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frangirlwrites · 1 year

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My Sweet

Chapter 1: An Impossible Journey

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"What's that you've got there?"

"None of your God-damn business." Miguel snapped his flip phone shut.

"How can we be besties if you insist on keeping secrets from me?!" Gojo whined, slinging an arm around the African sorcerer's shoulders.

Miguel shrugged him off, trying to right the balance of the heavy knapsack of supplies he carried. The vein in his left temple began to throb, and not for the first time. Gojo was like a fruit fly. Always buzzing in his ears. Whispering sweet nothings like the piece of shit that he was. It was bad enough that the man was untouchable. Miguel couldn't smack him if he wanted to and Gojo exploited that imbalance, finding entertainment in getting handsy whenever he wanted. Grabbing his hand in the middle of the cross walk, blowing air down the back of his neck while he was consulting with village elders, he even gave him a wet-willy on the plane.

Skin-ship, he called it.

He'd never known any Japanese man to be so handsy.

Geto was significantly more tolerable, rest his soul.

Regardless, as soon as Miguel fulfilled his vow, he could be rid of that ingrate for good. He thought he'd be done with Gojo after the Parade of a Thousand demons, but no. Geto had to go and get himself killed. He forfeited their family's goal, to create a utopia for jujutsu sorcerers, over a monster with a school girl's crush.

Miguel had been lucky enough to survive Gojo on the battlefield but not without cost. Every time he thumbed over the tattered ends of the black rope, his blood boiled, but not as much as Gojo's skin under the Saharan sun. Miguel eyed his partner who was red as a tomato, then the sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight.

Maybe he'd die of heatstroke and this whole ordeal could end without him having to break his binding vow..

"Miguel-san." Yuta piped up from a few paces back, clearly tired under the weight of his traveling gear, but in far better condition than his mentor. It was a miracle that Gojo's obnoxiousness hadn't rubbed off on his pupil. The two were polar opposites. Whereas Gojo was purposely rude and unhelpful, Yuta minded his manners and gratuitously searched for opportunities to prove his worth. "How far is your village?"

Damn.

That's right. Miguel was taking them to his home, this time. Or at least, his place of birth. He hadn't looked back after leaving many years prior.

Gojo ears twitched, clearly yearning for an answer as well.

"It's about a stones throw away." Miguel answered begrudgingly.

"Who's stone throw?" Gojo whined. "I'm a little league super star. That could mean anything. If I threw a rock right now, we might end up in Gibraltar."

Gojo hooked an arm around Miguel's. "Will I have to cross another ocean to meet your parents? I don't know if I can wait that long. Why don't you be a team player and tell us the actuall directions? I could get us all there in a blink with my infinite void."

"No."

"Why not?!" Gojo whined, pulling on Miguel's arm to make him stop. "Aaw, Yuta. Why don't you back me up?! I feel like Miguel is hiding some pertinent information from us."

"I am not."

"Then who's that cupcake on your phone?!"

"None of your Goddamn business."

"You're cheating on me?!" Gojo squealed and Yuta looked mildly uncomfortable with his teacher's childish antics. "You keep messaging people I don't know. I thought we had something special!"

Despite Miguel's stank-expression, Gojo kept in character. The man new nothing about restraint and was clearly set on infiltrating any bit of privacy Miguel retained. "I owe you nothing outside of our agreement. "

"Tsk! Show it to me, now!" In the blink of an eye, Gojo was digging through Miguel's flip phone.

"What the-" Miguel barely had time to register what had happened.

"Gojo-sensei...you really shouldn't." Yuta chided.

"Hush boy, I'll teach you how to catch a man in a lie. Hmm...Boogle, meTunes, Swindr???! I knew it. You sly dog! You're cheating with on with all these THOTs from Swindr. Wait...they're all too old. Tell me who you were looking at before!"

Miguel growled. "You fucking tomato."

When Miguel lunged for the phone, Gojo chucked it.

"Yuta catch!"

For the record, Yuta caught the phone on reflex; not to partake in Gojo's game of 'keep-away.' However, that didn't stop him from making a few curious swipes to the still active text app. Miguel and Gojo were occupied with each other, too busy to notice Yuta had found what Miguel had been looking at earlier.

Or rather...who.

"Uhh.." Yuta looked down at his feet. A blush marring his already sun-flushed cheeks at the picture.

"Yuuuuuta, Yutaaaaa!!" A ghastly voice carried through the dust-filled breeze. "What's wrong?!"

"I'm fine Rika, don't worry." Yuta rubbed the ring on his finger. Rika's curse was very sensitive and needed to be handled with care; for the sake of others, not his own.

"Your heart is pounding." Rika moaned. A massive claw rested on Yuta's shoulder, while her single eye whipped back toward his bickering teachers.

"Hey! Are you picking on Yuta?!!!" Rika screamed, causing sand to kick up into a desert flurry.

Yuta's mentors, who had been wrestling in the sand, froze.

"Nope." They piped up in unison. "We love Yuta. He's the best."

Rika looked confused then smiled. "Yes! Yes, he is!"

"Shhh. Rika, I'm fine. Promise." Yuta beckoned her closer, to which she enthusiastically complied, and kissed her cheek. "Sleep."

"Aaaw, ok." Rika blushed and disappeared in a blink.

All three men breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to be spared from her wrath.

Gojo recovered first, noticing his pupil's heat flushed cheeks. "Yuta, my friend. You look like a man who's seen something. As your teacher I command you to report what you've learned."

"I did." Yuta gulped. Confirming his teacher's suspicions. "There was a girl."

Gojo nodded, beckoning him to continue with the most serious face he could muster. "..And?"

"And.." Yuta parroted.

"Did she look like an assassin?" Gojo squinted at Miguel suspiciously, who responded by rolling his eyes.

Yuta shook his head no, despite his shaking hands.

"Miguel. In all seriousness, you need to be upfront with us. You've been travel buddies with Yuta for a little over a month. I can't be here all the time. I need to know that I can trust you with my very precious student. "

"Considering you 'binding vowed' my ass into being a glorified babysitter, you have nothing to worry about." Miguel dead-panned. " I'm formally domesticated."

"You make it sound so bad." Gojo teased.

"It is."

"Then lets start over. Perhaps are introductions can change the tone of our relationship." Gojo cleared his throat, winked at Yuta, and jumped. "Oh my gosh! We seem to be going in the same direction. My name's Gojo Satoru, nice to meet you!"

Gojo held out is hand.

"Kiss my ass." Miguel started walking down the next dune.

"We'll that didn't go well." Gojo wiped the sweat from his brow. The speed at which his demeanor shifted was astonishing. "Seriously though. For your sake, it's better if you don't hide any pertinent information from us."

"I've told you all there is to know, everything that's relevant to the black-whip." Miguel sighed. "I know its origin, generally speaking, but so much was destroyed during the colonization of the continent... the best bet is to follow the lore. Until we find something concrete, each village we search is another piece to the puzzle. According to the Griot we spoke to, the black-whip, seems to have been passed through a few lineages, only to be pillaged and sold to another."

Gojo listened intently. "So your saying.."

"What we're looking for it not so much a place, but a bloodline."

"Not another clan drama." Gojo cringed.

"We call them tribes here." Miguel chuckled. "But yes, we are nose-diving into some historical clan drama. It doesn't matter what tribes once held the cursed tool. Ownership doesn't equate the ability to replicate its mechanism. Unless you find a descendant from the original tribe who crafted the black-whip, you can kiss your hopes of restoring its power goodbye."

"Great!" Gojo beamed. "And how good are our chances of finding one of these black-whip clan descendants."

"Between, the transatlantic slave trade, the arab slave trade, tribal wars, colonization, geographical shifts, and regular human migratory tendencies..slim to none, but not impossible. They could be literally ANYWHERE in the world at this point...or no where at all. Only time will tell."

"That's not good."

"No it isn't." Miguel griped. "This search could last a life-time, and I'm bound by vow to see it through, thanks to your higher-up bastards.."

...Gojo whistled. "Well. I hope you two have fun!"

"Wait. Sensei, what do you mean by that-"

"Bye!" Gojo grinned and was gone in a blink.

"Huh?!!! Sensei wait!"

"Let his ass go." Miguel grumbled, picking up the bag of supplies Gojo left in his wake. "I work better without him."

"First things first." He hefted the load onto Yuta's shoulders so that he carried knapsacks in front and behind. They were almost as big as he was. His knees buckled but with a groan he strengthened his stance and trudged behind Miguel down the path. "Let's put some muscle on you. I've got a feeling you'll gonna need it."

"Oh. Y-yeah." Yuta mumbled staring at his skinny ankles peaking from behind the long white indigenous robes he bought in the last village. "I'll do my best!"

Miguel spared him a glance. Luckily, Yuta was nothing like his teacher. Instead of obnoxious, invading, and kniving, Yuta was earnest, respectful, and best of all quiet. "Cover your face so you don't get heat stroke."

Yuta fumbled around with his head wrap. The shopkeeper had only shown him once, how to properly fix his head wrap. There was a loose piece of cloth that hung over his left ear that should tuck in somewhere across his face....but the knapsacks left little room for his arms to reach properly.

Tired of seeing him fumble around, rough brown hands grabbed the cloth and tucked it in for him so that his face was protected from the sun and sand. "There."

"Thanks." Yuta offered sheepishly. He thought for a moment deciding it was a good time to ask Miguel directly. "Mmmm, by the way... who was the girl in the picture, Miguel-san."

Miguel took a moment to regard him and continued along the way.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He grumbled. "Come on. The village is on the other side of that dune. We should be able to find lodging, and a good stew."

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To be continued...

#jujutsu kaisen x black!reader #jujutsu kaisen #okkotsu yuuta #miguel #gojo #Constructive criticism welcome #Africa #africa trip

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lewisenjoyer · 1 year

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#africa trip #lewis hamilton #sir lewis hamilton #teamlh #lh44 #lewishamilton44

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shaktiknowledgeblog · 1 year

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Kareena-Saif’s Africa Vacation Completed, Special Photo of Private Jet With Share The Africa vacation of Karina Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan ( Saif Ali Khan ) has been completed। Near coming to India, Bebo has several projects which she will start shooting Image Source: INSTAGRAM/KAREENAKAPOORKHANKareena Kapoor Africa vacation of Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has been completed। The…

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#Africa #Africa Trip #Bollywood #Bollywood actress #Kareen Kapoor Husband #Kareena Kapoor #Kareena Kapoor baby #Kareena Kapoor family #Saif Ali Khan

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argentinehunting · 1 year

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What Is Your Experience Hunting On a Safari in South Africa?

Is hunting your passion? You can not go to any better place to hunt than Africa. It can turn into an adventurous experience for you. Before going to Africa hunting safari, it is crucial to pack some essentials. When going on a safari in Africa, you will experience different views and sights. A traditional African safari is focused on African wildlife. However, you will get the experience of being out in the bushes, chasing animals, and even encountering the local cultures of Africa. Moreover, this experience can turn into thrilling as well. Read more here:- https://qr.ae/prxNhR

#africa trip #africa hunting #africa safari packages

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ahmed25646 · 2 years

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in the South-West, five cures to better live this return to school

And if to deal with the troubles of one and the overflow of the other, we offered ourselves a parenthesis? Our prescription in five cures between the Pyrenees, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with the promise displayed, rediscovered serenity. “ Sleep is one of the pillars of human well-being, along with diet, physical activity, relationships and spirituality says Florence Féron, holistic…

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#africa trip #asia travel #best destination #best weekend #cures #european travel #France #luxury weekend #oceania travel #stay #travel #travel guide #weekend #welfare

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leonollora4110 · 2 years

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Best Locations in Mozambique to Visit

The enormous country of Mozambique undoubtedly has its fair share of tourist attractions because it is located in a large bend of East Africa, where the tropical heart of the continent gradually transforms into the temperate south of the continent. Alabaster-white sands line the coastline, framing it with a fringe of palm palms. The warm waters of the Indian Ocean are home to strange critters that resemble manatees and coral sponges that are in bloom. Then the interior, which is a mosaic of swaying savannah grasses and baobab woods, takes over, and the habitats of the renowned Rift Valley start to emerge. There, the main attractions are the grazing elephants and hopping gazelles, as well as the Zambezia highlands' carved landscapes and the locals' rustic tribal settlements. Who's forgotten the captivating capital of Mozambique? Jazz and reggae are the heartbeats of Maputo, which also has a faint Portuguese flavour.

Hopes were high after a protracted civil war that the country would stabilise and reopen, but recent upheavals have shaken those hopes, so make sure to look out for FCO advisories and the like in advance. Mozambique is a country located in southeastern Africa that is well known for its gorgeous coastal scenery and its amazing wildlife. If you're looking to visit Mozambique, there are a few locations you definitely won't want to miss. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the best places to visit in Mozambique. So whether you're an experienced traveller or a first-time tourist that’s planning to have a luxury mozambican safari tour, read on for some great tips!

Maputo

The beautiful capital of Mozambique serves as a lesson in all things colonial. The Portuguese cleared the nearby swamps, elevating it to the status of the first city. Then all you had to do was construct the huge, imperial structures like the train station, the charming Casa do Ferro (designed by none other than Gustave Eiffel), and rings of broad boulevards dotted with palm trees à la the Algarve, and presto—you had a tiny outpost of Europe in Africa! Maputo has been reclaimed by the locals for a long time now, and the town is now renowned for its captivating bazaars that buzz with activity and brim with East African batik, its rowdy hip-hop bars, and that scrumptious fusion of Keralan and Arabic foods in the eateries!

Gorongosa National Park

The arid and sandy landscapes of the Gorongosa National Park occupy the very heart of Mozambique, denoting the furthest southernmost extremities of the East African Rift Valley. In truth, this area's undulating savannah and grassy hills have been protected as a reserve ever since the Portuguese took over, when they served as a private wildlife reserve for the colonial elite of the time. The area was transformed into a complete national park in the 1960s, and today it is praised as being among the best places in the nation for safaris. Visit this location if you want to view bouncing bushbucks, elephant herds, waterbucks, crowned cranes, wild warthogs, and more!

Quirimbas National Park

The Quirimbas National Park is the province of Cabo Delgado's magnificent natural gem. It overflows the northern mountain plateaux of Mozambique and reaches the Indian Ocean. Large expanses of montane forests, savannah grasslands, and endless mangroves can be found along the route, in addition to some brilliant coral reefs that rim the shoreline where the reserve stretches into the ocean. Quirimbas is a terrific site to visit if you want to view wildlife like African leopards, herds of elephants, and crocodiles all on the same day as you see the huge dugong and schools of tropical fish with vibrant colours!

Bazaruto Archipelago

The Bazaruto Archipelago is unique in every way. They are a scattering of long, thin islands in the Indian Ocean, a patchwork of glistening, turquoise seas and coral gardens, wind-tossed sand dunes, and ochre-hued coastal hills that are dotted with scrub and swaying coconut palm groves. The largest island in the vicinity, known simply as Bazaruto, has wide sandy bays where galumphing dugong patrol, while the interior is cut up by karst hills and boulder stones. The idyllic Ilha de Benguerra, where opulent honeymoon resorts rise above the white dunes in a jumble of swinging hammocks and tanning decks, is located a bit to the south.

Pemba

On the Cabo Delgado coastline, Pemba sits on its very own peninsula. It does a good job of hiding the more industrial districts that have recently popped up in this area because of its lovely colonial architecture and charming frontispieces in the Portuguese style. The African beaches that stretch along the seashore in the area deserve that honour. While the dazzling (and naturally deep) waters of Pemba Bay have turned into a haven for SCUBA divers, they draw large crowds with their tropical heat and swinging palms. Visit the picturesque Quirimbas National Park, stroll through forests of enormous baobabs, view the sombre remains of the slave trade at Ponta Romero, or go to the quaint fishing hamlet scattered among the bays of Ibo Island.

Tofo

To the north and south of the tropical Tofo, a broad, sunlit arc of powdery beige sand traces its course down the shoreline. At the same time, the Indian Ocean's turquoise waves flow through the bays, swimmers and snorkelers splash through the shallows, and residents are crammed into bobbing fishing skiffs with a smile. Travellers seeking sun, sand, sea, and leisure will find Tofo town's laid-back lifestyle and the heady after-dark ambience of the half-Rasta beach bars hard to resist. It makes sense why some people are calling the thriving settlement along the coastline bends of the Jangamo District the new Goa.

Inhaca Island

The tiny piece of land known as Inhaca Island, which is situated across Maputo Bay from the country's capital of Maputo, is an intriguing little treat and a great place to visit for a day trip to escape the heat of the city. It was once a part of the East African continent but only a few millennia ago (about seven), and now it floats out between its coral gardens, which are in full bloom. Additionally, there are windswept palm tree clumps and sloping beaches with yellow sand to explore. However, keep in mind that Inhaca Island is not the most accessible location and is undeveloped, mainly due to its use as a marine research facility.

Island of Mozambique

Whether you can believe it or not, this tiny piece of land that floats amid the sparkling seas of the Indian Ocean was once the centre of Portuguese East Africa. It was elevated to grandeur by the European sailors and merchants who made their way around the cape, and during the 16th century, it developed into a significant centre for business and administration. As a result, there are now several intriguing colonial structures, including the Church of Santo António, the Old Town Fortifications, and a gorgeous whitewashed hospital. With the Makuti thatched town and the stunning tropical beaches, Mozambique's unique identity also emerges. The entire area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so don't miss it!

Vilankulo

Vilankulo is noteworthy even if simply for serving as the entrance to the aforementioned Bazaruto Archipelago splendours. But not just for that; if you come here to take your time before boarding one of the dhows waiting on the shore, you're in for a relaxing treat. Yes, this laid-back beachside location is also home to a number of its campgrounds, shacks made of bending bamboo, a bustling local market, and beer bars. It's simple to understand why Vilankulo is growing in popularity when you consider the small number of uninhabited Indian Ocean beaches that are near the town and where the horizon blends from golden yellow sand to cobalt skies.

Lake Cahora Bassa

To the very heart of Tete Province in western Mozambique, the enormous lake waters of Cahora Bassa reach all the way from the Zambian border. They comprise one of the greatest networks of freshwater lakes in all of Africa, totalling a staggering 2,700 square kilometres. The enormous Cahora Bassa Dam, a towering wall of concrete and steel that measures 171 metres in height and 303 metres in width, is located at one end. If you enjoy marvelling at amazing technical feats, the trip is definitely worthwhile! Additionally, attractive fishing cottages, a few houseboats, and the occasional baroque church bearing witness to the former Portuguese influence may today be seen all along the reservoir's banks.

Is Mozambique The Destination For You?

If you’re looking to visit Mozambique and want to make sure you hit all the highlights, here are some of the best locations to put on your list. Of course, if you want to make the most of your trip, we recommend contacting a reputable luxury safari company like ours for assistance in planning your journey. We can help you see all that this beautiful country has to offer while ensuring an unforgettable experience. What are you waiting for? Start planning your dream mozambican safari today!

#travel #africa #africa travel #africa trip #mozambican #mozambique #mozambique tourist spots

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docileeffects · 10 months

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ecoharbor · 1 month

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📍Pink Salt Lake, Namibia 🇳🇦

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witchstone · 1 year

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long-crested eagle (lophaetus occipitalis) from saturday! we watched him swoop off the post and disappear into the long grass on the side of the road, only to return empy-clawed a few seconds later

#on birds #long-crested eagle #the best thing about seeing these semi regularly is when the wind is blowing the wrong way and the crest is down in their face #accipitriformes #lophaetus #eagles #bird of prey #raptors #accipitridae #south africa #south african birds #birds #ornithology #m #diary #sorry slowly going to post updates from the saturday trip

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vintagecamping · 11 months

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Building a fire in a campsite in one of Africa's finest destinations. Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe

1978

#vintage camping #campfire light #zimbabwe #victoria falls #africa #camping #road trips #travel #outdoors #exploring #1970s

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the-empress-7 · 3 months

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#should I start planning a trip to South Africa 👀

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johnnyslittleanimalblog · 4 months

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Leopard at Pilanesberg by Martin Heigan Via Flickr: Leopard sighting at Pilanesberg. Martin - [Home Page] [Photography Showcase] [eBook] [Twitter] [Facebook] [3D VFX & Mocap] [Science & Physics Page]

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polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup · 7 months

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this is probably off topic but like i was rereading sea glass gardens & i was just giggling at the fact that kamo (the good one ofc not the one who took back shots for the greater evil) is just…obsessed with getting this middle school delinquent approval & MEGUMI JUST NOT REMEMBERING HIS NAME???

like imagine dedicating your spare time to impress the adopted child of the strongest who is also the zenin’s heir (if gojo fucking goes crazy or kicks the bucket) who is also the ten shadows user, trying to compliment him, hyping up his skills by saying he has more potential than the current zenin head, only for him to not know your name 😭. & the fact he apologized for it? i’m cacklingggg. you truly embraced megumi’s silent menace tendencies. tbh i was so convinced that kamo had a crush on megumi & was just flirting with him for the whole exchange event 😭.

(also maki’s little story of her interaction with megumi in their childhood? i cried a little. like the fact megumi being a menace to naoya & the clan & taking mai away was like mai’s happiest memory? i really can’t wait to see mai’s appearance here)

also i can’t believe megumi is half dead & blind & he’s already known as “yuuta’s boy”. this is giving when you’re a high school senior & you just forcibly take a underclassmen under your wing & everyone just calls that underclassmen your school kid.

like imagine in a happier universe where shibuya didn’t happen & yuuta pops tf out & introduces himself to the first years. imagine the hilarity of nobara & yuuji trying to figure out how tf yuuta is able to cling onto megs, tease him, & knows little details about him without getting his head chewed off 😭.

honestly..yuuta’s unhealthy platonic feelings about megs makes me wonder gojo’s reaction bc i imagine him being so insufferable like he just assumes that “omg my distant relative have a crush on my emotional support child”

ANYWAYS I LOVE YOUR STORY !! i can’t wait for the next update, your writing is literally so beautiful that i have to re read it multiple times to take everything in (i’m kinda slow). it’s gotten to the point where i accepted your fic as canon 😭. i promise you in a few months your fic is gonna be known as THE JJK FIC. i’m manifesting it. <3

So I’m never gonna get there in the fic because sea glass gardens cuts off pre season 1, but I like to headcanon that Yuuta desperately wants yuuji to like him (he’s megumis friend and also Yuuta feels an obligation to look out for him because they were both sentenced to death) but yuuji is just NOT having it because he’s the one person in the world that yuuji feels almost seething jealousy for. He is not a jealous person. He has never been a jealous person. But Yuuta is living his perfect life, which is a fact that Yuuta would be surprised to learn, because he is not living anyone’s perfect life. From yuujis perspective, Yuuta is:

Inexplicably close to Megumi. Megumi is somehow his boy. Yuuji didn’t think Megumi would tolerate being anyone’s boy.

(He doesn’t tolerate it it’s somehow the best and worst kept secret in the school. Everyone knows Megumi is Yuuta’s boy except for Megumi himself. Megumi insists Yuuta’s like this with everyone while panda silently shakes his head where Megumi can’t see him.)

He’s got some kind of secret history with Megumi that no one will talk about (since I imagine that the second years would legitimately keep their word and not talk about what the Zenin did to him behind his back) but whatever it is it makes Megumi trust and rely on him more than anyone else??? How is the son of a bitch doing it???

He was also sentenced to death but got it suspended and like. Yeah. Yuuji would like to live that dream existence.

The fucking legally adopted child of Nanamin??? How?????

It’s a lot of

Yuuji, glaring at him angrily from across the room: he’s the perfect man

Nobara: why do you say that like you’re mad

Yuuji: why am I not him!!!

Yuuta’s just. Despondent. He wanted yuuji to like him so so bad.

Considering canon Megumi didn’t tell them he had an entire sister until they were at his old school and people were asking after her, I doubt that even waterboarding could get out of him “yeah so I met the second years when my bio family violated the no contact protocol that started because of how dangerously abusive they were and basically tortured me for a week, up to the point of my Actual Death. I was blind for a while. I guess okkotsu senpais protective of me because when we first met he Literally Had To Restart My Heart and Lungs. Also we held hands multiple times in the immediate aftermath.” So I think Yuuji and Nobara would be aware that there’s something weird about how Yuuta and Megumi met but have absolutely no idea what that weird thing is.

(Panda: look it’s really not weird how protective Yuuta is of Megumi considering all that Megumi was going through when they first met

Nobara: What was Megumi going through when they first met

Panda:

Nobara:

Panda: I’ve said too much.)

I have a serious reading of Kamo and a self indulgent reading of Kamo and a Kamo that’s somewhere in the middle.

The serious reading of Kamo is that Kamo was a kid who grew up in a bad situation with very little control over his own life and saw Megumi as the one who could possibly understand him. They both were born outside of their clans but their inherited technique had the ability to elevate them to clan heir. He persisted in trying to compliment him and form common grounds with him out of isolation and a desire for someone to understand his lot in life. Megumi, meanwhile, would see Kamo as exactly who he doesn’t want to become. Kamo has accepted his place in his clan; megumi is violently rejecting it. He doesn’t want to be the same as Kamo because he doesn’t want to be anywhere near the Zenin clan.

The thing is that out of all the characters, Kamo’s really the best one we have to kind of represent the more common views of the jujutsu world. like, he very consistently is shown to be able to make his own assessments about what judgment call the higher ups and the wider jujutsu elite are going to make or expect, and part of it is his desire to fulfill his role as kamo clan heir. And Kamo? Accepts out of hand that Megumi is going to be formally brought into the Zenin clan once he graduates.

Like, he's in the fight during the goodwill event, and he's just like "yeah so when we both graduate we'll both be working to support a major clan in the jujutsu world" and megumi's like "the hell are you talking about. i'm going to kill you with this elephant."

It is probably a common expectation that gojo keeping Megumi from the Zenin clan is not going to stretch into perpetuity. Like. Right now, megumi is a minor. Gojo very easily can control who has access to him. When he’s an adult working in the society, the same trick of preventing all contact isn’t gonna work. Those are his coworkers now. They’re going to get more and more opportunities to bring him back into the fold. The Zenin are just playing a waiting game to get Megumi back and everyone sort of has just accepted that fact.

Kamo is what the Zenin clan expect Megumi to one day be for them, and I think it puts Megumi a bit at odds with him. Megumi has no interest in living the way Kamo does, and a little internalized fear about it happening anyway. Refusing the Zenin clan is the only control he’s ever really exerted over his life and future. He never got to pick being a jujutsu sorcerer, but he chose not to go with them. All of kamos priorities and mindset remind Megumi of all the things he’s messed up about, and it sets them at odds.

The self indulgent reading is that Kamo had a huge crush on Megumi and spent the entire goodwill event trying to execute his four year long plan towards holding his hand only to be thwarted by the fact that Megumi was completely dazzled by a himbo he knew for less than two weeks three months ago.

And the reading above is just the serious reading with the added fact that Kamo also had a huge crush on Megumi.

The thing with Mai partially came from something that Gege apparently released as background lore. In the goodwill event, Mai says that she never told maki when she had her first love, and i was like "that's weirdly specific, I wonder who that is" and then I googled it, and the answer was apparently either Megumi or Maki herself, and I said, "Huh, I Don't Like That" and decided we weren't doing that.

Now, to be clear, I do get making that decision on a level as a writer. Like, the Zenin clan is enormously fucked up and explicitly practices intermarriage. That is the kind of thing where you may include it because it's so fucked up and perfectly exemplifies how fucked up it is. a clan that explicitly is practicing incest is going to heavily skew how relationships amongst family members develop and form and it's going to be a fucked up dynamic amongst closely related people.

But also I Don't Like It And We're Not Doing That.

I did like the idea of Megumi and Maki occupying a somewhat similar place in Mai's mind. Like, Maki is in a league of her own, there's too much history there for anyone to come close to her in a relationship, but Mai's fondest memories of Maki were specifically with Maki occupying a sort of companion and protector role. Maki was in the same "level" as mai. They were both vulnerable kids in a bad situation who were looked down on by their family. They were both fast tracked to be servants. But Maki was the brave one, the capable one, the one who guided her when she was afraid and promised to always be there, and that's where a lot of mai's complex emotions around maki come from: mai was afraid and maki was strong and maki was there to hold her hand, and then suddenly she wasn't anymore.

Once I put Megumi in the Zenin compound as a little kid (since it's unclear what contact Megumi had with his bio family pre-season 1 and how extensive it was), I knew that 1) the zenin would not be putting him anywhere near Mai and Maki, and 2) that I wanted them to have met anyway.

So I liked the idea of Maki and Megumi occupying similar spaces in mai's mind because they both had briefly been viewed by Mai as companions and protectors. Megumi's contact with Mai was way more limited than Maki's was, but Megumi sort of swept into her life at a time where Mai really did need it most.

Mai would have been right at the age where most kids get their technique, if they get any at all, and we can sort of assume that mai may have figured out what hers was late if Maki didn't know about it. She just failed to get the ten shadows technique, and was a freshly confirmed failure in terms of power. She was just feeling the sting of her family's rejection, and Megumi, meanwhile, was the one who was supposed to be the most special and blessed of them all.

And he was the only one who didn't reject her out of hand, other than her sister. He stuck his own neck out to protect her. They all played together. There's not a lot of good memories than any of the three of them have on the Zenin compound, but I think that all of them secretly thought of that day as one of the best they can remember from childhood.

And it sort of was a huge deal for Mai. Everyone was treating her like she was dirt under their heel, but there was Megumi, the presumptive heir to the clan, the Ten Shadows himself, and he played with her. He was her friend. I think that would have been kind of a landmark moment for little mai. not only is that the acceptance and kindness she desperately needed, but I think it was also sort of source of hope for her that she could have a place in the Zenin compound one day without it being utter garbage. Megumi was assumed to take over the entire clan one day, and he was kind to her. He was her friend. He didn't let Naoya treat her badly, when Naoya was the one who was likely going to be heir if Megumi hadn't inherited the ten shadows. Naoya was at the top of the food chain, but Megumi still stood up for her, even though her own parents wouldn't have. So maybe when he grew up and became clan head, he wouldn't let people mistreat her and maki anymore. They could all be happy together, and Mai couldn't imagine a future where she and maki got to be happy before. Even though the clan leadership cracked down pretty hard on them for that stunt, it didn't make a dent in how overwhelmingly happy it made her.

Megumi going no contact probably would have been a huge blow, especially considering her age. She lost her hope and her only friend who wasn't her sister in one fell swoop, and she really was too young to have the tools to understand just how much Megumi needed to be kept away from her family for his own safety.

Mai, back then, was living in such a warped life that she didn't really realize how bad her family was, especially to Megumi. and that's not so much a comment as to how bad it was for her there versus him, but more that she had very little context as to what his life there was like. she was never supposed to meet him. She mostly heard about him secondhand, and that's all being filtered through the zenin's unique. All she ever heard was about how the ten shadows had finally been reborn, and how the clan was blessed for it, and how upset they all were that they had to give him back to gojo. No one even wanted her. Megumi seemed like he was living a much better life than anyone at the zenin compound could expect, so what cause would gojo have to take him away?

She was just a little girl who didn't really have friends other than her sister and him. She wanted to play with him again. She didn't understand much outside of that.

Of course, she's had time to grow up and kind of put her memories of the past in a more reasoned context. Maki came to the conclusion that Megumi probably didn't have the best time there a while ago, and this incident has really put it into perspective for her that he must have cut off the zenin because they were dangerously abusive towards him. Like, she mostly never saw him, but she has a lot of memories of him 1) being hauled out of a training room unconscious 2) being on sixteen hour days at the age of six, and 3) being violently unhappy whenever he was in the compound. Mai, to a lesser extent, likely has a similar awareness that he didn't go no contact for shits and giggles, it was because her family's fucking bonkers and abused him badly enough for gojo to pull the plug. of course, how that's shaped mai's mindset towards megumi now is still yet to be seen.

I know what it is, of course. it is seen for me. you all have yet to see it.

Gojo can and will make his own existence everyone else's problem and yuuta is sooo right to not want him to know. like. he wouldn't kick yuuta's ass. but that doesn't mean he'd be good about it.

I'm so glad you like the story! thank you for your kind words!!!

#sea glass gardens #I have this entire self indulgent continuation that's just yuuta breathing into a paperbag in africa about what the fuck is going on #he keeps trying to confiscate the first years to africa with him #like mostly megumi #megumi is his boy #but he LOVES that megumi has friends like he WANTED megumi to find what he had in his class he adores nobara and yuuji #whoever the fuck they are #he doesn't want to take megumi from his friends so he will simply take all of them #look obviously the others tried their best but they failed and lost the privilege okay the first years just need to come to africa where he #can take care of them properly #yuuta was locked and fucking loaded to be the world's greatest senpai only to get kneecapped with a study abroad trip #the other second years have to play rock paper scissors to decide who has to tell yuuta that megumi fought fucking sukuna twice within two #weeks of the first day of school. /sukuna/. sukuna hasn't been a problem for a thousand years and megumi has fought him TWICE.#he was shirtless both times. literally no one wants to be the one to tell yuuta they are all so afraid.#all yuuji and nobara know about him is that everyone talks about him wistfully and he keeps trying to confiscate them to africa #Maki: look you have to understand that yuuta loves his boy #Panda: he fucking loves his boy #nobara: and we may have to... go to africa about that #maki: you very well may #yuuji tries to ask megumi why they call him yuuta's boy and inumaki jumps out a 3rd floor window to tackle him because he still doesn't kno #i have this crack au in my head where Yuuta figures out teleportation during the goodwill event bc he can't take waiting to find out #if everyone's alive. the first thing he does is save his friends the second he does is hug them the third he does is hit them very hard #yuuta: you promised me you would take care of him!#Panda: we did!#Yuuta: why are there ROOTS in him #Panda sweating: look the thing is--TODO was the one who punted him through a wall for not being an ass man #maki had to sit on inumaki to stop his homosexuality from telling yuuta about that one and she did it not out of love for todo but out of #her conviction that yuuta would murder todo and then feel guilty and then she'd have to /hear/ about it and that's too much effort #all that work gone to shit because panda needed someone to throw under the bus

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