#I am so curious about Curse User Nanami | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cyllres · 3 months ago

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Devil | JJK x Makima! Reader

Chapter 26

"I've organized the reports from our sources on recent unnatural deaths and disappearances," Kento said, pointing at the map plastered on the board. "This should help us narrow down the culprit's hideout."

“Aw yeah! Are we storming in?” Yuuji asked, enthusiasm evident in his voice.

“No, this is just an approximation. I'll continue to investigate this matter, but I'd like you two to handle a different task,” Kento said, glancing at the two of you before pinning a photo of a boy on the board. “This is the boy who was at the theater, Yoshino Junpei. Apparently, he goes to the same school as the victims.” Kento then clicked on the remote, lighting up the screen beside the board to show CCTV footage. “Based on the surveillance footage and how he carried himself, I believe it’s unlikely he could be a curse user.” Your eyes narrowed as you studied Junpei, who appeared frantic in the footage. “However, if he is related to the victims, that changes things.”

“Curse user?” you asked, your tone curious but with a hint of skepticism.

“A jujutsu sorcerer with evil intent,” Kento replied, placing a hand on his hip. “I've entrusted the process to Ijichi, so I'd like you two to investigate Yoshino Junpei.”

Ijichi and Yuuji both placed a hand on their foreheads in a salute. “Roger!” Yuuji responded eagerly. “Speaking of which, I don’t know any assistants other than you,” he added, looking at Ijichi.

“Well, I’m the only one who knows you’re still alive, so by necessity…” Ijichi trailed off.

“Makes sense! Let’s go!” Yuuji said enthusiastically, opening the door. You followed him, giving Kento and Ijichi a brief nod before leaving the room. You knew Kento already had an idea of the culprit’s location, and while you were intrigued by the curse, you couldn’t risk putting Yuuji in another dangerous situation.

As you reached the bottom of the stairs, Yuuji suddenly stopped. “Hold on,” he said, turning back and heading up the stairs again, prompting you to follow.

“Nanami-sensei,” Yuuji said enthusiastically, gently pushing Ijichi, who was by the door.

“Yuuji-?” Ijichi said, regaining his balance.

“I forgot to say something.” Yuuji smiled warmly. “Be careful, okay?” he said to Kento.

“Yuuji-kun,” Nanami started, “I am not a teacher, so please drop the honorifics.”

“How about Nanamin?!” You playfully suggested with a grin as you also lean by the doorway.

“You two want a smacking?” Kento replied, his expression unamused.

“There he is,” Ijichi pointed at the boy walking casually. You sat quietly in the back seat beside Yuuji, looking disinterested while Yuuji intently watched Junpei.

Junpei was a thin young man with black eyes and shoulder-length black hair. His bangs, parted to the side, covered the right side of his face.

“Huh? He's not in uniform?” Yuuji asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

“It looks like he hasn't attended school for some time,” Ijichi replied, continuing to drive as he followed the boy.

“The same could be said for me,” Yuuji remarked, then glanced at you. “How are the others doing?”

A brief flashback of Panda spinning you around while Toge stood ready to catch you played in your mind. It was one of the reasons you preferred missions over training—you were bored, and missions felt more purposeful. Plus who does not hate being thrown away? Nobara might feel betrayed by your absence, but you didn't really care.

“Kugisaki-san and Fushiguro-san are doing well,” you answered. “Sugar too; he’s being taken care of by them.” Your tone softened a bit when you mentioned the dog. Yuuji gave you a brief smile before turning back to Ijichi.

“So, what are we gonna do?” Yuuji asked, shifting his attention.

“We’ll use that,” Ijichi said, referring to the caged cursed spirits on the passenger seat. “It's a fly head. A low-level curse that doesn't even qualify as fourth grade. When there's no one around, we’ll have it attack him.”

“Attack?!” Yuuji exclaimed, surprised.

“One: if he is a normal person who can't perceive curses, please rescue him,” Ijichi explained. “Two: if he can perceive it but has no means to fight back, again, please rescue him. Three: if he exorcises the fly head with jujutsu, we’ll restrain him immediately.” Ijichi adjusted his glasses, his expression serious.

“By force?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, by force. It’s fine if it turns out to be a misunderstanding. We can apologize later. However, Four: if he's potentially as strong as a grade 2 sorcerer, Y/n-san would restrain him while we retreat and meet back up with Mr. Nanami.”

“Huh, why should we leave Y/n alone?” Yuuji asked, worry evident in his voice as he glanced at you.

“An assistant would immediately be called to her side for an ‘emergency mission.’ Y/n-san has already been graded as a special grade after that mission and is taking first grade to special grade-tier missions,” Ijichi explained, prompting Yuuji to look at you with amazement.

“Really? Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked but quickly deadpanned, placing air quotes. “It's because you didn’t ask,” he bantered, making you laugh a bit.

“We're walking from here,” Ijichi announced as he parked the car. The three of you got out and silently followed Junpei while Yuuji held a small curse spirit with wings in a cage covered with talismans.

Yuuji and Ijichi exchanged a quick glance and mumbled something under their breath.

"You two are ridiculous," you sighed, leaning casually against a nearby post. Despite your comment, they ignored you and positioned themselves to open the cage.

“WAIT—” Yuuji tried to warn Ijichi as he noticed another person approaching, but it was too late—the curse was already gone. “Crap!” Yuuji sprang into action, chasing after the Flyhead while you watched him with a mix of amusement and disinterest. Noticing Junpei make a hand sign, signaling a cursed technique, you shifted from your relaxed stance and ran after Yuuji, eyes narrowing with interest.

“STOP!” Yuuji yelled at the small curse, now holding it firmly. Junpei and the older man he was speaking with turned to look at him in confusion. “Ow! Dammit!” Yuuji groaned as he collided with a pole. Instinctively, you stepped forward, placing yourself between Yuuji and the strangers, your gaze locked onto Junpei with a penetrating intensity.

Junpei flinched slightly under your scrutiny, but quickly masked his discomfort, accustomed to the disdainful looks people often gave him.

"Are you alright?" you asked Yuuji, your tone softening for a moment.

“Thank goodness,” Yuuji muttered, rubbing his head.

“What, is he a gymnast?” the older man asked, bewildered. You glanced at them, but before you could respond, Yuuji took a step forward, his focus entirely on Junpei.

“Hey, I've got some questions for you,” Yuuji said, ignoring the older man completely. “Would you come with me?”

“Hey, can’t you see I’m talking to him? How rude!” the man grumbled, reaching to grab Yuuji, but you swiftly intervened, your hand clamping down on his arm.

“Excuse us,” you said, your voice firm as your eyes locked onto his with a cold glare. The man shuddered, but before he could react further, your expression shifted into a polite smile. “He’s an old friend of ours. We’d like some time alone to talk about something important.” Your tone was sweet, but the underlying threat was unmistakable.

“Huh? Important? What do you kids know? And what’s with that—” The man’s rant was abruptly cut off when Yuuji suddenly yanked down his pants, revealing a pair of bright red striped shorts. His face turned beet red.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU LITTLE SHIT?!” the man screamed, desperately trying to pull his pants back up while Yuuji tugged at them. You deadpanned as Junpei watched in bewilderment. “Stop! Please stop!” the man pleaded, but Yuuji didn’t relent, running off with the man’s pants as the latter tripped over himself.

“Please don’t run off with them!” the man yelled, but Yuuji had already disappeared around the corner, leaving the man to chase after him in a frantic sprint.

“What the fuck just happened?” Junpei deadpanned, still processing the chaotic scene. You merely shrugged, turning your attention back to him.

"Who are you?" you asked, your polite smile back in place. Despite the friendliness in your tone, something about your smile unsettled Junpei, like it was a mask hiding something far more dangerous. “I’m Itadori Y/n, but you can call me Y/n.” You stepped closer to him, your eyes subtly analyzing him.

You hummed thoughtfully. ‘His cursed energy is low, just slightly above a normal human’s, but still not strong enough to perform a significant cursed technique,’ you mused, recalling the incident at the movie theater. Junpei swallowed hard, sensing your scrutiny.

“Yoshino—” Junpei began, but he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Both of you turned to see Yuuji walking up, surprisingly calm.

“Okay, now, let’s go!” Yuuji said, as if nothing had happened.

“Huh, that was fast!” Junpei remarked, genuinely impressed. “Did you go around the block!?”

Yuuji nodded. “You didn’t have to go through all that,” Junpei added. “You both could’ve just dragged me away.”

“Well, we could still do that,” you quipped with a smile that made Junpei shiver. “But you hate that guy, don’t you?” you added, glancing in the direction the man had run off. “He smells like a scummy person.”

“How do you…?” Junpei started, confused by your accuracy.

“Just a hunch,” you replied, smiling sweetly as you turned back to him.

“You don’t want someone you hate hanging around your house, right?” Yuuji asked. “Let’s head over there for now.”

Junpei hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Sure,” he agreed, following the two of you.

As you sat at the edge of the river, you couldn't help but giggle at the sight before you. To others, you might have looked like an ordinary girl, simply amused by the way the light danced on the water, but your focus was entirely on Pochita. The curse, in his canine form, was splashing around, trying to catch fish with a determination that made you smile. With a triumphant bark, Pochita finally snagged a fish and, in a playful gesture, tossed it toward you. You quickly dodged, laughing even harder as the fish landed with a wet slap on the solid ground. Pochita rushed to the shore, teeth bared as he tried to bite into the fish's head, his antics making you laugh even more.

“Stop, stop seriously,” you giggled, waving your hand to dismiss Pochita before he drew too much attention.

A few steps behind you, your brother Yuuji and Junpei were deep in conversation. Yuuji's voice, tinged with frustration, cut through the peaceful atmosphere as he gripped both his phone and a small curse he held. “Forget it! I'll just ask him!” Yuuji exclaimed, turning to face Junpei.

Dusting off your pants, you stood and approached the two boys, catching the tail end of their conversation. “Listen, some people died at the theater you went to the other day,” Yuuji began, his tone serious. “Did you happen to see anything? Something creepy like this, maybe?” He raised his hand, showing the curse to Junpei.

Junpei hesitated before answering, “No, I didn't. I've only recently started seeing those clearly.”

Yuuji nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Well, I've got nothing else to ask then!” he said, his tone shifting back to its usual enthusiasm as he quickly exorcised the curse.

Junpei blinked in surprise. “Huh? That's it?” he asked, glancing at Yuuji who had now plopped down next to him on the stairs.

“Could you still wait until our boss, sort of, shows up?” Yuuji requested, his eyes earnest. You joined them, sitting beside your brother.

“Hey, what were you watching at the movie theater?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“Oh yeah! Me and N/n-chan love watching movies! Even the bad ones,” Yuuji chimed in, grinning at you as you nodded in agreement. “Have you ever watched something so bad it turned out to be good?” he asked, his enthusiasm contagious.

Junpei, a bit more at ease now, shrugged and answered, “I was watching a repeat screening of an old movie. You two probably wouldn't know about it.”

“Come on, tell us!” Yuuji encouraged, leaning in closer.

After a brief pause, Junpei finally admitted, “... Earthworm 3.”

Both you and Yuuji groaned in unison. “That one was super boring!” you couldn't help but blurt out, and Yuuji nodded emphatically.

Despite your reaction, Junpei found himself relieved. It was strange, but for once, he felt like he was just a regular teenager having a normal conversation. No judgment, no fear, just simple, human interaction.

“I got hit so many times over that,” Yuuji murmured, rubbing his cheek as if the memory still stung.

“Honestly, it was. But it was just a splatter film, after all,” Junpei agreed, his voice a little lighter. “Maybe we never should've expected anything from it. But part two—”

“But part two was pretty good, wasn't it?” Yuuji cut in enthusiastically, with you nodding in agreement.

“Yeah! Exactly!” Junpei said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “It really had some redeemable qualities!”

As the conversation flowed, you suddenly felt something off. A familiar presence tugged at the edge of your senses, its aura dark and twisted, like a shadow of someone you once knew. You breathed deeply, trying to pinpoint its location, but it was elusive, almost as if it was intentionally toying with you.

‘It smells like Geto, but it’s so rotten,’ you thought, a wave of unease washing over you. Your hand instinctively moved to your mouth as you suppressed the urge to summon Pochita, your breath hitching slightly.

“N/n? N/n-chan? Y/n?” Yuuji’s concerned voice broke through your thoughts. You looked up at him, forcing a reassuring smile.

“Yuuji, I’m calling Yasu-san over to pick me up. I feel a bit sick in the stomach. Please get home safely,” you said, your voice calm despite the turmoil inside. You turned to Junpei. “Yoshino-kun, take care of my brother, okay?”

“Yasu-san?” Yuuji asked, his eyes filled with worry and confusion.

“He’s one of the managers I know. Don’t worry, he’s reliable. I know he’s either at his dorm or doing college stuff, whatever,” you reassured him as you stood up. Without waiting for a response, you hurried up the stairs, following the ominous presence. But instead of contacting Yasu, your fingers dialed a different number—Satoru Gojo.

Cursing under your breath, you realized the signal was too weak to get through. Frustration mounted as you broke into a run, your footsteps echoing against the concrete walls.

Rounding a corner, you collided with a black-haired woman. “Oh, sorry!” you apologized hastily, not even sparing her a glance as you continued your pursuit of the elusive presence. The woman's eyes followed you as you disappeared into the distance.

“Gojo-sensei,” you called out as your breath finally caught up with you. The moment you heard the familiar tone on the other end, you didn’t wait for pleasantries.

“Getou-sensei… he’s dead, isn’t he?” you asked, your voice trembling slightly, betraying the calm exterior you tried to maintain. There was a brief pause on the other end, the silence almost deafening before Satoru responded.

“Yes,” he confirmed, his voice steady, leaving no room for doubt.

“Then… why—why do I still smell him?” you pressed, your heart pounding faster with each step you took. The city around you blurred as you pushed yourself to move faster, your stamina dwindling but the fear driving you forward.

“Where are you, Y/n?” Satoru’s tone shifted, urgency creeping into his voice.

“Kawasaki, I think… somewhere around here,” you admitted, glancing around the unfamiliar streets as they sped past.

“Y/n, listen to me carefully. Send me your location right now. I’ll have Nanami come pick you up. Whatever you see, don’t do anything drastic,” Satoru instructed, his words firm yet laced with concern.

You bit your lip, feeling a swell of frustration. Ignoring his instructions, you ended the call and tucked your phone away. There wasn’t time for backup. The presence was growing stronger, closer, pulling you toward it like a magnet. You found a nearby sewer grate and quickly descended into the damp, echoing tunnels below. The stench was overwhelming, but all you could focus on was the sickly, familiar scent that made your skin crawl.

You summoned Pochita, the little curse barking in acknowledgment before darting down one of the tunnels, his small form vanishing into the shadows. Your steps slowed as the unease grew. Each echo of your footfall felt like a countdown, the fear gnawing at your resolve. It was as though knowing who—or what—was at the end of this tunnel would kill you, but not knowing would be worse.

Your legs gave out, the weight of dread pressing down until you were forced to crawl. You reached the corner and cautiously peeked out from behind a post, your breath catching in your throat at the sight before you.

A man stood there, hooded, his back turned to you. He was tall, his presence commanding, almost suffocating. Your heart hammered in your chest as you silently summoned a pistol into your hand, your cursed energy barely flickering to life. It was weak, so weak, but it was enough to draw the attention of the man and the cursed spirit beside him.

“Fuck,” you whispered under your breath, gripping the pistol tighter as the man turned slightly, revealing more of his face. He whistled, and from the rubble nearby, a curse emerged, its laughter grating and chilling.

“Just like I thought, that sorcerer is nuts!” the cursed spirit cackled. It had a human-like appearance, with a patchwork face stitched together in a grotesque imitation of life. Long, grayish-blue hair fell past its neck, tied into three large sections. Its entire body bore the same stitches, making it look like a puppet sewn together from mismatched parts.

“You guys went all out,” the man remarked, his voice familiar yet twisted, sending a cold shiver down your spine. You gulped, trying to make sense of what you were seeing. It seemed like him, but not him…

“Getou! Lemme borrow your clothes!” the curse demanded, its tone mocking as it glanced over at the man. Your pulse quickened as the man finally turned around to face you. His eyes, once warm, now seemed devoid of that softness, replaced by something darker, more sinister.

“Getou-sensei?” you called out, your voice eerily calm, though panic clawed at your insides. The man—Getou—smirked, his expression almost amused.

“Oh my, interesting,” he mused, his gaze settling on you. Your breath hitched as you took in his appearance. He looked exactly like the last time you saw him, but something was off—horribly off. Stitches ran across his scalp, and his skin was an unnatural shade, pale and lifeless. It was him, and yet it wasn’t.

“Y/n-chan, long time no see,” ‘Getou’ greeted you, his voice the same as you remembered, but the warmth and familiarity you once knew was almost too fake. It was like hearing a ghost speak.

Your hands shook as you raised the pistol slightly. “Who… who are you?” you demanded, your voice wavering as you stared at the man who wore Getou’s face like a mask, the man who couldn’t possibly be him.

Kape?: https://ko-fi.com/cyllres

#reader insert #yandere themes #jjk anime #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk #platonic yandere #chainsaw man #chainsaw man x reader #makima #pochita

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knchins · 3 years ago

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Kuroshiro - Chapter Four

Summary: Hayami and Suguru were teenagers in love until the day came when he decided to turn his back on the sorcery world and become a curse user, which left his best friend Satoru to pick up the pieces.

Pairing: Geto x Fem OC x Gojo

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Word Count: 4.5k

Warnings: Major manga spoilers, (Adult) Child abuse - physical/verbal, Mentions of parent death, Mild violence, Slut shaming, Suicidal ideation, Mentions of blood, Mentions of PTSD, Hurt/Comfort

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Chapter Four: Twisted Roots

Haya sat next to Utahime, still feeling the drain from using so much cursed energy as Ijichi listed the casualties of the attack on Jujutsu High. She could hardly pay attention until the name of her best friend was mentioned. Ijichi explained that the current theory was that the cursed spirit Nanami had fought was the one who had killed the deceased.

She had some sense of the danger Nanami had been in when he fought the spirit one on one. He had even become injured during the fight and had her fussing over him like an annoyed older sister even though he was older than her by a few weeks.

“Do you think we should share this information with the students or the other sorcerers?” Utahime asked, looking at her boss, Principal Gakuganji. Haya huffed angrily, already knowing what his answer would be. Gojo was looking at her, though his head was turned as if he wasn’t. It was impossible for anyone to tell what he was looking at due to his blindfold being back on.

She could sense it, however. She always could tell when he was looking at her even if she couldn’t see it to prove it. She made a point of looking at Principal Yaga instead of him. Despite the fact that he had saved her from being obliterated by hollow purple, she was still very upset at the deception of Yuuji being alive for all this time.

“It’s probably better to keep this among the higher-ups,” Yaga said, looking down with a thoughtful expression on his face. “We don’t want to give curse users certainty that special-grade objects were stolen. Has the curse user we captured spilled anything?”

Ijichi looked at his clipboard with sheer exasperation. “Well it’s not hard to get him to talk but most of what he says is irrelevant nonsense. However, he claims that he only participated in the attack because he was ordered to as part of a deal.”

Haya’s gaze moved to Ijichi then, curious about who had really pulled the strings with the attack. Certainly, a curse didn’t orchestrate the entire thing? Ijichi went on to explain verbatim what the curse user had said. Though the person they described did not ring any bells for Haya, she still wondered if perhaps this was remnants of the curse users that followed Geto back when he was still alive.

“Is there any sorcerer skilled at getting confessions?” Gojo asked though he knew the answer.

“I am,” Haya replied simply, but her methods were a little…unorthodox.

“He’s too injured for you to question, Kuroishi.” Principal Yaga said. “We will find another way.”

Haya scoffed, her fists clenching angrily at being told she couldn’t do something. The problem was Haya had a tendency to ask questions with her fists and while that worked for some people, everyone in the room doubted it would work for their prisoner.

Utahime asked how they got through Master Tengen’s barrier in the first place and Gojo explained his theory on how. Haya only half-listened as she thought about the six fingers that were taken. If given to Itadori, then he would become all the more powerful. She was certain she’d be unable to kill him if had eaten that many.

Though she was uncertain if she could kill him regardless. She had never actually killed anyone before, though she had no doubt that she could if the situation call for it. But what situation ever called for killing a child? On top of that, she was certain Miyu would never forgive her if she found out. The idea of losing Miyu made her heart ache and Gojo wondered why she looked so forlorn as she stared into her lap.

It was then decided that the students would decide if the goodwill games would be canceled or not. Haya had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, not so much about the games but about the call she received from her father earlier. She excused herself, giving a small bow to the principals before leaving to go find Miyu to again make sure she was alright.

Instead of going to the baseball game that was held the following day, Haya went to her family’s estate to deal with her father. She knew Miyu would be upset that she was not there to watch her play, but the gravity of the situation with her father was more pressing. She had to find a way to stall the kill order on Itadori’s head for as long as possible. That or get a firm idea of what the consequences would be if she could not complete the task.

So she sat, forehead on the tatami mat beneath her in a bow as her father entered the room. Haya was frowning, a mixed expression of anger and fear that she was thankful he could not see. Her brows slackened as she raised up once she was addressed.

“Sukuna’s vessel is alive,” Daiki said plainly and Haya merely nodded.

A hand collided with the side of her face, his ring catching her eyelid just enough to make it bleed. “Gojo Satoru hid this child and you want me to believe that you had no idea what he was up to?”

Haya cursed Gojo inwardly as a thin trail of blood oozed down her cheek. She shut the one eye, praying it wouldn’t swell too much. “We are not together. I didn’t know.” She replied in the calmest voice she could muster. It was only a half-truth. They had been together during the time but they weren’t currently. At least, Haya said they weren’t. Somewhere inside her, she knew the breakup wouldn’t last. They’d get back together like always. History was doomed to repeat itself indefinitely.

“Of course you were.” His voice was like venom as he spoke, “probably because you open your legs for anyone.” It worked its way into her ears and blood and heart. “Maybe if you were faithful like your mother had been, he wouldn’t keep leaving you.”

She closed the eye that had been open, knowing she shouldn’t say what she was about to say. “Gojo Satoru is a bigger slut than me, father. Maybe you should take it up with him.”

He grabbed her tight bun in his fist, yanking it back so hard that she saw blinding white stars speckle her inside of her eyelids. Maybe if she was lucky he’d finally kill her. No, that’d mean he’d have to face the consequences of his actions for once. While she could conceal his bruises and keep a very angry Gojo away, if she were dead then there would be no stopping the six eyes from getting his revenge.

And Revenge, Gojo Satoru would certainly get for the loss of his love. Even if it wasn’t a healthy love, it was still real.

Haya felt something crack as he hit her sides repeatedly with the wooden cane he kept by his side, not for support for walking but to punish his brat children whenever they stepped out of line. Maybe if she had been born under a different sun, like her brother, she would be able to keep her mouth shut. She could be subservient. She could just ignore the looks of ill-will and snide remarks of her appearance or personality.

But Haya was more like fire than water. All fury and rage and contempt. Her tongue was sharp and holding it only made her taste blood. He had tried many times to beat the flame from her soul but it would never work. It could never be snuffed out by the likes of him.

She only wished she had the nerve to fight back. While he was her abuser, her attacker, her torturer, he was still her father. A father that had once loved her very dearly when she was so tiny that she could hardly remember it. What changed, she asked herself over and over. The accident hadn’t been her fault. Her mother protecting her only daughter from a curse, her mother who had always been frail and not meant for the sorcerer world, her mother who had truly been her father’s soulmate gone at the hands of a thing she could barely understand the existence of at the time.

Haya thought back to the happy times as his hits continued. His anger was unjust yet somehow she felt deserving of it. Somehow it had been her fault. Somehow she had destroyed his world like she continued to destroy her own. So many things she wished she could be but she simply was not. Life could be so cruel sometimes.

When he was done, when his anger had been quelled by the sheer exertion of force onto his youngest child, Daiki stood straight, tapping his cane on the ground in a single for Haya to right herself from her hunched over position. Blood dripped down her face and she was certain she had broken a rib or two. She longed for Gojo more than anything. There was no place on Earth safer than by his side or in his arms. She wanted to cry.

“Exterminate Sukuna’s vessel or I’ll exterminate you.” Her father whispered darkly into her ear and the coldness she felt from both shock and pain made her shiver. Then her suspicions had all been confirmed. Haya wasn’t meant to complete this mission. She wasn’t meant to survive.

She was meant to die.

Gojo knew something was up with his ex-girlfriend. She had made the clear that night that they were broken up due to his deception and while he couldn’t really blame her for being upset he also thought she was being a tad bit ridiculous. Even Miyu had already forgiven Itadori for not telling her he had been alive this whole time.

When she didn’t come to the game, he actually became worried. While he put on a smile and joked around with the students, it still pestered him that she was not there for Miyu like she normally was. When he asked the teen about it, Miyu simply said that her mother had a mission and couldn’t make it. He knew that to be untrue. Principal Yaga wouldn’t have given her an assignment until the goodwill games were over. If it was something that pressing then he just could have sent Nanami or another first-grade sorcerer.

The game had finished by the time he felt her enter through Master Tengen’s barrier. He forced a smile at his students who were celebrating their win and made a flimsy excuse about needing to leave.

Once he was gone, Itadori asked where they thought he was really going. To which Fushiguro replied that it probably had something to do with Hayami. He had been used to their ups and downs, having witnessed them for years now.

“Haya-sensei seemed really upset that I was still alive.” Itadori mumbled, “Do you think she wants me dead too?”

Miyu was quiet but the thought of Haya wanting Yuji dead deeply upset her. He was, after all, still a very good friend despite what he had done. Could her new mom really be hiding something like that from her?

“It’s not like that.” Fushiguro replied simply, “her family specialized in vessels at one time before they were outlawed. Her father probably wants you dead but she never agrees with anything he says.” He chose to leave out the part where Haya typically paid for those disagreements. “She’s probably just mad at Gojo for not telling her.”

Yuji nodded, hoping that that was indeed the case. He still didn’t quite understand why everyone wanted him dead. He could so far control Sukuna, though he knew things would get more dangerous the more fingers he consumed.

Panda called the three over to a celebratory lunch that the school was going to host and with that, the conversation died.

Ijichi had picked Haya up from her childhood home and driven her back to the school as she laid a broken mess on the back seat. She just wanted to sleep. For hours, days, weeks, the rest of eternity. Her head and torso hurt the most, and she was sure that she had already started to swell grotesquely. She had mumbled something to him about not telling Gojo when she had collapsed into the back of his car, but Ijichi had no intentions of keeping this from him.

Ijichi saw Gojo waiting for them as he parked the car, wondering how he knew they had arrived. He kept a finger to his lips, signaling Ijichi not to say anything and Haya was too out of it to sense his presence. As soon as the car door was unlocked, the back door by Haya’s feet was opening and Gojo looked over at her with a deep frown.

He didn’t have to ask who did it, because he already knew. As gently as he possibly could, he pulled her into his arms and picked her up to carry her to Shoko. Luckily the medical wing wasn’t far from the entrance of the school and he could avoid the students getting there.

Haya’s small hand came up to clutch his shirt, finding comfort in the familiar uniform fabric. Her eyes were closed but she still knew that it was him. She finally felt like she could safely relax and was thankful that he wasn’t bombarding her with questions. There was a pang in her chest of wanting to remain close to him. It was hard to tell him to fuck off when she needed him most.

Rage flowed through him as he held her small, trembling body in his arms. He hadn’t expected her to be in such bad shape when he saw her and it was taking all of him not to demand answers. Though obviously, the only one she’d let do this to her was her piece of shit father, he wanted to know why. What had caused her father to be so outraged this time? Was it really over Itadori?

He’d have to wait until she was somewhat healed before he could probe for more information. She looked so small, so defeated, so vulnerable, and it reminded him of the time he found her after Geto had his way with her, only with more blood and less heartbreak.

Why hadn’t she just told him? He would have gone with her. He would have protected her. He would have made her father answer for all the horrible shit he’s done in the past. Though he knew their relationship was the cause of a lot of their arguments, he couldn’t imagine that Daiki would go this hard over them breaking up again.

He wondered if Haya had said anything to provoke him. He knew how hard it was for her to keep her mouth shut sometimes. As angry as it sometimes made him, he’d never have the heart to physically hurt her.

He laid her down on one of the hospital-style beds and fetched the good doctor who had been in her office going over some paperwork. Shoko didn’t seem too surprised when she saw Haya looking worse for wear. She had been forewarned that her services would be needed by Haya herself. Shoko began some basic healing as she asked Gojo if he knew what had happened.

“No. She didn’t even tell me she was going over there.” He muttered with aggravation. He hated feeling like he couldn’t protect her, especially when he so easily could have.

Haya’s family life was a terribly kept secret. Everyone knew how her father treated her but no one said anything either. It was a clan matter and they were all outsiders. Haya even said she didn’t want help when it came to him. She wanted to handle it all on her own, though she never found the nerve to actually do that.

Shoko managed to heal the lacerations and the bruises and even fixed the cracked ribs. She was talented at what she did and was slowly passing that on to her little cousin who had been a quick learner. When she was finished, she stepped away. “So, I heard you two broke up again.” She added, obviously playful and not believing it to be true. Everyone knew they couldn’t resist the magnetic pull to one another. It was a running gag whenever they called it quits. No one believed it except the women that had been lusting after Gojo in the first place.

While none were stupid enough to square off with the well-muscled Haya, they waited like vultures for the love to die so that they could sweep in and hopefully make Gojo see the error of his ways. Unfortunately for them, he never did. As much pain as she brought him, he still loved her deeply. Sometimes he feared that he always would.

“She’s mad I didn’t tell her about Itadori.” He said with a shrug. “She’ll get over it.”

Shoko merely snorted. It seemed the two of them could get through anything, which was apparent after Geto’s death. She had been sure that they were done for good that time. Maybe they had a pesky red string of fate connecting them and that’s what brought them back again and again.

Haya let out a soft groan as she brought a hand up to her head to hold her still-swollen face. She recognized the stiff mattress of the bed almost immediately and knew that she was in the infirmary. She heard the voices of Gojo and Shoko and immediately regretted not pretending to be still unconscious.

“Hey beautiful,” Gojo said with a smirk, and Haya knew he was being sarcastic. She was sure she looked anything but right now with the swelling that was yet to go down. She knew that she probably looked like an ugly mess right now.

She opened one eye to glare at him, the other she was unable to open just yet. Though Shoko had healed her, it would take a few hours for her appearance to go back to normal. She’d still be sore for a while until the initial shock of her physical trauma was gone. “What are you doing here, Gojo?” She asked though she knew the answer already.

He tutted, “so ungrateful. I’m the one that carried you here.” He replied playfully and a sour expression crossed her face. She should have known he’d figure out that something was up. He could always tell when she was lying and sense when she was in danger. Though he was acting more joyfully than she thought he would. Probably because Shoko was present.

“I’ll leave you two kids to it. Haya, you’re staying the night here so don’t think about leaving.” the doctor said pointedly before walking back into her adjacent office. Gojo’s jovial expression dropped once he was sure she was out of earshot.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going over there? I would have gone with you.” He asked in a hushed tone, his aggravation with her showing now. Haya gave him an equally annoyed look, not really wanting to talk to him. When she didn’t answer he continued, “are you going to at least tell me what happened?”

Haya huffed, but she knew it would help her feel better to get it off her chest. “He thinks I knew about Itadori being alive.” She said, “And that you left me because I’m a slut. You know, the usual.”

He didn’t seem any more pleased that she had answered him, mostly because he was thinking of all the ways he could just kill Kuroishi Daiki in his head. “You should just get back together with me then and he’ll have nothing to complain about.”

Of course, Daiki would always be able to find something to complain about. Though overall he was more lenient when she and Gojo were together. Still, she didn’t look like she thought he deserved her back just yet. “No, Gojo.” He nearly flinched at her not using his first name, “I’m still very much mad at you for not telling me that he was alive. You had every opportunity and you know you can trust me to keep something like that secret. You chose to deceive me, and that not only hurt me but it hurt my daughter too.”

He let out a long sigh, hating how she wouldn’t just see reason. Didn’t she know by now that he was always right? How troublesome. “You said yourself if he was alive then you’d have to kill him. How was I supposed to tell you?”

She was quiet then, finally seeing his side of things. It still didn’t quell her anger and hurt. “You know as well as I do that I am not capable of that.”

“Desperate people are capable of things they wouldn’t normally do,” Gojo replied. Haya frowned more, not liking to consider herself desperate. But, again he was right, she was desperate. Desperate for parental love and acceptance. Desperate for approval and a pat on the back. Desperate for a job well done. Gojo knew all of this because he sometimes knew her better than she knew herself.

As she tried to think of a response to that, Gojo decided to ask another question. “Did you receive any orders while you were there?”

Haya thought back to the words her father had whispered into her ear before she stumbled outside and into the car. It was only right that Gojo knew. “Yes.” She said, deciding to be forthright. “Exterminate Sukuna’s vessel or I’ll exterminate you.” She specified.

His hands twitched as they threatened to ball up into fists. He didn’t care if Haya wasn’t his girlfriend, she was still the one person on the planet alive that he was closest to. No matter how furious she made him or how much she hurt him, he doubted he could ever willingly let anything bad happen to her.

“What are you going to do then?” He asked, his tone forced. She could tell he was upset. It wasn’t as if a breakup meant that your feelings were suddenly turned off. Though things would be much easier if they were. Maybe then they’d be allowed to live separate lives.

“Let him kill me, I guess.” She said, and he could tell she was being facetious. Her flippant attitude annoyed him more than calmed him. He wanted to shake her until she acted appropriately for the situation at hand. Gojo was normally one to play around, I mean he could handle the world if he needed to, but sometimes the situation called for seriousness. This was one of them.

“Hayami.” Gojo said, and she nearly flinched. An angry Gojo could be quite frightening, not that he’d ever hurt her in that way but it was a reaction she had picked up while growing up in an abusive household. An angry man usually meant a swinging hand. Although the only person who knew her that had ever dared to throw a fist at her was her own father. Still, humans were fragile things, it didn’t take much to condition them to fear emotion.

He noticed her reaction and immediately felt guilty, but not guilty enough to stop. “I know you won’t harm a child. Definitely not Sukuna’s vessel. Let me protect you.”

Since her second year of high school, Haya had been physically strong. She had done an obscene amount of strength training after she chose to use a cursed tool that was heavily reliant on physical strength. The harder she hit a curse, the more of its energy her tekko would take away. This meant that her build had gone from petite to muscular pretty fast.

She received plenty of comments from her family on how she had made herself undesirable, at least until she began formally dating Gojo. If a Gojo wanted to be with her, then certainly she was doing something right. Though her father would just say she was a seductress that got him by spreading her legs.

What a charming man.

Haya felt like she was going to cry. She didn’t necessarily want to, but the stress had been weighing down more heavily as of late. Gojo grabbed her hand gently and squeezed it. “You can be mad at me about Yuuji, that’s fine. You don’t have to forgive me for lying to you. But I’m not going to lose someone else. I’m not going to let you die.”

She rubbed at her good eye with her free hand before nodding, “Okay��okay.” She muttered, feeling embarrassed that she wasn’t strong enough to handle it herself in the first place. At least he wasn’t making her forgive him in repayment.

There was a short comfortable silence as Haya managed to gather her emotions back together. “Who won the game?”

Gojo smirked, “We did, of course. You know, your daughter was pretty good out there. She definitely takes after her mom in the athletic department.”

Haya cracked a smile, “of course, I’ve been training her since the day we met. How to pick up boys and how to knock them out when they misbehave. The first part she’s not so good at yet.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her, “if she dresses like you then she’ll have no problem.” He teased, referring to her typically revealing attire. He knew she stopped being modest as a stab at Geto, but it became quite becoming of her. He rather liked being able to stare at her exposed skin whenever he pleased, even when they were off again.

She laughed, though he had half expected her to get angry. “She has a better sense of style than me, to be honest.”

“You mean, she likes to wear actual clothes?” He corrected her.

“I wear real clothes!” Haya protested and he just chuckled in response.

He propped his head upon his hand, his elbow on her bed. “You know you’re a MILF now, right?” He said with a shit-eating grin.

Haya stared at him, unsure of how to respond to that. “Just say you want to fuck me, Satoru, don’t make it weird.”

“If you’re Miyu’s mom, does this make me the dad?” He asked, his smile growing.

“Absolutely not, you’re the weird uncle. Nanami can be the dad.” She said with a huff.

“Oh? You’re leaving me for Nanamin now?” He replied, pretending to be hurt. “How could you?”

Haya tried not to laugh at the expression he was making. “Easily, you’re a jerk.”

“I’m your jerk.” He replied, a little more serious now.

She let out a sigh of defeat, “yes, you’re my jerk.”

Interlude Four coming Sunday, March 20th Geto and Gojo lay their eyes on Haya for the very first time. A/N: I'm taking next weekend off. I know I'm going to need the mental break <3

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