AN: Hello, everyone! I bring you a new fic and fandom. Since this is my first JJK fic, apologies if Gojo and Megumi are OOC. Also, this was written before I found out what happened in chapter 236, so Gojo is alive and Megumi isn't possessed. Nonetheless, I hope you will like this oneshot.

In a way, Gojo expected this topic of conversation to happen ever since he told Megumi what role he played in Fushiguro Toji's demise.

Just… not like this.

"Don't you hate me?" his student asks him one day out of the blue. It's just the two of them today, having finished a simple assignment and walking back together side by side - a piece of old times, long before Sukuna and everything that followed, tranquil and nice. It's part of the reason why he's so taken aback by the sudden question.

"Eh?" Gojo looks at Megumi in confusion, stopping his stride as the young jujutsu sorcerer stopped as well. "Why would I hate you?" Just where did it come from?

Megumi is not looking at him as he mumbles a reply, "Because of what my old man did."

Ah. So this what it is. When he finally told Megumi the truth, he expected the boy to be angry, upset (after all, he took Megumi and Tsumiki's father from them, no matter how much of a bastard Toji was, and no matter how indifferent Megumi was of him). And he was upset for a while, being more gloomier than usual, keeping silent on the reasons for it, even when Kugisaki and Itadori, who were worried about their best friend, bombarded him with questions about what had bitten him, that he had become even more like a "depressive emo", as Nobara put it when she and Yuji came to Satoru for answers, realizing that they would not get anything from Megumi, and their sensei is one hundred percent knows what is going on. Of course, Gojo appreciated their concern, but did not rat his student out, only saying that Megumi would share with them when he was ready. Satoru included.

And he turns out to be right. When they spoke about Toji again, with Megumi starting the conversation, he said there was nothing to forgive. He made his choice, his ward said when Satoru asked about the reasons for such an answer, surprised beyond measure. He was prepared for hatred, not forgiveness and acceptance. And I barely knew him anyway.

But perhaps he should have expected that Megumi would doubt his place in Satoru's life, considering the role Toji played in his life despite understanding and accepting his sensei's reasons. His smart, strong student tended to take on too many burdens - consequences of childhood without parents, which even Gojo's care couldn't erase -especially, the ones that aren't his fault and should have been the responsibility and guilt of other people instead. Like right now.

Ah, he needed to return to the subject at hand before Megumi overthinks it.

"Megumi," the strongest sorcerer alive spoke up solemnly. Hearing the serious tone the man rarely used, the teenager looks at his sensei. "Remember what you said about your dad when we spoke about him last week?"

"That it was his choice to accept the rematch and assassination hit put on Amanai-san?" at Gojo's nod, Megumi frowns. "But don't you hate him? The events that followed pushed Geto-san over the edge. And I'm the Sorcerer Killer's son. By that logic you should have abandoned me, not taken under your wing and save me from the Zenins."

"True, I hated your dad for a while," Satoru admits. And he hated himself for failing to notice his best friend spiral into darkness. Still does, and always will, but at the moment, this wasn't about him. This was about Megumi, not his self-hate and disgust."But, Megumi, children aren't responsible for the sins of their fathers. Remember that. Besides," he adds cheekily, "who could resist this face and not take care of you, hm~?"

An embarrassed flush and scowl appear on Megumi's face, but the white-haired man was relieved to see that the tension was gone from his student's shoulders. Good. The distraction was a success. "Are you aware that you sound like a creep?"

"Aw!" the strongest sorcerer alive pouted exaggeratedly as he whines in reply. "But I spoke the truth and just wanted to cheer Megumi-chan up since he was down!"

"Quit it!" came the reprimand as Megumi resumed their stroll. A moment later, he added softly, "Thank you, sensei."

Satoru smiles gently, joining his student and ruffling raven locks as he did so. Megumi huffs, but allows the gesture.

"No thanks needed, Megumi," Gojo replies just as softly.

He knows the boy will take his words to heart and understand the meaning behind them — he is important to Satoru.

After all, they are a family.