"Fucking woodpeckers…" Megumi muttered as he drew up the blanket to cover his ears and hopefully drown out that incessant tapping. He was a ridiculously light sleeper, and had half a mind to burn some of the trees outside his room to the ground with the racket certain woodland creatures often made while inhabiting them. Investing in ear plugs was probably less drastic, but much less satisfying.

"Fushiguro…wake up Fushiguru…"

Well, that was new. Woodpeckers couldn't talk as far as he knew, let alone call out his name like that. It could be a cursed spirit drawn to his energy, but they were more likely to babble incoherent nonsense than anything as complex as a name. Also, he recognized that voice…

"Come on Fushiguru… I know you're a light sleeper… There's no way you're sleeping through this annoying racket I'm making."

Itadori. Fucking Itadori. The tapping resumed, which turned out to be Itadori's gorilla-sized knuckles rapping on his door. Too bad. Woodpeckers and cursed spirits were much easier to kill. When the knocking continued, Megumi groaned and curled up into a ball, hoping against hope that Itadori would get bored and give up. But if there was one thing he knew about that bonehead Itadori, it was that he never, ever gave up.

Eventually it sounded like Itadori had transitioned to head-butting the door, with each beat accompanied by a muffled "Fushiguru". Nobara hammering nails into his eardrums would have been less torture.

"Alright already!" he hollered in frustration before throwing off the blankets and sitting up, rubbing furiously at his heavy, encrusted eyelids. The digital clock on his nightstand read 1:34 AM. The pounding had ceased by the time he padded barefoot to the door and yanked it open, not even bothering to turn on the lights. This was going to be a brief exchange as far as he was concerned.

Itadori probably looked worse than Megumi felt. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled, his back was bowed, and there was a fat pink mark on his forehead from where it made repeated contact with Megumi's door. He hoped it gave Itadori a concussion.

"It's. One. Thirty. Four. A. M." Megumi ground out each syllable to drive home just how late it was and how little he enjoyed standing outside his doorway talking to him right then.

Itadori couldn't even pretend to be contrite, instead snickering while staring at Megumi's head. "Your hair is all over the place. Though I guess it's not that different from usual."

Is he drunk? He wasn't swaying on the spot and his breath smelled like Mountain Dew instead of alcohol. He just looked tired. "I really hope you didn't pull me out of bed just to give me hair styling tips."

"Oh no, of course not." Itadori finally managed to look abashed, looking down at the floor and avoiding eye contact. "You're gonna hate me if I tell you the reason."

"I already do, so you may as well spit it out." Megumi's expression remained neutral, but his body was already inching back into the room, his grip on the door tightening, ready to slam it on Itadori's face and return to bed.

"Would you…um…" Itadori seemed to lose confidence for a moment, before heaving a loud sigh and soldiering on with what he came to say. "Would you…like to watch some cheesy horror movies with me?" he spat out quickly and held up three DVD cases for Megumi's inspection. He must have been hiding them behind his back the entire time.

Megumi's grip on the door slipped down several notches. That was…much dumber than I had expected. And while his first instinct was to scream "NO!" and proceed with the planned door-slamming, Itadori's request was just so absurd that he couldn't help but be curious, no matter how much he wanted to crawl back into bed and forget this ever happened. "What?" was all he could manage to articulate though. Damn his wits were slow this late in the night.

Itadori stared at the DVDs in his hands. "I can't sleep. I can't actually remember the last time I've had a full eight." Suddenly Itadori's mouth contorted into a bitter frown. "He…he likes to make it difficult for me. To sleep. So I just read manga and watch movies and play games by myself till I pass out, but it hasn't been working so well lately."

Megumi's posture softened after hearing that, his grip on the door slackening. He didn't need to ask who "he" was that was keeping Itadori from dreamland. Itadori rarely gave any insight into his struggles with the King of Curses, which was likely taking a bigger toll on Itadori's body and soul than he let anyone know. Knowing that cast Itadori's current wan appearance in a new, depressing light. The dark circles around his eyes, the red-rimmed sclera, and bowed posture weren't just the result of one night of insomnia, but several nights. How had he never noticed before?

They stood there under the doorway in uncomfortable silence, Itadori awkwardly shuffling the DVD cases while he waited for Megumi to respond.

True to form, Megumi let nothing show on his stoic face. His reputation would be in tatters if he started bawling after every sob story he heard. So maybe he was still a little pissed at Itadori, all things considered. "You haven't asked Kugisaki to watch with you instead?"

Itadori quickly shook his head. "No way. You know she'd just beat the shit out of me. And I have this feeling she's more into French arthouse films. With subtitles." Itadori stuck out his tongue to show exactly what he thought of Nobara's tastes.

Are we talking about the same Nobara Kugisaki? The one who had a WWE poster in her bedroom? "If you say so…what about Gojo-sensei?"

Itadori's face took on a haunted expression that Megumi didn't understand. "Gojo-sensei is fun and all, but we've watched more movies together than I can count. We need a break. Also…he likes to spoil things. He's a fucking spoiler!" Itadori scowled and made a fist, probably remembering some TV show or movie that Gojo-sensei completely obliterated the emotional payoff of with his dirty spoiling.

When did that happen? That was likely a reference to the mysterious period Itadori had spent "not dead". Megumi still had no clue what Itadori had been doing during that time; neither he nor Gojo-sensei would say.

Itadori must have been thinking along the same lines, as the mock anger dissipated and a dark look enveloped him again. "There was…someone else I used to watch movies with during that time. When I was 'dead'. He liked the same ones I do, and we'd laugh till the break of dawn tearing the worst ones apart. But…he's gone now. Killed by a curse."

Megumi's cool façade faltered, registering surprise. They had suspected that Itadori had been sent on missions while in hiding but knew none of the details. The fact that he lost a friend explained the somber moods that occasionally consumed Itadori after he returned to them. He knew how far Itadori's Hero Complex stretched; he would literally kill himself to save as many as he could.

Megumi couldn't think of anything to say, so it was a relief that Itadori dispatched with the gloom himself, reassuming his normal airhead routine, albeit with a bit more wear and tear. "So…yeah, are we gonna keep standing here or do you wanna watch a movie? I'd ask someone else, but everyone else thinks I'm tedious, silly, annoying, loud…"

"I think your tedious, silly, annoying, and loud," said Megumi blandly.

"So that pretty much just leaves you," Itadori continued as if Megumi hadn't said anything. "Oh, there's also the part where you're my best friend."

Megumi closed his eyes like he had been struck. That's just unfair. Cheap shot. When he opened them again, Itadori was blinking rapidly at him with a childlike sparkle in his brown eyes. That would have been bad enough, but for some horrifying reason he also puckered his lips in what Megumi assumed was a sick attempt at being cute. He grimaced. "You know you don't have to literally pout to get what you want."

"Sure. Unless it works." Itadori leaned into his personal space, eyelashes fluttering. "Is it working?"

A muscle on Megumi's temple twitched. "If I say it is, will you promise never to do that again?" he said softly.

That was all Itadori needed to hear. He leapt into the air in a celebratory "whoop", face breaking out into a grin. Megumi merely shook his head in mingled annoyance and amusement as he put on some slippers and shut the bedroom door before striding over to Itadori's, said boy jumping and hollering joyfully behind him. He resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't getting any sleep tonight no matter what. Hopefully the noise Itadori was making wasn't robbing anyone else of their precious rest. He envied them.

Itadori zoomed ahead and opened the door for him, beckoning him inside. Megumi grunted in thanks as he stepped into the room. Itadori was already yapping excitedly before they had the chance to slip off their slippers. "Our choices for tonight are Path of Blood 2: Electric Boogaloo. I'm sure you've already seen the first Path of Blood, it's a masterpiece. Or maybe The Summoning: Summoners Die Twice would be right up your alley. There's also Heather's Revenge: Unlocked and Unloaded, Uncensored Deluxe Edition 2.5. The reviews say its more porn than movie, but the actress has a nice ass like Jennifer Lawrence, so that's a plus in my opinion."

Megumi nodded along noncommittally as he took in Itadori's bedroom. "Do you watch anything but low budget horror movies?" He had never been in Itadori's room before, though it struck him that it was exactly how he imagined it would look. Posters of his favorite buxom models and actresses adorned the walls. In the same spot where Megumi had his miniature bookshelf, Itadori's instead was overflowing with DVDs, many of which were piling up on the floor. A modest CRT tv stood on a dresser at the foot of Itadori's bed, which sat underneath the windows. The blinds were closed, but Megumi could often see the light of a television streaming into his own windows late at night.

"Of course I do," said Itadori as he walked over to the small nook that housed his cookware and miniature refrigerator. "I also watch low budget Korean dramas. Please, make yourself comfortable. Just gonna prepare some snacks."

The only furniture was a circular rug next to a small dining table. Megumi set himself on the bed instead, seeing as how it doubled as a couch for watching tv. Thankfully it passed his high standards for cleanliness, with no obvious stains on the sheets, blankets or pillowcases that he could find. He suspected that Itadori had changed them before inviting Megumi.

An odd burnt smell assaulted Megumi's senses, and Itadori came by carrying a massive bowl of what looked like popcorn, though the color was off. Megumi hadn't spied a microwave. As if reading his thoughts, Itadori explained. "I make my own popcorn the old-fashioned way, straight from the pot. I also experiment with flavors, cause the same old salt and butter gets boring after a while." He proffered the bowl for Megumi to take into his lap. "This one's sour cream and onion. Please, give it a try."

Megumi accepted the bowl and took his time analyzing the light greenish shells before popping one into his mouth. Itadori waited expectantly for his reaction, and seemed to relax visibly when he gave a thumbs up. Being awake when he hadn't expected to was making him hungry, so anything that he could ingest right then was welcome. Itadori had long proven himself to be a decent cook though.

Itadori busied himself with setting up the pillows against the headboard, gesturing for Megumi to lean on them and put his feet up. Megumi watched him flit across the room, setting things up. He couldn't remember the last time he had relaxed in another person's room, let alone a friend's. Probably not since middle school. He had always been a loner, preferring to spend his time indoors alone, reading. And rather than comic books and manga, which were the texts most teenagers his age whiled away their free time on, he preferred encyclopedias and biographies. Not exactly the sort of books that made him popular in most social circles.

As Itadori fiddled with the DVD player (Path of Blood 2 it was then) and Megumi absently munched on popcorn, he noticed a single picture frame perched on the windowsill. It was a picture of an old man and a slightly younger Itadori giving a peace sign behind him. It must have been his grandfather, who had died not long before Itadori became a curse user, he remembered Itadori telling him. There were no pictures of his parents or anyone else. That made Megumi even more curious of what exactly happened during that time Itadori had spent pretending to be dead. And of the friend he had lost.

Loss… he supposed all curse users had that in common.

Though he had to admit, living as a host for a powerful thousand-year-old dark sorcerer who likely made him some surreal nightmares was not something he could relate to.

Megumi was booted from his reverie when Itadori switched off the lights, the room now illuminated by the glow of the TV screen, which started playing those anti-piracy warnings. Megumi scooted a little as Itadori clambered unto the bed and positioned himself next to him on the headboard. They sat shoulder to shoulder as Itadori reached over for the popcorn. "Jusht chell me if you're chirshty," Itadori said with his mouth full. He swallowed quickly and coughed. "Ugh, kernels. Anyway, we've got…Mountain Dew. And…that's pretty much it. I can look for some tea. I think I bought some three months ago."

Megumi shrugged, his eyes on the television as the movie's title card came on the screen bathed in digital blood. "I'm good. Thanks."

Itadori lightly elbowed him in the side, forcing him to meet his eyes. They no longer looked quite as exhausted as they did when Megumi opened his bedroom door. "Thanks, Megumi. For agreeing to this," he said softly, with a hint of shyness in his voice that belied his normally abrasive tone. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

He shrugged again and made himself smile. "I'm starting to get over it. It's Sunday tomorrow anyway, so I guess I'll just sleep in." And cut some of the reading I planned on doing, but whatever…

Itadori peered down at his lap, the glare of the television illuminating the somber lines on his profile. "I'm just tired of being alone. Watching TV I mean. Don't worry, I don't plan on this being a regular thing. Just for tonight."

Megumi didn't know what to say to that, so he playfully dug his elbow into Itadori's stomach as if to say 'cheer up already and watch the movie' and offered him some popcorn, which he heartily took in fistfuls.

So that was how they spent the next hour and thirty minutes. The movie was far more unintentionally hilarious than scary with Itadori laughing uproariously and Megumi chuckling at some of the awful dialogue, poor acting, and absurd situations. Megumi had never actually seen the first Path of Blood, but there wasn't really much of a plot to get lost in anyway so he was able to follow along alright. Intermittently Itadori would get up to refill the snack bowl or retrieve more bottles of Mountain Dew.

Towards the end Megumi felt a fuzzy lump land on his shoulder, and he looked over to find Itadori fast asleep and snoring softly. Not even the screams of naked women being murdered, which turned out to be the movie's terrible finale, could rouse him. Careful not to dislodge him, Megumi pulled up his arm and snaked it around Itadori's shoulders, pulling him close. He told himself that this was so they'd both be comfortable, nothing more. Also, nothing wrong with wanting a little more warmth as he pulled up the blanket to cover the both of them. The room was getting a little chilly and he didn't have the heart to disturb him so he could turn on the heater.

Megumi peered down at the blond head leaning on his side. Just sleep. Take it where you can get it. I'll take care of things over here. That's what best friends are for, right? He smiled fondly to himself and returned to watching the movie.

"Aww, isn't this sweet. I turn around for an hour and the brat finds himself a bedmate? Didn't think he had the balls."

Megumi stiffened, careful not to bolt upright at the sudden voice and wake the sleeping boy. He peered over Itadori's head to find an ugly mouth with a serpentine tongue in place of Itadori's ear. It had an evil expression that was unmistakably Ryomen Sukuna.

"Turn it down, Sukuna. Haven't you kept him awake more than enough?" His voice was cool, but his free hand at the edge of the bed was already at work drawing out curse energy and bending the shadows around them, just in case.

"Is that why you're here? You're concerned he's not getting enough sleep?" The mouth cackled, making Megumi wince. No horror movie in Itadori's collection could have matched that voice when it came to evoking sheer terror. "You can relax, boy. I won't try anything. I've purposefully held back tonight just to see where this was going. And I've been watching you, Megumi Fushiguru. You in particular. Would you like to make a pact? Since you're so concerned about this brat's wellbeing."

The credits scrolled on the television screen, casting the room in flashes of faint white light. "What…what are you saying?"

The mouth contorted into a toothy grin. "I think you know exactly what I'm saying, Megumi of the Zenin clan. In any case, no need to think about my offer now. Sleep on it, as the saying goes. You know where to find me when you've made up your mind." Sukuna's mouth thew out one last cruel laugh before becoming an ear again. The credit reel reached its end, and so did the movie, shrouding them all in darkness. Itadori murmured peacefully on his shoulder.


AN: I originally planned for this to just be a fluffy one shot, but now I think I can do more with this story. Hopefully if the demand is there I can slap this with a "Chapter One" *wink wink*