"Wow, he slept like a log."
"Shhh, let him rest."
"Ich…"
The voices were faint, so faint that Yuji couldn't tell if he was dreaming or half-awake. When he finally stirred, blinking blearily, the room was quiet again. He sat up slowly, hair sticking up in every direction, his mind still heavy with sleep.
Lately, he'd been hearing those muffled voices every time he woke. They weren't Gojo's—too soft, too familiar. If he listened closely, he could almost swear it was Megumi… or Nobara.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Then his gaze drifted down to the man beside him. Gojo was still fast asleep, his arm wrapped firmly around Yuji's waist, face buried against his back. Even after a night that had left Yuji completely exhausted, Gojo slept like a contented cat—peaceful, smug, and still holding on.
Yuji felt his cheeks warm as the memories of last night flashed through his mind. "Senpai really are a wild animal sometimes…" he whispered, carefully prying Gojo's arm off and sliding out of bed.
He shuffled to the bathroom, washed up, and then made his way to the kitchen. Breakfast wasn't anything fancy—just toast and butter—but the quiet morning light spilling into the oasis made everything feel… calm. Almost too calm.
Through the window, yuji watched the sun rise over the dunes, golden light rippling across the still water. He let out a small sigh, one hand absentmindedly massaging his sore lower back.
No surprise there. With how often Gojo pounced on him these days, his whole body was constantly aching in new ways. Passionate, sure—but maybe too passionate sometimes.
Yuji chuckled softly to himself. "Is this what married life feels like?"
"Sure is," came a deep, drowsy voice from behind him.
Yuji jumped slightly as Gojo's warm arms slid around his waist, pulling him back into a loose hug. His breath brushed against Yuji's neck, rough and sleepy.
Gojo pressed a soft kiss to his skin and mumbled, "Morning~"
Yuji laughed under his breath, trying to act annoyed but failing miserably. "You sound like an old man," he teased, nudging Gojo's face away with his shoulder.
"Old man? Rude," Gojo said, grinning against his skin. "You're lucky I'm too sleepy to fight back right now."
"Good. Stay that way." Yuji smirked and slipped out of his arms, carrying the toast to the small table near the window. Gojo followed a moment later, dragging his feet like a lazy cat, hair sticking up in every direction.
They sat together in the quiet warmth of the morning, sunlight stretching across the table, the scent of toasted bread mixing with the soft breeze from outside. Yuji spread a bit of jam over his toast, stealing a glance at Gojo who was munching his slice with zero manners.
"Slow down," Yuji said, laughing. "You eat like you haven't seen food in years."
"That's because I burned a lot of energy last night," Gojo said with a grin that was far too smug for this early in the day.
Yuji's face flushed instantly. "Shut up and eat."
Gojo chuckled, eyes gleaming mischievously as he leaned forward. "What? I'm just being honest."
Yuji rolled his eyes and took a bite of his toast, pretending not to hear. But before he could even swallow, his stomach gave a sudden, sharp churn.
Yuji froze.
Then came the uneasy roll in his gut—a warning he didn't even have time to process before the nausea hit like a wave.
"Ugh—" Yuji clamped a hand over his mouth, pushing his chair back so fast it scraped the floor. He barely made it to the sink before he threw up.
Gojo immediately shot up, the lazy morning air snapping into alarm. "Yuji?"
Yuji coughed, body trembling as he tried to catch his breath. His palms were braced against the counter, face pale and sweaty. "I—I'm fine, just—ugh…"
Gojo was already at his side, hand on his back, gently rubbing circles. "Hey, hey… easy. Breathe."
Yuji's breathing came out in short, shaky bursts. The aftertaste of bile stung his throat, and he rinsed his mouth quickly, still feeling dizzy.
Gojo frowned, the playful look completely gone now. "You sure you're okay? You've been feeling weird lately."
Yuji stayed quiet for a moment, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah… maybe it's just the heat or something."
But Gojo didn't look convinced. His thumb brushed the corner of Yuji's lips, eyes narrowing in quiet concern. "Or something…" he echoed softly.
The silence between them stretched, warm sunlight still pouring through the window, but suddenly feeling a little too bright, a little too sharp.
+++
Gojo didn't say anything for a moment. He just stood there, watching Yuji rinse his mouth again, watching the way his shoulders trembled slightly before he straightened up and forced a small smile.
"See? I'm fine," Yuji said, trying to sound convincing.
Gojo raised a brow. "Uh-huh. You just threw up your soul into the sink, but sure—'fine.'"
Yuji chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I ate something bad yesterday."
Gojo hummed. "Or maybe senpai pounced on yuji a little too much last night."
"Senpaii!!!" Yuji gave him a look, but Gojo just stepped closer—too close—and pressed the back of his hand gently to Yuji's forehead.
No fever. Still, the concern in his eyes lingered.
"You're pale," Gojo murmured. "Like, paler than usual. And not in my sexy vampire way."
Yuji snorted. "Meh, I think I'm just tired."
Gojo hummed. "Tired or not, I still get to worry, don't I?"
There was something strangely domestic about it—the warmth of the morning light, the quiet hum of the oasis outside, and Gojo's hand resting against Yuji's cheek.
Yuji sighed, leaning a little into his touch. "You worry too much."
"I'm worried," Gojo murmured softly.
The air between them softened into silence again.
Gojo guided Yuji to sit back down, then went to pour him a glass of water. "Drink slowly," he said, sliding it across the table. "And you're not doing anything today. That's an order from your very handsome superior."
Yuji rolled his eyes but obeyed. "You just want an excuse to baby me, huh?"
"Maybe," Gojo said with a grin, "but you don't seem to hate it."
Yuji's lips curved slightly. "…I don't."
Gojo's grin widened, but before he could tease, Yuji's gaze drifted toward the window again—the same direction where the soft morning light painted gold over the reservoir.
For a second, his vision blurred. The soft murmur of voices—those faint ones he'd been hearing lately—echoed again in the back of his head.
"Itadori…"
That voice again. It wasn't Gojo's. It wasn't anyone here.
Yuji's hand tightened around his glass.
Gojo noticed immediately. "Hey," he said quietly, crouching beside him. "What's wrong?"
Yuji blinked, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. Just… maybe I'm still sleepy."
But Gojo didn't buy that. He kept his hand on Yuji's knee, eyes sharp even behind that lazy smile. "You've been hearing things again, haven't you?"
Yuji looked down, silent.
"…Yeah," he finally admitted. "It's not clear. Just… voices. Familiar ones."
Gojo's gaze softened. "Megumi? Nobara?"
Yuji nodded faintly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The wind rustled through the open window, carrying the faint scent of firewood from last night's barbecue.
Gojo exhaled slowly, then reached up to ruffle Yuji's hair. "Then maybe," he said quietly, "they're trying to tell you something."
Yuji glanced at him. "Like what?"
Gojo gave a small, lopsided smile. "Guess we'll find out."
His tone was calm, but his thumb lingered on Yuji's wrist, tracing small circles.