YŪJI
Yūji hums softly as she fixes one of Sukuna's torn shirts. It was old and barely fits him anymore from how quickly he was growing, but Yūji hoped there was at least another year or two left in the shirt.
"This Christmas... This Christmas I'll get something nice for him," Yūji thinks with a nod of determination. "He really likes those American brands. I'll get him some shoes. And I'll buy a nice pair of pants and a shirt for him."
"...Y-Yū-chan..." The shy voice of Nobara makes the pink haired teenager jump. She hisses slightly when she stabs herself with the sewing needle, but ignores it to face the two kids.
Megumi was wearing one of Chōso's shirts that he recently outgrew and a pair old sweatpants Yūji used to wear. Nobara was wearing an old shirt Sukuna once wore when he was younger, but was given to Eso once he grew out of it. She wore a pair of track shorts younger Yūji wore all the time.
"Hello! Do you both feel better?" Yūji asks with a bright smile. Nobara smiles shyly and nods her head while Megumi doesn't say anything.
Yūji turns around more and waves them over. "Can I clean up your wounds? They look like they hurt..."
Nobara glances at Megumi. Megumi slowly walks over, keeping his sister behind him. Yūji waits patiently as the two 6 year olds walk over to the couch.
"Is your heads the only thing that got hurt?" Yūji asks calmly, picking up a cotton ball. She pours a little bit of rubbing alcohol on it before facing the two kids. Nobara's eyes grow shinier as she grips her brother's hand.
"...no one's been stupid 'nough to hurt us... We–we–it was my fault... I didn't–Otome-san was being a meanie to Gumi-nī again and I–I grabbed him and ran away... Someone–I don't–I got hit and everything went dark and then I–" Nobara bursts into tears. Yūji quickly shushes her and sets down the cotton ball to grab her hand.
"Oh sweetheart, it's not your fault. It must've been so scary," Yūji gently pulls the girl into a hug. She kisses her head as she starts sobbing.
"Let it all out, sweetheart. You're safe here." Yūji glances up and smiles softly at Megumi. He was shaking. She silently holds out her hand, giving the boy a soft smile.
He sniffs loudly before running into the hug. Megumi hides his face in her chest and starts to silently cry.
"Dancing bears, painted wings. Things I almost remember.
And a song, someone sings. Once upon a December."
Yūji starts gently running her hands through the children's hair with a soft hum.
"Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory."
Yūji hums the soft melody as the children start to calm down. She smiles softly when she feels Nobara's breath even out.
"I want to check your wounds," Yūji runs a hand through Megumi's hair, "but you both had an exhausting day. I'll do it tomorrow morning."
Megumi tightens his grip on Yūji's hoodie. "Don't leave us alone..."
Yūji smiles softly and kisses the boy's head. She carefully adjusts the kids to be on her lap before she carefully lays down. She secures a hand around Nobara so she wouldn't fall off the couch and keeps Megumi slightly between her body and the couch.
"I'll be here... I promise," Yūji says softly. She could tell Megumi was fighting his exhaustion and giggles.
"Sleep. No one will harm you here..." Yūji stares up at the ceiling with tired eyes. She sighs softly and runs a hand through Megumi's hair before she herself falls asleep.
This day can't get any stranger.
Yūji wakes up to someone kissing her forehead. She opens her eyes with a small whine, making whoever kissed her chuckle.
"It's me, Aneue," Sukuna's voice echoes in Yūji's brain, making her whimper. Her head was throbbing with pain.
Something cold is gently placed on her forehead. "You're such an idiot, Aneue. Go back to bed."
"...No-Nobara-chan an' Meg'mi-kun..." Yūji becomes slightly aware that the kids she picked up last night weren't laying on her. Sukuna snorts and keeps a hand on her shoulder so she wouldn't get up.
"Junpei's playing with them. You're sick, so you need to rest." Yūji hums slightly and closes her eyes to try and combat the migraine.
"Chōso 'n' 'so, Kechizu?" The pink haired teenager asks before coughing. Sukuna huffs in amusement and pats his older sister's head.
"At school, now go to bed, Yūji," Sukuna says, making the older female pout. She whines before turning to her side and goes back to sleep.
She wakes up three hours later feeling a million times better. Yūji groans slightly as she forces her aching body to sit up.
"Good morning, Yū-nē. Feel any better?" Junpei asks softly from his spot on the other couch. He was playing a video game with a patched up Megumi and Nobara watching him play in awe. Yūji rubs her eyes and nods.
"S'rry. Is everything okay?" The warm rag falls off her forehead and lands in her lap. Nobara and Megumi focus on her, both frowning slightly.
"You need rest. Yū-chan," Nobara says while crossing her arms. Yūji blinks before smiling softly at the young girl.
"We need to get you back to your father first. And I'm alright now. It was really cold yesterday," Yūji states, brushing off their concern. She covers her mouth with her arm and coughs into her elbow.
"Suku-nī got you some DayQuil this morning when he went out grocery shopping," Junpei says and points at the two gelcaps on the coffee table. Yūji blinks in surprise before frowning slightly.
"That boy! I was gonna go today!" Yūji mutters under her breath, making Junpei roll his eyes.
He leans closer to the six year olds. "Yū-nē's really stubborn. You gotta force her to rest or do what she needs to do before she gets up."
"Junpei!" Yūji quickly swallows the pills and gives her little brother a small look of betrayal. Nobara giggles before quickly hiding her face with her hair, so the pink haired teenager couldn't see her laugh. Yūji smiles softly and slowly gets up from the couch.
"Do you know your father's number? I don't want to worry him anymore. You've already been gone a night," She asks softly. Megumi nods his head silently, gripping Nobara's hand.
"...can we stay here until Otōsan picks us up?" The boy asks hesitantly. Yūji grins brightly and nods her head. She glances back at the coffee table and spots her phone on the charger.
"Of course! I'd be a horrible person if I just up and left you somewhere outside! Do you want to call him?" Yūji hands her phone to Megumi when he gives her a shy nod.
"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. If your father wants to speak with me, just come and hand me the phone, okay?" Yūji ruffles both kids' hair before ruffling Junpei's and walks towards the kitchen. She checks the time on the wall clock and hums in thought. 11:22. It's almost lunchtime.
"I don't want to send them off hungry... I'll make something for them to take home." Yūji nods at the thought and takes off the now dry hoodie she forgot to take off last night. She pulls up her hair into a bun before she starts to cook.
MEGUMI
Megumi keeps a tight grip on his little sister's hand. He remembers Otōsan's training and keeps his face blank, but he was still scared. He hopes Otōsan will answer.
Megumi and Nobara perk up when the call is sent through. "Hello? Who is this?"
"Daddy!" Nobara exclaims in relief and happiness. Megumi sighs in silent relief and doesn't say anything.
"Nobara? Sweetheart you and Megumi had me scared! Where are you? Who kidnapped you? Are you safe?" Their Otōsan's frantic voice brings tears to Nobara's eyes. Megumi sniffs loudly and holds the phone closer to his ear.
"We escaped... A nice lady found us and took us to her home..." Megumi says quietly. Nobara sniffs and furiously rubs away her tears as a frown forms on her face.
"The meanies were so stupid! They hurt Gumi-nī, but I bit them and we escaped! Yū-chan gave us her phone to call you after she woke up," Nobara states with a pout. Their Otōsan chuckles through the phone and makes Megumi wish he was here to hug them.
"Don't worry, Nanamin and Noritoshi are looking for those... meanies right now. Can you tell me where you are? Your siblings are worried sick and I want to... meet this nice lady," He says, making Megumi and Nobara glance at each other.
"Okay, hold on." Megumi jumps off the couch and walks towards the kitchen. "Yū-chan? What's the address here?"
The nice lady turns around while stirring something in a pot and smiles brightly at Megumi. "Eh? I'm sorry. I didn't even think about that! It might be helpful to know this address."
"Megumi?" Megumi jumps slightly, forgetting for a moment that he had the phone to his ear.
"I'm giving the phone to Yū-chan." The boy ignores Otōsan's slight sputtering as he holds up the phone for Yū-chan. She giggles and grabs the phone, putting it between her ear and her shoulder.
"Hello! I apologize for not having your kids call you last night. They both were exhausted and I couldn't bear to keep them up all night to be picked up," Yūji speaks first as she adds some seasoning into the stew. Megumi tilts his head before walking closer to watch the nice lady cook.
"Ah, my name's Itadori Yūji. I live in apartment 3B3. The door and the buzzer are broken, so you'll need to come up to my apartment. Since it rained last night, you need to kick the right corner of the door while opening it at the same time. Just go up the three flights and knock on the third apartment door. Ogihara-san is one of my neighbors who lives in one of the stairwell apartments. She's a drunk, so if she calls out to you, just say your a friend of mine and she'll leave you relatively alone," Yūji continues with a soft smile when she sees a curious Megumi watching her cook.
"Oh! Sometimes the outside railing in front of my apartment pops off. If it does, duck and let it fall to the ground. It can leave a nasty cut on your face if you don't duck in time." Yūji ruffles Megumi's hair before she moves over to another counter. She starts to cut up vegetables quickly.
"I don't think anyone saw them with me. They ran into me. Literally. But don't worry! If anything happens before you get here, I can handle it. One of my little brother's are home with me and he knows where to hide with the kids if they need to." Yūji carries the cutting board over to the boiling pot and dumps it in. "They did have a few injuries. My eldest little brother had patched them up. From what I could see last night, Megumi-kun had an injury to his head and Nobara-chan had a big knot. I didn't see anything other than that."
"Of course! I'll hand the phone back to Megumi-kun." Yūji smiles down at a wide eyed Megumi and hands him the phone. He gives the nice lady a smile before putting the phone back to his ear and walking out of the kitchen.
"I'll be there soon, okay? You and Nobara be good to Itadori-san," Otōsan speaks once he's sure Megumi was listening. Megumi blinks before looking back into the kitchen. Yūji was humming a small tune as she starts to cut up some meat.
"Okay. Love you, Otōsan."
"Love you too, Megumi. I'll see you soon." Megumi looks down at the phone when his Otōsan hangs up. He frowns slightly before walking back into the living room.
"...she's nicer than Okāsan..."
Hey! Hope you like the new chapter! Next chapter, Satoru appears! Woo!
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Bye.
WhovianWhoudini