pairing: rookie!guard gojo x inmate!reader
synopsis: inmate 0001 was unpredictable and a danger to herself and others. her file says so, the prison says so, and yet she’s still there watching. assigned to her level, rookie guard satoru gojo quickly learns she doesn’t behave like the others.
content: violence, blood, death, unstable/volatile reader, manipulation and coercion, psychological distress, mental health themes, imprisonment, authority/inmate dynamics, power imbalance, morally grey characters
wc: 4.7k | mini series mlist
case ???; reinstatement — year: 2030.10.27
satoru sat impatiently, lightly tapping his heavy boot against the concrete floor as he waited for the debrief to end. the sound echoed faintly in the room, but not enough to drown out the one thing on his mind...you.
he just wanted out. oh how much he missed you, and he knew he shouldn’t!
you’d been in solitary confinement for four months after the last stunt you pulled for him. and the guilt never really left.
he remembered your pouty face, and blood-covered hands as the reinforcements came to take him from the bloodied corridor, and in his foggy state of mind, he could see you peeking through the legs of the officers surrounding you, your head tilted just slightly, eyes locked onto him like nothing else in the world existed. as they dragged him away to safety
but where else was safer than with you?
satoru leaned back in his chair, jaw tightening as the thought settled deep in his chest.
missed the way your entire demeanor softened when it was just the two of you. that strange, bubbly warmth you didn’t show anyone else. the way you looked at him like he was the only person in your world.
and in your own small, twisted bubble inside that maximum security prison
no one else fit you like he did...rookie guard satoru gojo.
“and again,” warden sukuna’s voice cut through the room, sharp and authoritative, “inmate 0001 is to be reintroduced to general population. she is to be shackled at all times. all corridors cleared before transport back to cell block a.”
“if her good behavior continues, she may be reinstated fully.”
someone shifted in their seat.
“…wasn’t inmate 0001 declared dead?”
“yes,” sukuna snapped. “she killed her.”
“you’re all dismissed,” he added shortly. “inumaki. okkotsu. gojo. stay.”
satoru slumped further in his chair as the others quickly filed out, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind them with a final echo that seemed to settle in his bones.
“you three,” sukuna continued, eyes scanning over them, “are assisting with inmate 0001’s transport.”
all three of them straightened instinctively as the warden began pacing in front of them.
“she’s particularly fond of you two,” he said, pointing lazily toward yuta and inumaki. “thinks yuta’s some kind of sad puppy, and inumaki’s a ‘silent baby tiger’ or whatever the hell she called him in her psych evaluation.”
he sighed, dragging a hand down his face before his gaze landed on satoru.
“and you…” sukuna huffed. “she likes you.”
heat crept up satoru’s neck instantly, his shoulders stiffening under the sudden attention.
“anyway,” sukuna continued, already moving on, “get ready to extract her. fushiguro will ensure she’s properly restrained.”
satoru had heard the word plenty of times before. but seeing it... and seeing you in it was way way worse.
though the warden had a heavy emphasis on you being restrained actually seeing unresponsive, bound and handled like something dangerous instead of someone human really broke satoru’s heart.
a muzzle secured over your mouth, your curly hair spilling around your face in messy strands. your arms locked tight in a straitjacket, your legs bound, your entire body suspended and controlled by a pulley that toji held steady, strapped and secured like you might snap at any second.
satoru’s hands twitched at his sides and it took everything in him not to move. not to walk forward, undo every strap, every restraint, and take you out of there himself.
he watched as the rest of the men were wary to approach you even in your knocked out state.
but what was even more shocking was the man who stood too close, too meanly by you, as if he could do something in his fragile state.
satoru’s expression darkened instantly.
“crazy bitch,” the mysterious man muttered under his breath, staring down at your restrained form like you were nothing.
he leaned in closer, voice low and venomous.
“i’ll get you back in blood for what you did.”
the rest of the transport was uneventful. the other inmates were outside for their daily hours as they finally arrived back at your cell. and finally getting you down on your mattress, satoru couldn't help but watch your peaceful expression and drag a finger down your cheek before he quickly closed your cell door back.
it reminded him of the first day he met you.
case file 01 — introduction; 2030.01.18
being shown around the massive industrial prison at just twenty-two years old wasn’t exactly how satoru imagined starting his career.
it had only been a month.
and somehow, he’d already been transferred to maximum security.
“listen, kid,” sukuna started, stopping just outside the final cell block. his voice was low, rough, like he’d said this speech a hundred times before. “these women are crazy. and the last one, no matter how cute she looks, don’t let her near your balls.”
he glanced over his shoulder.
“bit the last ones off the guard that tried to get handsy.”
his throat went dry as he followed after sukuna, boots echoing against the concrete while the women behind the bars reached out as he passed, catcalling, laughing, fingers stretching through the gaps like they could grab him if he got too close.
he turned back, catching the way satoru’s eyes darted nervously behind his glasses. without a word, sukuna reached out, plucked them clean off his face, and hooked them into the collar of his uniform.
“don’t want her breaking your fragile eyes.”
the deeper they walked, the quieter it got.
the noise faded into something distant, replaced by a low hum that seemed to vibrate through the walls themselves. water dripped steadily from somewhere above, echoing softly as it hit the floor below.
they passed more cells, all empty.
numbers etched into metal.
satoru felt bile come up in his thoart as they walked down the the long corridor before they landed again outside a regular cell door.
the sound of sukuna’s keys jangling snapped satoru out of his thoughts. the lock clicked, metal shifting, and the door slid open just enough for them to step through into a smaller, more contained corridor.
this one was different. it was quieter...colder.
guards stood posted outside your...cage. then your voice cut through the pinched silence, bright almost too bright for such a place.
“ah! kunaaaaa! you’re back.”
sukuna didn’t react much, just glanced toward you like this was routine.
“yeah,” he said flatly. “are you behaving?”
you pouted immediately, hands slipping through the bars as you leaned forward, your voice taking on a playful edge.
“you’re asking me like your guards don’t start trouble first.”
your gaze dragged from sukuna down his broad frame before landing on the man behind him. on satoru.
and everything about you lit up.
your face broke into a wide smile, fingers tightening around the bars as you leaned closer, nearly pressing your face through them.
“hi, hi, hi!” you chirped, eyes bright as you took him in. “oh my god—you’re so handsome.” as satoru froze completely under your gaze.
you caused this much harm?
“kuna,” you hummed, not taking your eyes off him, “who’s this?”
a pause and the men watched intently for your next words flow from you.
your smile only grew wider.
“no,” sukuna said flatly. “he’s my officer.”
“your very, very handsome officer,” you corrected immediately, nodding to yourself like that settled it.
“gojo,” he said instead, jerking his chin slightly. “this is inmate 0001. formerly 0007.”
your voice snapped through the corridor, sharp and sudden as your brows furrowed, fingers tightening around the bars. the guard beside you straightened immediately, stepping forward like he was ready to shut you up before you could escalate.
“no reason that bitch gets to be one,” you muttered, still glaring, your voice dropping but no less venomous. “i am number one.”
the tension lingered for a second before you exhaled, shoulders dropping like it passed just as quickly as it came.
sukuna huffed out a quiet laugh, already pulling a cigarette from his pocket and settling it between his lips like none of it mattered.
you watched him for a second. then your tone shifted entirely.
soft, sweet and light. almost like the outburst hadn’t happened at all.
“kuna…” you hummed, tilting your head slightly, fingers curling loosely around the bars again. “since you’re here…”
your eyes flicked up at him, bright, expectant.
“can i go on my walk now?”
“really, now?” sukuna drawled, smoke curling faintly from the cigarette resting between his lips as his eyes shifted, landing squarely on satoru. “got something to do with our new guest?”
“nooooo…” you dragged the word out, rocking slightly on your feet as you clung to the bars, voice turning syrupy sweet. “i like taking walks with you, kuna. makes me feel all safe and warm inside.” as you and the man both stared each other down.
“…okay!” you chirped suddenly, the act dropping just enough to let something more honest slip through. “i wanna talk to the cute guard too. but i do like our walks—you take me to the garden, and sometimes we go to your offic—”
you cut yourself off mid-sentence.
sukuna’s glare sharpened, and you shrank just slightly under it, lips pressing together before pushing into a pout.
“and when it’s you and toji,” you added quickly, tone softening again, almost pleading now, “i don’t have to wear all those cuff thingys…”
your fingers tightened around the bars as you leaned forward.
“you take me to all the nice places,” you murmured. “toji doesn’t care.”
and somehow your pleas did work. maybe they even melted the heart of the bosterous man.
you walked with sukuna and satoru as if it was the most natural thing in the world, completely unbothered as the warden continued his tour of the newly restricted levels satoru had just been granted access to.
“you’ll need your key card here—”
you cut him off without hesitation, leaning across sukuna’s body, practically hanging off his arm just to peer at satoru. your face was way too close, eyes wide and curious as you studied him like he was something new.
“ah— satoru,” he said, caught off guard as his gaze flickered away from where sukuna had been pointing. “gojo satoru.”
his voice came out quieter than he expected.
because now you were looking at him, really looking at him.
because wow you were pretty. really fucking pretty.
"fuck, stop that,” sukuna muttered, barely sparing you a glance as he lazily tried to shake you off, one arm shifting like he meant to fling you away without actually putting in the effort.
you just giggled, still hanging there like you belonged.
case file ????; escalation — year: 2030.6.10
it had only been five months since satoru started workiing on your level.
five months... and you had him wrapped around your finger. literally.
there was something about him that calmed you, softened you just enough for sukuna to finally move you back into a overly secure cell, not a regualr one just yet, though not without a very strict warning. especially after you realized you could see more of the white-haired man now that you were in general population.
which is exactly what you were doing now.
you stood on your tiptoes, peering out through the small barred window of your cell, blowing soft raspberries into the open air as you stretched your hand out as far as you could.
“toruuuuu… toru, toru, toruuu…”
your voice came out in a hushed sing-song, fingers wiggling as you waited.
a pout slowly formed when nothing happened. but it didn't stay for long when you felt the brush of him warm fingertips at the tips of your fingers.
your face lit up instantly, fingers curling slightly to catch his.
“i’m here,” satoru murmured from the other side of the bars, his voice low, easy. “don’t worry.”
you giggled, looking up at him through the metal.
he hummed in response, his gaze flickering over you for a moment before drifting around your cell, checking.
“you doin’ okay in there?”
“yup,” you nodded quickly, bobbing your head like it was the simplest answer in the world.
satoru was about to say something else, a light smile coming up on his face as he opened his mouth to say something before another voice cut in.
mahito’s voice slithered through the corridor, lazy and amused as he approached from down the hall, hands tucked into his pockets like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“didn’t know we were runnin’ a daycare down here now.”
satoru’s expression didn’t change, but of course, you noticed the way his shoulders stiffened just slightly.
mahito stopped a few feet away, tilting his head as he looked between the two of you, a grin slowly pulling at his lips.
“careful, gojo,” he added, voice dropping just enough to sound like a warning wrapped in a joke. “wouldn’t want you gettin’ too attached to the merchandise.”
but satoru didn't take the bait, he kept his eyes on you, his fingers still lightly grasping you finger tips as if it was grounding him before responding.
“do your rounds, mahito,” he said instead, flat and uninterested, like the man wasn’t worth more than a passing thought.
“yeah, yeah,” he waved him off, already turning away. “rookies always think they’re special.”
his footsteps echoed as he walked off, the sound of his laughter lingering just a little too long in the corridor and soon enough he was gone.
satoru turned his head watching the man disappear, huffing as he turned his attention back to exhaling quietly about to pretend like nothing happened.
but you were already frowning.
your brows pulled together, lips pressing into a small, unhappy pout as you looked up at him.
“…is he always mean to you like that?” you asked softly.
satoru blinked in surprise and shrugged it off like it was nothing. because it was exactly that nothing.
“nah,” he said lightly. “just gives me shit ’cause i’m a rookie. don’t worry about it.”
and he tried to give you an easy smile, the one that always comes you down from brawls with other inmates...but not this time. your frown only deepened.
like something about it didn’t sit right with you at all.
you stared at him for a second longer before your fingers slipped away from the bars.
“no one should be mean to toru,” you murmured, almost to yourself.
and then you stepped back.
and quietly walked over to your bed.
you climbed onto it without another word, curling in on yourself as you laid down facing the wall. just like that, no other movement or words for the next few seconds that felt like hours.
satoru stood there for a moment, hand still half lifted where you had been.
and for the first time since he started working this level...something uneasy settled in his chest.
case file ????; the incident — year: 2030.6.15
satoru was right to be concerned.
your entire attitude did a complete 180 not just to the guards but to everyone including him. your toru!
your usually abrasive nature didn’t disappear—it just dulled. sharp remarks turned into quiet sneers, grumbles muttered under your breath at the other officers. you still resisted, still pushed, but it was… quieter and controlled. but with satoru, you were just silent.
the very man who was supposed to make you happy, who used to pull those bright reactions out of you so easily, you barely spoke to him at all.
it got even stranger when the only officer you seemed willing to acknowledge was that of lieutenant officer choso kamo. you’d stand in front of him, serious for once, gently petting his hair with a slight tilt of your head like you were studying him.
but unlike how you usually were, that was it, no words or laughter.
just that quiet, unnerving attention.
and it was like that for days.
you barely responded to him anymore. only soft hums, small pouts, or quiet mumbling under your breath as you picked at your hands, avoiding his gaze more often than not.
and the shift did not go unnoticed, especially by mahito and the other higher-ranked officers, who took it as an opportunity, their teasing growing sharper, louder, more relentless every time they saw him try to get a reaction out of you.
“told ya, rookies always think they’re fucking special.”
“should’ve just pointed you to the one that gives good head.”
“aww… you miss your girlfriend?”
“can’t reason with crazy, pretty boy.”
and each time they said it...
each time their voices carried just enough for you to hear—
your frowns deepened whenever satoru was near, your silence stretching longer, heavier. to everyone else, it looked like he’d lost whatever “touch” he had with you.
like you were done with him.
especially once you were allowed back into the courtyard with the other inmates.
that’s where it got ugly because you watched everything.
the way mahito joked. the way the younger officers got pushed around, brushed off, humiliated. the way inumaki got shoved aside like he didn’t matter for god's sake!
no one else seemed to notice. but you did.
it all came to a head when you couldn't do anything...not now but utahime pressed you more like nagging about something stupid, a game of dominoes, something meaningless, you snapped threatening to skin the rest of her body like a leopard to match the scar on her face. they were barely able to hold you guys back from each other other.
they had to call satoru in to calm you down.
and even then he barely managed to stop you from clawing her eye out.
not that anyone really cared. your new attitude made things easier for them.
if you stayed quiet, stayed distant, stayed unapproachable then they didn’t have to worry about your outbursts. easy peasy!
you were quiet, easy and most of all manageable. so everyone were excited by it! pleased even. everyone but satoru. he tried everything.
anything to get you to smile again.
and sometimes in small, fleeting moments between you two, he succeeded.
like when you’d reach up and push his glasses back into place while walking beside him. or the time he snuck your cell door open just long enough to press a quick kiss to your lips, his hand coming up to pat your head before he slipped away before the next shift took over.
and the way your eyes lit up after that... it was enough.
just enough to soften you again, your heavy demeanor easing into something calmer as you followed him quietly during his rounds through the west wing.
satoru had been promoted recently from petty officer to junior officer in just six months. and his relationship with sukuna and you was enough authority now to take you on your walks. even though you were supposed to be cuffed and he was supposed to have another higher-ranking officer accompany him, having you on his rounds so far hasn't caused any harm.
and today other than the heavy silence that followed you as of late, the silence between you felt different. not heavy and not tense. just… quiet.
“toru,” you murmured softly from behind him, your finger dragging lazily along the wall as you followed.
actually jumped a little before turning to you, excitement slipping through as he stepped closer, hand reaching out to brush lightly against your cheek.
“yeah? you okay?” he asked, voice soft. you smiled softly, leaned in to press a quick kiss to his cheek, and meekly moved back.
“if mahito is gone…” you started, your hands coming up to take his, fingers playing with his absentmindedly. “does that mean you’ll get his position?”
satoru blinked, caught off guard before letting out a small, awkward laugh.
“well… kinda. but it’ll probably go to someone more experienced. i’m still a rookie—only been here like six months.”
“but it would go to someone nicer… like cho?”
your eyes were wide, staring back blankly at his own. too wide.
“…yeah, maybe,” he said, brushing it off with a light laugh. “don’t worry your pretty head about that. we’ll get promoted eventually.”
and like that you both continued to walk for the rest of the rounds.
satoru had already brushed it off as simple curiosity.
you were unpredictable, sure, but still.
he didn’t think too much of it. until he turned around mid laugh on the very funny (only he thought it was) story that he was telling you... or well he thought he was.
his smile dropped. “…hey?”
nothing. just the ghost of your presence from where you were supposed to be.
he looked around, frowning as he tried to retrace where you could’ve gone. how long had he been talking to himself?
was he more upset that you missed his story than the fact that he’d just lost a level S inmate under his watch?
“…shit.” sukuna was going to kill him.
but you couldn’t have gotten far, right?
satoru exhaled slowly, tightening his grip on the taser at his side as he started back down the corridor, checking corners, scanning every empty stretch of hallway. thankfully, his rounds was on the empty side of the corridor and he wouldn't be faced with no other officers...no witnesses.
especially because he was not ready to explain that he’d lost one of the most dangerous inmates in the facility in an empty section of a twenty-five story prison.
he popped his head around empty corridors until he heard voices muffled and strained. and then a very sharp yelp.
satoru ran until he landed at the end of the corridor and he saw a lot of red.
he came face to face with the culprit. you on top holding the knife high above both of your bodies as you stared down blankly to a wailing mahito whose arm you mangled.
“hey. hey.” satoru murmured, raising his hands slowly as he stepped closer, careful not to startle you. “you don’t have to do that, yeah? me and mahito. we’re friends. okay?”
“yeah. yeah, we’re friends, fucking friends. get the fuck! off me,” mahito groaned from where you had him pinned clearly getting more irritated and less threatened now that satoru appeared.
“friends tease each other,” satoru said quickly, trying to keep his voice light as he inched closer.
you went quiet for a second.
"well mahito isn't my friend." you said monotonously before you plunged the knife down.
case file ????; rehabilitation — year: 2030.10.30
satoru thought back to that day as his hands gently brushed over the scar you left from that day.
“ ‘m sorry toru so you don’t get in trouble okay?”
he shivered remembering your blood covered face and how your soft hands brushed over his lips staining them red as you took out the knife from his chest.
he pulls his shirt down and fixed his shirt as he got ready for his shift. he got to see you again today.
he wasn’t able to get around to your confinement as you refused to see him even though he followed toji in since he didn’t care and you always looked so sad as you watched him when you thought he wasn’t looking and leaving little notes that you assumed never got to him.
he kept all of them, and even wrote you some back until you finally started to open up to him again in the last month of your confinement though he had to usually sneak in with choso or toji just to get a chance to see your pretty face.
the corridor was quiet as he walked down. the kind of quiet that settled wrong in satoru’s chest.
he stood outside your cell for a moment before stepping closer, fingers brushing lightly against the cold bars as he peeked inside.
“hey…” his voice came out softer than usual, much gentler.
you were sitting on your bed, shoulders slightly hunched, head down as one of the officers finished locking the restraints off your wrists. you didn’t look at them. didn’t say anything.
your voice snapped sharp, sudden, as you jerked your arm away from the officer’s grip, eyes flashing up at him with that same dangerous edge satoru knew too well.
the officer scoffed, stepping back with a muttered curse, clearly done dealing with you.
“crazy bitch,” he grumbled under his breath before walking off.
the quiet setlled again as satoru watched you mumble, "i'm not crazy."
you didn’t move right away, just sat there for a second longer before your gaze slowly lifted, landing on satoru, and the change was instant. your shoulders relaxed, your expression softened, and all that tension you carried with everyone else seemed to melt away the second you saw him.
your voice came out small, almost shy, as you shifted slightly on the bed, glancing away before peeking back up at him through your lashes, your fingers fidgeting together in your lap.
“i didn’t mean to yell,” you murmured quietly. “m’sorry.”
satoru blinked, something in his chest tightening as he stepped a little closer to the bars, shaking his head gently. “it’s okay,” he said, his voice soft and reassuring. “you didn’t do anything wrong.”
you nodded like that was enough, like his words always were, before tilting your head slightly, your eyes flickering over him with quiet concern. “are you okay?” you asked softly. “are you… in pain?”
he paused at that, brows pulling together for just a moment before he gave you that easy, familiar smile. “nah,” he said lightly. “i’m good. don’t worry about me.”
but he couldn’t help the way his gaze lingered on you a second longer than it should have, taking in the small differences he hadn’t expected. you looked better. softer. your cheeks a little fuller than before, not as hollow, not as worn down, and it made something in his chest loosen in a way he didn’t fully understand.
“you’re okay too,” he added, almost under his breath, a small grin tugging at his lips. “look at you… got a little chub back in your cheeks.”
you blinked at him, surprised for a second before a small, soft smile spread across your face, and it was just for him.
it made him feel stupidly relieved.
“you won’t be in too much trouble either,” he continued, his tone turning lighter, almost teasing. “mahito’s alive. just really banged up—you did a number on him.”
the smile dropped from your face immediately.
your body went still, completely rigid as the words settled.
satoru hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden shift in you. “yeah,” he said slowly, his voice losing some of its lightness. “he’s alive. messed up pretty bad, but—”
it made him stop completely.
you never called him that.
his smile faltered as something uneasy crept into his chest. “…hey—”
“you have to get me out of here.”
your voice wasn’t soft anymore. it wasn’t shy or playful or warm—it was urgent, sharp, almost panicked as you moved quickly to the bars, gripping them tight as you leaned toward him.
“they’re going to kill me.”
something cold slid down his spine.
“who?” he asked immediately, stepping closer without thinking, his voice dropping as his eyes searched your face. “who’s going to kill you?”
you stared at him for a second, your lips parting like you were about to say it, like the words were right there—
and then you leaned in just slightly, your voice dropping into something quieter.
“…the ones that run this prison."
tags 🏷️: @d3nkiswife @corsped-groom @syrsarte @misspinkcupcakemk @gojomeatbeater
pretty long chapter promise the next few will be shorter!
