Saving You (ItaFushi)

Chapter 9

As the days passed, the date of Mahito's attack at the cinema drew nearer.

Yuji was trying his best to hide his distress, but he could feel Megumi seeing right through him. He tried to distract himself, focusing on training and doing schoolwork, but his thoughts kept returning to the past.

Some nights, he dreamt about Nanami's death. Others, he dreamt about Nobara's. On one occasion, he dreamt that Megumi died, and that left him unable to sleep for two days. He knew the nightmares were only a small fraction of what he would have to endure, but it didn't make them any less terrifying.

Though it started as a one-time thing, he had taken to asking Megumi to stay with him at night, which the dark-haired boy obliged. Megumi would climb into his bed and let him cling to him, his body relaxing against the other boy's. Yuji had never felt more comforted, and though it was selfish of him, he couldn't resist asking for it every night.

They never mentioned it in the daytime. They just went about their routine, and when night came, they crawled into the same bed and curled up together. A small part of Yuji's brain told him that it was odd, that maybe he was overstepping, but he couldn't help it. He needed it. He needed the contact, the warmth.

And as the days wore on, his anxiety grew.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Megumi asked, his tone casual.

"Nervous? Me?" Yuji laughed, trying to sound cheerful. "Why would I be nervous? It's just an important mission. It's not like the future of humanity depends on it or anything."

Megumi didn't look convinced, and the pink-haired boy sighed.

"Yeah," he admitted. "I'm scared."

"It's understandable," Megumi offered. "But maybe if this works out, we won't have to worry anymore. We can change the future, and everything will be different."

"Yeah," Yuji echoed.

He tried to take comfort in those words, but deep down, he knew that it wouldn't be that simple. The future was uncertain, and he had no idea what would happen once they changed the past. All he knew was that it was worth a try.

He took a deep breath, pushing down his fears.

"Okay," he said, his voice steady. "Let's do this."

-

Yuji's hands trembled. He was sitting in the car with Nanami and Gojo, his heart pounding.

Nobara and Megumi had gone to meet with Junpei, while he was accompanying the two older sorcerers on the mission to track down Mahito. He felt useless, knowing that there was nothing he could do. All he could do was wait.

He closed his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing. Gojo was there. Gojo would protect them. And once Mahito was dead, the looming threat would disappear.

But he couldn't help the dread that settled in his stomach.

"You're shaking," Nanami remarked, his voice gentle.

"I'm sorry," Yuji apologized. "I'm just... anxious."

"That's understandable," Nanami said. "This is a difficult situation."

The pink-haired boy took another deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"In your original timeline, was this our first mission together?" Nanami inquired.

Yuji nodded.

"Yeah," he murmured. "You were so cool. I admired you a lot. Though you were also a bit grumpy."

Nanami's lips twitched, a hint of amusement flickering across his face.

"Grumpy, huh?" he mused. "I suppose I can see that."