Chapter Text
Locating where the King of Curses spirited Itadori Yuji to had taken longer than Satoru initially anticipated. And every time that title or God-forbid the name that was Ryomen Sukuna left anyone’s mouth, Satoru couldn’t help but chuckle. He couldn’t decide if he was either hesitant to declare the man Megumi had witnessed to be the infamous curse in question, or how astronomical the odds were in a subtle resurrection of someone of that with that level of power that no one had noticed until Sukuna flexed it. The man’s abilities had certainly aligned with Jujutsu Tech’s historical record. And while luck was never something sorcerers were able to boast about, but for the King of Curses to appear just as his own cursed finger was to be swallowed, and then to destroy it? All to spare a random kid from Sendai?
Perhaps not so random.
Satoru knew better than to believe in chance. Megumi’s report had been more thorough than most first-grade sorcerer recounts of their missions, as his student was invested in seeing Yuji found. Whether he was dead or alive… The latter was preferred, but closure would come either way. Regardless, the mention of a shared color along with a familiarity, at least on Sukuna’s end, was enough to rule out happenstance. Nothing in the kid’s background check nor family history hinted at a connection between himself and the King of Curses. Satoru had suspected a shared, perhaps more direct, ancestry to be the culprit, but the Itadoris had never intermixed with the world of sorcery. That in itself could be seen as a feat on its own.
The actual search for Yuji had been full of obstructions thus far. Tracing cursed energy was an impossible feat, even for someone of his special-grade caliber. Sukuna had enough foresight to wipe any trace of his presence beyond that of the school grounds from which he was seen. And seeing as Yuji possessed none of his own, no amount of sorcerers or assistants employed to scour the area were going to make much progress. Turning to traditional means of searching for kidnapped victims yielded equally unsatisfactory results. While the sudden disappearance of Itadori Wasuke’s car had been a telling lead, someone was tampering with any evidence that could prove useful. Worse still, during a short period when Yuji’s home was left unsupervised as there was no reason to assume the kid was going to be brought back to it, the property had been hollowed out right under their noses! It was as if someone, perhaps the curse himself, was mocking them and there was nothing to be done about it but sulk and keep on trudging along in what little investigation that could be done.
Yes, Satoru’s frustration would eventually come to an end once Ijichi graced him with a report that actually proved useful. As per Satoru’s request, he was the first and soon-to-be only other sorcerer to glance at the report itself, as he wasn’t going to risk the elder’s interference when dealing with the sudden incarnation of their favorite Jujutsu boogeyman. Acting on his own allowed his judgment to reign supreme. It would be up to him to make the first move, and it would be up to him to decide what may happen next depending on how he presented what he found when it came time to inform anyone above him.
“Are these… bank charges?”
“Tied to Itadori Wasuke’s bank account. Or rather, the joint account he had opened for his grandson which received any assets transferred to Itadori Yuji upon death.” Ijichi flipped between the pages of his report, showing the progression of charges over time. “At first, there had only been a couple of charges involving pre-established subscriptions which had us overlooking it, but after going back to check the account’s recent history, there are a couple of charges to a supermarket and a convenience store on the border of Miyagi and Iwate prefecture.”
“This last one was five days ago.” Satoru eagerly tapped his finger on the last line of the page. This was it. A lead so mundane, yet so crucial.
“Either the account was hacked—”
“—Or the bank card is being used by Yuji or his kidnapper.” While wishing for the former, Satoru tempered his hopes when considering what was more likely. “I’ll go there right now. Good work, Ijichi! I’ll head out immediately!”
And that was how Satoru ended up loitering around the edge of the dullest supermarket in the prefecture.
His initial visit had only resulted in questioning the employees who worked inside. There was no immediate trace of cursed energy to follow, as expected, but what he did learn was that Yuji was alive and well. No signs of abuse or even discontent. He and his kidnapper had come the previous Sunday for groceries. A simple shopping trip to buy the most basic of necessities to last them through the week until they were in need of a restock. And if the overly chatty woman at the checkout counter was to be believed, they weren’t passing through, but living somewhere close by. That was… strange, but it was something Satoru could work with. Even if there was nothing within the town itself to draw him towards the pair’s location, all he had to do was wait for Sunday to loop back around.
Lo and behold, as soon as the charge for the same location appeared on Yuji’s account, Satoru was quick to jump across the country in order to ambush the two in desperate need of an explanation. And said explanation would be far from what he was expecting.
There was little point in dashing inside the supermarket when Satoru could sense the plume of cursed energy present within. An attempt was being made to stifle, but the sheer amount present made the feat impossible when the acute sense of the Six Eyes was involved. Instead, Satoru stood at the edge of the lot, playing with his useless phone while sitting at the bus station with no intention of boarding to avoid drawing attention. He wanted to catch the two off guard, and for a moment he believed he had until the very curse he was tracking exited the building and his entire being flickered to life before Satoru’s very eyes.
There was no longer any doubt that the person walking beside Yuji was Ryomen Sukuna. Worse still, his power was easily twenty times that of the fingers Satoru had not only observed, but had attempted to destroy with his own cursed technique a couple of years prior. How this was possible when Sukuna’s fingers were under heightened security and surveillance after Megumi’s mission was not something even Satoru could guess.
Anyone capable of sensing cursed energy would have been driven to hopeless despair at the sheer difference in power the curse possessed. Gojo Satoru was not just anyone, but even he found a nervous chuckle rising up his throat as he assessed the situation before him. It was not his own safety he worried about, but those who would ultimately end up in the crossfire should their confrontation escalate beyond words.
It did not help the sorcerer’s nerves that underneath it all, Satoru found a faint, hollowed shadow of a soul beneath the curse’s being. No longer present, it stood only as an echo of the original host of Sukuna’s body, confirming that the curse was using a vessel as a means for his return.
Just as the woman said, Yuji appeared to be as normal and energetic as a teenager of his age was expected to be. He happily pushed the shopping cart clutched in his hands, chatting away and smiling at the tame and certainly not world-ending curse accompanying him at his side. Satoru observed the pair in mild curiosity, attempting to wrap his head around the purpose of this facade as the mundane activity shared between them was only interesting because of the two involved. Already gearing up to load their car, the sorcerer had appeared just in time to catch the tail end of a successful shopping trip. The younger of the two appeared to think so, as did the amount of money spent from glancing at their bank statement.
“Another successful haul!” Yuji shouted with his arms stretched over overhead. He was eager to help that masquerading curse beside him with moving their bags into the trunk, only to get stopped when something inside one of the bags piqued Sukuna’s interest.
“Dog toys and… treats? Brat, what is all this worthless nonsense?”
“What do you mean ‘worthless nonsense?’ It’s not worthless if it's for the dogs! If you had paid more attention when we were checking out, you would have noticed this, but you were too busy staring off into space.” There was no remorse in Yuji's voice as he quickly pointed out his elder’s shortcomings, stoking flames he did not comprehend. Yet, there was no outburst in return. Sure, a scowl took over the curse’s face to accompany the arms crossed across his front, but he did not punish the boy’s insolence beyond a single, disappointed retort.
“You know that they aren’t real dogs, don’t you?”
Yuji let out a gasp loud enough to cause those sharing the same parking lot as they to turn their heads their way, much to Sukuna’s annoyance.
“You take that back!”
A mild scuffle of flailing arms and low-volume bickering followed as the two went at it over a subject Satoru didn’t have the faintest clue over. If he were one of the non-sorcerers in the lot, he would have thought this nothing more than the antics of family members. Something akin to the titular ‘boys will be boys’ phrase before going about his merry way.
But Satoru was not one of those unseeing civilians. He saw through the curse’s façade, leaving him to wonder just what made Itadori Yuji so important that he continued to require it when a simple strike with cursed energy would have solved the issue in a heartbeat.
Actually, the fact that Sukuna was indulging in this charade at all was already running circles through Satoru’s head. The King of Curses was a harbinger of destruction. A literal walking calamity, and yet he was following all the expected laws and social norms to function within this small town setting as if he showed even a semblance of caring about them.
For the most part.
The sudden rise of his voice certainly went beyond the expected volume one should use in a public setting, but not everyone was perfect.
“I won’t— Get in the car!”
“Fine! I will!” Yuji spun around on his heels to sit himself in the front passenger seat, leaving his pouting face within Satoru’s line of sight. Not satisfied with what transpired, the teenager would then turn around, legs dangling outside the car with a hand cupped over his mouth to shout at Sukuna behind him. “But you’re going to apologize eventually!”
The curse scoffed, about to roll his eyes when for a split second, his gaze connected with that of the sorcerer standing on the other side of the lot. Long enough for a spark of energy to jolt between them, signaling that both parties were now intently aware of the other.
Since there was no point in pretending otherwise, Satoru jumped to his feet and started his trek across the parking lot.
“Me? Apologize to you?” Sukuna slammed the trunk shut and kicked their shopping cart back toward the building on his way to Yuji’s side. The teenager wasn’t paying attention to Sukuna’s approach, now toying with what looked to be a new phone in hand in search of a decent signal from the rusted cell tower nearby. It was for this reason he didn’t notice Sukuna’s hand descending toward his head to rustle through his hair.
“Hey, why can’t I ever get a good signal—” And with the faintest use of cursed energy, Satoru witnessed Yuji’s eyes glaze over before slumping back into his seat, his cell phone quickly caught by the curse after it fell from his unconscious hands. Sukuna was kind enough to slip it back into Yuji’s pocket before closing the passenger door, ensuring that the teenager would not be involved in whatever conversation came next.
The two stood there for a full minute, a few meters apart with nothing but a contemptuous look on Sukuna’s end to make Satoru feel like he was properly welcomed into what this little game was supposed to be.
“Yo.” The sorcerer curtly waved his hand, attempting his own shallow attempt at cordial behavior since they had yet to break out into a full-scale fight. “Ryomen Sukuna, I presume?”
“Leave while you still have legs to walk, sorcerer.”
“Threatening me when you don’t even know my name? I’m hurt.” Satoru feigned offense, knowing full well that if he wasn’t wearing his blindfold, he’d be faking a tear to sell his words further. “Then again, how could anyone not have heard of me, Gojo—”
“—Satoru. The strongest sorcerer of this era.” Sukuna cut Satoru off with a deadpan delivery. “I do not care. Leave us in peace or lose your head. I don’t possess the patience for your nonsense.”
Alright. Progress was not being made, but that was ok. Satoru could still attempt to change the subject.
“Us. As in that teenager you kidnapped. Do you mind enlightening me on what this is all about before you send me to the great beyond?” Now that Satoru was closer to the pair, he could see how the employees inside had assumed they were related during his initial questioning. The striking appearance of natural pink hair wasn’t a common hair color by any means, but beyond that, the facial details were minimal at best.
“You joke as if that isn’t a possibility.”
“Come on, work with me.” Satoru nudged the curse further, “You went through a lot of effort to get ahold of this kid to play this weird domestic thing you have going on and now you’re preventing us from even speaking. Is he related to you in some way? An unused vessel? Oh, or maybe a reincarnated lo—”
“He’s mine.”
Stoic no longer, Sukuna had snapped at him, his aggravation spilling over into the expression on his face.
“Yours. And does that mean he’s being treated well? Or is he some poor soul you’ve suckered into a grander scheme we have to figure out for ourselves?”
“I’ll explain it to you once because just like you, I do not wish to be forced to engage with you in any further capacity nor do I want to look at your face longer than I have to.”
Sukuna, the King of Curses, a reveler in destruction… did not want to fight? No, the curse was more than willing to threaten him, which meant his lack of immediate action was due to the one sitting in the car. Physical conflict would destroy their peaceful ruse, and since Yuji had been removed from this conversation, Satoru assumed there were many more things the kid wasn’t privy to. Explaining away whatever destruction came next and how that would impact their current setup would certainly be a pain.
“The brat and I are keeping to ourselves. Unless you wish for a calamity to befall this entire nation, I suggest you and your pathetic lot of sorcerers leave us be. If anything happens to drag him into this world of sorcery and curses, especially by the hands of sorcerers, I will do worse than kill you all outright.”
Satoru was convinced of his ability to take Sukuna in a fight. He could take anyone in a fight. That’s what it meant to be the strongest. But, if refraining from a fight meant this unsettling peace remained instead of turning this lot and the surrounding town into a battlefield… At least for now, it wasn’t worth the risk.
At least, so long as Yuji wasn’t being harmed and the King of Curses remained docile. For this one kid to have such a profound effect on Sukuna, only speculation would answer the question of just how it happened as it would seem that Sukuna was not inclined to share.
“Don’t press the Yuji button. Got it.” Still, Satoru could not help himself from speaking further. “The thing is, I can’t just leave the King of Curses to do as he pleases. How am I supposed to know you’ll continue on like this in my absence.”
“You won’t.” Sukuna would not make Satoru’s expected complacency easy. Worse still, Sukuna had deemed this conversation over and was already moving behind the wheel of their transportation home. “Now get out of my way or I'll run you over with this car.”
“Really?” What a stupid threat, considering the powers they wield. Nonetheless, Satoru obliged and took two steps out of Sukuna’s way.
If someone were to have told Satoru that he’d be meeting the King of Curses within his lifetime, this was far from the image he’d picture when thinking about how such an encounter would transpire. What he would relay to the higher-ups, hell, what he would tell Shoko or Nanami next time he saw them would make him sound crazier than he already was. The worst came when thinking about what Satoru would say to Megumi, as he couldn’t quite save Yuji when by the looks of it, Sukuna was determined to keep Yuji as far away from sorcery as possible.
Was that his own way of saving him?
But why?
“Hnngh… Sukuna?”
Sukuna’s eyes flickered over to the body stirring in the front seat beside him. They were only a handful of minutes from their house, and thus the timing of Yuji’s awakening couldn’t have been better.
“What?”
“I fell...” A heavy yawn interrupted the teenager’s thoughts. “...asleep?”
What had initially been a statement had turned into a question. As Yuji slowly became more aware of his surroundings, he turned his head a bit in confusion until he could pinpoint where exactly they were.
“My head hurts too.”
“This is what happens when you get over-excited at the supermarket of all places.”
“It’s not my fault!” Yuji flung himself forward, now fully awake as he attempted to defend fabricated consequences that were not his own. “So many things were on sale today! Fresh vegetables are always worth grabbing, and now I can make so much of that hot pot dish I was telling you about that we’ll be set for the rest of the week. Plus, you helped me pick out a new set of kitchen knives and pots! Totally worth the excitement.”
“If you say so.” Sukuna’s less-than-serious dismissal did little to appear insulting, as evidenced by the way the brat beside him smiled so brightly at the smirk on the curse’s face.
Internally, the curse couldn’t be any more displeased. Gojo’s appearance was one that he’d anticipated, but for it to happen so soon? And with how close he came to even speaking in Yuji’s direction —Sukuna cursed himself for not taking the sorcerer down with one strike and being done with it. Sure, that would have attracted more vermin their way and he would most likely have to relocate without letting the brat figure out why… No. It was not worth it.
His initial plan to let the summer and subsequent autumn play out as expected even with the brat’s absence was still better than disturbing the waters now. A couple months of mundanity was worth whatever hell spawns in the wake of Kenjaku’s alternative plans, especially if his counterpart was unusable or if the scheming brain had a backup for that too. Eventually, their peace would shatter even if Sukuna took Yuji further and further away from the populace, but there would be ample time to prepare for it.
If Sukuna really wanted to, he could stop the conflict himself with one fell swoop, but the mess that would still follow was not ideal. Nor did the curse see any reason why he should even care what happens beyond this life he’s carved out for himself. He owed neither side anything, nor did he owe humanity the pleasure of a free escape from their own spiraling fate, so if it came down to watching all parties involved tear each other apart… At least he can play the role of a protector and keep Yuji clinging to his side.
“Are you ok?”
The silence Sukuna left behind had yet to be filled, thus prompting Yuji’s concern.
“I’m fine. Just a bit worn out myself.”
With a bit of coordination between Sukuna’s hands and feet would easily back the car into their driveway. It had only taken two attempts to ensure the process went smoothly each time, something Sukuna prided himself in.
“Now get out and help me unload the trunk.”
“On it!”
So eager to pull his weight whenever a task required the both of them, Yuji was first to fully exit the vehicle and grab as many bags as he could with only two hands at his disposal. Three hang off his arms while the final two are held tight against his chest, obscuring most of the teenager’s view as he stumbles toward the front door without a single plan on how to open it in his current state. Sukuna had half the mind to stand and watch him flounder about, but considering the trunk was already empty, the curse sighed and shut the door before sprinting to Yuji’s side.
“Thanks, Suku-nii!”
Yuji stepped in sideways, scooting through the door in the most ungraceful manner. His method, however, yielded the results he was looking for and soon enough, the brat had brought all their bags to the kitchen counter as desired.
“If you help put stuff away, I can make us dinner.”
“I can easily help with that too.” Sukuna grumbled as he reached into the nearest bag, only to be met with one of the dog toys instead of the food he was after.
“Oh, right. I guess you can. I’ll teach you the recipe as we go then!” Yuji was used to cooking for himself and others. He cooked dinner long before his grandfather ended up a permanent resident in the hospital, then continued those habits all through his tenure at Jujutsu Tech. Or rather, he would have. Either way, as much as Sukuna enjoyed consuming the work of others, cooking alongside the brat was a more enjoyable experience.
Amusingly, Yuji would not need to teach him a single step of this recipe, but that wouldn’t stop Sukuna from feigning ignorance and following his every word. Even when those words tumbled over one another and Yuji would have to stop and assert to himself that he was doing everything just as he remembered.
Once dinner was made and consumed, with leftovers put away and their kitchen cleaned for the evening, the pair settled on the couch for a movie of Yuji’s choosing. They began as they always did, each taking a corner to themselves until Yuji’s ranting had him moving in all directions due to animated hand movements and necessary impressions to enhance whatever story he was telling. This was all preamble to the actual movie, one Sukuna had seen before but recalled little of, leading to Yuji lazily sitting somewhere in the center of the couch as he’d forgotten the meaning of personal space.
Every movie night, without fail, Yuji managed to wear himself out enough during the day for his body to relax and become in need of support should he fall over instead. Sukuna would be the one to catch him, wrapping an arm around the back of Yuji’s shoulders and coaxing him to fall asleep during the second or third film of that evening.
During these moments, when Yuji was asleep, Sukuna could get as close as he wished to the soul that was once bound so tightly to him that it cracked under the pressure. A beautiful, radiant thing that he hadn’t appreciated until it became absent from his eyes. To not only see it again and experience its presence alongside his, but to go back to this pristine state… There was no better treasure in the world. All that planning to offset decades of a tasteless existence had been worth it.
Sukuna did not care in which capacity Yuji loved him.
The cover of being his older brother was what suited the explanation of his initial appearance. Pulling on familial ties had always been an easy way to gain the empathy and trust of Yuji’s heart. That blasted buffoon of a sorcerer had done it during the Goodwill Exchange Event, earning a quick and powerful bond despite the title of brother being no more than a declaration. The Death Painting had followed, though in his case, there was a blood connection that made the title of brother an accurate one. It was unfortunate that it took a near-death experience for the Death Painting to reveal that connection, but at least an event like that would not be taking place a second time.
If Sukuna were to be Yuji’s brother, then he would be his only brother. He was Yuji’s guardian. His anchor. His past and future— His everything. Just knowing that had Sukuna pulling on Yuji tighter, eager to listen to the heart that beat in tandem with his own, proving that their connection was not one that could be severed even when time itself shattered under Sukuna’s grip. Should they evolve outwardly beyond the bonds of family into more intimate territory, the curse would revel and prove himself to be the only one capable of making Yuji feel satisfied.
That was the truth, so how could Sukuna act in any way to deny that?
It was almost comedic how easily this had all been. That was not to say the challenges ahead to maintain this amicable relationship weren’t something to be wary of, but to even get this far… Yuji was far too trusting. Too earnest and open with this heart that it almost made Sukuna sick to think about.
At least such foolishness was working in his favor.
“Swear to me you’ll never leave my side.” Sukuna whispered in his mind, his loose fingers growing tense as he couldn’t bear to feel even the slightest of movements that Yuji, little brother, made. It was ironic, given that it was his own act of abandonment that led him down the path of self-ruination to begin with. Such a mistake would never be made again. Sukuna knew better than to let Yuji stray from his sight. The brat was capable of so much, that Sukuna could hardly fathom even what a minute unsupervised could achieve.
Underneath him, without warning, the teenager in his arms wiggled about until his chin gently lay on Sukuna’s chest. Tired eyes struggled to look at him, but nonetheless, Yuji forced himself to remain in place as he continued his solemn stare.
Sukuna’s inability to leave Yuji alone was bound to cause conflict eventually. As much as the vulnerable teenager longed for physical contact, the curse had pushed for too much at once ensuring that a moment like this would be viewed as suspect. Yuji’s next words were one Sukuna had to prepare for, but before he could even go through the plethora of simulated conversations he’d gone over time and time again, the brat asked a question he had not prepared for.
“You lost someone close to you too, didn’t you?”
This wasn’t an accusation. Nor was this scorn. Sukuna knew that, yet he could not help thinking that for a brief moment, this Yuji had somehow learned of a fate he no longer shared with his counterpart. What this was in reality was the product of insight. This was not something Sukuna had anticipated, given how much he knew of the brat. He’d been inside his very mind, yet the curse had overlooked how far sympathy could string together a narrative in Yuji’s mind that fit both the story he was given and the actions now on display before him.
With no reason to lie, Sukuna averted his eyes, preferring the television over Yuji’s face when giving his answer.
“I did. He was someone very important to me, though I did not know it until it was too late.”
“Did he know?” Immediately, Yuji bit his lip, regretting his instinctual reaction to learn more. An apology would soon follow, but Sukuna would not give him the time to speak it aloud.
“In a strange way, he did, only his interpretation differed from mine.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. It was my… Nevermind. You’re missing the movie.”
Sukuna moved Yuji off him as he reached for the remote that had since fallen to the floor. But before he could raise the volume of the television to drown out this unwanted conversation, the brat just had to speak up one more time.
“I won’t leave you.”
The curse froze at those words, disbelieving ears now finely tuned while his eyes slowly turned in Yuji’s direction.
“We’re all we have now, right? Family. So, I’ll stay with you as long as you’ll have me.”
“Swear it.” Sukuna hissed, quick to realize just how frantic he sounded, yet unwilling to do anything to change it.
“Alright.” Yuji gave him a lazy nod before grabbing Sukuna’s hand within his own. Gentle hands curled Sukuna’s fingers into a fist, save for the shortest one as it was to be interlocked with Yuji’s, forming a swear only children still held faith in. “I swear I won’t leave you, Sukuna, for as long as you’ll have me.”
It took everything for Sukuna to keep his face neutral as his chest continued to betray his desire for calm. The act only grew harder as the brat sleepily rocked their hands from side to side, celebrating without any comprehension of the weight his words would continue to carry for the rest of their lives…
…For Sukuna never planned on letting him go.