Nanami scrubs slow circles into his aching temples, the first hints of a migraine already threatening to send pangs of discomfort throughout his head. It has been exactly five months, three weeks, and four days since he last spoke to Satoru Gojo, and even ten times that

still

would 've been too soon.

'Excuse me, ' he begins, already exhausted. He 's not sure whether to be more disappointed in Gojo or himself that Gojo is somehow still capable of surprising him. 'You want me to pretend to be a child 's

father? '

'Oh, c 'mon! ' Gojo pleads from the other end of the line. Nanami can practically

hear

the shit-eating grin in his voice. 'It won 't be that hard! '

Nanami sighs. 'In case you don 't recall, I am eighteen years old. How do you expect me to pass for the father of a child who is-- ' Nanami pauses. 'How old is he? '

'Yuuji-kun! How old are you? '

'I 'm six! ' a little voice chirps from somewhere behind Gojo.

'A six year old? ' Nanami huffs. 'You must be out of your mind. '

'Well yeah,

that 's

a given, ' Gojo says, as if it 's the most obvious thing in the world. Which it is, Nanami supposes, if you 've ever spoken to him for more than three seconds. 'But you look so much more mature than eighteen, thanks to that giant stick up your ass! '

Nanami quirks an eyebrow. 'Is

this

how you ask someone for a favor? ' He readjusts his grip on his phone. 'I 'm not good with children, Gojo. '

'Don 't worry, this one 's easy. I 'm pretty sure you could give him a crunchy leaf and he 'd be entertained for hours. '

Frowning, 'Is he an idiot? '

Gojo snorts. 'A little bit, but in a cute way. '

Nanami shakes his head. 'I 'm really not sure about this, ' he replies, lowering his voice. His lunch break is long over -- this is

not

a conversation he wants his boss to be overhearing. His coworker in the cubicle across from him is already giving him a strange look; why can 't people just mind their own business? Nanami always does.

'Nanamin, please! Don 't you wanna be a DILF? '

'What the hell is a DILF? '

'It means Dad I 'd Like to-- '

'If you finish that sentence in front of my daughter, I 'm gonna wring your skinny neck, ' an unidentified voice snaps. Immediately, Nanami feels a connection with this nameless person. The man 's tone of exasperation is almost identical to his own, down to the last subtle intonation.

'Fine, fine, ' Gojo exhales. 'Listen. If you meet him and decide you don 't want to do it, then I won 't call you for a year. '

Nanami 's eyes widen. He hasn 't been in the corporate world too long, but he knows a good deal when he hears one. 'A

year? '

he repeats. 'I 'll hold you to that, you know. '

'You 're so mean! ' Gojo whines. Nanami physically couldn 't care less. 'I 'll text you the address so you can swing by after work, okay? I 'll be here with him. We can catch up! '

Or

not.

Nanami is fairly sure

sleep

is what he 'll be needing to catch up on after today. 'We 're not doing that, ' he deadpans. 'But I will be there. ' He hangs up without saying goodbye.

He's found that he excels at compartmentalizing, so he doesn 't give the call another thought for the remainder of the workday. The clock strikes 5PM in the same instant Nanami rises from his seat, whisks his blazer off the back of his chair, and slings it over his broad shoulders. He glances at the address Gojo texted him and maps out the optimal route to arrive via public transportation.

Nanami arrives about half an hour later. It 's a fairly nice apartment complex in a quiet and safe neighborhood, so its inhabitants are hopefully reasonable people. That 's a relief. Nanami has found there 's a concerning shortage of reasonable people both inside and outside the jujutsu world. His slender fingers trace over the chilly steel handrail as he climbs up the steps, and when he knocks on the door, it 's already ajar. It swings open with a light tap.

The door opens to a sprawling and bright apartment with deep cherrywood floors and a marble-covered kitchen. Christmas decorations are still up despite the fact that it 's January 15th, and there are a few pizza boxes stacked on the edge of a counter. Gojo is reclining on the couch, obscuring the silhouette of what must be the young boy in question behind him. A little girl in glasses is scribbling on Gojo 's face with what appears to be permanent marker -- and he 's letting her do it, for some inexplicable reason. Strange, he would 've had to drop Limitless for that.

But most importantly--

Nanami 's heard stories and seen a few blurry pictures, but he recognizes the man the moment he lays eyes on him simply from his terrifying aura alone. 'That 's the Sorcerer Ki-- '

Gojo is up in an instant, crossing the room in less than a heartbeat and smacking a hand over Nanami 's mouth before he can finish the alias. 'We 're just gonna chat outside for a sec! ' Gojo calls to the room 's inhabitants in an airy yet terse voice, then shoves Nanami out the door and slams it behind them.

When they 're outside, Gojo leans his lanky form against the doorway in a posture far too tense to pass off as casual. 'Hey, Nanamin! You got rid of the emo haircut! I gotta say, the pushed-back look is really workin ' for ya. '

Nanami flares, tightening his tie just to find something to do with his hands. He finds himself wishing he still had his glasses; he 'd never admit it, but readjusting them was always a nervous habit. 'Why is the

Sorcerer Killer

inside on that couch?! ' he hisses. 'I thought you killed him! '

'Oh, funny story! That actually didn 't work. '

Talking with Gojo is either a sprint or a marathon, with no in-between. Both are equally unpleasant. 'Why didn 't you

warn

me? '

'Well if I told you he was here, you wouldn 't have come! ' Gojo says, then his smile that 's always just to the left of artificial falls away for a moment. When he speaks again, it 's in a tone halfway between bitter and amused. 'Besides, what are you so worried about? It 's not like you 're a sorcerer anymore. '

Nanami refuses to take the bait. Gojo already guilt-tripped him enough after he made the decision to leave. He 's blocked Gojo 's number several times, but he just keeps getting new damn phones. 'Why is he here with you? '

Quickly, Gojo resumes his frivolous nature and flaps a hand dismissively. 'Jeez, drop the murderous aura, won 't ya? ' A little slice of a smile uncovers the white of his teeth. 'Play nice with my new partner, Nanamin. '

'Your new

what?! '

'Yeah, we 're on the same side now! ' Gojo flashes him a peace sign that makes Nanami want to break his fingers a little. 'We got into a bit of a death scuffle when we ran into each other again, but then we came to an understanding and now here we are! Best buds! '

'I strongly doubt that, ' Nanami grumbles, and Gojo 's lips downturn. Called it. 'I find it incredibly hard to believe that he 'd want to work with you after all that. '

'Well, here 's the thing-- ' Gojo taps on his chin. 'He has amnesia. '

Nanami 's jaw drops.

'What? '

'Yeah! He doesn 't have a clue about anything that happened before our big fight! So be cool for the first time ever and don 't tell him, okay? '

Nanami scowls, dread pooling in his stomach. 'So he doesn 't even

know

he was the Sorcerer Killer? You 're being too naive, Gojo. '

'But if he doesn 't remember it, it pretty much never happened, right? '

'I 'm not sure his victims ' families would agree, ' Nanami grouses.

Ignoring the gravity of Nanami's words, Gojo clasps his hands together and gives Nanami his best attempt at puppy eyes. Unfortunately, Nanami is not the one person that has ever worked on. 'Na! Na! Mi! Don 't ruin this for me! Pretty please? '

Nanami shakes his head. 'I would 've thought you 'd be the last person on earth to want to partner with him after the trouble he caused you. '

But Gojo just sighs. 'I guess you could say...I owe him for something. '

Nanami knows better than to ask him to explain himself. Gojo will talk himself in circles just to dance around the answer. 'Who is that girl? ' he asks. It was already virtually impossible to take Gojo seriously, but the mess of inky black squiggles she drew on his face voids the chance entirely.

'That 's his daughter. ' Gojo 's fingers wrap around the doorhandle. 'Listen. I promise I 'll explain more later, okay? Now c 'mon, let 's go inside and meet your new son! '

'He 's not my new son. '

'Aww, lighten up. Trust me! Kids give life purpose! '

What an odd thing for him to say. 'How would

you

know? '

There 's a stutter in his step at that, but he catches his balance before Nanami can think twice about it. They walk back inside and over to the couch.

'Yuuji-kun! Say hi to Nanamin! '

'That 's not my name. '

'Hi Nanamin! ' The child waves at him so hard Nanami briefly worries his arm will fall off. 'I 'm Yuuji Itadori and my favorite animal is a tiger! What 's your favorite animal? '

Nanami pauses. 'I don 't have one. '

The child hops up and down. 'Oh, that 's a good answer! You like them all so much you can 't pick a favorite, right? I 'm that way sometimes too! '

'No, I-- ' Nanami cuts himself off. He might not be

good

with children, but he isn 't

entirely

without tact, either. 'Something like that. '

'Awesome! ' He leaps back onto the couch and the cushion bounces against the energy of it. 'How do you know Toji-ji? '

It 's impossible to describe the look on the Sorcerer Killer 's face right now. Those sharp emerald eyes are peeling Nanami apart, like he 's trying to read between the lines of a book written in invisible ink. Nanami opens his mouth to respond before Gojo beats him to it.

'He 's my friend, actually! ' Gojo exclaims.

Friend

isn 't exactly the word Nanami would 've chosen. 'He works at a different place than me and Toji, though. '

Yuuji seems unfazed by it. 'What 's your job, Nanamin? '

'I 'm a stock broker at a portfolio company. '

Yuuji blinks up at him. 'What 's your job, Nanamin? '

Nanami sighs. 'I sell money. '

'Whoa, awesome! ' Yuuji brightens. 'Can I buy some money? '

Wow. Nanami folds his arms across his chest. 'Perhaps when you are older. ' Not that he should be looking forward to growing up.

'Then can I have some now for free? '

'No. '

Yuuji pouts, but it lasts a grand total of two seconds before he perks up again. 'Nanamin! We 're doing a spa day! Can I paint your nails? '

Frowning, 'No. I have work. '

The child deflates a little. 'Oh, okay. '

The Sorcerer Killer 's daughter has gone back to drawing on Gojo. One cheek is covered in scribbles and she 's currently doodling the sloppiest frowny face Nanami has ever seen on the other. The Sorcerer Killer looks supremely pleased with this.

Nanami sighs. Yuuji looks so crestfallen he can 't help but cave. At least the 24-hour mart near his apartment should sell rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover. 'Well, alright. '

'Yay! ' Yuuji 's bright disposition immediately returns, so sparkling Nanami almost thinks the clouds have parted from the dim winter sky. Nanami slowly sits beside him on the couch, holding out his hands.

The child unscrews the nail polish and lifts up the brush, dripping dots of polish all over his clothes. He either doesn 't notice or doesn 't care. 'I was watching a cooking special on TV yesterday. I learned that some ramen broth is cooked using mushrooms as a base! Isn 't that awesome? I totally want to try something like that! '

Nanami readjusts his hands so the child can paint them more easily. 'You want to try to make it or you want to try to eat it? '

'Yes! '

Oh, that 's interesting. Cooking is a hobby Nanami has recently fallen into, as well -- he 's found it 's both relaxing and strangely rewarding, since he has so little control over everything else in his life. Nanami hasn 't seen that particular special yet, though he does have it recorded on his TV. 'That sounds...nice. '

Yuuji nods excitedly. 'Yeah! Me and Maki were gonna try to make it and Toji-ji is gonna be our taste tester! ' He looks back and forth between Nanami and Gojo. 'Do you guys wanna be our taste testers too? '

'Yes, ' Gojo replies, literally in an instant.

The Sorcerer Killer huffs and rolls his eyes. 'Meddling little pest, ' he grumbles. If Nanami didn 't know better, he might think the man was holding back a smile.

Unsettling. Nanami pinches his brows. He 's already mapping out ways to get out of that. 'I...I 'll have to see if I 'm available. '

'Okay! ' Yuuji chimes. He picks up a marker and begins drawing a design. 'Can I borrow your tie, Nanamin? '

'What for? ' he says, unwinding it. He hands the tie to Yuuji.

Yuuji unravels it and wraps it around one of Nanami 's wrists, tying it in a big fancy bow with a glowing grin. 'There! Now it 's perfect! '

Nanami looks down. It 's...festive, for lack of a better word. Upon closer inspection, the child has painted little yen signs onto several of his nails. 'Since you sell money! ' the child explains.

That 's--a bit endearing. Nanami really isn 't good with children, but Gojo was right in saying this one is not too bad. 'Thank you. It 's lovely. '

'So why are you visiting your friend, Nanamin? ' he asks.

Nanami blinks. Gojo didn 't tell Yuuji what he was here for? It 's odd that Gojo actually gave him the chance to back out without getting the child 's hopes up.

'Just stopping by, ' he replies. He stumbles on the lie but sticks the landing. 'We had considered making plans for tomorrow. '

'It 's parents ' day at my school tomorrow, ' Yuuji begins. 'I 'm so excited! I 'm gonna get to meet all my friends ' families! Normally my grandpa would take me, but he 's in the hospital again. He said maybe I could draw a picture of my parents to show my friends. Do you wanna see it? '

'Sure, ' Nanami replies.

'Thanks! ' Yuuji springs to his feet and pads over to his backpack. He rummages through it for a while before tugging out a book with a folded piece of paper tucked between its pages. He skips back to the couch and unfolds the drawing. 'Look! I 'm really proud of it! '

And with good reason -- the drawing certainly is impressive, especially for a child his age. Brightly-colored crayon decorates the paper in waxy spirals, with crisp, clean lines bleeding into softer patches of shading.

However, none of that is what catches Nanami 's eye.

There are two little halos above his mother and father, and fluffy angel wings behind them. The child 's grip on the paper falters for a moment, and Nanami feels a piece of his heart fall with it.

Oh.

So

that 's

why he needs someone to take him.

Nanami is no stranger to tragedy. It came with his former occupation. He 's made more than his fair share of house visits, because Yaga always taught him that families should be informed of the loss of a loved one in person. Eventually, he 'd gotten used to it; the crying, brothers and sisters collapsing beside each other on the floor, clutching one another as their shoulders shook with despair. Nanami hates to admit he learned how to deal with that.

But this

child

-- this he doesn 't know how to deal with. The acceptance in his eyes, like he 's lost all hope for something he never even had to begin with.

Nanami realizes far too late that Yuuji has been talking for a while and he hasn 't been listening. Yuuji is pointing at the drawings of his parents. 'I don 't really remember what they looked like though, so I kinda made it-- '

'I can take you tomorrow, ' Nanami cuts Yuuji off, surprising himself. He hadn 't even realized he 'd been about to say that.

In response, Yuuji 's breath hitches. 'Huh? '

'If you 're alright with it, ' Nanami adds. Gojo is giving him a triumphant grin that looks strangely close to genuine, but it isn 't nearly as disconcerting as the fact that the

Sorcerer Killer

is smiling, too.

'Of course I 'm alright with it! ' beams Yuuji, then he throws his arms around Nanami.

Nanami feels himself tense up despite years and years of training against it. 'Why are you squeezing me with your body? '

'It 's a hug, Nanamin! ' Yuuji giggles. 'Thank you! '

Unsure of what to do, Nanami pats the child on the back.

Well. He supposes he can take a paid day off.

Nanami arrives bright and early the next morning to meet Yuuji just outside the gates of his school. Nanami had gone to bed far earlier than usual the night before, in hopes of preparing himself for this -- but he 's proven wrong within seconds when the child slips a hand into one of Nanami 's own and tugs him towards the school.

'C 'mon, Nanamin! I 'm so excited to show you all the cool stuff I 've been doing! '

Nanami blinks. This is fine. There 's a strange child holding his hand that he now must pretend to be raising, but it 's fine. Really. He steadies his breathing and continues to allow the child to tug him along like a fish on a line.

When they reach the school building, they 're greeted by a short woman with long black hair pulled into a low ponytail. Yuuji seems distracted by a butterfly fluttering by. 'Hello, Itadori-san! Nice to finally meet you! I 'm Suzuki-sensei. '

'It 's Nanami, ' he corrects, and because if there 's one thing he 's learned from the corporate world it 's how to make up bullshit on the spot, he adds, 'Yuuji took my wife 's last name. ' It feels off, leaving out the honorific. But if he 's going to pretend this child is his son, it 's probably for the best.

'Oh! Will she be joining us today? '

Nanami ponders for a moment. 'She...is no longer with us. '

Why is Suzuki-sensei trying to suppress a smile when she says, 'Oh, what a shame! I 'm so sorry for your loss, Nanami-san. '

'It 's alright. ' Nanami ignores Yuuji 's fidgeting as he tries to reach towards the butterfly.

Suzuki-sensei hands him a piece of paper. 'Well, here 's a map of the school for you and your son 's reference! ' she explains.

You and your son.

That 's...going to take some getting used to. 'A-and feel free to ask me if you need any assistance, okay? '

Why is she blushing? Oh well. 'I will. ' Nanami taps Yuuji on the shoulder to reclaim his attention. 'Let 's go inside, Yuuji. '

'I wanna show you my classroom first! ' Yuuji declares.

Helpless, Nanami allows himself to be dragged to the classroom. Yuuji leads him over to a desk near the back of his class with his name on it, scrawled in messy katakana. There 's a folder of papers neatly gathered in the corner -- stacked by a teacher, most likely. He 's known him for less than a day, but Nanami isn 't sure Yuuji is capable of that kind of organization. Yuuji leafs through the papers and withdraws one of them, then pulls Nanami over to what must be the childrens ' reading corner.

Nanami sits down in one of the beanbag chairs and can 't help but freeze up for a moment when Yuuji cuddles up next to him. 'Look, Nanamin! We did book reports. '

Proud, Yuuji hands him the paper. Nanami inspects it closer. 'This is a drawing of a frog. '

'That 's what the book was about! ' Yuuji explains. 'I 'm not great at reading yet. I can do it sometimes, but other times the letters look all fuzzy to me. ' He kicks his little feet against the squishy chair. 'But Maki helps me when I need it. She 's so smart! '

'Maki? ' Nanami repeats.

'Yeah! Toji-ji 's daughter! You met her yesterday, ' Yuuji says. 'Maki is my bestest friend in the whole universe! '

Nanami has been trying not to give the Sorcerer Killer any thought today. He saw him briefly just before the day began, but they went off in different directions. 'I see. '

'Here 's the book, ' Yuuji points out as he pulls a picture book from the shelf. 'Will you read it to me, Nanamin? '

'I--I suppose, ' Nanami responds, accepting the book when the child hands it to him. 'You 'll have to practice your reading eventually, though. '

Yuuji returns to his side and leans up against him. Nanami has to put an arm around his shoulder in order to turn the pages.

No one has to tell Nanami he 's not an impressive storyteller. He 's been told his tone is too flat and his energy is lacking. But the child still hangs onto his every word, smiling like the sun every time he turns the page and introduces another character. When Nanami reaches the last page, Yuuji gives him an enthusiastic round of applause.

'Wow! That was amazing! I love that story. It 's my favorite, tied with every other story I 've ever read. '

This child is

loud,

and it 's not just his voice. Everything from the bright yellow hoodie tugged over his uniform to the way his laugh lights up a room commands attention like the main character of a manga. Yuuji springs up and grabs the stack of papers again then flops back onto the beanbag chair beside Nanami.

'Suzuki-sensei gave us an assignment to write about what we want to be when we grow up. I 'm still not sure yet, but I think maybe I want to be a firefighter. No matter what, I know I want to save people! ' He snuggles further into Nanami 's side. 'Gojo-san and Toji-ji save people together. I think that 's so cool! Did you ever want to save people too, Nanamin? '

The question strikes Nanami like a blow to the chest, dragging what 's left of his heart to the bottom of his ribcage. He 'd tried to, back then. Even thought that he could. But life is never that kind. All he remembers is Amanai 's blood smeared across Gojo 's uniform. Haibara 's cold body on the table in the morgue. 'I used to. '

'I bet you 'd be great at it! ' Yuuji chirps, driving the stake in further. 'You already saved me today, so I didn 't have to be alone! '

Nanami 's breath stutters at that.

I saved him?

'I 'wouldn 't put it like that. '

'It 's true! ' Yuuji insists. 'Oh, and look! ' He pulls out another paper from the folder. 'My test scores have been getting better throughout the year. They used to be kinda bad, but I 've been trying really hard and I 've improved! '

As requested, Nanami scans the report card. 'That 's good, ' he begins. 'In my opinion, improvement is more impressive than innate talent. I overheard a saying once that said,

'Who would you want to pack your parachute? ' '

He crosses his legs. 'The idea behind it is: would you rather jump from a plane with a parachute packed by a person that did it fairly well on the first try then never did it again, or a person who began not knowing how to do it, but over time, built up enough skill to master the task? ' Nanami returns the card to the child. 'Personally, I would select the latter every time. '

Nanami doesn 't fully understand why, but the child is gazing up at him with twinkling eyes, light from the fluorescents in the classroom gleaming in his irises like stars in the sky. 'Wow, ' he breathes. 'You 're really wise, Nanamin! '

Sighing, 'I wouldn 't go that far. '

'I totally would! ' Yuuji declares. 'Um...I 'm really glad you came with me today. Thank you for being here. '

Nanami gulps. Something is stirring in his chest, both unfamiliar yet nestled into the core of his being like an old friend. 'You 're welcome, ' he murmurs. 'I 'm glad I came too. '

'Let 's go play in the sandbox! ' Yuuji says, immediately distracted. Nanami 's somewhat thankful for that, given he 's having enough trouble processing everything else today.

Nanami props himself on the edge of the sandbox once they 're outside, careful not to get his work slacks dirty. Yuuji plops right down in the damp sand with a puff of dust. He begins sifting through the sand with his fingers before handing Nanami a shovel.

'Let 's build a castle, ' he suggests. Nanami scoops up a pile of sand and begins forming a base; pointlessly, as Yuuji promptly dumps a bucket of sand onto it in a heap. Nanami finds himself doing most of the shapework as Yuuji slaps fistfuls of sand haphazardly onto the growing lump. Once said lump has reached a dubious height, Yuuji glances around and picks up a long twig. 'We should use this as a flag! '

Is that wise? Nanami inspects the stick. 'Don 't you think it 's a bit too long? '

Yuuji frowns. 'Oh, maybe. '

'Don 't worry. ' Nanami gently withdraws it from his grasp. 'I will fix it. '

In his own way. Nanami hasn 't used his Ratio Technique for almost half a year -- it 's beyond the word bizarre to be using it now, in the sandbox during parents ' day of a child he met less than 24 hours ago. He finds the critical point of the stick 's weakness and snaps it to the ideal length. 'Here you go, Yuuji. Now it 's perfect. '

Yuuji jabs it into the makeshift castle with a giggle. 'Thank you, Nanamin! '

Just then, footsteps from behind him grow louder as Nanami turns around. 'Yuuji! Wanna play on the playground for a bit? ' Maki asks. 'I need to get some energy out! '

'Yeah! ' Yuuji springs up. 'I 'll be right back, Nanamin! '

Yuuji and Maki sprint off, and Nanami finds his jaw dropping a little. There 's no

way

normal children are that fast. Can

Nanami

even run like that? He rises to his feet, then petrifies in his spot when the Sorcerer Killer casually wanders beside him.

'You 're a sorcerer, ' he states. It 's not a question.

'I

was, '

Nanami returns. 'Not anymore. '

'Can 't blame ya, ' the man replies with a shrug. 'It 's dirty work. And ya seem too sane for it. Gojo 's off his goddamn rocker, so it suits him. '

Aren 't you working with him now though?

Nanami thinks, but he knows better than to voice it. 'I suppose, ' he agrees. 'Jujutsu sorcerers are shit. '

'Ha! ' The Sorcerer Killer barks out a laugh. 'Ya got that right. So why the hell are you friends with

Gojo? '

'He 's the most shit of them all. '

'Y 'know, I think this is the start of a very beautiful friendship. '

Nanami hopes not. That feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

He squirms in his spot. Why are all the mothers looking at the two of them like that? Does Nanami have something on his shirt? Come to think of it though, the Sorcerer Killer 's shirt is awfully tight. With the salary he must be getting for putting up with Gojo, you 'd really think he could afford clothes that properly fit him.

'What I don 't understand is why he 's forcing you to be his partner in the first place, ' Nanami says, a bit boldly. 'Isn 't he strong enough to take care of missions by himself? '

Damn,

that

must 've been the wrong thing to say. The Sorcerer Killer 's nonchalant posture immediately disappears, replaced by something taut and ominous like a rubber band about to snap. 'Oi, don 't tell me you 're one of those people who only gives a fuck about him because of his strength. I 'll sock you in the face, see if I care that children are watching. '

Nanami can 't help but take a step away. It 's embarrassing, but it 's also instinctive. 'What do you mean? '

'I don 't really have to spell it out for you like I did for him, do I? '

Nanami relaxes. He 's by no means calm again, but he doesn 't want the Sorcerer Killer thinking he 's trying to start a fight. 'No, I don 't think so, ' he says slowly.

But the bitterness claws up his throat before long.

'Gojo took the mission, '

Getou had said, as Haibara 's mangled body laid half-eaten on a table beside him. Nanami had draped a cloth over his eyes; he couldn 't even look. He 'd said to Getou,

'Why not just let him take care of everything by himself from now on? '

Nanami clears his throat. 'It 's just that if

he 'd

been the one to go on certain-- '

'Lemme stop ya right there, ' the Sorcerer Killer growls, tossing up a hand in front of him. 'What, so you think that just because he 's strong means he has to solve everyones ' problems all by himself? I get that life ain 't fair, but that 's takin ' it too far. What a crappy take to have, thinkin ' the whole weight of the world should be on his shoulders. I mean, have ya seen him? He 's built like a goddamn beanstalk. He 'd snap in half if he had to carry that burden alone. ' He folds his arms across his chest. 'Far as I 'm concerned, he 's just a regular guy with a shit personality. '

'I see, ' Nanami says softly. Is this really the same Sorcerer Killer he 's heard so many horror stories about? 'I never thought of it like that before. '

'Yeah, that 's the whole problem, ' the man snaps. 'None of you people ever think of it like that. '

Pensively, Nanami pauses for a few seconds. 'So you 're helping him carry that burden. '

He shrugs. 'Guess so. '

'Why? '

'Cuz he 's payin ' me to. '

Nanami furrows his brows. He may not know this man very well, but that just isn 't the way someone talks about a person they 're only being

paid

to help. 'Is that really all? '

The Sorcerer Killer is quiet for a long while. 'Uh, yeah, ' he mumbles, far, far too late. 'Sure. '

He taps his foot against the ground impatiently. 'Yuuji seems to like ya so far, ' he eventually adds, just to change the subject. 'Seemed like you were nervous about it on the phone yesterday. The kid 's easy to please, though. ' He chuckles under his breath. 'Apparently one of Gojo 's kids gives him a real tough time. Ain 't that hilarious? '

Nanami swears he can feel his jaw physically hit the ground. 'Gojo has

children? '

'Yeah, ya didn 't know? ' he says, giving Nanami a funny look. 'They 're adopted, apparently. I haven 't met 'em yet, but it seems like he really loves 'em, from the way he talks about it. '

'I did not know, ' Nanami enunciates, still very much in shock. What the hell has he missed since the two of them last

really

talked? All he 's done is hang up on Gojo for at least the past year and a half.

The two of them stand in somewhat uncomfortable silence as they watch the children play. Nanami finds it very difficult not to think too hard on why both Maki and Yuuji both have strength that matches or exceeds what most of his classmates had at Jujutsu High, when both of their ages are still in the single digits.

A small group of parents is pointing at Nanami and the man beside him while whispering amongst themselves. 'Hello, Tsukumo-san! ' a bold woman calls. The Sorcerer Killer throws her a lazy wave.

Nanami 's eyes widen. 'Tsukumo? ' he repeats. 'As in Yuki Tsukumo? Are you her husband? '

'Huh? Oh, yeah, ' he replies, only half-listening. 'Wait--I mean--

no!

Uh, no, she 's not my wife. She just helps out with Maki sometimes, she 's not her mom or anything. We haven 't done, y 'know,

that-- '

He clears his throat. 'Not that I would be

opposed-- '

Nanami has to stifle a snort. He 's only met Yuki once, but if there 's anyone that could turn the infamous Sorcerer Killer into a rambling mess, it would be her.

Right as if on cue, a stunning blonde woman saunters up to them, a cropped black blazer draped across her sculpted shoulders. The Sorcerer Killer trots over to her.

'Hey, beautiful lady. Way to show up fashionably late, ' he chuckles, snaking an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek that lasts a few seconds too long. Yuki 's face burns crimson.

Ah, so this is one of those they 're-married-but-don 't-know-it-yet situations like Gojo and Getou had back in high school. Well, at least before that blew up in their faces when Getou had a homicidal mental breakdown.

'Oh, hey! Nanami, right? ' she greets, shaking it off. 'I never got to ask ya when we first met. What kind of woman is your type? '

Huh. Nanami tilts his head. He doesn 't really have a preference for any specific gender, so how should he answer this? 'Someone who thinks work should end at 5PM, no matter what. '

'Hah! ' She lets out a hearty laugh. 'Love it. ' She nudges the Sorcerer Killer, whose arm is still around her. 'C 'mon, big guy. Let 's look around! Show me a good time. '

The man coughs into his hand to cover up--something. Nanami doesn 't know what. 'Maki 's on the playground, go find her and I 'll catch up with ya in a sec. ' He turns to face Nanami. 'Here, gimme your number. Yuuji doesn 't have a phone, so I can text ya when he 's over at our place next time. ' He pulls out a flip phone that 's missing at least three buttons. 'The kids are pretty good chefs. Ya won 't regret that ramen tasting. '

Reluctantly, Nanami gives it to him. After he and Yuki manage to draw Maki away from the playground, Yuuji pads back to his side. 'Did you make friends with Toji-ji? ' he asks with an earnest expression.

Nanami sighs in resignation, and he can 't help the feeling that his life has just become a whole lot more complicated. 'Sure. '

Two days later, Nanami receives a text from the Sorcerer Killer informing him the children have invited him over to taste their newest recipe. It 's Sunday now, so he can 't use work as an excuse, and

lord

knows he wouldn 't be caught dead working on the weekend. Not even homework, back when he was in high school.

He 's at the residence exactly an hour later. He knocks politely and waits to be invited in, even though he can tell it 's unlocked. He 's not just going to barge in unannounced. Who is he,

Gojo?

'Heya, kid. Thanks for stoppin ' by, ' the Sorcerer Killer says when he swings open the door. There 's a snapped deadbolt opposite its hinges; Nanami doesn 't have to ask why. 'Yuuji 's been runnin ' his mouth about ya since Friday. Bet he 'll be thrilled you 're-- '

'Nanamin! ' a tiny voice calls from inside, and Yuuji zips to the door. 'You came! '

He throws his arms affectionately around Nanami 's leg, giggling so much he can feel the laughter 's vibrations in his veins. The Sorcerer Killer gives him a sympathetic grin. 'Don 't worry, you 'll get used to it. '

Nanami genuinely does not think he will. He reaches down a hand to gently pry the child from where he 's clinging to Nanami 's leg like a baby sloth to its mother.

'Hello to you too, ' Nanami says. The air smells of rich broth and fragrant spice, wafting throughout the apartment in a savory steam. Nanami has to gulp down the way his mouth waters a little, much like it did when he watched the ramen special Yuuji mentioned on TV last night. Which he will most definitely not be admitting aloud that he did.

Unsurprisingly, Yuuji is not a patient child. The moment Nanami extracts him from his leg, he grabs a hold of Nanami 's hand to drag him to the counter with a concerning amount of strength.

'We 're almost done, Nanamin, ' he tells him. There 's a smear of egg yolk all over the left side of his face and stray spices spot his hands like freckles.

A recipe for disaster. Nanami frowns. He 's going to get the whole kitchen dirty if this continues. He dampens a napkin and crouches down in front of the child, wiping him as clean as he can manage -- in short, not very. 'What am I going to do with you? ' he sighs. 'You 're making a mess. '

Nanami rises and scans the counter, attempting to group scattered tools and ingredients into semi-organized piles. Key words being

semi

and

attempting.

'But we already made a mess! ' Yuuji says.

'I can see that. ' He rinses off a cutting board coated in a thin film of onion.

'I tried to stop him, ' Maki tsks. Nanami seriously doubts that.

'Pfft. ' The Sorcerer Killer snorts from where he 's lazing on the couch like a contented lion in the sun. 'So you 're gonna put up an act in front of the nice man, huh? You were throwin ' flour at him earlier. Don 't lie, looks bad on ya. '

'Then teach me to lie better, ' she returns with a smirk.

He straightens up. 'Oi! I 've been tryin '! ' He swivels towards Nanami. 'I really have. It 's my speciality. '

Nanami shouldn 't comment on that, but he can 't stop himself. 'I 'll make sure the

'Father of the Year '

award is mailed to this address. '

'Ha! ' He flops back down. 'I knew we 'd get along. '

This is getting along?

Before he can retort back, Yuuji is tugging on his shirt again, smearing food residue onto its crisp folds. 'We made the noodles ourselves, ' he declares. 'It was really fun! Look, Nanamin. I made this one into a snake. '

Nanami lifts a brow. 'This just looks like a normal noodle. '

'Not if you use your imagination! '

It 's a bit depressing how severely lacking Nanami is in that department. '...I suppose I can see it. '

They 're interrupted by the door banging open. 'Yo, time to get this show on the road! ' Gojo crows, with no other greeting.

The Sorcerer Killer looks at the children. 'Alright kids, you heard him. Curtain call time. No encore. '

'But I just got here! '

'Gojo, ' Nanami says. 'Can we talk outside? '

Nanami doesn 't miss the way Gojo's eyes twitch behind those obsidian lenses. 'Okay. '

Nanami swiftly follows Gojo out. When they 're outside, Nanami leans against the railing.

'Listen. If I 'm going to associate with the Sorcerer Killer, I need you to tell me

everything. '

'It 's

Toji,

actually, ' Gojo corrects, looking genuinely annoyed. 'He 's not the Sorcerer Killer anymore, he 's just a normal dad. '

It 's a bit peculiar, hearing him say that. Hadn 't Toji called Gojo something along the lines of

'regular, '

too? 'Fine. But you still owe me an explanation. '

And so Gojo explains -- how they 'd fought and Toji lost his memories, his bloodstained slate wiped clean by Gojo 's hand. How Yuki had healed him, much to his surprise. How he 'd wandered around without a purpose until he found out his daughter was being abused by the Zen 'in clan and took her in, giving her a life worth living. How the two of them clashed, and it ended upon realizing how much they had in common and came to an understanding. How he 'd given Toji a better job that allowed him to support his family, how Toji begrudgingly became a partner Gojo could rely on.

Still, there are holes in the story. Nanami can 't help but poke his fingers through and

pull.

'What 's this I hear about you adopting children? '

Limitless hums against the air, tense and abrasive. Nanami swears he can feel it push him back. 'Yeah, about that, ' Gojo stutters. 'After Toji 's actions back then started Suguru on that downward spiral, I 'had a bit of an identity crisis. Found two kids on the streets and decided to take 'em in. You asked earlier how I knew kids give life purpose? ' He gulps. 'Now you know. '

Nanami narrows his eyes. 'Why do I feel like there 's something you 're not telling me? '

Gojo 's lips tug into a tense smile stretching just a little too wide that still doesn 't reach his eyes. 'Because you don 't trust me. '

Touch '.

'And about that, ' Gojo continues. 'You look

tired,

and it 's not just your body. Your

soul

seems weary, Nanamin. ' His eyes soften. 'Sounds like you could use a little purpose, too. '

Oh,

no.

Nanami knows

exactly

where this is going. 'I do not have room in my life for a

child. '

'Don't you ever feel

empty,

Nanamin? ' Gojo presses.

Every damn day,

Nanami thinks. 'Having something to protect would be good for you. '

'It 's not about it being good for

me, '

Nanami shoots back. It wouldn 't be good for

Yuuji,

is the real problem. Since when has Nanami ever been able to protect anything? All he can remember is Haibara 's lower half being devoured by the jaws of that curse.

He died screaming for help. The last thing he ever saw was Nanami fail to save him. 'I just don't think I should be trusted with that, ' Nanami mumbles.

In response, Gojo frowns. 'Nanamin, he

needs

someone. '

Nanami shakes his head. 'He has Toji, doesn 't he? '

'Well yeah, but Toji has another kid to worry about. '

Nanami can 't help but smirk at that. 'And Maki, too. '

It takes a second for Gojo to figure it out. When he does, Gojo pulls a face. 'Ugh, ew! He 's not my dad! '

'Ah, right. He only watches over you for a living, defends you when you 're misunderstood, and teaches you important life lessons to help you become a better person. '

Gojo folds his arms and nods, satisfied. 'Yeah, exactly! ' He pauses. 'Wait-- '

'In any case, ' Nanami interrupts. 'I can 't deny that Yuuji is a kind child, and that it 's pleasant spending time with him. But I-- '

'Listen to yourself! ' Gojo cuts him off. 'I 'm not asking you to be his

dad,

but would it really kill ya to hang out with him every once in a while? I dunno, it might surprise you. ' Gojo swallows hard. 'It 's rewarding. '

Nanami can hardly believe those words are coming from

Gojo 's

mouth. 'I-- ' He scrubs his face with his hands. He doesn 't think he signed up for this. 'Fine. I suppose it wouldn 't. '

'Yay! ' Gojo cheers. 'Now let 's go inside and hang out with your son! '

'Gojo, you

just

said you weren 't asking me to be his-- '

But Gojo doesn 't let him finish. He skips into the apartment with vibrant laughter, leaving Nanami no choice but to follow behind him.

Nanami finds Yuuji scrambling over the countertop, reaching his tiny hands into a high cabinet near the ceiling. 'Yuuji, what are you doing? '

'Nanamin! I 'm getting serving bowls! ' he chirps. 'You can sit down at the counter, we 'll get you ramen soon! '

'That 's not what I mean. ' Nanami jogs behind him and lifts Yuuji into his arms, off the counter and to the safety of the ground. 'You shouldn 't stand on the counter like that. You could fall. '

'I 've done it before! ' Yuuji insists. 'I can do it! '

'I 'm sure you can, ' Nanami sighs. 'But I am an adult, and you are a child. It 's my duty to leave the more dangerous tasks to myself. '

Nanami gingerly stands atop the counter and withdraws the dishware, then allows the children to plate the meal.

It 's delicious, as expected. Toji is shameless when he has five servings. Maki dumps an entire bottle of chili powder into Gojo 's bowl when he isn't looking, and even Nanami can 't help smiling when he coughs broth out his nose.

After they 're all stuffed, Toji shows them out. Nanami can hear the children laughing as they fling soap at each other in some feeble attempt to clean the kitchen.

'Hey, don 't forget to give Maki my present at her party on Tuesday, ' Gojo says.

Toji sighs, and Nanami could almost call it fond. 'Why don 't you give it to her yourself? '

Gojo 's breath snags in his throat. The midwinter sun is dipping below the edge of the horizon, painting watercolor streaks of jewel-toned twilight into the evening sky; but it 's nothing compared to the hope dawning between the broken clouds in the sorcerer 's eyes. '...I can come? '

"You 're just gonna complain if ya don 't, right? '

'No way! I never complain! I 've never complained even once in my life! How could you even say that?! '

'Don 't look now, but you 're complainin ' this very moment. You comin ' or not? '

Gojo 's expression falters. 'Would Maki be okay with it? '

Shrugging, Toji replies, 'Sure, she 'd be thrilled as long as you continue to let her bully you. '

Gojo nods at him. 'I 'm great at parties, you 'll see. Plus, it wouldn 't be a true party without me, because I 'm your favorite person ever. '

'Idiot, you don 't make the top ten, and I don 't even

know

ten people. ' He turns to face Nanami. 'You 're invited too, kid. I 'm sure Yuuji would love to see ya. ' Toji smirks. 'I think he 's gotten attached. '

Now Nanami's

sure

he didn 't sign up for this. 'I suppose I can come. '

Two days later, it 's Maki 's birthday. Nanami doesn 't know what to bring her, so he purchases a pasta machine with a ramen attachment. Hopefully she 'll get good use out of it. Toji has recycled the use of the still-present Christmas tree and shoved a mountain of presents for her beneath it, which is--sweet, Nanami has to admit. Gojo is already there, desperately arguing against being used as a pinata for Maki. He 's losing.

Yuuji greets him excitedly at the door with another hug, and Nanami has to scoop him off the ground to keep him from tripping over his own feet. He helps Yuuji cut the cake and serve each of the guests slices. Yuki is equally shameless as her not-husband and sneaks an extra slice off Nanami 's plate when she thinks his back is turned. When Nanami turns around to glare at her, she just shrugs it off with a laugh.

It doesn 't take long for the party to devolve into utter chaos. Nanami really shouldn 't have put a real and genuine food fight above any of them. Yuuji smears frosting handprints all over Nanami 's shirt when Nanami shields him from Toji and Yuki 's pastry wrath. Maki attacks Gojo with flour somewhat violently, and he responds by flinging his remaining cake in her face. Maki hits him square in the chest with her own, and Limitless isn 't even there to stop her.

There 's no better way to describe Gojo literally letting his guard down around them. Maybe Toji had a point: he really does look just like a regular kid.

Nanami 's the one to clean up after everyone in the party, because of course he is. Maki ducks into her room to rinse off. Toji does the same, then emerges a few minutes later to give Yuki an old t-shirt of his to change into. Just a t-shirt, no pants. Nanami 's not going to comment on that. He 's not. It fits her like a dress, but

still.

They all say their farewells and Toji walks them out, chucking a stray handful of cake at Gojo for good measure. Yuki, being the special grade sorcerer she is, rides home on her motorcycle in the freezing January evening in nothing but Toji 's t-shirt. Nanami can 't help but respect that.

'Where do you live, Yuuji? I 'll walk you home, ' Nanami offers. 'Will your grandfather have a healthy dinner waiting for you when you arrive? '

'My grandpa is still in the hospital, ' Yuuji tells him. 'But it 's alright! I can make something myself! '

Seriously? Nanami halts in his tracks. 'You 're going to be home

alone? '

he says incredulously. 'Why don 't you just stay over at Maki 's? '

'I 've been staying over at Maki 's a lot lately, ' Yuuji says sheepishly. 'I don 't wanna be a burden. '

'Don 't say that, ' Nanami sighs. 'You are only a child. You should never have to worry about being a burden. ' He exhales slowly through his mouth. 'Come. I will watch over you tonight. '

Nanami carefully leads Yuuji to the bus and then onto the train. Yuuji could probably find wonder in anything, Nanami muses to himself -- Yuuji stares at the scuffs of the lightrail like they 're constellations, at the smudges on the windows as if they 're pictures in a storybook. The two of them make their way back to Nanami 's building under the blanket of nighttime, and once they arrive, Nanami gives him an old sweatshirt the child practically drowns in to avoid getting frosting tracked inside the apartment.

Good grief, how did Nanami end up with a

child

in his house? Yuuji is giggling as explores Nanami 's modest abode like it 's an amusement park, climbing over the dining chairs and inspecting the island in the kitchen as if he 's expecting to find treasure.

'Let 's watch a movie, Nanamin! ' Yuuji says as he presses a handprint against Nanami 's TV.

'It 's late, ' Nanami responds. 'You should be going to sleep. '

'But I stay up this late all the time! '

'That 's not right. You are a growing child. ' Nanami picks him up and props Yuuji in the crook of his elbow. 'I will tuck you in. '

'But the couch is that way, ' Yuuji says as he points over Nanami 's shoulder.

'You

can 't

be serious, ' Nanami returns, and it 's a little heartbreaking that he knows Yuuji is.

'I

will take the couch. '

'Are you sure? '

'Yes, I 'm sure. '

Nanami rests Yuuji in bed, drawing the covers up to his shoulders once the child settles down. He fluffs up the pillow and swivels on his heels to turn off the lights and head back to the living room before a little voice stops him.

'Tell me a bedtime story, Nanamin. '

Nanami is not a creative person. But perhaps he can redeem himself for the uninspiring way he read the book to Yuuji the day after they met, and for his lack of imagination when Yuuji showed him the makeshift snake. 'Very well, ' Nanami replies, kneeling beside him.

He doesn 't think he can make something up on the spot, though. Fortunately, he already knows what he can use as inspiration. 'I will tell you a tale of two partners. '

Nanami draws in a deep breath. 'Once upon a time, there was a strong man, and there was a wicked man. The strong man was known as the strongest around, and he was surrounded by people who praised him for his strength. He was given everything he wanted from the moment of his birth, and he was treated like a king throughout his whole life. '

He shakes his head slowly. 'Meanwhile, the wicked man was everything the strong man was not. People scorned the wicked man, because his type of strength was not like theirs. Because of this treatment, the wicked man grew bitter, until he did not care about anything at all. He did lots of bad things just to try to survive. '

'Still, the strong man had someone whom he could call an equal: there was a kind man who stood by his side. The kind man believed it was his duty to use his power, and the strong man 's power, to protect others. One day, the strong man and the kind man were tasked with protecting a princess. However, at the same time, the wicked man was sent to capture her. '

Yuuji shifts under the covers, so Nanami readjusts his blanket. 'A group of bandits tried to attack the princess, but the strong man and the kind man easily defeated them all. The princess and her handmaiden were escorted to safety, but there was trouble. A nefarious group took the handmaiden to a faraway land while the strong man and the kind man were diverted. The princess refused to leave her handmaiden behind, so the three of them went to save her together. '

'The handmaiden was rescued, and the four people frolicked in the faraway land until it was time to go. They brought the princess to a palace, but the wicked man was there waiting for them. The wicked man attacked the strong man, who told the kind man to take the princess to safety while he bought them some time. '

'Astonishingly, the strong man was defeated. The wicked man caught up with the kind man and the princess outside the castle gates, and the kind man was defeated as well. The strong man soon awoke, but it was too late, ' Nanami sighs. 'The princess was gone. '

Yuuji 's eyes dilate. Nanami continues. 'The strong man and the wicked man fought once more, and it was the strong man who was victorious this time. The wicked man was discarded, and the strong man and the kind man returned home empty-handed. ' Nanami can 't help but frown at the memory. 'Distraught that he could not protect the princess, the kind man 's heart became poisoned by darkness. '

He presses on. 'The strong man 's strength continued to grow. People praised the strong man, but the more they praised him, the more he became alone. The kind man watched as the strong man 's strength increased while his did not, and tragedy continued to befall him. The kind man 's heart became darker and darker, until it was completely swallowed by blackness. The strong man loved the kind man, but it was not enough. And so the kind man fled. ' Nanami 's eyes drop to the floor. 'Having nothing left to protect anymore, the strong man became all alone. '

'Oh no! ' Yuuji interrupts. 'The strong man shouldn 't have to be alone! '

'All seemed lost, ' Nanami says, holding up a finger. 'After he was defeated, the wicked man wandered around without a purpose. It was as if...because of the strong man, he no longer knew who he was anymore. ' He chuckles to himself. 'But a beautiful queen came along and found the wicked man, and she decided to give him a second chance. Soon after, the wicked man learned that he had a daughter: a brave little girl. Upon discovering he had something to protect, the wicked man 's life was given meaning. Together, the wicked man and the brave little girl began to heal. '

'Still alone, the strong man longed to be with everyone. One day, the strong man found two lost children and decided to take them in, and all of a sudden, he had something to protect again, too. For the first time since the kind man left, the strong man felt a sense of purpose. '

Nanami leans closer. 'But perhaps it was inevitable: that the strong man and the wicked man would clash once again. The two fought desperately, each determined to protect their loved ones. And upon discovering they both had something to protect, the strong man and the wicked man came to an understanding. They realized they were like two sides of the same coin, and decided they could help one another. '

'The strong man was shocked to discover that the wicked man didn 't care about his strength, and believed his strength shouldn 't mean he had to be alone. The wicked man toppled his pedestal; but there, on the floor, the strong man found he could share his life with others. And suddenly the strong man was surrounded by people: the wicked man, the beautiful queen, the brave little girl, and the two lost children. All of them stood on equal ground together. '

'And thus, ' Nanami concludes. 'Both directly and indirectly, thanks to the actions of each other, the strong man became the regular man, and the wicked man became the good man. ' He smiles down at Yuuji, gentle and warm. 'And they all lived happily ever after. '

'Wow! ' Yuuji says, eyes sparkling. 'That was incredible! The regular man and the good man sound so amazing! The beautiful queen and the brave little girl, too! And the two lost children! ' He pulls his blanket up to his shoulders. 'Do you think the kind man would ever come home someday? '

'I don 't know. ' Nanami cards a hand through Yuuji 's unruly hair. 'I hope so. '

'I want to give them all a big hug! '

'And perhaps you can, ' Nanami murmurs, 'in your dreams tonight. Goodnight, Yuuji. '

'Goodnight, Nanamin! '

Then Nanami rises to his feet, shuffles out the doorway, and flicks off the light.

-----------------------

Ten seconds into their first interaction, Maki decides Nanami is an incredible person.

Finally.

Finally.

Someone else with a working brain cell has joined their little group.

Maki loves Toji more than she 's ever loved anything in her life, but she pranked him last week by putting salt instead of sugar into his coffee, and he didn 't even

notice.

She 's proud to be using Yuki 's last name, but Maki once saw her dramatically delete Toji 's number after discovering he 'd eaten the leftovers she trusted to their fridge. And Yuuji may be her best friend bordering-on-brother, but he was reduced to tears the other day when a classmate asked him to recite the alphabet backwards.

Maki doesn't even know where to

start

with Gojo. He 's just a lost cause entirely.

But Nanami 's got a good head on his shoulders, and apparently enough room in his hands to reign the others in on short leashes. He 's the first sorcerer she 's met that doesn 't piss her off in some way -- and he

is

a sorcerer, even if he won 't say it out loud. Maki can just tell.

Of course, Maki 's eighth birthday was an extraordinary success -- she can hardly recall a time where she felt such pure and undistilled fun, as she

devastatingly

defeated Gojo in their cake-throwing contest. Maki can hardly describe the satisfaction she felt staining bright red frosting into his stupid snowflake hair. He didn 't seem to care, which was odd, but oh well. Maki will take wins where she can find them.

One of Toji 's presents to her was a heap of tickets to an amusement park: she 'd stated offhand a few weeks ago that she 'd never been to one, and she 's willing to bet he 's never been, either. Once Nanami was begrudgingly dragged into their lives, Toji bought an extra ticket for him. There had already been enough for Gojo to come too -- strange, but Maki didn 't think too hard on it. These things are best not dwelled upon.

'I 'm so ready! ' Yuuji cheers as he climbs into a sleek black car Gojo claims belongs to his

'private chauffeur. '

The man in the driver 's seat seems exhausted already. The six people clamber over one another into the backseat -- there are elbows, a lot of them -- until they 're all squeezed in place. Yuuji 's distracted by the buttons on the windows, so Nanami buckles his seatbelt for him.

'You all realize there are

rules

to the park, ' Nanami reminds them. 'For the safety of the guests. You can 't just cause a commotion. '

'Since when have any of us ever caused a commotion?! ' Gojo denies, man-spreading his legs until everyone else has to squish themselves to accommodate him. 'I 've never caused a commotion, personally. I 'm stealthy. I blend into the crowd like a chameleon. '

Toji kicks Gojo in the shins until he recoils back into a reasonable position. 'Your outfit is causing a commotion already. Why do you have

another

Hawaiian shirt? ' he snorts. 'I 'm callin ' the fashion police on ya. Yuki, make a bet with me on how many kids he 's gonna make cry. '

'A thousand. '

'You guys both suck! '

Maki cackles in her seat. Nanami leans back into his own, draping a hand over his eyes.

The rest of the ride goes pretty much the same. Toji and Gojo get into a strangely violent rendition of shiritori, while Maki and Yuuji play chopsticks across from them. Yuki bombards Nanami in an attempt to play 20 questions, which he answers

'yes '

or

'no '

every time. Including questions like

'what 's your favorite color? '

His answer is

'no. '

Nanami attempts to keep everyone to one cohesive group once they arrive, but that lasts about eight seconds. Toji and Gojo bolt off to the bumper cars, and Nanami 's forced to pursue to ensure no innocent children are harmed during their competition. Yuuji follows him like a little duckling. Maki promises to buy popcorn for everyone as they watch the two attempt to destroy each other in the ladybug-shaped vehicles.

Then Maki pads up to the popcorn stand and hands the attendant some cash Yuki gave her. She waits patiently as the man fills the bags. She 's just about ready to trot over to a bench in the meantime-- until a voice petrifies her in place, freezing the nexus of her veins into ice like a river in the dead of winter.

'Why hello there, little ghostie, ' he sneers. 'It 's not every day you see a dead girl walking. '

Maki turns around slowly. Her cousin 's arms are folded smugly across his chest, grinning like a hyena. Contempt surges so quickly in her chest she almost chokes on it. 'Naoya, ' Maki exhales.

'You know, your funeral was a real drag, ' he continues, voice dripping with honey and malice. The air around him sizzles from the acid in his words. 'I think your father just wanted presents. Your mom cried buckets, which was quite a surprise. '

Maki squeezes her fists until she digs half-moons into her palms with her nails, and she truly does not know what comes over her when she grouses, 'My

real

mom wasn 't even

there. '

There 's a twitch of confusion across his face, but it morphs back into arrogance before it can surface. 'Those old fools were so desperate to get you out of their lives they didn 't even consider the possibility that you 'd survived, but

I

know better. ' He flashes her a Cheshire grin, half as wide but just as ghastly. 'It 's common knowledge cockroaches are hard to kill. '

Conversations with Naoya are always some sort of twisted game, and Maki 's tired of losing. 'Sucks for you, then, that worms are so easy to. '

He laughs, and the piercing on his tongue glints in the sun. 'I haven 't told them you 're still alive yet. Aren 't I nice? ' Maki doesn 't think she 's ever heard anything less sincere in her life. 'Though I must admit I 'm wondering what you 've been doing since then. '

Maki sets her jaw. 'I wouldn 't think you 'd care about

anything

I do. '

'I don 't, ' he snaps. 'Unless it involves a certain someone. '

Ah, right. He 'd waxed about Toji the way many exalt their idols in some sort of warped hero-worship complex. She 'd seen that faint hint of mourning, buried beneath the haughtiness, when he first told her Toji was dead. Oh, well. Lots of people doubt their gods are real anyway. 'Sorry it 's clich ', but I really don 't know what you 're talking about. '

He sees through her as if she were glass just waiting to be cracked. 'We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. '

He must be bluffing. Maki doesn 't think he 'd make a scene in a crowded place of non-sorcerers. She wants to say he knows better, but there really isn 't much she would put past him. 'I-- '

'Excuse me, ' a strong voice, smooth and unwavering, says from beside her. 'You need something from Maki, little boy? '

Yuki puts a hand on Maki 's shoulder, and Maki feels the sorcerer soak up all her tension as if it 's water from a sponge. She puts a hand on her hip, commanding like a general for a victorious army. 'What kind of woman is your type? '

Slowly, Naoya 's lips tug into an uneasy smile. 'I like a woman who knows her place. '

Yuki throws back her head and cackles, and Maki 's never heard that kind of darkness in her voice. 'Y 'know, that 's the first time someone 's ever given me an answer and I don 't believe them! ' she laughs. 'Ya talk big, but behind closed doors, I bet you 'd love a

real

woman to step on you, wouldn 't ya? You naughty boy. ' She steps in front of Maki, forming an impassable protective wall between her and her cousin, and for the first time Maki registers how incredibly tall she truly is. 'Not that I 'll be the one to give you the discipline you need. I 've already got a man who knows how to take care of me. '

'Special grade sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo, ' he sneers, his cheeks reluctantly flushed pink. 'I 've heard of you. '

'Nice, how flattering! Can 't say that goes both ways, though. ' Maki doubts that, but the impact is there. Yuki tosses her hair over her shoulder. 'But if you 've heard of me, then you know what I 'm capable of. Take one step closer to Maki, and I 'll be happy to give you a firsthand demonstration. '

'How kind, ' he jeers. 'But I think I 'll pass. What I don 't understand is why you 're protecting her. '

Yuki 's posture steels, iron and resolute, and her words wash over the sparks of Maki 's panic like a spray of cool rain when she declares, 'It 's my

purpose. '

And Naoya can 't even try to hide his confusion and shock at that. His jaw drops, brows pinching together. 'What the hell? '

Yuki texts something to someone behind her back, then turns towards Maki with a reassuring grin. 'Now c 'mon, sweetheart! Gojo 's waitin ' on that kettle corn you promised. Bet he 's whining about his blood sugar, or something. '

Naoya blinks. 'Satoru 's here? '

Whoa, first name? Maki didn 't even know it. And then, like a genie from a bottle, or perhaps a spooky spirit from a crushed soda can, Gojo saunters over to the three of them as if summoned.

'Oh hey, Nao! Long time no see! ' he calls. 'How 've ya been? '

'Satoru, ' he responds. 'What are you doing here? '

'Aww, I 'm calling you by your old nickname but you won 't call me by mine? I 'm so hurt! ' Gojo replies, completely avoiding the true meaning of his question. 'I 'm just here to play around. Isn 't that obvious? '

Any of the frivolous air Naoya had been flaunting earlier douses like water over a bonfire. 'Enough of this. Where is he? '

Maki hates how obvious it is that there isn 't any point to lying anymore. 'Ah, I see you haven 't gotten rid of any of your Toji-related mental illnesses, ' Gojo chuckles. 'No offense, but I don 't think he remembers who you are. '

It 's strange how

emotional

Naoya looks, even if it 's only fleeting -- for a moment Maki can almost see what he must 've looked like as a child, following Toji around like there was no place he would 've rather been than his shadow. 'So it 's true? ' he says in a small voice. 'Toji-sama really is alive? '

'Course he is! ' Gojo chirps. 'We 're totally besties! '

'You 're--

what? '

Naoya chokes. 'What 's he like?! '

'He 's a total asshole, but the good kind of asshole, unlike you, who just sucks as a person. '

Though Maki agrees, Naoya frowns. 'That place beside Toji-sama belongs to

me. '

Gojo flaps a hand dismissively. 'Well, if we 're speaking in a strictly professional sense, it 's actually mine. '

'Seriously? '

Naoya chuckles, and there 's something almost sad about it. 'You excel at this, don 't you? '

After a beat, Gojo laughs a little uncomfortably. 'I have no idea what you 're talking about. '

'You 're really gonna make me say it out loud? ' Naoya sneers. 'Don 't play dumb, Satoru. You

know

what you did back then. '

To Naoya 's credit -- which honestly, is never much -- Gojo does indeed look like he knows what he did. Maki thinks she might even catch a glimpse of remorse on his face, but she can only see it because her position allows a peek at his eyes from behind those black glasses. 'But I

am

dumb! ' he chirps instead. 'In any case, it may be mine at work, but in a much more real sense, it 's Maki 's. ' He waves him off again. 'Y 'know, family type of stuff. '

Maki wonders why he won 't outright say she 's supposedly Toji 's daughter. Maybe he 's trying to protect her?

A moment later, Naoya scowls. 'Did you just say something nauseating? '

Gojo smirks. 'Just because no one in your family loves

you

doesn 't mean everyone else 's families are the same way. '

'Oh, now you 're

really

rubbing it in my face, aren 't ya? Like you don 't know

exactly

whose fault that is, ' he spits. Gojo flinches. 'At least my daddy issues aren 't as bad as

yours. '

Gojo lets out a single harsh laugh, and Maki 's never heard such sorrow in his cheerful voice. 'Now

that 's

low, Nao. '

What the hell? Maki honestly can 't tell if they 're about to start crying or attacking each other. Yuki must feel the same, because she flicks Gojo on the shoulder to drag him back to reality and speaks again. 'I bet you don 't even have a ticket to be here, kid. Why don 't you get going? Or we 'll have to call park security on ya. '

Gojo smiles, relaxed once again. 'Park security is us, by the way. ' Because of course his dense ass feels the need to explain the retort.

Naoya may be cocky, but he 's not stupid. He knows better than to think he can take on two special grade sorcerers and make it out alive. His eyes flick to Maki, and she swears he can hear him whisper under his breath, 'Why

you? '

But then he shakes his head. 'This isn 't over, ' he grouses.

'Of course not, ' Maki replies. 'I still have to kick your ass. '

Then Naoya walks away, and he doesn 't look back.

When they finally catch up with Nanami, Yuuji, and Toji, the three of them are wearing matching clothing that reads,

'I survived Death-Drop Tower and All I Got Was This Stupid T-Shirt. '

Nanami looks like he hates his life. Maki would be willing to bet her katana that he put it on against his will.

'Oi, why do you people all look so shaken up? ' Toji says.

'We 'll fill ya in later, ' Yuki replies. 'Come on, Maki. We 've barely explored yet! Let 's go have some fun! '

Maki nods, taking her hand when Yuki reaches out to her. 'Okay! '

First up is the merry-go-round. Maki hops up onto a sleek black horse gilded with shining plastic jewels, polymer and faux-pearl reins trailing back to the porcelain saddle. Playful music resonates throughout the ride, and Maki can 't help giggling when Toji looks a little nauseous beside her.

'Nanamin! ' she hears Yuuji call from somewhere behind her. 'Why aren 't we getting any closer to Maki? '

'Yuuji, that 's not how a merry-go-round works. '

'Why not? ' Yuuji cries. Nanami just scrubs his face with his palm.

Gojo insists on the spinning teacup ride next, which just seems like an impending trainwreck. Toji sits that one out -- a wise choice, which is uncharacteristic of him. Maybe Maki and Toji are sharing a brain cell now. She stays beside him and watches the four others dizzy themselves on the ride. Yuki, Gojo, and Yuuji all cheer the whole time. Nanami is quiet as a mouse.

After the ride, Yuuji gets totally sick, which Maki thinks is hilarious. He frowns, gazing up at Nanami. 'Nanamin, I don 't feel well, ' he wavers.

'You shouldn 't have gone on the ride, ' he reprimands. 'I told you it was a bad idea. '

Yuuji reaches his tiny hands up towards Nanami, eyes pleading. 'Carry me, Nanamin. '

Nanami sighs, but Maki knows he 's gone. He shakes his head, hoisting Yuuji into his arms. 'No more dizzy rides today. '

Giving in, Yuuji rests his head against Nanami 's shoulder. 'Okay. '

Finally, they reach the main event that Maki 's been waiting for: the rollercoaster. Bummer that Yuuji -- and Nanami, by extension -- can 't come with her, but she 's looking forward to screaming her head off next to Toji. She sprints over to the line with the three remaining adventurers, but the ride attendant stops Gojo with a hand before he can board the attraction.

'Sir, I 'm so sorry, but you 're too tall to ride the rollercoaster. '

Gojo deflates like a cat dropped into a bathtub. 'What? No way! ' he whines. 'I 'll be totally fine, I promise! '

'Sir, it 's a liability concern-- '

'I 'll hang back with him, ' Yuki chuckles as she pats Gojo on the shoulder in a feeble attempt at comfort, as if she isn 't too tall to ride as well. Toji is cackling his ass off, propped up against Nanami from how out of breath he is from it. Even Nanami seems close to laughter.

The rollercoaster is better than Maki ever dreamed of. She squeezes Toji 's hand throughout the whole ride, and doesn 't even close her eyes when they loop upside-down.

After they 've all tired themselves out, they flop back into the car, which had apparently been waiting for them there the whole time. Yuuji gets the good news that his grandfather is finally out of the hospital, so Nanami walks him home when they arrive back at Maki's apartment. Maki, Yuki, Toji, and Gojo all meander back indoors and drape themselves in various awkward positions of rest across the chairs and the couch, drained and exhausted.

'So what happened earlier? ' Toji asks them.

Yuki looks at Gojo quizzically. 'Yeah, genuinely, what the fuck was that? '

Gojo gives Toji a vague recollection of the encounter without really giving any further background Yuki asked for. When he 's finished, Toji 's expression pinches into a scowl. 'What the hell? He sounds like a total prick. '

'Ha! He is, ' Gojo laughs. 'Wish it were that simple, though. '

'Is that the childhood best friend you were talkin ' about before? ' Toji asks him. 'Ya really did mean it when you said he grew up into an asshole, huh? '

'Yeah, ' Gojo says, eyes downcast. Man, Maki learns something new about Gojo she didn 't want to know every day. 'I did. '

'Shame, ' Toji says with a shrug. 'Maybe it 's too late for a guy like him. Some people are just a lost cause. '

But Gojo 's expression falls further. 'Maybe, ' he murmurs, shaking his head. 'But maybe not. I think it 's still possible to save a person who 's done something really awful, as long as you can make them willing to be saved. '

Maki can 't explain it, but she gets the strong feeling Gojo isn 't

only

talking about her cousin. Whomever else he 's referring to, Maki couldn 't say.

'In any case, ' Toji cuts in. 'If there 's a chance you 're gonna have a showdown with that guy in the future, we need to ramp up your practice. Y 'know what I think? I think you 're ready to start trainin ' against real sorcerers. ' His lips stretch into a devious grin. 'And I know

exactly

who we can use for target practice. '

Everyone in the room turns towards the obvious choice. Gojo pulls a face, pointing at himself as if he doesn 't already know he 's doomed.

'Me?! '

Maki picks up a nearby napkin, presses it into a paper airplane, and flies it straight into his eye.