro. Fushiguro moaned against Itadori's lips, pulling back to lay his cheek on Itadori's head as Itadori got deeper. The slide was so easy that Itadori was fully sheathed in seconds, both of them panting in ecstasy, hips pressed together.

Itadori rolled his hips up into Fushiguro's and Fushiguro cried out. Itadori was filling him completely because of their positions, the head of his cock stuffed against Fushiguro's sweet spot. The feeling was electric, for both of them, Fushiguro practically trembling with pleasure and Itadori practically suffocating from the way Fushiguro was gripping him. With just a few more rolls of Itadori's hips, they were both sweating, skin and lips sliding against each other.

Fushiguro ground his hips down to meet Itadori's upwards thrust in a move that had them both moaning. Fushiguro was saying Itadori's name over and over again, the two syllables repeated like a prayer accompanying the heavy collision of their bodies. Fushiguro was holding Itadori's head to his collarbone and Itadori dragged his lips over the bone in a sloppy kiss.

"Yuji!"

"I'm close, love. Wait for me." Fushiguro barely nodded, not totally in control of his body's reactions because of the overwhelming pleasure. Even the wild grinding of his hips was involuntary, animalistic, a subconscious chase. The low groans and grunts reflected his blissed out state, unrestrained where he whispered them in Itadori's ear.

Itadori dropped a hand to Fushiguro's cock, stroking quickly in order to get Fushiguro off. Fushiguro was at the precipice and Itadori knew he'd be coming any second. All his tells were there. He was making a high whine as Itadori fucked him and he was clutching Itadori with desperation. His grip on Itadori was exquisite and Itadori knew he wasn't going to last much longer himself.

Fushiguro came first, arching his back and coming into the space between their bodies with a cry of Itadori's name. Itadori stroked him through it, whispering words of love and affection, his hips stuttering wildly until his own orgasm approached, brought on by Fushiguro's. Itadori tried to pull out, knowing Fushiguro didn't usually like it when Itadori came inside of him, but Fushiguro just gripped him tighter. He refused to let go so Itadori had no choice but to spill where he was, rocking his body into Fushiguro's until he was done. In response, Fushiguro just gave the prettiest sigh that Itadori ever heard.

"You feel so good," Fushiguro whispered once they were slumped against each, sweaty and panting but still.

"I'm supposed to say that," Itadori replied. Fushiguro smiled and turned to kiss Itadori, slow and lovingly, not caring about the mess or the fact that Itadori was going soft inside him. Itadori just kissed him back with all the enthusiasm he could manage post-coital. Itadori was blissful, both from the orgasm and from getting to hold Fushiguro so tightly in his arms.

"Need a shower," Fushiguro grumbled when he pulled back. The orgasmic haze must have worn off and he realized how and where he was dirty. He made a face and Itadori just smiled at him.

"I'm surprised you wanted me to do that," Itadori said. He helped Fushiguro maneuver off his lap, which only made Fushiguro's frown deepen since if resulted in cum all over his thighs.

"I was in a mood," Fushiguro said, using Itadori's earlier term to describe Fushiguro's sudden and needy desires. Itadori got off the bed and held his hand out for Fushiguro to use. Fushiguro took it and got off the bed as delicately as possible so as not to make more of a mess.

"Can I join you?" Itadori asked. Fushiguro just rolled his eyes as he made his way to the bathroom because of course Itadori was welcomed to join him. This was their house so Itadori could do what he liked. And even if it wasnt, Fushiguro would happily let Itadori hold him in the shower after such a fantastic orgasm. He loved him like that.

Itadori smiled and went after him. Fushiguro ran the water while Itadori got them fresh towels and then they both stepped in together. As soon as Fushiguro was moderately clean, he turned and looped his arms around Itadori's shoulders so he could pull his husband into a deep kiss. They stood there like that until the water went cold.

-
"Come with me," Itadori told him. He'd gotten his assignment for his next mission which was going to take him to Fukuoka for several days. He didn't worry about Fushiguro having nightmares while he was gone. They'd all but fizzled out over the last few weeks. This time Itadori just wanted Fushiguro to come with him because he missed doing missions together. And then, who knows, maybe they could make a little vacation out of it attending the old shrines and beaches together once the curse was exorcized.

"I can't," Fushiguro said with a smile. Itadori just waited for whatever excuse Fushiguro would supply. Fushiguro took a drink of water and ate another bite of his lunch to avoid answering. Then, lamely, he said, "my students—"

"Will be fine with Kugisaki for a few days." Itadori seemed to think on that and smiled. "Probably."

"You're a bad influence," Fushiguro said but he hadn't shut the idea down completely which they both knew meant Itadori would win this one.

"I'm a bad influence?" Itadori gasped with fake insult. "You've done nothing but get me into trouble since we met. I probably would be running a grocery store or something if you hadn't shown up at the hospital that day."

They couldn't really know how Itadori, or Fushiguro's, lives would have progressed if they hadn't met. If Itadori hadn't eaten that finger. If Fushiguro had left when Itadori told him he didn't have the cursed object. Lives didn't work like that and hindsight didn't serve any purpose other than reflection and nostalgia.

"Do you regret it?" Fushiguro asked.

"Meeting you?"

"Becoming a jujutsu sorcerer," Fushiguro amended. Itadori was quiet for a second as he thought about it.

"There have been moments. After Shibuya. After what happened to you. I couldn't help feeling like none of those bad things would have happened if I hadn't been there. If I'd stayed away from you like I should have."

"But?" Fushiguro asked, anticipating the clarifying information. Itadori smiled.

"But I love you and I can't imagine a life without you and I can't take away that stuff without removing you. I'm not willing to do that." Fushiguro smiled and Itadori knew it was one of his really happy ones. "Do you?"

"I've been in this life since I was a kid."

"I meant me. Letting me stay so close with him inside me."

"I've never blamed you for what he did to me or Tsumiki. You know that." Fushiguro laid his chopsticks on the bowls edge and reached out to Itadori, who took the offered hand. Fushiguro looped their fingers together. "And I never knew that I could need someone until I met you, Yuji. I didn't think that kind of love was something I was capable of."

"Me either," Itadori told him. "Love seems like such silly thing when you're a kid."

"My sister would have gotten pulled into the Culling Game without you, but I couldn't have survived losing her without you. I asked you to save me and you did."

"You saved me first."

"We could do this all day, Yuji."

"Let's do it forever," Itadori said with a shrug. Fushiguro smiled again and got out of his chair. He went around the table and Itadori pushed back from the table, already knowing what Fushiguro would do. Fushiguro settled in his lap, his arms locking around Itadori's shoulders. And when Fushiguro leaned forward and kissed him, Itadori was smiling.

Love might have been a curse, but this was one that they were both happy to carry.