Chapter Text
Once the battle was over, Suguru dragged himself across the dark alleyway. He held onto his side where his arm was supposed to be. But thanks to Rika’s blast, he had lost an arm during the process. He was losing a lot of blood, losing breath. He stopped at his tracks, noticing a presence in front of him. When he turned to see who it was, he knew it was the one and only… Gojo Satoru. He laid his back on the wall and slid on the floor, a smile forming on his face.
“You’re late, Satoru.”
As Gojo looked down at Geto, a bit of guilt feeling in his stomach was occurring or it was already there to begin with. As they discussed for the last time, Gojo came closer to Geto and lowered himself. He gave his last words to Geto, holding back tears. He had a chance to save him but he knew the elders wouldn't allow it. All that has happened was because of him and he knew that very well. If he had the ability to turn back time, he'd do it in a heartbeat to change their relationship. Having Gojo say his last words to him, Geto turned to look at Gojo. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped. He always thought that Gojo hated him and wouldn’t have anything to do with him. His words made him regret his past actions that drifted them apart. He wished that he could’ve done it better and seeked help that he needed but he never did. But instead, he hurt the person that he cared for.
“At least you could hit me with some curses.”
He was slowly dying from his wounds. Suguru coughs out his final breath, closing his eyes. Love is the most twisted curse of all, his own voice echoes, and so Satoru breathes in and lets the ache simmer down until it’s only a caress in his gut, wrapping its hands around his intestines and squeezing gently. He does not say anything. But he regretted not telling Geto his true feelings towards him. As his mind raced on, he held onto his grip.
‘I’m sorry, Suguru. I shouldn’t have let you die like this. I love you, Suguru. I love you so much that it aches my heart. I’ll miss you… so much. I… I wish we had more time.’
‘Dam you. Damn you. Why does life have to do this to me? He was my one and only friend. I curse this freaking life… I curse you.’
Without himself realizing what he's done, something slithers from Suguru’s body all the same, a dark and viscous like bubbling tar appears. It sinks into the pavement and then shivers its way back out, wrapping itself around Satoru’s ankles and burning his skin.
The air stills in his throat. ‘I didn’t curse you,’ Satoru thinks, but there’s a face emerging from the black soup, smiling with its wide grin with its many teeth and.
“I didn’t curse you,” he says out loud.
A form that appeared to be a snake-like curse spirit. Its skin was pale gray and it had black claws. It had a black slithering tail like a snake. It was long and tall. It had black raven long hair and even in the form of a bun. It had a lot of tiny red eyes. Without Gojo fully coming to terms with it, Geto Suguru was reborn as a curse spirit. From the bloodied and motionless corpse propped against a cobbled wall. He stands and his flickering form curls around Satoru’s torso.
“Sa...to...ru…” the thing rasps out.
‘Love is the most twisted curse of all.’ Gojo thought to himself as he took in the appearance of the new special grade curse in front of him. ‘ Oh what have I done…?’
Since that day, the Special Grade curse Orimoto Rika was finally dispelled on the same day that the Special Grade curse Geto Suguru was born. The day that Yuta finally had relief but it was also the day that Gojo’s guilt will start.
As the day went on, Suguru stayed by Satoru’s side. He didn’t want to let go no matter how hard Satoru would try. Suguru’s curse spirit won't let go of him. He stayed by his side no matter what. As Satoru walked, he spotted his students from a distance. Satoru knew that they wouldn't handle it if they saw the curse spirit around Satoru like a clingy mark. So, he wanted to hide it for the meantime just until he finds the right time to tell them about Suguru. But without saying it, Suguru had transformed into a silver necklace. A necklace that had the gem that Suguru had as earrings. Satoru stared at the necklace, seeing the beauty that it contained. Suguru didn’t talk much but his actions spoke louder than his words.
Once Suguru hid himself, Satoru walked up to his students and clapped. They congratulate Yuta for breaking the curse. Rika’s soul was free now and she can pass on to the afterlife. As her soul was at peace, Satoru smiled at his students. He greeted them, “Congratulations, you managed to break the curse.” He told Yuta. He goes on to explain how he figured out the reason why Rika stuck by his side since the day she died. Rika wasn’t related to any jujutsu sorcerer family bloodline, making it impossible for her to be reincarnated as a curse spirit. But into deep research, Yuta was the one who came from a powerful jujutsu sorcerer family bloodline. What makes it more connected is that Yuta and Gojo were related. They were family from the same bloodline.
“This whole time Yuta, Rika didn’t place a curse on you. You placed a curse on Rika.”
This broke down Yuta, feeling at fault on why Rika couldn’t pass on to the afterlife. But, Rika saw it in a different perspective. She had the chance to spend more time with Yuta. Having 6 six years with him, protecting him from anybody or anything that wanted to cause harm to him. It was the best time of her life as a curse spirit. Now that her soul is free, she has to go now. She gave her last goodbyes to Yuta before she distended to the afterlife, leaving at peace and having her last thoughts about Yuta.
Satoru watched from a distance as Rika’s soul passed on. Seeing Rika moving on brought a wave of guilt to his soul and an ache in his heart. A soul has passed on but another soul was trapped. A soul that he cared for but has caused bloodshed to 100 humans and many others. If anybody finds out about Suguru, they’ll exercise him in a matter of seconds. So, for that day on, he’ll hide this secret no matter what happens. Even if it costs his life, he’ll protect him from cursed spirits and jujutsu sorcerers.
After the day was over, it was ordered that Suguru’s body will be brought to the morgue for Shoko to observe and write down the time of the date. Shoko was already getting herself ready to see another one of her old friend’s bodies. She’s gotten used to it but another one who died but no other than her other friend, Gojo Satoru with the rest by Yuta and Rika of course. Geto had come to his wounds, dying from the battle that he had encountered himself to be in. Moments later, Gojo was the first to arrive with nobody with him.
“Well, what’s this?” Shoko asks steadily. She just pinches her nose while staring at her computer screen. “Gojo, I was expecting a body.”
“There’s still a body,” Satoru tells her, hopping up on the metal slab meant for corpses. She’d had it all laid out and everything. “Someone should be bringing it to you in a bit.”
Out of nowhere, a voice appeared from the necklace that Gojo had around his neck, “Hey, Shoko,” Suguru says, having guilt in his voice, “Long time no see.” Geto turned back into his curse spirit form.
Her eyes widened a bit, “You’ve changed,” she says drily, and taps her chin. “Did you get a new haircut, maybe?”
“Hilarious Shoko,” Satoru says, raising an eyebrow, but Suguru laughs.
“Yeah,” Geto replies, “glad you could tell, Shoko.”
“It looks good on you. Makes you look more classier.” Shoko replies.
“Thanks.” Suguru grinning before he turns to her computer and sees something that catches his many eyes. “Is that my autopsy report? Did you already start filling it out?”
Shoko looks back down at her computer. Satoru follows her gaze. “I mean. It’s just the basic info, that’s all.”
“So, you were already sure I wouldn’t win?” He complained. As Satoru reaches out and flicks him on the cheek, right below his second set of eyes.
“Surprised you thought you could.” Gojo smirked.
Suguru shrugs, “Well, my plan hinged on winning before you got back.”
“Well, sorry to disappoint you,” Satoru tells him. As this makes Suguru sigh, he leans back against the metal slab.
“Oh whatever,” he says, and looks at both him and Shoko. “I guess this might still count as a win.”
“Oh, you’re kidding” Shoko begins, and then the door to the morgue opens up from the outside. Two assistant managers nudge their way inside, balancing a body bag between them and huffing from exertion. They all fell quiet when they saw the cursed spirit.
“Our apologies, Ieiri-san,” one of them says nervously, sweat beading on his brow. He glances towards Suguru and he goes pale, “...Gojo-san.”
No one says a word. The silence stretched painfully, awkwardly. Finally Shoko stands and waves a hand at him. “C’mon, off the table. They need somewhere to put it.”
Satoru and Suguru slide off the table without saying another word. The two managers carry the bag to the slab, lips pressed thin. They set it down with a dull thunk. Beside him was Suguru’s expressionless and emotionless body. Seeing Suguru’s body made Gojo turn in a hurry. In the slight moment, Suguru had noticed that Satoru had turned his gaze away from his human body. He never saw Satoru in so much distress. It was the first time he had seen him turn away from a scene like this. Once Shoko excused them, they nodded back, bowing very shallowly. Then they hurry out. After the door clanged shut, it was quiet. For a long moment, none of them moved from where they were at. Then Shoko steps forward and unzips the bag, pulling it away from the face. This made Satoru turn away completely while Shoko had an eye twitch but had no reaction to the body of Suguru. Suguru’s corpse is as pale as the snowfall starting up outside, drained of blood. Satoru turns back to stare at the body. He can’t stop staring.
Shoko walked over to Satoru, leaning over to his ear. “You know you need to tell Yaga and the elders about this eventually, right. If they ever find out-” Satoru cut her off.
“I know, they’ll execute me and exercise Suguru. I know about the risks. I’ll inform them when the time is right.” Satoru said coldly.
Satoru left the morgue which Suguru followed behind. Neither of them talked to each other. Satoru headed to his bedroom which Suguru was still following. But while he was following him, he shrunk himself into little size. He was as small as a little puppy dog. When Satoru made it to his front door, he turned to see Suguru. He was surprised that Suguru had shrunk himself really small. Satoru opened his door and went inside. Suguru slid himself through the door and made himself inside, sliding himself on Satoru’s bed. He went under the blankets and made himself comfortable.
Satoru smiled, giggling under his breath. As he walked over to the bed, he sat right down. He looked down at his hands, thinking into his own thoughts. He never knew this would happen. He never thought that he would curse his one and only best friend, regardless of what he's done to people, he didn’t deserve to be stuck here. Keeping him trapped in a world that basically hated him and resented him for all the crimes that he committed. Even if it was in the name of forming this world for only jujutsu sorcerers, it wasn’t right to kill innocent people. But he knew that Suguru won’t see it that way. He only sees them as he calls them “monkeys” and he resents them for everything. He knows he can’t convince him but what he can do is seek help from somebody who would help him.
As Satoru was thinking what to do, Suguru’s head popped out from the blankets. He looked up to look at Satoru and smiled at him. But his smile wasn’t the same as it was. His smile was wide and showed many teeth. Satoru smiled back, placed his head on Suguru’s head and rubbed it like he was a pet. This made Suguru a little mad that Satoru just pet him like a dog or a cat, some animal that was found in the streets. Suguru growled, “Satoru please stop rubbing my head. This is insulting.” he informed him. Satoru brought his hand off his head and smiled back at Suguru, laughing a bit at his attitude. Satoru smirked, “Oh sorry Suguru. You’re like a fun size. You’re so tiny.” He claimed. By this remark, Suguru growled before he smirked, having a mischief idea.
In a matter of a second, Suguru grew bigger. He lifted up the blankets and turned to pin down Satoru on his bed. Suguru leaned down to look at Satoru’s face. He smirked, “Who’s fun size now?” He flirted. As Suguru stared down at Satoru with his many eyes that he had now. Satoru blushed, feeling a sudden warmth occur from between them. For as long as he knew Suguru, he’s never done this to him in their time being together. Maybe it was because of how Satoru felt towards Suguru. He always had feelings for Suguru, is it because of his being affected by his own feelings. Sometimes with cursed spirits, they connect their emotions with human emotions and eventually they become one, acting like the other on their feelings and emotions.
“Oh come on Suguru. Stop playing. This is serious.” He slightly pushed Suguru off of him and got up from bed.
Satoru walked up to the window and stared out at the night sky. The only idea to set Suguru’s soul free is to go to somebody who knows how to break curses. Any type of curses that are meant to be broken. Satoru turned to look at Suguru, seeing his full curse spirit form. He thought that he had doomed Suguru to be stuck in this world. A world with a person like him. He let Suguru die and cursed him in the aftermath. The only person that can help him is in the United States of America, California. Which a young man lives in the mountains with the tribes of the native Americans and the miracle rivers of the spirits. For him to get to this sorcerer is to travel there. It was the only way for him to help Suguru be set free.
“Sa-to-ru, let’s… go… to… bed. You… must… be… tired. Go… rest.” Suguru was losing his sense of speech so he slowed down his speaking.
Satoru didn’t say much. He walked over to Suguru and sat back down on the bed. Satoru sat there for quite a while but Suguru leaned over to Satoru. He placed his slightly larger head on his shoulder, resting upon him. Past time, leaving Suguru to pass out on his shoulder. Satoru looked over to his shoulder, watching Suguru sleep. Satoru smiled weakly, gently grabbing him and placing him on the bed. He covered him with his blanket and left the room without making a sound. He closed the door and locked it. He walked through the hallways, quietly. It continued until the next morning, when he found Yuta outside, walking in the snow. Gojo caught up to Yuta and walked with him through the snow.
“It’s a bit late now, but you weren’t at fault for the incident with Geto. He could’ve come to Jujutsu High whether you were there or not.” Gojo had his hands in his pocket.
“You think so?” Yuta asked.
Gojo smiled, “Also, here.” He threw back Yuta’s ID card.
“Oh, my student ID.” Yuta took it. “You found it for me, sensei?”
Gojo didn’t say a word for a moment before he turned away and spoke again, “No, not me. My best friend. The only one I had.
A voice came out from the distance, ”Come on, Yuta. How long are you gonna keep us waiting?”
“Let’s go!”
There was standing Maki, Panda, and Toge; all waiting for Yuta to reunite with them. They smile in the distance while Yuta smiles back. He held his fist up, showing the ring that Rika gave him. He missed Rika so much but he knows that she’s at peace now. As long as he has the ring that she gave him, he’ll always have her by his side. He waved goodbye to Gojo and walked off to meet up with his friends. They gathered together, walking away in the distance. They laughed and played, having no care in the world. At that moment, they were happy to be alive and together.
Gojo watched them walk away, happy and carefree. That’s how he wanted to see his students. He always wanted to see them happy. Just like he was with Suguru and the others. They were all happy and joyful. Those were the good old days. He wished that he could go back to those days. Suguru never went rogue and Haibara was still alive. Wishing for them and himself to all look like how they used to be when they were teenagers. Seeing images of Suguru, when he was happy. Always looking back at Gojo with his soft and sweet smile. That smile always brightens his day, giving him another reason to keep going, to keep fighting.
He missed that version of Suguru and wished that he would come back. But that version of him died a long time ago. After their mission failed to turn in the Star Plasma Vessel to Tengen, he was never the same again. He blamed himself for never noticing his behavior change. Gojo never forgave himself for never helping Suguru when he needed it the most. It wasn’t Riko that he lost that day but Suguru along with her. It will always be his regret and he’ll carry it until the day he dies. He walked off, taking out his phone and searching through his phone contacts. The first number that popped up, he called it, waiting for an answer on the other line.
The phone answered, “Hey Satoru! What’s up? It’s been too long since we last talked. You need anything my friend.” A man appeared on the other line.
“Yo bro, I’m fine. But… I do need something from you.”
“What is it, Satoru?” The man asked.
“I need to come over to America and talk to you, personally. It’s important.” Gojo tapped his foot on the ground.
The man stayed silent on the other line but he laughed, “Okay Satoru! Whatever you need, I’ll help you. And if it’s important, I’ll make sure to finish the job or give you anything that you need.”
Satoru laughed, “Thanks man. I’ll start packing today and catch the earliest flight over there.”
“Alright my friend. I’ll make sure to give you a ride and pay for your ticket back. Can’t wait to see you again.” He said, overjoyed that Satoru was coming.
“Same here. Talk to you later. Bye.” Satoru hangs up the phone.
Satoru put away his phone in his pocket. As he walked away, heading back inside the building. He walked through the hallways and went back to his room. He closed the door, locking it. He made sure that nobody wasn’t around or in the hallways. But he was sure that nobody would be at the school at the moment or in the area he was at. So he was safe without exposing his secret to anybody besides Shoko. As he was sitting back in his bedroom, Suguru came out from under his bed and crawled up to Satoru’s legs and around his shoulders. Suguru leaned over to Satoru with his newfound wide smile.
Suguru carried a bowl of rice with eggs and bacon while he had a cup of orange juice. He held it up towards Satoru’s face, suggesting that he needs to eat breakfast which he made on his own. Satoru looked at the bowl which he flitched at the stinky smell. The eggs were overdone while the bacon was burnt. The rice looked like it was soup and the orange juice smelled rotten like the fruit was already bad. Satoru thought that maybe Suguru was bitter, leaving him for dead so he gave him bad food or maybe he was trolling him. So Satoru smiled, “Man Suguru, it looks like you got that food from the garbage. It smells like somebody died.” He joked. But seeing the sad expression on Suguru’s cursed spirit face, he knew that Suguru did cook him breakfast.
Suguru looked down at the food that he made, “I-I’m sorry, Satoru. I didn’t mean to make this food bad. I-i-it’s just hard cooking with this new form.” He frowned and his eyes dropped.
Suguru slithered away with the food in hand. He put the food on the table and went under the bed in shame. Now realizing that Suguru really did cook for him. Walked over to the bed and went on the floor to look under. He lifted up his blanket to see Suguru in a corner, curled up. Satoru sighed, “I didn’t mean it, Suguru. I should’ve never said those things,” He looked over at the food and grabbed the bowl, “See! I’m going to try it out.” He told Suguru. He used the chopsticks that were on the table. He picked the burnt bacon and the overdone egg along with the soup like rice. He only got some grains. He slowly brought it to his mouth and took a bite. He gagged at the taste but held it in, not potentially hurting Suguru’s feelings and his desire to cook.
“S-see, it’s good.” Gojo took another bite without gagging but wished he could spit it up.
Suguru slowly turned his head and gazed at Suguru. Witnessing Satoru taking a bite out of the food that he had just for me. Tears were coming out of his many eyes. He wiped his tears away and slowly slid across the floor, popping his little head out of the bed. He watched Gojo eat every bite of the food that he made for him. He even witnessed Gojo slowly drink the orange juice that he used real oranges to make it himself. But unfortunately, he forgot to check that they were rotten. He knows that Gojo didn’t like the food but at least he was trying. It warmed up his heart or whatever he has left to still be considered as a human being.
He eventually finished the bowl of rice and the cup of orange juice. It was torture but he did it. Gojo showed the bowl and the cup, forcing a smile on his face. Seeing this made Suguru happy. He completely got out of the bed and placed his little hands on his lap, lifting himself to get a higher ground to look at Gojo. But a thought came to Suguru's head which he wanted to share with Gojo. Suguru smiled wide, “Satoru… I meant to ask you. I wanted to ask you if we can, you know, go to the beach together. Just like old times.” The excitement flashed in all of his eyes. But Satoru wasn’t going to the beach but going on a trip instead. But he didn’t want to break the news to him so he decided to lie to Suguru that they’ll be going to the beach but instead at their home country but heading to the state in the United States of America.
“Sure Suguru. We’ll go. I’ll start packing right now.”
As Satoru started to pack his stuff, Suguru was excited that he got to spend time with Satoru. They haven’t been together since he broke off with Satoru in front of KFC. The fast food restaurant that Satoru loved going too. Just by thinking about it, he broke off his friendship with Satoru in front of his favorite place that he loved going too. He wanted to make it up to Satoru so it’s better for him to do it now as a cursed spirit. After a whole day of packing, Satoru was done loading his suitcase. As for Suguru, he looked over to Suguru, “Hey Suguru, is there a way for you to transform back into that necklace you transformed into?” Satoru asked him. Suguru nodded, sliding himself in the air and transforming back into a necklace, wrapping himself around Satoru’s neck.
Satoru left his bedroom and walked through the hallways. He was about to leave campus before he bumped into Yaga. He tried to avoid him but Yaga stopped him in his tracks. Yaga turned to his direction and placed his hand on his shoulder, “Going somewhere?” He asked. Satoru slowly turned his head to look at Yaga just to give him a response, “Just going on a trip. I’m going to visit a friend in America. A mission was requested and they need me there to help them.” He was expecting that Yaga wasn’t going to believe him but it worked, he believed what he told him. Yaga sighed, letting Satoru go on his trip to America. It was a relief that Yaga didn’t question him but now he needs to worry about getting to the next flight to America, California.
Satoru left the campus and caught a bus. He took his seat and enjoyed his time on the road. It took 30 minutes to get to the airport. Once the bus got to the airport, Satoru got off the bus and walked inside with his suitcase. He got past the guards and went on the next plane to America. He knows it was wrong to lie to Suguru but if this was the only way to free him from his cursed spirit form then he’ll do anything to help him. He wants to save him than doom him to a life that Suguru never wanted. The very thing that drove him to madness and left him in the first place.