The atmosphere in the room changed, drastically. Everyone was on edge, and the air was filled with tension.

"We're not certain that Kenjaku is the one behind this," Tsukumo said, and her eyes darted around the room.

Gojo was quiet for a few moments, his head lowered, and his expression hidden by his blindfold.

"It was definitely him," he said, eventually. "I haven't told any of you this before, but..."

He sighed, and shook his head.

"I felt his cursed energy. Suguru's. When we were at the warehouse, when we went after Mahito. It was only for a second, and it disappeared almost instantly, but it was him. I know it."

Yuji felt a lump forming in his throat, and he reached under the table, to grab Megumi's hand. He held it tightly, and didn't let go, no matter how much his palms were sweating.

"He was there?" he asked, his voice coming out a bit hoarse. "And you didn't say anything?"

Gojo sighed, and lowered his head, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"I'm sorry. I hoped it wouldn't come to this," he muttered.

The implications of the situation hit Yuji, all at once, and he felt his heart hammering against his chest, as fear was settling in his gut.

If Gojo had felt Geto's cursed energy, that meant that Kenjaku was there at the warehouse. He knew about Mechamaru's betrayal, he knew about their plans, and, he knew about the fact that they were expecting his attack in Shibuya.

And, he has Sukuna's fingers.

Air felt thick in Yuji's lungs, and he started panting, as his head was spinning, and his stomach churned. He was panicking, and he couldn't stop himself.

Megumi moved closer to him, and gently squeezed his hand.

"It's okay. Just breathe," he said, quietly.

"How are we supposed to beat him, if he knows everything?" Yuji asked, his voice trembling. "He will change his plans, and attack somewhere else, and-"

"We need to regroup," Gojo interrupted, and he sounded a lot more composed, than before. "No mores secrets. We need to get every ally we have, and we need to share information. All of it. I'm sorry, Yuji-kun, but, we have no choice."

"Right," Yuji replied, swallowing.

The others were all discussing amongst themselves, trying to figure out what their next move would be. Yuji, however, was too distracted to pay attention, as he felt like his body was slowly shutting down, and all his senses were being replaced with the same, overwhelming numbness.

It was all so overwhelming, and he couldn't keep up.

His vision was blurry, and his thoughts were incoherent. The voices around him were distant, and he could barely make out what they were saying.

Megumi was trying to talk to him, but he wasn't sure if he was actually speaking, or if he was hearing things.

"Yuji. Yuji! Listen to me, you're okay," Megumi was saying, and his voice sounded like an echo.

Sukuna's markings on that beautiful face.

Crimson eyes staring into his soul.

Megumi's cold body, and the blood on his hands.

A smile that wasn't his.

Yuji's breath hitched, and his chest tightened.

He felt a pair of arms pulling him closer, and a hand rested on the back of his neck, guiding his head to the person's shoulder.

"Just breathe," the voice was whispering.

Yuji tried his best, but it felt like he was being strangled.

"I've got you."

Lips. Against his skin. Soft, warm.

Yuji gasped, and opened his eyes, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Are you with me, now?"

That voice.

"Y-yes," Yuji mumbled, and slowly lifted his head.

Megumi was staring at him, his eyes filled with worry.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, and moved his hand to cup Yuji's face.

"Scared," Yuji replied, his voice a little shaky.

"We'll figure it out, okay? I'm here," Megumi said, and gently stroked his cheek.

Yuji leaned into his touch, and sighed, as his heart slowly calmed down.

"I love you."

"I know," Megumi replied, smiling softly. "I love you, too."

Yuji wrapped his arms around his shoulders, and pulled him into a tight hug. He was still breathing a bit unevenly, but he didn't feel as scared, anymore.

"Sorry for panicking," he mumbled, his face buried in Megumi's hair.

"It's okay," the boy replied, rubbing his back.

They stayed like that for a while, and when they finally pulled apart, Yuji saw that Gojo was standing by the table, and looking at him, a gentle smile on his face.

"Feeling better?" he asked, tilting his head.

Yuji nodded, and smiled back, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Thanks, sensei. Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Gojo replied, and placed his hand on top of his head, ruffling his hair.

It was comforting, and Yuji let out a content sigh. He looked around the room and his eyes landed on Nanami, who was staring at him, and looking a bit worried.

"Sorry," Yuji mumbled, lowering his gaze.

"Are you okay?" Nanami asked, and his voice was kinder, than usual.

Yuji nodded, and rubbed his neck, averting his gaze.

"Yeah. It happens, sometimes. I get, uh, a bit overwhelmed. Don't worry, though. It's not a big deal," he explained, smiling awkwardly.

Nanami's brows furrowed, and he was quiet for a few seconds. Then, he sighed, and shook his head.

"If anything troubles you, please talk to me," he said, and, surprisingly, there was no judgment in his voice. "I want to help."

Yuji felt a warm feeling spreading in his chest, and he smiled, nodding.

"Okay, I will."

Gojo sat back down, and everyone's attention shifted towards him.

"Alright, listen," he began, and the smile disappeared from his face. "Tonight, we should all get some rest. I'm going to call Utahime, and ask her to bring her students to Tokyo, first thing in the morning. We're going to need all the help we can get. Yuki, can I trust that you'll postpone your plans, and stay with us for a bit longer?"

Yuki smiled, and nodded.

"Of course."

"Thank you," Gojo replied, and turned to Choso. "Choso, we're going to need a plan to get your brothers on our side, too. We will find a way to make contact with them, but can you help with the rest?"

"Yes, I will do my best," Choso said, nodding.

"Good. Tomorrow, we will have a meeting, and we'll figure out the details. Does anyone have any other suggestions, or comments?" Gojo asked, glancing around the table.

Everyone shook their heads, and Gojo smiled, satisfied.

"Okay, great. Let's get some rest, and meet up, tomorrow."

Megumi gently grabbed Yuji's hand, and stood up, pulling him with him.

"Come on. Let's go," he said, and started walking.

"Okay," Yuji replied, and followed him, out of the room.

His mind was a mess, and his thoughts were all over the place, but he wasn't panicking, anymore.

They made their way back to the dorm, and entered Yuji's room. They both collapsed on the bed, and curled up together, holding each other, as close as possible.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Megumi asked, quietly.

Yuji was quiet for a few moments, and sighed, shaking his head.

"Not right now. It's just... I don't know. Too much, I guess," he replied, and rubbed his face. "All these feelings are just... overwhelming. And, it makes me feel so pathetic, and weak."

"It's not weak to have feelings, Yuji," Megumi said, and pressed his forehead against his. "It's a normal response, and it's okay."

Yuji swallowed, and blinked back the tears.

"It's not the fact that I have feelings. It's the fact that I can't handle them," he muttered. "I feel all pathetic, breaking down like that, and freaking out. I can't control myself, and, I hate it. I feel like a fucking child."

"Well, you are a child," Megumi replied, chuckling softly. "A kid, with a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and a fucked up life. We're both children. But, it's okay. That's not something you should be ashamed of."

Yuji stared at him, his brows furrowed.

"But, you never freak out," he mumbled.

Megumi laughed, and shook his head.

"I freak out, all the time. I'm just good at hiding it."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Megumi replied, smiling.

"Huh."

Yuji fell quiet, and averted his gaze. Megumi pulled away, and lay down next to him, staring at the ceiling.

"What do you see? When you're having a panic attack?" he asked, and turned his head, to look at him.

Yuji's jaw clenched, and his fingers curled up into a fist, as he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

"You. Your face. Sukuna's markings," he muttered, his voice trembling. "I think that was the most terrifying moment of my life. Seeing you like that. I don't even know how to describe it. It was horrifying."

"I know. I'm sorry," Megumi replied, and sighed. "Do you know what my worst memory is?"

Yuji stayed quiet.

"Seeing you, with your heart ripped out, face down, in a pool of your own blood," Megumi said, his voice flat.

Yuji's heart sank, and his chest tightened.

"Why did you have to go and say that?" he asked, his eyes burning.

"Because I don't want you to feel alone, Yuji," Megumi replied, and turned his head to face him. "I understand. I know what it's like, to have a horrible memory haunting you, and it's terrifying. I hate it. But, what I hate the most is seeing you suffer, and not knowing how to help. I can't take that pain away. I wish I could."

Yuji let out a shaky breath, and reached out, grabbing his hand.

"You are helping. You're here," he mumbled. "Just, hold me. And, stay with me. Please."

"I'm not going anywhere," Megumi said, and wrapped his arm around his waist. "Not without you."

Yuji closed his eyes, and nuzzled into his neck, his entire body relaxing, as Megumi's familiar scent invaded his senses.

"Let's just sleep. We'll figure it out, tomorrow."

"Okay," Yuji replied, yawning.

-

It was almost 1am, and Gojo, Nanami and Shoko were still sitting in the staff room, talking.

Gojo wasn't sure how he and Nanami ended up there, and the only thing he knew was that, they were both exhausted, and probably should have gone to bed hours ago.

Shoko lit up a cigarette, and let out a deep sigh, as she leaned back in her chair, her feet on the table.

"You know, I'm going to say this, because someone has to," she said, her eyes landing on Gojo. "Are you sure about this, Satoru? Is it really a good idea to bring more children into this?"

Gojo let out a small sigh, and lowered his gaze, staring at his hands, clasped together, on his lap.

"Obviously, it's not," he replied, quietly. "But, in the current state of this messed-up jujutsu society, I don't know if there is anything else we can do. The more they know, the better. At least, they'll be prepared."

Nanami was quiet, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes focused on the window, behind Gojo.

"So, if what you said is true, then Kenjaku must know, to some degree, that we are expecting him, right?" he asked, finally turning to face him.

"Yeah, most likely," Gojo replied, nodding.

"So, why is he waiting? With every second he wastes, our forces are increasing. Why is he not attacking?"

"He probably needs something. Or, someone," Gojo said, and turned to look at Shoko.

She let out a loud sigh, and shook her head, as she dropped the cigarette butt into the ashtray, and pulled another one from the pack.

"That makes sense," she mumbled, her fingers shaking slightly, as she brought the cigarette to her lips.

"Hey, I thought you didn't smoke anymore," Gojo said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I thought you didn't care, anymore," Shoko retorted, her eyes narrowing.

Gojo laughed, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I do care, Shoko. I've always cared."

"Right," she replied, and took a long drag from her cigarette. "Well, try not to get yourself sealed away, will you?"

"I'll do my best," Gojo said, a small smile on his lips.

"Good. Now, I need a drink," Shoko muttered, and stood up, heading towards the cabinet.

Gojo looked at the two people in front of him, and suddenly felt very sad. He couldn't exactly put his finger on why, but there was an odd, bittersweet feeling, in his chest.

They all changed so much over the years, and it was almost funny, how different they were, when they were younger.

"Hey, Nanami. Do you remember that haircut you had when you were fifteen?" Gojo asked, a grin appearing on his face.

"Seriously? You have to bring that up, right now?" Nanami muttered, shaking his head.

"Come on. You know you looked ridiculous," Gojo replied, snickering.

"Whatever," Nanami said, and averted his gaze, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Gojo stared at him, and he felt his heart ache, and his throat tighten.

"I wish they were here," he muttered quietly.

"Yeah, me too," Shoko replied, her hand still hovering above the bottle.

"Me too," Nanami added, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and hiding his face in his hands.

They were silent for a few minutes, each of them lost in their thoughts, remembering the friends that were no longer there.

"I wonder what Suguru would think, if he saw us, right now," Shoko mumbled, as she filled two glasses with whiskey.

Gojo let out a small, bitter laugh, and shrugged.

"I don't know, to be honest," he said, his voice sounding tired, and defeated. "I wish I could ask him."

The rest of the night was spent in silence, the three of them just sitting there, thinking about the things they couldn't change, and the past they couldn't get back.

-

Maki woke up the next day with the strange feeling that something was off.

You could call it an intuition of sorts, because she felt this way quite often. She didn't really know how to describe it, but she could tell, that something was happening, somewhere, and it wasn't good.

She saw Yuta appear and disappear the past two days without a word, and she assumed it had something to do with Gojo. Then, Megumi's sister was magically awakened from her coma, and, she could swear that she saw special-grade sorcerer Tsukumo Yuki leaving the infirmary, the other day.

And, of course, there was something off about Yuji, but that was the least of her concerns, at the moment.

She was sitting at the table, eating her breakfast, when the door swung open, and Toge stepped inside.

"Kombu," he greeted, and sat down.

Maki smiled at him, and put a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Good morning, Toge. Slept well?"

"Shake."

Toge grabbed a glass of water, and started drinking, when suddenly, Panda entered the room.

"Hey, guys," he said, and took a seat. "You will never guess what just happened."

"What?" Maki asked, her brows furrowing.

"The Kyoto students are coming here. Today."

Maki felt her jaw drop.

"No fucking way," she mumbled.

"Yeah, and there's more," Panda continued, lowering his voice. "Apparently, some sorcerers were murdered and something valuable was stolen from one of the school's vaults. No one is saying what, though."

"Takana," Toge muttered, shaking his head.

"Shit. Something is definitely going on," Maki said, and put her fork down, her appetite gone. "I'm pretty sure Yuta is involved in whatever this is. He's been disappearing a lot, lately."

"Him, and the first-years, too," Panda added. "I just don't understand why they won't tell us anything."

Maki agreed. She knew that Gojo and the others were always busy, and had their hands full, but she still found it odd, that they didn't tell them anything about what was happening.

The door suddenly opened again, and the three of them looked up, to see Yuta entering the room. His eyes looked even more sunken, and he had dark circles under them, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Good morning," he said, giving them the kind, gentle smile he always had on his face.

Maki noticed, though, that it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Morning, Yuta," she greeted, smiling back. "Did you sleep well?"

Yuta laughed, and nodded.

"Not really, but, it's fine," he replied, and sat down next to her. "Look guys, you may have noticed, that there's a lot going on, and we've been keeping you out of it, and I'm sorry."

Maki exchanged glances with the others, and raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, we noticed," she replied, her voice flat.

Yuta sighed, and lowered his gaze.

"Gojo-sensei wanted me to inform you that we'll have a meeting later, today. With the Kyoto students, too. And, I promise, we will tell you everything. Please, don't be angry," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

"We're not angry, Yuta. Just, worried," Maki replied, her expression softening.

"I know. And, I'm sorry. But, we will explain everything, I promise. I don't want you to think that I don't trust you. It's nothing like that. It's just, it's not exactly my secret to share, and-"

"It's okay, Yuta. We're not mad," Panda interrupted, and placed his hand on top of Yuta's, patting it gently.

Yuta smiled, and nodded, his eyes still not quite meeting theirs.

"Thanks, Panda," he said, and rubbed his face. "Well, I have to go. I'll see you later, at the meeting. Don't be late."

"Sure. See ya," Maki replied, and gave him a small wave.

Yuta stood up, and left the room, the door closing behind him. Maki waited for a few seconds, then turned towards her friends, and let out a frustrated groan.

"Okay, something is definitely wrong," she muttered, and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"Do you think it has something to do with Yuji-kun? And, the other first-years?" Panda asked, his brows furrowing.

"I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised," Maki replied, shaking her head.

She remembered the time they'd sparred, and the strange, inhuman power Yuji had shown, that day. Without any cursed energy, the only thing Maki was exceptionally good at was her physical strength, speed, and fighting abilities. Hell, she had trained every single day, and worked her ass off to be where she was, now.

And here comes this kid, who had no cursed energy until he swallowed that finger a couple months ago, and absolutely no experience in combat, and yet, somehow, he was able to hold his ground, against her.

Maki wasn't someone who got easily impressed. But, she was certainly impressed, that day.

She was suspicious, too - after all, the kid was a vessel for the King of fucking Curses.

But, she quickly learned, that Yuji was a genuinely nice person, who just wanted to help people, and had no ulterior motives. And, even though he was a bit of a dumbass, he was kind, and sweet, and protective of his friends.

And, weirdly intimate with Megumi.

Not that Maki minded. As emotionally constipated as her cousin was, he deserved a nice guy, who treated him right.

Still, there was something off about the whole situation, and it made her nervous.

She had a bad feeling.

-

Yuji looked around the room, and he couldn't help but think, how odd it was, to be here, like this, in a situation like this.

The Kyoto students were sitting on the other side of the table, while Megumi, Nobara and the second-years from the Tokyo school were sitting next to him.

Principal Yaga, Kusakabe, Mei Mei, Utahime, and Ino were also present, and they were all looking at Gojo, waiting for him to start speaking. Principal Gakuganji was there, too - Yuji wondered how Gojo had managed to convince him to attend this meeting, without telling the rest of higher-ups.

"Well, I'm sure you're all wondering why I gathered you here," Gojo said, leaning back in his chair, and smiling.

"Stop the theatrics, Satoru, and just say what you want to say," Principal Yaga replied, his voice flat.

Yuji was still amazed by how tall and intimidating he was, even though he knew that the man was actually really nice, and not scary, at all.

"Alright. So, I'll get to the point," Gojo continued, and turned his head, looking at Yuji. "Yuji-kun is from the future."

Everyone in the room went quiet, and Yuji could feel the confused gazes, as they fell on him. He swallowed, and kept his head down, not daring to look up.

"What? How is that possible?" Principal Yaga asked, his voice sounding incredulous.

"It is not entirely clear, to me, either, but, I can confirm that this is the truth," Gojo replied, and waved his hand, dismissively.

"So, you are saying, that he is from the future. Like, he time traveled?" Principal Gakuganji asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yep. That's right," Gojo said, his tone casual, and light.

"This is insane," Utahime mumbled, and Yuji could see her shaking her head.

"How do we know this isn't just a joke? What's the proof?" Mei Mei asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, I'm with Mei Mei-san on this," Kusakabe added.

Yuji was getting increasingly nervous, and he glanced up, trying to gauge their reactions. Most of them seemed skeptical, and confused, but he noticed a few looks that were less hostile, and more curious, than the others.

Maki, Panda and Inumaki were looking at him with a mixture of concern and sympathy, and Yuji realized, that the three of them probably had a hunch about what was going on, but were never told, directly.

The Kyoto students looked a bit shocked, but also wary. He could see Kugisaki, who was sitting next to him, giving him a small smile.

"There is no way to prove it, not really," Gojo said, shrugging. "But, Yuji-kun has already told us many things, which happened the same way in the future. For example, he told me about the special-grade that attacked during the Goodwill Event, in advance. So, I knew what was going to happen, and was able to prepare accordingly."

Utahime looked at him, her eyes widening.

"Are you saying that it was intentional? You knew the special-grade was going to attack, and you didn't do anything?"

"We had to make it seem like we didn't know, and let it happen. Because, you see, and that's the main point I wanted to make, is that that special-grade was sent here, by someone. Someone, who is plotting to kill us all, and destroy Japan, along with the rest of the world. Someone, who has been plotting for centuries, and is extremely dangerous, and cunning, and ruthless."

Gojo paused, letting the information sink in, and Yuji could tell that everyone was on the edge of their seat, their eyes fixed on Gojo.

"For a while, we wanted to keep Yuji's situation a secret, and deal with the threat quietly. But, the most recent developments suggest that Kenjaku - the name of the man who is planning all this - knows that we are onto him. And, the more we keep it a secret, the more vulnerable we become. So, I think the best way forward, is for us to work together, and prepare for the upcoming war."

Yuji could hear gasps, and whispers, as the people in the room started talking among themselves.

"War?" Utahime repeated, and Yuji could see that she had gone pale.

"Yes. War. But, if we do this right, we may be able to avoid a full-on conflict, and prevent the deaths of innocent people," Gojo said, and his tone was still casual, as if he was talking about something trivial, and not a war that would probably kill hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

"This is fucking crazy," Principal Yaga muttered, and rubbed his face.

"What is this 'Kenjaku' guy after, anyway? What is his endgame?" Kusakabe asked, his expression serious.

Yuji decided that it was the right time, and spoke, for the first time since the meeting had started.

"He wants to create a merger. He wants to merge the population of Japan with Tengen-sama. He considers it an... experiment."

He could hear the sharp intakes of breath, as he uttered the last word, and he felt sick.

"An experiment," Principal Yaga repeated, and shook his head, his mouth curling up, in disgust.

"Yeah, and if he manages to succeed, all life, as we know it, will cease to exist. And, we will all be gone," Gojo added, his voice cold, and hard.

Yuji couldn't help but flinch, as he felt the sudden change in the atmosphere, and he looked around the room, his heartbeat speeding up.

"Well, then we have to stop him," a quiet voice said, and Yuji's eyes landed on Todo, who was looking at him, with a determined expression.

Yuji couldn't help but feel a tiny bit hopeful, and grateful. At least Todo believed him, even though he knew it was a lot to take in.

"Of course we have to stop him," Principal Yaga said, and turned to look at Principal Gakuganji.

"So, what's the plan?" Mei Mei asked, and the others all nodded, and muttered words of agreement.

Yuji was relieved, and surprised, at the same time, but he didn't let himself feel hopeful, yet. There was still a long road ahead of them, and so many things could go wrong.

But, the fact that these people were willing to trust him, and take his word for it, was a good start.

-

The meeting went on for a few more hours, and by the time it was over, it was already late afternoon. The adults were discussing the next steps, and planning the details of their strategy, while the students were told to get some rest.

Of course, none of them had any intention of resting.

The Tokyo and Kyoto students were in the common area, all of them still processing the things they'd learned.

"So, who here knew about the time-traveling?" Maki asked, her eyes sweeping over the room.

"Me," Nobara replied, her hand shooting up.

"Me too," Yuta added, his expression calm.

"And me," Megumi said, quietly.

"You guys seriously kept it a secret from everyone else? Even the rest of your schoolmates?" Mai asked, looking annoyed.

"It's not like we had a choice. Besides, we wanted to avoid messing with the timeline, and the whole multiverse, or whatever," Nobara said, rolling her eyes.

"Still, that is messed up," Kamo muttered, his brows furrowed.

"Well, at least you guys believe us," Yuji said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Of course, we believe you, brother," Todo replied, and gave him a thumbs-up. "I mean, if you say that it's true, then it must be true."

"Speak in your own name, dumbass," Mai said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't believe Yuji?" Megumi asked, and he sounded irritated, and defensive, at the same time.

"No, it's not that," Mai said, shaking her head. "I'm just saying that the whole story sounds a little... far-fetched."

Megumi clenched his fists, and Yuji quickly reached out, grabbing his arm.

"Megumi, it's alright," he said, calmly, and shot a glance at Mai. "Look, I understand that this is a lot to take in. And, I would have a hard time believing it, if someone told me the same thing, but I swear, it's all true. I've seen so many terrible things, and I can't let them happen, again."

Megumi relaxed, and Yuji removed his hand.

"Right," Mai said, but she still sounded doubtful.

"Guys, this is not a joke, and not the time for arguments, and accusations. We have a real threat, and we need to stop it," Yuta said, his voice calm and serious.

Maki looked at him, and nodded.

"He's right. Even if you don't trust Yuji, because he's Sukuna's vessel or whatever, you can trust Gojo. He has no reason to lie."

Everyone seemed to agree with her, and they were quiet, for a moment.

"So, do you think we'll stay in Tokyo, until this is over?" Momo asked, glancing at the others.

"Maybe," Kamo replied, shrugging.

"Well, I don't want to be stuck here for too long. I don't know about you, but I'm going stir-crazy," Mai mumbled, and everyone laughed.

"Me too. I'd rather be in Kyoto," Momo said, nodding.

Todo seemed confused, and he looked at the two girls, blinking a few times.

"Why? Tokyo is great!"

"Whatever," Mai muttered, and rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'd love to stay in Tokyo a little longer," Todo added, a wide smile appearing on his face, and Mai let out an annoyed sigh.

"Of course, you would," she muttered.

"Training together would be beneficial for all of us," Panda said, and the others agreed, nodding.

Todo seemed pleased, and he crossed his arms over his chest, smiling proudly.

"I'd be happy to train with my brother," he said, and Yuji couldn't help but laugh, despite his worries.

Yuji looked at Mechamaru, who hadn't said a single word, since the meeting had ended. He figured that the guilt of being part of the whole fiasco was still eating at him, and he wanted to reassure the other boy, but he didn't know how.

He wondered if the rest of the Kyoto students were aware of the fact that Mechamaru betrayed them, but judging by their behavior, it didn't seem like it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening, and Gojo walked into the room.

"How lovely to see everyone bonding and getting along," he said, and Yuji saw the students exchange looks.

"Yeah, we're all friends now," Mai said, sarcastically.

"Glad to hear it," Gojo replied, and Yuji thought he could hear a hint of amusement in his voice. "You will get the chance to spend some more time together, too, because it has been decided that you will all train together, here, at Tokyo."

Everyone perked up, and the mood in the room changed, as they exchanged glances.

"For how long?" Kamo asked, leaning forward.

"For however long it takes," Gojo replied, shrugging.

"That's vague," Mai mumbled, her brows furrowing.

"We're doing our best to predict what the enemy will do next, and we're preparing accordingly," Gojo said, and smiled. "Well, anyway, we can talk about the details later. You kids should relax, and try to have some fun."

"Fun?" Kamo repeated, looking incredulous.

"Yeah. Fun," Gojo said, nodding. "Just pretend you're on a school trip, or something."

Yuji saw a few students rolling their eyes, but most of them seemed to accept the idea.

"Well, if you excuse me, I'll be off, then," Gojo said, turning around, and waving his hand. "Utahime will show you your rooms, and make sure you have everything you need. Oh, and one more thing."

He paused, and glanced back, his eyes landing on Mechamaru.

"Mechamaru, can I please talk to you, for a minute? Yuta, too."

"Of course," Mechamaru replied, and Yuji noticed how everyone seemed surprised.

"Um, yes, sensei," Yuta added, and stood up.

"Wait, what's this about?" Kamo asked, looking suspicious.

"It's nothing important, don't worry," Gojo replied, and left, Yuta and Mechamaru following him.

-

Later that night, Yuji, Megumi and Nobara were sprawled out on the bed in Yuji's room, and talking.

"Man, I'm beat," Nobara mumbled, and yawned. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually happy we're going to have those Kyoto bastards around. I'm excited to learn some new moves. Maybe kick Mai's ass, while I'm at it."

Yuji chuckled, and Megumi let out a sigh.

"Yeah, it's definitely going to be interesting," Yuji said, and turned his head, glancing at Megumi.

Megumi was lying on his back, and staring at the ceiling, his brows slightly furrowed.

"What do you think they want to talk about with Mechamaru and Okkotsu-senpai?" he asked, turning his head, and looking at Yuji.

Yuji did, in fact, have a hunch about what it was, and he contemplated whether he should tell the others or not.

Maybe not about Mechamaru's betrayal, because he didn't want them to have any doubts about him. But, the other thing, he could mention.

"You know that Mechamaru's got a heavenly restriction, and his body is weak, right?" he asked, and the others nodded.

"Yeah, and?"

"Uh, I think they are planning to fix that," Yuji said, slowly.

"Huh?"

"How?"

"Mahito's technique. Now that Okkotsu-senpai can use it, he can fix his body," Yuji replied, and glanced at his friends.

"Oh," Nobara said, her eyes widening.

"Well, that would be really helpful," Megumi mumbled.

"Yeah," Yuji said, quietly, and let out a sigh.

"God, it's gonna be so werid, having so many students on campus. The place is gonna be full," Nobara said, stretching her arms.

"I don't mind. It'll be nice," Yuji replied, honestly.

Having all the Tokyo and Kyoto students living together would definitely make things easier. Yuji felt a bit less stressed, knowing that they were all together, and somewhat safer that way.

"I guess it's not so bad," Nobara agreed.

"I don't care," Megumi said, quietly, and they laughed.

"Itadori, your boyfriend is a killjoy," Nobara teased, and Megumi scowled, and sat up.

"Shut up," he muttered, and looked at Yuji, who was laughing.

"I can't wait to see Todo's reaction to you two dating," Nobara added, and Megumi groaned. "Oh, and Mai's gonna be so jealous. She definitely has a weird incestuous crush on you, Fushiguro."

"Gross," Megumi muttered, his face heating up.

"That's kinda fucked up," Yuji mumbled, and Nobara shrugged.

"Not the weirdest thing I've ever heard."

Yuji decided not to ask her what she meant, because he didn't want to know the answer.

"Anyway, I'm going to sleep," Nobara announced, and got up.

"Sleep well," Yuji replied, and waved his hand.

"See ya tomorrow, guys," Nobara said, leaving the room, and closing the door behind her.

Yuji and Megumi were alone, and Yuji rolled over, and laid his head on Megumi's lap, letting out a sigh.

"Long day, huh?" Megumi said, quietly, and ran his fingers through Yuji's hair.

"Yeah," Yuji murmured, relaxing.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Megumi's fingers, gently combing through his hair.

"You think things will work out alright?" he asked, without opening his eyes.

"Yeah," Megumi replied, simply.

Yuji could feel his tension melting away, and he was finally able to relax.

"You're such a liar," he mumbled, and felt the weight of Megumi's head, as he rested his chin on Yuji's forehead.

"I know," Megumi whispered, and Yuji laughed, quietly. "Come on now. Let's get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us."

A/N: Aaaaand, let the training arc begin...

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for leaving your thoughts and commenting it means the world to me! ❤️