Chapter Text
“Megumi, wait!”
Ignoring his father’s calls, Megumi continued to briskly walk away from the training grounds; his head pounding and jaw tight. He was tired of being told that he could not progress further yet. He could sense his dad, Satoru, keeping pace close behind him. His irritation spiked, adding to his already intensifying headache. He was certain it would become a full-blown migraine soon.
Megumi abruptly stopped, crossed his arms over his chest, and spun around to face his father, who had paused as well. His voice shook with unconcealed anger, “I don’t understand why I can’t even try. I’ve summoned the rest of them without any problems. So, why won’t you let me?”
“The fact that you don’t understand why tells me that you are not ready to try, Megumi.”
His dad’s response was calm and firm, leaving no room for disagreement. Megumi hated how Satoru was always so collected when faced with Megumi’s irritability. He seemed completely unfazed, as though he expected this response from Megumi, which to Megumi’s chagrin, he likely did. He hated being so predictable, especially to Satoru.
“Why do you get to be the one to decide?” It was a pointless question to ask, but he found he didn’t care.
“I’m your father and your teacher. I think that more than qualifies me, Megs.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Listen,” His dad sighed, “I know you want to practice. And believe me, I get it, but Megumi, you’re only 15 years old. You’ve got years of training left here. Why not go get crepes with Yuji and Nobara? I know they’ve been asking you to go with them.”
“I think I should transfer to the Kyoto school,” This was something that Megumi had been considering for a while now, but hadn’t found the courage yet to voice. He’d wanted to tell both of his parents, had hoped to have a genuine discussion about it, but right now, the desire to hurt superseded all else.
With the way, his first year at the Tokyo school was going, he was positive that anything would be better than this. He could not stand that both of his parents were both teachers at the Tokyo branch, and despite his attempts to hide his connection to Satoru and Suguru, all of his classmates knew.
Not only did they embarrass him with their public expressions of love, but they both could be too strict or too parental in front of his classmates. He knew that Nanako and Mimiko thought so, too. Megumi envied the freedom Tsumiki had.
“What?”
“You don’t take teaching seriously enough. It’s like you want to hold me back,” Megumi could feel the sharpness of his nails against his palms. He forced himself to unclench his fists.
“Hold you back? Megumi, I want you to be strong, but you’re also a kid,” His dad raised his hands in an attempt to placate him. The action only served to further enrage Megumi. His dad could be so patronizing and clueless. He didn’t understand what it was like to struggle to be strong.
“I’m not a kid. You need to stop treating me like I’m 6 and still learning how to summon both demon dogs.”
“Megumi-”
He did not care what his dad had to say next, and interrupted him, “Tell papa that I’m staying at the dorm tonight. I’ll text Tsumiki so she doesn’t worry.” He turned away from his dad and started to walk again. He was done with this conversation.
“Megumi, you’re coming home with me and your papa,” His dad, finally sounded irritated, though it was always hard to tell with Satoru.
“I don’t want to be around you,” Megumi forced himself to sound as indifferent as possible. He did not want his dad to notice that he was on the verge of tears.
His deepest fear was that one day Satoru would wake up and realize he had made a grave mistake when he took in and subsequently adopted Megumi. He worried that Satoru would see that Megumi was not worthy or capable. Megumi knew, realistically, that this was not rational, but it was hard to be the son of the strongest sorcerer of the current era.
Every time his dad prevented him from trying to summon Mahoraga, he felt weak. It did not help that his papa, Suguru, always backed Satoru up on this. Typically, his papa was willing to challenge his dad on his behalf, but this was one area where they, unfortunately, were consistently on the same page.
“Megumi, I don’t like to do this, but as your dad, I’m telling you that you are not allowed to stay here tonight. You’re coming home,” It was rare for Satoru to make any such demand. It only served to piss Megumi off more.
“You’re not my real father, so you don’t really get to tell me what I do. I’m staying,” Megumi sneered. He knew it was not fair to say, but he wanted Satoru to feel as hurt as Megumi did.
Megumi knew he had crossed a line, when he heard Satoru’s sharp intake of breath and the abrupt cessation of footsteps following behind him. Megumi refused to turn back, urged himself to keep going.
He was grateful when Satoru did not follow him. As pushed his dorm room door open, he quickly locked it, shucked off his shoes haphazardly and sank to the floor. He finally allowed his tears to fall as he pulled his legs tight against his chest. He wanted to scream, but knew that this would alert Yuji. He couldn’t let the other boy to see him like this, nor did he want any kindness or understanding, both of which were abundantly given by Yuji. He did not deserve either.
He was interrupted from his rumination by the vibration of his phone. He paused. He was not sure how long he had sat there crying, but as he looked to his window, he saw that it was now dark outside. It had to have been at least 30 minutes or possibly 40. Megumi sighed, forced himself to stand. He brushed his teeth, changed into sleep clothes and then got into his bed., as he unlocked his phone and saw two messages. To his relief, both were from his papa.
Papa, 6:50 pm: Your dad said that the two of you got into a fight and that you’re probably staying at the school for a few days... I’ll try to talk with him about letting you give it a try, ok?
Papa, 6:51 pm: We just worry and we want you to be able to enjoy being a teenager, but we could do a better job of considering your feelings about this. Will you come home tomorrow, even if only to have lunch with your sisters? I’ll tell Satoru to give you some space.
Megumi, 7:00 pm: i don’t want to see him. so if he’s there then i’m not coming
Megumi had initially been wary of Suguru when he and the twins entered Megumi, Tsumiki, and Satoru’s lives. Megumi had been told, by Suguru, that when he was younger, he had been very protective of Satoru in particular, much to Satoru’s delight and Megumi’s mortification. Suguru laughed when he told Megumi about the threats he made as a 6-year-old. Megumi always wished he could disappear whenever his papa felt like retelling those stories. Tsumiki loved them, and so did Satoru. Satoru would joke that Megumi was his little protector. Megumi hated that hearing this from his dad both embarrassed and pleased him.
Now, Megumi found it easier to talk to Suguru. Megumi felt that his temperament was more similar to Megumi’s own and that he was more willing to listen earnestly. He would often turn to Suguru for advice and instruction. With Satoru, it was harder for Megumi to be as open. Satoru had never been disappointed in him or given him a reason to believe he would be, and yet, Megumi felt the unbearable weight of wanting to make Satoru proud of him, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t unburden himself. He wanted his dad to see that he was strong, too.
Papa, 7:03 pm: Well, it looks like he’s going to be chaperoning three of the 2nd years on a mission tomorrow for most of the day.
Megumi, 7:03 pm: you’re not planning a secret intervention between us?
Megumi felt he had a right to feel skeptical. His papa did not like tension to remain between anyone in their family, and it would not be the first time he had used a meal invitation as some sort of family reconciliation meeting.
Papa, 7:04 pm: I know better than to try that. But I do think you and I should talk. You can’t avoid him forever.
Megumi, 7:06 pm: i’ll be there by 12:15.
Papa, 7:07 pm: sleep well, Megs. Love you.
Megumi, 7:07 pm: you too
Megumi tried and failed to fight back tears. He squeezed one of his pillows tightly against his chest and pushed his face into the other. Sleep did not find him easily.