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[ Having only gotten to enjoy celebrating one birthday with his classmates before, Yuta understands the overwhelm and doesn't bat an eye at the slight fluster. He's just pleased his gifts are well-received even if they feel inadequate for expressing the whole breadth of his appreciation for Yuji's existence as should be celebrated on this day. But maybe he can just put that to words instead.
He laughs a little, waving his hand in mild dismissal. ]
No, no, it's no problem. I should be the one thanking you. I didn't get to say it before back home [ because Maki was too busy ripping him a new one ] so thank you for everything you've done and for being you. I wish I could be as enduringly kind as you.
[ A wish to add to his foundation. Because Yuta is not just a copycat when it comes to techniques, his confidence is made from the traits he admires in his friends — Maki's unyielding strength, Toge's quiet consideration, Panda's personable warmth — and Yuji's lasting kindness despite everything is a newer inspiration to take and make his own. Yuta might have thrown his humanity away already, but perhaps the aspiration can keep him closer to it all the same. ]
He laughs a little, waving his hand in mild dismissal. ]
No, no, it's no problem. I should be the one thanking you. I didn't get to say it before back home [ because Maki was too busy ripping him a new one ] so thank you for everything you've done and for being you. I wish I could be as enduringly kind as you.
[ A wish to add to his foundation. Because Yuta is not just a copycat when it comes to techniques, his confidence is made from the traits he admires in his friends — Maki's unyielding strength, Toge's quiet consideration, Panda's personable warmth — and Yuji's lasting kindness despite everything is a newer inspiration to take and make his own. Yuta might have thrown his humanity away already, but perhaps the aspiration can keep him closer to it all the same. ]
[ Ah, it's a bit much, isn't it?
Yuji rubs the back of his head awkwardly. ]
It was what I needed to do. It's not like I did it just to be kind of anything like that, but... I'm just glad it all worked out, and we managed to save as many people as we could. I'm sorry that it wasn't more, honesty.
[ He feels just a little bit emotional and embarrassed now, despite his smiling softly. ]
And... I came out of it still Yuji. That's enough for me.
Yuji rubs the back of his head awkwardly. ]
It was what I needed to do. It's not like I did it just to be kind of anything like that, but... I'm just glad it all worked out, and we managed to save as many people as we could. I'm sorry that it wasn't more, honesty.
[ He feels just a little bit emotional and embarrassed now, despite his smiling softly. ]
And... I came out of it still Yuji. That's enough for me.
[ Although Yuta understands the feeling all too well — is painfully aware of all the ways he failed in Shinjuku, how he could have planned better, how Maki had just perfectly voiced everything he'd been thinking himself — he shakes his head in gentle reproach. ]
No, you did more than enough. [ They would have failed without him, undoubtedly. ] But that's the thing, not everyone can come out of all of that and still be the same person, so please don't ever lose that.
[ An unfair request to make? Maybe. But if anyone can (continue to) do it, it'll be Yuji. ]
And it's worth celebrating, no?
No, you did more than enough. [ They would have failed without him, undoubtedly. ] But that's the thing, not everyone can come out of all of that and still be the same person, so please don't ever lose that.
[ An unfair request to make? Maybe. But if anyone can (continue to) do it, it'll be Yuji. ]
And it's worth celebrating, no?
I'll do my best.
[ Which is true.
That's all that Yuji has ever done - tried his best, done what he can for others, to follow his moral and try and keep it all together. It's taken so much out of him and he knows that, he knows he's not the same person as he was before, still dealing with all that doubt and grief, but...
He's better, too. He had to be. ]
Let's have as much fun as we can!
[ Which is true.
That's all that Yuji has ever done - tried his best, done what he can for others, to follow his moral and try and keep it all together. It's taken so much out of him and he knows that, he knows he's not the same person as he was before, still dealing with all that doubt and grief, but...
He's better, too. He had to be. ]
Let's have as much fun as we can!
Oh, fine.
( Less sleep, considering Gojo keeps waking him up just because, but he's not complaining about that. It's doing wonders for his mental health. )
Most of my belongings were fine. Satoru's room took the brunt of the damage. How about you? Are you settling?
( Less sleep, considering Gojo keeps waking him up just because, but he's not complaining about that. It's doing wonders for his mental health. )
Most of my belongings were fine. Satoru's room took the brunt of the damage. How about you? Are you settling?
[ Yuta smiles and nods. That's really all anyone can ask, isn't it? He can't claim to even particularly try to retain himself when he's so readily thrown away his humanity. His own fate was sealed the second Gojo died. The consequences of the actions he hadn't even expected to survive are still catching up to him, a hint of them hidden in the deepening of the perpetual bruises under his eyes. He has not come out unscathed or unchanged — something chipped away in his sense of self — and yet he will continue to twist and bend and break himself in whatever ways he might deem necessary because he lacks the capacity to care about himself. (And because someone always has to do what's unpleasant and necessary, it might as well be him.)
But Yuji is different; he has a light and a disposition that's worth protecting and preserving no matter what. Yuta would hate to see it changed. ]
Yeah! What do you want to do? It's your big day.
But Yuji is different; he has a light and a disposition that's worth protecting and preserving no matter what. Yuta would hate to see it changed. ]
Yeah! What do you want to do? It's your big day.
[ Yuji was in the same boat as Yuta, in a way. He was prepared to sacrifice as much of himself as it took, to eat whatever he needed to, to push and train his body to the limits if that's what was necessary to save Megumi. He's still sour and mad that Yuta didn't bother to tell him the plan before it happened, that Gojo-sensei kept it from him, but...
He knows why. He understands, eve if it makes him angry if he thinks about it for too long, but he can't change it now.
Instead, he focuses on the present, and beams. ]
Do you wanna go try out the arcades?
He knows why. He understands, eve if it makes him angry if he thinks about it for too long, but he can't change it now.
Instead, he focuses on the present, and beams. ]
Do you wanna go try out the arcades?
I wonder if we can request the same ones again from LILITH. I had a photo of the two of us and Shoko, but I gave it to Satoru for his birthday so I don't know if it survived.
( Thankfully his photo with the girls survived, he's not sure if he'd be okay losing that tenuous grip. )
Do you take a lot of pictures, Yuji-kun, or is it usually others? Is photography something you're interested in?
( Thankfully his photo with the girls survived, he's not sure if he'd be okay losing that tenuous grip. )
Do you take a lot of pictures, Yuji-kun, or is it usually others? Is photography something you're interested in?
I can't see why it would be a problem. If we got them before, getting them again would be easy.
[ Yuji brightens at the question, though, and he nods. ]
Yeah! LILITH gave me a camera the first Christmas I was here and I've been taking photos with it this whole time.
[ Yuji brightens at the question, though, and he nods. ]
Yeah! LILITH gave me a camera the first Christmas I was here and I've been taking photos with it this whole time.
That's nice, a good hobby to have. Nanako likes taking pictures too.
( Her cursed technique relied on it, but she'd take them for the fun of it too. ) The walls at home were covered in whatever she photographed. I should ask for some of them from LILITH. I had a nice one of some cherry blossoms in my office. It was pretty.
( A pause, a hum. )
Or maybe you should take some pictures for me, Yuji-kun. I don't really have many decorations.
( Her cursed technique relied on it, but she'd take them for the fun of it too. ) The walls at home were covered in whatever she photographed. I should ask for some of them from LILITH. I had a nice one of some cherry blossoms in my office. It was pretty.
( A pause, a hum. )
Or maybe you should take some pictures for me, Yuji-kun. I don't really have many decorations.
[ Frankly, Yuta does not fault anyone for being mad at him. Maki might have been the only one to voice it in the aftermath, but he knows she can't be alone in the sentiment when he's blatantly gone against the other's wishes regarding the plan and kept Yuji in the dark entirely. He would think it only fair if Yuji and Gojo (permission or not) were to shun him now for his actions. That they don't is a selfish relief.
It will probably make it all the worse if it's discovered that he's going behind their backs to collude with Geto (of all people) to take care of the Sukuna problem on their own, but it's yet another thing deemed necessary and he's prepared for whatever consequences that might incur down the line.
But at least today is a happy day, Yuji's day, and everything unpleasant can be momentarily put aside for it. ]
Sure! I've always wanted to try out an arcade.
[ That... sure implies he's never even been to one before... ]
It will probably make it all the worse if it's discovered that he's going behind their backs to collude with Geto (of all people) to take care of the Sukuna problem on their own, but it's yet another thing deemed necessary and he's prepared for whatever consequences that might incur down the line.
But at least today is a happy day, Yuji's day, and everything unpleasant can be momentarily put aside for it. ]
Sure! I've always wanted to try out an arcade.
[ That... sure implies he's never even been to one before... ]
[ In hindsight, it's obvious why he wasn't told. If there was any chance of it happening, Yuji would have tried to stop it, to do anything to protect Gojo and the others, even at risk of himself. He never saw himself as any kind of secret weapon or trump card, and the idea that either of them would do something so haunting...
It's probably a good thing he's so forgiving, in the end. He's willing to let this go, because he understands going to such extreme lengths. Hadn't he done the same by eating his brothers? Hadn't he done the same by swapping bodies and cheating?
It's enough that he understands his part in it. ]
Senpai... You've never been before?
It's probably a good thing he's so forgiving, in the end. He's willing to let this go, because he understands going to such extreme lengths. Hadn't he done the same by eating his brothers? Hadn't he done the same by swapping bodies and cheating?
It's enough that he understands his part in it. ]
Senpai... You've never been before?
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