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There is no mission assigned to him today.
Haibara is still in Kyoto– with the first years and an auxiliary manager. His seniors– Ieiri is busy in her lab, doing whatever she needs to do to pass a qualification into a medical school. Both Geto and Gojo are away on mission today at Ikebukuro. Suddenly the schools are feeling so empty now that the students are all away for their missions aside from him. It’s not that he isn't assigned with anything, Yaga-sensei has given him a day off after finishing a mission in Nagasaki yesterday and while it wasn’t that hard, it was exhausting. Nanami internally thanked Yaga-sensei for not giving him any field task today.
For once he feels relaxed.
Well, not that long before his phone vibrates and the sender is someone who likes to annoy him the most in school.
From : Gojo Senpai
Nanami!
Are you busy?
Nanami doesn’t answer him.
From : Gojo Senpai
I know you see my message!
Don’t ignore me! 😠
Nanami ignores him.
From : Gojo Senpai
This is urgent and you’re the only one I can ask help with! 🥹
Nanami sighs and he replies.
To : Gojo Senpai
What is it?
From : Gojo Senpai
The thing is;
There’ll be a school charity event at the kids’ school tomorrow.
From : Gojo Senpai
I mean, the Fushiguros.
The students are given different tasks to bring to the event.
They got to bake cookies in a small portion.
I forgot I have to bake them today and now I’m on a mission.
So can you please help them?
To : Gojo Senpai
Tell me again
Why do you know I don’t have anything to do right now?
From : Gojo Senpai
Little birdie told me ;)
To : Gojo Senpai
Haibara is it?
Hhh traitor.
From : Gojo Senpai
So..please? 🥺
To : Gojo Senpai
Fine.
But I will go home as soon as you get back.
Unlike you, I have homework.
From : Gojo Senpai
I know it!
I know I can count on you!
Here is the address!
[Gojo Senpai sent you a location]
To : Gojo Senpai
Have you told the Fushiguros I’m coming?
From : Gojo Senpai
Done, Nanami!
Just knock on the door three times and they will open the door for you!
From : Gojo Senpai
Thanks again, My cute, emo kouhai! 🥰
Cute– He sighs. Nanami ignores the strange feeling when he sees the emoji that Gojo sent to him. It means nothing. It comes from the Gojo Satoru– the king of flirts, the obnoxious, the over-confident guy who likes to annoy Nanami.
Still wearing his school uniform, Nanami scrolls through their chat to click the location of Gojo’s apartment. From the maps it can be reached with trains, so Nanami brings some stuff with him before going out to Gojo’s place outside the school.
[...]
The apartment building isn't that far from school. Gojo has once told him the kids have no problem if they live in the school's dorm, but Gojo insists on living in their own apartment– under Gojo's name of course– to give them better protection and privacy. The apartment has a tight security system and Gojo has checked the entire building to make sure there are no curses living there. Even though they have no blood-related to each other, Nanami can say his senior unsurprisingly cares deeply to those two Fushiguros kids in a short time.
Still wearing his school uniform attire, Nanami knocks on the front door of Gojo's apartment. He hears some footsteps inside and whispers 'That's Nanami-san!' 'How can you be so sure?' 'It fits Satoru-san's description of him! Tall, blonde hair with a tired face'. While he wants to give Gojo praise for teaching the kids not to open their apartment door to strangers, Nanami also wants to punch his senior right now because of the way he described him to them.
Not a minute later, a little girl with ponytail hair opens the door for him. "Nanami-san!" The little girl greets him happily.
"Hello." Nanami bows slightly to the girl. "Tsumiki, right?"
The girl beams up at him. "That I am! Please come in, Nanami-san!"
Nanami closes the apartment door and changes his shoes to the yellow duck sandals that have prepared for him. He stares at them for seconds before wearing them. The colors are so bright and he notices the girl is also wearing pink-unicorn sandals. Nanami glances at the other sandals and there are a pair of green frog sandals that have the same size as he's wearing right now. He guesses it belongs to Gojo.
Cute.
Following Tsumiki inside their apartment, at the kitchen Nanami sees a spiky-haired kid behind the kitchen counter. He's a little shorter than the girl. His face is showing an annoyed expression to the flour he has been holding- there is a stain of white flour on his right cheek- and his feet are wearing the fluffy dog sandals.
"Megumi! Say hello to Nanami-san!" Tsumiki says to her brother.
The little boy looks up at him. He has dark blue eyes and his eyelashes are long compared to him. Nanami crouches down in a safe distance in front of him. "Hello, Megumi-kun. I'm Nanami, nice to meet you." When Megumi doesn't say a word, Nanami continues. "Gojo-san told me you need help to bake cookies. Have you brought enough ingredients for it?"
"Tsumiki helped me buy the ingredients. I don't know if it's enough to bake cookies."
Scanning the top of the kitchen counter, Nanami guesses the kids have brought the ingredients. Flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. Perfect. It's more than enough to bake a simple chocolate chip cookie. Nanami then nods and stands up to get close to the kitchen counter. "It's more than enough. Don't forget to thank your sister because he has done a great job." Tsumiki grins at him while giving him thumbs up. Megumi's cheeks redden at that.
"Okay. Now will you tell me why you are looking at the flour like he has done a bad thing?" Nanami asks Megumi, still holding the pack of flour.
Megumi looks at him first, not opening his mouth. Tsumiki almost beats him to tell Nanami before the boy talks. "I'm upset because I don't know how to measure the right portion."
"Megumi doesn't want to burden you too much because he knows you're as busy as Satoru-san, Nanami-san." Tsumiki is pulling one of the cabinets and pulling three aprons. Two small aprons with blue and pink colors, and one big apron with a beige color. She hands the beige color to him- which Nanami thinks it belongs to Gojo- before she wears her own. "So he tries to at least prepare the ingredients first before you come. But we don't know how and Satoru-san hasn't taught us anything about baking so Megumi is just kind of mad he can't do it himself."
Dear Lord.
For a 7 and 9 years old kid, Nanami knows for sure they are the smart ones. Tsumiki is excellent in her way of talking and so polite. Megumi, on the other hand, even doesn't show it on his face, he thinks deeply on how not to burden people too much and tries to do it himself even if he doesn't know to. Nanami thinks maybe it's because of the aftereffect from his parents leaving him- that he doesn't want to rely too much on others, that makes him think so much mature at his age.
After wearing his apron and seeing Tsumiki helping Megumi tying his apron, Nanami approaches them and crouches in front of Megumi. "That's so thoughtful of you, Megumi-kun." Nanami smiles. "But that's okay. You're still a kid and you don't know many things yet. You're not a burden and that's why I'm here to help."
Megumi nods, letting Nanami take the flour. "Thank you, Nanami-san."
Nanami smiles again. "Come on. We gotta make the best cookies for your class and teachers to try."
[...]
While waiting for the cookies to bake, the Fushiguros clean the kitchen counter top and Nanami wash the dishes. Nanami listens to their talk but does not really pay attention to the topic. He hears about Megumi has successfully manifested his first shikigami- the divine dog-, Tsumiki's little crush on her classmate, and their annoyed voice when Gojo said they can't sleep after 9.
"I think I know now why Satoru-san trusts you so much, Nanami-san."
That makes Nanami stop his movement. Does that mean that guy talks about him in this house? "I think it comes to that eventually when he has a very little circle of friends in school."
"No. Not that." Now another voice joins them. Megumi stands beside him, still wearing his apron. "I know all his friends. But Satoru always mentions to you that he trusts us with you if one day he'll be away on a mission."
Nanami looks at Megumi. His eyes are telling no lies. Kids never lie. "Is that so?"
Megumi doesn't answer. He bows his head instead. "Thank you for helping me bake the cookies, Nanami-san."
"I want to ruffle your hair right now but my hands are wet." Nanami says and Megumi smiles hearing that from him. "Don't thank me yet. We haven't tasted the cookies."
Ding.
The cookies are done and Nanami hurriedly finishes his dishes. The Fushiguros are already in front of the oven while waiting for Nanami to take out the cookies. Nanami warns them not to open it themselves because it can be too hot and he doesn't want to make them accidentally burn their little hands. So Nanami wears a hand glove before opening the oven.
"It smells so good, Nanami-san!" Tsumiki cheers when the cookies are out of the tray. Both of Megumi's eyes are excited when he sees the cookies.
Nanami takes one cookie and snaps them in a half. The smoke is still there and Nanami waves the cookie in the air to let it cool. Seconds later, he gives it to Megumi first– because it is his task and Nanami wants to know if the taste is to his liking– and then to Tsumiki.
Both of them take a bite and their reaction is so priceless.
Megumi widens his eyes and eats the whole cookie in one bite before eyeing the others on the baking tray. Tsumiki is squealing and jumps on her feet. "Nanami-san! This is so good!" Megumi nods while poking one cookie to check if it has been cooled down or not.
"I don't want to give it to the teachers." Megumi says while munching his second cookie.
Nanami chuckles. "It's for your assignment, Megumi-kun." And before he thinks far, Nanami says the words. "We can bake it again next time."
Huh?
"Really, Nanami-san? You will do it?" Tsumiki asks him while pulling the edge of his uniform, eyes bright and sparkling. Megumi is standing beside him, eyes the same as his sisters. Bright and hopeful.
What am I going into for this?
"What are you so excited about and not let me in!"
Gojo's voice from the living room startles him– Gojo and his habit to teleport– and Tsumiki is running happily to Gojo before the guy picks her up. "Welcome home, Satoru-san!" The girl kisses Gojo's cheek. "Satoru-san! Nanami-san said he will bake cookies with us again next time!"
Gojo looks at Nanami with questioning eyes. First to Megumi then Nanami. "Oy, Megumi. You have a new favorite dad now?"
What.
What?
Suddenly, Nanami feels dizzy.
A little hand holds Nanami's pants now. He looks down and Megumi is gripping it. "Nanami-san helped me bake cookies. Unlike a certain person."
Gojo is walking to the kitchen and to where Megumi is standing– which is where he is standing right now. Nanami tries to hide his nervous feeling which he doesn’t know why he’s feeling nervous in the first place. Gojo crouches and puts down Tsumiki before ruffling Megumi’s hair. “I am sorry, okay? I forgot the day is today and that’s why I asked Nanami to cover it for me.”
Megumi still pouts but nods anyway. He releases his grip from Nanami’s pants before giving the bitten cookies for Gojo to try. “It tastes really good. You should try it.”
Gojo looks up at him and Nanami looks away. Gojo opens up his mouth to make Megumi feed him but the boy makes a disgusted expression before Gojo laughs and takes the cookies into his mouth. “Hmm! It is!” He’s standing back up, now facing Nanami. “I know my cute emo kouhai excels in everything!”
His face gets warm. “Not everything. Don’t exaggerate it.”
Gojo, being taller and annoying that he is, ruffles his hair with much force and makes Nanami pull his hand not to touch his hair– his tousled hair now. “Thank you for helping him, Nanami. I know I can trust you with them.”
“How’s your mission?” Nanami says instead, and doesn't know how to respond to Gojo's thanking him after ruffling his hair.
Stealing one cookie from the baking tray– with Megumi side-eying him, Gojo answers him while munching them. “It’s finished. Suguru is driving back to school with a manager. I warped here just in case my gremlins burn the kitchen.”
“Hey!” A protest from Tsumiki. “We do not burn your kitchen!” Megumi says after.
“Yeah, yeah.” Gojo waves his hands. “It was a grade one curse. Easy-peasy.”
Nanami rolls his eyes then looks at the clock. “It’s getting late now. I should be back to school now that you’re here.”
Both the Fushiguros look at him with sad expressions. “But you haven’t put the cookies into the jar, Nanami-san!”
“I don’t want that person to touch the cookies for the teachers.” Megumi says, pointing at Gojo.
“Megumi! I’m not dirty! I have no residuals from the curses!” Gojo protests and tries to catch him before he stands behind Nanami. “Huh. You sure are fond of him, now, ‘Gumi?”
Nanami pats his hair and protects Megumi from Gojo behind his feet. “He said the right thing though.”
Gojo gasps. “Nanami!” He smirks and Gojo looks at him like he just sees horror things. “Did you just smile?!”
“I’m not.”
“You are!”
“I am not.”
“You are!”
“I’m not– okay, stop. It’s getting nowhere.” Nanami sighs then crouches down to face Megumi. “I have homework to finish. Unlike Gojo-senpai, I still have to do paper assignments to have a good grade. I hope you understand, Megumi-kun.”
Megumi contemplates, and Gojo doesn't intervene with his excuses. Nanami doesn’t lie. He does have homework to do. “Will you bake cookies again with me another time?”
“Megumi. Don’t pressure him like that. He’s a busy high schooler and sorcerer you know.” Gojo says to him and that makes him pout.
Nanami gulps. He doesn’t want to promise anything. After all, they work as sorcerers who put their life on the line before everything else. But for once, when Nanami sees the hopeful eyes staring at him, he doesn’t want to disappoint the kid and promises to protect himself better and get stronger to see the spark in his eyes again another time.
“Okay. Next time.” Nanami nods and smiles at him, patting his hair when the sparks are back on his eyes. Megumi smiles– for once Nanami finally sees the kid’s clear smile, before running to his sister who waits patiently for his answer. He stands up to Gojo looking at him with a knowing smile. “What?”
Gojo shakes his head. “Nothing.”
Both of them are now walking side to side to the apartment’s door. Megumi and Tsumiki are following behind. Nanami’s heart feels heavy. While it isn’t the first time he knows the Fushiguros– Gojo clearly makes him and his friends know every little bit of his kids’ whereabouts– it is indeed a first time for him to spend the day with them.
Surprisingly, Nanami likes them.
“I’m surprised Megumi is warming up to you that fast.” Gojo says softly not to make Megumi hear what he said. “He usually doesn't open up to new people that well. Suguru included.”
Nanami feels a bit better after hearing that. “I’m glad he relaxes up to me. If not, it will be hard to help him today.”
“I guess he just likes you.” Gojo says casually. “You steal ‘the best dad’ title from me.”
“I’m not–” Nanami stutters, stumbles when putting the duck sandals back to the shoe-rack. “Stop saying that. I’m not their dad. So are you– in a sense.”
Gojo laughs. “Yeah. Two high-schoolers having two kids. One is super sweet and one is super grumpy.” He says while looking at Megumi. Megumi scoffs and crosses his arms. “How weird it can be for them calling us dad? Or do you prefer to be called ‘Papa’? Dadd–”
“Gojo-senpai!” Nanami huffs. Face warms and his heartbeat gets faster. “Please don’t scare the kids–” He mentally slaps himself. “Please don’t scare the Fushiguros. I’m sure they hear it now.”
“Do you, kids?” Gojo asks them.
Tsumiki nods. “I’m okay with Nanami-san to be a dad for us! He can bake us many more cookies then! Right, Megumi?”
Nanami wants to hide.
The boy also nods, but unsure. “I don’t have to bear his annoying antics alone.”
Gojo gives him a pointed look. “That’s because you are mean to me!”
Megumi ignores him. “Your homework, Nanami-san?”
Ah. “Right.” Nanami awkwardly nods. “Thank you for having me today, Megumi-kun. Tsumiki-chan.”
“You’re not thanking me?” Gojo pipes up.
“It’s you who should be thanking me.” Nanami answers curtly. “Don’t close the jar when the cookies are still warm, alright?” He says to Megumi and Tsumiki before waving his hands. “See you later, I guess?”
“Bye, Nanami-san!” Tsumiki waves at him. “Thank you, Nanami-san!” Megumi says to him.
Gojo follows him outside his apartment door. “You don’t have to walk me down, Gojo-senpai. Go help the kids–” Nanami stops his words. “Go help them.”
Gojo laughs and ruffles his hair again. “Thank you for today, really. I owe you a lot.” Nanami sees Gojo hesitate for something– before rubbing his neck and continuing his talk. “Please come again and have dinner with us later. A payback for helping Megumi.”
Nanami sees this side of Gojo for the first time. Hesitant and nervous. It isn’t an image of the strongest in his mind. He decides to tease him. “Only just a payback?”
Even behind the shade Gojo is wearing, Nanami can see those two blue eyes widen. “If you want it to be a regular thing, I’d love to host more often.” He smiles, genuine one, and his ears turning pink at the tip.
Taken aback with the answers, Nanami stares at Gojo before smiling back. “I can’t wait to be back then.”
***