The first time Buyo Jr transforms, Megumi thinks nothing of it. The adrenaline of going against Sukuna of all curses does not allow for him to ponder on just how such a cute little two-tailed cat can transform into something resembling a sabertooth. Back then, he was just grateful that Buyo could catch Sukuna by surprise and give Megumi a chance to take in the gravity of the situation.
The second time Buyo Jr transforms happens during training with the second years. Gojo-sensei was off doing something—probably a mission.
"What the fuck is that!" Nobara yells, pointing at Buyo Jr, who takes it upon himself to bare his fangs at Maki. "What happened to the cute little cat?" Nobara whips her head from side to side. Panda scratches his ears, searching the field for the little two-tailed cat too.
"This is Buyo Jr," Megumi replies, dusting his pants off as he stands up. Maki sure didn't hold back her punches when she hit him with that staff. He limps around to Buyo's side and places a hand on his head. The cat closes his eyes and, angling his head so that Megumi can scratch behind his ear. Maki lowers her staff and takes one step forward. Buyo hisses.
"I don't think your shikigami likes me very much."
"Buyo isn't–" Nobara speaks up.
"He's special," Megumi says, cutting Nobara off. He isn't sure what Buyo Jr is. Gojo-sensei didn't give him any other information except watch over Kagome's cat while they were gone.
"Let's see what your pet can do." Maki raises the staff and rushes forward. The words barely register in Megumi's head before he sees Maki going in for the kill. Buyo roars. The volume alone hits Maki at full force and pushes her back. "Shit!" she cries. Buyo swats her away with a large black paw. Everyone but Megumi runs to where Maki has landed.
"Buyo," Megumi says, after gathering his bearings. "Everyone here is a friend. This is just training." Buyo tilts his head. "Friends." He stresses again. It must get through to Buyo because he meows back in response.
"That did not feel like a shikigami," Maki says with her broken staff in both hands. Megumi blinks. He didn't even notice that Buyo hit the staff, too. Maybe it broke on impact?
"He is."
"He is not. That cat thing is freaky."
"Buyo, what else can you do?" Nobara says, creeping closer to him. There's a gleam in her eyes that Megumi does not care for. The cat lays down at her feet. "Um, so he can't do anything else?"
"He wants you to get on."
"Get on?" Nobara settles onto the back of Buyo Jr. She lets out a yelp as flames burst from Buyo's paws. Megumi throws an arm over his eyes, as the gust of wind from Buyo's take off sends dirt flying around them. "This cat is flying!" Nobara yells. Her maniac laughter resonates in his eardrums over the shouting of the second years.
Buyo Jr lands next to Megumi with Nobara's arms firmly wrapped around his neck. Her face nuzzled into the softness of his fur. Megumi stares at the sight. How did Nobara go from being afraid to all over Buyo Jr in the span of like fifteen minutes? Nobara pauses before hopping off and Megumi spots the schemes filtering across her face.
"Next!"
"Salmon!"
"Uh no! I call dibs on Buyo!" Nobara interjects, shooing Panda and Inumaki away. Panda gets a hold of her ankle and swings her through the air. Inumaki claps and Megumi bites the inside of his cheeks.
"As an animal rights activist, only I should get to play with Buyo Jr," Panda says. Megumi's brows scrunch together as he tries to make sense of how Panda's words make sense.
"He's my training partner." Maki pushes past Panda and Inumaki, steps over Nobara, and smiles when Buyo doesn't hiss at her.
"Guys…." He huffs. No one listens to him. Buyo changes back into his smaller form and leaps into Megumi's arms. While everyone is busy arguing, Megumi takes one step back and then another. His heart rate increases. Clutching Buyo Jr closer to his chest, Megumi sprints back to his dorm room. Shouts follow him.
No way he's letting them take Buyo Jr.
A/N: Trying to write the next chapter for the main story and all my brain wants to do is write smut *sigh*