soukoku adopted child

gojo has a notebook of all the times megumi has called him dad. the dates, time, scenario, everything you can think of and he always brings it up whenever megumi argues with him over literally anything

"You would argue with your father?"

"You're not my-"

"September 5-"

The sound of his voice makes Megumi freeze, heart dropping as he slowly turns, eyes widening as he sees Gojo standing just a few feet away, a shy smile on his face as he runs his hand through his own hair. “Geez you got old, I’m just kidding you look young again, not sure why that happens when you come here, but anyway, was it your time? You didn’t go too early did you? Man it feels like forever but at the same time it feels like just yesterday. It can’t have been that long already has it?” Gojo keeps talking, true to who he always was, even as Megumi stays unable to speak, throat dry and mouth open as he stares, all he can do is stare because Gojo is right there.

So he’s dead, that’s fine. He knew he was dying, he lived an honest life, he thinks he had a good enough life to die when he did. That doesn’t bother him, but Gojo…Gojo looks young. Had he always been that young? He barely got to grow up. Megumi outlived him by decades and he remembers being twenty eight, he remembers how young that was, just barely not a kid anymore and Gojo was that young when he died. Not like he had to grow old for his hair to go white but god did he deserve to. Megumi knew how it felt to grow old, and he got to die of old age and live a happy, safe life with his loved ones and Gojo didn’t even get to turn thirty. Gojo died violent and angry and probably scared, tossed aside like a broken toy because he was only ever useful when he was strong and he died so long ago.

“What, not gonna say anything? Is it death shock?” Gojo teases. “Oh no I get it you forgot all about me, pfft, you lived a long time kid, doesn’t surprise me.” He’s joking, Megumi can tell by his voice, and yet he feels hurt by it, he can feel Gojo’s hurt, as if he’s begging Megumi to say otherwise.

He only knew Gojo for maybe ten years. He killed his real father, threw him into the jujutsu society just like he was, a pawn thanks to his ability he didn’t ask for, and then Gojo died and everyone moved on. Six decades be spent living his life, growing old, marrying your best friend, having children, and forgetting all about some teacher he barely knew.

Why would anyone remember Satoru Gojo?

Megumi launches himself forward and crashes into Gojo. Ever his fault, Gojo is taken off guard, and falls, wrapping his arms around Megumi as his eyes widen in surprise. “Hey, kid I was just joking.” Gojo tries to laugh, but his throat is thick and tears are already stinging his eyes. Megumi still won’t speak, he just buries his face in Gojo’s shirt and cries silently, hands shaking as he clings to him, as if he’s scared letting go will take Gojo from him again.

The last time we hugged we were on the battlefield and I never got to tell you I’m sorry.

Gojo rubs his back softly, and hides his face in Megumi’s hair, holding him close.

There was supposed to be an exasperated sigh, annoyance and complaints over Gojo still annoying him even dead, over him being trapped with him in the afterlife when he had a real father somewhere here he could see, not just him.

But Megumi spent six decades mourning him, six decades of regret and guilt so heavy it made him sick, and finally getting to see him again means more than he could ever ask for, so he won’t ruin the moment with arguing or complaining, not right now.

"We're NOT fucking splitting up because *I* care about *you* too much. Stfu selfish bitchass."

There are 2 ItaFushi moments that MAPPA changed from the manga, and honestly? They’re absolute PEAK!

The first one is during the first-years' mission when Megumi starts spiraling because Tsumiki might be in danger. In manga, Gege just drew Yuuji grabbing Megumi’s shoulders to tell him to calm down. But MAPPA leveled it up in anime: Yuuji literally runs up to get right in Megumi’s face, trying his hardest to make eye contact to check on him. Adding that face-to-face, eye-to-eye chemistry was such a top-tier move. It really shows how much Yuuji cares and how badly he wanted to ground Megumi in that moment.

The second one is from the start of Season 3. Instead of just having them talk with one sitting and one standing like in chapter 143, MAPPA had Megumi literally rush over and yank Yuuji up by the hand. This change hits different. It perfectly captures Megumi’s urgency, while also showing how much Yuuji was low-key avoiding him by constantly turning his face away to dodge Megumi's gaze.