now and then | megumi & reader

02: three-of-a-kind

"For once Itadori is right," Nobara reluctantly agreed, "The cursed energy isn't getting weaker- if anything it's getting stronger the more we stray away from the school."

Megumi didn't say anything as Nobara's words filled the quiet air, "This whole area of Osaka seems to be affected, but it's apparent that it's coming from this school."

"But Gojo said the cursed energy is stemming from this location so shouldn't it be strongest here?" Itadori asked looking back at the old creaky door.

"Something just isn't adding up, that's all," Megumi said with a slight sigh before looking back at his friends

Nobara huffed before sitting down on the cracked concert placing his palm onto her hand. Not even a day into their mission it seemed that confusion had already arrived.

With only a quick synopsis of Osaka High School having an alarming amount of cursed energy that is affecting neighboring areas- somehow nothing was adding up.

Schools have cursed energy- it only made sense, but local shops, homes, etc. somehow falling victim to curses didn't make sense. Schools simply don't possess that much power to start such conflict, yet what was just as strange was how it seemed difficult to pinpoint the source.

If it was just some half-hazard curse that was getting stronger was one thing, but this seemed to be more complicated.

For the cherry on top, what made it even more confusing was you.

A normal student like you, shouldn't have so much cursed energy, that was clear the moment Megumi's gaze landed on you.

He didn't want to jump to conclusions, after all, how connected could a simple student be to curses roaming around? The most likely insistence was that you were just a rare case of someone who didn't know their power or potential.

Yet no matter how many times Megumi tried to tell himself that, he knew it wasn't true.

"Fushiguro," Itadoris voice rang through Megumis ear as he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder, "Everything alright?"

Megumi's gaze lifted from the group towards Nobara and Itadori before he ran his fingers through his hair. The sun peeked behind heavy clouds as a cool breeze blew against the forgotten grass which was growing old and dead.

"I was just thinking...we should return here at night," Megumi explained walking back towards the door, "We may have a better chance of finding the cause of this all without so many people around."

Itadori let out a happy remark as Nobara shrugged off the boy's comments, the regular banter the three of them experienced.

One foot in front of the other, the new students all returned onto the stairs of the building watching as others passed by them sparing them intrguided glances.

All the while you sat quietly simply thinking. You had completed most of your classwork and you doubted you had much to do tonight.

Plus it was apparent that the cursed energy in this school was growing by the day, which meant it was time to return to your regular schedule of seemingly "protecting" the school. In a way, you didn't see it as you protecting your classmates, it was you doing what you could- you had the power to anyways.

Once night fell, the routine continued like normal.

Leave the apartment around 9:35, arrive at the school in less than ten minutes, and simply wander around until you run into a curse- which doesn't take long these days.

Your favorite spear staff was wrapped nicely in your grandfather's old scarf, which he claimed was made of the purest fibers that only the best sorcerers could use- made you feel better while stalking through the halls.

One curse, then two, three, four, on and on- the bottom floor was cleared of curses. You have noticed a pattern over the past few weeks that the higher you ascended in the school the more powerful the curses became.

The third floor, which so happened to be the top floor was eerily quiet. So quiet to the point it made your hair stand up on your skin.

Your shoes tapped against the floor as you looked around the dark halls noticing the lack of curses- but then you heard it.

A voice that brought you back to earlier that morning.

"That should be all the curses- on this floor at least."

"Should we check the roof to be safe?"

You slowed down your footsteps as you crouched down nearing the corner hearing the voices just out of earshot.

"We'll have to break the lock and one of the teachers will notice- it's too risky."

The conversation continued as you tried to stop yourself from fully peaking through the corner. You weren't stupid- you knew it was the three new students, but it didn't make sense!

What were the chances that they were like you?

What are they doing here at night?

Who exactly are they?

You were lost in thought going in and out of your mind, listening to their conversation along with trying to balance the questions jumping in your brain.

"Divine Dogs."

Megumi watched carefully as his divine dogs- his most trusted shinigami, for once didn't listen to the instructions given.

Instead of leading the three of them towards any more curses downstairs both dogs carefully stalked backward down the hall towards the empty classrooms.

"Huh, strange..." Itadori said softly under his breath as he too noticed the odd behavior.

Nobara titled her head to the side, "We killed all the curses down there, no?"

Megumi narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched his Divive Dogs grow slightly more aggressive as they slowly moved forward, barring their teeth at seemingly nothing.

"You two stay here," Megumi ordered as he followed the dog's low growls.

Itadori opened his mouth to protest but in a way, he knew better than to try to persuade him especially when he had that look in his eyes.

A look that Itadori and Nobara failed to exactly pinpoint.

The talking had died down which concerned you making you wonder if they had left. You got up from the cold tiled floor before hearing low growling coming from around the corner.

It wasn't a curse, you knew that for sure- but that didn't mean you knew what it was.

You slowly stepped backward trying to move away from whatever was around the corner, worried about making any sudden movements to alert anything.

Before you could even make it to the staircase two dogs had sharply turned the corner bearing their teeth and seemingly growling. They were fast- almost like wolves moving through a forest, you quickly moved your hands up to shield your face but something odd happened.

The dogs- or wolves had stopped charging abruptly right in front of you. Their barking and growing didn't stop as they didn't put down the aggressive act for even a second.

You slowly put your hands down looking at the animals in front of you before lifting your gaze to the boy staring at you.

The windows allowed the bright moon to fall into the hallway providing the only sense of light making it possible to see the boy's features.

He had looked awful handsome earlier in the day, but he held a whole different beauty in the night. Almost similar to a star in the sky, or a wish coming down to give you everything you ever wanted.

Neither of you spoke as it seemed you were both asking the same questions.

Megumi's lip twitched slightly before finally opening his mouth.

"Who are you...?