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Today is the 24th of December, and yet, one member of their family still hadn’t made it home. Suguru swears he will knock Sato’s head if something has happened to their kid. Meanwhile, the girls are busy complaining about how overprotective Suguru is—pacing around the living room like a madman—while Satoru casually strolls in with a bowl full of popcorn. The girls cheer at his arrival, but Suguru only shoots him a pointed look. How can that man look so unfazed when the boy he took under his care still hasn’t returned home with them? The snow outside is becoming more relentless, a full-blown storm raging beyond their doorstep, and yet Megumi is still out there, on a mission. They had already lost Tsumiki. They couldn’t afford to lose another Fushiguro—another child forced to pay the price of their 'curse' to exist alongside this cruel jujutsu world.
"How can all of you be fine with the fact that Megumi still hasn’t made it home?" Suguru complains, though he doesn’t raise his voice. The girls continue munching on their popcorn, completely engrossed in an action movie that Suguru hadn’t even realized they had put on. Meanwhile, Satoru casually settles beside Mimiko, grabbing a handful of popcorn as he joins them in watching the film—completely unfazed, as if nothing is wrong.
"Because... I know he’ll be fine," Satoru said, his voice lacking its usual confidence. He didn’t even spare a glance at his own worried husband. Suguru knew he could trust Satoru’s judgment—after all, he was the one who had known Megumi the longest, the one who had taken both Megumi and Tsumiki under his care. But even so, no matter how much faith he had in Satoru’s instincts, the fact remained: Satoru wasn’t there with Megumi. He wasn’t there to see with his own eyes that the boy was alive and well.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because... Shoko just told me," Satoru said casually, unlocking his phone and waving the screen in front of Suguru’s face.
Suguru, who had been standing there deadpan, suddenly strode forward, snatching the phone to see for himself. His eyes scanned the messages quickly, his tense shoulders only slightly relaxing when he read that Megumi had been taken care of by Shoko for his injuries. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one—his friends had refused to let him leave the infirmary, forcing him to stay put.
There was even a photo attached. In it, Megumi stood in the center, looking utterly resigned as his injured friends clung to him, their bodies slumped against him like dead weight. They looked exhausted, yet determined not to let him escape. Suguru’s lips twitched at the sight, but his amusement vanished the moment he scrolled down to Satoru’s response—a bunch of laughing emojis.
His eye twitched.
Suguru had been worrying for hours, only for this idiot to casually drop the news as if it were nothing.
"You should have told me sooner!" Suguru snapped, his frustration boiling over as he reached out and pinched Satoru’s nose hard. The man yelped, squirming in protest as he tried to wriggle free. After a few seconds, Suguru finally let go, rolling his eyes as Satoru dramatically rubbed his sore nose.
"I did tell you! How dare you be so mean to your lovely husband!" Satoru protested, pouting.
"BOOOO!!! Get out!!" Nanako jeered, before attempting to kick Satoru’s foot in disapproval.
"Nanako-chan! Why are you teaming up with him?!" Satoru exclaimed dramatically, pointing an accusatory finger at Suguru, who could only sigh at their usual antics. As expected, this back-and-forth would probably go on for a while. Nanako never missed an opportunity to throw mean comments at Satoru, and Satoru, being himself, always took the bait. Before the banter could escalate further, Satoru suddenly clapped his hands together. "Anyway, Megumi-chan should be here any second now. He brought his friends!" Nanako gasped, eyes lighting up with excitement
"Will Nobara be here?" she asked eagerly. Mimiko, who had been quietly listening, perked up at the mention of Nobara, her gaze shifting to Satoru in silent anticipation, waiting for his confirmation.
"I think she is—if she agreed to come. A girls' night would do her some good, right?" Satoru said with a grin. The twins’ eyes sparkled with excitement. Well... they had only visited Jujutsu Tech once before, sneaking in to surprise Megumi on his birthday. But along the way, they had grown surprisingly comfortable around Nobara. She was just so cool—tough yet effortlessly girly at the same time. She could throw a punch like a pro but still indulge in the little joys of being spoiled. Nanako and Mimiko loved spending time with her, and fortunately, the feeling was mutual. Nobara enjoyed their company just as much, if only because she was so tired of being surrounded by dull, clueless boys who had absolutely no understanding of the world of girls. Nanako had once agreed with her—a little too sadly.
And just like that, as if speaking of her had summoned him instead, the door swung open. A chorus of greetings erupted from the two louder voices that had followed him in. The moment their coats and shoes were off, Suguru was already moving, striding toward Megumi in a rush. Without a second thought, he pulled the boy into a firm embrace, holding him tightly as if to make sure he was really there.
"Did Sensei say something that made you worry?" Megumi asked as he wrapped his arms around Suguru, rubbing his back in a brief, comforting gesture. He didn’t linger for long, though. After a few moments, he squirmed slightly, signaling that he wanted to pull away. Suguru, though reluctant, let him go, watching as Megumi casually shrugged off his coat and set his shoes aside.
"In fact, he didn’t tell me anything," Suguru huffed, crossing his arms. "And that’s what makes me worried!" He shot a sharp side-eye at Satoru.
"Hey! I told you they were fine! You just didn’t believe me!" Satoru huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in mock offense. Suguru, still visibly annoyed, let out a sharp exhale, clearly unimpressed. But just as quickly as his frustration had settled in, it melted away. His expression softened the moment his gaze landed on Itadori and Nobara, the warmth in his eyes replacing his earlier irritation.
"Welcome home," he said with a gentle smile. "Do you want something to drink? It must be freezing out there."
"Hot chocolate!" Itadori and Nobara said in unison, their voices filled with eager excitement. Satoru, never one to miss a chance to join in, chimed in with the same order. This caused Suguru to click his tongue in playful annoyance, a small smile tugging at his lips despite his mock frustration. Though Suguru hadn’t spent as much time at Jujutsu Tech as most of his friends, he still kept himself updated on life at the school. And honestly, he was always a little amazed at how Satoru maintained such an incredible relationship with his students. Especially this group of first-years. Perhaps it was because their personalities matched so well, or maybe it was simply because they were Megumi’s friends. But still... no teacher would ever let their students crash at their home and pay for their shopping without a second thought.
"Ginger tea," Megumi muttered quietly, drawing Suguru’s attention back to him. Suguru reached over and ruffled Megumi’s hair affectionately.
"Got it," he said with a gentle nod, before turning and making his way toward the kitchen. Meanwhile, Megumi guided his friends toward the living room, where the twins were already waiting. The moment Nobara stepped inside, the twins cheered in unison, and they rushed over to hug her, their excitement almost palpable. Nanako, ever the one to show her affection through teasing, pinched Megumi’s cheek, earning an exaggerated scowl from him. Mimiko, on the other hand, simply greeted them both with a quiet smile, which Megumi was grateful for—at least she didn’t have the same dramatic tendencies as her sister. Nobara, Itadori, and Megumi settled on the couch, casually resuming their spot in the middle of the movie, now halfway through. Moments later, Satoru returned to the room, balancing a tray of snacks, which Itadori and Nobara immediately began devouring with gleeful abandon.
"How’s the mission going?" Satoru asked casually, draping himself dramatically across the couch, clearly feeling at ease. The two students froze mid-bite, eyes widening before they started whining in unison about their 'unlucky encounter.'
"...What even was that? They said it was a three-level curse! It didn’t look anything like that!"
"...And then he grabbed my head and punched me like I was some kind of punching bag!"
"...Thankfully, Nue was more useful than this guy!"
Satoru, unfazed, simply looked at them with a blank expression, nodding slowly. "Ahh... I see."
"You don’t get it, do you?" The three of them asked, each one pointing accusingly at their teacher.
"Nope," Satoru replied nonchalantly, not even a hint of concern in his voice. The students sighed in perfect unison, clearly used to this by now. It was so Gojo Satoru to not expect him to actually listen. The man was practically a walking daydream. But, as everyone knew, if you ever really needed him to step up and be serious, he'd be the most reliable help you could ask for.
Suguru walked into the room, carrying their drinks, and handed them out with a smile. Itadori and Nobara cheered in delight, taking their cups eagerly, while Megumi had already taken a sip of his drink, savoring the warmth. It felt nice, being together like this. In a world where tomorrow was always uncertain, moments like this were precious. At some point, Nobara crawled over to the twins, and they all snuggled under the blanket, giggling as they leaned in closer to the screen. Itadori, not wanting to be left out, rested his head on Megumi’s shoulder, while Satoru, ever the drama king, flopped his head onto Suguru’s lap. Suguru, without missing a beat, began playing with Satoru’s hair, his fingers moving with a practiced ease. Suguru glanced around, savoring the warmth of the moment. Tomorrow would bring challenges. In their line of work, death was always lingering on the horizon. But tonight, tonight was different. Tonight, they had this moment—a rare chance to just be. Wrapped in blankets, sipping on warm drinks, rewatching old movies, and leaning against those they loved. It was better than the dorms, better than being cooped up in separate rooms, alone with their thoughts. No, moments like this were what mattered. For them, every day was a celebration of life. They were alive. They were here. So why not enjoy every second? And all Satoru cared about at that moment was this—lying down with the love of his life, feeling his soft hand caressing his hair, glancing at his "kids" safe and sound, and sharing this rare moment of peace with his troubled students. Megumi might be lucky to have found stability, but they all cherished the fact that they could still be together, if only for tonight.
But, of course, as it often happens, this peaceful moment was about to be shattered.
The dreaded sound of a tiny crunch echoed through the room as a cockroach appeared, crawling across the floor. Everyone froze, staring at it in unison.
And of course, it had to be Nobara who acted first. With a dramatic flair, she threw her nails toward the cockroach with lightning speed. Unfortunately, in her panic, the nails missed entirely, embedding themselves harmlessly into the floor instead.
The room was now filled with the eerie silence of everyone processing the failure, before the chaos of attempted insect warfare began.
"Cockroach!!" Nobara screamed, pointing dramatically at the tiny crawling demon. The twins immediately shrieked, lifting their feet off the floor as if the cockroach might somehow leap up and attack. Itadori and Megumi followed suit, shattering the peaceful harmony they’d just established.
"SUKUNA—"
"WITH THIS TREASURE I SUMMON—"
"Boys!" Satoru’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. Instantly, the room went silent as the air seemed to chill, everyone freezing mid-movement. A small chuckle escaped from Sukuna, but no one was paying any attention to him. Satoru sighed, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "It’s not that big of a deal, okay? Let’s all just calm down and—" Just as everyone thought the chaos was over, the cockroach took flight. Yes, you read that right—it flew. The little demon creature’s wings buzzed with terrifying intensity as it shot through the air like a tiny, vile missile.
Straight toward Satoru.
In that instant, Satoru's body reacted before his mind could even catch up. His Infinity flared to life, shimmering around him like an invisible barrier, his eyes wide in sheer panic. The cockroach, now suspended inches from his face, seemed to hover there in slow motion, as if taunting him. It was… disgusting. The creature’s body was a grotesque, chitinous nightmare, a hissing mess of squirming legs and beady black eyes that glared at him like it knew he was terrified. The vile thing looked like it had crawled out of the very depths of hell just to torment him. In Satoru's mind, it was no longer a mere insect—it was a demon. Satoru, his usual cool demeanor obliterated by sheer terror, snapped.
"DOMAIN EXPAN-"
"SATORU, YOU DID NOT!"
And just like that, the absolute absurdity of a jujutsu sorcerer ready to use his Domain Expansion on a cockroach became the most normal thing in the world.
-END-