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Chapter Text

PART I:

TRAPPED IN A NET OF NOSTALGIA

YEAR 2006

THE CLAMOROUS SOUND of a ball against the glassy floor was the first thing heard upon you waking up. Eyes flitted open and you groaned at the burning sunlight that traced your pupils, creeping through the windowpanes. You rolled to your side, not wanting to get up. It had been such a good sleep too. But the voices were getting louder by the second. What a headache. 

You pressed your palms against the cold metal of the bleachers and sat upright, suddenly greeted by the welcoming sight of Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguro. Not. 

They were currently all up on each other's faces in the middle of the court, bickering about God knows what. And where the hell was Shoko? She was gone from the proximity, leaving the responsibility all to you once again. Talk about messed up. 

You sprung from the bleachers and made your way to the guys, who were still caught up in their little world. They were arguing about some survival of the weakest and moral obligation and whatnot. Blah, blah, blah. You did not care. What you did care about though? Yaga was going to give you another earful for letting these fools go wild at each other again. 

They turned to you in synchronization. "Ah, sleeping beauty finally awakes," Gojo remarked. 

"Morning," Geto added, nodding. 

With that, they returned to their conversation, ignoring you entirely. 

"Hey!" you barked. "Stop yapping already. Both of you."

Gojo snapped his fingers as if he had gotten a lightbulb moment. He looked at you, eyes glimmering behind the shades. "Got it! Let's ask [Name] her opinion of the weak here, since she's basically weak herself."

"Hah?! Call me that one more time and I'll kill you." 

"Why don't you try?" The corner of his lips quirked up, only amused by your threat. 

"No. This is my fight." Geto raised his arm, pushing you back. A curse was summoned, floating in a hurl of smoke behind him, the air growing in tension. "Why don't we take this outside, Satoru?"

Gojo being Gojo, took upon the challenge immediately, lowering his head to reveal his infamous blue eyes. "You feeling lonely? Go by yourself."

As they were sizing each other up and your patience meter was reaching its limit, the doors of the gym swiped open. Blood ran cold and your shoulders quake. No. The black jumpsuit and beard were sometimes the height of your nightmares. Yaga-Sensei. It was too late by now. 

"How long are you going to keep fooling around?" he said, annoyed. Immediately, the two fools halted in their actions and pretended to be stretching. That was when Yaga's gaze landed on you. "[Surname]! Why did you not stop them?"

"Butbutbut-"

"No buts! Look at them! They're dimwits! What is so hard to control them?" He sighed and shook his head, ignoring Gojo's protests to being referred a dimwit. You wilted like a dried-up plant, bowing down in apology. Then you shot eye daggers at the pair, who only now seemed slightly ashamed of their doings. You brought your attention back on Yaga. He was scanning the rest of the empty building, even more annoyed by something else. "Where did Shoko go?"

"Who knows?" Gojo responded. "Bathroom maybe?"

"Whatever. This mission is assigned to you three anyway."

You raised your hand. "Can I switch with--"

"No."

You glanced over at Geto and Gojo, who looked just as done. 

The three of you eventually followed the man out of the gym, listening to the details of the new mission. There were two objectives: The Star Plasma Vessel for Tengen, which you and your partners would have to escort and then erase her. It was necessary for the future of Jujutsu High, including barriers and security. Which was why there needed to be a new vessel every 500 years, so that his cursed technique could restart. 

This was explained with the help of Geto Suguru, who seemed to know just about everything. You were now back in the classroom, sitting on a desk and swinging your legs in deep thought. 

Gojo nodded along absentmindedly. "I get it. It would be fine if he turned into MetalGraymon, but we can't have him becoming SkullGraymon. So we have him start from Koromon." 

Geto shot him a look of confusion. You, on the other hand, understood it a little better through simple terms and snapped your fingers together. "Evolution!"

"What? Yeah, sure, that works..." Geto decided to just go with it. 

"The Star Plasma Vessel's location has been leaked. Right now, there are two major groups after the young girl's life. One is the Curse User Group Q, which seeks to upend jujutsu society with Tengen's rampage. The other is the Star Religious Group, also known as the "Time Vessel Association" which worships Tengen as a God. Tengen will assimilate the Star Plasma Vessel two days from now. You are to protect the girl until then and ensure that she reaches Tengen! If you fail, the effects will ripple throughout even normal society!" With that, Yaga's details of the mission came to an end. No pressure at all...

You scratched your head in annoyance. Great. So you were up against a bunch of lunatics. But what was new? This little time crunch of two days was not helping either. No doubt, you were going to be running on no sleep. At least you were able to take a nap earlier today. 

You followed Gojo and Geto out of the classroom and outside. It was time for another visit to the cities. 

"I don't understand why Tengen wants me here too," you grumbled under your breath. 

"Aren't we all wondering that," Gojo dryly responded. "Maybe Tengen thinks the vessel needs a fellow female companion. She'd be too intimidated by my brilliance, of course."

"I see nothing here but a dimwit to babysit."

"Just him, not me," Geto added. 

Gojo blanched at the statement. "He said that about the both of us!" 

"So you admit to it," you said, smirking. 

He rolled his eyes, for once unable to retort. 

The familiar city of Tokyo showed up, the towering scrapers so unlike to the surroundings of Tokyo Jujutsu High. As always, Gojo's first stop once arriving had to be a vending machine. Swerving through ongoing traffic, you sighed and sat down on a nearby bench, ready for a second nap. "Get me a drink too," you told Gojo, who was eagerly pressing for a can of Coke. 

He upturned his nose, sniffing. "No."

"Satoru."

"You know the drill."

You scowled. "I'm not doing that here."

Geto shook his head. "You're making her kiss and beg at your feet again? I'll just pay for it, then."

Gojo raised a hand to stop him, eyes closed and in deep concentration. "Nuh uh uh. Don't ruin the fun. [Name], continue please."

You hopped on your feet and clasped your hands together, looking over at the dark-haired man. If he offered, why would you go through all that for stupid, sadist Gojo? "Suguru! Please..."

Eventually, mister glasses man submitted with a sigh, knowing this was going nowhere. It was somewhat surprising, knowing how much more stubborn he was than the rest. But perhaps, time was running out and you needed to get in position soon to retrieve the vessel. 

"Here." Gojo tossed you a drink, which you fumbled to get. Ah. It was your favorite. He knew you too well. He wasn't incapable of being somewhat nice, after all. 

It was back to business as you continued the journey to the complex in which the vessel supposedly lived in. Sipping your sweet drink and licking your lips, you tried not to overthink it. Of the risks. Of the failure. Of the consequences. Your eyes looked up at the gray, murky skies, wondering who this vessel was. To sacrifice yourself in such a way, you wouldn't be able to do it. Did that deem you a coward? More cowardly than this girl, that was for sure. 

"Yeah, but you know, I get why Curse User Q would be after her, but why would this Star Religious Group want to kill a brat?" Gojo's rambling filled the back of your mind, walking nonchalantly without a care. His arm hit you twice, to which you swatted at, wishing to just punch his cocky face. 

Geto's hunched figure was at the front, returning a response just as casual. "Their object of worship is the pure form of Tengen. Allowing the Star Plasma Vessel -- in their minds, an impurity -- to blend into him is unforgivable. Okay. Let's split up here. You two should check the proximity for enemies while I head up. Let's do a three way call for any updates."

That was so... Geto. So prepared to take action and to accommodate to any changes. Quiet and reserved, you could still remember the first day you met him. But the more you spent time with him during missions, the more you admired his sense of control in any situation. 

Geto noticed you staring at him, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "What is it, [Name]?"

"Nothing... I... Good luck."

He sent you a small smile, enough to warm the coldest of hearts. Truly, it wasn't so often he'd expressed emotions upon his face, keeping it stoic. So even a little change, it made a big difference. 

"Where's my good luck?" Gojo butted in, pointing at himself. 

"You don't need one."

Chapter Text

BEING TOLD SPECIAL since you were young, you couldn't seem to understand what that entailed exactly. Your innate ability was discovered at the young age of six and from then on, you were treated differently by everyone around you. Was it a good thing or a bad thing? You weren't sure. But this new discovery had somehow managed an onset of distance between your loved ones. Together and simultaneously, you were both more revered and alone than you had ever been. 

Celestial Technique. That was the name to your ability, labeled immediately to be a Special Grade. You didn't feel powerful necessarily -- really, you were like any other kid -- but they reminded you of it constantly, hammering it into your head. They reminded you through the tough training, through the scoldings, through the words of affirmations that you were the strongest. Their whispers became the shadows that never ceased to haunt you, forever living in the core of your heart. 

And because you were but a lost kid in this tough world, you simply accepted it. You accepted it because it was the only thing you knew how to do. 

They had trained you like a dog. One that grew to despise failure. 

Even now, failure was like the end of the world to you. Which was why you tended to overthink about it, gnawing at your lip away in anxiety. This only would fuel you up more -- this fear of failure. 

You slipped your phone into your pocket, realizing everything had set in motion. Judging from the call, both Geto and Gojo must've been confronted by enemies. But so were you. 

In the back alley of the complex, there stood a man in his mid-twenties, with rumpled blond hair and a goatee, pretty bulky with muscles lining the arms. Upon sensing your presence, he positioned himself into a fighting stance. But as you approached closer, his stance loosened, and a sneer painted his lips. "Are you lost, little lady? And here I thought I'd be able to deal with the one and only Gojo."

You raised your brows, feigning a look of hurt. "How harsh. Underestimating me already. You're that one Curse User W group?"

He bristled at your response. "It's Curse User Q! Not W!"

You blew a low whistle, amused by how easily provoked he was. "Oh, is that what it was? The obedient little dogs to the Religious Group, right?"

His gaze darkened, growing more infuriated by your mocking. "That's it. You're going to regret running your mouth once I'm done with you." Feet widening and returning to stance, he held up his fists, curse energy running through the course of his body. Quietly observing him for a moment, you realized his technique was based off wrestling. No matter. It shouldn't be too difficult. 

Not that your mind was clear of your doubts and worries. However easy it could be, you would jump to the worst possible conclusion. Even just a mistake or being careless could lead you to failure. 

You threw a small dagger into the air, the hilt of it spinning gracefully like a ballerina. Murmuring familiar words beneath your breath, your hands brimmed of curse energy. Falling and falling it so ever did. And when you snatched it, the curse energy poured and submerge, spreading like vines. At your touch, the weapon also grew in size and length, to stretch out into a majestic looking sword. See-through and translucent, it reflected blues and purples in an intoxicating aura. 

The man before you spewed out laughter, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Is that... a halo? What are you, an angel?"

You glanced upward, the golden, gleaming ring beaming unnaturally bright. It encompassed over your head every time you brought out your sword, which you actually used to be quite embarrassed by. You hated the halo, believing it was too extra and cringy, however, you found out its use. It had saved you from certain situations when you were trapped in a pickle, so for anyone to ridicule it, it became a sensitive topic. 

"Should I just have Eriku strangle you to death?" you suggested calmly. 

"You named it?!" He laughed even harder. 

Your grip on your sword tightened, the gleam of it glowing brighter. "I hate hypocritical men like you. You're fine with naming your future child, yes? Why name such a useless thing? At least Eriku has some sort of use to discard trash like you."

"You--!" 

He sprang into action, jumping on top of the large garbage bin and ready to pummel you to death. Just as he was about to make contact, you swerved, swinging back your weapon. With one spin, the flat end roughly jammed to his side, sending him to the other end, making him collide against a building. Through collapsing dust and brick, he pulled himself upward, tumbling in the air. He eyed your sword uneasily, suddenly realizing the sheer force of it. From that one swipe, he was already hurt. 

"Shit. I shouldn't make too much of a mess," you sighed. 

He really wanted to pummel your nonchalant face to the ground. 

This time, he stayed low. You stood there for a moment, irises following his every trail. He was pretty fast, but he really was not anything worthwhile, for all he was spewing. You should just end it here and now and get back to Gojo and Geto. They should have been able to retrieve the vessel by now, right? From your current enemy, you weren't expecting the other two to have that much trouble either. Was it foolish or promising to hope that this mission would be an easy one? 

You let the man tackle you to the ground, to give him the illusion and make him drop his guard. Your head turned as he tried to punch you and that was when you summoned Eriku. With a jab from the hilt of your sword to where it was most painful for the male, he keeled over and loosened his grip on you. You rolled over and shot your hand out. The halo followed your aim immediately, the disc split in half for a moment. The moment it reached him, the split opened halo snapped back together, circling around the tender skins of his neck. 

It chained him down against the wall of the building, tightening to choke him. It truly was a painful way to go. His face was purpling and with each and every second, he was losing oxygen. His fingers attempted to pull the halo off, but it was fruitless. Depending on your hand, you were able to control how tight the halo coiled around him. 

"W-Wait! P-Please," he heaved out, barely managing the spare words out. 

To his surprise, you actually loosened it. His gasps filled the air, drinking it like he would suffocate to death without it. Oh wait. He would die. 

Of course, your reasoning to keep him alive now was not for good moral judgement. You weren't that type of person -- not some angelic person with merciful qualities. Your upbringing was to be blamed for that one. 

"You wanted to meet your idol Gojo Satoru, yeah?" Your lips curled up into a psychotic smile, eyes growing wide. Blood drained from his face, the gears spinning in his head. "Your wish shall be my command."

When you found Gojo Satoru, you stopped dead in your tracks. He was whipping his phone out to take a selfie with the defeated enemy behind him. You facepalmed and let out a sigh, loud enough for him to hear you. "You fucking weirdo."

Without looking at you, he was busily typing something on his keypad. "Suguru needed evidence. And look who's talking."

He finally glanced up, grinning at the captured man that was your defeated enemy. 

Your halo technique was tight enough to keep the man from screaming, but not too tight to kill him. At the moment, he was pretty obedient though, possibly shocked to see his companion knocked out on the ground. His eyes were glued to the dead man, horrified. "He's a fan of yours," you explained. "So I brought him to you."

Gojo's eyes flickered in amusement, his canines baring. "Is that so? You lunatic."

You blew at your nails and shrugged. "He was pissing me off, underestimating me and stuff."

Your partner stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking up to the captured man. "You should know..." Gojo whispered into his ear. "Only I get to underestimate [Name]." 

To say the least, Gojo dealt with him easily with his tremendous power. It was beautiful but it was also terrifying -- something you could never get tired of. But watching him, it brought you satisfaction like never before, quenching the hunger that yearned for more. It quenched the loneliness within you, because to see his art, it revealed his own life. The life he dealt with a hand of cards... that was just as lonely. And so was Geto Suguru's. 

You gave him an applause, to which he delicately bowed at, white hair flopping over his forehead. 

The two enemies laid there, side by side. 

"Should we take a picture with both of our enemies?" Gojo suggested, wiggling his brows in excitement. 

"Seriously... so weird," you muttered under your breath. 

However so, you begrudgingly joined the picture. 

A picture with you and Gojo smiling in the picture with peace signs, with two dead bodies in the back. How hilariously morbid. 

Beep! Picture sent to Geto Suguru. 

Chapter Text

THE STAR PLASMA VESSEL was a young girl not any older than fourteen. That, you knew from the beginning of the mission, but to finally see her up close and personal, it somehow turned everything more... real? The girl was unconscious, her lightweighted body held by Gojo Satoru. She was still in her school uniform -- not even a high schooler's uniform, rather a middle schooler's uniform. How young. There was still a whole life ahead of her, that would soon be taken away. 

You neared the girl, Amanai Riko, indefinitely, hovering around like an annoying fly. Slowly, your fingers cautiously fixed at her dark blue bangs, a gentle look overtaking you. Some type of instinct was kicking in -- was it pity, concern, sadness? But who were you to feel this way when you killed your enemies without a second thought? Had them stripped of their own years? 

You liked to pick and choose, didn't you? 

Was it to make yourself feel better about yourself? More empathetic? More humane? 

Gojo watched you intently, his gaze still strong despite his shades. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," you said hurriedly, stepping back. 

He obviously knew it was not nothing, brows raising ever so slowly. However, he knew there was no point in pushing it, as you could be just as stubborn at times. "Should we get her a doctor?" 

Geto nodded, on the other side of the room. "I wish I could use reverse cursed energy like Shoko."

"Yeah, that's impossible. I can't understand a word she says about it."

"Maybe because you guys are dimwits," you added, shrugging. "She should teach me next time instead."

Gojo made a face. "You're never going to stop bringing that up, huh."

"Well, someone's gotta give a run of their money."

Before anyone could speak again, a movement had caught your attention. It was the vessel. She was stirring awake, eyes slowly opening up, bewilderment to her expression. Her deep blue irises scanned around the room, looking at Geto, then you, and then eventually to the one currently carrying her -- Gojo. 

Gojo realized the same thing. "You're awake."

In the next beat of a second you wished you could've captured it to frame it forever. The girl, with a start, whipped out her hand and landed a sweet, solid slap across Gojo's face. It was hard enough you could see his spit flying and rims shaking. You stared with a slackened jaw, laughter tickling the depths of your stomach. This was show-stopping! Oh, to witness this once in a lifetime, after all those moments of you praying to punch this rat of a man. You were no longer going to complain about being put on this mission. The only shame here was that it wasn't you who had landed the slap but a fourteen-year-old girl. 

Amanai Riko jumped out from his arms and got into a defensive stance. "You scum! If you want to kill me, you'll be the one to die first!"

You wiped your tears away from laughing too hard. Gojo, pissed off by the girl, shot you a glare as well. "Not... helping," he seethed, cradling his slapped cheek with a hand. He went on to mumble something under his breath about teaching the brat a lesson. 

Geto, being the oh-so-mature one, stood beside Gojo with a gentle smile. "Riko, calm down. We're not with the group that attacked you."

That did everything but calm her. "Liar! You have the face of a liar! Your bangs are weird too!"

Oh dear. Geto was not so mature after all. His bangs should not be taken lightly. 

As if Geto and Gojo were synced body and mind, the two of them approached the poor girl, ready to pounce like lions. Geto grabbed her arms while Gojo grabbed her legs, lifting her up horizontally into the air, ignoring her helpless cries. They started to twist her limbs, turning her into a churro. "WAHHH! This is disrespectful!" she yelled out repeatedly. You watched from the sidelines, taking a sip of tea that Geto made earlier. 

"Does it make you guys proud to bully a little girl?" you voiced, smiling smugly. 

"The brat made fun of my hair," said Geto, pulling at the girl like it was a daily occurrence for him. 

"And are you proud to be a bystander? You're not stopping us," Gojo pointed out.

You yawned, wishing you could just take a nap. "Not cleaning your guys' mess again."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing the woman from earlier, who happened to be Riko's maid. She was shocked at the commotion, surprised to see the girl already being hassled. "P-Please stop it!" 

Amanai Riko recognized her immediately. "Kuroi!"

The two troublemakers released her, and she fell to the floor. But with the appearance of Kuroi, someone who she could trust, she could finally be convinced. 

Kuroi went to quickly explain. "Young lady, these three are our allies. 

Amanai was more focused on the creature that Kuroi was on. "Kuroi... what are you riding on?"

"This is thanks to Bangs Guy's technique."

Geto was not amused. "Can you please not call me that?"

You stifled another giggle, softly jabbing your elbow to his side. Today was truly your lucky day. "If anything, I like your bangs. It's cute," you whispered to him. 

He blinked at you, quite surprised by your close proximity and compliment. Cute? He could almost take more offense to this than anything said previously. But it came from you and because it was you over anyone else, he accepted it. 

With a conscious swipe of his hair, he explained Curse Manipulation to the newcomers. 

Gojo, lounging on the couch, glanced over his shoulder. "This brat is more aggressive than I expected. I was trying to figure out how to be considerate, thinking she'd be more sentimental about the assimilation thing."

He wasn't wrong. She sure had a lot of energy for someone who was going to be erased soon. 

"Hmph! A commoner's way of thinking! Tengen is me, and I am Tengen! Some might mistake assimilation for death, as you do, but there's a big difference! I might become Tengen through the assimilation, but Tengen will also become me! My will! My heart! My soul will continue to live on after the assimilation!"

Her long speech was quite unnecessary, but it also gave you a strange relief. Was this her way of dealing... no, coping for the future? The fact that she served a purpose in this and was important for the nature of the world, she took solace in that. It was courageous though. Something you would never do. Your chest tightened, the air around you hard to breathe as if your own halo had come to attack you. 

You were jealous of a little girl who knew her purpose more than you ever did. All you knew best was following instructions. Like a damned dog. 

Geto and Gojo were blatantly not listening, talking about their new home screens. 

Amanai was majorly embarrassed by this, her face flushed red. "Listen to me!"

You went over to her and ruffled her hair. "I'm listening."

She blinked at you for a moment. And then a heartbeat later. "Not you."

You nearly choked on your spit. The audacity of kids these days! You peered over at the pair on the couch, praising the gods to see them too absorbed in their conversation to witness your humiliation. 

"Where's the women solidarity, huh?" you questioned her, squinting in scrutinization. "Anyway, I'm [Surname] [Name], feel free to treat me as your older sister for the next two days..."

"Don't trust her. [Name]'s always wanted to be an older sister! It's creepy!" Gojo hollered from out of nowhere. 

"Shut up, loser! Says you, you're the creepiest perv!" you hissed. You turned back to Amanai Riko with a bright smile. "So, as I was saying..."

The girl sighed like you were some vermin beneath her feet. "I have Kuroi for a reason."

Gojo commented, "I bet you don't have many friends if you talk like that." 

"We won't have to feel bad sending you off," snickered Geto. 

They kept on fueling the fire, ruining your chances of making peace. You stood there in the midst of storm, wondering and hoping and wishing. Something clicked in your mind. You, Geto, and Gojo were the last the Riko girl would see before her assimilation. 

After this, she would never return to her normal life -- of friends, of family, of loved ones. 

You wouldn't know what normal was. You never had normal. You witnessed it all around you, but you never experienced normal yourself. 

So at least she didn't have to live her fourteen years of life being deemed special, training until her limbs were close to broken, and avoiding death by a hair strand. 

"School!" Amanai Riko exclaimed suddenly. 

School. She wanted to witness school one last time. And maybe... just maybe... so did you. One last taste of normal school, the place where you could at least pretend to be normal all those years ago. 

Chapter Text

RATHER THAN GUARDING Amanai Riko at her side, you were outside of the building and at the unusable swimming pool. The girl did not want any of you showing your faces around her classmates. To say the least, you were sulking at the fact, sitting down with a scowl. You weren't the only one annoyed; Gojo was on the phone with Yaga-Sensei, trying to argue with him. His leg flew out at the waters, spraying it upward in galore. 

Well, the man would not budge. Tengen's decision overrode everything else, after all. 

"Lax upbringing at its finest," Gojo said, getting off the phone call. You and Geto exchanged glances. If anything, it was Geto who was the only one fine without staying by the vessel's side. 

"Don't be like that, Satoru," Geto eventually responded. "Despite what she may say, after the assimilation, she'll spend her whole life as Tengen in the deepest floor of Jujutsu High, as the foundation of all barriers. She won't be able to see her friends, family, or anyone precious to her ever again. Let her do what she wants. That's part of our mission."

Your eyes widened, staring at the dark head for a moment. Geto had said everything you were thinking about previously, where your lungs both wracked in guilt and jealousy alive. He had made a solid point, one that could not be denied. Though she was indeed quite the brat, perhaps letting enjoy her last moments however she may liked was best. Having three whack sorcerers floating around all the time sounded quite suffocating. Even you could admit to that. 

Geto was understanding in a way you envied almost. He was quite selfless, more than you and Gojo. For him, it was like second nature. And to you, it pulled you towards him like a magnet, an inkling of curiosity and astoundment. How... How could you be more like him? Was that possible? Was it possible when all of these ugly feelings erupt within you in a way you could not even comprehend? Somehow, Geto was still the light, despite the curses that weighed and burdened him -- despite the missions, the training, the never-ending cycle of exorcising spawns.  

Kuroi, Amanai's maid, who was sitting a few feet from you, suddenly spoke up. The three of you turned your attention upon her. "Riko has no family. They were in an accident when she was little. I've taken care of her ever since then. So I want her to at least have what time she can with her friends."

"So you're her family, then," Geto said. He smiled, warmly like the sun, his eyes closing. A breath caught in your throat, heart skipping a beat for a moment there. So genuine and kind, you could feel his words like an embrace on a cold day. 

"Yes," Kuroi uttered, cheeks red and eyes ready to tear up. 

He always knew what to say. 

You wished he would smile at you like that. And say words like that to you. 

It would comfort you the most. Rid you of your worries. Save you from the demons. 

Meanwhile, Gojo Satoru stood there blankly, unable to say anything. You nearly made a face at him, wishing to rub it in -- however, it wasn't like you were any better. Small and wide and everything in between, you were sometimes more similar to Gojo than you would like to think. 

He scratched his head and sighed, ready to move on. "Suguru. How're the cursed spirits you sent to watch over her?" His arm leaned over Geto's shoulder. 

"I just wish I could share I could share my senses with them like Mei does. Even so, they'll let us know as soon as anything unusual happens."

 He seemed to have jinxed himself. 

"Satoru. [Name]. Hurry to Riko's side. Two have been exorcised."

Your ears perked and your face brightened. Okay, yes, it was a bad sign that danger was lurking so close to Amanai, but you couldn't help it. Finally! To get a quick glimpse of the remnant memories of your middle school days. And this was why you were selfish. Desires clouded your judgement, but so would your ego. It was not a good mix. 

"Why are you so happy to go to a middle school? Creep..." Gojo Satoru flicked your forehead, surprised when you didn't lose your cool and only rolled your eyes. 

"You wouldn't get it."

An eyebrow rose, his blue eyes behind the specks befuddled. There was a sparkle in your gaze, a melancholic jilt to your lips. You were right. Perhaps he wouldn't get it. Not when abnormal was his entire life. 

The group of four ran into the building, passing by hallways and classroom. Your eyes filled with nostalgia, taking it all in without regrets. From the light dust in the air to the narrow of the halls, it was vaguely similar... vaguely different. The clock worked backwards, spinning to motion. 

There were days when you walked in such similar hallways, arms linked with your friends. The jokes that were tossed around, the laughter, the gossip about the meanest teachers, and the complaints of mundane life... that was once your life. You thought you treasured it enough to not take it for granted, but clearly you did. 

Where were these friends of yours now? Were they still friends with each other, in high school and cackling away? Did they remember you or were you forgotten, a ghost in their minds? 

You smiled bittersweetly, turning away from the classrooms. 

You had to move on. 

Kuroi was listing out Amanai's class schedule. You were not paying attention, but at least Geto was. 

"Satoru, take the chapel. Kuroi, take the music room. [Name], take the practice rooms. I'll take the unknowns," he told everyone.

That was when you split from the rest of the team, running around the corner. 

So you ran and ran and ran, holding on dearly to reality. This was the closure you needed from your past and it was going to remain that way. 

With the tremble in your heart and a note on the tip of your tongue, you pushed at the doors ahead of you. It revealed an individual practice room, with a lone piano at the center. It was dark, the windows shadowed by curtains. You squinted and looked around, before nearly yelping when you spotted a presence. 

It was a young girl, even younger than Amanai Riko, by the looks of it. Her face was shrouded with dark hair like a terrifying mop and large rimmed glasses sat atop the bridge of her nose. Curled up there in the corner of the room, she sobbed dreadfully. You then noticed a low-graded curse that seemed to linger around her. 

"Who are you?" From your footsteps, she lifted her head. "Are you the angel of death, here to take me away? If so, I accept." Her arms stretched out in surrender. 

You blinked at her. "Does it look like I'm an angel of death to you?!"

"You should be one," she groaned, burying her head into her arms again. 

"I'm good..." You glared at the curse that started making an odd sound. "What are you crying about, anyway?"

"No one here likes me. I'm a loner. They bully me too. I just want to... make friends."

You stopped short at those words, remorse spreading through your system. Middle school days were harsh -- not a simple walk in the park. Classmates were mean and with your body going through puberty, it somehow turned every situation ten times worse. It was difficult and despite your romanticization of it now, there were rough patches. On the other hand, you were mentally seething that she was crying over something so small. Your anger for your own life was seeping into comparisons and frustrations. This little girl in front of you was crying for a life you would kill to have. 

But you have killed. Kill all you want, but you would never get the life you dreamed of. 

You wished you were like Gojo, who never had a taste of normal life. If only you never did. There was no use yearning for something so pointless. 

"That's because you're cursed," you said to the girl bluntly. 

"Why would you say that?!" She was close to bursting to tears once more. 

"I mean, it's true."

"What...?"

"Do you want me to remove the curse? I can remove it."

"Will I be able to make friends after?"

"Certainly... Maybe... Well, it can only do so much. It will be up to you at the end of the day. If you're just a loser who can't make friends even without being cursed, then I don't know what to tell you." You gave her a nonchalant shrug. 

"I... want to give it a try."

You smirked, tilting your head to the side. "What's in it for me?"

She was confused. "For you?"

"Yeah. I can't just remove this curse without getting in return. That wouldn't be fair, would it?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I don't have... anything."

"Then that's too bad."

On the way out, you blew out sparks of curse energy from your palm, its light dancing throughout the room. They landed directly on the curse, working immediately to exorcist it. The girl would not notice it just yet, but soon enough, it would take in effect. 

Her life was back on track, back to normal. She would have friends, experience life to the fullest, and grow into herself as a person. 

You were not genuinely happy at that idea. But you saved her anyway. 

After all, you were but a lowly sorcerer. 

Chapter Text

HANGING UPSIDE DOWN on the ceiling was a presence that pricked at your conscious. Without even glancing up, you could already tell it was an enemy. You held back the sigh, wondering why the universe was so against you. Fine, you had to deal with them quick and then go find Amanai Riko. 

"Come down for a chat, why don't you?" you said, halting in your steps. 

He giggled. "Didn't think you'd notice me."

"Oh, I noticed you, alright."

You spun around and he slid downward, hanging on a makeshift string of web. Okay gross, no wonder it pricked your conscious. His ability was spider-like and he went out of the way to dress the part. His scaly, long white hair drooped past his shoulders and his red eyes stared at you creepily. When he smiled, fangs glimmered menacingly. His black-on-black outfit seemed to have a weird, furry texture, contrasting to a tarantula's hide. 

Great. You were quite the arachnophobe. 

Webs blasted out towards you immediately and you quickly jumped out of the way, scrunching your nose in disgust. With that, you hurried outside, preparing to pull out your dagger. To keep it inconspicuous, you had used your cursed energy to turn it into a necklace that hung around your neck. Yanking it off, you threw the tiny necklace upward, summoning a current of energy from within. The enemy had followed, no longer hanging on the ceiling but standing on the ground. 

"Bro, you're such a sore sight," you murmured. You glanced at the sword in your hand, beautifully radiant under the sun. To be honest, you didn't want to get that close to him, for your fear and paranoia was washing over you. Your hair was rising on the nape of your neck, the immediate response to whenever you dealt with spiders. This... was going to be more of a hassle than usual, simply because of it. 

"You mean a sight for sore eyes?"

"...No."

Unbothered by your words, he shrugged. "I think you've just revealed your weakness."

He stretched his arms out as if conducting a symphony. Black little creatures crawled out from his torso, spreading to his fingertips where his cursed energy webs laid ready. Of course, those little creatures were none other than spiders. 

Oh hell naw. What kind of psychopath kept spiders on their body? It was already bad enough with his web ability, but who would have thought he brought living spiders with?

You grinned nervously, wiping your sweat sheened forehead with the back of your hand. "Actually, you know what? It was really nice meeting you, but it looks like I have to get going now--"

"You're not going anywhere."

Webs with spiders shot out from his tips like bullets, spraying through the air. At the last second, you swung your sword using the flat side to return the favor back. Fine! Fine. If it was going to be this way, you were going to destroy him fast, without any of his little pets touching you. 

You started running, dodging his new spider bullets and aiming to get closer to him. It was difficult though. He noticed your motive and was ensuring a good distance between the two of you. To get closer to him, you would need to stop wasting so much of your energy evading the spiders. Dammit. 

Your sword started to slash at the oncoming spider balls. At a time interval before the next one, you pressed the hilt of the weapon on the ground, pushing it back to propel you forward. The muscles of your arms rippled, and then you soared into the air, hurling over and to the enemy. Unfortunately, the enemy had a sense about your sword, instantly backing up to avoid its currents. Your sword struck the earth, planes of light shooting outward. A tree was in the way, its branches seared off. And it could have been him if he hadn't moved out of the way. 

"That's part of my celestial technique," you told him, who blinked at you in shock. "With enough force and pressure, the cursed energy contained within my weapon can be unleashed and light spreads. It can lead to explosions as well... but, that's currently a work in progress. What do you think?"

He didn't respond, so you went to pull out your sword from the large crack you created. Shit. It wouldn't budge. As you struggled to get it out, he took the chance to attack you. Although at the last second you managed to free your sword, you didn't have time to defend yourself. 

The web spun around your figure, leaving you toppling to the ground. 

"Noooo!" you wailed, feeling the creepy crawlies upon you. This was your worst nightmare. Your absolute nightmare. You didn't get paid enough for this... Hell! You didn't get paid at all. What kind of torturous, free, child labor was this? 

The man dug his heel on you, grinning into your face. "You see, spiders are beneficial for society."

"Does it look like I care? If they're so beneficial, why are they so freakishly ugly and creepy?"

He simply sighed, unable to get a rise out of, unlike your previous enemy. "Embrace them. After all, you get the honor to be their new nest."

Hell as if you would ever let that happen. Over your dead body. 

Conjuring up more cursed energy, you released it all at once, breaking out of the webs he created. With your strength plus your wealthy amount of cursed energy, it was quite easy to escape the entrapment. It was only your hesitation in dealing with your paranoia that made it trickier than necessary. 

Brushing the pests off from your shoulders, you shuddered, icked out by the feeling of too many legs. You then turned on a terrified enemy, wasting no time to swing the sword. Flung into the distance, he crashed into the seared tree, blacked out instantly. As your attention diverted in that direction, you noticed another presence hiding in the tree. Swinging his legs and sitting on the other end of the branches, was a familiar face. 

"Suguru!" You hurried over to him as he gracefully leapt to the ground. "Were you watching the whole thing?"

His smile said everything, and your face grew hot in embarrassment. "You gave me quite a show."

You then realized something, embarrassment fading. "Hey! Why didn't you help me? You know how much I hate spiders! You should have gotten rid of him for me."

Geto shook his head, used to your antics by now. "The amount of times I had to get rid of your spiders, [Name]. You needed to face your fear."

"Okay... well, fuck you, that only increased my fear," you grumbled. "And fuck Jujutsu High too. Why is our school literally in a forest? No wonder there are so many of them everywhere."

Geto Suguru ignored your complaints, a deaf ear learned from the past. He beckoned with his head, expression growing serious. "Come on, let's go find Satoru. I'm not sure if he's found Riko yet."

Your brows rose, as you nearly forgotten your main objective for today. Nodding obediently, you followed Geto's lead, returning to the school's proximity. While in the midst of your journey, the man in front of you stopped short, nearly causing you to bump into him. 

"What's wrong?" you asked. 

Geto paled, scanning the surroundings in silence. "Kuroi's not here."

"Uh... who's Kuroi?"

He gave you an incredulous look. "Riko's maid."

"Oh yeah..."

He rubbed at the crook between his brows, closing his eyes shut. "She told me to go find Riko. I shouldn't have left her."

Clearly stressed and guilty, he was hard on himself again. Well, that was a given. The three of you were always hard on yourselves, standards set high and mistakes unforgivable. But you wanted to remind him. Even if you could not remind yourself, you wanted him to know that it was going to be okay. Or if it wasn't always okay, the three of you were still together. 

You stepped up beside him, your fingers pulling gently at the sleeve of his school uniform. "Hey, we'll find her. They shouldn't have gotten far. But let's recoup with Satoru first, yeah?"

His gaze looked at you, grateful for your assuring words. You were there to ground him, preventing him from floating out to the merciless seas. It was a blockage from his darkest thoughts, keeping them from drowning him and eating him alive. Truly. He didn't know what he'd do without your presence. This stable foundation he found within you was something he would never trade anything in the world for. That was how grateful he was. 

"Oh. Satoru's going to give you quite the scolding, huh," you said. 

He squinted at you. "Thanks. Very helpful of you to state that."

"You're welcome."

Chapter Text

YOUR HANDS BRUSHED together, wiping away nonexistent dust and debris. The last of your enemies were defeated, so you headed over to the other room, where Gojo had found Kuroi. The Star Religious Group turned out to be the ones who took her, but that was a good thing for you. It became quite the easy mission and well... now, you were somehow in Okinawa. 

Okinawa! Okinawa! Okinawa! You had been wanting to come here for a while now, yet never had the time. This was your only opportunity and you had to seize it, if it was the last thing you'd do. While Amanai Riko tackled Kuroi Misato in a hug, tearfully reunited, your eyes shone of sparkles. They were aimed at Geto and Gojo. 

"Let's go sightseeing!" you huffed out, waving your arms up in the air. 

Geto shot you a pointed look immediately, one that said not the time and place. "Our mission is priority. We need to get Amanai to safety as soon as possible. We already got sidetracked enou--"

Amanai Riko overheard your conversation and shook her head. "I want to stay for a bit! Please!"

Gojo nodded thoughtfully. "I don't see why we can't spare some time looking around. We don't exactly have the means of getting back yet. Let's take our time."

You stuck your tongue out at Geto in triumphant, who rolled his eyes. "Okay! That's plan."

The group began filing out of the sterile room and leaving the building. The world was suddenly replaced by warm sunlight, with a slight breeze in the air. There was nothing more you'd like to do than stay here forever, ridden of your worries and responsibilities.

As you led the others toward the beach, you watched the mundane life of the residents here. An elderly woman was selling fish, a kid was riding his bicycle weaving through the lanes recklessly, a couple was enjoying their day off together. There it was again. A tug in your heart to the reminder that you were not the same. And that you would never be the same. For some reason, it was such a hard concept for you to accept. But you had to remember... this was what you protected. The beauty and livelihood of mundane realities. 

Drive and purpose were interwoven. If this was what kept pushing you even for one more day, then that was enough. 

Somebody elbowed at your torso lightly. You whisked your head to the side, to see it was Geto. "You're a bad influence," he stated, side-eyeing you. 

"I know you're secretly enjoying this. Loosen up, loser. You're the one who got us into this predicament in the first place."

He closed his eyes and shrugged. "You got me there."

"Besides... wouldn't it be nice for Amanai to experience Okinawa before it all ends? Her last memories should be happy and beautiful."

"You care about her more than I would have expected."

Your cheeks warmed in embarrassment, and you shoved him away. "Wha-! I don't care about her! This is for my own benefit." 

He simply smiled, the corners of his lips uplifting in a knowing way. So annoying. Geto was annoying and always read between the lines of your words a little too well. Ugh. But what did it matter? So what if you felt a little bad for the brat? Didn't you all? 

"Amanai!" you called over your shoulder. "You want ice cream? My treat."

She lit up, the blues of her eyes brightening like the waves of the ocean. What was it like? To live a mundane life and have it taken away so soon? That was something only Amanai Riko could bear witness to. 

"What about me?" Gojo said, frowning. 

You scrunched your nose haughtily. "Get your own."

The three of you scrambled to the stall, where a young girl was selling ice cream. Amanai looked through the options thoroughly, weighing them in fair fight. Eventually, she made her decision. Just as you were slowly easing to the idea that you and this girl was getting along, she ordered three different ice creams for herself. 

"Hey! You ungrateful brat! Get back here!" you barked at the outline of her shrinking back. 

Gojo snickered and you whirled around, wielding a sweet smile. Looking over at the confused girl selling the ice cream, you told her your order. "Can I get this one, please?" 

You took the popsicle in your hand. "Also, this gentleman here is paying for us." With a quick point to a startled Gojo, you let out a cackle and bolted out of there. Oh, that was too good. The look on his face was priceless! And he deserved it, for laughing at your noble causes. 

As you chased down Amanai, Gojo chased down you. From the spring in your steps and the flailing of your arms, he watched you in the distance. He watched you eagerly and he watched you senselessly, a predator towards its prey, a tempting itch in his movements. There was something so contrasting about you here in Okinawa, more alive and wonderous that had broken past your hardened shell. To be observing it, came a lump in his throat. 

To you, being chased by Gojo was a thrilling game. Because at the end of the day, you knew you could never win against him. If you won, you would know it wasn't because you actually won, but because he let you win. 

Your legs pushed the ground like an elegant gazelle, running through the fields. And as always, he caught up eventually. 

His fingers tickled your forearm before he pulled you back fully. You looked back, confused when he didn't turn you inside out for your money. Instead, he was staring at you, blinking with uncertainty behind his shades, frozen in place. 

You thought his frazzled white hair was so boyish under the light. 

"What?" you asked him. 

"... Nothing."

He didn't take your money. You didn't ask him why. 

Despite being sidetracked every so often, the group finally reached the beach. The scene came right out of your dreams. The golden sand stretched past the horizons on either end, warm to bask in. The ocean blue was greater in comparison, waves rushing onto the shore like a beastly entity. Seagulls flew in the skies, calling out its cries. This was natural, serene, and alluring. It almost gave you hope, an inkling of feeling that you could do anything possible. That at the end of this tunnel, there would be light and a happy ending. 

You all stripped to your bathing suits and while Geto and Kuroi chilled on the shore, you wasted no time getting into the water with the other two. 

It cooled and grazed your skin at its touch, a remedy to melt your stress away. 

You submerged yourself fully, coming up with your hair slicked back wet. Grinning at the feeling, you splashed the waters onto Gojo, who returned the gesture. 

Amanai Riko, who was taking her sweet time getting into the water, was still on the shore. She was reluctant with the cold, shivering when her toes dipped into it. You and Gojo exchanged a mischievous look, sharing one simple brain cell. 

The two of you cornered her like a rat, ignoring her yapping and pleas. Yes, you were trying to be the bigger person when first meeting her, but upon some... inspection, you supposed bullying her a little was needed to keep her in check. You were unfortunately too petty to let things go. 

You and Gojo forcefully carried her into the water, dropping her in mercilessly. "How dare you?!" she screamed, popping up into the waters, shivering drastically. Then she stopped, surprised. "Oh, it's not too bad."

The teasing ensued, the grin on your face widening by the moment. 

These were the days where you realized it wasn't all bad. That it could be worth it. 

You laid down on your back, allowing yourself to float with the sea. For once, you released the control within yourself, that was a burdened tension that followed you wherever you went. It was always so difficult not to be in control, but that was how you were raised. To control was to enlighten more power. To lose that control would mean to lose that power to other people. 

As clear as day, you could still remember how difficult it had been to disclose your weaknesses to Gojo and Geto for a mission. It was too vulnerable, and it struck a nerve. It struck a nerve so bad you ran off and hid in the forest near the school. You had become ashamed -- ashamed that you would admit anything like that or that you even allowed yourself to have weaknesses. It was only when Gojo and Geto found you and revealed their own weaknesses as well as some fears that you would return. 

You didn't deem them weak. Through their flaws and all, they were not weak. They were just human. For that, you needed to give yourself some grace as well. 

You returned to the shore, where Geto was sitting there alone. Plopping down beside him, you made yourself comfortable. 

"What were you and Kuroi talking about?" you asked him. 

"Some logistics stuff," he told you. 

"Boo. Boring."

Your head leaned on his shoulder, and he looked down at you. "You're wet."

"Well, you should've swam with us."

"I'm good..." You pulled away and rolled your eyes. Kuroi had returned, with a cup of water in her hand, most likely for Amanai. Geto's focus redirected towards the sea. "Satoru! It's time."

Time?! You dropped your jaw, so evidently disappointed. 

"Oh, it's that time, already?" he responded, pausing in his ruthless teasing on Amanai. However, both you and him noticed the way the girl was pouting sadly. "Suguru, let's head back tomorrow morning instead."

You supposed he was on the same boat when it came with Amanai Riko. 

As Kuroi tended to Amanai, the three of you spoke more privately. "Satoru. You haven't released your technique since yesterday, have you? You haven't slept either. And you don't plan to sleep tonight, do you? Are you sure we don't need to go back to Jujutsu High?" Geto pointed out, concerned. 

Gojo fist bumped Geto's chest in assurance. "It's not a problem."

That was true. The three of you were all sleep deprived and worn out, little by little. But you placed your trust in them. Failure was not an option when it came to these two. Nor was it for you. 

Chapter Text

KURIOSHI SEA. In the aquarium and surrounded by fish, it was as if you were transported to a new world. The blue glow of the environment left it feeling personal and somber. There had been a flip of a switch to Amanai Riko's mood upon coming down here from earlier. Earlier, when you all had been canoeing and eating food, she was delightful and all in. And now, as the minutes ticked by, there was a dawning realization in her. And you could tell easily. Because it was like looking at a mirror. 

She had excused herself from the group, wishing to be alone for the moment. While Gojo and Geto were left to scan the proximity for any signs of risk, you offered to watch her from the shadows. So you did, trailing behind her and observing her. 

In her white dress and her hands behind her back, she gracefully crossed the room, following in step with the large fish behind the glass. The lights reflected throughout the room, in its vibrant swaying color, a serenity of bliss. Amanai's blue eyes, so aligned with the waters, never pulled away from the sea animals. They watched intently the nature's desire, of the school of fish, and of the critters on the floor. 

Yet she simply stood there. Grounded in place, locked at the feet, clipped of her wings of freedom. Like the fish, she was trapped in the tank. Like the fish, she had to fulfill her duty. 

Just as you were about to step forward, a hand grabbed your shoulder from behind. You looked back, startled, to see that Gojo and Geto had showed up. Gojo slowly released his grip on you but continued to shake his head. 

"Let her have her time." He stuffed his hands in his trousers, glancing over at the girl. 

"I just want to talk to her for a bit."

"Do you think anything you say to her will make her feel better? It doesn't change the outcome of her fate," Gojo said. 

"It's better than having her drowning in her own thoughts," you argued. "Maybe you wouldn't know what to say, but I... I can relate to her to some extent. She doesn't have to be alone through this."

Without waiting for a response, you headed off and made your way towards the girl. Using light, gentle footsteps, you stood beside her, not looking at her but at the large tank wall of fish instead. It was even more majestic up close, from their size to their details. It also felt like you were actually underwater, submerged and swimming alongside them. 

"Amanai..."

"You can call me Riko."

You finally looked over, shocked by her approval of being on first name basis. Then, you smiled, eyes crinkling in warmth. It was as if the two of you were finally getting closer, little by little. In this mental difference, the gap had shrunk, and a bond formed. "Thanks, Riko. You can call me [Name] too."

She nodded, returning a smile, though the smile never reached her gaze. This newly formed bond... there was a time limit to it. 

"So, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she blurted. "Everything."

You hummed and nodded, putting your hands behind your back as well. "Me too. The thoughts are too loud and too quiet, right? I understand."

"Can I say something...?" she whispered. You gave her the go. "I keep trying to convince myself that I am... that I am ready to be assimilated. I pretend and make a big deal out of it. But no matter how hard I fake it, I don't ever feel ready. I'm scared, [Name]. I'm... scared."

Her hands were trembling. You reached out and took her hand in yours, gripping it tightly. 

"I'll say something too," you said. "Though they would never admit it themselves, Satoru and Suguru, me as well, we can see and admire your strength. You're braver than all of us. There are not many people in this world who could deal with what you're doing. But you're here. With a smile and a hope for us. And there is nothing wrong that could erase that fact. Not even being afraid. As for your fear, we share that burden. You're not alone."

She smiled again, this time more genuine. "You'd make a pretty good older sister."

You rubbed under your nose proudly with a smirk. "What can I say? I was born for this. All my haters were just hating... like that loser Satoru."

"Is there something going on between you and Gojo, or you and Geto?" she asked suddenly, blinking up innocently. 

Choking on your spit, you coughed for half a minute. A million thoughts rushed through your mind, none of them pleasant. "W-What do you mean by that?! Absolutely not. With those dimwits? What standard do you hold me to?" 

"You're getting awfully defensive about it." 

"Because I'm offended you'd think such a thing!"

"It's from what I can see. The chemistry."

Chemistry?! She had the wrong definition of chemistry. Was she blind? After knowing each other for so long, the three of you were close and comfortable with one another. But there was nothing romantic about it. No longing glances, no exchanges of sweet words, no brush of the hands, no letters of confession. There was none of that. You could not even imagine them being romantic, and the thought of it brought shivers to your core. Perhaps romance was warped in your mind from the movies you had watched, but was it so terrible to want something extravagant like that? With a career so depressing, a love story could help to balance it. Which was why, it would never work with Gojo and Geto. 

The three of you shared experiences that was otherworldly from most of the population. You fought, helped, and protected each other. And that was all there was to it. Friends. 

"If you're talking about chemistry, Satoru and Suguru have more chemistry together than with me."

"Hmm, maybe. New ship."

What's with young teenage girls and their shipping fantasies?!

Speaking of the devils, they had left their post and joined you. "Can you move on to the next section yet?" Gojo said rudely, putting his arms behind his head. 

You upturned your nose dismissively and pulled Amanai Riko along, still annoyed by what he said earlier. Well, at least you were able to prove him wrong. 

"[Name]-"

You turned around with a snap. "What."

Gojo was so luminescent under the dome of fish tank surrounding him. He shined like a star, and you almost found yourself wishing he'd take his shades off. His eyes... they would look beautiful beyond imaginable here. While dark glasses stared back, his shoulders lowered, and his hands were stuffed in the pockets of his trousers. His stance had said everything, from his slight slouch to the parting hesitance of his mouth. 

"You're right."

This was the closest you'd get from him an apology and for that, you accepted it. He was a prideful guy-- you all were, but he was the most. It wasn't often he'd have to admit something like this. But he did it for you. 

Finally, you sent him a shit-eating grin, before turning around again. 

With that, the group explored the rest of the aquarium. 

Since Kuroi returned and wished to speak to Amanai for the time being, you dragged behind with Gojo and Geto once more. 

In the room full of glowing jellyfish in assortments of all colors, you were incredibly fascinated. Eyes glued stuck to the tanks, you watched them float and move with their little tentacles. Interesting creatures they were, so worriless and without a single care. It would be nice to be a jellyfish. If you were reborn, you'd hope to be a jellyfish. 

"Do you know that jellyfish don't have brains or eyes?" you told Gojo and Geto. 

Amused, Geto snorted. "You're suddenly an animal expert."

Gojo agreed with the statement. "You should quit being a sorcerer since you're so weak and start working here."

"Fuck off," you groaned. See? Romance was dead. If you had to go on an aquarium date with either of them, you would rather bang your head on a wall for an hour straight. They were so mean. Why couldn't they just enable you for a bit and go along with it? They always had to somehow ruin the fun and your excitement. Fine. You could play the game too, with the perfect card to pull. "You know... when I was talking to Riko earlier--"

"You're on first name basis with her?" Gojo interrupted. 

"Yes. Not the point. Anyway, we were actually talking about the two of you." They were intrigued by what you and Amanai had to say about them. So seriously too. It only made it so much funnier for what you were about to say. "She told me something, from one sister to another. And she told me to keep this a secret, so don't tell her I said anything, okay? Okay. Well, basically, she admitted to me that she shipped you two. Like romantically. Like Satoru and Suguru sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G romantic. Pretty cute, eh? SatoSugu?"

 They were frozen in shock for a moment, unable to process your explanation. It was definitely not what they were expecting, nor was it something that could barely comprehend. The two glanced at each other and it was like lightning struck between them. In one heartbeat and synchronized, they leapt away from the other. 

"EWWW!"

It was so worth it. You threw back a satisfying laugh, one that did not go unnoticed. They watched you in bewilderment. Then, they turned against each other, offended. 

"Wait, why are you saying 'ew'?"

"I should be asking the same thing to you. You should be honored."

At this point, maybe Amanai's idea wasn't so farfetched...

It was nice-- it truly was. For once, you had been able relax on the job and enjoy the day. Though it went by fast, you realized you would not have done it any other way or with any other people. 

Chapter Text

THE FOREST RUNG alive in the presence of your return, still the same as how you left it. The few days away made it feel like a lifetime ago when you were here. But perhaps this was just how you felt every time you went away on a mission. This place was a trademark, standing against the wits of time and waiting for you to come home. Possibly, this was part of Tengen's power. 

The group had been climbing the long steps up to the school, to which Amanai Riko was struggling with. You supposed it wasn't everyday any normal person would want to climb so many steps. Her breath was ragged and her forehead gleamed of sweat. It was clear in her eyes by the time you reached the top, there was major relief. She wasn't the only one who was relieved, though for entirely different reasons. You, Gojo, and Geto were satisfied by how the mission went, knowing it was going to be successful. After all, you had already crossed the barriers into Tengen's power. There wasn't as much to worry about from here on out. 

"Good work, everyone," Geto said. Amanai crouched down to her knees and let out a breath. "We're inside Jujutsu High's barrier now."

You glanced over at Gojo, who appeared to be in deep thought. 

"Satoru, [Name]," Geto called. The two of you looked back at him. A warm smile adorned his face, crinkling his eyes. "You two worked really hard this time."

Gojo only sighed at the comment, still acting high and mighty. "I never want to get stuck babysitting a brat again."

"Huh," Amanai responded, annoyed. 

In that moment, it was as if time actually did freeze up in hell. A beast of metal burst from the core of Gojo's body, ripping straight through ruthlessly. Coated in thick crimson, it gutted out, the sword greedy in bloodlust. Everyone froze, all eyes stuck to the weapon. Shit, shit, shit. Fight or flight activated in your system, with fear and confusion wavering in the air. Automatically, your feet got into stance, the muscles of your limbs tensing in preparation. 

However, your mind could not keep up to the scene. It should not have been possible for Gojo to have been attacked like this. He was nearly untouchable. Especially since you all crossed into Jujutsu High's barriers, there couldn't have been any way an enemy went unnoticed. Who the hell was this man?! 

Standing behind Gojo was a man in his late twenties, his hand holding the sword that just injured the strongest person you knew. The culprit had straight, black hair and his outfit consisted of a dark t-shirt and loose baggy training pants. You didn't recognize him anywhere, and though he was quite attractive, he could pass as any regular person. 

Gojo glanced behind him. "Have we met before?"

There was a smile on the man's face. "Don't worry about it. I'm terrible at remembering people's names too."

This triggered a response from Gojo immediately, releasing his technique. This signaled to both you and Geto, who followed. Your power surged from your fingers as you flipped your sword charm. The weapon lengthened and your halo appeared, so you grabbed it and hurled it towards the enemy. Eriku flew and bind the man's wrist as he was dragged up into the air. Paired with Geto's cursed spirit manipulation, the curse ate the man whole and crashed to the ground. 

Gojo stumbled, having lost some blood already. 

You and Geto started running to him, concerned. "Satoru!"

He held a hand up, with an assuring smile. The two of you stopped. "I'm fine," he said, pulling himself up. "I didn't make it in time with my technique, but it missed my vitals. I then strengthened myself with cursed energy so the blade couldn't be drawn out at all. It was like passing a safety pin through a knit sweater."

You grunted. What a showoff. "Okay, fine. It's not like I even care."

He smirked all knowingly with an eyebrow raise so you looked away, embarrassed. "That's more like it."

Geto, on the other hand, was hesitant and didn't buy into his words. Since Gojo could tell, he tried to reassure him once more. 

"Seriously, I'm fine. Prioritize Amanai first. I'll deal with this guy." By this guy, he meant the enemy trapped in Geto's curse, because he was obviously not dead yet. He was strong and it was obvious he was unlike the other guys you dealt with on this mission. It was going to be difficult for Gojo, and the exhaustion from having no sleep in the last few days was of no help. Did that also play into how he didn't notice the enemy to be so close? Was he going to be okay fighting him alone? "Suguru, [Name], Kuroi... you three get Amanai to Tengen."

"Satoru..." Geto muttered, thinking hard.

You knew exactly what he was thinking, how the gears were turning in his head. If you were honest with yourself, you wanted to stay back and fight in support as well. But there was an internal battle between fending your friend and keeping the mission priority. That was how it was. That was how missions were, how miserable they could be. Risks and sacrifices were always made, to see to the end. So though fear crept close to your heart and to Geto's, the only choice was to go. Because you trusted Gojo. It'd be rude not to. With his track record, he'd win. 

The group, with the exception of Gojo, began running closer to the school, to where Tengen's assimilation could be finalized. It was silent, gone were the jokes and the lighthearted banter. Rather, it was turning very real. 

There was nothing more you despised than failure. 

You got onto the elevator that would take you all down into the depths of where Tengen laid. As it lowered deeper and deeper, the pits of your stomach swirled, uncomfortable and restless. You nearly grew nauseous, leaning against the bars in comfort. 

What was Amanai Riko thinking about? To see the dangers so close and clear that often chased her of her potential? 

The elevator jutted to a stop, revealing a dark tunnel lit by torches on the walls. It was creepy and cold here, with nobody in sight. You and Geto got out first, followed by Amanai, but the last person did not get off. 

"Riko," Kuroi, called out. 

Amanai turned around to find her ever so loyal maid, head bowed down. You and Geto stopped as well, witnessing the ordeal respectfully. 

"This is as far as I go. Riko, please... please..." Her head lifted, tears in her eyes. No other words were needed, as Amanai rushed over to the woman, embracing her tightly. Your heart squeezed, realizing it would be the last time they would ever see each other. 

"Kuroi, I love you!" Amanai sobbed. "I always have, and I always will."

"Me too. I love you, too."

You had to peel your eyes away, the interaction too intimate that you felt intrusive. There was a motherly bond that Amanai had with Kuroi, having known her that long and being taken care of. This was, truly, a grief, that would never disappear for Kuroi. 

At the end of the tunnel, were buildings all wrapped around a grand tree. It was beautiful, but it was also an eerie sight, a tremendous power that could be felt just from getting closer. 

"So this is..." Amanai whispered. 

"Yeah," Geto answered. "We're in Tengen's territory now. This is the foundation of the nation's key barriers. The Main Hall of the Tombs of the Star. Once you descend the stairs, pass through the gate and continue to the base of the big tree. Then you'll be inside the special barrier that's separate from the barrier surrounding Jujutsu High. Only those invited are able to enter it. Tengen will protect you until the assimilation."

Amanai Riko's expression darkened, her ever blue eyes growing dull and lifeless. As you watched her, a lump got caught in your throat. That was, until Geto said something totally left field. 

"That... or we can turn around and go home with Kuroi."

You whipped your head around instantly. "What... are you saying, Suguru?"

You hated failure you hated failure you hated failure-

"She doesn't have to be assimilated."

"You think it's that easy? And then what? She lives in danger for the rest of her life?"

He shook his head. "The bounty will end. Her chance of assimilation will be over. They won't have any use for her anymore. She deserves to live her life."

Your hands fell to your sides, limp. She did deserve to live. She had friends, loved ones, a future ahead of her. The only obstacle in her way was this unfortunate fate picked out for her. 

There was hope in her eyes at Geto's idea. Because she wanted to live. It was so unfair to have it taken from her. And though you hated failure -- traumatized by failure -- you didn't think failing this mission would be so bad. 

"...You're right."

Geto went on to explaining to Amanai Riko, who was still confused and shocked. "When our teacher told us about this mission, he called the assimilation 'erasing'. He was trying to tell us to be aware of how heavy a sin that was. Our teacher may be a muscle-brain, but he often does roundabout things. We are the strongest. No matter the decision you make, we will guarantee your future."

Amanai Riko looked as if she was about to cry. You wished to take her hand in yours, rub it in assurance. 

"I have... always been special, since the day I was born. Everyone kept telling me I was different. Being special was normal to me. And I've lived my life trying to avoid danger as much as possible for the sake of this day," she said. Her words resonated strongly with you, and you could feel your jaw clenching slightly. "I don't really remember the day my mother and father died. I no longer feel sad or lonely about that. I figured everything would be fine, even if I was taken away from everyone and assimilated. That no matter how hard it was, it would stop feeling sad and lonely one day. But... but... honestly... I want to be with everyone longer! I want to go to all kinds of places with everyone! I want to see all kinds of things and do more!"

Her tears soaked out like the ocean sea, the yearnings of heart set free. 

Geto Suguru smiled the warmest this day, so full of understanding and good heart. 

"Let's go home, Riko."

As she wiped her tears away and started to grin again, so brightly, she started to reach out. 

"Yeah!"

In less than a millisecond, it flew into her head, splutters of blood painting the world red. 

Chapter Text

HER WHITE HEADBAND that she so adored was now red. It oozed out like a curse, ruminating, ready to spill. It then splattered on you, sticky substance coating your cheeks. Everything spun, but time was not slowing down. No matter what you wished for, it simply sped ahead. For nothing could allow you to go back to a few seconds prior, back to a time where her eyes did not dim. 

You were standing right there. And you still couldn't save her. 

Her body crumpled to the grimy ground below, lying there like a lifeless doll. Your body moved on its own accord, with your mind unable to catch up to process anything. You kneeled by her side, hands desperately shaking her awake. She couldn't be. She couldn't possibly be. 

So why was she so cold at the touch?!

"Riko... Riko..." you choked down a sob. You pulled her head into your lap, squinting your eyes shut in fear. "Wake up. Let's go back to the beach. Hmm? What do you say?"

"Riko...?" Geto was frozen behind you, shocked in place. 

"Okay, job's done," the darkness replied. 

Your heads swiveled at the sound of approaching footsteps, the culprit revealed to be the man from earlier. Lips parting in confusion and anger, you stared at the dark metallic piece in his hand -- the choice of weapon. But that wasn't the focus here. How the hell did he make it past Gojo? 

"You're free to go now," he said to the both of you, nonchalant as ever. It was a dismissal, peering you down like miniscule bugs not worth an inkling of his time. 

"Why are you here?" Geto asked, his face stoned like death itself. 

"Why?" the man repeated, scratching at his head. He grinned, pearly whites glimmering. You wanted to knock his teeth out dry. "Oh, that's what you mean. I killed Gojo Satoru."

It was the second time in a day that life felt ending. You couldn't breathe, your chest tight and suffocating. Why was nothing making sense right now? It made no sense that Amanai Riko was dead. She was alive and well yesterday, blossoming with energy and stubbornness. She was either to be assimilated or stay healthy and well, living the rest of her jolly days as any other normal person. It made no sense that Gojo Satoru was also dead. He was the strongest person you ever met. For him to be beaten by this good-for-nothing, homeless-looking man, it didn't add up. 

Geto was quick to respond, releasing his curse technique, the energy in the room shifting. 

This was the life of a sorcerer.

You couldn't even have time to grieve for your friends first. 

Why? Why why why why why? 

You felt broken and a hollow shell of a person. It still didn't feel real. But now you had to fight too? What difference would it make? Would it bring Amanai Riko and Gojo Satoru back to life? What was the point of all of this? What was a point of your destiny? What was the end goal here? 

Was it for their honor? For this never-ending fury in your heart? 

You were tired of trying to play the hero. You were never the hero. Only the victim. 

Geto was better than you. He was ready to fight for his friends with no hesitation. He was a sorcerer. A true sorcerer. Not a tired coward like you. 

They came from the billowing shadows, hand in hand to Geto's bidding. On his face was anger like never seen before, twisted and righteous. And that made him the hero, beautiful and so bright with good. "Is that so?" he said, in his stance. "Die!"

His curses barreled towards the enemy in a powerful stream. The man jumped high in the air, dodging them easily, explosions sounding. The ground beneath you shook, your fingers curling into themselves. 

They eventually made their way down to the Tombs of Star corridor, a clash of potential. 

Finally, you slowly pulled yourself up. Gently laying Amanai's head to the ground, you gave it one last caress. 

You were not the hero, but the victim. So you should play the part. A victim in your fate... a victim to the expectations... a victim to yourself. 

The sword pendant was yanked from your neck. With a toss of it into the air, it transformed into your trusty weapon, forever by your side. However, it was a reminder to the pain of disappointment more than anything to you. 

With it in your hand, you started hurrying down the steps, your thoughts quiet. Fear of failure. It was hard to not think about it when this man somehow defeated the strongest sorcerer. But you had to focus. 

It was a whole maze down here, a town built in whispers. There were so many buildings, as if empty, but filled of energy of the afterlife. You went to follow the sounds of running footsteps, passing through corridors to locate Geto and the enemy. 

You could suddenly his hear his voice. "Oh, that maid? She's probably dead. I didn't care if she lived or died, though. If she's lucky, she might still be alive."

Then, Geto's voice was heard. "Is that so? You really should... die!"

The dragon shot out, breaking through walls towards the man. As it got closer, you rolled to the side to escape the repercussion and watched as the curse captured the man within its wide mouth. He rebuked it immediately with his sword and up in the air they went. 

"[Name]!" Geto called out to you. He sent more curses after the chaos and you took this as a sign to join in. With your halo, Eriku in hand, you summoned your energy and blast it towards the man as well, aiming carefully. He fends off Geto's small curses easily, striking them down one by one, hoisting himself against the walls. 

You prepped your limbs, flipping yourself upon the roof of the building. As you watched him slash through the dragon's hide with immense strength, dread pooled in the pit of your stomach. Shit. He was a tough opponent. 

Commanding your halo to snatch at his weapon, you used it to fling him towards the other end. Despite it, he ends on his legs, crouched down carefully. 

You took this moment to run towards him in great speed, ready to engage in battle. 

He met you in the middle, grinning deviously once your swords clanged against one another. "Another sword user, eh? This will be entertaining."

"I'm not the one compensating using a cursed tool," you spat out. 

He shrugged, not at all fazed by your harsh words. "Well, wouldn't it be such a humiliation for you to die by my hands then."

You swerved your sword at him, only to be deflected once more. Hopping a distance away when he nearly reached you, you called back Eriku. As it spun around and hurled towards his back, you angled it to catch him off guard. Unfortunately, he caught on at the last second, escaping with a mere cut to his cheek. Slamming his sword down on your halo, you could feel your cursed energy drain from you. 

His thumb traced at the blood from his cut, and it was brought to his mouth. He licked at it, watching you with those beady eyes. "Nice try. Now it's my turn."

With a speed unlike any other, he raced to you, bloodthirsty in his vision. As it struck you, you managed to stop it at the last second. It did not prevent the momentum though, sending you into the air. As you crashed into the building, you let it crumble behind you. Pulling yourself out of the mess, you dodged again as he slammed down his blade. 

You kicked up, sending cursed energy towards your feet. He swiveled and propelled the hilt of his sword on the ground, soaring across. A glint of metal was seen in the corner of your eye. At the last second, you shot your weapon against you and leaned over. Your arm took the sacrifice, pain lodging into your flesh. You started running, ignoring the sticky feeling growing on your sleeve. He was chasing behind you, but this was what you wanted. 

There he was. Geto. 

From who knew what... years of friendship...? You could see he was thinking the same as you. Blasts of curses came from him, soaring straight to you. At the very last second, you ducked down and glanced back, hoping it would distract the man for a second. 

Pushing hard against the floor, you pushed backwards and wielded your sword, ending up behind him. You were able return the favor, giving him a cut to the arm. Just as you were about to turn around and strike once more, your vision blurred, and something stuck from your chest. Geto was yelling out something, but you couldn't make out his words. 

You looked down, the blade poking out. Ah, shit. It was exactly what happened to Gojo. 

Another ram from the sword sent you flying to the wall, and unlike the unknown enemy, you were unable to land gracefully on your two feet. 

The rocks fell on you, digging into your skin. You were losing blood rapidly, but you couldn't bring yourself to move. 

As you began to submit to the darkness that surrounded you, you found yourself wondering if there was more to this life of misery. 

Chapter Text

ONE MOMENT STOOD out to you the most as a child. It was the day you realized how other families celebrated birthdays compared to yours. And how so vastly different they do so, for their precious children. The warmth and joy were something alien to you and when you had seen it from the distance, it invoked an array of emotions within you. 

The cake, the blowing of candles, the horrible singing, the laughter... none of it were familiar. Though despite never witnessing it for yourself, you longed for it. You wanted a day to be special, not for your powers, but for you. You wanted to be celebrated for you. To know that there were loved ones by your side, that they could effortlessly give you an unconditional love that needn't be returned.  

That was the day you began to wish for a younger sibling. Badly you prayed to the stars above at night, kneeling on the wood floor until your knees bruised in purple roses. Why? Because if you had a brother or sister, you could learn to celebrate birthdays yourselves. You could finally find someone to love, and to be loved. 

Unfortunately, the wish never came true. 

Was that why you looked towards Amanai Riko? With her stubbornness and bravery, she was the type of younger sibling you had always wanted. She was someone you could protect and inspire, a true motivation for your fate in this lifetime. Finally... someone who could remain by your side and sing birthday songs with. 

And maybe that was too selfish of you to wish for. 

She wasn't even your sister. 

You opened your eyes, tears sliding down the cracks of your lids. Hurriedly, you wiped them away and brushed away the vivid colors of your dreams. 

For reality had returned. 

The pain crawling in your skin nearly sent you reeling. Slowly sitting up, you looked at your surroundings to find yourself in your bedroom at Jujutsu High. Everything appeared to be about the same, your room untouched except for the additional nurse cart by your bedside. From the window, you could see it was still daylight, the usual wood-like area sitting about peacefully in their natural habitat. 

Peacefully...?

A gasp left your lips, horror lodging in the depths of your stomach as memories surged into your mind. Riko? Suguru? Satoru? 

Your body leapt out of the bed, the pain numbing away as your worries increased. 

Bare feet sped across the room and your hand reached the knob of the door. Yanking it open, you stumbled through the hallway until halted by a familiar figure. 

It was Geto. Your breath let out. He was alive, though maybe a little worse for wear. 

"You're okay," you said. 

"You've woken," he responded with a nod. As he noticed your wavering body, he quickly stepped close to hold onto you. His warmth embraced you, but his expression was unreadable and lackluster. His dark circles were prominent, leaving but a bitterness in the air. "You should be resting."

You ignored his remark. "Riko...?"

"She's gone."

You couldn't breathe once more, the scene flashing through your mind. It was quick and unforgiving, and you truly had no time to process it yet. But you held it in, knowing it wasn't only just you who were suffering in silence. It was easy to tell that Geto had a lot in his mind and a lot to reflect back on. This was a failure of a mission and although you had a fear of failure, it wasn't the worst part. In mere days, you had grown attached to the goal of the mission, Amanai Riko. Which, you shouldn't have done. So back again, here you were, pondering about pointless things, such as the meaning of being a sorcerer. 

"Satoru!" you exclaimed, suddenly flustered. 

Geto's grip on you tightened, but he gave you a reassuring smile. "He's alive. Should we meet him on the training grounds?"

Relief poured into your core, anxiety falling away to the masses. At least both Geto and Gojo were safe and sound. 

"How..."

"How is he alive? He can explain for himself," the dark-haired boy told you. "Let's go."

With the help of your friend, you managed to head out of the dormitory and to the training grounds. The warm wind rushed against your skin, blowing past the nest of your hair. It was too pretty of a day. Too pretty for the aftermath of what went on. Why couldn't it have been raining and storming to grieve alongside you? Why was the weather such an enemy? Moreso, why was the world your enemy? 

Indeed, the two of you found Gojo on the training grounds, lazing about rather than training. He jumped up from his spot under the shaded tree at the sound of your footsteps, his blue eyes bright as ever. He looked better than you and Geto, healed up and raring to go. 

"You're awake! Sleeping beauty."

You ignored his greeting. "And the last time I heard about you, you were supposedly dead, Satoru."

He blinked and looked over at Geto, the two of them exchanging glances. "Hmm? Yeah. I was able to use the reverse curse technique. You see, from that battle, I've been awakened. I've unlocked more of my potential, and I don't think I've ever felt this strong. So I found that man and defeated him."

The gap kept widening, between you and Gojo. The bridge was lengthened, and it was harder to see his white hair from the distance. No matter how hard you reached your fingers out, it would not wait. It would not wait for you. Gojo Satoru was a beast and a monster. You knew that from the beginning. But you never thought he was breaking through to improvement so soon. You thought you had time. 

You were born to this world to be special. He... was born to be God. 

Anger burst past the dam, trembling at your bones. Your head lowered to the grass beneath, your expression twisted. "Why couldn't you have awakened earlier? Because of you... Riko is gone!"

Gojo could only stare at you, befuddled. Meanwhile, Geto stepped in between. "Don't blame Satoru for this. We were a team and we all made our mistakes."

Your hands fell to your sides. What were you so angry for? You weren't actually angry at Gojo, but rather yourself. "You're right," you mumbled. "It's my fault. My incompetence led to this. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't protect her, I couldn't save her, I couldn't defeat the one who killed her. I should've thrown myself in front of her and took the bullet for myself. That's the least I could've done."

"Don't say that," Gojo snapped. "Do you think Riko would've want to hear you say this?"

Your vision started blurring with tears, its heat stinging your eyes. You quickly rubbed them away, hoping the two wouldn't notice. It was an embarrassment, especially to these two. Just as you were about to look up, you found two thumbs hovering in the air, from each of them -- Gojo and Geto. They were wide-eyed, looking at the other, as if surprised that they both went for it.

Were they trying to wipe your tears for you? It was almost laughable, if you weren't in such a morbid state. They weren't the type of people to act so caring. 

"I'm sorry," you whispered. "I think I should retire back to my room."

They hurried to save face, pulling away at the same time. 

Gojo then forced you to sit down. "Don't leave yet. We're not done with our pep talk."

"Pep talk?" you and Geto uttered out, confused. 

"Yeah, yeah." He waved the air nonsensically, pacing around the grounds. "[Name], you can get through this. We're sorcerers, aren't we? We're the strongest in the human population. There will be highs and lows, but we keep going because at the end of the day, we're contributing to something greater. A little help here, Suguru... you're better at words than I am."

However, Geto Suguru stayed silent and lost in thought. There was something that was really bothering him. You wanted to ask him about it, but it wasn't like you were in the right headspace here either. 

So instead, you butted in, sighing, no longer teary eyed. "Okay, that's enough. You're making my ears bleed."

Gojo looked offended by your words. With a roll of eyes and a pout, he turned his nose the other direction. "Hey! How could you say that when I'm so gracious to cheer you up?"

"Let's just say your awkward pep talk was enough to distract me from my problems. So thanks."

Gojo scratched the back of his head, tilting it slightly. "You're welcome, I guess."

"So? What do we do now?" you muttered, watching the clouds in the sky for a moment. They were so wispy and soft-looking, without a care in the world. You wondered what Amanai Riko was doing at the moment. Hopefully her soul was at peace, enjoying the waves at Okinawa. Shit... you weren't going to tear up again. Stop thinking!

Gojo snapped his fingers together, putting back on his shades. "Should we go to Tokyo?"

Geto frowned. "[Name] needs to rest."

"I'm fine, I can go," you said. "Suguru, come." 

Sorry. You were selfish. If you went back inside, you would only think about her some more and cry to sleep. So, for a moment, you had to be selfish, to play pretend with your closest friends. 

Even if only for a day. 

Chapter Text

THE CITY BRIMMED with everyday civilians, going about their business and days. Families, couples, friends, and workers filled the streets, all in their own little worlds. None of them aware to the nature of curses and what could possibly taint them. So oblivious, frolicking in the fields like mindless sheep. How badly you wished to join them, to be free of the shackles of your responsibilities... and most importantly, to forget the pain in your heart. 

Gojo, who was ahead of you and Geto, started stretching his limbs left and right, carefree like the sun. You wondered how he didn't seem as affected by the mission. Were you wrong to assume that Amanai Riko grew on him by the end of it? Or was he perhaps just better at hiding it? Or was he too much of it an egotistical bastard, now that he unlocked more of his powers, to care? He was so difficult to read, more so than Geto even. That facade he held deeply to... you wondered when it would fall. 

He spun around, with that familiar lilt of a smile on his face. "What should we do first?"

Though you agreed to coming to Tokyo, now that you were actually here, you didn't know what the hell you wanted to do. 

Well, at least your stomach decided for you. A loud rumble caught both of your friends' attention, their eyes zoning to your belly. "Looks like you need some food," Geto pointed out, slightly smiling. Gojo chortled, laughing a little too hard for your liking. 

"S-Shut it. It's not my fault I've been bedridden for days," you said, growing warm in the face. You marched past them and headed down the street, so they followed in tail. 

"Slow down! With you too far, I won't be able to hear the monster that's your stomach!" Gojo teased. 

"Why don't I give your stomach a kick for a rumble?" you barked back. 

"Only if you can manage."

His words were fallen into deaf ears, however, when your nose caught sight of a delicious smell. Lined up on the side of the street were food stalls, selling a variety of food, from meats to dessert. There it was...! The delicacy you needed most, with flavors of heaven to bless your tastebuds. You needed it, now. 

Dashing off with your vision on the goal, you were a one-track mind. Nothing could stand in between you and the takoyaki. Nothing at all. 

So close. You were so close. That was until a flash of shadow appeared in the corner of your eye, hurtling at lightning speed. 

"Watch out!"

A swept of arms hurled around you, pulling you out of what could have spelled a disaster. It was Geto, who had just saved you from a reckless biker, who could have hit you. Out of breath, he was clutching you tightly, his expression fearful and frazzled. It wasn't so often you'd see him in this way, especially when unrelated to missions. He watched as the rude biker disappear into the distance, before returning his focus on you. His gentle dark eyes, close and personal, were now stricken in annoyance. 

"What were you thinking of, running off so fast?" 

"It's okay, some loser biker can't damage me that easily."

"Still, you're healing. Just earlier, you could barely stand on your own two feet." 

"You know, you're like a mom... even better than my own mom," you stated, grinning at the realization. 

He stared at you, dumbfounded. "Mommy issues...?"

You only grinned harder. "Don't we all. If no family issues, can we even call ourselves sorcerers?"

A snort left his lips, and he shook his head, releasing you from his hold. "Tell me about it." The next thing you knew, he was dusting you off, making sure you were fixed up. Okay, this was a little too much, and in public too. You thought you would mind it, but surprisingly, you didn't. His actions of care branded a fervor in your core, so attentive and unfamiliar. His slender fingers reached your head, tucking in strands of [h/c] behind your ear, delicately, as if you were but a doll. 

Something tickled in your chest, and your breath lulled. 

"There you are! Suguru, you are ever the overprotective," Gojo started, clueless. He then noticed Geto's hand in your hair, before letting out an incredulous chuckle. "Maybe a little too overprotective."

"Oh..." You stepped back and Geto lowered his arm. "Suguru saved me from running into a biker."

Your explanation was totally glazed over. Geto's gaze narrowed slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

Gojo shrugged nonchalantly, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "[Name] isn't a child. She's a growing young lady. No need to be excessive."

"She's a close friend. I'm just helping her."

"Still--"

"Stop bickering already," you groaned, interrupting their pointless conversation. "We have more important matters at hand."

They whipped their heads in your direction, confused. "We do?"

"Yeah. Takoyaki!"

Finally. You got your hands on some takoyaki, the steamy balls coated in sauce. The smell of it was enough to make your mouth water, and it didn't take long until you stuffed them in, the flavors of octopus bursting in delight. Geto and Gojo walked on either side of you, enjoying their own sticks. It suddenly felt like any other day, where it was just the three of you, doing anything the day permits. Excitement was not necessary... simply being in each other's presence made it fun. Those days you longed for the sun not to lower to the horizons. You longed not to have to return to your solitude, or have it replaced by the dangers that came along missions. Genuine peace was hard to come by. 

The risk of missions rang truer in your mind now, from the loss of Amanai Riko.

She would have loved some takoyaki. 

"Next stop?" Geto asked.  

"I have an idea for our next stop that [Name] would love," Gojo suggested, wiggling his brows mischievously. 

You didn't trust his ideas. "Where?" you responded reluctantly. 

"Plushie store!"

Your ears perked up and a thrill went through your heart. It had been a while since the last time you bought yourself a plushie... giving you the truest joy of all. Okay, fine! You were a plushie collecting addict, but you thought you hid it well from them. Most of the time, you locked your precious cuties in the closet, only taking them out at night in rotation to sleep with in bed (you couldn't bear to let your plushies be jealous of one another). Anyway! How the hell did Gojo discover your secret? 

"I'm not a kid," you forced yourself to say. 

The two boys shared a glance, not at all convinced. 

"You want to go see, right Suguru?" Gojo asked. 

"Yes, I do." 

"[Name]?"

You sighed dramatically and shrugged. "Sure, I'll go, since you guys want to go so badly."

They snickered together, but you easily ignored them, not at all willing to admit to the truth. Maybe they knew, maybe they didn't -- either way, you would rather jump off a bridge than say it out loud. Not in a million years. 

The plushie store was a breathtaking sight, towering hundreds and hundreds of diverse plushies. Colors bloomed left and right, a rainbow that painted your sorrowful eyes. Your heart nearly leapt out of your chest upon walking in, and you forced down the grin that wished to break. You nodded mutely at the worker that greeted you and tried to mask your excitement. Unfortunately, the deeper you went into the store, the more temptations you found at every corner. 

There were plushies from videogames, to shows, to animals, to anything you could think of! 

You touched a nearby whale plushie, your skin melting into the softness. Dammit. You wanted to spend all your money here. 

Gojo sprouted out from nowhere, nearly causing you to jump in fright. "This looks like you," he said, shoving a duck plushie into your face. 

"No, this looks more like her," Geto argued, popping up with shibu plushie.

"Hah?" you gasped, not amused. Were they competing to find something that most looked like you? "Fuck off, guys. I don't look like either of these... I'm... more like... a dragon."

They stared at you for a moment, before breaking out in laughter. Your cheeks burned for the second time this day, stomping away to make fun of them in return. You managed to find a rat and a weasel, which you thought, was perfectly fitting for Geto and Gojo, respectively. 

"This is you guys," you declared proudly. You stuck out a tongue at them, before mashing the rat and weasel together, making them kiss. They stood there, jaw agape, ready to chase you for the plushies. "Haha, motherfuckers!"

Safe to say, it didn't take long before the three of you were kicked out of the store. 

Gojo scratched his hair messily, groaning. "That didn't go as planned. I was going to buy the plushie for you."

Startled, you turned to him. "What? Why?"

"You looked like you needed one," he said, giving a half shrug. "Besides, it was cute."

Cute? But he said it looked like you. 

"Mine was cuter," Geto joined in. 

Huh?

While the three of you wandered the streets with no clear direction, neon lights from a building caught your eye. It was an arcade! The amount of time you had fooled around with Geto and Gojo here, breaking records and blowing all your coins away, was a shameful thing to admit. You exchanged looks with the two, locked in a wordless agreement. You all started running into the arcade like madmen. 

From shooting hoops, to trivia, to air hockey, to guessing games, you done it all. The three of you were fired up in competitiveness, playing recklessly, a reflection to real life and your battles. Gojo shot perfect hoops, you giggled at Geto's terrible dancing skills during Dance Dance Revolution, and you showed them your rpg shooting skills as you fended off zombies fantastically. The night stretched long, yet it also went by so quick. 

In that arcade, the grief in your heart faded, even if just for moment. 

That night, as you travelled home, up to the starry mountains, you realized you made the right choice to be selfish. 

That night, you expected to be countless more days like this. The world continued to spin and the times change, sure, but you assumed the three of you would remain the same. Static. Like a pillar out in the sea. The eternal trio. 

That night, you wouldn't have been able to imagine you were horribly wrong in your assumption. That these types of days were slipping from your hands like quicksand. That it wouldn't be infinite. That you wouldn't always share smiles with them, even during your darkest days. That they wouldn't always be at your side. That nothing lasted forever. 

If you knew, you would have held onto it so much tighter. 

And never let go.

Chapter Text

A SORCERER'S JOB was a lonely one. They were not appreciated by the general public, in fact, their profession simply didn't exist to the average eyes. Nor did they find satisfaction in their missions, having to relinquish curses day in and day out. Curses ruminated consistently, slithering between humans at any given chance. Turmoil was all it took for it to grow and inhabit like a parasite, multiplying. To have to fend off their explosive numbers, it was a cycle for many of them. A long, unforgiving cycle. 

Your fingers curled around the cigarette, bringing it to your lips once more. Inhaling the toxins slowly and relishing the feeling of it, you then breathed out, the smoke hovering above the city air. So there you were, standing in place alone, on the rooftop of a skyscraper in Tokyo. 

The lights below twinkled like tiny stars, while the actual stars in the sky were too covered by pollution. From here, humans were miniscule ants, so small they were nearly insignificant. 

You tossed your stick to the ground and crushed it with the sole of your shoe. You didn't smoke often, truly, you didn't. Today had just been a long day... another long day of you fighting curses. 

Summer brought on a lot of changes. Mostly unwelcomed ones. 

Lifting your arms over your head, you stretched your limbs, feeling bones crackle. At this rate, you were going to turn into a granny any day now. They were overworking you to dust. Damn them and their child labor, taking advantage of someone as poor, young, and helpless as you. 

"Wonder what Satoru and Suguru are doing right now," you said out loud, speaking to exactly no one. Tracing your finger mindlessly on the steel railing, you leaned your head down wearily. Were they on their missions? It was late though. Maybe they were back at Jujutsu High. Well, you wouldn't know. You were seeing less and less of them, since all three you were kept busy to really check in with each other. 

Summer brought in too many unknowns. 

Gojo Satoru being the catalyst of it. 

You wished he would stop growing so strong. If it weren't for him, maybe you would still be going on missions with them. Them being your friends. They were the perfect excuse to fool around for a bit. For you to act like any other teenager for a moment. Their company made the missions... feel less like missions. Now that you were here, you didn't realize how lucky you had it back then. It always went like this. Even during your adolescent days, when you went to normie school and made normie friends, you took it for granted. 

You regretted. And in your regret, you had forgotten to cherish the present. 

There was nothing to cherish here though, in your lonesome. The darkness could only have so much fun. 

You supposed it was about time to turn in for the night. 

Into the elevator you went, pressing the button for ground level. Your gaze then landed on the B button, for basement, where you had originally been at earlier. They had an underground tunnel beneath this building and in that tunnel were the curses you dealt with. Which was why you were here in the first place. 

You shifted your body to the corner of the small space. On level 39, the elevator slowed, opening up to reveal a man and a woman. 

The woman was in a raging havoc, following the man into the cramp elevator. "I know what you did, you bastard! Sleeping with the secretary behind my back, how dare you! You unfaithful, lying coward! I'll have you know you're kicked out of the house!"

"This is exactly why I did that," the man argued, pointing at her. "You're not all that. You don't make me happy anymore!"

You averted your eyes, listening in to the screaming match. It was entertaining to say the least. It was like a live soap opera, drama to the maximum. Too unreal and unbelievable, that was what normal people appeared to you. Their problems and issues seemed miniscule to you. Stupid and unrefined. None of it made sense. 

Which was why you laughed at them, behind the scenes. To make yourself feel better about your own unsolvable issues. 

The elevator door opened at 15, revealing a businessman, currently on the phone. Upon noticing the bickering couple, he allowed the doors to close without stepping in. Good choice, sir, you thought, crying internally as you were beginning to grow a headache from the hellish noise.

Finally, ground level arrived. You hopped out of there with no further convincing, leaving the building and into the night air. Sorrows, sorrows, prayers. May that couple come to a good conclusion. May that wife dump her good-for-nothing husband and have him rot in hell. 

The city would not sleep. 

You hurried down the streets, far and near places so remnant of the days spent carefreely. It wasn't even that long ago, but why was it nostalgic already? 

You swore it was just yesterday, waking up from a lazy nap to two dumbasses. 

It should have been just yesterday, when you begged Shoko to teach you reverse cursed technique. 

Was it not just yesterday? When you were teasing dear Nanami for his stoic and awkward personality?

Could time just slow down for a goddamn second? 

Please, please, please, please, please. 

"Shit--" Someone had rammed into you and an item clattered on the road. The stranger hurried to pick it up and with it returned to their hand, you realized it was their phone they had dropped. 

"Oh, sorry," you apologized. With further inspection, you recognized the person in front of you. "Suto...?"

Suto Hachiro. He was a fellow classmate during your middle school days, a rowdy boy with ruffled light brown hair and gray eyes. Though he was at your height back then, now he was as tall as a beanstalk, and had a nice figure. He sure managed to keep up with his looks. 

Why did you remember him when you could barely visualize any of your other former classmates? 

Ah, that's right. He was your childhood crush. 

"If it isn't [Surname] [Name]," he greeted, giving you a wave. 

You blinked. "You remember me?"

"Of course," he said, shrugging. "You were a fun friend. Never cried at my pranks. When I heard you transferred to a different school, I was pretty disappointed."

Friend was a bit of a stretch. Your friend group back then didn't actually like him that much... they thought he was annoying and extreme. It was why you never admitted to them your crush on him. Besides, you knew you were going to have to leave sooner or later anyway. It was pointless. So were your feelings for him. You never got the chance to confess.

"Yeah, I had some things... going on..."

"Well, it's good to see you again." A smile adorned his face. His smile looked the same as when he was a kid -- the same dimples. "I actually thought you were pretty in middle school. Somehow, you're even prettier now."

You stared at him dumbfounded, but that didn't stop the heat from reaching your cheeks. Did he used to like you in return?! "I literally came from work."

Brows quirked up. "That just means I mean it more sincerely. Here, I have to go but... no pressure, here's my number if you ever want to meet up." He took a notepad from his pockets and scribbled in some numbers. 

You looked down at the piece of paper he pressed to your palm. When you looked up again, he was gone, like a distant memory. 

Wasn't this what you wanted? To experience a romance that contrasted far from your life as a jujutsu sorcerer? 

Hmm...

Your fingers fiddled with the note as you returned to your dormitory. There was a new lightness in your footsteps and a curious smile to your lips. 

A glimpse of white hair was seen around the corner. Your eyes glowed even brighter at the sight of it. Rushing your current pace, you caught up to him. 

"[Name]!" Gojo turned to you, his familiarity a welcomed one. 

"What have you been up to?" you asked. 

"I've been trying to automate my skills. I'm making good progress so far. It's been great to experiment during my missions too," he told you, his irises glazed in excitement behind his shades. He then noticed your hand, snatching the note from you immediately. "What's this...?"

"Hey!" you barked, attempting to take it back. His tall ass made it difficult, however. You eventually quit, rolling your eyes in defeat. Fine. You were just going to have to flip the script around then. Smugly rubbing your nose, you proudly nodded. "You're not the only one with game. My childhood crush wanted to give me his number."

Gojo stood there blankly for a second, tilting his head. "You have a childhood crush?"

"Yeah. It was back when I went to a normal middle school."

He bent down, peering you even closer and taking it in. "So...? What are you going to do with this number? Are you gonna go on a date with him?"

"I don't know yet? I'm fine to see where it goes."

"Are you seriously thinking of dating someone like that?"

Your eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, someone like that? If by someone with no cursed energy, then yes. It would be a nice change of scenery."

"How can a weakling like him protect you?"

"I don't need to be protected. I can protect the both of us just fine."

His expression darkened and a devious grin ate at his features viciously. Never had you seen such impulsive rage on him, enough to make your blood run cold. With no hesitation, he ripped the note, over and over again, allowing the pieces to fall to the floor. 

You froze, in disbelief at such heartlessness. "What the fuck?! What the fuck are you doing?!"

The ominous trance broke at your upheaval. Guilt and uncertainty replaced his demeanor. "I didn't think you'd get so angry over this..."

"It's been a tough day for me and I was just hoping to finally talk to you, since we haven't seen each other in a while," you spoke, your voice quivering. "And instead, you ruin our short time together, doing something that wasn't even your decision to make! You crossed the line."

He ran his fingers through his hair messily, suddenly stressed out. "I don't know what got over me... I just thought you were too good for him and I..."

"If I'm too good for him, then who would be good enough for me?" 

Opening his mouth, it hovered there agape, before it clamped shut. It was as if he had something to say but did not have the words to say it. Instead, he stood there, staring, always unreadable. You didn't know what he was thinking. You never knew what he was thinking, unless he stated it for himself. 

In a muster of courage, he changed the course of his direction. "Let me make it up to you...! I'll hunt this dude down and have him give you his number again."

It was too late, you were retracting from him... pulling your shadows from his grasp. 

"Forget it."

Chapter Text

"WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?" you grumbled, pacing the halls of your classroom building. "What? Just because he's the strongest now he thinks he gets a pass to be an asshole?" Geto Suguru was propped up against the wall, sipping his can of orange soda while listening to your rants. It was the first time you had seen him in days and though you felt bad to already be complaining about Gojo to him from the get-go, you couldn't hold it in. It had been eating you away with how frustrating this situation was. 

Usually, Geto was the one with the advice, holstering emotional maturity to offer. He was more level-headed, and his easy nature often comforted you in times of strife. However, his words today were not up to par. 

"You know how Satoru is... he acts before thinking," he sighed, placing the can down beside him. 

You whirled around, making a grand gesture of annoyance. Fisting your hands into balls, you imagined yourself punching a certain cocky bastard's face to knock his front two teeth out. Geto thought you looked constipated doing so. "Yes, but! I can only overlook it so much. He had no right to touch my belongings. There's no excuse for it." 

"True, he didn't. But... maybe it's a good thing he did that. You don't exactly have the time to be going on dates."

Stopping in front of him, you scowled and placed your hands to your hips. "Whose side are you on?"

"No one's," he lamented. 

"Doesn't seem like it. And you should know I'm in the right here. Anyway, I won't forgive him until I find him on his knees begging for forgiveness. Then he has to buy me all the takoyaki in the world."

A snort escaped from his lips, his usual fondness returning to him. "You're like a child, [Name]. You never change." He wished you'd never change, never to embrace the darkness that swirled in the atmosphere. There was a wall he could see now between the two of you, where even though you hated this life as a sorcerer, you didn't have the same thoughts that plagued him. He could try to convince himself all he wanted, that it was his technique that made things harder for him to heal, that ingesting curses dragged him down to the deep and under. But that wasn't the case, was it? The truth was as clear as day. It was who he was, at the core of his person. 

You finally got a better look at your dear friend. Darkened circles were prominent beneath his tired eyes, voided of the usual serenity that washed over him in waves. It was like staring in the eye of a hurricane, a calm before the storm. His dark, luscious locks fell over his shoulders messily, not attuned to his neat man-bun and clean, pristine look. Your heart pained, guilt surging in from your lack of awareness. 

"You look tired. Have you been taking care of yourself?" you asked, your hand moving towards him in an attempt to feel his forehead. 

He intercepted, his fingers wrapping around your wrist firmly. Your gaze landed on it, confusion and hurt filling your features. 

"Don't worry about me," he said, closing his eyes for a moment. 

"I wouldn't be so worried if you didn't look like some dead rodent I found out on the road."

Your lame jokey insult didn't crack a smile on his stony face. You wondered if this had to do with the Amanai Riko, or the missions in general. What could you do to lighten his burdens though? You were in the same position as him, with no time or the mentality to offer anything other than a listening ear. 

But Geto Suguru wasn't that much of a talker. Not of himself anyway.

"We're friends, Suguru."

Still in the same position with your hand grasped by him, you were up close and personal to him. Every crevice and every flaw could be seen from here, from the curve of the nose to his bangs that lightly covered his left, dark eye. He was still as attractive and alluring, despite the sleep deprivation that steadily grew prominent. Your heartbeats pounded together, intertwined and engraved in each. His gaze slowly lowered, resting on the pink hues of your lips for a moment. 

Then, as if a spell broke, he released your hand. Turning his head the other, he sighed with a harrowing frown. "I'm fine. I just need to rest."

"You know you can talk to me anytime, right? Only you, me, and Satoru can ever fully understand what happened on that mission."

He nodded. "When the Star Religious Group celebrated her death, I knew that. I knew we were alone in this. And I haven't ever been so disgusted. But it's okay, [Name]. I truly am fine. Thank you for worrying."

His politeness returned, and that somehow put even more distance between you two. You didn't want him to be polite, you wanted him to let out any bottled emotions he had and carried. So why couldn't he just let you in for a bit? For you to see the way he viewed the world? 

You were already lonely enough. You didn't wish to also feel lonely around your friends. 

"What would... you do if I strayed from my path as a jujutsu sorcerer?" he suddenly questioned you. 

You paused at his words, surprised. It was the last thing you ever expected to hear from him. He was the type of stay committed to this life, holding dignity to his title as a sorcerer. At least that was what you were led to believe. Was it a genuine question? If you were honest, you couldn't imagine what Geto would do if not something in this field. 

To keep it lighthearted, you let out a gasp. "Are we finally able to see businessman Suguru? You'd look good in a suit, I bet."

He let out a chuckle. "Who knows... but answer the question."

"I would drag you back into being a sorcerer with me. You can't leave me here. We're in this together. For life... and death."

His eyes twinkled in amusement at your answer. "Alright."

"So... why are you asking me this?"

"It's just a hypothetical question."

But was it really? Geto would not bring anything up so casually unless it served a purpose. What was he thinking? Was he actually thinking of leaving? Was he going to leave you here, the way everyone else did? Were you selfish for stopping him when the time would come? You simply wouldn't allow it. 

"Am I interrupting something?"

Approaching you was a girl in the same school uniform. With a brown bob and the classic mole beneath her eye, you could recognize her from a mile away. It was the one and only Ieiri Shoko. "Shoko!" you called out, throwing yourself onto her. Your arms wrapped around her warm figure. "You're back!"

"Wasn't gone for that long..." she said, chewing on her piece of gum. "Had to heal some of the others. I'm beat."

"You look just fine," Geto pointed out. 

"Well, you don't," she retorted. "Anyway, where's Satoru?"

Your lips curved downward into a scowl. "Tch, why are you looking for him?"

"He should be talking to Yaga-sensei," Geto told her. 

"He's been asking me to help test out his skills again," she said, blowing you a kiss. "Later."

Oh... so he had all the time in the world to train, but no time to apologize to you for his behavior. Was that all that mattered to him? Was he so unwilling to put his pride on the side to revive your friendship? What did friends even mean to him anyway? Maybe nothing. Maybe you were just a friendship of convenience to him. Maybe you were insignificant, like a bug, now that you were so much weaker than him. He could squish you with the sole of his shoe and not look once behind. You were discarded, like trash. 

Geto Suguru noticed the clench of your jaw as you got lost in deep thought. He didn't like it. He didn't like the way you concerned yourself so much when it came to Gojo. He didn't like the disappointed wilt in your posture, or the furrow of your brows at the mention of him. What he did know was... Gojo didn't rip that boy's number just to tease or annoy you. And he knew that only because he was on the same boat. No... maybe he would have done a lot worse. His emotions were running amok these days, and it felt as though he was driven up a wall. If you had confronted him that night instead, things could have turned ugly. It would have been the perfect outlet from his source of jealousy and uneasiness. 

"I'm going to go train. See you, okay?" With that, you pulled away and left, leaving himself to his own thoughts. 

He wondered if you were pushing yourself to train because of Gojo Satoru. 

And perhaps you did, because the world revolved around the strongest. 

Chapter Text

DEATH WAS GROTESQUE, but somehow so familiar in your world already. It was something you all had to get used to, for the risk of it in your field was at a much higher percentage than the rest of the human population. If that was so, why weren't you attuned to seeing it? Why did it hit you in the gut once more this morning, to find another person fallen? 

Amanai Riko's death wasn't even that long ago. 

Perhaps you weren't actually used to it. Perhaps it was not normal, for the typical person -- for any person, to be hit by grief over and over again, knowing it could have been prevented. To watch life spans be cut short, undermined by years slaving away at a system meant to protect the weak. What else could you do but watch on the sidelines? And perhaps it was not normal to let it unfold seamlessly as such, accepting that you could very well be the next. 

Yu Haibara. That was his name. He was your junior, a great bright kid, full of aspirations. It was surreal to see him laying here in front of you, unmoving and cold. Eyes closed so peacefully, besides the injuries, he almost looked asleep. It took you everything not to shake him wide awake, begging him to come alive, hoping that this was some sort of morbid joke. What were you going to do without his smiles, his optimism, his willingness to help out his seniors? He helped motivate you and showed you a light at the end of the tunnel -- that it wasn't always just misery that came from this job. 

Well, maybe he was wrong. He was wrong, which was why he was laying here, in front of you, dead. 

"It was supposed to be an easy mission to exterminate a second-grade cursed spirit!" Nanami Kento said, arm over his face. He flung a chair across the room, and you watched with numb eyes. They had been close, as the only two second years. And now... Nanami was alone. That was a pain indescribable. "Damn it! Their faith in Ubusunagami... That was a local deity. That was a first-grade class!" 

It happened more often than liked. The misassumption of a curse grade, only for it to be stronger. This one grave mistake led to many preventable deaths... if only. What made it so difficult was the shortage of jujutsu sorcerers -- the shortage of hands on deck. 

Geto Suguru was standing before the boy, his eye bags as dark as ever. "You need to rest for now, Nanami. Satoru has taken up your mission."

You grasped your junior's arm in comfort, nodding in agreement. With a towel covering his eyes, you still knew the expression he held. The harsh, tense lines on his face gave it away. The usual stoic Nanami was broken, ruined to the seams. His entire foundation had fallen, and somehow he would have to pick up the pieces again. He had to. Or else he simply wouldn't survive in this world. But why must a sixteen year old boy go through so much? 

Your dark-haired friend went to cover up the corpse of what used to be a comrade. 

"Can't we leave everything up to him alone at this point?" 

Nanami's question left you frozen, your chest feeling suffocated. Geto's back stiffened and you wondered what he was thinking. Maybe Nanami had voiced out what you all had been secretly thinking, wondering hopelessly whether you would be able to leave an impact on this world. At this point, it seemed as though only Gojo Satoru could achieve such a feat. 

"Nanami, come on, I'll bring you to your room. Suguru, I'll be back," you spoke, forcing the kid up. He got up, allowing you to drag him out. Glancing over your shoulder, you found Geto still standing there in place, deep in thought. 

"Will it get better, [Surname]?" Nanami asked, shutting his red eyes in despair. 

"I... don't know," you responded truthfully, thinking back to Amanai Riko. There was a part of you that would never get over what you've experienced. And though you weren't as close to Yu Haibara as was Nanami, this situation had reopened the wounds in your heart. It had brought back a reminder to your mortality, a sin as much of a curse. It was unfair and it was retched. What was the point of being blessed with these powers if you were to die anyway? It was as though the Gods were mocking you guys, laughing away at your desperation for a fighting chance. 

"Why don't you know?" There was a plead in his words, to seek a refuge in your hope. 

But it was worst to give him false hope more than anything. 

"I'm sorry," you whispered. "We can simply trudge through the mud and keep going. What helps is to remember that this is what they would want from us. That they will be proud of you no matter what. Do you understand me, Nanami?"

Your shaky hands gripped the sides of his arms, making him face you. Your words felt foreign, unlike your own, as if you were trying to convince yourself as well. You could remember it as bright as day, the day you first met Nanami and Yu when they came in as incoming first years. Nanami was the negative counterpart to the positive Yu, balancing each other out like ying and yang. They were polar opposites, but they worked the best together. His reluctance for missions and pessimistic thoughts gave you an intriguing first impression. 

The first years are so interesting this year! Only two though? What a shame. Well, they look capable enough. 

You had teased and bullied them, Nanami's reactions to them making it all the funnier. 

How so much a year had changed everything. For him to be here alone, without his counterpart, the world stealing his piece away. 

He was taller than you were now. His head leaned down to rest on your shoulder, covering the quiet sobs he let out. You held him close, delving into his warmth and seeking refuge just as much as he was. This world was unfair to people like you. 

Eventually, he pulled away, hair hiding his upper features. You averted your gaze, ensuring his space and dignity. The only thing remnant to his breakdown was the wet spot on your shoulder.

"Let's go," you said. He nodded mutely, following in tail. Soon, the door to his bedroom arrived. Your eyes glanced at the room next to his... the one reserved for Yu Haibara. A lump appeared in your throat, the events seeping more and more into reality. That room would no longer be inhabited, a door closed forever. A chapter closed, and yet, another would continue, relentlessly. "Just know... you are not alone yet. You still have me, okay?"

The junior nodded, though it seemed like he was hardly listening. With that, he disappeared into his room, shutting out this chapter of his life as well. 

You retraced your steps, returning to the room that rested Yu Haibara. As you entered, you found Geto Suguru, knocked out on a chair, catching up on the sleep he so tirelessly chased. It was worsening by the day, tugging on your heartstrings mercilessly in concern. No matter how often you had fret, he'd brush it off as nothing, pushing you away time and time again. It was frustrating and getting on your nerves. You weren't the type to worry so ceaselessly, but he had turned you into a mother bird. 

Your fingers traced the curve of his cheek, and you watched him for a moment, tucking a loose strand behind his ear. He finally looked at bliss, stress fading away into the dreamland. 

"Sweet dreams, Suguru," you whispered. You took out a spared blanket from the nearby lockers and quickly draped it warmly around him. 

You left the room, after taking one last look at Yu Haibara. It was the last time you would ever see his face. His bright, warm face, prepared to cheer everyone up with his presence. 

In the halls, you were shocked to have stumbled upon a familiar figure. 

"[Name]!"

It was Gojo Satoru, the man, the myth, the legend. How did he get back so fast? Your thoughts were almost bitter, before you stopped yourself, surprised. What were you? Jealous? Frustrated? Annoyed? How could you be for a friend? You hated yourself for thinking this way. It was an embarrassment.

It wasn't as if you were still caught up on losing Suto Hachiro's number. There were more pressing matters at hand, so you had forgiven Gojo a while back. 

So why...? You couldn't even seem to explain your own rattled emotions. 

"You're back... Why are you so out of breath?"

"Yeah. I rushed back here after the mission. I needed to see you and Suguru."

"Suguru's sleeping right now."

"That's fine," he said, smiling solemnly. "I just wanted to tell you not to die."

You bristled at his request, a surge of anger rushing to your core. Was he mocking you? Looking you down for being inadequate? And from knowing you had a greater chance of dying than he ever would? What the hell was this?

"Literally, fuck off," you hissed, turning away. 

His eyes grew wide behind his shades, and he reached out, hand warm on your shoulder... the same shoulder that Nanami recently cried on. "It's not like that. I just... I won't know what to do if you are gone from this world. So, please. Promise me. Promise me that you won't die on me."

He was dead serious, unwavering in his words. 

You realized your inferior feelings towards him had casted a shade on him. You had forgotten that you were true friends, despite his few hiccups, and that he cared for you. It was on you for your terrible assumptions. 

"I promise. Promise to me as well."

You wrapped your pinky around his, signaling the universe of this promise. 

"I promise."

Chapter Text

IN LOVE AND WAR, Geto Suguru had begun to really understand one thing. The corruption that ran amok in the human population. A dirty, dingy taste it was that left a bitterness to seep down his throat like cold syrup. The role of a jujutsu sorcerer was to protect the weak... the non-sorcerers. This had been his motto for the longest time now. Despite it all, this raging beast within his core kept running its claws around, desperate to break into the sunlight. The beast did not enjoy serving such corruption of this world. 

Tsukumo Yuki's words rang in his head. There were ways to finally and fully eradicate curses, by dealing with the non-sorcerers. Ways in which he could make a difference in. What was his final decision here? Day by day, it was more difficult to hold onto this very thin rope of keeping his morals. What once was a narrow, thorny path, easily became a steep and slippery slope. Yu Haibara's death could only help to confirm it, as he stared into death's eyes of someone who used to be a dear junior. 

Without curses, the kid would still be alive right now. Without the burden of protecting the weak, Yu Haibara would be here, laughing away with friends. 

As he approached the window that overlooked the field, he watched as you attempted for another domain expansion. He wondered if there was a breaking point. He wondered if he would have to eventually leave this place, to seek his own destiny. He wondered if he would have to bury the memories behind and say goodbye. He wondered how he could ever face you and Gojo Satoru again if he did so. 

Maybe... just maybe you would agree to his ideals though. He could take you with him, so the two of you could be freed from the binds that dragged you down in this society. Gojo Satoru most certainly would not, but you were different. He had seen the pain and desperation in your expression. He knew you were tired of it too, of this restless cycle. This wasn't the life you would choose for yourself. 

With two special grade sorcerers, his dream could just be one step closer. Eventually, the world could be perfect, a world where sorcerers could finally have an advantage and live the lives they wished. No more of the monkeys that tarnished this earth in such ugly mockery. No more of the pain and devastation that accosted this society. 

His hands gripped the ledge, his eyes never wavering once from you. He thought you beautiful, simply standing out there and in stance. Your [h/c] strands in the wind to the gleam in your eyes, you were always so fascinating to him. Though you hated your job, you still fought so passionately, until the very end. What was deemed a weakness... your fear of failure, was something inspirational to him. You pushed onwards, complaining so, until you completed the missions. An anomaly you were, he loved that about you. If he were to take you, the two of you would not need to be so separated. No longer would you have to be sent on missions on your own, leaving him to fret. You were capable -- he very well knew that -- but he hated the risk. He hated not being there by your side. 

Pulling away from the window with a jerk, he slowly breathed out. What was he thinking? He was getting ahead of himself. No one was leaving anytime soon. It was fine, it was fine, it was fine. This was just a quick phase of resentment. All he needed was for some rest and to heal from Yu Haibara's death. He had to. No matter what, he could not lose his grounding here. 

He went outside and entered the training grounds. You were there on the grass, exhausted and sweat ridden. 

Instantly, you perked up upon seeing your friend. "Suguru! Can I do my domain expansion on you? I think it's coming a long way."

"Sure," he said, nodding. "Do you want to battle it out as well?"

You paused, surprised by his offer. It wasn't that long since Yu Haibara's death. You wondered if it would be too much stress on Geto physically right now. "Should we?"

He stretched his limbs, reaching for the skies. "You need to train, don't you?"

"Well, yes... but..."

His hand pat at the top of your head, the feeling of it unusual and warm. Though he seemed fatigued beyond words, he was willing to help you, which you were much grateful for. With his softened gaze that left the strict lines fading aimed at you, he brought comfort from your anxiety. How he held himself so capable after such destruction was something you couldn't understand. 

"Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you," you said, grinning. 

"Bring it."

You placed your hands together and began the ritual. Summoning your curse energy and bringing it to your core, you focused on your surroundings, becoming one with nature. Your energy spread and expanded, locking onto time and space to create a barrier that would trap the two of you. It whirled, stretches of black rounding off the ends. And with that, the last of the outside world being a glimpse of the school. 

"Celestial Realm. The name of my domain," you told him. It was ethereal, a limitless area of blue and wispy clouds. Beneath your feet was a water-like surface, though you stood atop of it, not dragged down by actual water. A division of where the heavens and earth collided, to bring forth the power you coveted. Just from being here, your energy ran smoother, and endless amount stemming at the tips of your fingers. You could feel it deep in you, the itch waiting to be released. 

"You did good..." Geto Suguru said, staring around in disbelief. He returned his focus on you and started to summon his curses. An excited smile painted his lips, his arm out. "Shall we test it out then?"

You nodded and took out your necklace. It brought forth easily, glinting in its stealth. Your halo appeared as well. 

Geto started on the offensive and shot out his curses towards you. With the swipe of your sword, beams of light blasted in straight lines to infinity. He dodged the beams, jumping to the side and sent out a larger curse. You rammed the sword on its side and hopped into the air, floating through the space. "In this domain, I've learned I can fly. My curse energy matches with the environment in ways I can control my relation to gravity."

He blinked at you in astonishment. "You are truly an angel."

You stared back blankly, dumbfounded like an idiot for a moment. Supposedly, he was just saying that due to your technique, but... the way he said it, it felt as though he meant something more. 

Losing concentration, your curse energy malfunctioned, and you found yourself falling. 

Geto Suguru rushed to catch to you, with the help of his curses. You fell directly into his arms, sturdy at the touch. "Don't try and injure yourself so easily."

You pushed away and got out from his arms. "Don't go easy on me."

"Only if you don't keep making a fool of yourself." He flicked a finger at your forehead.

"Ow!" 

His hand beckoned you to start again. You took out Eriku, tossing it out like a disk. It spun in the air, gaining traction and growing larger by the second. As it circled around Geto Suguru, he attempted to pull out more curses. All of which disintegrated into dust. He cursed, rolling through the ground and summoning Rainbow Dragon. Your grin widened. That's more like it. 

You reeled your sword and swung, putting your every strength in it. The dragon caught the weapon in its mouth, sending you through the skies. You prevented the fall from happening, flying around before shooting another beam at the dragon, before throwing the sword straight at Geto. He narrowly dodged, eyes wide. The dragon had a slight burnt to its side, crashing to the other end. 

Your halo returned, knocking him in the back, slamming him down the surface. 

"It's like a plane, where my beams can shoot. Horizontally, vertically. I can do multiple of them at one time in this domain, when I can only do one outside of here. So even if my enemy is in the air, I can reach them. I won't always have to reach them with my sword."

He sat up, looking slightly rugged. "You've gotten stronger, [Name]. I'm proud."

"You were still going easy on me."

He shook his head. "The same could be said the same to you."

You grinned, scratching your head in shame and helping him up with the extension of a hand. "I guess we can't seem to put our minds to it and go all out today. Next time. No mercy." It was true. While you were friends, oftentimes, your battles held no remorse. It was the only way for improvement, to build into the skills of instinct when it came to life and death. But today... the death of Yu Haibara was still very fresh and raw. Without words needed, you and Geto both knew what was taking a load of your attention. 

Your domain soon ended, returning you back to the training grounds. 

As Geto Suguru watched you dust yourself off with a smile on his face, he felt slightly the same again for once. This was it... If he held onto you, he wouldn't get lost in his dark thoughts. He would rest, heal his grief over death, and live on as a sorcerer at Jujutsu High. He had to stay strong, to ensure a good life with his closest friends. 

If only missions didn't exist. 

"Yaga-sensei wants to see you," a school staff member said to him. 

His heart sank. If only it weren't for missions.

Chapter Text

THE VILLAGE SOAKED in the flames caused by his curses. He stood there, watching with a blank expression, basking in the bright blue that illuminated even the night sky. Smoke furled in the air; the screams ceaseless as the hour ticked by. The howls of death were like music to his ears, finally relieving the wrath that consumed him inside. 

Geto Suguru was on his path of no return. 

For weeks, he had been toddling back and forth between his unending stream of thoughts and divisive ideas. And just for a moment there, because of you, he had convinced himself that he would remain faithful to his origin. That he would be okay, as long as he could see you and Gojo, his dear friends by his side. That he would protect the weak no matter what, because it was worth it enough. That this resentment could fade overtime and he could start anew. 

Monkeys... monkeys, monkeys!

Nothing was worth it for damned monkeys. 

Disgusting pieces of shit. None of them were worth living, worth saving. They took sorcerers for granted, yet pursued their vile actions like nobody's business, spreading curses to this world. Curses that took friends and loved ones away. 

The final straw was seeing two young twin girls, being blamed, simply for being born with powers in this God-forsaken world. That was it. He was done. He was not going to be an accessory for them anymore, contributing to their misdeeds. Instead, he was going to seek for a new reality, one where sorcerers were not to be blamed and curses no longer contaminated every corner on this planet. 

This was not the end; It was only the beginning. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"[Surname]! Did you hear the news? Geto killed everyone in the village--" Nanami Kento burst into your room, sweat coating his forehead. Your eyes widened and your lips parted at his words, your form frozen solid. The words prickled at your conscious, poking and poking until you admitted defeat. No matter how much you could try to deny it, you knew Nanami was not the sort of person to joke about this type of thing -- or rather joke of anything at all.

What he said was true. But it didn't mean it made any sense. 

"What the hell do you mean?" you asked, your voice low, face rigid. 

"On his last mission, he set the village on fire with his curse technique. His home is now empty too. None of his parents in sight. It seems he ran off."

Your head felt light, the world moving too fast for you to cling on like the rodent you were. Rage was lodged in your throat, ready to be unleashed upon everyone and everything. You wanted to scream at the top of your lungs and wreak havoc, to take satisfaction in your despair. However, you knew if you did let loose, you would not get any step closer to figuring it out... to figure out the anomaly that was your friend -- Geto Suguru. It was just a few days ago when the two of you were testing out your domain expansion together, fooling around like the good old days. So how...? How could the script be flipped so soon? 

Or was this something he had in mind from a long time ago? 

He asked, didn't he? He asked you what you would do if he were to take a non-sorcerer's path. When he said a different path, you didn't think it'd be this. Goddamn it. It had been right in front of your eyes. 

"Where is Satoru?" you asked Nanami, your jaw clenched tightly. 

"The last time I saw him, he was talking to Yaga-sensei at the school, who was filling him in the details."

You nodded, turning your heel away to leave the room in a haste. 

You found him at the front of the building of the school, denial clearly painted across his features. His hands on either side were squeezed so tightly that the knuckles grew white. Gojo's breath was rugged, as if he had a screaming match recently. Which wouldn't be surprising. Out of the three of you -- Geto, Gojo, and you -- Geto was the one could keep his emotions at bay the most. Was that the reason why? Why you didn't notice his distancing? Or was it because you all had been kept busy and separate from each other? Maybe this was just your way of consoling yourself, to ignore the truth. You were a bad friend to not have notice. 

"Did you know about this, [Name]?" Gojo asked you, his gaze twisted in agony. 

"What? No. Of course not."

"Exactly. We're his closest friends yet we're entirely in the dark. I don't fucking get it. What the hell is he thinking?" He slammed his hands against the wall, gritting his teeth. 

"I don't know..." you answered truthfully, lowering your head. "Come on. Let's go look for him. Maybe we can find answers. Shoko is joining the search too." You showed him the text she just sent you. 

He grabbed your hand before you could leave, grasping it firmly. "What did I say about not dying? I told him that and he promised. He promised but then goes off to seek a death penalty for himself. Shit! Stupid Suguru!"

"Let's not lose our cool yet," you told him, squeezing his hand back in comfort. "Let's find him first and then get angry. Besides, you know him. It's going to be difficult for the higher ups to actually catch him. He'll be okay."

He nodded, his white bangs slowly covering his eyes. "Okay."

The three of you were supposed to stick together, through thick and thin. That was what you imagined. And even with separate missions, you were fine with that, as long as you could still return to Jujutsu High to find Gojo and Geto waiting for you. That was enough, despite the hard pill it was to swallow. And now... you appeared to have taken that for granted as well. The people you surrounded with, defined yourself as, supported within, were fading from your grasps. They were slipping from the cracks between your fingers like quicksand, disappearing beyond the horizons. You couldn't reach them anymore -- see them as their past selves anymore. 

You sped through the towns and cities, desperately seeking for thick, dark hair and grim eyes. 

What was your answer to his question again? 

I would drag you back to sorcery. 

You searched high and low at forests and woodlands. 

He didn't ask the question just for shit and giggles. There was something that was bothering him, ever since Amanai Riko's death. You knew that... but chose to ignore it. Instead, you assumed he was grieving similarly like you. 

You exorcized the curses that appeared, saving the non-sorcerers nearby. 

That day... when Tsukumo Yuki visited, what did they speak about? Geto looked like he had a revelation... a big one. It distracted him ever since. 

You investigated the bodies of water, scouring under the vandalized and littered on bridges. 

He wasn't the type to do something so impulsive such as killing an entire village. 

It was as if he reached a breaking point, having been tested against, over and over again. 

What was his revelation? If only Tsukumo Yuki was here, you'd demand for answers. She was also an anomaly though. 

The sun was melting away, the skies growing darker by the second. You had looked all day, with no luck in finding him. No text was sent from Gojo or Shoko either, and you wondered if this was a lost cause. He would only show himself if he wanted to. 

You decided to retire for the day. As the adrenaline wore off, the utmost ache in your chest bloomed. The trek back home was a humble one, your body exhausted and your mind in defeat. Even if you were to eventually meet Geto, you weren't sure what to say. There was simply too much. Too much of this guilt, sorrow, anger, and betrayal. How could you feel guilty and also betrayed? 

The wronged had done more wrong. 

After climbing hundreds of steps to reach the borders of Jujutsu High, you headed towards the dormitory. It was time to shower and head to bed, although you doubted you'd get much sleep tonight. 

You were surprised when you found Ieiri Shoko leaning against the hallway. 

"Shoko..." you murmured. 

"I found Suguru." She dropped the bomb, her gaze unwavering. 

You instantly bristled, and your face contorted in anger. "What?!"

"Satoru and I spoke to him."

"Why didn't you call me?" you hissed, feeling betrayed yet again today. 

"I'm sorry... Well, Suguru actually asked me to not call you. He said he didn't want to see you yet."

Your previous anger dissipated, replaced by disappointment and sadness. "I don't... understand." You crumbled to the ground, your hands hitting at it futilely as hot, fresh tears seeped down from your visionary glands. They slipped and tickled recklessly, painting the wooden surface of its pain. "Fuck you, Suguru. I hate you! You bastard! I will kill you the next time I see you!" 

Your sobs wrecked through your system pitifully, tearing yourself up into pieces. Ieiri Shoko stepped up to your wilted form, hugging you tightly from above, her fingers petting your hair gently. 

Like the way that Geto used to do. 

Chapter Text

LIFE FELT STRANGE without the presence of Geto Suguru around. A haunting reminder he was to graze someone's lips, a past that was soon to be buried and disappear. They didn't want his legacy to be remembered; they wanted future generations to not even know of his existence, of his deeds, and of his newfound path of destruction. Rather than confronting their mistakes for failing a sorcerer, the higher ups much preferred to move on, to keep things under wraps like the true cowards they were. 

Geto Suguru used to be one of many of things. Now he was simply the dust gathered in the mouth. 

You found Gojo Satoru on a nearby grassy hill that sat on the edge of the school's border. It overlooked the city of Tokyo gracefully, sloping off into a magnificent scene, warped in blue skies and towering buildings. The male was sitting there, lost in deep thought, whites of hair flying in the breeze. There was a stillness to his movements, and an uneasy expression that never left him. 

"Mind if I sit here?" you asked him, plopping down beside him regardless. 

"Why ask if you were going to do it anyway?" he responded. His words still kept the same playful lilt he always held, but his tone was void of energy and passion. It was the same with you; there was a tiresome emptiness that sucked the soul out of you for the past few days. 

The world from here seemed infinite, and a clashed mixture of all your lifetimes combined. From this jujutsu world to the regular world, there was a gap in between, assumingly small, but look just close enough, and you would see the tremendous distance. There was no way to live a regular life, to escape from this madness, once knowing the dirty truth. Day and night, the curses tainted you, pulling you back into sorcery. 

You sighed and fell onto your back, the grass cushioning the light fall. Your hair spread around comfortingly, and your eyes watched the wisps of clouds above, to find patterns in them. Patterns and consistency that had never been extended to you. 

"What did you and Suguru talk about?" It had been days, and this was the first time you gathered enough courage to ask. The longing and suffering that weaved its way around your system grew in vines that you hadn't wished to hear of it. Their goodbyes and last words caused your toes to curl, your envy burning bright from your lost opportunity. 

He paused, turning to look at you. Your chest rose and fell in rhythm, the slight parting of your lips the gateway. The bubble of [h/c] beneath you made you look like a jellyfish, he thought, memories of the aquarium washing over him. From the lashes that fluttered in the wind to the crook of your nose, he stared at you, enraptured by the faint picture of the three of you, sneaking out of class to fool around in the fields or run through the woods. You were his lost memory. The last of it as well, now that Geto was gone. 

And he hated it. He hated the worry and anger that overturned your being, simply because of the dark-haired sorcerer that dared to bite off more than he can chew. Despite him being in the same position, he didn't want you there with him, caught up by the situation unfolded. 

You were so distressed by Geto's existence, and Gojo wished he could even get an inkling of that amount. But why would that happen? He was the strongest. It was always the other way around -- of him being distressed by you. 

"Satoru?" 

He blinked out of his stupor. "Don't be jealous I got to see him. We fought because he's a fool. That's all."

It was not enough to only be the strongest. His resolve was crumbling into pieces, as he was unable to kill off what could possibly end up becoming the biggest threat to society. He was not enough yet. 

The world was unfair for laying it on him like this. Because really? How could it set him up to failure like this? 

"Still, why didn't you tell me?" you said, your fingers digging into the earth. 

"I was angry, and I only saw him for a brief moment. I assumed Shoko told you about it."

You sighed, rubbing your eyes in exhaustion. "Whatever. I don't care anymore."

Your lies were as clear as day, but he decided not to prod further. Following your lead, he laid down on his back, taking in the stretches of the horizon. He reached out an arm and pointed at the skies, overlining it with a finger. "Look, [Name]! There's a cloud shaped like takoyaki."

Your gaze trailed to his pointing. "Are you blind? That's a mushroom."

"No, it's takoyaki."

"You must not know your basic shapes."

His pitch was higher as he tried to mimic your voice. "You must not know your basic shapes."

"You wanna go?" You shot up, curling your hands into fists. "At least Suguru--"

You froze, shocked by the slip of your words. This force of habit that surrounded this group of trio was deafening and cutthroat. It was a difficult thing to adjust, to have to rewire your brain into an unknown reality. Your form deflated and your arms fell to your sides, hanging like a loose scarecrow. Gojo's gaze softened as he sat up as well, his hand covering yours in assurance. 

"Where do we go from here?" you wondered, heartbreak weaving between the lines. 

"We do what all sorcerers do. We move on and let time do its thing." He said it in a way meant to convince himself, also hesitate and unsure of the future. You wondered if this was truly possible. In the span of weeks, you and Gojo had gone through trials and tribulations, from Amanai Riko, to Yu Haibara, and now even Geto Suguru. Life had a way of throwing curveballs mercilessly, beating you down into fresh pulp, where traces of hope were gone. 

But you were too tired to argue, too tired to show your true thoughts. Instead, you swallowed and silently nodded, returning your attention to the view of skyscrapers and distant lands. 

When was it enough? When would there be an end to this tragedy? 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

In the hour of the devil, the air whispered sounds of sorrow. A shadow emerged, slipping through the window like pure moonlight, footsteps gliding past the space. Silent and careful, living vicariously in the dark, the shadow approached the bed. 

You laid there, painfully asleep, off into dreamland. Soft breaths accompanied the songlike crickets outside in cadence. [h/c] strands slipped over your face as you turned to the side, gripping your sheets and mumbling in your sleep. It appeared to be a nightmare, the sweat sheening upon your forehead to the deepened frown on your lips. 

Geto Suguru took you all in, hovering there like an illusion, precise with his movements. Gently, a finger traced the crevice of your cheek, as it tucked your hair behind the ear. 

"I'm sorry I didn't visit sooner. I was... too ashamed to see you," he whispered over your frame. His expression unreadable and meticulous, he then loosened your grip on the bedsheets to help ease your suffering. 

In the span of a few days, so much had changed. It felt like a lifetime ago, that he had been stuck in chains as a jujutsu sorcerer, going on missions and ingesting curses left and right like a monster. So much had changed, but he hoped one of them was not you. That the way you perceived him remained the same, that you would welcome him into your arms, that you would send that heartfelt smile towards his way. It was wishful thinking on his part, yet the thoughts persisted, groveling in hunger. 

Your breath hitched and eyes fluttered open. A dark figure greeted you in response, instantly triggering your fight or flight mode. In quick haste, you swiped at the air to yank the necklace from your neck. However, the enemy seemed to know your technique, as they had held your hand down from drawing up the weapon. Another hand clamped across your mouth, prohibiting you from letting out a scream for help. 

Before you were able to channel your curse energy to your fists, your eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough. 

In front of you was someone you never thought to see again, especially in this setting, at Jujutsu High. 

In front of you was your dear friend, Geto Suguru. 

His dark hair cascaded down behind his back in deceitful beauty, the familiar bangs that drifted over the eye. He looked nearly so different, eyes no longer disastrously exhausted and a smile over his lips. Pulling the hand that kept you from using your weapon away, he made a quiet gesture with a finger to his mouth. Afterwards, he released your other hand, generously providing you the personal space. 

"Su...guru?" you uttered, shock and hesitation coloring your features. Every emotion was hitting you all at once, the throb in your heart accelerating your every belief. You had imagined all the words you'd yell at him, all the forms of punishment you'd cause him, but now that he was truly here, in front of you and real, you were but an empty shell. 

"[Name]," he whispered, tilting his head to the side. He beckoned at the window, where his Rainbow Dragon curse awaited. "Come with me for a while. I have much to say... I'm sure you do too."

There were many things wrong with this picture, too many to count. However, the longing for answers and a cease to this anguish triumphed your entire reasoning. 

You didn't know where the night would take you, but you needed to see it for yourself. 

Otherwise, you would only stay in denial forever. 

Chapter Text

YOUR PERSPECTIVE WITHIN the skies was opposed your imagination, something so serene and peaceful you wished not to interrupt it. As you sat there on Geto's curse, with your arms wrapped around the male's waist, nothing felt impossible. Wind in the hair and an expanded view across the earths, there was a certain nostalgia being above everything. 

Your chest was pressed upon his back, and you swore he could feel it -- the rush of your heartbeat that danced sporadically. This thrill... was a deep longing. A longing for an escape from the realities that bind you so. 

You wondered what it would be like, to live in the skies. To travel through terrains and come to a world with no real, clear directions. To live freely and then die freely. To be whoever the hell you want and write your own legacy. To not have to be put under labels such as sorcerer and good and evil. To not give a damn anymore to the pain and misery that had taunted you this entire lifetime. You wondered why this wasn't an option of living. 

Maybe Geto Suguru was at that point. The look on his face almost said so, the curvature of a smile bright beneath the stars. He was stunning, shining radiantly to understand his true path. You loved and hated him for it. But that shouldn't be. This contradiction of your feelings shouldn't ever exist. 

When would you ever find your path? 

Despite his unspoken deeds, Geto was still your Geto. Tightening your grasp on him, you leaned your head on his shoulder and absorbed his warmth. This... was something you should not get used to. Tonight, would be the last of him. 

The descent to the ground was a smooth one. Your friend gracefully slid down from the dragon, before reaching out a hand to you in gentlemanly fashion. With hesitance, you took it, feeling the slant of his palm under yours. Feet crunched against the rocks as you were leveled to your origin once more. Upon getting your footing, you glanced around your surroundings. Trees shot up like spores in every trajectory, dense and mystifying. You had no idea where you were at the moment, but you didn't necessarily feel unsafe here with Geto either. Deep down in your beliefs, you knew he would never hurt you intentionally. 

"This way," he told you, leading the way down a thick trail. 

Wordlessly, you followed him, keeping an eye on his figure, your chest squeezed at his recent disappearance. One blink away and he'd be gone; that was who Geto Suguru was to you now. 

Was this truly the right idea? Would this give you the closure you so desperately needed? Or would this make you yearn for more -- hurt for more? 

You made a face at the dusty stairs intertwined in vines, ready to ensnare its prey. Geto laughed lightly at your reaction and shrugged apologetically. "Bear with me for a bit. I know you don't like stairs."

"Have you been staying at a deserted temple?" You noticed the dim lights at the top of the hill, the bricks glowing in the dark menacingly. 

He stayed silent for a moment. "I needed a place to recoup for a little while. It's temporary." His brows rose suddenly, and he turned to you, fervor painting his features. "I want you to meet my guests."

Guests? You didn't quite expect him to have anyone around. Had he already met people who... supported his goal?  As questions of every kind beckoned you at its grips, you climbed the very steps that led to his new home. With your head in your thoughts, it went by much quicker than you'd imagine. It wasn't so bad. Nothing could beat the stairs back at Jujutsu High. 

There it was. A grimy temple in the middle of nowhere. 

The entrance was nothing too pretty. Past the crooked gates was an outdoor hall that weaved its way around the premise. The torches flickered distantly, a reminder to the tunnels that you crossed that one fateful day with Amanai Riko. A wave of nausea brushed over your being, so you took a deep breath. It was going to be fine. These lies were building up at every traumatic event, but somehow, with enough lies, you'd start to believe them. 

Geto Suguru halted at a closed door and knocked gently at it. "Are you two awake?" he asked, his tone softening at the question. Slightly taken aback by his demeanor, you watched in stillness. 

It cracked open a tad bit, the gaps revealing two small forms. Then it widened even further at the sight of the dark-haired sorcerer, until you could see clearer. Two little girls stood there, hugging their plushies and blankets tightly. One had lighter hair and the other had darker hair, but overall, they looked quite alike. 

"We were waiting for you to get back, Suguru!" the dark-haired spoke. 

"You took so long," the light head added. 

"Now now, Mimiko and Nanako, you need to make sure to sleep well. Just for today, you'll be excused, because I want you to meet someone. This is my dear friend from school, [Name]."

At your introduction, the two of them hid behind Geto, expressions full of fear and distrust. You wondered what kind of life they led to hold these emotions at such a young age. 

Putting on a warm smile, you crouched down low to meet at their levels. "Mimiko and Nanako, was it...? Don't worry. I don't mean any harm." You pulled out a small keychain from your pocket, a sparkly pink bow dangling in the air. It was a gift from Shoko a long time ago that embarrassingly enough, you kept as a good luck charm. However, it had been helpful and assured you during difficult times. 

You supposed these two needed it more than you. 

"Here. A present."

They slowly crawled from their safe space, lured by the pretty color. Nanako swiped at it and before long, the two girls began fighting for it. You laughed in amusement and promised them a second one, so that they would calm down. 

Once they headed back to sleep and the two of you were alone, your smile dropped. 

"What is the meaning of those two?"

You were now at the center of the temple, an open space with a dried-up river that would have been stunning years ago. Most likely, there used to be koi fish swimming about in fresh blue water, accompanied by the melodies sung by birds. A red bridge overlooked the view, now faded with cracks in the wood, to which you and Geto stopped at. The area was a sorry scene to look at, of what it became after its time of negligence. 

"I'm taking care of them. I saved them on that last mission."

That last mission. The same one where he destroyed an entire village. 

Strangely, despite his terrible judgement for killing all those people, he was selfless until the very end. 

"Did you... truly kill them all? Your parents too?"

His answer became a breeze in the air. They were coherent and obvious, but they still reached deaf ears. In denial you were, hoping... praying he was the Geto you once knew and cared for. It had to be him, there before you, on the other end of the bridge... close, and yet, so far. 

He entered your space, ruthless and unrelenting. You were backed up against the bridge's ledge, and his arms trapped you in a makeshift cell. Dark irises swirled in persistence and despondence, ready to suck you in whole like the beast he was. But he was no beast. He was a broken sorcerer, now serving a new purpose. And how beautifully broken he was, turning his anger into something more. 

"Join me, [Name]."

The arch of his nose brushed your cheek, his heat overcoming your soul. He was so, so close now... and even further away.

He kissed you. 

His lips burned you at the touch, melting your entire existence. Soft and warm, same as its owner -- same as Geto Suguru. They tasted of him, of his dreams and his desires, even his outlook on this world. Your heart bloomed at the gesture, as his hands cradled your face kindly. You wanted to give in -- nearly gave in to your own impulses as he brought you to his. So many wants, directions, longings that tugged at you, begging to submit. These lifetimes that wished to be undone and unraveled, calling to your nature. 

You pushed him away, breaking the kiss. 

"No!" you gasped, fighting the urge to return into his arms. You crossed your arms over yourself protectively, feeling meek and unworthy. "Don't do this to me..."

He steadied himself and stared at you, as if reading you like an open book. "I see you for who you are. You're not much different from me. Have you ever thought about how life would be without nonsorcerers and curses? How happier we all can be?"

"I will not get in your way, Suguru," you said. "But I cannot join you. This... it's too extreme."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair -- hair you wished to bury yourself in. "Is it? I am willing to be the one to dirty my hands, even if it's deemed impossible, when it very well is possible for Satoru. If it's for the cause, it will be worth it, and when the time comes, you will all understand that this is for the better."

You shook your head. "Killing innocent people is understandable? Your ideals are getting mixed up."

"I've changed. My ideals are not meant to protect the weak any longer. They are undeserving of it."

"I'm leaving."

His hand slithered around your wrist, holding you down firmly. "Don't leave me." His gaze was lowered to the ground, his devotion towards you an overwhelming feeling. "I want you here."

You yanked your arm away from his touch, lips trembling in anguish. "You were the one who left me first! The three of us were supposed to stick together, as sorcerers! How could you say that?!"

Arms fell to his side limply, his eyes growing cold and distant. He no longer looked like the old Geto, the one who was tender and patient to anyone in need. "Fine. This won't be the last I see of you, [Name]. You'll come back and return to me. I know you will."

With that, he summoned his curse to send you back to Jujutsu High, this time without his company. 

Chapter Text

LIPS PURE AS DUST came crashing upon yours, erupting a turmoil of emotions in your heart. A true delicacy they were, something to taste and savor as the seconds dripped by like oozing honey. Forever. You wanted this to last forever, to stay in such warmth, to dive deeper, to become one with him. This was your destiny, wasn't it? To give into the ecstasy that could shape your world round. 

The feeling of his skin against yours, it was electricity. Each crook and crevice fit like a puzzle, as a fateful connection. From the sweet scent of his hair to the provocative motions he led you, they only made you yearn for more. 

You wished to consume him wholly -- the way he did you. 

Your eyes fluttered open, met by the bland sight of your dorm's bedroom ceiling. 

Drenched in sweat in response to the summer heat, you released a deep sigh and shut your eyes in shame. It had been goddamn weeks. The kiss that Geto Suguru surprised you that one unspoken night, you didn't expect to have chased you out here. It taunted and made fun of you in your dreams, tickling both the embarrassment and the hunger at your core. You hated the vulnerable he had managed to poke at, hated to find yourself wishing the dream didn't end just there, hated that you secretly preferred if it was reality. 

You let out a muffled scream into your pillow and kicked your legs up into the air. Suddenly, you were like any other normal teenage girl, flustered by some oblivious boy.  

Disgusting! You were [Surname] [Name]! 

In no time, you would get over it. There were other things to worry about instead... like the fact that your supposedly best friend turned to the dark side and everyone around you was dying and that you were currently going through an existential crisis? 

Yeah... that. 

Groggily, you forced yourself out of bed and tread your feet through the halls. 

"Someone slept in pretty late."

You rolled your eyes, looking over your shoulder to find Gojo Satoru standing there. He appeared to have gotten out of the shower recently, his hair wet and stuck to his forehead, in addition to the dampness of his white tee. A remnant droplet slid down the side of his face, catching your eye for a moment. His moist lips parted for a moment and upon the slope of his neck, his Adam's apple shifted. 

Immediately horrified by your lingering thoughts, you quickly snapped yourself out of it. Was it because of these dreams Geto cursed you with that left you a hormonal mess? It was never like this where you would care or fathom to pay attention to them in such a way. How aggravating. You would have to be rid of this plague as soon as possible, and restore back to your former, familiar self. This... was simply a phase, one that would not stick around for too long. 

"Cat caught your tongue?" Gojo whispered into your ear, suddenly way too close for your liking. 

"No," you grunted, inching away. "God, it's too hot to even train in this weather. I need a shower."

"How about we go to a zoo after your shower?" he suggested. 

"What about Shoko?"

"She's even lazier than you, especially in this heat. She said no immediately."

"Well, she's valid for that."

"Come on...! We haven't gone out in a while, not since..." He trailed off, expression hardening slightly. Then as if a figment of your imagination, he bounced back, smile stretching his face wide. "I'll even treat you."

"You know, zoo's are pretty immoral and harmful," you pointed, shrugging. 

He tilted his head to the side, blinking blankly. "So?"

This was the epitome of Gojo Satoru. The careless, heartless being he was, wrapped in a heart of his center. His view on the animals reflected his view on humans -- between the strongest and weakest. It was survival of the fittest in this formidable world to him. Put in the position so drastically far and gone from the general population, he was unable to see what was right before him. It was only a duty, a purpose in this life, and an excuse for improvement. The reality was that... the things that were small and squirming beneath him, he really... honestly could not give a damn for. 

You wondered how far off you were from him, getting even a smidgeon of his strength. 

It was actually a topic he and Geto argued back in the day. 

Back in the day. 

"Fine," you sighed. "Meet you in thirty."

The shower ran cold, running down your body in sweet delight. As dust and dirt washed from your skin, so did your thoughts from this morning. You had to live in the present from now on, look ahead, and start anew. There was no point tossing and turning every night thinking of what-ifs and regrets. Give it some more time and this pain would fade. You hoped it would happen sooner than later though. 

Wearing this mask all the time was exhausting. 

The corners of your lips had grown sore from forced smiles. 

You quickly dressed in a simple shirt and some shorts, before heading out to meet Gojo. 

By the time the two of you reached the zoo, you were panting heavily. This humidity was going to kill you today. 

Gojo tossed you a water bottle, slightly kind on his part, though with no respite of his taunts. "That was enough to have you sticking your tongue out like a dog. Should I have you kiss my feet again for water? Would be fitting behavior, right?"

Wordlessly, you wiped the sweat off your face, before swatting it towards his way. 

"Hey! Chill! I just showered earlier."

You glared at him. "Like I didn't?"

He shrugged, winking at you. "I'm not the one sweating like a pig."

"You look like one."

"The girls checking me out wouldn't say so..." Indeed, there were a group of teenage girls nearby that were shooting obvious looks in Gojo's direction. You rolled your eyes, tired of his inflated ego. Someone really oughta knock him down a peg. You would pay to see it. 

"They have horrible taste. Now hurry up, you were the one who wanted to come."

The zoo expanded pretty far and wide, with many different sections to explore. It was decently busy today, full of families, friends, and little kids. Which made sense, considering it was the weekend, but still, you kind of expected the weather to have scared them away. 

There were a variety of animals, colorful and in their... unnatural habitats. It was still fairly interesting to observe them minding their own businesses though, ignoring the pestering humans that oggled at them so intensely. You nearly could relate to the animals, trapped in a narrow box, nowhere to go. Like these creatures, there was nothing else to show up but your powers, to keep them entertained and occupied, until you were deemed worthless and discarded. That was all you mounted up to become, upon these years of living. 

"It's you," Gojo said suddenly. The two of you were standing in front of a duck pond. 

"I'm not a duck, stupid," you rebuked, annoyed. 

But you understood his reference. That day, when the three of you visited Tokyo, you had not imagined it would reach this point. The memory was clear as day, with Gojo and Geto showing you the plushies that reminded them of you. A duck and a Shiba dog. Your features softened, the pang in your chest spreading. The zoo wouldn't supposedly have any Shiba dogs around, would they? 

"We're going to be third years soon," you pointed out, the words heavy in the air. 

Gojo was quiet for a moment. "That's right."

"You know what you want to do after graduation yet?"

He glanced at you. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I'm not doing the obvious."

"You're not?!" He was shocked, his jaw clenched. 

"I'll still be a sorcerer, but more of a side job kind of thing. I was talking to Nanami and he gave me the idea."

"But... they need you! You're a special grade, [Name]."

You shook your head. "No," you corrected him. "They need you. I'm disposable."

"Don't say that," he snapped. "Of course they need you. Okay, whatever. We still have time to think about our futures."

You could hear his thoughts from here. He assumed that with time, you would snap back to reality and return to your rightful path. Unfortunately, for him, that would not be the case at all. 

After more exploring, you had reached a koi fish pond, and that struck something within you. It caused you to recall that night, up in the forgotten temple with Geto, standing there in a deteriorated, old koi fish pond. Damn. It was as if every attempt made evoked his name in grief, to relive the past. 

Your gaze fell upon two koi fish that swam by, slowly circling one another. You watched attentively, the ripples of the currents blue beneath the sun. One was white while the other was black, almost in ying yang fashion. The scales sparkled dangerously, only further pulling you into the past. Your heart lurched. If the duck and the Shiba dog were you, these two koi fish were Gojo and Geto. 

There was nothing else like it. Nothing else like the two broken pieces that mended together, now apart but always intertwined. 

Without realizing it, your body had leaned over the railing dangerously for a closer look. 

Gojo managed to grab you in time, holding your waist firmly. "What the hell are you doing?" It was as if he was almost anxious, frightened by such a simple mishap. Why was he so frazzled by something as little as this?

"I'm fine. We've been through worse."

Before he could rebuttal, the silence was interrupted by a ring and a vibrate in your pocket. You took it out to find your heart sinking, deeper and deeper into the abyss.  

The Caller ID read: 

Mother. 

Chapter Text

THE TOP THREE CLANS that your parents sought after so desperately to overthrow was a means and a purpose to your life. Truly, what a pleasant surprise it was for them the day they realized of your potential to bring the [Surname]'s name to power. Moreso, they were elated to hear of your friendly relations with the fated Gojo Satoru, keeping tabs on ruthlessly for updates. It was suffocating, being in the same room with them, stuck in their greed and desperation. 

"My dear, you haven't visited home in so long." Your mother was in front of you, sipping on her tea. She was like an older version of you, with slight wrinkles and graying hair. Just from here, you could see the gears in her head spinning and plotting. 

"I've... been busy," you told her, hesitating. 

"Ah yes, of course. I've heard of the troubles with that one child... what was his name...? Geto, was it? Didn't I tell you not to associate with him? Look what became of him."

Well, she didn't exactly want you associating with anyone besides Gojo. 

The grasp on your tea cup was tight and shaky, irritation brimming at the core. You hated to be here, hated to see your so-called parents whom only wish to use you up nice and dry. They forced you to become this war machine, to become a sorcerer, to be their trophy. You could remember as clear as day when you had begged to go to regular school and they baited you into signing the rest of your life away. If you wanted to experience normal, then you would have to do as they say afterwards. 

You were a child. 

Of course you were going to choose the most present option. 

"How is Satoru doing?" 

There it was. The old age question. She asked it before even asking how you had been doing. Not that she would ever ask such a thing. Their lies were obvious, their motives painful. This was not a family. It was a cold clan that you wished not to take part in. 

The pictures on the walls showcasing a happy family that never existed made your stomach sick. 

Why should you be the one to uphold a legacy? You didn't ask for this. 

"He's doing fine," you answered as curtly as possible. 

"I heard he's been getting stronger by the day. Are you keeping up with him?"

You stayed silent, unsure of how to respond. It was impossible to keep up with him, impossible to ever surpass the strength of his techniques. He was human, but he was also something else.

She sighed at your silence, already knowing the truth of it. "You know, the two of you would look good together. What do you think of him?"

Of course. Some other underhanded schemes to climb to the top. 

"We're friends."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "You're too naive, [Name]. Girls and guys cannot just be friends. Isn't he a handsome, young man with great stature? Surely he has a lot of options. You shouldn't wait for so long."

You were done with this conversation. Setting down your tea, you stood up and excused yourself, hoping to head upstairs for a nap to clear your head a little. 

"[Name], I am not done speaking to you yet," your mother said, stopping you at the doorway. 

"Stop trying to turn me into a gold digger for power," you spat out, the anger releasing all at once.

That was your first mistake, because the moment those words came out, a third presence entered the room. It was your father, who was not at all happy to overhear. His hand appeared in the air, striking you across the face, hard enough for blood to fill your mouth. Somehow, this measly slap felt more painful than the damage you take against curses. It was the pain of betrayal that only your blood related could inflict on. You despised these people, but you also yearned for the unthinkable -- the love of a true family. 

You spat out the irony taste of blood and hardened your features. 

"Don't speak to your mother that way," he said, his stony voice a crack to your heart. 

"It's fine. She misspoke," your mother insisted. She wasn't defending you, but didn't want to cause a scene. And how would you know? Because it happened many times where she would simply whisper vile words back when no one else was around. 

"She needs to learn respect. Off she went to school, tossing her manners away. We did not raise you this way. Go. Go and start training right now until I say you can stop. You have been slacking off without us and have grown weak."

You bit down on your tongue and clenched your hands to hold it in. This had gone from bad to worse. 

It was fine though. You just had to survive one more training session and then you would get the hell out of here. 

Out in the fields behind your family's minka, you swung your weapon, over and over. With each swipe, you thought about Geto Suguru and how he killed his parents in the name of justice. One attack of his curses and the deed was done. You wondered how easy it was for him, and whether he held enough resentment to execute it. 

You could do the same if you truly wanted to. Your parents were sorcerers but they weren't more powerful than you. 

... Not that you would. 

You brought out Eriku and tossed the halo in front of you. Recently, you had learned that it could stretch out as wide as an arena and electrocute anyone within it. It was definitely a move you would use on your future missions and it was exciting to know you were improving. But now, there was simply a distasteful tang at the back of your throat, to be demonstrating this newfound power where your parents would see. Their hunger were like grimy claws that sucked the life out of your training. 

You wondered how they'd react if they found out your future plans as a sorcerer. 

By the time your father was satisfied enough by your training, it was past midnight. In the dark, you had been making domains and swinging your sword and halo into dummies. You were sweaty, your cheeks were dirt-filled, and your palms were gaining calluses. At any time, you were about to pass out, but this wasn't the first time training was this bad. 

"Get inside and go to bed," the man ordered. 

"I wasn't planning on staying the night."

"You're not going anywhere. There's food on the table." With that, he left without waiting for a response. 

You flushed, the growls of your stomach too loud. 

Once inside, you went to take a shower, washing the dirt and grime from your body. Clean again and feeling a lot more refreshed, you sat down at the empty table and scarfed down the food the maid laid out. That was how it usually went -- how lonely your meals were here in this house. But it was better than having to suffer through dinner with your parents as a facade in front of other clans. 

Your old bedroom was filled of trinkets and memories of your normal years. As you stepped foot into the slight dusty room, you could feel your chest tighten. You didn't want to stay the night for this reason, to be reminded of what could never be experienced again. 

Making your way around, you stared at the frames on the dresser. A lot of them were you with your friends, hanging out either in school or somewhere after school. In them, you had the biggest smile on your lips, enough to brighten the room. Arms wrapped around each other, close and tight, laughing away. You were just an innocent kid, oblivious to the trauma that would only await you. If only past [Name] was told to cherish every moment of it, so that she would not hold so many regrets. 

You remembered when you finally had to cut your friends off, they tried to contact, through calls or letters. Sobbing and breaking down, you had begged your parents, but they stopped every call and burned every letter in front of you. They said they had warned you, and that they were only following the deal. 

Eventually, the calls and letters slowed down, until they stopped entirely. 

With that, [Surname] [Name] had disappeared entirely from the normal world. 

Suto Hachiro. Maybe the reason why you were so angry when Gojo ripped his phone number was not just because of a date or a love life. It was because he could have the answers to your friends you so desperately missed. It could have been the lifeline you craved to return to your past. 

But that was selfish, wasn't it? 

Your friends wouldn't want to see you again, after leaving so cruelly. 

And if you would have to leave cruelly again, due to sorcerer duties or to death, it'd be too unfair. 

You backed away from the pictures, leaving them in the past once more.