wasteland, baby! [fushiguro megumi]

15: obscure first impressions

july 2018

tokyo prefectural jujutsu high school

third person pov

"you're asking us how to carry cursed tools?"

keiko, megumi, maki, inumaki and panda had decided to take a break from their training while kugisaki headed out to the city to get herself some 'cute sportswear'. since maki was an excellent student in terms of using cursed tools to make up for her lack in cursed energy, megumi wanted to seek advice. though he would like to use cursed tools to enhance close combat fights, the boy was still a shikigami user after all, so he'd prefer to keep his hands free to use his techniques.

"zen'in senpai, you carry around multiple cursed tools right? how do you manage them?" the noirette asked.

"i let panda carry them." the green haired girl pointed to panda as he flexed, leaving megumi to roll his eyes at her response.

"there's jujutsu sorcerers who tame familiars to store weapons for them, but that's still a rare ability. unless you're like keiko chan over here who can create and dispel weapons." panda explained.

"it's not as easy as you think, i can't do it if i don't have an element to manipulate and it takes up a lot of cursed energy too. i just happened to incorporate my techniques into the weapons i create, otherwise i'd run out of cursed energy real quick." keiko let her chin rest on her knuckles as she picked at the ground with a tree branch, soon turning it into a small wooden knife.

as keiko tilted her head, megumi popped up in her peripheral vision, causing the girl to quickly turn her head back. the awkward events from the day before had rubbed some tension between the two, as neither were daring enough to address what had happened and considering both their hardheadedness, it wouldn't be anytime soon till they accept what they're undoubtedly feeling for one another.

"tuna tuna." the sorcerers perk their heads up at inumaki who was pointing towards the raven. he had his hand through the concrete step beneath him, with an unusual smile on his face.

"senpai, i think i might be able to do something." megumi smiled, as confidence radiated from him, causing keiko to smile as well.

i haven't seen him like this since i came back.

༊*·˚

a week later

a frustrated keiko was slamming her fist into the vending machine as it seemed to be jammed and the girl was getting impatient under the unbearable summer heat. kugisaki and megumi stood by the side, watching her in despair as the girl was yelling while repeatedly banging her fist into the melon milk option.

"can't a girl get a drink in this fucking heat?!" the redhead was ready to break the machine before a hand on her shoulder stopped her and pushed her back.

"you're not supposed to hit it so hard." megumi spoke calmly as he gently pushed the button again, and in a second, down came a fresh cold can of the redhead's favourite drink. as he fetched it from the dispenser and handed it to her, keiko stared at the drink in her hands with her mouth slightly ajar.

isn't that what i said to you the first time we met? you remembered all this time? how ironic.

soon the presence of two others had joined the first years, as keiko snapped her head in their direction after she had sensed the foreign aura and the others followed suit.