[ Yuji comes out as soon as he recognises the sensation of Yutas cursed energy, and with the knock on the door there's no hesitation. Slipping out of his room, he beams, wide. ]
[ The happy expression is mirrored on Yuta's face pretty much the second Yuji comes slipping out of the room, smile warm and bright, heartened as always by the sight of a friend in good health. ]
You too, Itadori-kun. Congratulations on your seventeenth birthday!
[ Accompanying the congratulatory words is the gift bag held out for the taking. Inside it are actually two gifts! One has been wrapped furoshiki style in a red fabric with pretty floral patterning which holds a decently sized jar of konpeito in sunset hues within. The other is a box wrapped with regular gift wrapping paper (because the simple joy of tearing open a present must be included as well, of course) that contains one of those night lights you pat on the head to turn on that resembles a tiger. It's at the unwrapping of the latter he'll pipe up with: ]
It isn't much, but I thought of you when I saw it. You've been a light to many and I hope you'll continue to be for many more years to come.
[ Is that too cheesy? Too bad, Yuta's nothing but unapologetic sincerity standing there, beaming. ]
[ Yuji's eyes widen as he opens the gifts, a little overwhelmed. He's still not really used to having friends to share his birthday with, so the amount of people that have come to leave him things is getting him pretty emotional...
It's nice. It's really nice.
Cheeks a little red and doing his best not to get too emotional, he beams. ]
[ 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. ]
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. ]
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...
[ 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. ]
[ 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.
[ 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... ]
[ 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?
[ The concern had primarily been that there might be some kind of remaining link between Yuji and Sukuna that would allow the King of Curses to learn of their plans. It's the same reason Yuta would argue applies in this place as well when Sukuna has some mysterious way to make himself look like Yuji.
Truthfully, that's just an excuse though.
What worries him far more is Yuji's willingness to turn himself into a vessel again. It's not a plan he wants to consider, even if it is a valid one. Having gone through his inventory of techniques, he knows he no longer possesses Angel's and that means he has no way of separating them and saving Yuji if they were to share a body again. If worse comes to worst (which it always does in their experiences) it could potentially mean that Yuta will be forced to uphold the very first promise he made to Yuji. He doesn't want that; will do anything to avoid having to kill a friend, doesn't want to find out if he's capable of that. He'd much rather take on the burden of taking care of it, share it only with a former enemy who's out for revenge anyway.
It's only at the question that Yuta realizes the strangeness of what he said and promptly turns sheepish. ]
I... ah, didn't go out much when I was younger.
[ Not after the age of ten. It's a delicate way of putting the increasing amount of isolation he'd been forced to put himself in as Rika only got more and more volatile and her jealous violence towards others started escalating over the years. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@MONSTER
happy birthday, itadori-kun!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
any plans for today?
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thanks!!!
i don’t really have any plans
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then let's go out and eat or do something fun whenever you're up for it, it'll be on me. :)
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i've been here longer so i have funds!! lets just hang out!!
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it's fine!
it's your birthday after all, you deserve to be treated to something nice.
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ah i guess you got me there. (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
alright, if you really insist.
but i do have something for you, at least!
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where do you wanna meet up?
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i can come pick you up too.
might be better so you don't have to carry your present around, actually.
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i can come over now unless you want to get ready first.
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see you in a bit!
[ True to his word, it will not take very long at all for (1) senpai holding a gift bag to arrive and knock on the door. ]
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Senpai! It's good to see you!
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You too, Itadori-kun. Congratulations on your seventeenth birthday!
[ Accompanying the congratulatory words is the gift bag held out for the taking. Inside it are actually two gifts! One has been wrapped furoshiki style in a red fabric with pretty floral patterning which holds a decently sized jar of konpeito in sunset hues within. The other is a box wrapped with regular gift wrapping paper (because the simple joy of tearing open a present must be included as well, of course) that contains one of those night lights you pat on the head to turn on that resembles a tiger. It's at the unwrapping of the latter he'll pipe up with: ]
It isn't much, but I thought of you when I saw it. You've been a light to many and I hope you'll continue to be for many more years to come.
[ Is that too cheesy? Too bad, Yuta's nothing but unapologetic sincerity standing there, beaming. ]
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[ Yuji's eyes widen as he opens the gifts, a little overwhelmed. He's still not really used to having friends to share his birthday with, so the amount of people that have come to leave him things is getting him pretty emotional...
It's nice. It's really nice.
Cheeks a little red and doing his best not to get too emotional, he beams. ]
Senpai... This is amazing. Thank you so much.
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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. ]
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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.
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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?
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[ 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!
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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.
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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?
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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... ]
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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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Truthfully, that's just an excuse though.
What worries him far more is Yuji's willingness to turn himself into a vessel again. It's not a plan he wants to consider, even if it is a valid one. Having gone through his inventory of techniques, he knows he no longer possesses Angel's and that means he has no way of separating them and saving Yuji if they were to share a body again. If worse comes to worst (which it always does in their experiences) it could potentially mean that Yuta will be forced to uphold the very first promise he made to Yuji. He doesn't want that; will do anything to avoid having to kill a friend, doesn't want to find out if he's capable of that. He'd much rather take on the burden of taking care of it, share it only with a former enemy who's out for revenge anyway.
It's only at the question that Yuta realizes the strangeness of what he said and promptly turns sheepish. ]
I... ah, didn't go out much when I was younger.
[ Not after the age of ten. It's a delicate way of putting the increasing amount of isolation he'd been forced to put himself in as Rika only got more and more volatile and her jealous violence towards others started escalating over the years. ]
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