Work Text:
December 24th, 2016
The world rushes by as you bolt through the forest towards Jujutsu Tech. Soft pants escape your lips. Leaves rustle under your black combat boots.
The atmosphere is hazy, but your senses are acute.
As your destination approaches, you dial his number and try calling him once more.
Beep... Beep...
“Come on, come on. ” A hint of desperation in your cry, “Pick up the phone, Satoru! ”
Voicemail.
Damn it!
You were assigned a mission in a neighboring city but cut it short once you were made aware of what was going down in your hometown. God bless Ijichi, you could always count on him to provide important updates.
At first you almost didn’t believe it, surely Suguru wasn’t stupid enough to wage war against sorcerers. It was a suicide mission. But then you thought about it and realized… that it almost made too much sense. Leave it to Sugu, your best friend-gone-darkside, to plan to go out by the hands of those whom he was once closest with. His family .
BOOM
Your thoughts are cut short and your stomach churns as your ears are met with a horrifically loud bang coming from the direction you’re heading. You abruptly stop and stand still. The ground begins to tremble and you almost lose your balance. Not a second later, a powerful blast of air courses through the forest, bending down trees and sending dirt and rocks flying. You hardly have time to take cover before you’re being pushed by the gust of wind and fall backwards to the ground.
Darkness.
-
A few moments later, you come to. Sitting up, your hands fly to your head to apply pressure to the pounding sensation. Why does it hurt so ba- you remember where you were heading. The high school. Immediately you’re on your feet again and sprinting.
You run, faster and faster, until finally you can see the clearing ahead of you. You’re terrified of what awaits, but you need to go make sure your friends are okay.
From dark leafy greens, to blood red and lavender skies, the environment around you shifts. You sputter out a cough as the remnants of the debris from the explosion enters your lungs. You cannot even recognize the school, the area is a disaster. What the hell happened? You’ve entered a different dimension, a parallel universe.
This doesn’t feel real. Nothing about this situation feels real.
Your mind must be playing tricks on you, because you can swear you hear Satoru just around the corner. Your feet start to walk on their own and you find yourself drifting along the large brick wall. His voice gets louder, but you still can’t make out what he is saying. There is a pause and an even fainter reply. Is that… Suguru? Maybe it really is them!
You use the last of your energy to dash around the corner. Satoru stands, facing towards an alleyway. You know Suguru must be in the alley and a small sigh of relief escapes your lips; they are both actually here.
Satoru turns his head to you, acknowledging your presence. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t even smile.
“Is that y/n?” The voice from the alley calls. That sweet, unmistakable, canorous voice. You haven’t heard it in years, your ears perk up and you can’t help the flutter of your heart.
You take a step forward but halt as Satoru holds out his hand, telling you to stay where you are. You furrow your brows. Why did he- he doesn’t want me to see Suguru, you realize. Satoru doesn’t usually shelter you, so whatever is going on, it must really be bad. You can feel pressure start to build in your head. Next thing you know, you’re next to Satoru, staring at Suguru in horror.
Your friend. Your best friend. Slumped down against the wall clutching his shoulder. Blood. So much blood. Despite looking like death, he stares at you and wears a smile on his lips.
You’re next to him in an instant, crouching down in front of him, reaching out a hand to rest on his shoulder.
“Oh Suguru…” you whisper, “ what did you do? ”
You give him a once over and realize… he is missing an entire arm.
“Oh God!” You cry, your body involuntarily recoiling at the sight. Usually this kind of thing wouldn’t phase you. But seeing your friend in this state? It’s different.
“Sugu, yo- your arm! You’re bleeding out! Satoru-” You turn to face your other best friend, “Satoru what happened? Why aren’t you saving Suguru? WHY ARE YOU LETTING HIM DIE?! ” The screams you're letting out don't even sound like they belong to you.
Satoru still hasn’t said a word, his expression blank. You’re terrified. If Satoru has given up… then what hope is left?
Suguru leans forward and you shift your attention back to him. You wrap your hand under his long hair, around his muscular neck and lean forward yourself.
Your foreheads touch. At the contact, you let out a sob.
“You’re late too.” He whispers. You can hear the smirk in his voice, “I expected that from Satoru, but never from you, love.”
You let out a humorless chuckle, you can’t believe he’s making jokes at a time like this.
“I was… out of town-,” you start to explain.
“I know. Satoru told me.” His smile never drops, “I’m glad you made it. Who would have thought? The two of you… here with me at my end.”
“No,” you mutter, “Not yet. You can’t leave us just yet. You’ve already left me once, Suguru, you can’t leave me again. ”
“It’s okay, y/n. It’s my time. Let me go fighting for my truth. All I ever wanted was to make the world safe for Satoru and you. I did what I had to.”
It hits you. That it was only ever about this. Why he left before, why he started this war, why he wanted both you and Satoru here at his end. It was about trying to change the world, to make it safer for the ones whom he loves. And he knew that the two of you would never see eye to eye with him on this matter- so he had to venture the journey alone.
Your heart shatters into a million pieces. Tears stream down your face. You look him directly in his eyes.
“Suguru… I love you. And I always will. Welcome home.”
His eyes widen at your words, then he laughs, “Satoru, she’s just like you, refusing to curse me, even after everything I’ve done.” He brings his focus back to you and releases his shoulder from his grasp to gently cup your face. You could care less about the blood that coats his hand.
“Take care of her,” he says to Satoru, fingers caressing your cheek, “for the both of us.”
His hand drops, not having the energy to keep it raised any longer.
You’re trying your best to hold in your sobs. You can’t tell if it’s working. The world still doesn't feel real. You close your eyes and place a soft kiss on Suguru’s cheek. He’s already accepted the situation, and knowing that gives you a little bit of strength to start accepting this reality as well.
Satoru approaches the two of you. He takes a seat next to Suguru and places a hand over his, intertwining their fingers together.
His other hand is up, palm facing the crimson sky, thumb holding his middle finger down.
You all know what’s coming.
You bury your face into Suguru’s neck and cling onto your best friend. Satoru squeezes his hand. They make eye contact, and even though no more words are exchanged, all the words are exchanged.
The three of you are sitting, side by side, like you have hundreds of times before. Cracking jokes, teasing each other, arguing over stupid things.
You now know that this is the last time the three of you will ever be together. The final time.
You hold on to Suguru tighter, pouring all of your love and affection into the embrace.
Satoru takes a second, then flexes his fingers.
You can feel the life leaving Suguru’s body as the man takes his last breath.
A wave of emptiness engulfs your heart… he’s gone.
You look up at Satoru, his eyes red rimmed and threatening to leak tears of their own. You place your hand over his, which still holds onto Suguru’s tightly.
Oh Suguru, you call out to him with your thoughts, finally allowing your tears to flow freely, wherever your soul may be, I hope you’ve found peace.