When Yuji woke up, he was in a daze. The first thing he registered was the fact that his arm was around Megumi, and the boy's face was pressed into his neck. The second thing he noticed was their tangled legs, making Yuji's mouth go dry.

Kugisaki was sprawled out on the other side of the bed, snoring softly. Yuji wondered if it was possible for her to wake up without drooling, deciding it was highly unlikely.

They must have fallen asleep while talking last night. Yuji vaguely recalled being exhausted, wanting to stay up, talk, and spend more time with his friends. However, his body had other plans, and he had passed out within minutes of lying down.

Megumi stirred, and Yuji froze. Megumi shifted, snuggling closer. Yuji blushed, feeling his face burn. He glanced down and saw Megumi's eyelids fluttering, wondering what he was dreaming about.

Yuji had never had someone sleep over, unsure of the etiquette. Should he untangle himself from Megumi, wake him up, or just stay still and pretend to be asleep? The latter sounded nice, but he didn't want Megumi to freak out, push him away, and think he was weird or creepy.

Slowly, he withdrew his arm and rolled onto his back. Megumi grumbled, and Yuji held his breath. Megumi settled, and Yuji breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at his friends, heart swelling. They were both sleeping soundly, peaceful. Yuji had missed this - the three of them spending time together, talking about everything and nothing.

Deciding to get up and get dressed, Yuji knew there was something he needed to do, and the sooner, the better.

After a few minutes of shuffling around, trying not to wake the other two, Yuji slipped out of bed and crept out of the room. He quietly shut the door behind him and padded down the hallway.

As he made his way through the building, Yuji realized he had no idea where Gojo's room was or where the man would be at this hour. He hoped he wasn't walking around in circles, getting lost because he had a feeling Gojo would not appreciate being woken up and told he had been wandering the halls aimlessly, especially when most of the school believed him to be dead.

Luckily, after a few wrong turns and several long minutes of searching, he found Gojo. Gojo was sitting at a table in the kitchen, his usual blindfold covering his eyes. He looked up and gave Yuji a smile.

"You're up early," Gojo noted, his tone curious.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Yuji admitted, his tone awkward. "I actually needed to talk to you about something."

Gojo nodded.

"I thought as much," Gojo mused, his voice gentle.

He patted the seat next to him, and Yuji sat down, chewing his bottom lip and fidgeting.

"What did you want to talk about?" Gojo prodded, his tone careful.

Yuji took a deep breath and looked up.

"There is something I didn't want to say in front of Fushiguro," he started, his voice tentative. "But, I think you should know."

Gojo's smile vanished, and his expression grew serious.

"Something happens to him, doesn't it?" Gojo asked, his tone subdued.

Yuji's eyes widened, and he gaped at the man.

"How did you-" Yuji cut himself off, his brow furrowing.

"You didn't have to say anything," Gojo explained, his tone soft. "It was obvious, from the way you looked at him, and the way you were protective of him. So, what happens?"

Yuji swallowed thickly, trying to hold back the tears stinging his eyes.

"Sukuna, he- he-," Yuji broke off, his voice trembling.

He took a deep breath and tried again.

"When I died at the detention center, Sukuna fixed my heart and brought me back. In my original timeline, after I returned, you asked me if he had any conditions, and I didn't remember any. But that's because... because it was part of the deal," the boy continued, his voice thick.

"What was part of the deal?" Gojo pushed, his tone gentle.

Yuji squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hands into fists.

"Sukuna made me take a binding vow," he blurted out, his voice breaking. "He fixed my heart, on the condition that if he says the word 'Enchain', he will get to take control over my body for one minute. My condition was that he cannot hurt or kill anyone during that time. I didn't know- I- I didn't-"

Yuji broke down sobbing, burying his face in his hands. He couldn't believe he was so stupid and had not realized. How could he have made a deal with the King of Curses and not questioned what the consequences would be? What had he been thinking?

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched.

"Hey, hey, calm down," the man soothed, his voice calming. "It's okay."

"It's not okay," the boy sobbed, his voice raw. "I did something horrible, and I can't change it."

"You didn't do anything horrible," Gojo countered, his tone firm.

"I did!" the boy shouted, his voice anguished. "If I had just died, none of this would have happened. None of you would have had to go through so much pain and suffering. So many people died, and I'm the one responsible."

Yuji cried harder, his entire body shaking.

"I'm sorry," the boy apologized, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Gojo's hand moved to his other shoulder, and Yuji looked up. The man's blindfold was still on, but the boy could tell he was being looked in the eye.

"Listen to me," Gojo demanded, his voice harsh. "None of this is your fault. Do you understand? None of it. You made the best decision you could at the time, and no one blames you for what happened. Least of all me."

Yuji stared at the man, his eyes wide, and his mouth hanging open.

"Do you understand?" Gojo repeated, his tone insistent.

The boy nodded slowly.

"Good," the man said, his tone pleased. "Now, I'm assuming Sukuna used the binding vow against Megumi at some point. Is that correct?"

Yuji's eyes watered, and he looked away.

"Y-yeah," he croaked, his voice raw. "It was during the Culling Games. Tsumiki, Fushiguro's sister was among the awakened sorcerers, and we had a plan for using our points to save her and get her out of the colony. It was all going well, until she revealed herself - you see, she wasn't actually Tsumiki, but an ancient sorcerer named Yorozu. It turned out that Tsumiki was dead, and she was incarnated in her body. Fushiguro was shocked, and we just started chasing her, and she ran, and Sukuna used the phrase, and-"

Yuji broke off, and took a deep breath.

"Sukuna took over my body. He laughed at my stupidity, for not including myself when I told him he cannot hurt anyone during the one minute. Then he- he-," the boy faltered, his voice trembling.

"It's okay," Gojo reassured, his tone soothing.

"He ripped off one of my fingers and fed it to Fushiguro," Yuji choked out, his voice thick with tears.

Gojo stiffened, and the boy could see his hands clenching into fists.

"He took over his body, and- and-," Yuji gasped, his chest tight. "Fushiguro was gone. He wasn't able to suppress Sukuna anymore, and Sukuna was laughing. Gojo-sensei, he was just laughing, and laughing, and-"

The boy broke off, his voice raw. His face was soaked, and his breathing was ragged.

"It's okay," Gojo assured, his voice soft.

Yuji could see on the man's face how upset he was, but Gojo was making an effort to keep his tone calm and reassuring.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," the boy rasped, his voice broken.

He closed his eyes, feeling the hot tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Sukuna used Fushigro's body to kill Tsumiki," Yuji confessed, his voice hoarse. "I think he wanted to shatter him, so that he doesn't fight back."

Gojo sighed, and Yuji knew his words had upset the man.

"He was right," he murmured, his voice hollow.

"What do you mean?" Gojo inquired, his tone gentle.

"After that, Fushiguro, he- he-," Yuji's voice broke.

He took a deep breath, and tried to steady himself.

"We had a plan. To save Fushiguro. We bet everything on it, and it- it almost worked. My punches - they can shake the soul. We managed to weaken Sukuna enough, and I was able to reach Fushiguro's soul. But sensei, he was so broken. He had given up. I begged him, and told him that I can't lose him, and that he has to live, and fight, but-," the boy's voice trailed off, and his shoulders slumped.

"But he wouldn't listen," the man finished, his tone bleak.

Yuji nodded.

"We lost him," he admitted, his voice soft. "The connection broke, and Fushiguro disappeared. We never saw him again. I didn't- I didn't know if he was dead, or alive, or if he was trapped inside his own head. I just-,"

The boy's words died on his lips, and his gaze became unfocused.

"I failed him," Yuji mumbled, his voice despondent.

He heard Gojo take a sharp breath, and the sound caused Yuji to look up. The man's expression was unreadable, and the boy had no idea what he was thinking.

"Yuji," the man began, his tone serious. "Sukuna is smart. He knew how to break Fushiguro's will, and make him give up," Gojo continued, his voice calm. "There was nothing you could have done."

Yuji wanted to believe the man, but his mind was replaying the events of the past few months, and he felt his throat tighten.

"Why did Sukuna want Megumi's body anyway?" Gojo asked, his tone curious.

The boy swallowed hard, and tried to gather his thoughts.

"His technique. Sukuna wanted his technique," Yuji answered, his voice hoarse. "It was the only way for him to- to-,"

Yuji felt his throat burn and he wanted to throw up. The image of his teacher, lying in a pool of blood, and his lifeless eyes flashed before him, and the boy doubled over. He clutched his head, and felt like his brain was being split in two.

"It was the only way for him to kill you," the boy whispered, his voice strangled.

He heard a sharp intake of breath, and looked up. Gojo was staring at him, his jaw clenched, and his expression grim.

"Gojo-sensei, I'm sorry," Yuji mumbled, his voice strained. "I'm so sorry. If only I- I-"

"Stop," the man interrupted, his voice firm. "I don't want to hear any more apologies from you. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded weakly.

"I'm the one who's sorry," Gojo murmured, his voice sad. "I wasn't able to protect any of you, and you all suffered. I'm sorry."

Yuji wanted to argue, and tell the man that it wasn't his fault, and that he shouldn't blame himself, but his words were stuck in his throat.

"Sensei, can you-," Yuji began, his tone unsure.

"Hm?" the man hummed, his tone questioning.

"Can you not tell Fushiguro about this?" Yuji requested, his voice timid.

Gojo's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Why not?" he prodded, his voice curious.

"Because," the boy hesitated, his tone nervous. "I'm scared he would hate me, and not want to be around me. I know it's selfish, but-"

"He won't hate you," the man interjected, his tone kind. "But if you want, I won't tell him."

Yuji let out a sigh of relief, and his shoulders sagged.

"Thank you," he breathed.

Gojo gave him a small smile, and ruffled his hair.

"I can tell that you really care about Megumi," the man mused, his tone gentle.

The boy blushed and ducked his head.

"Y-yeah," Yuji stammered, his voice bashful.

Gojo's smile grew wider, and he chuckled.

"Don't worry," the man assured, his tone light. "I won't say a word."

"Thank you, sensei," Yuji sighed, his voice grateful.

Gojo patted him on the shoulder.

"Go back to bed, Yuji," he ordered, his tone playful.

The boy got to his feet, and turned to leave, but stopped.

"Sensei," he called, his voice uncertain. "Even if we change things, even if we save everybody... that binding vow still stands, doesn't it?"

Gojo frowned.

"I'm afraid so," the man confirmed, his tone regretful.

Yuji's shoulders slumped, and his head bowed.

"So, technically, he could take over Fushiguro's body at any time," the boy murmured, his voice defeated.

"Yuji, look at me," the man ordered, his tone sharp.

The boy glanced up.

"He won't try such a thing while I'm around. And I promise I won't let him harm Megumi, no matter what happens," the white haired man vowed, his voice determined.

"Really?" the boy breathed, his eyes wide.

"I swear," Gojo swore, his tone solemn. "And I will try to find a way to get rid of the binding vow."

Yuji's mouth dropped open, and his eyes welled up.

"You will?" he rasped, his voice trembling.

"Yes," Gojo agreed, his tone resolute.

"Thank you," the boy whispered, his voice reverent.

"You're welcome," Gojo smiled, his tone soft.

Yuji returned the smile and went to leave.

"One last thing, Yuji," Gojo called, his voice serious. "Sukuna can still hear all your conversations, and he is aware of everything you do. So, I won't be discussing any of this with you again. Understand?"

The boy nodded quickly.

"Got it," he agreed.

"Good. Now, off you go," Gojo dismissed.

Yuji walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him. He leaned his back against the wall, and slid down, until he was sitting on the floor. The boy brought his knees up, and rested his chin on them. His entire body was shaking, and his breathing was ragged. Tears were sliding down his face, and Yuji didn't even try to wipe them away.

"You really think he's going to stop me from doing anything, brat?" Sukuna taunted, his voice sneering.

The boy bit his lip, and his jaw clenched.

"He can't protect you or your little boyfriend forever," the curse continued, his voice cold. "Wouldn't you want to watch me again, as I break his little spirit, and he crumbles, right in front of you?"

Yuji shuddered, and his entire body went rigid. He wanted to cover his ears, and not listen to Sukuna's vile words, but he knew it wouldn't help. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"It won't happen," the boy vowed.

"We'll see," the curse replied, his voice confident.

"I won't let it happen," Yuji growled.

Sukuna laughed.

"You can't stop me," the curse boated.

"We'll see," Yuji echoed, his voice determined.

-

Megumi woke up to the door closing, and he opened his eyes. Yuji was standing by the door, his eyes red, and his hair disheveled. He seemed exhausted, and his face was pale. Megumi sat up, and his brows furrowed in concern and confusion.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked, his tone worried.

Yuji didn't respond. He made his way over to the bed, and climbed in next to Megumi.

"Do you mind?" Yuji inquired tentatively.

Megumi shook his head.

It was Yuji's bed after all, so if anyone should be asking if he minded, it should be him. Well, Megumi didn't know why he was even sleeping there, but considering the state the other boy was in, he decided that figuring that out wasn't a priority for now.

His thought process was cut short, as Yuji wrapped his arms around him, and pulled him into a hug. Megumi stiffened, and his eyes widened. Yuji's cheek was pressed against his, and the boy's body was shaking.

"W-what's wrong?" Megumi stammered, his tone startled.

"Just... Just let me stay like this," Yuji pleaded, his voice small.

"Okay," Megumi agreed, his voice soft.

Yuji clung to Megumi like he was a lifeline, and Megumi's cheeks flushed. He could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest, and his breathing quickened. Megumi closed his eyes, and slowly relaxed into the embrace. He rested his forehead against the boy's shoulder, and allowed himself to enjoy the warm sensation spreading through his body.

They remained that way, for a few minutes.

Finally, Megumi heard Kugisaki stir, and he realized they weren't alone. He gently nudged Yuji, and the boy released his grip. The other boy sat up, and gave Megumi an embarrassed smile. Megumi felt his heart leap, and he couldn't stop the small smile forming on his lips.

Kugisaki's loud yawn echoed in the room, and both boys turned to look at her.

"What are you doing here, Itadori?" she grumbled, her tone sleepy.

"Kugisaki, you are the one sleeping in my bed," Yuji replied, his tone amused.

She looked around, and blinked a few times, as if noticing her surroundings for the first time.

"Oh, right," she mumbled, her voice sheepish. "Why am I in your bed? And why are you two cuddling?"

"I think we all fell asleep while talking last night," Yuji responded, his tone nonchalant. "And we're not cuddling."

"Uh-huh," she said, her tone skeptical.

Megumi glanced at Yuji, and noticed the boy's eyes were puffy, and his nose was red. His stomach twisted, and his chest tightened. Yuji caught his gaze, and gave him a small, reassuring smile. Megumi's brow creased in concern, and he reached out to touch the boy's hand.

"I'm okay," Yuji mouthed, his voice silent.

Megumi nodded, and withdrew his hand.

"What time is it?" Kugisaki wondered, her voice bleary.

Yuji pulled out his phone.

"It's just after 8:30," he answered. "I wonder when Gojo-sensei and Nanamin are coming."

"Who knows," she sighed, and stretched.

There was a knock on the door, and Kugisaki jumped.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered, her tone annoyed.

"Come in," Yuji called.

Nanami and Gojo entered the room, and both men froze when they saw the students.

"Oh, morning everyone," Gojo greeted. "I see you had a sleepover?"

Kugisaki's eye twitched, and Megumi was sure she was trying not to strangle the man.

"We just fell asleep here," the girl grumbled, her voice grumpy.

Nanami's expression was much more serious, and he didn't look happy. Megumi guessed that Gojo debriefed him, and told him everything, because the blond man's gaze was focused on Yuji.

"How are you feeling?" Nanami asked, his voice soft.

"I'm fine," the boy replied, barely audible.

Nanami stared at him, as if he didn't believe the boy's words - which, considering his puffy eyes and red nose, was reasonable.

"Are you all up to discuss a few things?" the man inquired, his tone calm.

"Sure," Kugisaki agreed.

The three students glanced at each other, and nodded.

"Yeah," Yuji said.

"Alright," Megumi confirmed.

"Great!" Gojo exclaimed, his tone cheerful.

He walked towards the bed, and plopped himself down on it, next to the students. Yuji immediately moved away, and scooted closer to Kugisaki.

"You're too close, sensei," Yuji protested, his tone wary.

"No such thing, Yuji," the man dismissed, his tone playful.

Megumi studied Gojo, his eyes narrowed. The man looked relaxed, and his expression was easy-going, but there was a hint of something else in his eyes. His brow creased, and his lips tugged down. Megumi knew Gojo well enough to recognize that the man was upset about something, and was trying to hide it.

"Itadori-kun," Nanami began, his tone cautious. "Are you sure you are alright?"

Yuji glanced at Megumi, and his lips pressed together.

"I will be," the boy promised, his voice firm.

"That's good," the blond man replied, his tone gentle.

"Now, before we talk about anything else," Gojo interrupted, his tone casual. "Yuji, I will need you to outline the events that you know of that lead to the incident in Shibuya. As much as you can remember."

"Right," Yuji confirmed, his tone tense. "So, the key to lauching the Culling Games, as well as the cause of most of the deaths in Shibuya, was a curse called Mahito. His technique was called Idle Transfiguration. Basically, he could transfigure souls, and bodies. Of course, getting your soul transfigured will kill you, and he could also transform people into curses. He was the one who was responsible for- for-"

The boy stopped, and took a deep breath. Megumi noticed his hands were shaking, and his breathing was shallow. His gaze dropped to his feet, and he was refusing to look at anyone.

"Itadori-kun," Nanami prodded, his tone gentle. "Look at me."

Yuji lifted his gaze, and his eyes were glistening.

"I can't," he breathed, his voice strangled. "I can't say it out loud."

The blond man's expression was soft, and understanding.

"I understand," he murmured, his tone comforting.

Yuji's expression was filled with gratitude, and his posture relaxed slightly. Megumi suddenly remembered what Yuji had told him about the deaths of Nanami and Nobara during the Shibuya Incident. He had a feeling that this curse, Mahito, was somehow responsible for their deaths. Megumi felt sick.

"Anyway," Yuji resumed. "He will first strike in September, when he will transfigure three students in a cinema. In my timeline, it was me and Nanamin who went to investigate. At first, we thought they were curses, but Nanamin had a suspicion and took a photo of one of them. They showed up on the photo, so we figured out they were actually human."

"What is this curse's objective?" Nanami inquired, his tone curious.

"Well, it's complicated," Yuji admitted, his tone hesitant. "I think first and foremost it just wants to have fun. But he is also part of the group of special grade disaster curses led by Kenjaku. I- I almost had him at Shibuya, but Kenjaku absorbed him - I think it was due to Geto Suguru's cursed technique. Then, his technique was used to somehow trigger the awakening of the sorcerers, and launch the Culling Games."

There was a silence in the room, as everyone processed this information.

"So, if Mahito were to... die," Gojo mused, his tone thoughtful. "That would solve most of the problems."

"Yeah," Yuji confirmed, his voice quiet.

"Well, then that's our priority," Gojo decided. "And Kenjaku needs to be eliminated as well."

Megumi watched the man's face twist in disgust when saying Kenjaku's name. He knew that Gojo couldn't bear the thought of someone walking around, using the body of his best friend. He imagined he would feel the same if someone stole Yuji's body. The thought made his stomach clench, and a wave of nausea swept through him.

"Now, Yuji," Gojo prompted. "Would you be able to put together a timeline of important events, and give it to me?"

"I think so," Yuji nodded.

"Only the events that directly relate to the Shibuya Incident," the older sorcerer clarified, his tone stern. "Not every single event from now until then. I'm talking about specific events that are the most important to preventing the Culling Games. I think we should allow things to happen the way they did previously, to a certain extent. We don't want to mess with the flow of time too much."

"Yes, sensei," Yuji confirmed, his voice firm, but quiet.

"Now, for the rest of us, we have to keep this information to ourselves," Gojo continued, his voice serious. "And we will have to act like everything is fine, and normal. If there are any questions, direct them to me. The only people who are to know anything are the five of us and Shoko. I trust her with my life."

"Understood," Nanami replied.

"Sure," Kugisaki agreed.

"Fine," Megumi conceded.

"One more thing, Yuji," Gojo added. "In your original timeline, after the detention center, when did we reveal that you are alive? How did it happen?"

"Um," the boy hesitated. "We revealed on the day of the Goodwill Event. I spent two months in this room, and you trained me to use my cursed energy. I also went on a couple of missions with Nanamin. You used the Goodwill Event to announce I'm alive."

"Hmm," Gojo murmured, his voice thoughtful. "Then we should stick to the same plan."

Megumi raised an eyebrow, and exchanged a look with Kugisaki.

"You're telling me that if all of this didn't happen, you would have spent two entire months letting us think that Itadori was dead? And then you would have casually dropped that he's alive during the Goodwill Event?" the girl questioned, her voice incredulous.

"I mean, obviously it didn't come to that, but yeah, it sounds like something I would do," the Gojo mused.

Megumi's eye twitched, and he had a sudden urge to hit the man. He didn't understand how the man could be so insensitive.

"Uh, yeah, Fushiguro and Kugisaki weren't exactly happy about the whole situation," Yuji confirmed, his tone awkward. "They were pretty pissed, actually."

Megumi rolled his eyes.

"Of course we would be," Megumi huffed. "If you did something like that, I would kick you in the shin."

Gojo laughed.

"I would like to see you try," he taunted.

"Okay, moving on," Kugisaki cut in. "So, we will have to pretend that we don't know about any of this. Is that correct?"

"Correct," Gojo confirmed. "You have to act normal. Well, as normal as possible. You and Megumi should train for the Goodwill Event with the second-year students. We don't want you falling behind."

"Yeah, yeah," she agreed, her tone casual.

"What should I do?" Yuji inquired, his voice apprehensive.

"You can join me and Nanami on our missions," Gojo suggested, his tone nonchalant. "And continue to train."

"Okay," Yuji responded.

Megumi was sure the man had a motive for offering that to the boy. Maybe he wanted to keep an eye on him, and make sure he didn't do anything reckless? He couldn't be sure.

"Good," the man declared, his tone satisfied. "Now, if there is nothing else, we will end the meeting here."

Everyone shook their head, and Gojo stood up.

"You should get some training in today," the man announced, his voice cheerful. "I'll make sure you can use the northern grounds."

"Okay," Megumi responded.

Kugisaki jumped off the bed, and stretched.

"I should get back to my dorm," she sighed, her tone reluctant. "I need a change of clothes and a shower."

"See you later," Yuji said.

She waved goodbye, and left the room.

Nanami cleared his throat, and the boys turned their attention to him.

"Gojo and I will leave you alone," he began, his tone solemn. "But, if either of you want to talk about what happened, you can always reach out."

"Thanks, Nanamin," Yuji replied, his voice small.

Megumi nodded.

The blond man's gaze softened.

"Take care," he murmured.

"Will do," the boy answered, his tone bright.

"Come on, Nanami," Gojo interrupted, his tone impatient. "Let's give the boys their space."

The man's voice was cheerful, but his expression was hard. The blond man raised an eyebrow, and gave him a curious look. Gojo shook his head, and walked out of the room, with Nanami following behind him.

Once they were gone, Megumi and Yuji turned to look at each other. Yuji bit his lower lip, and his hands were twisting nervously in his lap. Megumi reached out, and gently untangled his fingers.

"Hey," he whispered.

Yuji gave him a hesitant smile, and Megumi noticed his eyes were glassy.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice soft.

The boy shrugged, and stared at the sheets.

"Better. Worse. Confused. Terrified," he mumbled, his voice strained. "All of the above, I guess. It's like, I said those things out loud, so I can't really take them back. Which is good. And it's nice to have Gojo-sensei and Nanamin and Kugisaki back. And to have you."

He paused, and his lips trembled.

"But I still- I still have this pain in my chest," he choked. "And this feeling of emptiness. And sometimes, it feels like I can't breathe."

His breath hitched, and a tear slipped down his cheek.

"I'm scared of messing something up, and changing the future," he admitted, his voice strangled. "I'm scared that everything I know will change. And, I'm- I'm afraid that, even though we did all of this, things won't be okay. That it won't make a difference, and people will still die."

His voice broke, and more tears escaped.

"I'm scared," he whispered.

Megumi didn't think. He reached out, and gently placed his hand against Yuji's cheek. He brushed his thumb against the boy's cheek, and wiped away the tears. The boy leaned into his touch, and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed down, and the tension in his body slowly left him.

A stray thought crossed Megumi's mind, and he immediately pushed it away. No. He couldn't think about that.

"Listen, I-," he began.

The words caught in his throat. He cleared his throat, and took a deep breath.

"It's okay if you don't feel like yourself, and things don't go back to the way they were," he murmured. "That's fine. But, if you need me, if you need anything, I'm here. Okay?"

Yuji opened his eyes, and gave him a wobbly smile.

"Thanks, Fushiguro," he whispered.

"No problem," the boy replied.

His hand lingered against Yuji's cheek for another moment, before he let it fall. The boy's smile became more genuine.

"Wanna help me cook breakfast? I'm starving," Yuji suggested.

"Sure," Megumi responded.

Yuji hopped off the bed, and held out his hand. Megumi smiled, and accepted it.

"Come on," Yuji prompted. "You're going to love this recipe."

The boy pulled him along, and Megumi followed without resistance.

-

Nanami was sitting across from Gojo, with a steaming mug of coffee in his hands. He watched the man over the rim of the mug. Gojo's face was blank, and his posture was stiff.

"What are you thinking about?" Nanami prompted.

"This- all of this, it's..." Gojo paused, and sighed. "It's a lot."

"Indeed," the blond man agreed.

"I can't-," Gojo muttered, his voice tense. "I can't bear the thought that someone is walking around, and wearing the face of Suguru. It's like a mockery. To me, and to his memory."

The man's fingers were tapping against the table, and his shoulders were rigid.

"I wish I could rip him apart," he whispered.

Nanami had never seen the man like this. Gojo was always so carefree, and relaxed. Now, the man looked haunted, and his expression was pained. Nanami didn't know what to say. He had never been good at comforting people, and he didn't know how to deal with such raw emotions.

"I understand," he said.

Gojo snorted, and gave him a wry smile.

"You're terrible at this," he remarked.

"Yes," Nanami agreed.

The man's expression became more amused, but the tension in his body didn't disappear. Nanami studied his face, and his own brow creased.

"Gojo, is there something else bothering you?" he asked.

Gojo didn't respond. Instead, he ran his hand through his hair, and let out a sigh.

"Yes, there's something else that's bothering me," the man admitted. "Something Yuji said, this morning."

Nanami waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"Care to elaborate?" he prodded.

Gojo looked at him, and the man's expression was grim.

"Yuji made a binding vow with Sukuna. Sukuna is able to take control of his body for a full minute when he wants, provided he doesn't hurt or kill anyone," he revealed, his voice flat.

Nanami's jaw clenched, and his knuckles were white. He knew that whatever Gojo was about to say next, it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"In his timeline, Sukuna used the binding vow to take control of Megumi's body," Gojo revealed, his tone quiet.

"Shit," Nanami cursed.

He watched Gojo's hand tremble, and the man clenched it into a fist.

"Yeah," he breathed.

There was a heavy silence.

"What- what happened?" the blond man inquired.

Gojo shook his head, and let out a strangled laugh.

"Sukuna killed Megumi's sister, using his body," he murmured, his voice hoarse.

"Jesus," Nanami muttered.

"Yeah," Gojo repeated. "And then, he killed me."

"Wait," Nanami began, his eyes widening. "You're dead in his timeline?"

"Apparently," Gojo confirmed, his voice flat.

"Shit," Nanami hissed.

"Look, it's not me I'm worried about," Gojo admitted, his voice low. "It's Megumi. Sukuna has already decided he will target him. He's not going to give up. I- I told Yuji I would look for a way to break the binding vow."

Nanami raised an eyebrow.

"I thought that was not possible?" he asked.

"It isn't," Gojo admitted, his tone strained. "But, what was I supposed to tell him? That there's nothing we can do?"

The blond man sighed, and his fingers were drumming against the table.

"We could keep him and Megumi separated," he mused.

Gojo looked at him with such disdain, that Nanami felt his skin prickle.

"That's a terrible idea," Gojo snapped. "Have you seen how those two look at each other?"

"What are you implying?" the Nanami asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't play dumb, Nanami," the man scoffed. "You can see it too. There's something between them. They're obviously not ready to acknowledge it, but there's something there."

Nanami pursed his lips.

"I won't lie and say that I haven't noticed," he confessed.

"See," Gojo pointed out.

"So, what do you propose?" Nanami asked, his voice weary.

"I don't think we have to worry about this just yet," the man began, his tone firm. "Yuji only consumed two of Sukuna's fingers. Even if Sukuna does take over Megumi's body, he would be far too weak. Even Yuji, at his current strength, would be able to take him down. So he's not going to risk using the binding vow just yet."

"Okay," Nanami conceded. "So, we can delay dealing with this. But, what are you going to do in the meantime?"

"I'm going to research," Gojo declared.

"Research what?" the blond man asked.

"How to kill Sukuna without killing his vessel," the man answered.

Nanami raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds nearly impossible," he stated.

"It's still our best shot. Plus, Yuji told me that they had a plan for it in his timeline. So, I'm assuming it's possible," Gojo responded.

Nanami was about to protest, but he held himself back. It was better not to question it. He had seen enough, and heard enough, to know that when Gojo was determined to accomplish something, there was nothing that could stop him.

"Alright," he conceded. "If you need any help, let me know."

"Thanks, Nanami," the man said, his voice grateful.