Yuji stretched with a lazy groan, his loose desert-style robe slipping slightly off his shoulder as he hung the last of the clothes to dry. It had been almost a week since he and Gojo started living here.
As he squinted against the bright morning sun, Yuji's mind drifted back to that conversation from days ago, when Gojo had carried him high above the ocean.
Out of nowhere, Gojo had said, "Let's just live here."
He continued, almost casually, "What else can we do? Even across the ocean, even at the end of the world—there's nothing. Maybe that oasis is the only place we can stay."
Yuji, a little too innocent, had asked, "So… we live together forever?"
Gojo had chuckled. "Forever's such a vague word, but… hmm, yes. Whether this is the afterlife or not, we just survive until we die."
Yuji had laughed at the irony. "Until we die? We're already dead."
"Hahaha, true!" Gojo had grinned, before his expression softened. "Still, sensei will try to reach the being that put us here. To ask why they did this." His gaze had lifted upward, as if searching the sky for answers.
Yuji had stared at him quietly, struck by the rare sentimentality. Gojo had noticed, then suddenly pulled a goofy face.
"By the way, Yuji, are you still gonna call me sensei? If we're stuck here 'forever,' isn't that a little weird?"
Yuji had frowned. "What else am I supposed to call you? You're old, and you're the one who taught me. I have to respect that."
"Meh. That was back in the world. Here, just call me whatever's comfortable."
Yuji had tapped his chin with exaggerated focus before declaring, "Gojo-senpai, then."
Gojo had clapped once in satisfaction. "Perfect."
Now, by the water's edge, Yuji was still lost in the memory when a loud voice echoed from the house.
"Yuuujiii-kun! Breakfast's ready!"
Yuji blinked, startled back to reality. "Yesss, senpai! I'm coming!" he called back, grinning faintly as he shook his head.
It was Gojo's turn to cook today, something that could only mean disaster or comedy.
As Yuji hurried back toward the house, of course, the camel decided it was the perfect time to cause trouble. Its teeth tugged at the edge of his robe, pulling him backward.
"Camela, dear… I just want to eat breakfast. Please let me go," Yuji sighed, face weary with long-suffering patience.
He hoped the camel would take pity on him. After all, it had already sabotaged his laundry earlier, knocking over the basket, trying to chew on the clothes, even dragging one into the dirt.
To his relief, the animal froze and released the cloth.
"Yes, good Camela," Yuji muttered with a nod. For some strange reason, the camel always calmed down when he called it Camela. It was almost like the creature loved that name.
Free of obstacles at last, Yuji stepped into the house and headed for the kitchen. But peace didn't mean happiness just yet.
At the dining table, a surprising sight greeted him: bowls of soup, a loaf of bread, even some apples neatly arranged.
Gojo sat waiting, looking far too proud of himself, clearly eager for Yuji's reaction.
Yuji's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Wow, Senpai… the food actually looks surprisingly normal today."
"It looks good, okay, Yuji!" Gojo pouted, crossing his arms like a scolded child.
Yuji laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Hahaha, yes, yes—alright then. Itadakimasu." He dug in, still half-expecting disaster.
Gojo watched him intently, anxious for the verdict. Yuji chewed slowly, giving nothing away.
Finally, he looked up with a grin. "Senpai… finally, this is edible. But the soup's a little bland."
Gojo's shoulders dropped in relief, then he made a goofy face. "Ooh, thank goodness. Bland is fine! Bland means safe to eat!"
+++
Both of them were half-dozing on the top floor, stretched out in front of the balcony. Yuji lazily crunched on the apple he'd snagged from the kitchen earlier.
"By the way, Senpai," Yuji said between bites, "this house is seriously obsessed with apples. Every time they run out, more just… respawn."
"Yes, I noticed too," Gojo replied, gazing out over the balcony with an absent-minded expression, his own apple in hand.
"Oh, and that one time? I stupidly ate a golden apple I found in the wardrobe" Yuji added casually, like it was no big deal.
Gojo let out a long sigh and gave a nod. "Tch tch… at least you admit you were being dumb. Can't say much though—your senpai sometimes acts just as reckless."
"But," Gojo tilted his head, thoughtful, "I still haven't come across a golden apple in this house."
Yuji smirked. "Which means… Yuji's the chosen one." He broke into a playful laugh.
Gojo rolled his eyes, flopping back onto the floor. "Chosen for what, exactly? To be the universe's test subject?"
"Hey, at least I got the cool fruit. Maybe it gave me powers." Yuji flexed his arms dramatically.
"Yeah, the power of indigestion," Gojo deadpanned.
Yuji snorted, then tossed the apple core into the basket nearby. He stretched out beside Gojo, letting the warm air wash over him. For a brief moment, the silence felt comfortable, almost home-like.
Then Yuji turned his head, eyes narrowing. "Senpai… if food and fruit respawn here, doesn't that mean this place wants us to stay forever?"
Gojo tilted his shades down just enough to meet his gaze. "Maybe."
Yuji's grin faded. He leaned back against the floorboards, staring up at the endless ceiling above them, the taste of apple still lingering on his tongue. "...Huh. Then… how am I supposed to see my grandpa again?"
Slowly, Yuji turned his head toward Gojo. "Gojo-senpai… do you have someone dear you want to meet too?"
Gojo's lips curved into a small, almost wistful smile. "Of course I do. I'm human too, you know."