Chapter Text
"If anything I can't believe you're the one who ended up with kids." Shoko mumbled with a cigarette between her lips, her numb fingers flicking the roll to get the lighter to ignite. She cupped the flame and lit her cigarette and sighed out the smoke.
"Would've assumed it'd be Nanami."
Gojo grimaced and waved the smoke away, his nose scrunching up at the horrid smell. "Don't do that around the kids." He fake coughed into his gloves to annoy her which only got her to blow smoke in his face getting him to gag and nearly fall off the park bench. "I won't, I'm quitting anyway." Gojo knew a lie when he heard one, but this didn't seem like it.
"Utahime doesn't like it, I'm cutting back."
Gojo flicked snow at her and pouted. "You quit for her just cause you got a little crush but not for me?" Shoko ashed in his lap, the look of horror caused a snort to leave her. He leaped up with a child friendly cuss. "This is why men don't like you." Shoko's eyebrow raised and she narrowed her eyes. "At least I have an excuse, men just don't like you at all."
He guffawed and pointed an accusatory finger towards her and right before he could curse her out a pull on his coat shifted his attention.
Behind him stood a shivering Megumi, his nose and ears both a harsh red from the bitter cold of the wind. Gojo dropped to his hunkers and brushed some snow from Megumi's hair. "What's up, Megumi? Need something?"
To his surprise the child wrapped his arms around him and stuffed his face into his chest.
"Cold."
Gojo who was still shocked by the hug stared at Shoko. His smirk was smug. Megumi wasn't very affectionate so having him be affectionate towards him and to do it in front of another human was rare. Gojo had bragging rights.
'Told you he liked me'
Were the words he mouthed to Shoko.
He dropped a hand to the child's hair.
"You wanna head home, Gumi?" His attention turning to his other ward who was building a snowman next to a set of swings. The head of black hair shook so he took it as a yes. "Go tell your sister we're leaving, kay?"
He dug through his bag and pulled out Tsumiki's earmuffs and a hat, the girl rushing to his side giggling with a flush in her cheeks.
"Satoru!" She smiled and grabbed his hand, her weight pulling on his as she leaned back swinging side to side. "Thank you for taking us to the park!"
Gojo sat her down and tugged the wool hat down over her frizzy hair, her smile wide making him melt internally. She was such a sweetheart, hard to say no to even when it was snowing and the park was empty.
-
Bumping into Shoko was a shock; she was buying cigarettes in the kombini they happened to stop in that morning. She trailed after Gojo who was being yanked by a little girl despite having a younger boy held to his hip. She had known he took in some kids and needed to see this, all the talk of how sweet one was and how the other really didn't like him that much.
She watched Tsumiki refuse her earmuffs and watch Satoru place them on a pouting boy and give him a soft smile.
"Let's keep you warm."
A pink tongue being stuck out and blown was his response. Shoko just laughed at the appalled expression on her friends face.
"Megumi! That wasn't very nice!"
Amidst the bickering between them she still watched Gojo zip him up to his nose and pull his hood up yet Megumi still gave a full bodied shiver when a sharp breeze cut by them. She stood abruptly and dropped her cigarette and stood on it, her hands being buried into her pocket where a hand warmer was.
-
Gojo watched Megumi's teeth chatter and he unraveled his own scarf to wrap it around Megumi, his fingers tucking it in to keep the heat in. He stood up and Tsumiki was by his side in seconds. She grabbed his hand and begun to swing them. Megumi shyly slipped his hand in Gojo's other.
"Don't want me to carry you?"
"Nuh uh."
They said their goodbyes to Shoko and with a promise to text later she took of in a fast pace complaining about the cold.
Gojo squeezed both his hands and smiled at feeling them squeeze back.
"Let's go home, I'll run us a warm bath."
With that Tsumiki was dragging him along once more at the promise of warmth. Albeit, Megumi ended up on his hip as his legs failed to keep up with them.
-
"Tsumiki, can you get the keys? In my right pocket."
Both his hands were wrapped around a dozing Megumi, the boy had wrapped his arms around his neck and had fallen asleep half way home.
Tsumiki rifled his pocket and after finding the keys, stuck them in the door and unlocked it.
She sat on the step in the genkan and removed her shoes, her feet slipping into her Hello Kitty slippers as she ran in to get the bath started.
Gojo bounced Megumi a little to stir him. He mumbled in protest and rubbed his eyes. Gojo sat him down and undid the velcro of his shoes, Megumi reaching back to grab his neck.
"Gumi…Megumi, let me take your coat off."
He huffed but retracted his arms and sleepily pulled his gloves off while Gojo undressed him of his winter clothing.
-
In the bathroom he sat Megumi on the counter and dipped his fingers in the water to check the temperature. Tsumiki was already sitting on the stool by the shower and humming a song to herself while playing with a wet sponge.
"Satoru can you help me wash my hair?"
He hummed and helped Megumi out of his clothes, the boy still clinging to him, the steam only making him more tired.
Gojo threw all their clothes in a hamper and sat next to Tsumiki, Megumi leaning against him.
Satoru helped the two shower, Megumi refusing to let Tsumiki help him wash his own hair after she got shampoo in his eye a few weeks ago; both bickering like mad.
To his own surprise Tsumiki had stood on the stool in front of him and demanded to wash his hair, declaring loudly that she won't get shampoo in his eyes. Megumi pouted behind him and grabbed a wash cloth, his hands scrubbing up Satoru's back.
More bickering, each demanding wanting to be the only one to help him. Megumi was only being petty but be still his beating heart.
Tsumiki ended up getting shampoo in his eyes after all.
He grabbed her by the under arms and placed her in the bath.
"Are you sure you're not mad Satoru-nii?"
He pat her head and placed a drowsy Megumi next to her before stepping in himself.
"I'm not, I swear!" He raised his hands up and leaned closer. "See? Not even red."
She smiled and nodded.
"Satoru-nii didn't cry, maybe Megumi could learn from Satoru-nii."
He sighed and sank down until the water covered his mouth, the two now splashing water at each other.
"Crybaby!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Toru! Tsumiki's being mean to me!"