A/N: Hii guys, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's commented and voted on the previous chapters. I'm mainly active on ao3 and barely ever use Wattpad anymore (I can't seem to figure out the algorithm to see stories, or to get people to see my stories, so I prefer the simplicity of ao3). But, I thought I'd put this fic up here as well, and I'm happy to see that it managed to reach some people, so thank youuu for all the interaction ❤️

I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

"So, how did we react when Gojo-sensei revealed that you were alive?" Nobara asked, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

Yuji glanced at the television screen, where the ending credits for the movie were playing. The three of them were sprawled out on the floor, snacks and drinks scattered around them. It was the night before the Goodwill Event, and they had decided to spend it together, watching movies and eating junk food.

It was a great distraction from the stress of the upcoming day, and they were having fun.

"Uh," Yuji muttered, his eyes darting to the side. "Not great. Well, not at first, at least. You guys were, uh, really upset. At Gojo-sensei. And then you guys were kind of mad at me, too. For keeping it a secret. But you, uh, got over it, eventually."

"Hm," Nobara mused, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth. "I'm a bit nervous about having to pretend that we're surprised, and then, acting upset about your revival. I hope I can pull it off."

The thought felt so surreal that Yuji couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Nobara demanded.

"Sorry," he grinned. "It's just, I can't believe that we're actually sitting here, discussing the fake reactions we have to put on tomorrow."

"Yeah, that is kinda weird," Megumi admitted.

"But you better get used to it," the brunette retorted. "Because if we're going to make this work, then we have to sell it."

Yuji had to sell it the most. He had to sell the fact that he was a clueless, oblivious, first-year sorcerer who returned from the dead, unaware of his classmates' feelings toward his return. He had to sell the fact that he was meeting Todo, and the rest of the Kyoto students for the first time. He had to sell the fact that he didn't know about the special-grade disaster curse that was going to attack tomorrow. That's a lot of selling.

Nobara grinned.

"Okay," she announced. "Operation: Sell This is a go."

Yuji couldn't help but smile. It was such a Nobara thing to say.

"Here, here," he cheered, raising his can of soda.

Megumi snorted, but he raised his own can.

"Let's do this," the brunette declared.

They all clinked their cans together, and Nobara turned to the television, scrolling through the movie options.

"Alright," she said, her voice determined. "Wanna watch another one, or should we call it a night?

"We should probably get some sleep," Megumi replied. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"Aww," the brunette pouted. "Fine."

"Thanks for tonight," Yuji said, gathering the trash from their snacks. "I had a lot of fun."

"Same," Nobara agreed, getting to her feet. "See you losers tomorrow."

"Bye, Kugisaki," Yuji chuckled.

As the girl left, he and Megumi stood up, and began to clean up the mess they had made.

"So," Yuji began, throwing a wrapper into the trash. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Megumi admitted, his brow furrowed.

"Same," Yuji replied, his tone understanding. "But I'm glad I'm not going into this alone."

Megumi nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Me too," he murmured.

"I'm kinda gonna miss this place, though," Yuji mused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "We've been living here like a married couple for a while, huh?"

Megumi nearly dropped the empty soda can he was holding.

"Um, yeah," he stuttered. "I guess we have."

Yuji grinned.

"We're like those couples on TV," he joked. "Living together, having domestic arguments, sharing a bed. Except, y'know, minus the whole romance thing."

Yuji saw Megumi's face turn bright red.

"Y-yeah," Megumi choked out. "Minus that."

Yuji didn't know why Megumi was so embarrassed by his joke, but he assumed that his friend was just tired.

"Come on," he said, placing a hand on Megumi's shoulder. "Let's get some sleep."

He grabbed Megumi's wrist, and led the other boy towards the bed.

Megumi followed without protest, but he didn't meet Yuji's eyes, his gaze focused on the floor.

Yuji let go of his friend's wrist, and climbed into bed. He settled under the covers, and watched as Megumi did the same.

The two of them laid there, the silence heavy around them. Yuji could sense the tension in the air, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe Megumi was worried about the Goodwill Event, or maybe he was thinking about his sister. Either way, Yuji didn't want the other boy to dwell on whatever was bothering him, and so, he did the only thing he could think of: He snuggled closer to Megumi.

"What are you doing?" Megumi muttered, his eyes widening.

"You seem tense," Yuji murmured. "I'm just trying to help you relax."

"I-I'm not tense," Megumi denied.

"Liar."

Megumi huffed, and averted his gaze. Yuji could tell that he was trying not to smile.

"Fine," he conceded finally. "Maybe I am a little tense."

Yuji thought for a moment. Megumi helped him so much when he had his panic attacks. So, he should be able to help Megumi feel better.

"Hey, wanna be the little spoon?" Yuji asked.

"W-what?" Megumi spluttered.

"Come on," Yuji insisted, reaching for his friend's shoulder. "Turn around."

Megumi complied, but he was stiff, his muscles tense.

Yuji wrapped an arm around Megumi's waist, and pulled him closer. Megumi seemed to tense even more, and it confused Yuji.

"You need to relax," he chastised.

"It's hard when you're so close," Megumi muttered.

His answer seemed to confuse Yuji even more.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Megumi stayed silent. Yuji didn't know what he was thinking, but he could tell that something was bothering him.

"Hey," Yuji started, his tone soft. "Whatever's going on in your head, you can talk to me about it. You've done so much for me, I want to be there for you, too."

Megumi's face was the color of a tomato, but the tension in his body had eased a little.

"I don't know how to explain it," he muttered. "I just... I feel..."

"Feel what?" Yuji pressed, his voice gentle.

"I feel weird when you're the one holding me so close," Megumi admitted. "Like, my stomach feels fluttery, and my heart races, and I feel really nervous. And I don't know why."

"Oh," Yuji hummed. "That's all? I feel like that a lot, too. Like, when you're close to me, and I hold your hand, and when I hug you. It's not weird, it's just, uh, what's the word? Excited? No, not quite."

"Embarrassed?" Megumi offered.

"That's not it," Yuji pondered. "It's something else."

"Oh."

"Wait," Yuji exclaimed, realization dawning on him. "I know what it is! It's happiness. I'm happy when you're close to me. Because you make me feel safe, and warm, and like, I don't have to hide anything from you. And it's not weird. It's good. I'm glad that you're my best friend."

"Oh," Megumi whispered. "I-I'm glad that I'm your best friend, too."

Megumi's words were shaky, and Yuji couldn't figure out why. But it was late, and they both had a big day ahead of them. He didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Okay," Yuji yawned, closing his eyes. "Now, stop being such a stranger. We've shared a bed for weeks, now, and you're suddenly shy?"

"I-I guess you're right."

"Exactly."

As he fell asleep, he wondered why Megumi's heart was beating so fast.

-

Sleep was the last thing on Megumi's mind.

He laid there, in the dark, his mind racing. He knew that he should be resting, that he needed to be ready for tomorrow's event. But he couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he had just had with Yuji.

Because, what the hell was that?

The whole conversation felt like a fever dream. He couldn't believe the words that had come out of Yuji's mouth. How could Yuji be so nonchalant about this?

First, he was talking about them being like a married couple, and then, he was talking about feeling safe and warm around him. And then, he just goes to sleep? As if nothing had happened? What the hell was Megumi supposed to do with that information?

To be fair, it was somewhat Megumi's fault.

He was the one who brought up the weird feeling in the first place. Well, he regretted the words the second they left his mouth. He didn't even mean to say them, but they slipped out, like a reflex. But, now he had a problem. A big, confusing, scary problem.

Because the moment he said those words out loud, the realization hit him. It hit him with the force of a truck, knocking the wind out of him. And he was left reeling, struggling to breathe, struggling to comprehend the inescapable truth of being completely, helplessly, and undeniably in love with his best friend.

And the worst part was, it wasn't even a recent development.

No, this was a slow, steady, inevitable thing, that crept up on him without him realizing it. It wasn't until that moment, when the words slipped out, that he was truly aware of it.

Because, how could he not have realized?

It was there, in every moment, every touch, every smile, every laugh. It was there, in the way that he craved the other boy's presence, and in the way that his chest felt so warm, and his heart raced whenever Yuji was around. It was there, in the way that the thought of losing him tore him apart, and in the way that he would do anything, anything, to keep him safe.

Fuck.

The thought scared the shit out of him.

Not because he was scared of loving a boy. No, he didn't care about that. That was the least of his worries.

It was because, what the hell was he supposed to do now? Surely he couldn't tell him the truth, not when he was going through so much. It wasn't the right time, not now, and probably not ever. It would be selfish, and cruel, and a distraction that Yuji didn't need. So, the only thing Megumi could do was bury his feelings, deep down inside, and hope that Yuji never found out.

But, God, that was going to be difficult.

It had been much easier up until that point, when he was oblivious, and the thought was unformed. It was easy when the idea was hazy, and abstract, and undefined. But, now, it was sharp, and clear, and terrifying. And there was no denying it.

He was in love with his best friend. And there was nothing he could do about it.

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what he was going to do, but, for now, he would take his own advice, and try to get some rest. He needed to be focused for the Goodwill Event tomorrow.

He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, trying to push his thoughts away. He would have to deal with his feelings later. Right now, Yuji needed him.

And that was enough.

-

"It's your dearly departed Itadori Yuji!" Gojo announced, his arms spread wide.

Yuji jumped out of the cart he was hiding in, a huge grin spread across his face. Not that he felt like grinning, since this whole situation was just so ridiculous, but he had a part to play, so he would play it.

"Hey guys," he chirped, his tone light.

Megumi and Nobara were standing there, among the students, mouths hung open, eyes wide. It was pretty convincing, if you asked Yuji.

The whole thing was completely and utterly bizzarre, and Yuji was fighting not to break character. His first reaction was to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but he managed to keep a straight face.

The reactions were the exact same as before, and the whole thing was like déja vu. Nobara stormed over to him, demanding an explanation. Megumi was just standing there, staring at him, a stunned expression on his face. But, then...

"Ouch! That hurt, Kugisaki," he yelped, rubbing his face.

The girl had slapped him, and the impact was painful. That didn't happen the first time.

"Serves you right," the brunette retorted. "Dying and coming back like nothing happened."

She sounded angry, but her eyes were filled with mischief, and her lips were quirked upwards in a smile.

Megumi's mouth twitched, and Yuji was hoping that his friends would manage to stay in character.

Yuji's eyes landed on the second-years, and they were all looking at him with mixed emotions. They didn't seem angry, or upset, but they didn't look happy, either. They were probably still processing the news.

It was so strange, thinking about how in this timeline, they didn't know him yet. But, at the same time, they were all the same people that Yuji knew and fought alongside. It was confusing, to say the least. His heart clenched at the sight of Maki, her skin unmarred, hair tied back in a ponytail. He hadn't seen her like this in a long time.

Yuji shook off the weirdness of the situation, and turned back to his friends. He had a part to play, and he needed to do it convincingly.

"Sorry for not telling you about being alive, by the way," he told Nobara, rubbing the back of his head. "Gojo-sensei said it was a surprise."

"A surprise," the brunette scoffed. "Gojo-sensei, you really-"

"Alright, that's enough," Gojo interrupted, his tone chipper. "Let's get the introductions out of the way, shall we?"

He proceeded to introduce him to the other students, and Yuji played his role to perfection. But, when no one was watching, his eyes strayed to the other side of the field. He met Megumi's gaze, and Yuji gave him a reassuring nod.

Yuji exhaled, his body relaxing. They were going to be okay.

-

"Itadori Yuji. I have one question for you. What kind of woman is your type?"

Todo's question was the same as in Yuji's previous timeline, and Yuji had to fight the urge to roll his eyes.

He had allowed Todo to land a couple of punches, so the older student would think he was weaker than him, and he could follow his plan to the letter. Blood was running down his forehead, and his jaw hurt from where the taller boy had punched him. But, it would be worth it, in the end.

"I'm not really sure what's going on," he admitted. "But I guess I like tall girls with big butts. Like Jennifer Lawrence!"

He remembered saying this the first time, and his answer had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. The answer had saved his life in a way, so he couldn't exactly change it.

But all Todo did this time around, was raise and eyebrow.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, Itadori," Todo said, his voice low. "I'm not buying this act. You only that because you thought that was what I wanted to hear, huh?"

A wave of panic swept over Yuji. This was not supposed to happen. What went wrong?

"N-no," Yuji denied. "That's really what I-"

"Cut the bullshit," Todo snarled, grabbing him by the collar of his uniform. "I know you're trying to play me, and it's not gonna work. So, spill it. What's your real type?"

Yuji gulped, his heart hammering in his chest. Jennifer Lawrence was his real type! What could Todo possibly want from him?

Of course, he never really thought about Jennifer Lawrence, nor any other girl, for a long time. He was preoccupied with surviving the Culling Games, trying to defeat Sukuna, and, now, trying to fix the future and stop his friends from dying. He didn't have the time to think about his type. For heaven's sake, if it wasn't for Megumi, he wouldn't have even managed to sleep at night.

Wait.

Why did Megumi's face pop up in his mind? It was weird, and he didn't have time to dwell on that. He had to figure out a way out of this situation, and fast.

"W-well," he started, his voice quivering. "Tall. And smart. And... uh, dark hair, maybe blue eyes. And, uh, fierce."

He didn't know where that came from, but it sounded accurate, so he went with it.

"Interesting," Todo mused, releasing his hold on Yuji's collar.

Yuji slumped against the floor, the adrenaline leaving his body. Todo was still studying him, and Yuji was afraid that he had done something wrong.

"Huh, so it really is Jennifer Lawrence, then," Todo declared.

"Y-yeah," Yuji stammered, confused.

"Your first answer sounded so rehearsed. But, your description just now sounded genuine. That's good, 'cause I'm into Jennifer Lawrence, too. Good call."

Todo clapped him on the back, and Yuji was left stunned.

What the hell was going on?

But when Todo's eyes filled with tears and he embraced him, Yuji knew he somehow passed.

He was so confused.

-

The Kyoto students were clearly trying to kill Yuji, and Megumi was losing his shit.

He kept reminding himself that Yuji had lived through this before, and he could survive again. But that didn't stop him from worrying. He didn't want Yuji to get hurt, even if it was a necessary sacrifice for the mission.

He hated leaving Yuji there to fight Todo, but Yuji had assured him that it was going to be okay. So, Megumi tried his best not to freak out, and focused on the task at hand. Which, currently, was fighting Kamo fucking Noritoshi.

He didn't want to have this fight. Kamo was powerful, but Megumi was even more determined. He was going to win. He had to. And then, he would go and find Yuji and make sure that he was okay.

Kamo was talking, probably trying to distract him, but Megumi didn't care. He just wanted to get this over with. So, he launched his attack, and the battle began.

The battle was brutal, but Megumi held his own. He had a clear advantage over Kamo, and his resolve to protect his friends was stronger than ever.

"I intend to kill Itadori Yuji," Kamo said, and Megumi's eye twitched.

"By principal Gakuganji's orders?" he inquired, trying to keep his tone calm.

"No," Kamo admitted. "It is my own decision."

Megumi gritted his teeth. He wanted to beat the shit out of Kamo for even thinking about hurting Yuji.

"As a member of the Kamo and the big three families, I believe it is the right decision," the Kyoto student continued, his eyes meeting Megumi's. "You should also understand. You and I are the same."

And, oh, that did it. Megumi saw red, and he couldn't stop the wave of anger that surged through him.

"No, we're not," he hissed, his eyes blazing. "You're a coward. A power-hungry coward. And you will regret this. I promise you."

Kamo looked like he wanted to say something, but Megumi didn't let him. He attacked with renewed vigor, and he didn't hold back.

The Kyoto student was taken by surprise, and he struggled to keep up. Megumi's attacks were relentless, and Kamo was barely able to defend himself.

"You talk about making the right decision," Megumi seethed, his fist connecting with Kamo's stomach. "But you're doing this for yourself. For your own selfish reasons. You don't care about what's right. You just want power."

Kamo coughed, blood dripping from his mouth.

"You're awfully worked up," he rasped, wiping his mouth. "Is it because of him? Itadori Yuji?"

"Shut the fuck up," Megumi growled, kicking the boy in the side.

Kamo let out a pained groan, but he didn't give up. He launched an attack, and Megumi dodged, barely.

"So, it is."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just that you're a fool, Zen'in."

Megumi narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching.

"Don't call me that," he snarled. "My name is Fushiguro."

Kamo looked amused.

"Whatever you say, Fushiguro," he chuckled, his tone mocking. "Let's just get this over with, so I can go and kill your boyfriend."

And that was it.

Megumi lost it.

His body moved on its own, his movements fast and precise. Kamo tried to block, but it was futile.

Megumi punched and kicked and elbowed until the Kyoto student was lying on the ground, covered in blood.

"Don't. You. Dare. Touch. Him," Megumi spat, his body trembling with anger.

Kamo was barely conscious, and Megumi knew he had to stop. He had a job to do. So, with great effort, he stopped attacking.

"I won," Megumi said, his voice hoarse. "You lose. Now, don't ever come near him again, or I will fucking kill you. You got that?"

Kamo didn't respond, and Megumi knew the fight was over.

He left the other boy there, and made his way back outside. He was sick and tired of following this stupid plan blindly. He was going to find Yuji, and make sure that he was okay. Nothing was going to stop him.

And, then, he would find Principal Gakuganji and beat the shit out of him, too.

-

Megumi was about to summon his divine dog to lead him to Yuji, when the ground started shaking, and a loud crash echoed through the air.

His head snapped up, and his eyes widened. There were roots protruding from the ground, and the buildings around him were crumbling. What the hell was going on?

He spotted Inumaki, who was running on top of the roofs, trying to stay out of the range of the roots that were shooting up from the ground.

"Inumaki-senpai?" he called out.

The second-year looked down, his eyes widening.

"RUN," he yelled.

Megumi wasn't sure if it was the cursed speech or his own survival instincts, but he started running, just as a roots shot past him, nearly impaling him. Inumaki was running ahead of him, and Megumi followed.

He had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear: he needed to get away from the source of the roots.

However, it wasn't long before they were cornered.

Their attacker was a large curse, its form covered in thorny branches. Its presence was overwhelming, and the mere sight of it sent shivers down Megumi's spine. It reminded him faintly of the drawing Gojo showed them one time when he brought Yuji and him breakfast. Yuji had confirmed that the cursed spirit Gojo had seen was indeed Hanami, a special-grade disaster curse. And now, Megumi was standing right in front of it.

Was this part of the plan? If so, it was a pretty shitty plan.

How on earth was this something that Yuji had known of before, and decided to go through again? This was insanity.

His first instinct was to call Gojo, but just as he took his phone out, it was immediately smashed to pieces by the curse. Great, just great.

"DON'T MOVE," Inumaki shouted, his voice strained.

Megumi froze, and his eyes darted towards the other boy. Inumaki was using cursed speech on the curse, which seemed to have worked, if only for a little while.

Megumi immediately took this opportunity to attack, summoning Nue. The bird sent a shockwave towards the curse, while Megumi used the distraction to his advantage and picked up the sword he'd been hiding inside his shadow.

His plan was to cut off the curse's arm, and hopefully immobilize it.

However, his attack was unsuccessful. His blade didn't even manage to break the surface of the curse's skin. It was like hitting a brick wall.

He gritted his teeth.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue, trying to think of a new strategy.

Before he could come up with a solution, the curse's voice boomed through the air, making his ears ring.

It was bizarre. It was speaking a foreign language, yet, Megumi could understand every word.

It spoke about the balance of nature, and how humans were a threat to it. It was a rather dramatic speech, if you asked him, and Megumi was growing increasingly annoyed.

As soon as the curse was finished, it resumed its attack. Inumaki's cursed speech wasn't effective anymore, and the roots shot up from the ground.

They started running, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to escape. However, it was a futile attempt.

Megumi was exhausted, and his vision was blurring. He was losing his focus, and it was becoming more difficult to maintain his shadow manipulation. If Yuji had known this was going to happen, then where the hell was he? They were going to die, and Megumi was angry at Yuji. Why didn't he warn him about this?

Well, if this was it, he might as well go down in style. He raised his fists, the hand sign already formed.

But, Inumaki put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Takana," he said, stepping forward.

"Inumaki-senpai?" Megumi questioned. "That's enough!"

The cursed speech user was at his limit, and he was barely able to stand. He was going to kill himself.

He walked towards the curse, and Megumi wanted to scream. What was Inumaki thinking?

"BLAST AWAY!" the boy shouted, his voice strained.

And then, Hanami was sent flying through the air.

Inumaki fell to the ground, coughing up blood.

Megumi stared at him in disbelief.

"Inumaki-senpai!" he cried out, starting to run towards him.

Just then, another figure appeared out of nowhere, and attacked the curse, though unsuccessfully. However, this gave Megumi a chance to launch an attack of his own. He jumped in the air, his sword raised.

He managed to cut off a root growing from the curse's eye, however, the action seemed to enrage the curse, and it attacked.

However, now there were two people fighting against it. Megumi landed swiftly next to Maki, and she glanced at him, smirking.

"Come on," she said. "We can take it down."

Megumi grinned.

"Glad you're here, Maki-senpai," he said.

He pulled another cursed weapon out from his shadow, and tossed it to Maki. She caught it easily, and gave him a grateful smile.

"Let's do this," she said.

And, then, they were attacking the curse.

They fought together seamlessly, their moves in sync. For a moment, they seemed to have the upper hand, but it didn't last long.

The curse was powerful, and its attacks were relentless. It was difficult to land a hit, and, despite their efforts, it was not enough. They were going to be overpowered.

Yuji was still nowhere to be seen, and Megumi's heart was hammering in his chest. If the boy didn't think it was necessary to change anything about this battle, then it was probably because they all survived. But, how could they possibly survive? They were clearly outmatched.

If it wasn't Yuji who would defeat this curse, then who would?

Wait.

His eyes widened as he recalled the conversation he had had with Yuji a few weeks ago, after a particularly demanding sparring session. Megumi had been frustrated because of his inability to get stronger, and Yuji had looked at him, with such conviction and trust in his eyes, that Megumi's breath caught in his throat.

"If you ask me, you're plenty strong already, Fushiguro," Yuji had said, smiling at him.

"I'm not," Megumi had retorted. "Not compared to you, at least."

Yuji had looked thoughtful for a moment, before he smiled brightly.

"You are stronger than you realize," he said, his voice gentle. "You've always been."

"Why are you saying this now?" Megumi had asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Because I've seen you," Yuji had replied. "The only thing stopping you from getting stronger is your own self-doubt. You are capable of so much more than you think."

"I don't understand," the black-haired boy had murmured, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"You have a lot of potential, Fushiguro," Yuji continued. "And, when the time comes, you will see just how powerful you can be."

Yuji had winked at him then, and Megumi's heart skipped a beat.

Now, if he was right, Yuji had been telling him how to win this fight.

Megumi took a deep breath, and tried to focus. Screw Mahoraga. He could do this. He had to.

"Domain Expansion: Chimera Shadow Garden."