Chapter Text
Megumi Fushiguro was in a place that was too boring, too hot, and too overcrowded. Preparing to go into the 10th grade meant preparing for his 1st year of high school. That wasn’t the boring part. What was the boring part however, was being forced to go inside a building for “educational purposes”
Basically, in the summertime, it is heavily encouraged for upcoming high school students and current high schoolers (10-12 graders) from all districts to go to a few educational buildings open like universities, colleges, and labs, to see what jobs they could want or pursue for in the future. His benefactor was forcing him to go. All of this was incredibly boring.
Their guide into the educational building, his benefactor colleague Ijichi, a man with dark brown hair paired with a suit and glasses, led their group to the front of the building. Excited chatter filled the outside as they were walking. He didn’t really get why it was so “exciting” maybe it was because he’d been there thousands of times before. Yet even so, the first time he came he still didn’t see the appeal.
Well maybe it was because unlike them, (who came out of their own interest and curiosity) he was forced to go. But still.
The guide claps his hands, a clear message to the students to quiet down. The chatter dies down, although some students still try to silently communicate. Nonetheless, he still has the majority of the classes attention.
“Listen carefully, when we are in this building I need you all to not wander, observe; but do not touch, proceed cautiously-“ he pauses, three kids in the back of the group are goofing around. He clears his throat eyes focused on them, an indirect message to be quiet. “-please remember that it is a privilege to be here. You guys are here to explore your options for jobs after high school. Such opportunities must be met with appreciation. As of right now you are all guests at the Tokyo Science Department. Act accordingly and you won’t be paying for property damage. That last line straightens the kids up. Science technology is seriously expensive. Nobody wants to pay for that.
Ijichi, taking a glance at the crowd smiles. Their attitude has shifted because of that last comment. A less chance of them acting silly. He straightens his suit “Now behave accordingly, single file line, and proceed up the steps into the building.
The silence from before forms into talking once again. It’s more quiet hushed whispers now, but still talking nonetheless. The group passes through the double doors. A gust of cold wind instinctively makes him chill, buildings like this always do. Shoving his hands into his pockets he watches as everybody looks up and around. The building is pretty huge. There are marble white floors beneath their feet, a second floor above them held by pillars with a black railing. On the sides of them, hallways filled with seemingly endless rooms. The guide guides them as they make their way to a woman with a brown bob, and a white lab coat.
Upon further inspection, the woman with the white lab coat and dark under eyes looked to be his benefactor's friend Ieri Shoko. It would be surprising for her to be here since she’s a doctor, but she’s always had a morbid curiosity with cutting things open and discovering how they function. Not to mention Gojo probably paid her.
She almost looks as bored as he does. With her hands in her pocket and a bland expression looking as uninterested as possible
“Hello, my name is Ieiri Shoko. Today the researchers have set up their experiments for you all to observe so you can learn more about their job. Ijichi here has probably already told you to not touch the specimen, don’t touch the equipment, and to not be loud when walking these halls.” She pauses, taking a quick glance across the students.
“With that in mind, follow me as I explain the work these reachers have been doing.”
She turns on her heel as the rest of the group follows.
“The researchers here are in a very specific field of work called Entomology. The researchers, more specifically called entomologists study insects and their relationship to the environment, humans, animals and other organisms.” They turn into a hallway “Today, we can not show you all, all the insects they have been studying due to the limited time you have here today. So, the entomologists chose to display an insect you’ve all heard about, something that will pique your interest. She stops walking, theirs 3 tanks ahead but right now she’s sanding Infromt of one. She steps to the side to display them.
“There are more than 32,000 known species of spiders in the world, in the order of Araneae divided into suborders. Arachnids from all three groups possess varying strength which helps them search for food. “For example, in this tank, the delena spider, from the family sparaasside, has the ability to jump and catch its prey.” Ieiri’s done with her statement, yet her eyes are fixated on something In-front of her. Fushiguro turns his head aswell. It’s the same kid from earlier, his camera held up and looking as if he’d take a picture. She raises her eyebrow
“Uhm, it’s for research purposes. Can I?” She moves to the side “by all means” he takes a picture, sound and all.
Ieiri strides over to the next display yet all Fushiguro can look at is the guy's camera.
Who the hell brings a camera to this place? He could have just taken out his phone.
How old fashioned.
“Next, is the net web spider from the family Fillstatidae genus Kukulcania.” The group chuckles at the name. She pauses, waiting for them to be done. “They spin a funnel-shaped web whose strands have a tensile strength proportionally equal to the high tension wires used in bridges.
And lastly, this spider hunts for their prey using reflexes with nerve conduction velocity so fast that some researchers believe it borders on precognition. An early awareness of danger.” She pauses, “A sort of.. spider-sense” Fushiguro can’t say that’s he’s not all that uninterested. But there’s more things he’d rather be doing right now. The group slowly starts to move on to the next eye catching display, not straying so far from the “spider sense spider” but a good distance
All except for 3 other kids, that is. They keep prodding and poking the glass with their grubby hands a collection of “oohs” and “ahs” “Hey, you three” the teacher says “don’t stray to far from the group. You wouldn’t want to miss what the instructor is saying. Fushiguro watches them from his peripheral vision as they shuffle towards the rest of the group.
“-These 15 genetically designed super spiders were combined with the genetic information of the three groups.” He turns his attention to the teacher, then towards the glass. 1, 2, 3 he mentally counts just for the sake of it -12,13,14- he mentally pauses. What the hell? There’s only 14? He recounts again and again. Maybe they made a mistake? “Ieiri-san, are you sure there is supposed to be 15 spiders in here?”
“is there not?”
He slightly shakes his head. Her attention is no longer focused on him as he can see her doing the math in her head looking at the specimen. Leaning forward for a better look. “Hm” is all she says before standing upright. She brushes imaginary dust off her coat after examining the spiders throughly. “I guess researchers are just working on that one. Nothing to worry about” She takes strides to the next station. The rest of the class following. All but 2.
“Hey, keen eye”
“Huh?”
“I said you have a good eye”
“Oh… thanks”
He doesn’t think it was all that impressive but whatever, he’s not one to outright refuse a compliment. The guy next to him fiddles with the camera strap around his neck, looking as sheepish as possible.
“Hey I know this is a weird question, but could I take a picture of you next to the spiders?”
“What? Why”
“I kind of work for websites for their official pages. A side-job, really. Anyways, can I?”
Fushiguro looks back towards their group. They’re not that far away. He shrugs his shoulders. “As-long as it’s quick” the pink hair guy smiles “of course!” Walking over, he stands next to the display, his stance rigid in a way that’s awkward. Hands by his side as if he doesn’t know what to with himself. “Hmm, stand closer to the tank” he shuffles over “hmm, a bit more” he shuffles over again “perfect” he holds his camera, clicking the buttons, making sure he it looks website worthy.
“Wait, Do a pose or something”
He frowns slightly “What’s wrong with it?”
“nothing!” He backtracks: “Actually, I lied. you look like you don’t wanna be here”
“I don’t”
he hums “I mean you could always try. Put your hand on your hip or something”
He looks even more mad:“I’m not doing that”
“A peace sign?” He negotiates. The spiky haired guy seems to contemplate it before reluctantly putting his right hand out, flashing a peace sign. Camera guy smiles.
“There, and- oh shoot give me a second” Something must be wrong with the camera the way he’s checking the settings. Could he be any slower?
“Please hurry. My arm’s getting a cramp.” Cameraguy hums non continually. He feels a slight static in his arms, numbing him from his fingers to his elbow. Discomfort aches In his skin. “Ah, sorry. Anyways smile!” He only stares deadpan In the camera but the guy strangely doesn’t seem to mind all that much. A few clicks and the camera’s snap mixed with a sharp chomp happen at once. “Shit!” Fushiguro hisses, throwing his right hand around just as a snake slithers. There’s a throbbing pain in his right wrist. He holds it with his left hand, trying to subdue the pain. The pink haired guy hurries over
“You good? what happened” “Fuck, I think something bit me” “Seriously?” He nods, slowly- but surely unlifting his left hand locked over his right-
Wow, it looks terrible. A medium shaped red blister shaped onto his wrist. He turns slightly to the guy next to him. His mouth is slightly agape-
“Yikes you might need to go to the hospital for that” Fushiguro rolls his eyes at the comment
“No shit Sherlock” a burst of pain shocks his wrist. He hisses through his teeth as he grabs his wrist. Was that karma for speaking before he thought? “Hold up! I got just the thing for this” he scrambles through his pockets, before finding a bandaid. He fiddles with the paper, it’s not ripping off easy. “Cmon, cmon” he whispers hurriedly. Fushiguro feels as if he’s about to tip over. Were the lights always this bright? “Got it!” He grabs the spikey hair guys wrist, before lightly putting the bandaid on the blister
The guy's hand is still latched onto his wrist, his thumb is directly over the bandaid, smoothing it over the blister even more. With his other hand, he went into his pocket. Taking out his phone
“What are you doing?” Fushiguro insists
“I’m googling what to do when you get bit by a spider.”
“Oh”
It should feel more awkward that a random guys holding his wrist, but the pain is distracting him more. And seriously could he type any slower?
The camera guy just stares at his phone for a few seconds, there’s a worried expression on his face
“What, what’s the search result?”
“Uhm…”
“Just spit it out!”
He feels exhausted even talking. Raising his voice took a toll on him.
“Ok, I don’t wanna freak you out. But Google said, well it’s not looking good for you. You might die”
“Oh.. ok”
The pink haired boy looks at him wide eyed “What do you mean ‘ok’ you’re going to die!” He’s rambling now “Do you need me to call an ambulance? I think this situation requires an ambulance right? Or do I tell the research lady? She’d know what to do right let’s go too-“
“I’m fine, I’m not going to die.”
“You don’t know-“
“Do you really think they’d let a group of 10-11 graders around spiders that are deadly poisonous? And even if they did, that lady said they’re actively researching these spiders as we’re walking these hallways. Meaning, they’d let open spiders around 15-17 year olds without proper confinement. Which would easily lead to a lawsuit. I’m not going to die.”
There’s a crease in his brows, he’s still not fully convinced.
Fushiguro sighs, “Even if it happened to be a poisonous spider, like an actual deadly one, don't you think I’d be dead before the conversation started? At most I’ll feel mild discomfort. If it gets worse I’ll just go to the doctor”
His lips are still pursed, he looks like he wants to say something but fights against it.
“…Alright, if you say so. Don’t worry if you fall over, I’ll catch you so you don’t hit your head or something,”
That’s really cheesy. The thought behind it is sweet, but still cheesy.
He finally snatches his wrist back from the other guy, he feels lightheaded and a but nauseous, but there’s no way it’ll get that bad, right?
“Yeah whatever, just hurry up so we don’t get lost without the group.”