And we go beyond the farthest reaches
Where the light bends and wraps beneath us
And I know as you collapse into me
This is the start of something
Pairings: windowed single dad!Toji x divorced!Reader(F)
Summary: His wife died a year ago and Toji Fushiguro has felt like his life has been on autopilot since then. Every day is just the same continuous loop.
Your marriage ended five months ago, four years down the drain. And now you find yourself living with your sister and brother-in-law, trying to pick up the pieces of your crumbling life back up.
A chance meeting brings these two broken souls together.
Trigger Warnings for Chapter: I'm going to be honest here and say none, really. There is a lot of fluff though and a lot of reader and Megumi interaction in this chapter.
You and Toji did eventually manage to wrangle the children out of the gymnasium and down to the cafeteria—though not before Megumi and Aimee somehow talked the two of you into two more games.
What could you say? You were weak to Aimee and her puppy eyes.
Apparently, Megumi’s too.
Toji had mentioned that Megumi inherited them from Kyouka.
The two of them used to love double-teaming him with that trick.
You had to bite back a laugh at the image alone—Toji standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, feet planted firmly as he tried to hold his ground, while Megumi and Kyouka stood in front of him tag-teaming him with matching puppy eyes and pouts.
From the number of times you’d caved to Aimee’s puppy dog eyes, you could only imagine how often Toji folded when both his wife and son used the same tactic on him.
Because if you were being honest, it had been more than enough with just your niece.
And really—what were you supposed to do about that?
And little Megumi was an absolute cutie.
So yes—you knew Toji caved often.
And you could have brought it up. The urge sat right on the tip of your tongue.
But you decided to save that particular conversation for another time.
As you, Toji, and the kids sat around the circular lunch table, you sipped your cold Sprite and glanced around at the other occupied tables scattered through the cafeteria.
Parents sat with their children—some dressed in costumes, others in regular clothes—all of them smiling as they enjoyed the evening’s festivities.
At another table tucked in the far corner of the room sat a group of teenagers, their laughter carrying across the cafeteria.
It was obvious they were some of the volunteers helping run the festival.
Aimee and Megumi sat between you and Toji—Aimee beside you, Megumi beside his father—both happily occupied with their corn dogs and chocolate milk.
Megumi happily sipped on his chocolate milk, his eyes fixed on Aimee as she munched on her corn dog. Between bites, the young girl chatted away to the boy beside her, a bright smile stretched across her face.
Megumi said little as he ate, content to sip his milk and take bites of his own corn dog. He nodded along and answered verbally whenever necessary.
Aimee, of course, had no issue doing enough talking for the both of them.
And out of everything you loved about your niece, that was one of the things you adored most—how much she could talk.
Aimee was a social butterfly through and through. She had no trouble making friends and hardly ever met a stranger—much to yours and Sukuna’s constant wish that she might be just a little more bashful.
But Aimee was her parents combined.
She hated seeing anyone left out and never minded filling the silence for people who struggled to do it themselves.
Much like she was doing now with Megumi.
Megumi wasn’t nearly as social as Aimee, but neither of them seemed bothered by their differences. They simply enjoyed each other’s company.
Beside his son, Toji sat eating chips while scrolling through his phone. At first glance, he looked entirely absorbed in his own world, but the slight upward curve of his scarred lip and the quiet huff of amusement gave him away.
He was listening to the kids.
You had to admit, though—the topic Aimee and Megumi were bouncing between was pretty amusing. Mostly because it never stayed the same for long. Aimee kept jumping from one thing to the next without missing a beat.
As the kids continued eating and talking, you and Toji filled the time with small conversations of your own. Nothing serious—just passing comments here and there. That was, of course, whenever one of you wasn’t pausing to answer one of the kids when they chimed in and interrupted.
You’d respond, then slip right back into your own conversation like nothing happened.
Once Aimee and Megumi finished their food and milk, the four of you cleaned up and made your way toward the auditorium.
A few people were already seated when you arrived, with more trickling in behind you to grab spots for the contest.
A young girl approached, a bright smile on her face. Her black hair was styled into space buns, and her brown eyes seemed to shine even in the dim lighting.
She introduced herself as Tsui, one of the volunteers helping run the festival. She explained that she’d be leading the kids participating in the costume contest backstage to get them ready.
Tsui gently took both Aimee’s and Megumi’s hands, speaking to them in a soft, reassuring voice.
Before she could lead them away, you leaned down and pressed a kiss to Aimee’s cheek, telling her you’d be waiting in the audience. Beside you, Toji crouched in front of Megumi, murmuring something quietly to his son. You didn’t catch the words, but you could guess—encouragement.
He stood back up, adjusting Megumi’s cap on his head before letting him go.
Then Tsui led them off to get ready.
After that, you and Toji found your seats, choosing ones closer to the front so both kids would be able to spot you easily from the stage.
A few more people trickled into the auditorium, and a couple minutes later, the contest began. One of the teachers stepped up to give a brief opening announcement before introducing the first category.
You had to admit, the kids had put a lot of thought into their costumes.
Sure, you could tell a good number of them came straight from places like Walmart or Spirit Halloween—but the makeup choices that went along with them were impressive. And some of the children, especially the older ones, showed off their own skills—or their parents’—with detailed homemade costumes.
And no matter the results, every child wore a wide smile across their face. It was obvious they all wanted to win—but more than that, they were having fun, whether they placed or not.
That alone had you smiling.
It also had your thoughts drifting back to your own time at festivals like this.
Tamsy hadn’t been lying when she told Aimee how much fun the two of you used to have.
But unlike these kids—unlike Aimee or Megumi—joining a contest had never been something you even tried. You hated being stared at. Truthfully, you had been a shy kid.
You’d managed to become best friends with Kento and Utahime fairly easily the first day you met them. And sure, you had a few other friends here and there over the years. And, of course, there had been that one relationship with the man who ended up ruining your life.
But you were never like Tamsy.
She had always been the adventurous one—the outgoing one. Maybe part of that came from her being older, but you knew better. That was just who she was.
Tamsy had always been the one to enter contests at festivals—whether it was costumes like this or submitting artwork to be judged. And it didn’t stop there. She joined talent shows whenever the school held them, took Drama classes, and landed parts in plays.
She had more than enough friends growing up too—though she’d only call half of them acquaintances. According to her, her only real friends were Shoko and, coincidentally, Kyouka.
And with your sister being friends with Shoko and Kyouka, that meant she was also friends with Shiu and Toji.
And, of course, Ryomen as well—considering he was your brother-in-law.
You’d only recently learned about Satoru and Suguru, since they’d been friends with Shoko since childhood.
They always did things together.
Sometimes Tamsy would offer to let you tag along—whether they were going to a movie or just walking around the mall. She never minded including you. Even Ryomen, who always seemed to drop the bad boy act around you and Tamsy, would try to convince you to come with them.
You didn’t want to intrude, and eventually everyone just assumed you preferred to keep to yourself.
The truth was, you did want to go. Being labeled the shy one between you and your sister got old fast. But no matter how many times they asked, you could never quite bring yourself to say yes.
Sometimes you had an excuse—plans with Kento and Utahime.
Other times, you just didn’t want to be “Tamsy’s little sister” tagging along behind them.
And after you started dating your ex-husband, you barely had time for anything that didn’t involve him.
So when Toji admitted, the first day you met him at the shop, that he hadn’t even known whether you were a boy or a girl—it made sense.
Tamsy had always just referred to you as her sibling. Never your name. Never your gender.
And since Ryomen had always been completely wrapped around your sister’s finger, he went along with it—never correcting anyone, never saying anything to the others either.
Not until years later, when you ended up working at the shop with all of them.
Apparently, at some point during your inner rambling, your smile had slipped. Anyone could tell you were lost in your thoughts.
Especially the man sitting beside you.
You jolted slightly when a knee bumped yours, and you turned to look at Toji. A playful grin was already on his face.
“Easy, Pip,” he said, amusement lacing his tone. “Don’t fall out of your seat.”
You fought the blush threatening to spread across your cheeks and cleared your throat, shifting in your seat. Crossing one leg over the other, you folded your hands neatly in your lap.
“Sorry about that,” you said softly, just loud enough for him to hear. “I got a little stuck in my head.”
On stage, another group of costumed children stepped out from backstage, taking their places under the lights.
Toji leaned back in his seat, arms crossing over his chest as he adjusted to avoid bumping the woman beside him. Even then, his attention stayed on you.
“I can see that,” he replied. “Good stuck in your head or bad?”
His tone was laced with just enough concern to make your stomach flutter.
It was… nice. The fact that he noticed. That he paid enough attention to catch the shift in your mood—especially when you didn’t always realize it yourself.
So the check-in didn’t go unnoticed.
“It was good,” you answered, a small smile returning to your lips. “I was just thinking about how much fun I had at these festivals growing up.”
Toji didn’t say anything—he just kept his eyes on you.
Like he knew there was more.
You shrugged lightly. “And… I guess that turned into me thinking about how I missed out on a lot of stuff because I was really shy,” you admitted.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a little shy,” Toji said, his tone softer, trying to reassure you. “Most kids are.”
“I’m not saying there is,” you replied with a small sigh. “I just… ended up missing out on a lot because of it. It made me stick to myself more than I should have—made me way too introverted.”
“I’m sure you weren’t that bad, Pip.”
You glanced at him. “How many times did Tamsy or Ryomen say they tried to get me to tag along with you guys, and I never went?”
Toji didn’t answer right away.
His smile faded just slightly as he tilted his head, brows knitting together while he actually thought about it.
“It was a few times,” he admitted after a moment, green eyes settling back on you. He shrugged. “I never really thought much of it. She’d say she invited you, you said no—that was about it. Most of the time she said you had other plans.”
“Most of the time, I did,” you said. “I’d hang out with Kento and Utahime, and when I started dating my ex-husband, most of my time went to him.” You paused, then added more quietly, “But other times… I just felt like I’d be intruding.”
Toji’s head tilted again. “Intruding? How?”
You shrugged, more than willing to leave it at that.
Toji, apparently, wasn’t.
“A shrug’s not really an answer, Y/N.”
Toji just kept looking at you.
You rolled your eyes and let out a quiet sigh.
“Fine,” you relented, slouching slightly in your seat as the wooden chair creaked under the shift of your weight.
“I just felt like if I did tag along whenever Tamsy or Ryomen invited me, I’d be intruding,” you continued. “And I know neither of them minded—and I’m sure none of you would’ve either—but I just couldn’t make myself say yes. Yeah, part of it was because I was a shy kid. But the other part…” You hesitated. “I didn’t want to risk being ‘Tamsy’s little sister’ that you guys were just tolerating. Like you’d rather I stayed home, but were too nice to say it.”
You exhaled softly. “And then there was the whole sixth wheel thing. Or ninth, if Satoru and Suguru were there.”
Toji raised a brow, his head still tilted. “You really think that’s how we would’ve felt?”
You shrugged again, turning your attention back to the stage. Another group of kids stepped out from behind the curtain. From the looks of it, there were only one or two groups left before Aimee and Megumi’s category.
“Yes,” you finally admitted, still not looking at him. “I did. I mean… you all were five years older than me. I didn’t think a bunch of eighteen-year-olds would want a thirteen-year-old tagging along.”
Toji was the one to shrug his shoulders this time.
"I wouldn't have minded," he admitted. You turned your head to look at him, now tilting yours. He huffed a laugh. "I'm serious. I wouldn't have."
"You might not have minded, I'm not sure the others would have had the same mindset."
"I'm sure Kyouka would have adored you," Toji admitted. "She probably would have taken you under her wing and treated you like the sister she never had--which would have been true because she was an only child. And the way Shiu talks about you now, he would have liked you back then too. No doubt Shoko, too." He thought for a moment before adding, "Did they not ever come to your house to hang out with your sister or something? Shiu said he and Shoko knew about you way before me and the dumbass twins."
"Oh, yeah, Shoko came around all the time to the house," you answered. "Kyouka would come every now and again. Sometimes Shiu would come with Shoko if he knew Ryomen was going to be at the house. So, yeah, they knew about me before you, Satoru and Suguru did. I just usually stayed in my room unless I was with Utahime and Kento."
Toji hummed, like he was actually turning your words over in his head.
“I still wouldn’t have minded,” he said after a moment. “None of us would have. Especially dumbass Gojo and his partner-in-crime Geto. Those two knuckleheads like you now.”
You huffed out a laugh. “I think Suguru likes me for normal reasons,” you said, amusement threading your tone. “Satoru, on the other hand… I’m pretty sure he just acts like that because he’s flirting and thinks I’m going to be the next one warming his bed.”
“He’s a dumbass, but he’s not a suicidal one,” Toji said, his voice turning firm, the humor dropping out of it.
That caught your attention, making you glance at him.
“If that snowflake even tries to push it with you,” he continued, “he’ll have more than just Ryomen to deal with. And Suguru won’t be able to save him either. Because I’ll beat his ass.”
You weren’t entirely sure what he meant by that.
Not that you actually thought Satoru would seriously try anything—though you wouldn’t put it past him to test his luck. Still, after everything with Ai, Ryomen had made it very clear to everyone at the shop where the line was when it came to you.
Playful flirting? Irritating to him, sure—but he tolerated it to a point. And he was quick to step in the second it crossed into something more, usually before you even had the chance to show it bothered you.
Most of the time, you didn’t mind it anyway. You’d even play along—flirting back in your own way.
Unfortunately, Satoru was the type that, if you gave him an inch, he’d take it a mile.
Now, Satoru wasn’t a bad guy. He really wasn’t—you’d told yourself that a million times over the past few months working at the shop.
He was caring, funny, and always trying to make you laugh. Helpful, too, with a genuinely big heart.
He just… tended to think with his dick more than his brain.
And again, you really didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to seriously cross a boundary. Which only made you wonder why Toji had sounded so serious just now—why he’d felt the need to threaten the white-haired menace in the first place.
You didn’t get the chance to ask.
The moment you opened your mouth, Tsui appeared, making her way quickly over to where you and Toji were seated.
“I need your help, Mr. Fushiguro,” she said, concern clear in her voice.
Toji was already starting to rise from his seat. “Is everything okay? Is something wrong with Megumi?”
You stood as well, stepping aside from the aisle seat so he could get out.
“In a sense, he’s fine,” Tsui said, leading the two of you toward the stage. “But when we were getting the kids ready for the Buddy Category, he just… shut down. He backed himself into a corner backstage and won’t move. He’s crouched down, hiding his face.”
At her words, you and Toji quickened your pace. Tsui stayed right behind you as she led you up the short set of steps and backstage.
Your eyes immediately began scanning the area, searching through the other children for Megumi.
It didn’t take long to find him.
He was tucked into a corner, crouched down with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, his face hidden. His baseball cap sat abandoned beside him.
Aimee was crouched in front of him.
You could see her lips moving as she spoke softly, trying to coax him out of it—but all Megumi did was shake his head, the only response he gave her.
You stayed back as Toji made his way over, crouching down in front of his son. Aimee turned at the movement, spotting you almost immediately, and hurried over. The second she reached you, her arms wrapped around your waist.
“What happened with Megumi, sweet girl?” you asked softly, running your fingers through her hair.
Aimee tilted her head up at you, resting her chin against your stomach, a worried frown pulling at her lips.
“I don’t know,” she said. “We were just standing around waiting, and some of us wanted to see how many people were sitting out there. Megumi came with me, and then he just… started acting weird.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. One minute he was laughing with me, and then the next—after he saw how many people were out there—he went really pale.” She paused. “Like I do when I get sick, Obasan.”
You glanced back over to where Megumi was still crouched in the corner, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, his face hidden. Toji remained in front of him, speaking quietly, his lips moving in an attempt to coax some kind of response from his son.
“He wouldn’t talk to me either,” Aimee added after a moment, her voice soft as she looked back at him. “He just pressed himself against the wall and did… that.” She hesitated. “I hope he’s going to be okay.”
You leaned slightly to the side, peeking around the curtain that separated backstage from the main stage.
From where you stood, you could see the podium where the teacher had been announcing each category and prize—and beyond that, the audience.
Far more than a child could comfortably handle.
Especially a child like Megumi.
And the moment you and Toji had come up those steps with Tsui—when you saw him curled in on himself like that—you recognized it immediately.
That kind of body language wasn’t unfamiliar to you.
You’d been in that exact same position before—crouched down, trying to make yourself smaller. Trying to disappear.
The thought of that many eyes on you used to send your nerves spiraling, panic clawing its way up your throat until all you could think about was getting away.
Just like Megumi was doing now.
“I’m sure he’ll be just fine, Aimee,” you said softly, running your hand through her hair once more. “I’m going to go talk to him, okay?”
Aimee didn’t say anything, only nodded. She let go of your waist but reached for your hand instead, her smaller fingers wrapping around yours as the two of you made your way over.
Toji’s voice carried softly as he tried to coax his son into responding—trying to get anything out of him. The worry on his face was unmistakable as he watched the boy.
You gave Aimee’s hand a gentle squeeze before letting go, stepping forward and crouching down beside Toji.
“Come on, kiddo,” he tried again, his voice low and gentle. “Just tell me what happened—if you’re okay. I can’t fix anything if you don’t tell me what’s wrong, buddy.”
Megumi stayed silent, only curling tighter around himself.
Toji let out a quiet sigh, dragging a hand down his face before resting it against his chin. He glanced over at you.
“He won’t talk to me,” he muttered, his voice slightly muffled.
You offered him a small, reassuring smile, resting your hand lightly on his arm.
“Let me try something,” you said softly before turning your full attention to Megumi.
You looked back at the small boy, and your heart ached.
Your smile wavered for just a second, but you kept it there.
“There’s a lot of people out there, huh?” you said gently.
You didn’t expect an answer—and the way he curled in tighter confirmed it.
“That’s okay,” you continued softly. “I’m not going to make you talk. I promise. I just wanted to tell you… I know how you feel right now, sweet boy.”
Megumi stayed quiet, his arms still wrapped around his knees, his face hidden.
“I had a hard time with crowds when I was about your age,” you went on. The memory surfaced easily—Ms. Ito crouched in front of you, speaking softly, making you feel seen. Letting you know you weren’t the only one who felt that way.
So you tried to do the same for him.
“In fact,” you added, “I had a hard time with a lot of things. I was really shy, and new situations scared me so much I’d panic the second I was faced with them.”
You glanced briefly at Toji, catching the unreadable look on his face before turning your attention back to Megumi.
“I’d run and hide the first chance I got.”
Megumi’s grip around his knees loosened, just slightly.
Not much. But enough to count as progress.
“A lot of people thought I was being silly or overreacting,” you continued.
You shifted, lowering yourself onto your knees before settling beside Megumi, pulling your own knees up to your chest.
“I always got labeled a crybaby… a scaredy-cat,” you went on quietly. “But no one really knew what was going on in my head—how it actually felt. All they saw was a little girl… and later a teenager… trying to make herself small because she felt like she took up too much space. Like her nerves were just… an inconvenience.”
The memories came easy—pressing yourself against walls at crowded events, trying to disappear when you couldn’t find someone you felt safe with. The way panic would hit the second you lost sight of your sister or your parents, even for a moment.
But they were also overwhelming.
You leaned your head back against the wall behind you, letting out a quiet breath.
“I used to wish I could be outgoing like my sister,” you admitted softly. “She lit up every room she walked into—like a star. I wanted to be like that so badly… but I wasn’t. I was too introverted. And I hated feeling like everyone was looking at me—like I was being forced into the center of attention.”
You glanced over at the boy beside you.
“That’s what happened to you, wasn’t it, Megumi?” you asked softly.
For a moment, you expected nothing—expected him to curl in tighter, maybe even pull away.
“…yeah,” he whispered a second later, his voice barely audible.
You watched as he still hugged his knees, but slowly lifted his head, revealing his eyes—green, just like his father’s.
He turned slightly, resting the side of his face against his arms so he could look at you. And you could see it clearly now—the red rims, the shine of tears he was trying so hard to hold back.
“There’s so many people out there,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “They’re all going to be looking at me…”
You gently lowered your legs, shifting into a cross-legged position before offering your hand out to him.
“Come here, sweetheart,” you said softly.
Megumi didn’t move right away. His gaze flickered between your hand and your face.
And after a moment, he slowly uncurled, crawling forward until he settled into your lap. He leaned back against you, still tense—but gradually beginning to relax.
You glanced up over Megumi’s spiky hair, meeting Toji’s gaze.
He was watching the two of you, completely still. His expression was unreadable, giving nothing away.
Beside him, Aimee stood with her hands tucked behind her back, her head tilted as she observed the same scene. Unlike Toji, her expression was easy to read—curious, quietly attentive.
You couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
You turned your hands so your palms faced up, resting them on either side of Megumi.
“Hold my hands,” you said gently.
He slipped his smaller hands into yours, fingers threading together. You gave a small nod. “Good boy. Now close your eyes and keep leaning back against me, okay?”
You watched as his eyes shut, his body easing just a little more into yours.
“Alright,” you murmured, your voice soft and steady. “We’re going to breathe together, okay? In through your nose… nice and slow… and then out through your mouth.”
You kept your breathing steady, letting him match your rhythm.
It was something your parents used to do for you when your nerves got the better of you—when everything felt like too much. If it was just you and Tamsy, she’d do the same thing.
They’d guide you somewhere quieter, sit you down, and pull you close—on their lap when you were younger, between their legs when you got older. Just like this.
In through your nose. Out through your mouth.
Over and over, until the tightness in your chest eased, until the tension drained from your body, and your thoughts finally slowed enough to let you breathe again.
A small smile spread across your face the moment you felt the tension leave Megumi’s body. Even after you’d stopped guiding him, he kept up the steady rhythm on his own.
“You know,” you said softly, your thumbs brushing slow, soothing circles over the backs of his gloved hands, “my parents and my big sister used to do this for me too when I was growing up.”
“Did you get really nervous a lot when you were little?” Megumi asked quietly, tilting his head back to look at you. His eyes were open now, clearer than before.
You met his gaze and nodded. “A whole lot,” you admitted. “Sometimes I’d get so nervous it felt like I couldn’t breathe—like someone was squeezing me too tight and I couldn’t get any air in.” You offered him a gentle smile. “Is that how it felt for you? Is that why you tried to make yourself small against the wall?”
Megumi nodded. “Yeah. I saw how many people were in the seats and I started feeling funny in my chest.”
“Because you knew that once you stepped on stage, they’d all be looking at you?”
“I don’t like that,” he murmured. “I don’t like so many people staring at me.”
“I don’t blame you,” you told him gently. “Having that many people looking at you all at once… it makes you feel weird, doesn’t it?”
“Mhm,” Megumi murmured, nodding again.
He lifted his head, his gaze shifting past Toji—landing on Aimee.
“I really wanted to do this with Aimee though.”
“You wanna know something?”
Megumi looked back at you, tilting his head. “What?”
“You did something I never even dreamed of doing at your age,” you told him. Your gaze lifted briefly to Toji and Aimee before settling back on him. “Just thinking about entering a contest like this used to make my skin crawl—like a bunch of spiders were dumped on me and crawling everywhere.” You gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Even if it overwhelmed you, you were still braver than I ever was back then.”
Megumi frowned slightly. “But I still got scared… and had that weird feeling in my chest. So I can’t be brave.”
“You are brave, buddy,” Toji cut in.
Both you and Megumi looked over at him. He gave his son a small, steady smile.
“Doing something outside your comfort zone? That’s one of the bravest things you can do.”
“Yeah, Gumi!” Aimee chimed in, her voice bright again.
She stepped closer, stopping in front of you and Megumi with her hands still tucked behind her back, smiling down at him.
“I was really happy when you said you’d do the contest with me,” she added. “I didn’t know if you’d want to or not.”
“I wanted to,” Megumi told her. Then, quieter, “I really did. I just…”
“It’s okay that you got a little scared,” you said gently. Megumi looked up at you, and you ran your hand through his hair, the same way you always did with Aimee. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Pip’s right,” Toji added, shifting a little closer. “And if you want to head back to the gym and play some games instead, we can do that. No one’s gonna be upset.”
“I won’t be!” Aimee said quickly, her smile still bright. “We can go back to playing games and getting candy if you want, Gumi. I’ve had fun just dressing up with you.”
“It’s up to you, sweetheart,” you told him gently, still running your fingers through his hair. “Whatever you want to do, okay?”
Megumi stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze dropping to where your hands were still intertwined.
“I…” he started slowly. “I—I want to do the contest with Aimee…”
He hesitated, searching for the rest of his words. “I want to, but…”
“If you want to be part of the contest, then that’s okay,” you reassured him. He looked back up at you. “You can still do it and have fun with Aimee.”
“What if I get scared again?”
You smiled softly. “Then how about this,” you said. “If you start to feel overwhelmed, you grab Aimee’s hand. And you look out into the crowd for me and your dad. Just focus on us—and on Aimee squeezing your hand.”
Megumi stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze drifting away again as his brows knitted together in thought.
“Or,” you added gently, “if you’d rather, your dad and I can stay right here backstage. That way, you can just look to your left and see us behind the curtain.”
Megumi’s gaze flickered between you and Toji, then over to Aimee, before settling back on your hands.
“Could…” he started, his voice uncertain.
“What is it, bud?” Toji asked gently, giving him the space to take his time.
Megumi nodded to himself, then slowly lifted his head, green eyes meeting his father’s.
“Could… could you go back and sit with the others, Daddy?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Then he turned to you. “And could you… stay back here so I know you’re behind the curtain, Y/N?”
“Would that make you feel better, Megumi?” you asked softly.
He didn’t answer out loud—just nodded.
You glanced up at Toji, meeting his eyes. “I think we can do that for him, don’t you?”
Toji just smiled, his eyes still on yours.
“Yeah,” he said. Then he shifted his attention back to his son. “Yeah, we can do that.”
You helped Megumi up from your lap before reaching beside you to grab his baseball cap. You dusted it off lightly, then placed it back on his head, completing his costume.
Toji opened his arms, and Megumi stepped into them without hesitation. His small arms wrapped around his father’s neck while Toji pulled him close, holding him securely.
Toji leaned down, his lips near Megumi’s ear, speaking softly—quiet enough that only the two of them could hear.
When they pulled apart, Toji gave his son’s back a reassuring rub before standing to his full height. He reached out and gently tapped Aimee on the nose, careful not to smudge her face paint, earning a small giggle from her.
Then his attention shifted to you.
That same grateful smile lingered as he gave you a small nod before glancing back at Megumi, silently letting him know he’d be in the front row—easy to spot.
You took Megumi’s hand and guided him over to the curtain. Pulling it back just enough, you let him peek out as Toji made his way to an open seat near the front.
The moment Megumi’s focus drifted from his father to the crowd, you felt his hand tense in yours.
You gave it a gentle squeeze.
He looked up at you, a small frown on his face, and you offered him a reassuring smile—reminding him that his dad was right there, and that you’d be just behind the curtain where he could still see you.
Megumi’s expression softened.
Then he smiled, giving your hand a small squeeze in return.
Aimee stepped over and took Megumi’s other hand, her smaller fingers wrapping around his. The two of them looked at each other, smiling, and Aimee let out a soft giggle.
You released Megumi’s hand and stepped back, giving them space as they moved into place with the other children on stage.
At the podium, the teacher began speaking, introducing the Buddy Category. Applause rippled through the audience as each pair was called—costumes first, then their names.
You stayed off to the side, just like you promised, your hands resting behind your back.
Your eyes never left Megumi and Aimee.
And you knew Toji’s didn’t either.
You watched as Megumi craned his neck, searching through the crowd until his eyes landed on his father. His hand tightened around Aimee’s, their fingers interlocked as he gave her a small squeeze.
Then he turned, looking off to the side—looking for you.
You smiled the moment his eyes found yours, giving him a small wave to remind him you were right there, just like you promised.
A second later, a smile spread across his face.
He lifted his free hand and waved back.
Beside him, Aimee leaned forward, waving enthusiastically with her own free hand, and you returned it just as easily.
The teacher soon called their names, introducing them as Ash and Pikachu. Applause filled the auditorium, and from the front row came loud claps and a couple of sharp whistles—Toji making it very clear he was cheering them on.
You clapped too, making sure your applause carried from where you stood off to the side.
Aimee and Megumi both lit up, smiling brightly as they waved to the audience with their free hands, their other hands still tightly linked.
The smile on Megumi’s face made your chest warm.
You knew he was going to be okay.
They didn’t win the grand prize, but both kids received medals for their costumes.
The top spot went to a pair of twin brothers dressed as Mario and Luigi.
Aimee and Megumi didn’t seem to care at all about the results. Both of them were beaming, their medals hanging proudly around their necks as they talked animatedly—voices overlapping, eyes bright.
Megumi looked nothing like the boy from earlier. His smile was wide, his green eyes lit up as he sat beside Aimee, completely at ease.
Toji stood off to the side, arms crossed over his chest as he watched them. There was a quiet smile on his face.
You had stepped away to the restroom, leaving Aimee with him for the moment—something he hadn’t minded in the slightest.
Seeing Megumi like this eased something in him.
Because earlier… he hadn’t known what to do.
Nothing he said had gotten through to his son.
Not until you stepped in.
And Toji had to admit… it had been something to watch.
The way you handled Megumi—gentle, patient. Giving him space, but still reaching him. Getting him to talk, to breathe, to come out of that tight, closed-off place he’d tucked himself into.
Toji couldn’t quite put a name to the feeling that came with watching his son open up to you.
Because hearing Megumi explain it—hearing how overwhelmed he’d gotten, how the crowd made his chest feel tight, how it scared him—
Because it wasn’t the first time.
Megumi had reacted like that once before, years ago, when he was around five. He’d tried to participate in a small class program. The crowd hadn’t even been half the size of tonight’s, but it had still been too much.
Toji remembered it clearly.
Megumi hadn’t even made it through the start. He’d broken down before it began—small body shaking, curling in on itself as tears took over.
And Toji had no choice but to carry him off the stage.
And Toji was grateful for you—even if his face hadn’t shown it in the moment.
The way you spoke to Megumi, soft and steady, the way you encouraged him without pushing—it stuck with him.
It did something to him, too.
A feeling he hadn’t let himself sit with in a long time. Not since Kyouka.
There had been something warm in his chest as he watched it all unfold. Something quiet, but heavy in a way he couldn’t ignore.
Especially when Megumi finally moved—when he crawled into your lap like it was the safest place he could be.
Toji had felt it deepen then.
Watching you take his son’s hands, your fingers lacing with his, guiding him through each breath. Patient. Gentle. Like it was second nature to you.
You didn’t rush him. Didn’t overwhelm him. You just… met him where he was.
And when you explained—how it was something your own family used to do for you, how it helped when everything felt too much—
Not just on the surface, but in a way that meant something.
You just wanted Megumi to feel safe.
To calm down. To breathe. And Toji knew that.
There weren’t words strong enough for Toji to explain just how grateful he was for you.
Not in a way that felt like it would be enough.
It wasn’t long before you made your way back into the gym, returning to where he stood with the kids. Your smile was still there, easy and bright.
Both Aimee and Megumi immediately turned toward you, greeting you the second you stepped close.
You greeted them right back, a soft laugh slipping past your lips.
And Toji found himself stuck on it. The sound lingered—light, warm.
Like something he hadn’t realized he’d missed hearing until now.
And, for a moment, he couldn’t help but think… he wouldn’t mind hearing it again.
The festival was winding down, teachers and student volunteers beginning to take apart the remaining games.
Aimee and Megumi had begged for just a little more time—one or two more games, and a trip through the spook tunnel before it closed.
You and Toji had played it up, pretending to think it over, exchanging glances while the kids stood there with wide eyes and pouty lips, clinging politely to both of you.
It didn’t take long before you both gave in.
The second you agreed, they cheered and took off toward the games, still holding hands as they ran. Their laughter carried as they reached the bowling booth.
And just like that, it was just you and Toji again—standing off to the side, watching them.
“How do you think the spook tunnel is going to go?” you asked after a moment, your tone playful, hands tucked behind your back.
Toji hummed, tilting his head like he was seriously considering it. A second later, he let out a quiet huff of laughter.
“I’m sensing a lot of screaming,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at you. “Something tells me it won’t be from either of the kids, though.”
You snorted. “Oh, you think I’m the one who’s going to get spooked by a bunch of teenagers in costumes?” you shot back, rolling your eyes, amusement clear in your tone. “Sounds like you’re compensating for something there.”
Toji snorted this time, rolling his eyes in return. “I’m not compensating for anything, Pip,” he said. “I’m just making an observation.”
“It’s not much of an observation if you already decided I’m the one getting spooked in a tunnel run by teenagers.”
He shrugged. “Tomatoes, toe-mah-toes.”
You laughed. “No. No, no—that does not apply here.”
Toji chuckled under his breath as the two of you turned your attention back to Aimee and Megumi. The kids bounced from one last game to another, collecting candy and laughing the whole time.
A quiet, easy silence settled between you.
“Hey, Pip,” Toji said after a moment.
You hummed softly in acknowledgment, eyes still on the kids.
He cleared his throat. “I, uh… wanted to thank you. For earlier—with Megumi.”
You turned away from where Aimee and Megumi had made their way to a game of Connect Four, glancing up at him instead. Your head tilted slightly, a soft smile resting on your lips.
“You don’t need to thank me, ’ji,” you said gently.
Your gaze drifted back to the kids. “I just saw he needed a little help and… I knew what he was going through.”
After a moment, you added more quietly, “That was one of the harder parts about being as shy as I was growing up. It didn’t take much for my anxiety to flare up.”
You looked back at him, giving a small shrug. “That breathing thing? My parents came up with it after I had a really bad panic attack not long after we moved from Yokohama to Tokyo. I thought I’d be fine—convinced my seven-year-old self I had it all under control.” A faint, almost amused breath left you. “But my first big downtown event proved me very wrong.”
You let out a quiet sigh, shifting your weight as you moved your arms from behind your back and crossed them over your chest.
“So,” you continued, “I just… didn’t want to see him like that.”
A small, soft smile pulled at Toji’s lips.
Megumi wasn’t yours. Not really. Just a kid connected to you through him.
And that… meant more than he could put into words.
“Either way,” he said, and you glanced back at him, “I’m still thanking you for it. And there’s no way for me to explain how much I appreciate it.”
You smiled again. “I’d do it for him anytime, ’ji,” you said, and you meant it. He could hear it in your voice. “But… you’re welcome. Since you’re set on thanking me. Even if you don’t have to.”
Silence settled between you again—easy, not uncomfortable.
This time, you were the one to break it.
“He’s a sweet kid,” you said, watching as Aimee and Megumi moved to their final game of the night. “And honestly, Toji… I would’ve done anything to bring that smile back to his face.”
Toji didn’t have anything to say to that.
He just watched you, that unfamiliar feeling settling in his chest again—something he couldn’t quite name.
He shook it off as the two of you slipped back into light conversation, both of you keeping an eye on the kids.
When Aimee and Megumi came running back over, they reached for you without hesitation.
Aimee taking your hand was nothing new.
Megumi doing it too… that was.
It caught you off guard. It caught Toji off guard.
But neither of you let it show.
You just smiled down at them, falling into easy conversation as you started leading the way out of the gym, heading toward the locker room where the spook tunnel was set up.
Toji followed a step behind, hands in his pockets, watching.
Watching the way Megumi stuck close to you.
The way his eyes were bright again, his smile wide, his words tumbling out as he talked to you like nothing had happened earlier.
And you—just as natural—talked right back, giving him your full attention.
Aimee chimed in too, of course, bouncing between both of you like always.
And for the first time that night, everything felt… settled.
Toji couldn’t help the way something fluttered in his chest as he watched you with the kids.
He shook his head, pushing the feeling down as he continued walking behind the three of you.
And to end the night—when the four of you stepped into the spook tunnel—the kids definitely screamed.
But they weren’t the only ones.
There were a few startled grunts—almost curses—that slipped out too.
And they most definitely did not come from you.
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