TO LOVE A CURSED-BOUND SOUL
𝐘𝐔𝐓𝐀 𝐎𝐊𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐒𝐔 word count :: ( 17,764 ) genre :: fluff, angst, adventure, && romance content warning :: does NAWT follow the storyline !!! curse words, violence, “evil” reader, nudity (non-sexual), not proofreading ts :3 part two
screams echoed through the streets, filling the air with chaos and fear. a small outbreak of curses had emerged, their grotesque forms twisting through the city. but regardless of their size or strength, the threat was enough to summon nearly every sorcerer available. the flickering glow of cursed energy illuminated the night as jujutsu sorcerers rushed into battle, their expressions hardened with determination.
“inumaki-san!!” megumi shouted, his voice strained as sweat stung his eyes. his breath came in sharp gasps, but there was no time to stop.
inumaki whipped around just in time to see a curse lunging straight for him, its twisted limbs reaching out hungrily. before he could react, a flash of steel cut through the air—maki had already moved. with a single, precise strike, she eliminated the creature, its grotesque form dissolving into nothing.
“stay focused!!” she snapped, eyes sharp as she turned to check their surroundings.
“shake,” inumaki responded gratefully, his voice laced with exhaustion but firm.
the battlefield was relentless. in every shadowed alley, behind every crumbling building, curses lurked—watching, waiting. the night was far from over.
“guys,” megumi panted, his chest rising and falling rapidly, “how much longer do you think we can hold this up?” his fingers twitched as he pressed them together, summoning his shadow frog with a grimace.
“not much longer!” nobara rasped, barely getting the words out before a curse slammed into her, knocking the air from her lungs. she staggered but refused to fall.
before the curse could strike again, a massive blur shot forward—panda. with a single, earth-shattering punch, he sent the creature flying, its body crumbling into nothing upon impact.
“just hang on, guys,” panda huffed, his usually steady voice laced with strain. “we can’t give up now.”
around them, the battle raged on, curses swarming like vultures, their eerie screeches filling the night.
above the screeches and screams, the air was thick with the sound of heavy, rapid footsteps, echoing like thunder through the chaos. suddenly, sharp slashes cut through the noise, followed by the unmistakable sounds of punches and kicks landing with brutal force.
they appeared in the fray, their cursed energy a beacon in the darkness. yuji’s movements were fluid, almost instinctive, as he pummeled curses into the ground, each strike filled with raw power. yuta wasn’t far behind, his blade cutting through the air with precision, every slash eliminating another threat in an instant. together, they fought like a well-oiled machine, carving a path through the nightmare.
“yuji!” yuta shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos, “5 o’clock!”
yuji didn’t hesitate. he spun around and sprinted full speed toward yuta, the air whipping past him as he moved. in one fluid motion, yuta tossed his cursed sword into the air, its blade gleaming in the dim light. without missing a beat, yuji leaped forward and delivered a powerful kick, sending the sword flying straight into the heart of a massive curse. the creature let out a chilling screech before disintegrating into nothingness.
“show-offs,” maki muttered, rolling her eyes, though there was a flicker of admiration in her gaze.
the synchronized strike was impressive, but there was no time to waste. the battle was far from over, and every second counted.
yuta sprinted to grab his sword, his movements quick and purposeful. megumi offered a hand to yuji, helping him to his feet.
“came just in time,” megumi commented, his voice carrying a hint of relief as he glanced at the battlefield around them.
“yeah, straight from one battle to another,” yuji said, brushing off dirt and sweat, his grin never wavering despite the exhaustion weighing on him.
“ay! guys!” yuta shouted, his voice cutting through the tension. everyone immediately turned toward him, their eyes locking on his figure as he retrieved his sword.
he pointed sharply ahead, drawing their attention to the ominous sight. the curses, relentless and numerous, were converging toward one particular building in the distance, their grotesque shapes writhing and shifting as they advanced.
“we have to stop them before they reach it,” yuta said, his tone low and urgent.
without another word, the group sprang into action, their bodies moving as one toward the impending danger.
“do we even know why they’re going there?” maki grunted, slashing through a curse with a fluid, practiced motion. the cursed creature crumpled under her blade, but she didn’t pause to appreciate the victory.
“shake shake!” inumaki shook his head, his face set in concentration, as he held his ground against a growing swarm of curses.
megumi summoned his demon dogs, their shadows twisting and stretching into the familiar, terrifying forms. he didn’t wait for an answer, his voice steady as he looked toward the others.
“do you want to find out?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with determination. the dogs barked in agreement, eager to leap into action.
“stop!” panda shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.
everyone immediately halted in their tracks, instinctively turning their attention to panda, their eyes filled with curiosity and concern.
“what is it?” nobara asked, her voice laced with impatience but a touch of worry as she glanced around.
“something…” panda paused, sniffing the air deeply. “doesn’t smell right.”
a sudden, eerie silence fell over the group as they exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of his words sinking in.
“could it be the hundreds of curses huddling into the building?” yuji asked with a laugh, trying to ease the tension, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes.
“no, i’m serious,” panda said, his tone more intense now. “smells strong.”
the air seemed to grow thicker with unease. a shared shiver ran down everyone’s spine as they processed the implications of panda’s words. whatever they were about to face, it was no longer just about the curses. something else was lurking, something worse.
just as their fear began to dissipate, a strange, guttural sound echoed from the top floor of the building, sending a fresh wave of tension through the group.
“we have to hurry,” maki stated, her voice steady but urgent. her eyes were fixed on the building, her grip tightening on her weapon.
without a moment’s hesitation, everyone sprinted toward the structure, their feet pounding the pavement as they rushed up the floors, adrenaline fueling their every step.
as they reached the top floor and burst into the room, they froze. all the remaining curses were gathered in the center, twisting and writhing in unnatural patterns. they were trying to morph together—melding their grotesque forms into one massive, horrifying entity.
“what the…” yuji spoke slowly, his voice filled with disbelief and horror as he took in the monstrous sight before him.
the curse was growing, fusing together into something far beyond what any of them had expected. the air was thick with cursed energy, and the very walls seemed to tremble under its weight.
however, just as the last curse fused, something unexpected happened. the massive blob of twisted curses began to shrink, its grotesque mass shifting and warping into a smaller, more defined shape.
“are they…” maki furrowed her brows, confusion and unease creeping into her voice.
“morphing into a human?” yuta finished her question, his tone calm but clearly disturbed by the transformation. “looks like it.”
“has this…” maki began again, her thoughts racing.
“ever happened?” panda interjected, his eyes narrowing as he watched the process unfold. “no,” he answered firmly, his voice tense.
they all stood frozen, unable to tear their eyes away as the figure slowly took form. every feature began to solidify, piece by piece. long (h/c) hair cascaded down, a striking contrast against the darkened room. sharp (e/c) eyes glowed with an unsettling light, scanning the room with an eerie intelligence. full pink lips parted slightly, as if tasting the air, and a perfectly shaped nose completed the transformation.
it was no longer a mass of curses—it had become something human. or at least, something that resembled one.
the atmosphere thickened with tension. something was terribly wrong, and none of them were prepared for what this new being meant.
“do we… help it?” megumi asked, his voice filled with confusion, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. “we can’t hurt a person,” he reasoned, glancing at the others for support.
“awe man!!! and we can’t hit a girl, especially,” yuji exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration, as though torn between his instincts and the strange situation they were in.
maki and nobara exchanged a look, rolling their eyes in unison.
“hey,” yuta whispered, slowly stepping forward toward you, his eyes filled with cautious sympathy. he carefully took off his jujutsu uniform jacket and held it out, realizing you were completely naked, with nothing but your long (h/c) hair to cover you.
you let out an inaudible scoff, clearly unimpressed with his gesture.
“i just wanna help,” yuta said, his voice soft but sincere, hoping to reach some part of you still human.
without warning, you lunged toward him, your movements swift and predatory. maki’s eyes widened as she unsheathed her spear, ready to strike, but you vanished before she could land a blow.
“what the—” maki’s words were cut off as you reappeared in front of her, delivering a sharp kick to her head, knocking her back with surprising force.
“hey!” nobara shouted, her fists clenched in frustration. your eyes locked onto hers, a cold glare shooting in her direction before you vanished once again.
you reappeared behind her in an instant, sweeping your foot under her and sending her crashing to the ground with a sharp thud.
you remained crouched on the floor, your eyes scanning each of their faces with unnerving calm. finally, your gaze landed on inumaki.
he gave you a confused look, his mind racing to understand your intentions. without warning, you vanished again, appearing behind him and swiftly snatching one of his containers of cough syrup from his belt.
in the blink of an eye, you reappeared on the ledge of an open window, perched like a cat, your form almost ethereal in the dim light. the breeze tugged at your hair and tickled your bare shoulders, a reminder of how unnatural all of this truly was.
“wait!” yuta shouted, his hand reaching out instinctively, as though hoping to stop you from leaving.
“yuta, back away, she’s obviously dangerous,” maki exclaimed, her tone urgent and commanding as she stepped forward, her grip tightening on her weapon.
yuta hesitated, his gaze flickering between maki and you, conflicted. “she’s still human,” he reasoned, his voice filled with uncertainty but an undeniable empathy for the strange being before them.
your eyes began to glow with a dark, eerie purple light, sending a chill through the air.
“I remember,” you spoke, your voice cold and distant, the words like a final echo before you leapt from the window without a second glance.
yuta gasped, his body reacting before his mind could process the action. he rushed to the window, his hands gripping the frame.
“be careful!!” megumi shouted from behind him, but it was too late.
as they looked down into the darkness below, there was nothing. no trace of you, no sound of impact—just the empty, eerie quiet of the night. the wind blew gently, carrying the lingering tension with it.
yuta stared, his heart racing. “where did she go…?” he whispered, unable to shake the feeling that something far bigger was at play.
maki slammed her spear down onto the desk with a sharp thunk. “absurd,” she stated, her voice dripping with frustration.
gojo raised an eyebrow, giving her a questioning look, clearly intrigued by her outburst.
everyone was now back at Jujutsu High, sitting in the briefing room and reporting their strange interaction to their sensei.
“sensei, there’s no explanation!!” yuta exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.
“it literally morphed into a she right in front of our eyeballs!!!” yuji continued, his hands gesturing wildly as he recounted the bizarre scene.
megumi nodded in confirmation, still trying to process everything they’d witnessed.
“really now?” gojo leaned back in his chair, absorbing the information with a casual air, though the gears in his mind were clearly turning.
“and goddamn kicked our asses…” nobara mumbled, wincing slightly as she held ice to her bruised shoulder. her pride had taken a hit, and it showed.
maki was equally fuming, holding ice to her head where you’d knocked her back. the anger radiating off her was palpable, but it was mixed with a sense of confusion and disbelief.
“we barely even touched her,” maki muttered, eyes narrowing at the thought. “who—what was that?”
“it may be something we’ve never seen before,” gojo hummed thoughtfully, tapping his fingers on the desk. “HOWEVER, it’s always been possible.” he spoke as he pointed his index finger at the group, a strange glint in his eyes.
everyone exchanged confused glances.
“what do you mean?” panda asked, his voice curious but also skeptical.
“i mean…” gojo stood up, leaning dramatically on his desk, his posture full of confidence. “this isn’t impossible, it’s just improbable. it’s not likely, it’s—”
“yeah, we get it,” megumi interrupted, his tone a mix of impatience and exhaustion.
gojo gave them a wide, knowing grin. “we must catch her,” he said, his voice suddenly serious.
everyone shared the same fearful glance, the weight of his words sinking in.
“if she remains on the streets, we are all in danger,” gojo continued, his expression darkening. he paused for a moment, then broke into a grin, “but no pressure!!” he cheered, as if the entire conversation hadn’t just taken a dangerous turn.
everyone’s faces tightened, breaking a nervous sweat.
“do you know what could happen?” nobara asked, her voice laced with genuine concern, the gravity of the situation settling in.
gojo leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful but a little distant. “i can’t give an accurate prediction with such little information,” he said slowly. “but she seems to be a little more powerful than we’d like. but if those curses were able to morph into a real human, rather than the usual cursed knock-offs, then somewhere in that glob…” he took a deep breath, his voice dropping. “…was a curse with emotion. a sad curse. a curse who just wants to avenge.”
gojo’s gaze dropped to the desk as he continued, his tone more somber. “if there’s any chance we can help it overcome the darkness… we should take it. it could benefit us, and possibly put the world in less danger.”
“so, too dangerous to be free but too valuable to destroy…” yuta spoke, glancing at yuji, his eyes reflecting the uncertainty of the situation.
“WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!?” yuji shouted, his face flushing with a mix of confusion and frustration.
gojo burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. the others, though trying to maintain composure, couldn’t help but chuckle at the unexpected dynamic between the two.
“you’re hopeless,” maki muttered, but a small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.
in another part of Tokyo, you were strolling the busy streets, unfazed by the curious stares of men and women who passed you by. Your hair, long and flowing, covered every inch of your exposed form, shielding you from their prying eyes.
you paused at the window of a store. “Shibuya Luxe Lounge” was the name, bright and bold, lit up with neon lights that caught your attention. Without hesitation, you stepped inside.
a personal assistant, spotting you immediately, rushed over with wide eyes. “Oh my gosh! Come with me!” she exclaimed, her excitement barely contained as she took your arm and hurried you toward the back of the store.
before you could even process what was happening, she pushed a button on her earpiece. “I need back-up to the back of the store! Women only!” she instructed, her voice urgent.
the woman turned to you with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, girl, I know the owner, we’ll get you some cute stuff—and for free!”
your expression was one of confusion. “What is wrong with me now?” you asked, glancing down at your bare body, feeling exposed despite your hair serving as a makeshift cover.
the assistant looked at you with surprise, then softened. “Oh, honey,” she said with sympathy in her voice, “don’t worry, you’re in good hands.” She giggled, clearly amused by the situation.
just as she spoke, the room began to fill with women, rushing in with racks and racks of clothes, their energy high as they quickly surrounded you with fabric and style. The chaos of the moment was strangely comforting, yet you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still off about the situation.
you ended up walking out of the store dressed in a traditional japanese kimono, though it barely resembled its original form after your alterations. the fabric was soft and elegant, embroidered with delicate floral patterns, but the length had been an issue for you. without hesitation, you had ripped the bottom, turning it into a skirt that swayed just above your knees. the neckline, too restricting for your liking, had been stretched and pulled until it draped off your shoulders, exposing your collarbones.
your hair had been carefully styled by the women inside, separated into two buns high on your head. they secured each bun with intricate silver clips, chains cascading down like waterfalls through your hair. three long silver hairpins jutted out from each side of your head, glinting under the city lights as you walked.
the final touch was the large, elegant bow tied at your back, cinching the kimono around your waist. despite the traditional elements, you had made it your own—something between grace and rebellion, a perfect contradiction.
“i remember you,” you mumbled, your voice wavering as if the very act of speaking felt foreign to you. the words felt unfamiliar on your tongue, like they hadn’t been used in a long time.
your gaze was distant, unfocused, yet locked onto something only you could see.
“yuta okkotsu,” you finished, his name slipping past your lips like a long-lost memory finally resurfacing.
𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒, 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇
chirping could be heard outside the dorms as the sun peeked through everyone’s windows. a new day.
heavy knocking echoed through the hallways, growing more aggressive with each hit.
“what!?” yuta snapped as he slammed his door open, his hair a mess, eyes still groggy from sleep.
standing before him were panda, maki, and inumaki, all grinning like they were up to something.
yuta narrowed his eyes, already regretting opening the door. “what do you want?” he muttered.
“get dressed,” panda demanded, arms crossed.
“we’re gonna practice,” maki added, cracking her knuckles.
“tuna tuna!” inumaki nodded excitedly, his energy unmatched.
yuta let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples before shutting the door in their faces. moments later, he emerged, still looking half-asleep but dressed and ready.
everyone gathered on the practice field, the morning air crisp as the sun fully rose over jujutsu high.
“alright!! so what skills did this curse-morphed-human have exactly?” gojo asked, clapping his hands together.
everyone glanced at each other, trying to find the right words.
yuji hummed, tilting his head in thought. “hmm, i mean, she either has vanishing powers, or she’s just that fast,” he shrugged.
“tuna mayo,” inumaki held up two fingers, signaling he agreed with the second option.
“yeah, i think she was just that fast,” nobara muttered, absentmindedly rubbing her head, wincing as she felt the bruise from their encounter.
maki sighed, arms crossed. “she could be fast to the extent that she vanishes,” she theorized.
gojo chuckled, clearly entertained. “very well done, children. you got the first question down,” he grinned.
everyone blinked at him in confusion.
“what?” megumi asked, frowning.
gojo let out a dramatic sigh, flopping down to crouch as he idly picked at the grass. “i told you guys, this was an unlikely occurrence, not an impossible one,” he mused. “the chances were like… 1 in 4 billion, but still not impossible.”
yuji’s eyebrows raised. “so, it’s definitely happened before,” he concluded.
gojo whined dramatically, flailing his arms. “it’s like you guys never listen to me!” he huffed, full-on throwing a tantrum.
megumi groaned, rubbing his temples. “is that all we came here for?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “a single question and a big ol’ man baby?” he shot a sharp glare at their so-called sensei.
gojo immediately straightened up, his sulking vanishing as he flashed a wide, all-too-innocent smile. “alright!” he clapped his hands together, the energy in the air shifting. “since we’ve got our first actual piece of relevant information that could actually help us—” his grin stretched wider, turning mischievous, “—let’s put it to use.”
everyone collectively shivered. regret settled in their stomachs. this never ended well.
a loud slam echoed through the dimly lit alley, followed by a strangled groan.
the man gasped, struggling as you pressed your forearm against his throat, pinning him to the cold brick wall. your grip tightened with every second, cutting off more of his breath the longer he refused to cooperate.
“wh-what?” he sputtered, his voice hoarse.
“i’ll ask you again,” you hissed through clenched teeth, your patience wearing thin. “where is yuta okkotsu?”
his panicked eyes darted around, searching for an escape. “i don’t kn—”
you pressed harder, his words dying into a wheeze.
“okay! fine!” he choked out.
you loosened your grip just enough for him to speak, but not enough to give him any sense of comfort.
“listen, i don’t know what happened to him—”
your arm tensed again, pushing into his throat.
“but! but!” he gasped desperately. you hesitated, allowing him another breath.
“but i know he was said to be somewhere near that Suginami Ward,” he wheezed, coughing as you finally released him. he collapsed against the wall, gulping in air.
your eyes remained cold. “coordinates?”
“i—i don’t have any!” he stammered instantly, raising his hands in surrender.
your jaw tightened. useless.
but this wouldn’t stop you. it wouldn’t stop your drive for revenge. nothing would.
your biggest advantage was that you knew every jujutsu sorcerer. their names, their ranks, their abilities. but no one—no one—would ever be able to identify you.
“don’t think i’ve forgotten you either,” you muttered, your voice laced with venom.
with a swift motion, you stole the man’s sword from his trembling hands, gripping the hilt as your cursed energy surged through it. the blade pulsed, the metal shifting under your control, becoming yours.
his name left your lips like a curse as you slashed forward, sending a powerful wave of cursed energy straight at the man. the force of it sent him tumbling back, a strangled cry escaping his throat.
without sparing him another glance, you turned toward the street, your eyes scanning the row of parked motorcycles. you picked one at random, straddling it with ease.
but before you could take off, a bloodcurdling scream rang out behind you.
you turned, watching with satisfaction as the man clutched his head, his entire body convulsing.
“no—stop! stop! get away from me!!!” he wailed, thrashing against an invisible force. his eyes were wide, darting around in sheer terror. but there was no one there. nothing there.
a slow smile crept onto your lips.
“i haven’t lost my touch,” you mused, revving the engine.
as the bike roared to life, you threw your head back and laughed, the sound of his screams fading into the air as you sped off.
“crap—” yuji grunted as he hit the ground face-first, groaning against the dirt.
everyone was already exhausted, despite having just begun their training session. sweat dripped down their faces as they tried to catch their breath.
“alright, alright,” gojo clapped his hands together, his ever-present grin widening. “let’s try something different. you guys can’t just fight each other and expect to beat her. she vanishes, right?”
he rubbed his chin in thought.
everyone nodded, still panting.
gojo pushed up his sunglasses and pulled his blindfold from his pocket, letting it dangle between his fingers. “phase one: blindfold reflex drills.”
his smile was almost too enthusiastic.
everyone turned to each other, confusion plastered across their faces.
“tuna…” inumaki sighed, already sensing where this was going.
gojo clapped his hands together. “alright, listen up! here’s how it’s gonna work.”
everyone straightened up, bracing themselves for whatever ridiculous exercise their sensei had cooked up this time.
“you’ll be in pairs,” gojo continued, twirling the blindfold around his fingers. “one of you will be blindfolded, completely unable to see. the other? you’ll be fueling yourself with cursed energy, letting it radiate off you like a beacon.”
megumi narrowed his eyes. “and what’s the point of that?”
gojo grinned. “the blindfolded partner will have to sense that energy. no eyes, no cheating—just pure instinct and awareness. your goal? deflect your partner’s attacks using your sixth sense alone.”
a heavy silence filled the air as everyone processed the exercise.
“that sounds… impossible,” nobara muttered.
“nah,” gojo waved her off. “it’s just improbable.”
yuji groaned. “you just said that about the curse-girl thing.”
“and look how that turned out,” gojo shot back with a smirk. “now, pick your partners! let’s get started.”
everyone paired off—megumi with maki, panda with inumaki, yuji with nobara, and, to everyone’s dismay, gojo with yuta.
“oh, lucky me,” yuta muttered as gojo threw an arm around his shoulder, grinning ear to ear.
“don’t sound so excited, yuta-kun~” gojo teased. “i’ll go easy on you. probably.”
yuta sighed, already regretting his life choices.
and so, phase one of their training began.
at first, it was a disaster. megumi kept flinching every time maki attacked, nobara accidentally punched yuji without meaning to, panda was far too predictable for inumaki, and yuta was suffering through gojo’s very unorthodox teaching methods—mostly consisting of getting smacked at random intervals.
“sensei, are you even trying to teach me anything!?” yuta groaned as he narrowly dodged another strike.
“yup! trial by fire,” gojo said cheerfully. “trust me, you’re learning.”
but after a while, everyone started to get the hang of it.
megumi became more in tune with maki’s movements, sensing her energy before she struck. nobara and yuji turned their match into a full-on competition, dodging and countering each other’s attacks. panda started moving more unpredictably, forcing inumaki to sharpen his awareness.
yuta, somehow, managed to block one of gojo’s attacks.
gojo paused. “…whoa. you actually did it.”
yuta exhaled sharply, barely believing it himself. “i—yeah?”
gojo grinned. “alright, time for phase two!”
everyone groaned in unison.
𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓’𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄, 𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐈𝐄
yuta, yuji, megumi, inumaki, and panda were all hanging out, grabbing ice cream since yuji was craving it. the girls had been called in for a mission, leaving the boys to unwind after their grueling training. everyone was sore, but yuta wasn’t too concerned about the day’s plans—he was just enjoying the walk, taking in the sights of the shops and the bustling streets. megumi, as always, was easily irritated by yuji’s presence, while panda and inumaki amused themselves with a game of eye-spy.
suddenly, someone’s phone rang. everyone checked their pockets, and megumi reluctantly answered the call. it was gojo, of course, starting with a string of obnoxious nicknames. “‘gumi, hey there, buddy, little megumiiii!” he cooed.
megumi pinched the bridge of his nose, already regretting picking up.
“sensei, just tell me why you called,” he sighed.
“aw, megumi, you’re no fun,” gojo whined dramatically. “anyway! we’ve got a tiny problem.”
megumi exchanged a glance with yuta, who raised a brow. “define tiny.”
“well, you know that mysterious curse-turned-human you guys fought?”
everyone suddenly perked up. yuta tensed, gripping his ice cream cone a little tighter.
“what about her?” he asked.
“she’s been spotted. in shibuya.”
yuji nearly dropped his ice cream. panda and inumaki paused their game. megumi’s grip on his phone tightened.
“shibuya?” megumi repeated.
“mhm~” gojo confirmed. “and i think it’d be fun if you guys went to go check it out.”
“fun? fun?” megumi deadpanned.
gojo chuckled. “yup. better hurry before she disappears again~”
and with that, the line went dead.
yuta exhaled, feeling his heart race.
“so… we’re going after her?” yuji asked, already knowing the answer.
megumi slid his phone back into his pocket. “looks like it.”
“shake,” inumaki murmured, nodding in agreement.
panda stretched. “guess ice cream break is over.”
yuta looked down at his half-melted cone before tossing it in the trash.
as they ran down the street, yuta couldn’t help but take in the scenery. even though they weren’t technically on a break anymore, he figured he might as well enjoy the last few peaceful moments before the big confrontation ahead.
panda, clearly annoyed by the lack of direction, asked if anyone knew where they were supposed to be heading. before anyone could answer, a loud explosion rang out, shaking the ground beneath them.
“well, guess we follow the explosion,” yuji said, half-joking, half-serious.
they pushed forward as quickly as they could, only to stop when they spotted a familiar blonde-haired figure standing ahead.
“ahh, welcome,” the man greeted, his voice calm and steady.
“nanami!” yuji shouted in excitement.
“what are you doing here?” megumi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“gojo sent me as backup,” nanami explained, adjusting his glasses. “and to help manage this mess until you five got here.”
everyone nodded, taking in the information, a brief silence settling over them.
“well, hurry up,” nanami urged, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice. “i’ll be right here if you need me.”
with that, the group pushed forward into the chaos of concrete and fire, their goal clear—find you before things got any worse.
you sat calmly on the edge of a window, your eyes tracing the destruction you’d left behind. you hadn’t meant to hurt anyone who wasn’t involved, so you’d cleared the streets beforehand—just enough to make sure no innocent bystanders got caught in the chaos. with a flick of your fingers, you tugged at a strand of your hair, letting it fall to the floor. from it, a curse materialized, its form taking shape as you watched it with a quiet satisfaction.
you knew how jujutsu sorcerers operated. you knew they’d send someone to place a veil, and you knew they’d send yuta’s team because he was considered the “strongest.” you were luring them in, pulling them toward you like a cat toying with its prey. but then, something shifted in the air, a familiar scent—one you hadn’t been expecting. it wasn’t from any of the boys you’d been anticipating.
your attention sharpened, but the scent soon faded to the back of your mind as you felt yuta’s cursed energy seep through the walls. his energy was… different, almost indescribable. it radiated off him in a way you couldn’t quite put into words.
perched on the window ledge, you observed silently, your gaze cold and calculating. they were searching for you like lost dogs, unaware they were walking straight into your trap.
“have you guys got anything?” megumi shouted through the thick smoke and flames.
everyone responded with the same answer—no.
but inumaki, sensing something, suddenly froze. he picked up a distinct scent and without hesitation, darted off toward it. the others immediately followed, alarmed by his sudden change in focus.
he skidded to a stop and looked up, his eyes locking onto you perched on the window. without thinking, he pointed directly at you and shouted an onigiri ingredient—“tuna!”
everyone’s heads snapped up in confusion. “what?” yuji exclaimed. “that’s her?” megumi frowned, trying to make sense of the situation.
you simply sat there, watching them, a silent smirk tugging at your lips as they scrambled to catch up.
“why is it always a goddamn building?” panda groaned, rubbing his sore muscles as he scanned the surroundings.
yuji chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye. “race to the top!” he challenged, his competitive spirit kicking in.
but before anyone could react, you called out from the top. “don’t bother!” your voice rang clear, “i’ll come to you!”
without another word, you vanished from the window, reappearing right behind megumi in an instant.
the air grew heavy with tension as everyone tensed, all eyes on you. it was clear—it was all about the first strike.
yuta, his expression a mix of determination and hesitation, spoke again, his voice softer this time. “we don’t want to hurt you… we just want to understand what’s happening.” he tried to reach you, his words lingering in the charged atmosphere.
your voice was quiet, yet laced with something almost taunting as you tilted your head ever so slightly. “what is it you’re trying to understand, okkotsu?”
the way you said his name—it sent an inexplicable shiver down his spine. there was a strange familiarity in your tone, something unsettling yet… almost intimate. yuta swallowed hard, gripping his sword just a little tighter.
“how do you know my name?” his voice was steady, but the nervous edge didn’t go unnoticed.
instead of answering, you slid your sword from its sheath, fingers tracing the cold metal as if it were an old friend. the blade glinted under the flickering light of the burning rubble around you. megumi, ever cautious, tightened his stance, hands clasped and ready to summon his shikigami at a moment’s notice.
inumaki’s fingers hovered over his collar, ready to unleash his cursed speech, while panda and yuji both clenched their fists, their bodies coiled like springs, waiting for the first strike.
but yuta… yuta didn’t move.
he didn’t shift into a stance, didn’t prepare an attack, didn’t brace himself for battle. he stood there, watching you—not with fear, not even with caution, but with something else. curiosity? hesitation?
your lips curled into something between amusement and sorrow.
“you really don’t remember?” your voice was softer now, but no less sharp. “the day of the crash?”
yuta’s breath hitched. his mind reeled. crash?
only one memory surfaced. only one crash had ever defined his life.
his fingers twitched against the hilt of his sword.
what were you trying to say?
yuta’s breath hitched. his grip on his sword tightened as he tried to process your words.
“do you mean—” he started, but before he could finish, a cleaver swung toward you. instinctively, he raised his own sword, blocking the attack just in time.
your eyes flickered to the owner of the weapon, and your expression darkened.
“kento,” you gritted through your teeth.
nanami hesitated for a fraction of a second—just long enough for you to see it.
“what the hell, nanami—” yuji began, but a sudden slash of cursed energy cut through the air, forcing him to dodge.
megumi summoned his shadow beasts, their glowing eyes locked onto you.
“wait!” nanami tried to take back his declaration of battle.
but you had already made up your mind.
“i’ve waited long enough,” you muttered, blinking back the sting in your eyes.
yuta reached out, desperate. “please, just listen—”
you withdrew your arm before he could touch you.
those words sent a strange, sharp pain through yuta’s chest.
“don’t move!” inumaki commanded, his voice rippling with cursed energy.
without hesitation, you removed a pin from your hair and let it fall to the ground.
the moment it made contact, the earth trembled.
and then, in a voice eerily similar to inumaki’s, you echoed his command—only stronger.
inumaki staggered back, covering his ears with a wince.
“did she just—” yuji’s eyes widened.
megumi clenched his jaw. “reflect his speech.”
everyone was frozen, caught off guard by your perfect mimicry of inumaki’s cursed speech.
“how—?” panda started, but before he could finish, you vanished again, reappearing a few feet away, balancing effortlessly on the crumbling remains of a broken wall.
nanami’s grip tightened around his cleaver, his jaw tense. “this isn’t how this needs to go,” he stated, trying to steady the situation.
you let out a sharp breath, the weight of the moment pressing against your chest. “maybe if you all had listened back then, we wouldn’t be here,” your voice wavered, but your stance remained firm.
yuta stepped forward slightly, his heart hammering. “back then?” he echoed, still searching for the missing pieces of a puzzle he didn’t know existed.
your eyes flickered to him. “you don’t remember me,” you stated, but it wasn’t a question—it was disappointment.
the realization sent a strange ache through yuta. before he could find the words, before any of them could, you clenched your jaw and turned your attention back to the fight.
“enough,” you muttered, gripping your sword.
and in that moment, the battle truly began.
yuta stood still, his fingers resting lightly against the hilt of his sword, but he never unsheathed it. he didn’t want to fight you. something inside him refused to.
megumi, on the other hand, had no such hesitation. he moved fast, sending a relentless flurry of shikigami in your direction, their dark forms weaving through the smoke and flames.
yuji and panda wasted no time, sprinting straight at you, their fists clenched, determination burning in their eyes.
you exhaled sharply, then let out a piercing scream, laced with cursed energy, shattering megumi’s shadow summons before they could reach you.
then, with a single flick of your wrist, you sent a slash of cursed energy directly at yuji. this time, it struck.
yuji grunted as the force sent him staggering back, pain flashing across his face as he clutched his side.
off to the side, nanami remained rooted in place, watching the scene unfold with a clenched jaw.
if he had known that you were the strange human-morphed curse they had been hunting—
he never would have gotten involved.
the sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the quiet streets. the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery filled the air as nanami walked with slow, measured steps. his briefcase felt heavy in his grip, but not nearly as heavy as his mind. he wasn’t supposed to be here. he wasn’t supposed to care. yet, here he was.
“kento!” a small voice called out, breaking him from his thoughts. he turned, his sharp gaze softening as he spotted you running toward him, arms outstretched, a wide grin on your face. you nearly tripped over your own feet, but nanami caught you effortlessly before you could fall.
“careful,” he sighed, adjusting his glasses as he steadied you. “you should watch where you’re going.”
“but i saw you!” you exclaimed, eyes bright with excitement. “you never come around here anymore.”
nanami hesitated. you were right. he had been avoiding this place, avoiding you. jujutsu sorcerers led dangerous lives, and he had no right to be in yours. yet, every time he saw you, a small part of him felt lighter, like he was something more than just another sorcerer marching toward an inevitable fate.
“i’ve been busy,” he finally answered, his tone softer than usual.
“that’s what you *always* say,” you pouted, crossing your arms. “but you still came back.”
he exhaled through his nose, amused despite himself. “just for a little while.”
you beamed, taking his hand without hesitation. he flinched slightly but didn’t pull away.
“then let’s go! i wanna show you something.”
he let you lead him down the familiar streets, past quiet shops and empty alleyways. finally, you stopped in front of a small, abandoned lot. wildflowers pushed through the cracks in the pavement, swaying gently in the breeze.
“this is my secret place,” you whispered, crouching down to trace patterns in the dirt with your fingers. “it’s quiet here. no one comes, so it’s just mine.”
nanami observed the space, taking in the way the light caught the edges of your hair, the way your small fingers played with the earth as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. he wondered if you had any idea how fragile moments like these were. how easily they could be lost.
“it’s nice,” he admitted. “a good place to think.”
you nodded, looking up at him with unwavering certainty. “you can come here too, if you ever need to think. even if i’m not here.”
something about the way you said it made nanami’s chest tighten. as if, even as a child, you knew he carried burdens too heavy for words. he wanted to tell you that he wouldn’t be coming back. that he *couldn’t*.
instead, he knelt beside you, picking up a small stone and turning it over in his palm. “thank you,” he said, his voice quieter than before.
he didn’t know it then, but this was the last peaceful moment he would ever have with you.
because months later, you disappeared. the accident changed everything.
and now, standing amidst the wreckage of battle, watching the person you had become, nanami could only wonder—
had he abandoned you, or had fate abandoned both of you?
a sharp scream snapped nanami out of his thoughts. his head turned instinctively toward the source—yuji.
in all the time he had spent lost in memory, the battle had spiraled into chaos. yuta was still trying—desperately—to reach you, his voice nearly drowned out by the sounds of clashing cursed energy. he never raised his sword against you, only defending himself as you sent attack after attack, forcing him to stall. the others weren’t as lucky.
inumaki was on his knees, blood spilling from his lips, his body trembling from the strain of his cursed speech. panda had rushed to his side, frantically searching through their supplies, trying to help but knowing there was only so much he could do.
nanami turned fully, his stomach twisting at the sight before him. yuji was screaming—his voice raw, desperate. but he wasn’t screaming from pain. no, it was something worse.
“megumi, stay! don’t go!” yuji’s hands clawed at the air, grabbing for something—someone—that wasn’t there. his body trembled as if he were trying to hold onto a fading dream. “nobara, run! please, run!”
but there was no one leaving. no one running. only his own mind trapping him in a nightmare that no one else could see.
megumi was at his side in an instant, gripping his shoulders, shaking him hard in an attempt to snap him out of it. “yuji! wake up! snap out of it!”
nanami felt a cold weight settle in his chest. this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. he had prepared himself for a mission, not a massacre. he had been sent as reinforcement, but now all he could do was stand and watch as everything crumbled.
he thought of you. of the child he once knew.
if he had known… if he had even suspected that you were the target… he never would have gotten involved.
this wasn’t just a fight. it was a tragedy.
and for the first time in a long time, nanami felt truly, utterly helpless.
yuta’s voice cut through the chaos, desperate and unwavering. he called out to you over and over, his pleas growing louder with every strike you sent. he wasn’t fighting—he was begging.
“please, just listen to me!” he shouted, dodging another cursed energy slash. “i just want to talk!”
but you wouldn’t stop. you couldn’t.
and then, another voice. one that made your entire body freeze.
“y/n, stop this madness.”
nanami stepped forward, his usually steady voice laced with something unfamiliar—desperation.
you turned, slowly, sword still clenched in your grip. he was standing there, unarmed, looking at you like he had already lost.
“enough,” he continued, his tone softer now, pleading. “i know you. i know this isn’t what you want.”
something inside you wavered. a crack in the armor you had built.
for a moment, just a moment, everything felt still.
you stared at nanami, your grip on your sword loosening as your breath hitched. his gaze was steady, unwavering, but beneath it, you could see something else—remorse, guilt, maybe even sorrow.
you felt yourself crumbling.
for a brief moment, memories flickered in your mind. his voice guiding you when you were young, his presence once a source of comfort. the way he always seemed like he cared.
but then the anger crept in.
every time he turned his back. every time he left you behind. every time you needed him, and he wasn’t there.
your fingers trembled around the hilt of your sword. you exhaled sharply, lowering the blade just slightly, caught between the weight of the past and the fury burning in your chest.
nanami felt his stomach sink at your words. you left me.
he wanted to say something, to explain, to fix this— but what excuse could ever be enough? what words could undo the years of abandonment?
yuta watched in stunned silence, the tension between you and nanami suffocating. he didn’t understand, not fully, but he knew pain when he saw it. and yours ran deep.
his breath hitched when your grip tightened around your sword, but instead of attacking, you sheathed it. in an instant, you vanished, reappearing beside inumaki, who was barely conscious. yuta could only watch as you placed a small container beside him before disappearing again.
he was still trembling, lost in whatever nightmare you had inflicted upon him. but the second you placed something—a pin—in his hair, his breathing slowed. the sheer terror in his eyes dulled into exhaustion.
finally, you turned to yuta. your gaze was sharp, unreadable.
“ambush me again,” you said, voice unwavering, “and i won’t be so nice.”
and then, just like that, you vanished.
the last thing nanami saw was your eyes flickering back to him, filled with something unreadable—anger, sadness, betrayal.
𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐄, 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒
the tension in the room was suffocating.
maki had megumi by the collar, her grip tight with frustration. “how the hell did you guys let her go?” she seethed.
yuta tried to step in, but she shoved him back without a second thought.
everyone was at each other’s throats. blame was being thrown in every direction.
“why didn’t you summon sukuna?” she snapped at yuji.
“why didn’t you use your manipulation techniques?” she turned on panda.
“and you,” she turned to yuta, her voice dripping with disbelief. “you could’ve summoned rika! why didn’t you?”
the only person she spared was inumaki. even she could acknowledge his limits, but that didn’t stop her from demanding why his cursed speech failed.
through it all, yuta’s frustration boiled over. his fists clenched as his patience snapped.
“why don’t you ask nanami?” yuta’s voice cut through the shouting, sharp and demanding. his eyes bore into the older sorcerer. “he clearly knows something.”
maki’s glare shifted, but before she could say anything, her eyes caught movement—yuta was fidgeting with something.
her breath hitched. “where did you get that?”
yuta turned the hairpin between his fingers, his expression troubled. “it’s hers,” he muttered. “right before she disappeared, she placed this in yuji’s hair. and before that… she used it. the moment she did, the ground shook.” he paused, recalling the chaos. “and then, she deflected inumaki’s cursed speech like it was nothing.”
everyone fell silent, letting the weight of his words settle.
before anyone could respond, the door creaked open.
gojo strolled in, his usual carefree air dampened by something unreadable in his expression. “alright, kiddos,” he called, clapping his hands to gather their attention. “eyes over here.”
he moved toward the table, placing a thick, vanilla-colored file onto its surface with a deliberate motion.
the name stamped across the front in bold, black ink made everyone freeze.
gojo exhaled, his fingers drumming against the folder. “i think it’s time we have a little history lesson.”
you had always loved yuta okkotsu from a distance. it was a quiet, unspoken affection—one you never dared to voice, not even to your best friend, rika orimoto. you weren’t sure if she knew, but if she did, she never mentioned it. instead, you admired him from afar, watching the way he’d smile shyly at rika, the way he’d shift nervously when spoken to, the way his kindness stretched beyond what most people deserved.
but you were never brave enough to talk to him.
rika had tried to nudge you toward him, teasing you with playful smirks and remarks like, “y/n, you should really talk to him! i think you two would get along.” but every time, you’d shake your head and laugh it off, your heart pounding at the thought. it was easier this way—loving him in silence, never burdening him with feelings you were too afraid to acknowledge.
then one night, you had the dream.
it was vivid, suffocatingly real. you saw rika—her face twisted in fear, her body thrown against shattered glass and twisted metal. blood. screaming. the cold finality of death.
you woke up gasping, heart hammering against your ribs. it was just a dream, you told yourself. but something deep inside you whispered otherwise. the dream left an unbearable weight in your chest, an urgency you couldn’t shake.
you ran to nanami—the one person you trusted to take you seriously. he was the closest thing you had to a mentor, a guardian figure who had always been there when you needed guidance. you found him at jujutsu high, training under dim afternoon light, and you begged him to listen.
“nanami, please—you have to hear me out!” you clutched his sleeve desperately.
he sighed, pulling away. “what is it, y/n?”
“i saw it,” you whispered, voice trembling. “i saw rika—she’s going to get into a crash. she’s going to die. i don’t know how, but i saw it happen. you have to believe me.”
his brows furrowed slightly, but he remained unmoved. “y/n, it was just a dream.”
“no.” you shook your head violently. “it wasn’t just a dream. it felt real. it was real. please, we have to do something.”
nanami exhaled, rubbing his temples. “you’re distressed. i understand that, but you can’t expect me to act on a premonition. you need rest.”
“enough, y/n.” his voice was final. unyielding. he turned away from you, leaving you standing there, helpless and shaking.
you called him over and over again after that. left voicemails filled with frantic pleas. each one went unanswered.
at her funeral, the world felt like it was collapsing in on itself. the sky was gray, heavy with the weight of grief. you had lost your best friend. the only person who ever truly saw you, the only one who had believed in you. and it was your fault.
you should have tried harder. should have made nanami listen. should have done something—anything.
and then, there was yuta.
he stood apart from everyone, drowning in his sorrow. he looked hollow, broken in a way that made your chest ache. you gathered every ounce of courage you had and approached him, your fingers trembling as you reached out.
“i… i’m y/n,” you murmured, voice barely above a whisper. “i was rika’s best friend.”
he didn’t even look at you.
“i just wanted to say… i’m so sorry. if you ever need—”
his voice was cold. distant.
“i said, leave me alone.” his head snapped up, his grief-stricken eyes burning with a mix of sorrow and anger. “i don’t know you, and i don’t care. rika is gone, and nothing you say will change that.”
you felt your heart crack, but the worst part was when you saw it—rika’s cursed spirit, wrapped around him like a possessive shadow. her once warm, bright energy was now dark, twisted. you gasped, eyes widening.
“yuta, she—she’s still here—”
“go away!” he yelled this time, his voice filled with rage. the sheer force of it sent your heart plummeting to your stomach.
tears stung your eyes as you stumbled back. you had tried. you had reached out, and he shoved you away.
the funeral, the rejection, the guilt—it all became too much. you ran until your legs gave out in the middle of a darkened alleyway, your sobs racking your body. but before you could even process the pain, a presence loomed behind you. cold hands gripped your shoulders.
you barely had time to scream.
the attack was brutal, merciless. a curse—one far stronger than you could handle alone. it ripped into you, tearing at your flesh, draining your life away in the dim light of the alley.
no one came. no one saved you.
your last thoughts weren’t even of yourself. they were of yuta.
it festered, curdled inside you, twisting into something monstrous. you should have been saved. you should have been heard. you should have mattered.
when your soul refused to move on, it latched onto the very curse that killed you. merging, fusing, becoming something more. you became an echo of yourself—warped, filled with vengeance, gathering curses in the shadows.
until the day you could reclaim what was stolen from you.
gojo shut the vanilla folder with a quiet thud, but the weight of its contents echoed in the silence. the air in the room felt heavy, pressing against yuta’s chest, suffocating him under the flood of memories and emotions that crashed over him all at once. his breathing grew erratic, sharp and uneven, as if he were drowning in something invisible.
gojo’s gaze hardened as he looked at nanami, who hadn’t lifted his eyes from the floor. the older man’s shoulders were tense, guilt hanging over him like a storm cloud. but yuta couldn’t focus on that—not when his own thoughts were spiraling.
without another word, he pushed himself up and rushed out the door. his legs moved before his mind could catch up, his entire body driven by something deep, something desperate.
“yuta!” maki’s voice rang out behind him as she sprinted to catch up. “where the hell are you going?”
he didn’t stop. didn’t even look at her. his hands were clenched into tight fists, nails digging into his palms.
“i’m going after her,” he said, voice firm, unwavering.
maki grabbed his wrist, yanking him to a halt. “are you serious? after everything we just read? after everything she did?”
yuta finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
“i have to,” he said simply.
maki stared at him, searching for doubt in his face but finding none. he wasn’t acting out of impulse. he wasn’t blinded by fear or recklessness.
he had faith. faith that something could still be salvaged. faith that whatever was broken could be mended.
but what he didn’t realize—what none of them did—was that you had already found them first.
a shiver ran down yuta’s spine before he even saw you. the air around him shifted, thick with a familiar yet eerie presence. his heart pounded, the weight of the folder’s revelations still pressing against his chest like a vice. he barely heard maki calling his name, her voice drowned out by the rush of blood in his ears.
then, he felt it—your cursed energy.
it was unlike before. heavier, more suffocating, like shadows creeping in from every direction.
maki skidded to a halt beside him, her eyes scanning the area. “she’s here,” she muttered, gripping her weapon.
he turned slowly, and there you were. standing at the school gates, bathed in the cold glow of the streetlights. the sight of you made his chest tighten unbearably.
you were different from the girl he once ignored, the girl who had once tried to reach out to him through grief.
your eyes held none of the warmth he had seen in the file. there was no timidness, no hesitance—only resentment buried beneath an unsettling calm.
“you came to find me?” you mused, tilting your head slightly. “how sweet.”
yuta took a step forward before maki grabbed his wrist, a silent warning.
he swallowed, his throat dry. “y/n…” his voice faltered, emotions clawing at him from every direction. “i—”
you took a step closer, and despite the composed expression on your face, the flicker of pain in your eyes did not go unnoticed.
“don’t look at me like that,” you said quietly. “you lost that right a long time ago.”
yuta clenched his fists, fighting against the overwhelming guilt weighing him down.
but would you even let him?
𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒, 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇
the air was thick with the scent of burning wood and iron. the battlefield was nothing but ruins, a wasteland of shattered buildings and flickering embers, casting shadows that danced like ghosts. yuta stood in the center, his grip tightening around his katana. his heart pounded against his ribs, not just from the anticipation of battle, but from the ache in his chest as he stared at you.
you stood opposite him, your figure illuminated by the glow of the destruction you had wrought. the wind tugged at your hair, but you remained eerily still, your expression unreadable. your sword rested loosely in your grasp, but he knew better than to assume you were unprepared. there was a storm in your eyes, a brewing tempest of fury, grief, and something else—something that made yuta’s stomach twist.
“please,” yuta called out, his voice strained. “this doesn’t have to end like this.”
you let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head. “you don’t get to decide how this ends, yuta.”
and then, like lightning splitting the sky, you moved.
your sword sliced through the air, a streak of cursed energy trailing behind it. yuta barely had time to react, raising his own blade just in time to block. the force of your strike sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the rubble. the clash of steel rang out, sharp and violent, echoing through the emptiness.
before he could recover, you pressed forward. you fought like a phantom—silent, precise, relentless. every movement was laced with an anger so raw it felt like it would consume you. yuta parried, barely keeping up as your attacks grew fiercer, each strike heavier with the weight of years of pain and betrayal.
“why did you come after me?” you hissed between blows. “to fix me? to save me?”
“because i care about you!” yuta shouted, deflecting another vicious strike. his arms trembled under the force. “because i should’ve seen you! i should’ve listened!”
your blade found an opening, slicing across his shoulder. he winced but didn’t falter. blood stained his uniform, but he refused to step back. refused to give up.
the ground trembled as cursed energy clashed, shockwaves ripping through the battlefield. yuta and y/n moved like blurs, their attacks echoing through the desolate space.
maki gritted her teeth, gripping the handle of her weapon. “we have to help him!” she barked, already stepping forward.
megumi, though hesitant, summoned a shadowy wolf beside him. “if we don’t, he might—”
“gojo,” panda growled, “say something!”
gojo remained still, his usual carefree expression absent. instead, he stood with his hands in his pockets, his blindfolded gaze locked on the fight.
“stand down,” he ordered, voice eerily calm.
“are you kidding me?!” nobara snapped. “she’s going to kill him!”
gojo finally turned his head toward them, his presence alone freezing them in place. “if you interfere now, you’ll only make it worse.”
maki clenched her fists. “we can’t just watch!”
“salmon,” inumaki muttered weakly, his voice hoarse from overuse.
“gojo-sensei,” megumi pressed, trying to keep his composure. “if you’re saying we shouldn’t get involved, then at least tell us why.”
gojo exhaled slowly. “because this isn’t just a fight,” he said. “this is something only yuta and y/n can settle. it’s not about who wins—it’s about whether or not yuta can reach her before it’s too late.”
they all fell silent, eyes darting back to the battle, where yuta had just barely dodged a vicious strike.
“and if he can’t?” maki’s voice was barely above a whisper.
gojo’s expression darkened. “then we’ll be forced to do what sorcerers do best.”
the weight of his words sank into them, and despite every instinct screaming to jump in, they stayed rooted in place, watching as yuta fought for something beyond victory—fought for the person he had once failed.
“it’s too late for that,” you spat, your cursed energy flaring. the ground beneath you cracked as you raised your hand, summoning a whirlwind of dark energy. it twisted and coiled, ready to consume him whole.
yuta gritted his teeth. he couldn’t let this continue. he surged forward, dodging the attack by a hair’s breadth, his blade cutting through the space between you. in an instant, he was close enough to see every flicker of emotion in your eyes—the anger, the hurt, the lingering traces of something softer, something that had been buried beneath years of suffering.
before you could react, he grabbed your wrist, holding it tightly. you struggled, trying to break free, but he wouldn’t let go.
“i’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “i should have been there. i should have seen you, just like i saw rika. you were right in front of me, and i—”
his words hit harder than any blade. your body trembled, your grip on your weapon loosening. the cursed energy surrounding you flickered, wavering as your vision blurred. for the first time, in so long, someone saw you.
the anger in your chest waged war with the sorrow in your soul. but as yuta held onto you, refusing to let you disappear into the darkness, something inside you finally began to break.
and this time, it wasn’t out of rage.
both of you stood amidst the wreckage, breathless, locked in place by each other’s gaze.
yuta’s eyes softened, searching yours, pleading. “please,” he whispered, “i don’t want to lose you again.”
your chest tightened. his voice—gentle, unlike the one that once yelled at you to leave him alone, unlike the one that ignored you at rika’s funeral. this was different.
your cursed energy flickered, unsteady, like a candle caught in the wind. for a moment, you let yourself sink into the warmth of his gaze, the way it reminded you of all the times you had admired him from afar, too afraid to step closer.
could you let this go? could you stop fighting?
but before you could answer that thought, something slammed into you.
a force wrapped around your limbs, locking you in place. cursed energy—not yuta’s.
your body seized up, your knees crashing to the ground as an overwhelming weight crushed down on you. it stole the air from your lungs, the strength from your muscles.
your vision blurred, but through the haze, you saw yuta whip around, horror in his expression.
“no—stop!” he shouted at gojo. “she was stopping!”
gojo stood a distance away, his face unreadable. “that’s exactly why i had to step in.”
you barely heard him. the warmth you had felt moments ago was gone, replaced by something colder. sharper. betrayal.
your lips parted, a hollow laugh escaping. “you…” your voice cracked, but you still managed to glare at yuta, something in your chest splintering. “you tricked me.”
yuta shook his head violently, his entire body tense. “no! i swear, i didn’t know—”
“shut up!” you snapped, but your voice was weaker now, your body trembling under the weight of gojo’s cursed energy. “i should’ve known better… trusting any of you.”
yuta took a step toward you, panic in his eyes. “please, y/n—”
“don’t.” your voice was barely above a whisper, your breathing ragged. “don’t say my name like that.”
you tried to summon your strength, tried to fight against the invisible force binding you, but it was useless. you were completely overpowered.
yuta dropped to his knees in front of you, reaching out but not daring to touch you.
“i won’t let them hurt you,” he promised, his voice shaking.
you let out a bitter laugh, your head dropping forward as exhaustion seeped into your bones.
“they don’t have to,” you murmured. “you already did.”
yuta felt something inside him shatter at your words, but before he could speak, gojo’s voice cut through the air.
“alright,” he sighed, walking closer. “we got her. let’s go.”
yuta didn’t move. his hands clenched into fists as he watched you, the fire in your eyes dimming into something he recognized. something he had once seen in his own reflection.
you weren’t angry anymore. you were broken.
and this time, yuta didn’t know if he could put you back together.
𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒
the classroom was heavy with tension. no one moved, no one spoke—just the faint sound of yuta’s fists trembling against the desk, his knuckles white.
maki was the first to speak. “what the hell was that, gojo?”
gojo didn’t flinch. he stood near the window, arms crossed, his eyes cast downward.
“you told us to stand down,” megumi added, eyes narrowed. “you told us not to interfere—like you had it under control.”
“and then you used cursed energy to detain her,” panda spoke, his voice low and uncharacteristically serious. “after she surrendered.”
inumaki just sat, hands clenched tightly. he had no words left—not even rice ball ingredients.
gojo let out a small sigh. “i did what i had to do.”
yuta slammed his palms on the desk, the sound echoing. “you lied to us.”
his voice cracked, and everyone turned to him. his chest was heaving, his eyes glossy with a storm of emotions—grief, confusion, fury.
“you said we needed to gain her trust! you said talking her down was the only way, and when she finally hesitated—when she finally looked at me like she remembered who she was—you stripped her of that moment.”
gojo met his gaze silently.
“you didn’t even give her a chance,” yuta seethed, stepping toward him. his cursed energy flared, hot and unstable. “you had no right to decide that for her—or for me.”
maki tensed, watching the cursed energy crackle around yuta like electricity. megumi instinctively shifted his stance.
“yuta,” he said firmly, “stand down.”
“i’m not your enemy,” gojo continued, voice lower now. “but if you think swinging at me is going to bring her back faster, then do it.”
his words lingered, cutting through the rage in the room like a knife.
yuta’s fists shook. he opened his mouth—then closed it. his body trembled, but his cursed energy slowly began to settle.
gojo walked past him, pausing by the door.
“she’s too powerful. too unstable. and too important,” he said. “there are things you don’t understand yet. things none of you are ready to hear.”
and with that, he walked out—leaving behind a room full of questions, and a silence louder than any scream.
the door clicked shut behind gojo, but the weight of his presence still lingered like fog refusing to lift.
yuta stood frozen in place, eyes still locked on the space where gojo had been. he looked like he was holding himself together by threads. fragile. fraying.
maki was the first to break the silence, her voice quieter than usual. “he’s hiding something.”
megumi nodded slightly. “no one detains someone like that without a reason—especially not gojo.”
panda paced slowly. “he said she’s too important… what does that even mean?”
inumaki murmured something under his breath, barely audible even for those who understood him. whatever it was, it was laced in worry.
yuta finally moved—just one step back, then another, until his knees hit the edge of a desk and he sat down heavily. he dragged his hands through his hair, gripping tightly at the strands like he was trying to ground himself.
“she looked at me,” he said softly, more to himself than to them. “she looked at me like she remembered… like something was coming back.”
maki approached him carefully, crouching beside his chair. “and then he took that from you.”
“from her,” yuta corrected. his voice cracked again. “she gave in. she let go of her sword. she trusted me—and gojo turned it into a trap.”
megumi leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “this isn’t right. if she was that much of a threat, we should’ve all been told the truth.”
“but he said we aren’t ready to understand it…” panda muttered, almost unsure.
yuta looked up at them, eyes full of turmoil. “i don’t care if she’s a curse. or what kind of power they think she holds. she was human once. she still is.”
“you think she remembers everything?” maki asked.
“i don’t know,” yuta whispered. “but i saw something in her eyes… like she was fighting herself to stay. and now she’s locked up somewhere, alone again.”
“i can’t let that happen.”
“yuta—” megumi tried to stop him.
“i’m not saying i’ll break her out,” he clarified, but his fists were still clenched. “i just… i need answers. i need to understand what gojo’s not telling us.”
they all exchanged uncertain glances. yuta looked at each of them, more grounded now, but his voice was solid.
“if any of you want to help me find the truth… i won’t stop you.”
the room stayed quiet. but no one left.
and that silence said everything.
the room was silent, suffocatingly so.
the walls were woven with layers of barriers—thick, unbreakable layers of cursed energy only someone like gojo could craft. there were no windows, no ticking clocks, no shifting shadows. just cold, humming silence, like time had stopped altogether.
you sat in the middle of the room, hands folded in your lap, head bowed. you weren’t bound. you weren’t even restrained. but that didn’t matter.
this was a prison of trust broken.
you could still feel it—the moment it all changed. one second you were locked in yuta’s gaze, something warm flickering in your chest. like you were remembering what it felt like to be seen, not as a curse, not as a threat, but as something real again. something soft.
and the next, gojo’s cursed energy wrapped around you like chains, like betrayal. his eyes had been calm, almost sad, when he sealed the barrier.
he didn’t even let you speak.
you weren’t sure how long it had been since then. the silence warped your sense of time. your cursed energy had quieted, not from exhaustion—but from something worse. heartbreak. confusion. the way yuta had looked at you made you feel like maybe—just maybe—you could come back from this.
but gojo didn’t believe in that.
you stood slowly, walking to the edge of the barrier, reaching out with your fingertips. it pulsed softly against your touch like a heartbeat.
“you said you were different,” you whispered, not knowing if you were speaking to yuta or gojo. or yourself.
a memory flickered—rika laughing beside you in the school courtyard. her voice echoing: “yuta’s too shy to talk, but he watches. he sees more than he says.”
you wondered if he had seen through you, too.
your fingers dropped from the barrier. your eyes trailed up to the ceiling, blinking slowly as a single tear slipped down your cheek.
“so this is how it ends,” you murmured. “again.”
your cursed energy sparked slightly beneath your skin, responding to the storm inside you. but you didn’t lash out. not yet. not when you still felt that warm flicker behind yuta’s eyes. not when there was still a chance he hadn’t given up on you.
you sat back down. folded your hands again. and waited.
because even if gojo had confined you, even if he saw you as a threat—yuta had looked at you like you were still someone worth saving.
now, you heard his footsteps before you saw him. soft, deliberate. not rushed or aggressive, but not hesitant either. gojo always moved like he was in control—even when he wasn’t.
the barrier rippled faintly, and then a panel in the wall shimmered, letting him step through. his blindfold was pulled up just enough for you to see his eyes, calm but unreadable. he stood in silence for a moment, looking at you like you were a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit.
you didn’t bother standing. just raised your eyes and met his gaze.
“came to lecture me?” you asked dryly, voice cracking slightly from the silence you’d been living in.
“not exactly,” he replied. “thought maybe we could talk.”
you didn’t answer. so he sat down across from you, legs crossed, elbows on his knees, like this was just another conversation on school grounds.
“i’ve been thinking about you, y/n,” he began. “you’re complicated. angry, powerful… but not cruel. not aimless. i’ve seen enough curses to know the difference.”
you narrowed your eyes. “and now what? you want a confession? some emotional backstory that explains why i broke everything?”
“no,” he said simply. “i already know your story. i read it. and i remember some of it firsthand.”
the tension tightened between you. he didn’t flinch.
“i’m not here to judge you,” he continued. “i’m here to offer you a deal.”
your eyes narrowed. “a deal?”
gojo leaned back slightly. “the world’s been shifting lately. more curses, more chaos. a lot of them are smart, some are just parasites. either way, it’s more than we can keep up with. i could use someone who understands both sides.”
“you want me to be your curse exterminator?” you asked, almost amused.
“let’s call it… community service,” he said. “you’ll be monitored. your cursed energy will stay under my restraints until you prove you can be trusted. but if you help us—if you bring balance instead of breaking it—then i’ll grant you freedom. real freedom. not this box.”
you stared at him for a long time. “and if i say no?”
he shrugged. “then you stay here. indefinitely. but something tells me you want more than vengeance. something tells me you want to be seen again. maybe even forgiven.”
the silence between you was heavy, but not empty.
you looked away, brows furrowed. “you’re putting a leash on me and calling it mercy.”
“i’m giving you a choice,” gojo said, standing. “something you haven’t had in a long time.”
he turned toward the barrier, but stopped before stepping out.
“think about it,” he added. “and for what it’s worth… i think you’re more human than half the sorcerers out there.”
the barrier sealed behind him with a faint pulse, and you were alone again. but something lingered this time—possibility.
and for the first time in what felt like years, your heartbeat didn’t feel like it belonged to a curse.
𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒, 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒
the restraints burned against your skin like a constant whisper—gojo’s cursed energy, wrapped tight around your wrists and ankles, humming low like a warning. not painful, but impossible to forget.
you stood just outside the barrier of a small mountain town, moonlight bleeding through thick clouds. it was quiet. too quiet. the kind of silence that comes after something awful.
gojo floated lazily a few paces behind you, arms crossed. “six confirmed cursed spirits. four grade 2s, one grade 1, and one… weird one,” he said, tapping the side of his blindfold. “not classified yet, but it’s giving me a headache, so you’ll probably like it.”
you didn’t answer. your eyes scanned the tree line, the cracked pavement, the abandoned shrine at the top of the hill. you could feel the curses. lurking. writhing.
“remember the deal,” gojo added. “stay on the path, no innocent casualties. and if the restraints tighten, it means you’re getting reckless. or dark.”
you shot him a glare. “i get it. i’m on a leash.”
gojo only smiled. “better than a cage, no?”
you didn’t reply. just stepped forward and let the shadows welcome you.
inside the town, cursed energy pulsed through the air like fog. you tracked it instinctively, your feet moving on memory and instinct. it didn’t take long before the first curse showed itself—something twisted and lean with too many teeth and hands growing from its ribs.
you fought without hesitation.
you sliced cleanly, quickly. no wasted movement. when it screamed, you didn’t flinch.
the second came with more of a fight. the third tried to hide. you hunted. the fourth exploded into shards of bones and teeth. you ducked, letting them rip past your cheek, drawing the first blood of the night.
the restraint around your wrist tightened just slightly.
“calm,” you whispered to yourself. “stay calm.”
the fifth one—the grade 1—felt more alive. almost sentient. it mocked you. said your name. whispered truths you’d buried.
but the last one—the “weird” one—wasn’t like the others.
it looked like a child, eyes empty, fingers twitching like broken twigs. but its cursed energy was overwhelming. it reached into you, prodded at the parts that hadn’t healed.
“you’re just like me,” it hissed.
you trembled. and for a second—just one—you saw your reflection in its hollow face.
but then you remembered rika. and nanami. and yuta. his voice. his gaze. the way he almost reached for you before gojo stepped in.
“i’m not like you,” you whispered—and unleashed a wave of your own cursed energy, filtered through the restraints but still sharp, still devastating.
when the curse shattered, the silence returned.
gojo appeared beside you, hands in his pockets. “not bad,” he said. “and you didn’t go feral. proud of you.”
you turned to him, exhausted, bloodied, but steady.
“is that all?” you asked.
“for tonight,” he nodded. “you’re one step closer.”
you didn’t smile. didn’t thank him. just stared at the horizon, where the night was beginning to break into the faintest blue.
because you were still a weapon.
but maybe… now you had a target worth choosing.
inside jujutsu high, the mood was heavy.
they hadn’t seen you since that day—the day gojo confined you.
when he returned from the mission alone, everyone gathered in the main hall, expecting answers.
maki leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, tone sharp.
“so? you sent her out on a mission? alone?”
gojo shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “technically, not alone. i was watching. like a responsible guardian.”
“she’s still dangerous,” megumi muttered, staring at the ground. “you said so yourself.”
“so am i,” yuji said quietly, eyes still a little haunted from the last battle. “so are all of us.”
yuta sat on one of the benches, gripping the hem of his uniform.
he hadn’t looked up since gojo walked in.
“did she complete it?” he finally asked, voice low. almost careful.
like he didn’t want to sound too interested.
gojo nodded. “clean job. no casualties. controlled herself the whole way through. not even a whisper of instability.”
panda gave a small whistle. “wow. that’s… honestly impressive.”
inumaki, wrapped in extra bandages from the last encounter, gave a weak thumbs-up and nodded.
maki narrowed her eyes. “and we’re just supposed to trust that she’s suddenly playing by the rules now?”
“no,” gojo said flatly. “you’re supposed to trust me.”
he let the words settle, his voice unusually serious.
“i gave her a deal. if she stays on this path, she earns her freedom back. if she doesn’t, i’ll be the first to put her down.”
“that’s cold,” yuji muttered.
“what about the restraints?” megumi asked.
“still on. still working. if she slips up, they’ll remind her.”
the room went quiet again, until yuta stood up.
his voice was stronger now. more certain. “i want to talk to her.”
“because i need to know if she’s doing this for her, or because she’s scared of gojo.”
the silence that followed said more than anyone needed to.
the room was dimly lit—plain walls, one chair, one table. it wasn’t a prison, but it wasn’t freedom either.
you sat quietly, arms resting on the cold surface, the restraints on your wrists faintly glowing with cursed energy. they didn’t hurt, but you could always feel them. like invisible eyes always watching.
you didn’t bother to look up at first. you figured it was gojo again.
his name escaped your lips like muscle memory.
he stood in the doorway, hesitant at first, then slowly walked in and sat across from you.
“i heard about the mission,” he said softly. “gojo said you did good.”
you gave a small shrug. “he didn’t have to trap me to find that out.”
his brows furrowed, guilt flickering across his face. “i didn’t know he’d do that.”
you leaned forward slightly, meeting his gaze. “but you didn’t stop him either.”
“…you were trying to talk to me,” you continued, “and i was starting to listen. i would’ve listened.”
“i know,” he whispered. “i’m sorry.”
you watched him for a while, the quiet between you tense and tender all at once. finally, you spoke.
“why are you here, yuta?”
he looked back at you, conflicted but honest.
“because… part of me still believes in you.”
your breath caught in your throat.
“and maybe,” he added, “part of me always did.”
maki, megumi, panda, inumaki, and yuji sat in a circle near the training grounds. it was evening—quiet enough for honesty.
“do you guys actually believe she’s changed?” megumi asked.
panda tilted his head. “she hasn’t hurt anyone since. that counts for something, right?”
“she’s unpredictable,” maki said bluntly. “one good mission doesn’t erase what she’s done.”
“people change,” yuji said. “i mean… look at me. look at sukuna.”
everyone went silent for a moment.
“yeah,” panda said, “but she wasn’t given a choice back then. she got killed. cursed. abandoned. it messes with people.”
“that doesn’t make her trustworthy,” megumi argued. “it makes her unstable.”
inumaki quietly muttered, “okaka…”
panda translated, “he says she’s trying.”
yuji sighed. “i don’t know. i don’t think she’s a villain. i think she’s just… broken.”
maki leaned back on her hands, looking up at the sky.
“either way,” she muttered, “if she steps out of line, i’ll be the first to stop her.”
but even she didn’t sound as sure as she used to.
the first few visits were quiet.
yuta never stayed long—ten, maybe fifteen minutes. sometimes he just brought small things: your favorite snacks from before everything fell apart, a folded note with scribbled jokes, or a simple, “you did good today.”
you never asked him to come.
and with every visit, something softened between you.
you started waiting for him. not obviously—you never sat by the door or asked the guards—but your eyes would flick up to the clock once the afternoon rolled around, and your heart would quietly count the footsteps outside the door.
“you really don’t have to keep coming,” you told him once.
“i know,” he smiled, “but i want to.”
sometimes you didn’t talk. he’d just sit across from you, quietly sketching in a small notebook while you sat across from him, tracing your fingers along the grain of the table.
“what are you drawing?” you asked once, leaning forward.
he turned the sketchbook toward you.
it was a half-finished portrait. of you.
“you’re hard to draw,” he said.
you stared at the image in silence—messy lines, but soft. gentle. like he saw you as something worth remembering.
“you’re weird, okkotsu,” you muttered, but your smile gave you away.
there was a moment—brief and quiet.
you were laughing at something he said. something stupid. he was smiling like he hadn’t in weeks. and when your laughter died down, your hand was resting near his on the table.
he reached out—just a little.
neither of you moved away.
on his next visit, you spoke before he could say anything.
“you’re not scared of me anymore, huh?”
he looked surprised, then shook his head.
“i don’t think i ever really was.”
you swallowed. your voice barely held together.
“i’m still dangerous, yuta.”
“i know,” he said quietly. “but so am i.”
he reached across the table again, this time more deliberately.
you let him take your hand.
gojo was keeping his distance, letting your missions stack quietly under supervision. but you could feel it—something shifting. like you were being given a real chance to choose a side.
and with yuta beside you, for the first time…
you were actually considering choosing hope.
gojo always knew more than he let on. so when he saw yuta lingering longer in the confinement wing, when the surveillance feed glitched for a few minutes at a time, and when yuta started humming quietly to himself between missions—he knew something was up. he didn’t say anything at first, just kept watching, waiting, letting it play out.
but one afternoon, when yuta exited the confinement hallway later than usual, he didn’t notice gojo standing nearby—leaned casually against the wall, sunglasses pushed slightly down his nose. gojo’s voice cut through the silence, light and teasing. “so… is it official yet, or are we still in the blushing and hand-holding phase?”
yuta froze, eyes wide. “what—what are you talking about?” he stammered, not quite meeting his teacher’s eyes.
gojo smiled, that easy grin with something sharp underneath. “oh please, yuta. you’re glowing. it’s either love or you accidentally ate a special-grade cursed finger.”
yuta looked away, cheeks coloring faintly. “she’s… different now. she’s trying. and i believe in her.”
gojo’s expression shifted, just barely—softened with something like understanding. “i know she’s trying. i see it.” he paused, the humor draining a bit from his tone as he went on, more serious now. “but you have to remember, yuta… love doesn’t erase danger. not in our world.”
yuta finally looked up, eyes steady. “she’s not the danger you think she is.”
gojo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, thoughtful. “no. maybe not anymore. but if this goes south, if her cursed energy flares again, if the higher-ups find out before she’s earned full clearance…” he didn’t finish the sentence. he didn’t have to.
he wasn’t mad. he wasn’t even surprised. he just cared—about yuta, about you, about the fragile thread of peace that hung between everyone now. gojo stepped closer and clapped a hand on yuta’s shoulder, his voice firm but not unkind. “just be smart, alright? i’m not gonna stop you. but don’t let love blind you. let it anchor you.”
then, his grin returned, the tension breaking with a roll of his shoulders. “and for the love of all things jujutsu, if you’re gonna kiss her again, at least make sure the cameras are off next time.”
yuta’s face flushed immediately, a shade of red so deep it rivaled the color of inumaki’s cursed speech mark. he stumbled backward a step, hands flailing in front of him as if that would somehow ward off gojo’s teasing.
“w-we didn’t kiss!” he blurted, far too quickly.
gojo raised a brow, smirking with the satisfaction of a cat who had just found a very nervous mouse. “oh? i was just kidding, yuta… but now that you mention it—”
“n-no! that’s not what i meant—i mean, i wasn’t—it wasn’t like that!” yuta waved his arms around, trying to explain. “she was just… we were talking. about her mission. she—she was tired. i brought her tea and—”
gojo gasped dramatically. “you brought her tea? wow. i didn’t know we were in the ‘bringing each other tea and whispering sweet nothings between cursed exorcisms’ stage.”
yuta groaned, dragging his hands down his face. “it wasn’t sweet nothings!”
“mmhm,” gojo nodded sagely. “just you, her, a locked room, the warm glow of trust blossoming between two people with emotionally traumatic pasts… honestly, it’s kind of romantic. should i be worried you’re going to elope in the middle of a mission?”
“we were just talking!” yuta shouted, clearly at the end of his rope.
gojo leaned in close, voice dropping like he was sharing a secret. “just make sure if you do kiss her next time, it’s not on camera. or at least give me a heads up so i can prepare my ‘i told you so’ speech.”
yuta groaned again, turning around and storming off down the hall, muttering something about “never telling gojo anything ever again.”
gojo called after him cheerfully, “don’t forget the tea, romeo!”
and as yuta turned the corner—still pink-faced, flustered, and defeated—gojo chuckled to himself and leaned back against the wall, eyes hidden behind his shades, but that ever-knowing smirk still tugging at his lips.
“young love,” he said to no one in particular, “so dramatic.”
the heavy lock on the confinement chamber clicked, echoing through the dim, sterile room like a slow heartbeat. you looked up from your spot against the wall, calm but wary. the familiar sound of footsteps was unmistakable—even before he entered, you could feel the presence of gojo satoru. he was impossible to miss.
he walked in with his usual casual stride, hands tucked in his pockets, blindfold replaced by tinted shades today. he didn’t speak right away, just took a moment to look around the room, then at you. his gaze lingered.
“you know,” he said finally, tone light, “this place really doesn’t suit you.”
you raised a brow, not amused. “then let me out.”
he chuckled. “tempting. but let’s not jump straight to prison breaks and chaos, yeah?”
you looked away, arms crossed, clearly unamused by his teasing. he took a few steps closer, stopping a short distance away.
“i’m not here to mock you,” he said more seriously now. “i wanted to talk. just you and me.”
you eyed him. “you’ve already made your deal, what more is there?”
he exhaled slowly. “i want to understand you.”
you laughed under your breath, dry and bitter. “a little late for that, don’t you think?”
gojo didn’t flinch at your tone. “probably,” he admitted. “but late doesn’t mean never. and… yuta’s been visiting.”
your expression didn’t shift, but the silence that followed spoke for itself. gojo continued.
“he’s a good kid. too good, sometimes. and you… you’re complicated. not in a bad way, just… layered. and i need to know what’s under those layers before i can trust you.”
“i didn’t ask you to trust me,” you muttered.
“no,” he said, “but he did.”
that caught your attention. your eyes flicked up to meet his. gojo’s expression was unreadable—cool, maybe even a little sad beneath the humor.
“yuta wants to believe in you,” he continued. “he does believe in you. but belief alone doesn’t protect people. i’ve seen what happens when we put too much faith in the wrong person. so, if you’re going to be out there again—even under my watch—i need to be absolutely sure of what your intentions are.”
you sat in silence for a long moment before finally asking, voice soft but sharp, “and what if i said i don’t even know yet?”
gojo smiled gently. “then you figure it out. while under supervision, of course.”
you narrowed your eyes. “you mean while restrained.”
he shrugged. “semantics.”
for a while, neither of you spoke. then, more quietly, he said, “i know what happened to you was cruel. and i know the people who were supposed to protect you didn’t.”
you looked at him again, surprised by the sincerity in his voice.
“if there’s a part of you that still wants to fight for something good—something better,” he continued, “i can work with that. i will work with that. but i won’t let you hurt them. not yuta, not anyone.”
the edge in your gaze softened just a bit. “…i know.”
he turned to leave, but paused at the door. “next mission’s in two days. i expect you to show me what side you’re really on.”
you didn’t answer, and he didn’t wait for one. he simply left, the door locking behind him once again.
but this time, the room didn’t feel quite as cold.
𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐓 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒, 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒
the air was heavy as y/n stood at the school gates, the restraints around her arms glowing faintly with cursed energy — a quiet reminder of her deal with gojo. her first mission wasn’t supposed to feel so… loaded. gojo had called it simple: investigate and eliminate a curse outbreak near an abandoned elementary school. but nothing felt simple when the eyes of the jujutsu world were waiting for her to mess up.
gojo had briefed her with the usual smug confidence, though she could sense something different behind his smile — concern, maybe. or doubt.
she hadn’t expected yuta to be assigned to her team.
he appeared at her side with a faint smile, handing her a bottle of water like it was the most casual thing in the world. “ready?” he asked softly.
“as ready as i can be with glorified handcuffs on,” she muttered.
they moved together, clearing the first wave of curses easily. they didn’t even need to speak — their movements synced, practiced from whatever odd bond was forming between them lately. but then the air shifted.
a curse stepped out of the shadows. not just any curse — this one was familiar. too familiar.
“traitor,” it rasped, dragging long claws across the concrete. “you left us to rot.”
y/n froze. yuta stepped in front of her instinctively, drawing his katana, cursed energy already rising.
“you know it?” he asked quickly.
“i used to be… part of it,” she whispered. “this was the curse that pulled me back. i didn’t think any of it survived.”
the curse laughed, shrieking into the air. “she wears human skin now. dances with the jujutsu rats. but she is ours. always ours.”
“we shouldn’t be doing this alone,” yuta muttered, tightening his grip on his katana.
“i can handle it,” y/n replied flatly, brushing past him.
“that’s not the point,” he snapped, a little sharper than he meant to. “gojo should’ve sent backup—”
“gojo trusts me,” she cut in, eyes flashing. “and if you don’t, then go back to jujutsu high.”
before yuta could respond, a pulse of cursed energy shattered the floor beneath them. they flew in opposite directions, slammed into opposite pillars as a twisted form crawled out from the shadows — massive, blackened, and stitched together with limbs from several different curses. its face, if it could be called that, looked like a mask of all the people y/n had once consumed during her time in the dark.
“you thought you could leave us,” it hissed. “you thought you were clean.”
the fight was chaotic. y/n struck first, too fast, too reckless — fueled by a need to prove herself. but the curse matched her fury with brutal precision. it wrapped around her like smoke, choking her with whispers of her past.
yuta slashed it from behind, giving her a breath of space. “you’re being reckless!” he yelled.
“you’re letting it get to you!”
“because it’s a part of me!” she screamed.
that moment of vulnerability cost her. the curse impaled her shoulder and hurled her into a wall. yuta lost focus and caught a blast of cursed energy to the ribs, coughing blood onto the stone floor.
they managed to destroy it — barely. yuta unleashed a final blow with rika’s energy, while y/n sealed the cursed remains using her restraints and a sliver of her old technique. the moment it vanished, silence returned.
but there was no relief. only tension.
yuta turned to her, bloody and breathing hard. “you can’t keep doing this,” he said. “charging in like you’ve got something to prove—”
“i do,” she snapped. “i have to prove myself. you don’t get it—”
“i do get it!” he yelled back. “you think i don’t know what it’s like to feel cursed?! to lose someone? to carry that weight every single day?”
she flinched at his voice, then turned away. “you still had people who stayed by your side. i had no one.”
those words hung between them like a blade.
neither of them spoke the rest of the way back.
when they returned to jujutsu high, gojo was waiting at the gates.
he didn’t say anything at first — just scanned their injuries, their silence, and the way y/n walked ten steps ahead of yuta.
“what happened?” he asked finally.
gojo sighed, rubbing his temple. “right.”
he knew. he could feel the emotional ripples between them — two souls trying to reach for each other, but still carrying too much pain. and now, it was starting to bleed into their missions.
gojo didn’t stop them from going to their rooms. he didn’t press it. not yet. but he knew the next mission could break them for good if something didn’t change.
and somewhere in the dark, another cursed spirit was beginning to stir — stronger, meaner, and drawn to the scent of broken hearts.
the silence of gojo’s office was only disturbed by the soft click of the door as nanami stepped inside, his expression already tight with concern.
gojo leaned back in his chair, hands steepled under his chin. he was still in his mission clothes, traces of dust and cursed energy residue clinging to his sleeves. despite the usual smug calm he wore, there was tension in his shoulders — a rare sign of unease.
“how bad was it?” nanami asked, cutting straight to the point.
gojo exhaled through his nose. “messier than expected. emotionally charged. neither of them were in the right headspace.”
“mm.” gojo nodded. “the curse was more powerful than we anticipated, and it hit them where it hurt. played on their guilt. their connection.” he paused. “it could’ve ended worse.”
“not this time,” gojo replied. “but the higher-ups don’t care about almost failing. they care about the risks. and they’re not happy.”
nanami shifted, arms crossed. “they want her confined again?”
“not yet,” gojo said, though his voice held a hint of frustration. “but they’ve sent word that they’re considering sending someone over. someone to monitor her progress — keep tabs on her, evaluate her loyalty, her behavior. they’re still skeptical about the deal.”
nanami’s jaw tightened. “what do they expect? she’s walking the line between curse and sorcerer. any progress she’s made hasn’t come easy.”
“they see her as a time bomb,” gojo muttered. “and after today, i can’t exactly argue that she’s stable. but she’s trying. i see that.”
“and yuta?” nanami asked quietly.
gojo sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “he’s too emotionally attached. he tries to help, but in doing so, he’s clouding her judgment. maybe even his own.”
nanami gave a long, thoughtful look before replying. “it sounds like they’re both dangerous — not because they’re malicious, but because they care.”
“exactly,” gojo said with a faint smirk. “and that terrifies the higher-ups more than anything else.”
“no name yet. but someone cold. someone without ties. someone who won’t hesitate to report any slip-up.” he stood up slowly, stretching his back. “i’ll try to delay it. buy them more time.”
nanami nodded, but his expression remained grim. “they won’t give her many chances.”
gojo stared out the window, the wind brushing faintly against the curtains. “then she’s going to have to make every one of them count.”
the higher-ups weren’t known for mercy — or for making things easy. when word finally came down, gojo wasn’t surprised at who they chose.
shoko arrived with the sealed letter in hand, handing it to gojo with a tired sigh. he opened it slowly, eyes scanning the message. the name printed in sharp ink made his lips tighten.
shoko raised a brow. “she’s the monitor?”
gojo nodded, folding the paper and tossing it to his desk. “they want someone disciplined. someone who follows orders, doesn’t get emotionally involved, and won’t hesitate to report any signs of regression. and she hates my guts, so this is probably her dream assignment.”
“she won’t be biased?” shoko asked carefully.
“she’ll be strict,” gojo corrected. “but she’ll be fair. she doesn’t let personal feelings cloud her judgment — not like the rest of us.” he walked to the window, watching the students train below. “and that’s exactly why they chose her.”
utahime arrived two days later, her expression unreadable as she stood in the courtyard with her arms folded. y/n had been informed ahead of time, but nothing could prepare her for the sharp-eyed woman standing at the gates, silent and observant.
gojo greeted her casually, acting as if she were an old friend instead of a government-appointed watchdog.
“so you’re the leash,” y/n muttered under her breath, just loud enough for utahime to hear.
utahime didn’t flinch. “no. i’m the scale. whether you tip it or not is up to you.”
gojo, ever the mediator, stepped between them with a smile. “play nice, ladies. remember, teamwork makes the dream work.”
y/n rolled her eyes and walked off.
utahime turned to him. “she’s not going to make it easy.”
“you wouldn’t respect her if she did,” gojo replied with a shrug. “besides, i’ve got a feeling she’ll surprise you.”
utahime didn’t respond — just watched y/n’s figure disappear into the training field with something unreadable in her gaze.
yuta didn’t find out about utahime’s arrival until after training had ended for the day.
he was walking down the corridor, towel around his neck and hair still damp with sweat, when he caught sight of her—arms crossed, standing outside the room where y/n was now being held between missions. he froze mid-step, confusion flashing in his eyes.
she looked over at him and gave a curt nod. “okkotsu. long time.”
he jogged up, glancing past her toward the door. “what are you doing here?”
“monitoring,” she replied simply. “the higher-ups sent me to oversee y/n’s progress.”
yuta’s expression immediately shifted, soft confusion melting into discomfort. “monitor? like… spy on her?”
“no,” she answered calmly, “monitor. watch her progress. ensure she doesn’t fall out of line. make sure she’s stable.”
“she is stable,” yuta insisted, a little sharper than intended. “she’s done everything gojo’s asked.”
utahime’s eyes didn’t waver. “that’s not up to you to decide.”
yuta clenched his jaw. “she’s trying.”
“i’m sure she is,” utahime replied. “but trying isn’t enough for the people who sent me. they want proof. so that’s what i’m here for.”
he wanted to argue. to defend you. to remind her how you risked your life on the last mission and how the curse they fought nearly killed both of you. but he didn’t.
instead, he just exhaled and muttered, “she won’t like this.”
“she doesn’t have to,” utahime said as she turned toward the door. “she just has to survive it.”
as she stepped inside, yuta stayed in the hall, eyes lowered, hand gripping the edge of the wall.
he didn’t know what upset him more — the idea that they didn’t trust you, or the fact that they sent someone like her to keep watch. someone who would never understand what you’d been through.
he whispered under his breath, “you’re not alone. i’ll make sure you’re not.”
even if he had to stand on the other side of the line to prove it.
that evening, the halls of jujutsu high were unusually quiet. the usual chatter of students and clatter of training equipment had faded into a heavy silence, like the air itself was holding its breath.
yuta walked softly, his footsteps barely echoing against the floor. he had waited until he was sure utahime was gone—her shift over, or so he hoped. he reached the hallway outside the room where you were confined. the faint glow of a barrier shimmered around the doorframe, but he had grown used to it by now. he’d visited you enough to know its rhythm.
he placed a gentle hand on the door, hesitating.
inside, you were sitting near the window, knees pulled to your chest, staring at the fading light. you felt the cursed energy shift before you heard the knock.
“y/n?” came his voice, low and soft.
you looked up, startled. “yuta?”
he poked his head in, eyes darting down the hall like a guilty child sneaking snacks before dinner. “i didn’t want you to think i’d stopped visiting. i just… wasn’t sure if utahime-sensei would report me.”
you smiled faintly. “she might.”
he stepped in fully now, shutting the door behind him. “then it’s worth the risk.”
you watched him walk closer, a touch of warmth blooming in your chest despite the cold edge of confinement. but you could also sense the tension clinging to him.
“you’re mad about the mission,” you said quietly.
he shook his head. “not mad. just… frustrated. scared, maybe.” he sat beside you on the floor, close but not touching. “when that curse went after you, and i couldn’t stop it in time… i thought…”
you interrupted, “i’m not mad at you, yuta.”
he looked at you, and for a moment, neither of you spoke.
“they’re sending someone to monitor me now,” you finally muttered, voice tinged with fatigue. “like i’m some… dangerous science experiment.”
“you’re not,” he said quickly. “you’re not that. i know you’re not.”
you nodded but didn’t seem convinced. “i don’t want to mess this up. i’m trying. but it feels like every step forward, someone’s waiting for me to fall.”
yuta’s voice was gentle. “then i’ll catch you if you do.”
he looked at you then, really looked. and something passed between you—silent and electric. the unspoken kind of promise.
but then the door creaked.
“okkotsu,” utahime’s voice called sternly from outside, “you’re not supposed to be in there.”
he sighed, eyes flicking to the ceiling. “busted.”
you chuckled under your breath. “go.”
he stood reluctantly, but before he opened the door, he turned back to you, his voice barely above a whisper.
“i’ll come back tomorrow. i don’t care who’s watching.”
you didn’t respond, but the soft look you gave him said enough.
on the other side of the door, utahime was waiting with arms crossed, unimpressed. yuta gave her a sheepish smile and walked off without a word.
she shook her head and muttered, “idiot,” under her breath.
but she didn’t report it.
i reached the 1000 text box limit 😭😭 lwk been working on this for 2 months now, please don’t let this flop 🙏🏼
also sorry for no updates, i needed a break and wanted to write something else !!
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