#also why is Hakari there I’m so lost… | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

m1ckeyb3rry · 10 months ago

Text

Pomegranate Ink: XXX

Series Synopsis: Unable to heal but willing to fight, with a fiancé in Kyoto and a last name that looms over everything you do, you accept an offer to study at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech. What you did not know was that your salvation and your ruination alike would soon join you at the school, neatly wrapped in the form of a boy followed by death.

Chapter Synopsis: As everyone returns from the Culling Games, preparations are made in order to unseal Gojo.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Yuta Okkotsu × Female Reader

Chapter Word Count: 6.3k

Content Warnings: angst, misogyny, naoya zenin, forbidden relationships, canon-typical violence, character death, original characters included

A/N: daddy’s home 😩🙏🏻‼️ also i’m sorry for the hakari slander i actually like him as a character but y/n fucking hates him so alas her internal monologue is not flattering towards the poor guy.

Ever since she had told you the story of her past with Toji Zenin — who apparently had gone by Toji Fushiguro by the time of his death, hence how she had recognized that he was Megumi’s father — you and your mother had been closer than before. You were still nothing like what a typical mother and daughter should’ve been like, but you laughed at her jokes and helped her cook when you had a spare moment, and she listened to your problems and offered comforting words when you grew too upset about them.

It was nice, having a mother. You had never understood the extent of what the L/Ns had stolen from you until you got it back, and now you wished more than anything that you were a different girl, that your mother married a different man, that the two of you could’ve had something close to happiness in your youths. But it had not happened in that way, and so your only consolation was the one year you had had at the school, the year where everyone had been there, when you, Panda, Toge, Tullia, Maki, and Yuta all studied together and went on dumb missions together and made fun of Gojo together and did everything, really, but all together.

Things would never be like that again. Tullia was dead. Toge had lost his arm. You could only use Composition. Maki had slaughtered her entire clan in exchange for the murder of her twin sister. Yuta was a special grade sorcerer of his own merits instead of just Rika’s strength. Panda’s brother, sister, and father were gone. None of you were who you used to be. None of you would ever smile and laugh like that again. Even if you one day got over everything somehow — time would heal all wounds or something like that, according to proverbial wisdom, even though you’d place your bets on Composition over time any day — you would never be able to return to the innocence of your schooldays.

The first to return from the Culling Games were Noritoshi and Elakshi. Noritoshi had cut his hair after getting exiled from his clan, but Elakshi looked much the same, albeit with a few more scars on her face, most notably a lash mark running down the side of her cheek.

“It’s fine,” she said when you rushed to her side to try and help her. “You can leave it. I’ll wear this kind of scar with pride; it’s a scar of victory, not defeat, so I’m alright with not erasing it.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?” you said. She shook her head.

“Not anymore. Luckily, Noritoshi has some first aid skills, so we were able to patch it up with some good old bandages,” she said, tapping the scar for emphasis. “Really, it’s not a problem. I always forget it’s there.”

“That’s good. What about you, Noritoshi?” you said.

“I’m alright as well,” he said. “Thank you, though.”

Around the start of the Culling Games, when the higher ups were sending out their execution orders and whatnot, the Kamo clan had found a new leader and promptly exiled the bastard-born Noritoshi. That was why they hadn’t spoken in your favor when your execution was on the table — you were tied to a man they didn’t even care about anymore, so what use were you to them? Staying in the higher ups’ good graces far outweighed that, and anyways everyone knew at that point that the L/Ns had disowned you. Or, at least, they had until you came back and took over the clan, but that had happened later, so it wasn’t a concern of theirs when your death was on the table.

“It’s strange,” Noritoshi said upon finding out that you were the new head of the L/N clan. “We’ve reversed roles entirely. You’re the clan head, and I’m an outlaw. You’re the one with all of the prestige, and I’m nobody.”

“That’s true,” you said. “But I wouldn’t say you’re nobody. You’re still Noritoshi Kamo, for better or for worse, and even if you aren’t the heir to your clan anymore, that’s still worth something.”

“Maybe so,” he said.

“Not maybe. It is so, and as the head of the L/N clan, I can say that with certainty. Oh! And by the way, also as the head of the L/N clan, I’d like to decree that we are no longer engaged. Please feel free to marry who you’d like, and do not begrudge me for doing the same,” you said, motioning towards Elakshi, who was now busily telling Ijichi a story. Judging by how frequently she kept pointing to her cheek, it was the tale of how she had gotten her scar, and it must’ve been gruesome, considering Ijichi was quite literally quaking as she spoke.

Noritoshi smiled fondly at her. In all of the years you two had been engaged, this was an expression he had never worn around you. It was because you and he were only friends, but he cared for Elakshi in a different way, a way that made your heart settle, the knowledge that he was happy bringing you your own happiness as well.

“Thank you, Y/N,” he said.

“Be kind to her, and I’m sure she’ll be kind to you,” you said.

“I intend to do just that,” he said. “Though Elakshi’s not the type to put up with anything but the best treatment. Not anymore.”

“Good on you for raising her standards!” you said, clapping him on his muscular shoulder.

“I don’t think it was me,” he said. “It was someone else. She saw a boy love a girl so deeply and wholly that she vowed then and there to never settle for any less, or so she’s said.”

“Huh? What, on TV or something?” you said.

“You, dumbass,” he said. “Seeing how Yuta acts with you is what changed her mind. I’m inclined to agree with her, too. The way he loves you, the way you love him…that’s definitely the kind of thing that would raise one’s standards.”

You didn’t even try to deny it. You didn’t have to anymore. Now that you were the head of the L/Ns and Noritoshi had been exiled and your engagement was nothing but a memory, you didn’t have to hide anything anymore.

“If anyone can meet those standards, it’s you,” you said. “You’re a good man, Noritoshi.”

“Thanks, Y/N,” he said. “We’re still friends?”

“Of course,” you said firmly. “That’s never changed.”

The next ones back were Panda, Hakari, Kirara, and a tall man with electric eyes and pale hair. Panda was tiny now, the size of a dog instead of his typical lumbering form, and you immediately swept him into your arms the moment you saw him.

“My poor Panda,” you said, stroking the soft fur of his forehead, scratching the scruff of his neck the way you’d do with a pet. “Hakari, how could you let this happen?”

“Don’t blame Kin,” Kirara said, standing in front of Hakari and looking comically small compared to his bulk. “It’s Panda’s own fault for picking a fight with someone so much stronger than him!”

“Actually, I didn’t really pick the fight,” Panda said, eyes closing as you rubbed behind his ears. “He did.”

The man standing awkwardly beside Hakari nodded proudly at this, which was definitely a little strange, given what Panda was saying.

“I did do that,” he said. “He was too weak for it to really be considered a proper fight, though.”

You squinted at him. “Have we met before or something? You seem familiar, for some reason.”

“Dunno,” he said. “Maybe. It’s not like I pay attention to everyone I meet and keep a catalog of them in my mind or anything.”

“Probably not, Y/N,” Hakari interrupted. “Kashimo’s one of the reincarnated sorcerers, so he’s been dead for about four hundred years. There’s no way you two would have run into one another.”

“It’s most likely Gojo,” Panda said. “Don’t you see the similarity? They both have light hair and bright eyes. I thought they might be related or something when I first saw him, too, but apparently it’s just a coincidence.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right,” you said. Now that Panda mentioned it, there was a startling resemblance between Kashimo and Gojo. “Sorry for the confusion.”

“I don’t really care,” Kashimo said. “I don’t even know who Gojo is, but that’s as good of an explanation as any.”

“Anyways!” Hakari said, leaning over and plucking Panda from your arms, handing him to Kirara and then resting his hands on your shoulders. You scowled at him, which he ignored completely. “Have you thought about what I asked you?”

“Usually, when you start speaking, I stop paying attention,” you said. “That is to say, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You really mean that?” he said.

“Uh, yeah,” you said. “You’re kind of weird, Hakari.”

“I’m talking about your fever! What do you burn for? Don’t you remember when we talked about that? That’s what I want to know!” he said.

“Ah, maybe you shouldn’t phrase it like that, Kin,” Kirara said with a wince.

“What do you mean?” Hakari said. Kirara pointed at the literal burn scars on your neck and hands, along with the unamused expression on your face.

“I think she, um, actually burnt for something…” they said. Hakari turned bright red before clearing his throat and turning away. It was a rare thing to see Hakari embarrassed, so it cheered you immensely — to the point that you were not even annoyed anymore.

“Right, against the special-grade volcano curse, Jogo,” you said. “That’s when I got these. In Shibuya — an incident which I remember the two of you being conspicuously absent from.”

“We didn’t know!” Kirara said.

“The higher ups didn’t bother to inform us, or else we would’ve been there. We may not like doing work or anything, but we wouldn’t have left you and Gojo and all to your fates for no reason,” Hakari added.

“I’m not blaming you,” you said. “It was just an observation. That’s all.”

The next was Yuta himself, and you abandoned the others as soon as his foot crossed the door. Although you no longer had your cursed signature detection, you could still sense that it was him, knew it somewhere deeper than even your soul. The presence which once had felt so malevolent was now your greatest companion, and he had barely stepped inside before you were launching yourself at him. He dropped his sword and caught you just in time, spinning you around and then setting you gently on the ground beside him.

“I’m glad you’re back,” you said. “The whole time you were gone, I was so worried…”

“I know,” he said. “Would you believe it if I said I worried about you, too?”

“No. I wasn’t even doing anything dangerous, so what cause was there to worry?” you said.

“When you aren’t with me, I worry. I can’t help it; even if I know you’re safe, I worry about you. It’s because I think of you so much — worry is just a natural consequence of it,” he said.

“You’re the one that was in a dangerous death match,” you said. “I wish I could give some romantic explanation for why I was afraid, but it really was just a fear that something would happen to you and I wouldn’t be there in time to stop it. Speaking of which, are you okay? Do you need to be healed at all?”

“I have a Reverse Cursed Technique too, you know,” he reminded you. “It’s nothing as impressive as Composition when it comes to being used on other people, of course, but it’s perfectly functional on myself.”

“Like you said, it’s nothing like Composition, which means I won’t feel at ease until you allow me to use that on you,” you said.

“Nothing will come of it but exhaustion on your part,” he said.

“It’s okay. Now that I don’t use Dissection anymore, I can use Composition without being drained immediately. There’s no problem,” you said, cradling his face in your hands, massaging his jaw with nimble fingers. “Composition.”

True to his word, Yuta was not at all injured, and the Reverse Cursed Technique washed over him with little effect. He stayed perfectly still, though, eyes closed as he allowed you to check every millimeter of his body with Composition. Only when you could be absolutely sure that there was nothing wrong with him did you release the Reverse Cursed Technique and press a kiss to the tip of his nose.

“All good?” he said knowingly.

“All good,” you agreed. “My dear, brave Yuta. Thank you for coming back to me alright.”

“I missed you the whole time I was gone,” he said. “I knew you would be in more danger if you were by my side, but I couldn’t help wishing you were with me anyways. My only consolation was that I’d get to see you again when I returned, so I kept fighting to that end. Even if I wasn’t alright, even if I was hurt, even if I had to crawl…I’d have come back to you. No matter my condition, I will come back.”

You leaned in to kiss him, but right as your lips were about to brush, there was an ear-splitting shriek. The two of you jumped apart, turning to find Hakari standing there, pale-faced, Kirara beside him with their hands on their cheeks.

“It’s like that between you two?” Kirara said.

“Oh my god,” Hakari said. “Y/N! You’re dating the creepy guy? Why would you do that?”

“Hakari,” you said through gritted teeth. “You should consider yourself very lucky I gave up fighting.”

“I’m not that creepy, am I?” Yuta said, patting his arms with a small frown. You shook your head in the negative even as Hakari and Kirara nodded.

“Not at all,” you said.

“Yes,” Kirara said.

“Absolutely, man,” Hakari said.

“Hakari!”

Maki and Itadori were the next to come, the door slamming open as they sprinted in, carrying a wounded girl in between them. Her arm had been cut off somehow, and blood dripped profusely from the wound, leaving a trail behind her as Itadori breathlessly set her down on a hospital bed.

“Who is this?” you said.

“Hana Kurusu. She’s the vessel for the Angel — the one who can unseal Gojo,” he said. “You have to heal her!”

“What happened?” you said, though immediately afterwards, you activated your Reverse Cursed Technique with a murmur of “Composition.”

The dark energy circulating around Kurusu’s injury made your stomach turn. You knew immediately that this kind of wound could only be made by one being, and that frightened you more. The cursed energy was spreading from the wound and overtaking her entire essence, and sweat poured from your brow as you methodically destroyed it, the procedure taking even more effort because of the lingering potential that the energy had.

“Sukuna,” Itadori said, though it wasn’t like he really needed to explain anymore, not now that you had come in contact with it.

“Is it hard to keep control of him now that you’ve eaten so many fingers?” you said. “Also, where’s Megumi? He’s the only one that hasn’t come back yet.”

“It’s not like that,” Maki said as you finished removing the last of Sukuna’s residual energy. “It wasn’t in Itadori’s body that he did all this. He’s found a new vessel now.”

“A new vessel? How?” you said, preparing yourself to regenerate the arm, which would be immensely difficult given the being who had cut it off.

“He made a Binding Vow with me. That’s how I was able to live after the detention center incident. In exchange for regrowing my heart, he could use a chant that would give him control of my body for one minute — although, he wasn’t allowed to harm anybody else during that time,” Itadori said.

“Okay,” you said, the tendons and bones of Kurusu’s arm beginning to take shape.

“That didn’t include him,” Maki said. “Sukuna ripped his own finger off and force fed it to—”

“The new vessel,” you completed. “I see how it happened. Well, who is it?”

“Fushiguro,” Itadori said miserably. “He took Fushiguro.”

Instinctively, you canceled Composition, the arm falling away into nothingness, leaving Kurusu with nothing but a healed stump off of her shoulder.

“Megumi?” you said. “What do you mean by that?”

“Y/N, her arm,” Maki reminded you. You ignored her, Kurusu’s well-being fading into an afterthought in your mind. All you could do was try to fathom what they had just revealed to you. Megumi was Sukuna’s vessel now. It wasn’t enough that he had taken Tullia from you. He was taking Megumi, your Megumi, your constantly snitching, stupidly sacrificial, serious little underclassman, the one who always asked for your advice and complained about Gojo with you. Sukuna was taking that boy, too.

“Why?” you choked out. “Why does he keep doing this?”

“I’m sorry,” Itadori said. “It’s my fault.”

“He’s stealing everyone,” you said hollowly. “He can’t kill me, so he’ll destroy every single person I love. He’ll make it so that I don’t want to live at all, and only then will he be able to find some pleasure in denying me death.”

“That’s not entirely the case,” Maki protested. “He must be interested in Megumi for other reasons, too.”

“Of course he is,” you said, returning to Kurusu’s arm, even though you knew by now it was too late, that her fragile body could not handle it if you forced it to regenerate an entire limb once more. “But this only makes it better. He gets what he wants out of Megumi and tortures me in the same breath. Who will it be next?”

You glanced at Maki and immediately wished you hadn’t. You didn’t want to think about it like that, didn’t even want to put those thoughts into the world. If Sukuna took her from you, too, if you had to watch her die, if, after everything, you lost Maki as well, then you wouldn’t be able to go on.

Kurusu soon woke up, and you apologized as much as you could about the fact that she still did not have her arm. She did not complain, explaining to you how she had lost it in the first place, how she had fallen for Sukuna’s trick, and then hanging her head.

“If only I wasn’t so stupid, you’d still have your friend,” she said. Itadori and Maki were silent, but you smiled as best you could at her. Her green eyes and bright hair reminded you of someone else, and you could never hate that person, so you could never hate her, either — not that you would’ve in the first place.

“I don’t blame you,” you said. Her lower lip trembled, and her eyes swam with tears as she hesitantly peeked up at you. You patted her on the head. “If it were me, I might’ve made the same mistake. How were you supposed to know? How can we blame you for something Sukunadid? If not that, then he would’ve pulled something else. He took advantage of you and your affection for Megumi, and that’s how things ended up in this way, but you’re not at fault. Sukuna is.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” she said, and then she really was crying. You offered her a handkerchief, and she blew her nose in it with a great honk. “You don’t even know me! I lost you your friend, so why are you being nice to me?”

“You know, it’s a little reassuring that even angels can make mistakes, just like humans can,” you said. “Don’t worry. We’ll get him back, and then you can talk to him, and everything will be fine. We won’t let Sukuna win this time. But can you promise me one thing in exchange for my forgiveness?”

“What?” she said.

“For the moment, please forget about him. From now on, we must — we must act as if Megumi Fushiguro is someone who is dead.”

As everyone made the preparations to unseal Gojo, there was a palpable feeling of loss in the air. With every moment that passed, you found yourself wanting to make some joke with Tullia or exchange incredulous looks with Megumi whenever someone did something stupid. You wanted to introduce Nobara to your mother and discuss things with Nanami and learn more from Yuki Tsukumo, who you had learnt had fallen in a fight against Kenjaku. But none of those people were here anymore. You would never get to do any of those things again.

You weren’t the only one who was impacted. Itadori was the worst off; he had lost his two best friends, after all, the two people who were supposed to always be by his side. They were gone now, leaving him alone, and even though Choso and, surprisingly, Elakshi did their best, it was never quite enough for the boy to regain the old sparkle in his eyes.

Toge and Panda, once the comedic duo that could always be counted on to make everyone laugh, were quiet more often than not. What cause did Toge have to make jokes when he had lost the girl he loved? What cause did Panda have to mess around when his creator was dead and he had lost his sibling cores? There was nothing of the sort, so they both tended to sit by one another in silence, their old friendship one of the only things they had left at this point. Sometimes Yuta would sit with them, too, but everything was different for him, less raw and immediate, so more often than not he stayed with you and left them to their mourning.

You tried to spend as much time as you could with Kurusu. Yuta followed you everywhere, as did Maki, so although neither of them put the same effort into befriending her that you did, they ended up becoming a little fond of her as well. But you did what you could to be kind to her — you understood what it was like to be lonely, to feel ostracized, and so you endeavored to be to her what Gojo and Maki had been to you. To this end, you only had Elakshi’s aid; she had become something of a philanthropist in recent times, reaching out to whoever she could in the attempt to provide some slim kindness despite never having shown much interest in the pursuit before.

One time, while Yuta was taking a well deserved nap and Maki was cleaning her sword, you somehow found yourself roped into a conversation with Hakari, Kirara, and Hajime Kashimo — who didn’t really seem to like the previous two, either, but knew no one else and thus had to stick around with them or be on the whole glared at for what he had done to Panda.

“Y/N,” Hakari began while you were making some soup for Maki, who would never ask for it but had been hinting for a while that she wanted some. You weren’t sure when the trio had entered the kitchen, but at some point they must’ve, as all of them were standing there and staring at you.

“Hakari,” you said, stirring the contents of the pot. “What is it? Are you all hungry or something? Because you can cook for yourself, you know.”

“That’s not it,” Kirara said. “Actually, it’s like this: we realized that since Kashimo is from the Edo period—”

“Oh, right!” you said, interrupting them and turning to Kashimo. “You’re essentially a living piece of history! What was it like back then? Did you know any of my relatives? What was your favorite food, and does it still exist today? How different is modern society from the one you lived in? I mean, of course we’re much more technologically advanced, but the inherent structures of classism and sexism, are those still the same? I would hope not, but you never know. No society is ever as progressive as it claims to be.”

“I don’t know what a lot of those words mean,” Kashimo said. “What is ‘sexism?’”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t really get most of that either,” Hakari admitted. He regularly ranked at the bottom in terms of grades across both schools, though, whereas you were tied with Todo for the top position, so this was not a surprise.

“You really don’t know what sexism is, Hakari? That’s a little disappointing,” you said.

“Of course I do!” he said. “It’s when you think women are stupid and useless. The rest of it, however, was a little beyond me.”

“Um, sure, that’s close enough,” you said, having learnt long ago that explaining things requiring “nuance” to Hakari was a waste of time.

“I don’t think just women are stupid or useless,” Kashimo offered. “I think everyone who’s weak can be considered as such. The gender is unimportant.”

“He’s not sexist!” Hakari said. He and Kirara broke out in a round of applause. You massaged your temples before turning the stove down so the soup could simmer for a bit, once again finding no point in further explanation.

“Okay,” you said. “What about my other questions? And by the way, I wasn’t asking him if he was sexist. I was talking about the typical power dynamics of his era.”

“What does that mean?” Kirara said. They were smarter than Hakari, but not by much, and spending time with the latter had definitely made them even dumber than you remembered.

“I was the most powerful,” Kashimo said. “That’s what you were wanting to know, right?”

“No!” you said. “Forget about it. What about the L/Ns? Did you know any of them in your time?”

“L/Ns?” Kashimo said, furrowing his brow. “Oh, yeah, the healers. I remember them. Never met any, though — none of them could fight, so I had no cause to. I do think one of their daughters married one of the Gojos at some point or something. I believe his name was Hisashi? I’m not sure. I beat him in a fight once, but that’s the extent of my knowledge of him.”

“I guess you probably weren’t invited to the wedding,” you said.

“I was not,” he affirmed. You sighed.

“That’s to be expected. Well, anyways, can you tell me anything about the past?” you said.

“The people…were not very strong?” he said.

“Forget about it,” you said. “Thanks for trying.”

“Now that that’s over with and like I was saying before you interrupted me, we’re going to feed him sour Skittles!” Kirara said.

“Why?” you said.

“We want to see how his body reacts,” Hakari explained. “Will the flavors fry his tongue? Will the food coloring destroy his brain activity? We just have to know!”

“I didn’t think you were much for experimentation,” you said. “Also, how’d you get him to agree to it?”

“They used to call me the god of lightning!” Kashimo said passionately as you turned off the stove and poured the soup into a container for Maki. “I will not be defeated by some colored sweets!”

“Uh-huh,” you said. “Well, you all have fun with that. I will be somewhere far away, not partaking in the festivities.”

“We’ll miss you!” Hakari said.

“Not really!” Kirara said.

“Let us get on with the challenge!” Kashimo declared as you pulled a spoon out of the drawer and left the kitchen with the soup in your hands, the door shutting behind you just as Kashimo cried out in surprise, “What the hell is this? Why are the edges of my tongue curling? Answer me, gambling boy! What have you fed me?”

It had been a migraine of a conversation, but a part of you was thankful for it. Hakari and Kirara were the same as always, and on the one hand it felt irreverent to be joking around when you had lost so much, but on the other, it was a relief to just argue with your upperclassmen as if nothing was wrong, as if this was just another day at the school and there were no stakes and nothing on the line.

When you finally deemed Kurusu recovered enough to attempt to unseal Gojo, you all began to set up for the unsealing. You couldn’t bear to watch, standing behind Yuta and using his fingers as a blindfold so that you didn’t have to see.

“Are you okay?” he said when you had first taken his hand and pressed it over your eyes, holding onto his wrist for support, your thumb resting on his pulse point for reassurance.

“What if something goes wrong? What if he’s gotten hurt in there? What if unsealing him does something to him? I already had to — with Tullia — I can’t — not again. I can’t again,” you said. The words you could not say even now were on the tip of your tongue, but Yuta did not force you to utter them. Instead, he leaned to kiss you, taking them from you at his mercy and without any effort on your part, his one hand still shielding you from the world, the other gripping the curve of your waist and digging into the flesh like a tether.

“This is Gojo we’re talking about. Our teacher, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era. Do you really think something as simple as getting unsealed will be enough to take him out?” he said when he pulled away.

“Well, probably not,” you said.

“Right,” he said. “So don’t fret. Don’t you want to see him when he comes?”

“Yes,” you said reluctantly. “I miss him so much.”

“Then you should probably open your eyes,” he said, letting his hand slide away, stroking your cheek as he did so. You did as he suggested but did not dare look at where Kurusu was getting ready to use Angel’s technique on the Prison Realm.

“Do you mean to say that you aren’t scared?” you said.

“Actually, I’m terrified,” he confessed. “But for you, I’ll be strong. You’re the one who taught me how to be like that, so in return I’ll do my best.”

“You don’t have to,” you said. “It’s okay for us to both be afraid together.”

“Let’s be brave instead,” he said. “That’s the better way.”

For some reason, Hakari had been given the go ahead to count down. You had protested, claiming he probably couldn’t even count to three, but you had been told that you were “letting your biases color your words” and that “Hakari wasn’t that stupid” — which was patently untrue, in your opinion — so overall, you had gone largely ignored.

“Three, two, one!” Hakari shouted triumphantly. “Go!”

This time, you squinted because of the brilliance of Angel’s technique as it struck the Prison Realm. Yuta stood in front of you when he noticed, his broad body deflecting most of the light, ensuring that no harm befell you. Even though you didn’t necessarily need his protection to this extent, you knew it brought him some peace of mind to take care of you, so you never complained about it.

“Where is he?” you said when the dust settled and the earth stopped shaking and there was nothing there at all. “Kurusu? Where is he?”

“Did you kill Gojo?” Itadori screeched, his hands in his hair and his expression one of a shock so extreme that it would almost be comical if you did not share the emotion.

“Wow,” Kashimo observed. “What kind of strongest sorcerer dies so quickly?”

“Don’t worry, Itadori,” Choso said with that weighty voice of his that always made things sound a bit more palatable. “He’s not gone.”

“Choso is right,” Elakshi said from where she and Noritoshi were crouching behind a road sign. “The balance of the world’s energy would’ve shifted dramatically if he died.”

“We would’ve felt it,” Noritoshi said. “Y/N, try using your — never mind.”

Cursed signature detection. He was going to ask you to use that in order to figure out where Gojo was, but that was no longer a tool you had at your disposal. You had never felt its loss as acutely as now, when you could only shake your head and show him your empty hands mournfully.

“What do we do now?” Itadori said.

“I’m sorry,” Kurusu said, landing beside you. “I messed up again, didn’t I? I really thought I did it right this time.”

Before any of you could say anything, a heavy presence electrified the air with its sheer power, making your ears pop from the pressure it exuded. You held your breath, not daring to hope until you saw him before you.

The air shimmered, and then Satoru Gojo winked into existence, looking the same as always, his too-bright smile sharp like a set of knives, his diamond eyes glinting as he regarded all of you.

“Is that him?” Kurusu said. For a second, nobody moved, and then you beamed so hard that your cheeks ached.

“Gojo!” you said. “Gojo!”

It was when you embraced him that you realized you had never been alone, not truly. He had always been there. Gojo, your teacher, your brother, he had been there for as long as you could remember. In his own way, he had loved you, and that was the one thing the L/Ns had not managed to deprive you of, could not deprive you of.

“Hey, Y/N,” he said, messing with your hair as you held onto him, his Infinity turned off for you as always. “You go through a growth spurt or something? You seem a little different.”

“I’m the head of the L/N clan now,” you said, close to tears. “Does that count?”

“Gojo’s here!” Itadori whooped. “Guys, it’s Gojo! Kurusu didn’t kill him!”

“I didn’t?” Kurusu said. “Oh, yay!”

“Thank goodness,” Elakshi said. “I was actually getting a little concerned for a second there.”

“Now that we know he can come back out, can we seal him for just a little longer?” Utahime said. “I was really enjoying my time without him. It was better than a paid vacation with complementary drinks.”

“Head of the L/N clan?” Gojo said, paying the others no mind. “Nice job. I expected nothing less of my former student. I taught you well, huh?”

“Maybe a little,” you said. “I really missed you, by the way.”

“Oh, don’t be so sentimental! You’ll make me all weepy in front of everyone, and then I’ll lose my notoriety as the ice-cold strongest,” he said. “Now! We have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it, so enough with the welcoming party! Let’s get to work.”

“Of course, you’re back to business as usual,” you said as he addressed everyone with a stern, professional tone he rarely if ever used.

“You all will need to fill me in about just what is going on at the moment,” Gojo said. “Then, we all need to start training — we have about a month to reach our peaks as sorcerers.”

“What are you talking about?” Noritoshi said.

“I’ll explain later. Y/N, you, Yuji, and Yuta are in charge of giving me the rundown,” Gojo said.

“Sounds good,” you said.

“Maki, please start coming up with training regimens for all willing fighters,” Gojo said. “Hakari, you help her with that.”

“Whatever you say,” Hakari said.

“It’s not a problem,” Maki said, always a little more charitable when it came to Hakari than you were.

“Utahime, please call Mei Mei back from wherever she is; we’ll need her and her brother’s help, most likely,” he said. Utahime did not argue, always willing to put aside her personal feelings when it came to her job.

“Shoko, please organize the L/N healers into effective units and get them used to coordinating with one another,” Gojo continued. “Ah, with Y/N’s permission, naturally.”

“Of course,” you said, still a bit bemused at how brutally efficient he was after being unsealed. “Tell them you’re acting on my authority, and if any of them give you trouble, send them my way. They should listen, though; all of them are still a little nervous when it comes to me.”

“The L/Ns never did have much of a backbone,” Ieri said wryly. “No worries. I’ll take care of them.”

“And the most important order of business!” he said. Everyone waited with bated breath, wondering what could be more important than everything he had already assigned, and who would get that role. “Mrs. L/N!”

“Er, me?” your mother said, pointing at herself. Gojo nodded, and then he batted his eyelashes at her, as if he were a schoolboy asking for a new toy or something.

“Can you please make cookies for me? I’m a little hungry,” he said.

“Oh, goodness,” your mother said. “You are as spoiled as ever. Yes, I can do that.”

“Alright!” he cheered. “Come on, then, you three. Start catching me up while we wait for those bad boys to bake.”

You, Itadori, and Yuta glanced at one another and then simultaneously decided not to question it. It was obviously some kind of coping mechanism, and besides, he didn’t even know what had happened recently, so he could not be blamed for his flippant attitude at all.

“Where should we start?” Yuta said.

“From the beginning,” Gojo said. “That moment I got sealed. What happened right after that?”

So the three of you summed up everything for Gojo, and for the first time since Shibuya, it did not feel quite so hopeless. For the first time, you thought you might even have a chance at winning, at making it out with the few of you that were still left intact. In that golden moment, with the smell of cookies wafting in the air and Gojo in front of you and Yuta at your side, you thought something which you hadn’t since Tullia had died: that maybe happiness was not such an impossible ideal after all, that maybe all of you could someday soon attain it.

#yuuta x reader #yuuta x y/n #yuuta x you #reader insert #canon au #pomegranate ink #m1ckeyb3rry writes

9 notes · View notes

galaxynajma · 10 months ago

Note

hmm what about yuji for the send me a character and i’ll tell you?

My first impression: I thought he was a sweet kid and a lovely person to be around

My impression now: BEST BOI BEST BOI! ANYONE WHO HATES HIM IS A RED FLAG HE DOES NOT DESERVE THE SHIT HE GETS FROM THE FANDOM

Also he really needs some therapy

Favorite thing about that character: his personality:) also really like his pink hair and how much he wants to save people

Least favorite thing: the fact that Gege made Him wear his school uniform again after Shibuya

It doesn’t make any sense

The outfit he wore while he was with Choso post shibuya and while looking for Hakari were way better ( at least in my opinion)

Favorite line/scene: of course it’s the " I’m you " scene:) idk all of Yuuji’s scenes with Mahito are great

I will say this if Yuuji and Kenjaku ever do get to talk to each other then that would be my favorite ( Gege give us the family drama)

Favorite interaction that character has with another: hmm maybe Junpei? Or Nobara and of course Megumi

But yk all of those ended in tragedy ( well we don’t know about Megumi yet )

Wait wait i forgot TODO! AND CHOSO! How can I forget them ( I miss todo so much)

A character that I wish that character would interact with more: Maki and Kenjaku

I LOVED when Yuuji and Maki jumped Sukuna back in chapter 215 ( I believe that was the chapter)

I once read a fanfic that took place right after Sukuna escaped with Uraume in it Yuuji and Maki had a little bonding moment talking about the people they lost and at the end of it Yuuji calls Maki his big sister and OH MY GOD MY HEART

For Kenjaku it’s pretty obvious that’s his mom the person who has planned all of this and ruined so many lives is also his mother

ALSO THIS PANEL

Another character from another fandom that reminds me of that character: hmm a lot of people say Denji from chainsaw man and I see why they have their similarities and also their differences ( idk this isn’t something i thought about a lot)

A headcanon about that character: like the idea of Yuuji being a horror movie fan watching the newest movies to come out to the ones from the 80s

He’s a huge movie fan everytime he watches a film he likes to sit in silence and think about it yk the things he liked and things he disliked

Also one time Yuuji missed the bus so he tried to run for it and accidentally went Past the bus

A song that reminds of that character: can’t think of one rn sorry

An unpopular opinion about that character: Yuuji doesn’t need a power up or be the strongest to be the MC he doesn’t need to be the solo focus of the series other characters can have the spotlight and he would still be the protag no matter what

Favorite picture: this one

I’m just joking

It’s probably these three

#asks✨ <3 #jjk #holy shit that got long

5 notes · View notes

satocidal · 1 year ago

Note

i just massaged my head and now the headache is gone SO HERE I AM FOR MORE!!

naw i get the maturing up part - see thats why its different i feel like even doe im the same as him personality wise. i still have like a mature vibe to me kinda bc eldest daughter lol so i like to believe id be able to teach him how to deal with his emotions and how to talk abt them like an adult yk? (i can fix him vibes LOL) but this may be a flaw in our rls too bc like man...im tired of bearing other ppls burdens and teaching them i wanna be held and cared for too

which brings me to this point - i feel like a rls with geto would be sooooo healing for me like hes mature enough himself and like very emotionally strong i like to believe and idk he just gives off the vibe that he'd deffo be yhe one who'd heal me

qnd omg its the same with choso too, aldoe he would be a bit lost bc he himself is figuring out how to be human soooo yeah but its okay we both can teach other how to deal with our emotions <33

wow what happened there?^ ANYWAYYY

more coming:

ROMEEEE WHAT DO U THINK OF HAKARI?!?!?!?!?! AND KASHIMO???? OMG ok listen i am soooo in love with their character design omg like iskeidk i wanna know more abt kashimo like who is this guy and whats his goal and whats his purpose????

also what do u think of higuruma hiromi??? i am in love with that dude okay!! like i hadnt even read the manga and i was in love with him thanks to tiktoks like WOAH THAT PANEL OF HIN IN THE BATHTUB!??!?!??! mama mia...

also you can write whatever u want for me omg i will eat it up and lick the plate too please i love you ALSO wait i wanna give u a nickname too its not fair u call me jaaneman and i call u rome like i need some ideas for u

See see see this is the point- I’m the eldest daughter too so like that’s the issue- I wouldn’t want to be mature again Ina relationship and then it’d be stressful for me and knowing gojo can be a little rough I’d overthink and kms after a fight💀so this is why seeing a poly with geto and gojo would work amazing for me because like. Slay. Just slay.

As for geto? I knowoooooo relationship with him is bound to be healing baby<3 and like I know you could fix him surely😭

Listen all I need is someone like shipping me with either so I can pay attention to all these characters (because tbh rn I barely know anything about them so I just don’t see it but with enough persuasion yk yk) and as for hiromi, just not my type lmao😭seems too boring

Let me get some time and for sure<3 also to call me, you can call me ri or Riri (nickname directly from my real name that I used on my old blogs) orrrr you can dip with smn cringey from Bollywood lmao- as long as I feel your love jaaneman

#from.jaaneman #☼࿐𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠→#☼࿐𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄.𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒

0 notes

mindurownbussines · 10 months ago

Text

Yes they are EXTREME parallels between yuji/megumi and gojo/geto (also i’m kinda tired so if there are spelling mistakes/if i don’t make sence i’m srry AND WHEN IM USING CAPS IT DOENT MEAN IM MAD) BUT REAL QUICK I HAVE AN UNPOPULAR? OPINION ON SHOKO (so pls don’t hate me) I personally think she is kinda overrated?/she’s kinda useless 2 me BRO IDK IF U NOTICED BUT THE AMOUNT OF CHARACTERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR ARM AT SOME POINT IN THE MANGA/ANIME IS SO CRAZY TO ME except for hakari (he does it HIMSELF MULTIPLE TIMES SOMEHOW) but i understand she can’t bring people back from the dead/she can’t regrow body parts/shes not that skilled and she’s not a miracle worker bc if she was then she would be OP and IK SHES JUST A HUMAN/JJ SOCER AND SHES GOING THROUGH STUFF ABT HER BFFS AND STUFF (I can actually think of a lot of reasons on why the way she is BUT IM TIRED AND IDC SO YE) ALSO I THINK KENJAKU DID SAY SMT ABT GOJO HAVE HEAVENLY RESTRICTION BC IF HE DIDNT THEN (YK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED) . NAD YES IT KINDA DOES PREVENT WHAT KENJAU CAN DO BC he doesn’t want to test to see what he can and can’t do with said persons body (like i think he said he didn’t choose toji bc his body would have rejected it AND WE DID SEE SMT SIMILAR IN S2) so on my final note: i will say COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC BTW i am a manga reader and i watched s2 in sub and dub (not a flex on my obsesión/stupidity for not noticing sooner 😎) BUT HOW DID I NOT RELIZE THAT TOGE LOST BOTH HIS ARMS IN SHIBUYA??? LIKE???? IT DIDNT HIT ME UNTIL I SAW IT IN THE DUB WJEN YUTA WAS TALKING AND I WAS ALL LIKE WHATTTTTT SINCE WHENNN???!??? so um ye srry 4 wasting ur time lol and ik this was COMPLETELY off topic (i ramble a lot and had to get it off my chest srry)

They really did kill Kenjaku just like that. On one hand, I'm proud of Yuta for taking him out like the GOAT he is, but on the other hand, I was kinda expecting more from him. I guess we haven't seen a body yet, so he could come back later to be an inconvenience.

#i’m not srry 😘

76 notes · View notes

bloominstorm · 3 years ago

Text

Jjk is back

#i was kinda hoping we’d get an update on how yuuji is doing and where he is #along with updates about the others Bc honestly I’m still tryna see how maki is coping with everything she went through #she literally lost her sister killed her father and the rest of clan so I’m wondering how her mental state is gonna be while playing in the #culling games - also I wanna know what hakari and yuta have been up to #i seriously doubt they’ve been struggling with their opponents (especially yuta) but I still wanna see hakari really go all out and show us #what he can do Bc I’m always replaying what yuta said about how hakari can be stronger than him once he starts going #so like… show us tht Bc all we really saw in his fight with yuuji #was tht he can spawn subway doors? and he’s insanely strong with cursed energy tht is very harsh #but anyway moving onto to this chapter #this fight has kinda dragged on longer than I expected it to? like I didn’t think Reggie was a scrub #but I just didn’t think megumi would have such trouble with him?#personally I like Reggie’s cursed technique - I think it’s very cool and useful #it basically reminds me of momos quirk from MHA but Reggie can actually rejuvenate himself as long as he has a receipt or record of #treatment like a spa or some shit tht will revitalize him #like thts extremely useful #when megumi said he was running I knew he was gonna go somewhere to do his domain Bc like what else could he do at tht point #he was getting fucked up and I wonder why gege always does this with megumi? like he lets him get extremely beat up then has him win #like yeah great tht he wins but he’s on the brink of death a lot of the times lmao #i wonder if he’s perfected his domain expansion Bc it already looks better than the one he did back at the suicide bridge against tht #special grade - I’m excited to see if it is completed and how it’ll differ from the incomplete one #also when he was talking about barrier techniques being difficult Bc he can’t sense imposing artificial space to real space tht confused me #bc he seemed to need the right amount of measurements in order to launch his domain while sukuna and gojo did theirs without needing to #like when gojo put Jogo in his domain he was legit out in a open space like megumi was before going to tht gymnasium so I’m wondering if tht #thts a rule for all domains or certain domains like megumi 🤔#like even when gojo did his domain in shibuya he didn’t have to factor in the measurements he just factored in how long the civilians could #withstand to be inside it before they died .. or maybe he did take into account the measurements I don’t fully remember I’ll have to check #but I don’t think he did 🤔#anyway great chapter as usual bc gege doesn’t miss #jjk 170 #jjk manga spoilers

0 notes

psychewritesbs · 3 years ago

Text

Chapter 182: Tokyo No. 2 Colony, pt. 2 - Not JJK getting existential + Mangaka appreciation + Some bs about the future and probability and anyways I’m probably wrong

Happy JJK-Sunday everybody!

What kind of headcanon bs will my brain spew today? I do wonder...

This week’s JJK chapter had a certain je ne sais quoi about it that I can’t quite put my finger on. In other words, this week’s chapter was a total mood.

Gege got super existential and gifted us with manga references to what I headcanon must be some favorite moments that really moved him to the core...

Then, to top it off, he gave us some poetry of his own to complement those moments.

Ohlala... what a mood. What 👏🏼 a 👏🏼 mood 👏🏼.

This chapter is unlike any of the battle chapters we had seen in the past where amazing fighting scenes go down. Rather, in this chapter, a certain mood underscores Parisian Hipster F*ckboy and Hakari’s battle of selves.

And, to me because I always feel the need to emphasize that my analysis are from my subjective perspective, this chapter felt as though the underscoring message is how in the middle of one’s existential despair, a positive reason to fight, to gain power, to exist can be found.

Or at least that’s the mood I caught from this.

Seriously caught the mood like one catches the flu.

Not JJK getting existential

If Gege’s age as listed by Wikipedia is accurate, then he is a Millennial who grew up watching and reading 90s anime and manga.

And if you’ve seen 90s anime then you know that 90s anime is the mother of all moods.

Bang.

See you Space Cowboy.

Right. Existential angst.

See the original post here.

To be fair, as the last decade before we all turned into hyperconnected monkeys, the 1990s were a mood.

I simply can’t imagine classics like Shinichiro Watanabe’s Cowboy Bebop, CLAMP’s x/1999, or Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit coming out of today’s global culture. We simply live in a different world.

Also, they would all probably be canceled by “well-intentioned” but ultimately short-sighted Karens.

Anyways, if you want to read more on the topic, check out this reddit thread to read about the possible reasons why 90s anime and manga explores existential dread as part of the plot and character arcs.

Wait, but wtf is existentialism?

Ah, existentialism my beloved ♥.

So... in simple terms, existentialism is a philosophy about living life that explores the mood (empowered vs. dread) that is “taking responsibility for your free will (the decisions you make day about how you live life day in and day out) in a world that is devoid of meaning”.

From an existentialist perspective, a tragic event like the Culling Game is neither a bad thing or a good thing that happens to you. Rather, existentialism is more interested in your personal reaction (free will) to the event.

Will you despair like Charlie? Or will you find a “positive” reason to fight and overcome in the face of tragedy?

Something like that, don’t quote me on this.

So if you are like Charlie I love calling him Parisian Hipster F*ckboy but it takes too long to type so Charlie it is who is feeling existential angst because he is struggling to break into the manga industry, then it is up to you to decide what meaning you give that experience.

Will you let it break you?

Or will you make the choice to find a “positive” reason to fight?

And given Hakari’s fever, I love how he wants to “break” Charlie. I head canon Hakari, as the amazing senpai that he is, wants to help Charles find a way to channel that burning fire within him straight into his nipples into a positive reason to exist and seek strength.

Shiguri

Ok, but for real. I loved how Gege brought in panels from other manga that were charged with existential dread...

I especially loved the panel referenced in Shiguri chapter 20 because it captures the existential angst of knowing that a part of yourself has been lost when you have your first experience of heartbreak.

Side note: I did read chapter 20 of Shigurui and, without context, all I got out of it is that the man depicted above may have had his heart broken over a woman. So I am not 100% sure how this relates to the current chapter.

And when talking about the very human experience of heart break in the face of disappointment (aka when life doesn’t go according to how you want), is there a more accurate depiction of heartbreak other than the storm of emotions that flow from our shattered heart?

“How naive, my vessel has already shattered to dust! And all I am now is the turbid flow of emotions that spilled from it!”

Ah, look at Gege writing poetry...

Mangaka appreciation

I can guarantee you that Google searches for Katsura Hoshino, Captain Tsubasa and Shiguri went up this week. GUARANTEED.

I can’t quite pull Google Keyword data just yet but I am pretty sure that these three keywords just got typed into Google or Bing if you a masochist like that by thousands of people worldwide.

According to Danchou, this JJK chapter’s release coincided with the new chapter release for Katsura Hoshino’s D’Gray Man.

Katsura Hoshino

Which brings me to the other amazing theme in this chapter.

Thanks to Danchou for sharing this screenshot of the reference to Hoshino Katsura’s D’Gray Man that Gege used this chapter.

As a creative person with an insane imagination and a propensity to retreat into my imagination it’s way more fun inside my head than the real world I am telling you... I just love this so much?

What I love about this quote in particular is the idea that a mangaka, or anyone who creates for the sake of creating, is sharing with the world their innermost being.

Mangakas, in that sense, are revealing to their audience not just how they perceive the world, but their psychic fantasies--the stories and characters living in their brain rent free.

So I love that Gege used this quote and name dropped Hoshino because this kind gesture just drew more attention to her work.

Captain Tsubasa

The other work referenced was Captain Tsubasa.

And let me tell you... This is nostalgia.com on steroids!

Captain Tsubasa was actually one of the very first anime I was exposed to in my childhood. To this day, when I think of my favorite examples of the Shonen Duo trope I always think of Tsubasa and his friend (can’t remember his name).

What I love most is how Gege is using Charlie’s love of manga to create this mood of nostalgia about some of these stories.

And here are the panels referenced:

Also... this panel below...

Clearly Hakari has never read CLAMP.

But I love that Hakari is calling Charlie out. Like... dude... use your imagination for a good cause, not to hurt people just because you’re butt hurt.

Given the manga references Gege used this chapter, I have to wonder whether some chick broke Charlie’s heart and that is why he’s so whiny trés miserable.

He’s literally just whining about his despair and disappointment and blablabla like spare us your misery please Charlie, we all have it rough. Learn something from Tsubasa’s chivalry at least.

Some bs about the future and probability and anyways I’m probably wrong

Ah and here comes the best part.

Hakari showing us his Cursed Technique at last!

What I loved most about this moment is that despite Charlie having the upper hand due to being able to see into the future, as of this chapter, it looks like Hakari’s Cursed Technique is all about chances or gambling.

Thus implying that as long as there is the probability of a different future, then the future is not yet decided.

At least that’s what my headcanon is. Who knows. Gege is unpredictable so we’ll see.

A word on fan scanlations

You may or may not have noticed I use fan scanlations.

Ah. So I am really big on supporting mangaka, right? I don’t own every single JJK physical volume, but I do own several of them.

So I am not about to encourage you to go read fan scanlations but I’d be a hypocrite if I did not admit that I do. I actually tend to read both the fan and official translations.

Why?

Because the official translation is too localized for my own taste. I really appreciate that TBC scans has taken the time to go and look up the manga references that Gege baked into the plot this week (down to the chapter number) AND to mention the play on words that Gege used with kanji this week.

To me, knowing about little details like how Gege spelled the Japanese word for fiction using the kanji for cursed technique is absolute genius use of the Japanese language.

Compared to...

It elevates the reading experience for me and this chapter had a couple of examples like this one.

That’s not to say official translations aren’t good, they just omit details I am a nerd about.

That said, I want to use this tiny platform I’ve grown to encourage you to support Gege by buying the manga volumes.

Mangaka pour their heart and soul into their manga and we, as fandom, owe them the privilege of getting a peek into their innermost selves. So, yes, let’s read fan scanlations AND support mangaka as much as our wallets will allow.

Also, there is a high probability that these babies will be worth a lot more money in the future. JJK is a classic in the making after all, and it isn’t called Next Gen Shonen for no reason.

Oh check out Danchou’s really cool JJK shrine by the way. I don’t necessarily have a shrine myself but I love my small collection anime/manga too (the rest is in a storage unit in H-town).

ANYWAYS.

If anyone made it this far, thank you as always for reading my nerdery ♥.

#jujutsu kaisen meta #jjk meta #jujutsu kaisen analysis #jjk analysis #jujutsu kaisen manga #jjk manga #gege akutami #jujutsu kaisen spoilers #jjk spoilers #jjk ch 182 #god I love jujutsu kaisen

25 notes · View notes

cassanovancats · 3 years ago

Text

felicitate. seven.

six < current > eight

Dec. 2017

It was five days before the declared start of war when you were asked to meet seemingly everyone associated with your school to discuss plans. The school had closed for the week, as it was normally for the holidays, but the atmosphere around campus wasn’t the typical jolly one. Satoru, attempting to keep normalcy, roped you into decorating every room the both of you could enter, but no one seemed able to crack a smile when the weight of Geto’s threat existed.

Satoru had briefly explained after the campus attack that he was in the same class as your brother and Auntie Shoko. He told you about how Geto was his best friend and included the details on how Geto massacred a village for the sake of two young girls with cursed energy. You still felt uncomfortable about how closely Satoru was to going a similar route; the story was eerily similar to how your family formed. You could tell Satoru felt the same unease. Even at the meeting now, your brother’s leg bounced out of anxiety and he clutched you slightly too-tight to his side when you sat down. You were the only student not on the other side of the table.

“I believe we should discuss what roles you, as students, will have on the night of the twenty-fourth,” Yaga begins after the typical pre-meeting formalities. “Firstly, you all are still children.” He raises a hand to silence the immediate protests and levels a stern look at everyone. “It is a fact; even Hakari-san is only just barely seventeen. Thus I wanted to give anyone who wishes an out now. You have taken on missions by yourselves or as a group, but this will be far more dangerous than anything you’ve experienced before. Stepping away now will have no effect on any schooling, grades, or how you are perceived here. In fact, it’s likely the smartest option.”

It seems no one even breathes for a second. Maki makes a point of crossing her arms and settling further into her spot. A clear sign that she (and the rest of your peers) aren’t going anywhere. Satoru beams.

“I didn’t expect any of you to bow out, anyways. Now based on what Suguru Geto said, there will be two areas of attack that will need sorcerers. Obviously, both of these spots will have other sorcerers, but I am sure they won’t decline the help. Inumaki, as a high level shaman, you will likely be most needed at Shinjuku. Gojo-san can escort you there.”

“Salmon,” he nods eagerly.

“Hakari and Panda will be positioned in Kyoto with their students. I will be their escort.” The two nod resolutely. You and Maki wait for your assignments. “Zen’in, Gojo and Okkotsu will be left on campus.”

“What?” You explode in anger, standing up and dodging your brother’s attempt to grab you. “No! You all know I’m a great asset, especially paired with either of my brothers.” You suddenly turn back to Satoru and ask, “Where’s Gumi assigned?”

“(y/n),” He tries to plead.

“Where is Gumi?” You stress. “The fact I can copy ten-shadows or limitless should mean I’m right there fighting with you. I cannot just sit here on campus and let other people put their lives on the line when I can help! Even if I don’t fight, you can have me copy Auntie Shoko’s technique and I can be first-aid!” You know you are throwing a child’s tantrum, but you can’t help it. All your life, your brother has been in your corner, telling you that you could be just as strong as him. He never, ever pushed you to the side or doubted you. So why now? Why, when the fight is not only important for jujutsu society but personally for him?

You sniffle and wipe your eyes, cursing yourself. Satoru stands and gently pulls you into a hug, tucking your face into his neck. Even in anger, you melt in his arms.

“Gojo, we believe you are best positioned to protect the school. I ask you to believe me when I say this is not an underestimation of your strength or a move to keep you from a fight. I assure you, we,” Yaga gestures vaguely at the faculty surrounding you, “considered all the points you brought up. That doesn’t change the decision we made.” You sniffle again but nod this time, burying your face deeper against your brother.

When he guides you both to sit back down, you’re still upset but now largely embarrassed at your outburst. Maki must be equally crushed yet she didn’t feel the need to scream and cry. Yuta even seems content with his assignment. You tune out the rest of the meeting, lost in your feelings of shame. Most of what is discussed is logistics for the people that get to fight, anyways. Decidedly not relevant to you.

When Yaga dismisses everyone, Satoru gestures for you to climb on his back. You oblige, knowing it’s his attempt to make you feel better. He carries you towards one of his personal cars, intending to take you to the apartment rented nearby. Though teachers also have rooms at Tokyo High, Satoru said that you both needed a place as a family, and because the Gojo property is not near Tokyo, he keeps an apartment. The drive is silent, save the sounds of your music coming low from the speakers; he even makes the effort to drive only slightly faster than the speed limit for you.

Neither of you break the silence until you’re sitting on the couch you both had argued about for a week until Megumi stepped in. “(y/n), I need you to understand why I’m not taking you with me.” Satoru begins. “Trust that I know how much you want to help and that I know how valuable of an asset you are. But I believe Tokyo’s campus will also be attacked, and not just the campus, but Yuta as well.”

“Why not tell us this? Why did Principal Yaga frame it as me protecting Tengen and not let Maki or Yuta know about any potential danger?”

“Because it’s best none of you know. I’m telling you as your brother, not as a teacher or official of the school. You must act as if you do not know there is a chance of attack, but you also need to be prepared to fight.” Satoru is serious, trying to impress upon you how you must treat this mission with the utmost sensitivity. You nod slowly, letting the information sink in.

“So… be prepared to fight without letting Yuta or Maki know that I’m preparing?”

“Exactly. If either of them know, my plans won’t work. This plan was made with the promise I wouldn’t tell you either, but Principal Yaga isn’t that dumb. The point is, I’m asking you to trust me.”

“Okay.” There isn’t a moment's hesitation. You trust Satoru Gojo’s strength as a sorcerer, but more importantly, as your brother. Everything he has done since taking you in as a Gojo has been done in consideration of your well-being. The etiquette classes, the language lessons, the training sessions, even what toys you had as a child: all were carefully considered and chosen by Satoru in regards to what would help you become just as strong as him. There is never, has never been, a doubt that your brother loves you and wants what’s best for you. You trust him.

Satoru gathers you into another hug when you agree. “Now, before we go off to war, I wanted to give you your Christmas gifts! There’ll be no time to exchange when taking on curse users so Christmas has been officially moved to December nineteenth,” He declares, finally releasing you and moving to the luscious tree in the corner of the room. He tosses the first wrapped box at you. You laugh and catch it out of the air. Leave it to your brother to pull you back from the cusp of a breakdown in less than thirty minutes.

#felicitate #cass.writes #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #inumaki x reader #yuta okkotsu x reader #inumaki x reader x yuta #female!reader #jjk spoilers #jjk volume 0 spoilers

40 notes · View notes