Chapter Text
In the three years Megumi had been dating Yuuji, they’d rarely been apart. They’d built a bond so close that even Megumi sometimes startled himself—startled at how easily he allowed himself to be dragged into Yuuji’s whirlwind warmth, at how simple it had been to open up to him. But honestly, keeping emotional walls high around Yuuji was impossible; they practically fell on their own whenever confronted with the walking sunbeam he called his boyfriend.
Anyway—point being—the few times they did separate were always during winter break. The Itadori family had a strict tradition of spending that season together. So Yuuji would pack for two weeks and, sometimes, even leave the country altogether. One year it was Denmark, another a postcard-perfect beach, or wherever his parents decided to go on a whim. The only thing Megumi could count on was that Yuuji would return glowing, recounting every detail with that signature joy and breathless enthusiasm.
And Yuuji genuinely loved those trips. Mostly because he got to reunite with his family—who, along with Megumi, were the most important people in his life.
That was why Megumi knew this was bound to happen sooner or later: that Yuuji would eventually find a way to gather everyone together during his favorite time of year.He just didn’t expect it to happen tonight.
Yuuji arrived at Megumi’s home wearing a grin so wide and radiating so much energy that he practically vibrated. For a second, Megumi genuinely thought his boyfriend might explode in a shower of sparkles and glitter.
As always, Yuuji greeted Tsumiki warmly, asking about her final university projects and listening to her complain about them. Then he greeted Gojo, and the two immediately fell into a ridiculous debate about the most disgusting sugar-free dessert Gojo had recently attempted to eat “for science.”
“That dessert is an offense to sweets… and to sugar lovers like me,” Gojo declared dramatically, to which Yuuji nodded fervently, fully supporting his father-in-law.
Dinner was excellent, of course—because Tsumiki had been in charge, not Gojo’s disaster-prone hands. The four of them chatted about trivial things as they ate, and Yuuji never once lost the smile he’d arrived with. His energy stayed at maximum capacity.
“So, where are you and your family going this year, Yuuji?” Tsumiki asked gently.
Yuuji straightened up like someone had zapped him with electricity. His smile grew impossibly wider, and his eyes lit up like twin lanterns. Megumi had only seen that expression once before—the first time they said “I love you.” So he narrowed his eyes, already suspicious.
“I’m glad you asked,” Yuuji began, placing his chopsticks down. Tsumiki and Gojo mimicked the gesture, curiosity rising. Megumi frowned harder.
Suddenly nervous with all eyes on him, Yuuji cleared his throat.
“I… uh… So this year, I’d actually refused to spend the holidays with my family because I hate being away from Gumi.”He turned to Megumi, who flushed at the intimate nickname spoken so openly at the dinner table. “But my dad made a deal with me. He said Megumi could spend Christmas with us.”
Tsumiki blinked. She glanced at her brother, whose mouth had fallen slightly open at the news. Gojo cleared his throat, trying to choose his words carefully.
“Yuuji, that’s very sweet of them, but—”
“My dad also said you can come too,” Yuuji interrupted brightly. “All of you. We’ll be spending the holidays at our villa in Karuizawa.”
Gojo’s unfinished sentence died instantly, replaced by a grin of pure mischief.
“Oh, then we’d be delighted to go,” he sang.
Yuuji’s excitement skyrocketed again. He turned to Megumi with a radiant smile—but Megumi remained serious.
“What’s wrong?” Yuuji asked, concerned.
Megumi pressed his lips together before answering. “It’s really kind of your family to want me and…” he glanced at his adoptive father, “…and my family to spend Christmas with you. But… won’t it be too much trouble?”
Yuuji shook his head fast, reaching across the table to take Megumi’s hand.
“It’s no trouble at all,” he said firmly. “My family adores you. My parents will always welcome you with open arms… and them too.”
Megumi allowed the barest curve of his lips—a tiny smile Yuuji knew very well. Megumi was grateful. And having Yuuji’s family want to include all of them meant more to him than he could say.
“Awwww, you’re both so adorable,” Gojo cooed.
The tender moment shattered instantly when Megumi shot him a lethal glare. Gojo gasped dramatically as if personally attacked. Tsumiki snickered while Yuuji gazed lovingly at his grumpy boyfriend.
[...]
“Are you sure you won’t tell me anything about his family?”
Megumi closed his eyes, holding back the stress rising inside him. This was the fifth time Gojo asked for intel on the Itadoris.
It had only been two days since Yuuji’s invitation, but Gojo had spent all forty-eight hours pestering Megumi, who was simply trying to read in peace. Satoru felt morally obligated to investigate the family of his son’s boyfriend, especially now that things were clearly getting serious.
He knew Yuuji had two brothers, one of them a twin. He knew little about the parents—and that was what bothered him most. Who were they? What did they do? What were they like?
And if things were as serious as they seemed, Satoru intended to take this visit very seriously. After all, he refused to let Megumi unknowingly walk into a family that hosted human-hunting parties on the weekends.
“I already told you I don’t know everything about them,” Megumi muttered, lowering his book to glare at him. “I only know one of his parents well.”
Satoru hummed, stroking his chin.
“Suspicious,” he murmured. “Based on what Yuuji said at dinner, I thought you knew them all.”
“I do know the whole family,” Megumi insisted, sighing in frustration. “But one of his parents is less busy than the other. They’re both very kind. His brothers don’t study here—one’s finishing in the UK and the other’s in Switzerland.”
Satoru whistled, impressed.
“So their parents are loaded,” he said aloud.
Megumi stayed silent for a moment, pressing his lips together.
“Somewhat,” he finally said.
Satoru squinted at him. “I just hope they’re not the creepy rich type who host human hunts for fun.”
“The only creepy one here is you, for thinking movie clichés happen in real life.”
Satoru gasped, hand over his heart.
“And what if we are the hunt? I’m too young and too beautiful to die.”
Megumi groaned.
“You’re fifty and as annoying as a fourteen-year-old.”
Gojo’s dramatic gasp grew even louder. “I’m forty-four, young man. I am still very youthful.”
Megumi rolled his eyes and went back to his book, hoping Gojo would finally understand he wanted the conversation to end. Thankfully, Satoru gave up and left to keep packing for the trip. Yuuji hadn’t given them many details, and Gojo didn’t want to forget anything—or be a nuisance to his future in-laws.
It was funny, he thought. He knew so much about Yuuji, yet so little about his family. Strange, considering the pink-haired boy was already fully integrated into their household; he knew everyone, and everyone adored him.
Satoru knew Yuuji must have grown up in a good environment—there was no other explanation for how he’d turned out to be, without exaggeration, one of the kindest people Satoru had ever met. Too kind, too positive, too encouraging. He couldn’t imagine how a boy that radiant had found his way into the life of his grumpy, introverted son.
Not that he complained. Quite the opposite—he was grateful. Megumi had someone who loved him wholly, someone he let in more easily than he let in anyone else. Something neither Satoru nor his husband had ever accomplished.
As Satoru hummed to himself and drifted into thought, he wondered what Yuuji’s parents were like, what his twin was like, how they would greet them.He wasn’t nervous—of course not. He was an adult man with nerves of steel. But he was excited.
And he didn’t have to wait long for answers. Very soon, the holidays would begin, and he would finally meet the Itadoris.