One Lie: ItaFushi

Chapter 2

 The day fell away after their eyes met. Megumi felt his shoulders slump in Okkotsu and Inumaki's living room, as the deep-seated couch began to envelop him. His fingers spasmed, thinking of Yuji's stiff voice when they exchanged pleasantries.

Megumi repeated the sentence aloud, to hear it one more time, "Good to see ya."

The words were plain, but Megumi knew Yuji better than that—or at least he liked to think he did. It wasn't the words that had Megumi awestruck. Rather, it was the stars in Yuji's maple eyes—a look of sticky-sweet succumbing that Megumi didn't think was deserved by someone who had left so brashly.

Megumi's ears rang as white-hot pain slammed against the back of his skull. He winced and gritted his teeth, tasting metal. With a sharp exhale, Megumi almost collapsed onto the polished wooden floor.

"Dumbass," Inumaki's voice cut through the air.

That was the last thing Megumi had expected. It was the same patented Inumaki smack he had only witnessed being delivered to a few merciful souls. It stung more with the words he spoke—the first words Megumi had ever heard Inumaki utter.

"Now, now. No need to be angry on my behalf," Megumi looked up with cutting eyes at the tired face of Yuta.

Inumaki fiercely and silently protested, whipping a thumb at his chest. That was the reaction Megumi had expected if he had run across Yuji. But he was greeted with nothing but a simple phrase and a confusingly sweet expression.

Yuta offered a hand to Megumi, who had fallen to the floor. "Come on, get up already."

Megumi took Yuta's hand, quietly standing to his feet but not daring to make eye contact. It was hard enough to look at someone he had lied to, but it was more difficult when that person called him a friend.

A similar searing pain jabbed Megumi in the stomach, and he fell to his knees again. He wanted to vomit from the impact but restrained himself. Megumi's throat burned with bile, and his eyes watered. He deserved this—he knew that.

Yuta wiped his fist on his shirt as if Megumi were coated in something, and said, "Much better."

The same hand that had been offered to him before came into sight again. Megumi swatted it away with a harsh, "I'm fine."

"Shut up, I'm not going to hit you again," Yuta said.

Megumi looked up and saw the flat blue eyes that adorned Yuta's pale face. They were typically as rough as oceans, but instead, they hung placid. Megumi took the man's hand and stood to his feet again.

"So, he's the one, huh?" Yuta asked.

"He was," Megumi said.

"Dumbass," Yuta shook his head.

"I know. I shouldn't have lied about him being dead. I'm sorry. I didn't think he would ever pop up again," Megumi said, averting his gaze.

"You're right, you didn't think. Itadori is one of our friends too, y'know? Technically speaking, I've talked to him more than I ever have with you," Yuta said.

Megumi glanced to see Inumaki looking away from his direction. He moved his gaze around the room, looking at all the decorations the couple had amassed since they moved away from Sukuna Island. They were warm—the couple were warm people—but why did they have to be so cold too?

"So, you're cutting me off?" Megumi asked.

"You really are such a dumbass. No, sure, this is a gross lie, but I'd like to believe that if Itadori is the one you liked, then you had the ability to make good decisions too. One thing doesn't dictate how I feel. I just needed you to wait up here in our place so I could get one good hit in," Yuta smiled, his eyes lighting up gently.