Chapter Text
Satoru’s POV
On the 7th of December 1989 finally Satoru was reborn and once again the balance of power had shifted with his rebirth. But in this life it seemed he really was cursed, forced to be nothing more than a shadow in a body that should have been his. Forced to watch this spoilt brat make a train wreck of their life. This had never happened before, no matter how many times Satoru had been reborn he’d always been alone in his body.
Now not only was he forced to share a body with another soul, he wasn’t even the dominant one. During their childhood it had been easier for him to take control of this body, a fact that had saved them from countless assassins and rogue curses that sought to challenge them. Satoru after all had had several lifetimes to develop his limitless technique and hone his six eye.
But the moment this obnoxious whelp hit puberty he started to rebel, forcing Satoru down with an impressive force of will. At first it hadn’t really mattered, their strength had grown to a point where there were few in this world that could pose a serious threat to them. For a while he decided to let the ungrateful brat have his fun and simply watch from the shadows of their soul.
Once their soulmate was reborn things would fall into place, they always did. For some reason the fated pair hadn’t been born around the same time this life.
It didn’t matter, he could wait, patience wasn’t his strong suit but for Yuuji he would endure it. He was still a kid after all and in the 21st century even the major three clans had abandoned child marriages. Not to mention this version of himself was fawned over by the entire Jujutsu world, a fact he liked to remind Gojou he had Satoru to thank for.
So long as they propped up Jujutsu society with their power, they could do whatever they wanted. Most importantly for Satoru they could love whoever they wanted, because nobody would dare refuse the precious Gojou heir anything. They were thirteen when Satoru felt it, that telltale pull in his soul that told him Yuuji had been reborn.
It was March, the sakura blossoms were at their best and the spring sunshine enveloped the Gojou estate in its warmth. The pull was too faint for Yuuji to have been born in Tokyo but that was ok, when he grew a little older Satoru would look in on him. He would find him, he always did, it had taken thirteen years but finally he felt truly alive again.
Gojou had unsurprisingly developed an awful personality, but that worked to Satoru’s advantage. The wall the brat put between himself and others meant that nobody could get close to them, there was no threat to his and Yuuji’s bond. The kid barely had any friends, he couldn’t blame him for refusing to let any of the Zenin’s or Kamo’s close to him. But this kid’s superiority complex really was something else, he didn’t exactly enjoy being attached to it if he was honest.
Satoru had always been confident maybe even arrogant, sure. He’d worked damn hard over his previous lives to take an undocumented technique and turn it into the pinnacle of the Jujutsu world. But this kid was full of himself to the point of sheer recklessness and clearly Satoru’s chiding wasn’t going to be enough to put Gojou in his place.
When the brat started Jujutsu Tech, it was satisfying to see the way Yaga gave him the discipline nobody had dared to at the Gojou estate. Better still was the dark haired boy with just as much power and natural talent as them who provided the first real challenge to Gojou’s status since he’d been born.
When he’d stopped the dick measuring contest long enough to make friends, Gojou was happier, his personality more stable. Suguru tempered the kids wild personality a little, his cold logic making up for Gojou’s arrogant rashness. It was clear Gojou wasn’t going to listen to Satoru, so at first he appreciated the boy.
Maybe with Suguru by his side Gojou would actually make it to adulthood, make it to Yuuji without too much intervention from Satoru. The older the kid got the more he resented Satoru, but of course Gojou wasn’t stupid enough to divulge their unique situation to others. Even in the Jujutsu world this was unheard of, then again he guessed so were soulmates. Bonds like his and Yuuji’s were rare, they were only granted to a chosen few. If a pair could pass through the many trials and challenges thrown at them with their bond still intact, eventually they’d be granted true immortality.
Satoru didn’t care about that though, he didn’t need to be a god, he just wanted to live happily with Yuuji. Luckily or unluckily for them depending on how you saw it, there was no limit on how many times they could be reborn. They could continue on life after life until they finally got it right. This life seemed set to be there toughest challenge yet, not least because of the obstacles another version of himself was set on putting in their way.
It wasn’t obvious at first that Gojou’s feelings towards Suguru were shifting in an unwelcome direction. The lingering hugs and longing looks could merely be nothing more than Gojou’s teenage crush. Even with the six eye Suguru’s own feelings and intentions were hard to gauge, it was clear he cared about Gojou, but could he love him? Would he be a threat to his and Yuuji’s bond? Yes was the unsatisfactory answer, yes he could.
Satoru was livid from the very outset of their misguided romance and he made sure the brat knew it as well. He couldn’t stand it, being made to live through touches and kisses that weren’t Yuuji’s. It made him feel disgusted, his skin crawled and his heart ached. This wasn’t supposed to happen, they were supposed to wait for Yuuji, Gojou was supposed to meet their soulmate and he’d know, he’d finally understand.
He wasn’t supposed to fall for someone else, whisper sweet nothings into their ear, make future plans and declarations of love. This was all wrong, it would end in tears, selfishly he didn’t care about Suguru’s but he cared about Yuuji’s. He hated the thought of those honey gold eyes filled with betrayal and sadness, especially when he had no control over Gojou’s actions.
Satoru was loyal, he wasn’t like his father, he would never love anybody other than his Yuuji. No matter how many times he told Gojou he’d regret it, that if he cared about Suguru at all he’d end it, instead of being selfish and continuing a relationship that was guaranteed to end in tragedy, the brat refused to listen. Nothing good comes to those who come between soulmates, the connection is so strong that it will not tolerate interlopers. Gojou will be punished for his disloyalty but so will Suguru.
Even if Satoru hates the way the dark haired boy has threatened the bond between him and Yuuji, he doesn’t want the kid to suffer like that. But Gojou will not listen, the brat refuses to see reason and he fights against Satoru twice as hard. Carries on subjecting both Satoru and Suguru to this doomed romance until a cursed tool pierces his throat. Stabs into his heart, tears through his torso and plunges down his leg.
Until Toji Zenin and a clusterfuck of a mission brutally tears the two young lovers apart, this was exactly why Satoru had warned him. Love is the most twisted curse there is, in his and Yuuji’s first life somebody had tried to come between them, had coveted what belonged to Satoru and found themselves cursed for their troubles.
Only the strongest of bonds, the purest of loves was worth the risk to a sorcerer. Only by keeping a loyal heart could they find true acceptance and unconditional love. If Yuuji was the sun then Suguru was the moon, beautiful yes but still just a pale reflection of the life giving, soul warming light the sun radiates.
Up until the inverted spear of heaven had torn its way through Gojou’s body the kid had never understood reverse cursed technique. No matter how many times Satoru had tried to teach him or Shoko the snarky, sarcastic girl that completed Gojou’s trio of friends had tried to explain. The brat just didn’t get it, Satoru was beginning to agree with Shoko that Gojou just didn’t have the talent for it.
The Zenin clans shame was so inhumanly strong and fast that even Satoru had been taken by surprise, but unlike Gojou, Satoru was more than a match for the sorcerer killer. The problem was that even in that life or death situation, Gojou still fought off his attempts to take over, to save them like he had many times before.
This kid wanted to prove himself worthy of his title as the strongest, usually Satoru would have approved of that but the foolish kid was going to get them both killed in the process. He wasn’t ready for an opponent like Toji Zenin, even with Satoru’s power he was still just a kid, he didn’t have the battle experience or the maturity that Satoru’s many lives had given him. This was not a fair fight, Gojou would loose.
It was only on the edge of death that he managed to take over, that his own will finally overpowered Gojou’s. There was no way he was letting this ungrateful brat get them killed, no way he was leaving Yuuji before he’d even laid eyes on him in this life. After he obliterated this monster of a man he didn’t care what this kid wanted, he was going to find Yuuji. He was going to show Gojou so he’d understand why he couldn’t be reckless with his life, why Geto Suguru would never compare.
As he lay there finally in full control after seventeen years, he called up his cursed energy and set his reverse curse technique into motion. Giving up on this round of the fight, letting Toji Zenin think he’d achieved the impossible. Letting him think he’d bested Satoru, while he healed their broken and battered body.
Even as he pulled them back from the brink of death, Gojou may have been conscious but he still wasn’t in full control. So Satoru took advantage, used his newfound freedom to show this ‘sorcerer killer’ and this kid what happens to those who come between him and his soul mate. Finally he could demonstrate to Gojou what lifetimes of work honing his technique could achieve. He showed him how to master red and then just because he could he showed him his opus magnum ‘imaginary technique hollow purple’.
He’s not sure how many of his thoughts got through to Gojou during the whole ordeal, the kid was high off the full extent of Satoru’s power. After he asked Toji for his last words, because even at his most bloodthirsty Satoru has always tried to be fair to those who challenged him, he stepped back and let the kid regain control.
In the year that followed Suguru and Gojou were never the same, by this point Satoru didn’t even have to try to separate them. The pressures of being a special grade sorcerer in a world that didn’t appreciate those with excessive power got to them both in different ways. Suguru withdrew, he spent more and more time alone, the change in him was marked. Gojou on the other hand threw himself into mastering his technique and earned the title of ‘the strongest’ for himself just as he’d wanted.
The cost of that was that the higher ups treated the kid as their trusty attack dog, he was sent out on more and more solo missions. No matter how many lives Satoru had lived those old geezers never changed. Always squabbling over meaningless shit, always trying to chain those with power down, so their authority couldn’t be challenged.
The three major clans and the Jujutsu society were as corrupt and fucked up as they’d always been. Just like in all his other lives Satoru wanted nothing to do with it, it seemed on this point at least he and Gojou were in agreement. The kid just didn’t know how to put those old farts in their place yet, but he’d learn.
And now a year later they’re here standing on a cross walk in Shinjuku watching Suguru disappear into the masses. Ironically protected from Gojou’s power by the very mundane humans he apparently hates now. Satoru doesn’t interfere, just watches quietly in the background, despite what Gojou thinks he doesn’t hate Suguru. Hell given all the shit he’s lived through over the centuries he kind of understands him. It’s tempting to want to take the shortest road to success when you’re mired in the unfairness of the world. He lets Gojou play this however he wants to, he doesn’t have the heart to remind the kid he’s supposed to execute the boy he loves.
Gojou though doesn’t appreciate Satoru’s silence on the matter, doesn’t see it as the mercy he intended it to be. When they get back to their dorm room he’s angry, spiteful even. If the kid doesn’t rein it in soon he’s at risk of manifesting a special grade curse right here in the boys dorms. He stomps into the adjoined bathroom, glaring into the mirror the way he always does when he wants to take his temper out on Satoru.
“Are you happy now?” He grits out “You always hated him, you always wanted him gone!”
“What do you want me to say?” he asks incredulously “Nothing I say to you now will change what he did” he didn’t want to be unnecessarily cruel to the kid, but he wasn’t going to sit back and take his abuse either. He didn’t massacre an entire village of common people nor did he encourage Suguru to do so.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen, he wasn’t supposed to leave, why wouldn’t he let me help him?” Gojou sobs running his hands through his hair and pulling the strands taut.
“You can’t save someone that doesn’t want to be saved kid” he answers because that’s a lesson he learned along time ago and if Gojou wanted to survive in this cut throat world he needed to learn it too.
Gojou’s tears fall thick and fast down his face now, his usually pale skin a blotchy red. But his eyes are full of anger “This is your fault” he spits “You and that stupid bond” he clenches his fists against the sink top until his knuckles turn white.
Satoru doesn’t know whether his next words are fuelled by his own anger or Gojou’s, with two souls in one body it’s hard to tell but like hell is he going to sit around and take this shit. Not when he told this stubborn brat over and over again that this is what would happen “You have some nerve brat, I warned you, I told you over and over, but did you listen? no you wanted to be stubborn, you wanted to whore around when we have a soul mate. People who come between a bonded pair always get hurt, I told you that. So like hell am I going to let you pin this bullshit on me. You did this to him, you did this to yourself” it’s cruel he knows it is but right now he doesn’t care.
The next thing he knows Gojou puts his fist through the mirror that hangs over the sink, the glass shatters and rains down into the basin below. Blood drips from the numerous deep cuts on the kids fist “I HATE YOU, this is my life!!! I love Suguru!!! I don’t care about some kid I’ve never met. Why can’t I love him? Why won’t you let me be happy? Why won’t you just…” he’s incoherent by this point, his entire body wracked by sobs so powerful he’s shaking. “It’s not fair, why can’t my body just be mine?”
“Do you think this is fun for me? Do you think I’m just here to torture you is that it?” he asks incredulously “I’ve tried to be understanding of you kid, I really have. God knows all these mistakes you’ve made, I’ve made them myself. If I really hated you I’d have left you to bleed out, given up on this life and tried again in the next”
“Bullshit you didn’t keep us alive for me, it’s never been about me. All you care about is getting back to him and you don’t care about screwing my life up in the process” Gojou fires back venom dripping from his tongue along with a little truth that Satoru would like to ignore.
“Do you really think I want to share him with a spoilt brat like you?” He’s running on pure malice now, all the things he’s thought but never dared to say pouring out of him “You’re not even supposed to be here, you’re not even supposed to have this life. I don’t know what changed this time, I don’t know why you were in my body when I was reborn much less why you have control. But if I was the villain you’re trying to convince yourself I am don’t you think I’d of found a way to erase you from this body?”
Gojou blanches at that, it’s clear the kid had never even considered that a possibility.
“I’m not perfect Gojou, I’m selfish and ruthless and sometimes arrogant too, I don’t care about morality and higher purposes. I’m not here to save the world or right this corrupt society. Honestly I don’t care about any of that anymore. You’ve had the world at your feet from the moment you were born, you’ve had me watching your back, feeding you my power. The precious Gojou heir, the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer of the modern age. This is the first time in your overly pampered life where things haven’t gone your way. The first time you’ve experienced what a twisted curse love can be and it hurts. I get it, believe me I do but blaming me won’t change it.
You and I are like the self devouring snake, you are me and I am you, all your fears, all your hopes, all your dreams I know them all. So I know that what you’re really terrified of is being abandoned, of being left truly alone in this world. You’re so desperate to be loved for something other than your strength or your prestige. I’ll be fair and say that Suguru was far more sincere than any of the others that have thrown themselves at your feet but there’s only one person on this earth that can love you the way you want. Until you get that through your head you and I will continue on in this endless pit of misery” Gojou sinks to the floor head in his hands, blood running down his forearm.
“It’s not fair” he murmurs again.
And he’s right it’s not, but it is what it is and they are where they are. If he had a physical body of his own he’d sit behind Gojou on the floor, he’d pull him against his chest wraps his arms around the sobbing teen and hold the broken pieces of his soul together.
In spite of everything he doesn’t want to see Gojou tear himself apart like this, he doesn’t want to be cruel to him and he really has no intention of erasing Gojou from this body. He’s not a curse even if Gojou thinks he is right now. He’s aware that the bond between him and Yuuji isn’t fair to Gojou so he tries again to make him see that they don’t have to work against each other. Just because they’re two separate souls doesn’t mean they can’t function as one.
“Gojou let me take you to him, let me show you just like I did with hollow purple. If you want I’ll make a vow right here and now. If you stop working against me, if you agree not to shut him out and agree that you won’t seek out another lover I’ll share it all with you. This body, my technique, my domain and…I’ll share Yuuji with you, I’ll let you love him too. He has a big heart you know, he’ll love us unconditionally. He won’t care that we’re a brat, he won’t make demands of us, he won’t try to use us for our power or our standing. Yuuji will never leave us behind, there won’t be another cross walk in Shinjuku” he soothes like he’s trying to calm a wild animal.
“I don’t want to love anyone right now, I don’t want to love anybody ever again if this is how it feels” Gojou whimpers like a wounded animal and Satoru’s heart clenches at that.
“I know” Satoru murmurs and if he had that physical body he’d have murmured that right into Gojou’s ear “You have time you know, you don’t need to decide right now. Yuuji’s only five after all, we have to wait for him to grow up anyway. I just want to see him, make sure he’s ok, it’s been so long, you don’t know this yet but being away from him is like living in a world with no sunlight for me. It’s bleak and it’s desolate and so god damn lonely, how you feel right now is how I feel every moment without him”
“Then why do you go through this over and over again, why haven’t you tried to end it” Gojou asks his voice devoid of his earlier malice.
“Because when we’re together it’s like nothing else in this world, that feeling you felt when I leant you my power pales in comparison. Yuuji’s love is the sweetest drug, his kisses taste like honey and when we make love our souls become one like yin and yang. Nobody else compares, nobody ever could because nobody else would look at us with that kind of unwavering devotion. Even if I have to do this for the rest of eternity I’ll never give him up, how could I?” his voice is soft, almost dreamlike.
“What if I can’t love him like you do?” Gojou asks voice small.
“You’re me Gojou, I know that you can, that you will, even if you don’t know that right now. When you’re ready let’s start small, let’s just go see him hmmm…” he coaxes.
He wishes for something he’s never wished for before as he holds Gojou close with a body that doesn’t exist. Wishes he could pick him up off the floor, pull the shards of glass from his torn hand, wishes he could clean his wounds and tuck him safely into bed and hold him close until the pain goes away. He knows this isn’t fair to Gojou, that it’s not his fault. If Yuuji were here he’d admonish Satoru for not taking better care of Gojou. Maybe it would be easier for both of them if he had it in him to absorb Gojou’s soul into his own somehow.
But despite his selfish nature and dubious morality that is apparently a line he can’t bring himself to cross. The best he can do for Gojou is protect them both with a binding vow, to let Gojou love Yuuji too. He’s tired of fighting the kid, tired of hurting him and tired of being hurt by him in return. Something has to change they can’t keep tearing each other apart like this.
***
A few months later the decision is almost made for them, they’re sent on yet another solo mission to Sendai. A grade one curse causing havoc on a high school rugby field apparently, he’ll admit there is something rather disconcerting about that rugby field but as usual the mission is a snap. It takes them an embarrassingly small amount of time to exorcise it, since they aren’t expected back at Jujutsu tech for another two days and this is Gojou’s first time in Sendai, the kid decides to use it as an excuse to sightsee.
It’s a long time since Satoru has been in Sendai it might even be a few lifetimes ago, when you’ve lived through as many lives as he has it gets hard to keep track. It’s bigger than the last time he was here but still retains that quaint small town vibe. It’s springtime, the sakura blossom is out in full force. There seems to be some kind of cherry blossom themed festival going on, there’s a bustling street market with various sakura themed food stands and games.
The entire town seems to be here, couples young and old taking photos together beneath the pink blossoming trees. Satoru can’t help the smile that tugs at his lips, cherry blossoms have always reminded him of Yuuji. Gojou’s abandoned his school uniform in favour of his comfiest faded jeans and a loose fitting black crew neck. They can both hear the awed gasps and giggles every time the local girls catch a glimpse of their eyes hidden beneath the sunglasses perched precariously on their nose.
There was a time when Gojou would of preened under their attention, but even though he’s been doing much better since they’d agreed to a ceasefire the kids still hurting. Probably will be for a longtime and there’s nothing more Satoru can say to ease his pain. Gojou shares Satoru’s sweet tooth and then some, even in his darkest moods he can’t pass up the sweet delights on offer all around them here.
Gojou’s sat on an unoccupied bench under one of the many cherry trees enjoying the cherry flavoured shaved ice that’s apparently a local specialty, when Satoru feels it. That tug in his soul that lets him know Yuuji’s nearby. He perks up instantly he’s trying to think of the best way to broach the issue with Gojou when all of a sudden a very small Yuuji plonks himself down on the bench next to them.
Gojou looks over to him without Satoru having to say a thing, like he unconsciously already knows who just sat down next to him. Yuuji is adorable he’s dressed in little blue shorts, a tiger themed hooded sweatshirt complete with tiger stripes and little ears on the hood. His pink hair is as unruly as ever poking out from underneath the hood. His little feet encased in bright red sneakers, he looks exactly like a five year old that picked out his own clothes that morning.
At first he doesn’t look over towards them, too absorbed in his task. His little brow furrowed, his nose scrunched up in concentration as he wrestles to open his own treat failing miserably. Gojou takes pity on him after few seconds “Do you need help with that?” he asks in a tone the kid rarely uses, he actually sounds polite instead of obnoxiously bratty like he usually does.
Yuuji looks over at them scanning over Gojou with curious eyes, when his eyes meet Gojou’s a little gasp escapes his mouth “You have pretty eyes” he states matter of factly.
Gojou actually smiles at that Satoru, had kind of expected him to be his usual bad tempered teen self when he met Yuuji. But it would appear he’s actually on his best behaviour, maybe if he’d acted like this when they went to find Megumi the kid wouldn’t have thought they were an absolute creep.
“Thanks” he nods at Yuuji “Do you want me to open it for you?” he asks again.
This time Yuuji nods his head enthusiastically holding the treat out to Gojou “These are the best” he declares “but they’re so hard to open and Grandpa had to go in the store to run an errand” he pouts resting his head on a little hand. Gojou quickly unwraps the treat and hands it back to Yuuji who beams at him like he hung the stars in the sky.
Satoru’s heart swells it’s been far too long since he’s seen that smile, he wants so desperately to talk to Yuuji himself but the universe just handed him an opportunity on a silver platter. He needs Gojou not to fight him on their bond, needs him to accept that Yuuji is their soulmate. So he stays in the background, just watches their exchange with baited breath.
Yujji takes the mochi out of the wrapper and tears it in half, then he holds up half to Gojou “You should try it” he smiles again.
“But that’s your treat” Gojou teases.
“Yep but Grandpa always says treats are better when you share them” he states matter of factly.
Tentatively Gojou takes the offered half and pops it in their mouth, it tastes like heaven but Satoru thinks he’d love anything that Yuuji gave to him. Gojou lets out a pleased little hum “It is good” his tone pleasantly surprised “What is it?” he asks.
“It’s Kikufuku, Grandpa says you can only get this kind of mochi in Sendai. They have lots of flavours but my favourite is zunda and cream” Yuuji chirps happily before stuffing his half into his mouth all in one go.
Satoru can’t help the fond little chuckle he lets out in Gojou’s head, seeing Yuuji like this reminds him of the first time they ever met. He’s probably forgotten more than he’s remembered from their past lives but he always remembers that with absolute clarity. One day when Gojou’s ready, when he wants to know all there is to know about Yuuji, he’ll show him that memory.
For now he’s just happy to see them together like this, he’s pretty sure that Gojou’s figured out who Yuuji is but it seems he needs the confirmation “Can I ask your name?” his tone tentative in a way Satoru’s never heard it before. Gojou used to getting his own way from birth is far more comfortable with demanding things than asking politely for them. It’s novel to see him this way, almost endearing actually.
“Oh” Yuuji jumps up off the bench with lightning speed that has Gojou caught off guard “My names Itadori Yuuji nice to meet you” he states with an enthusiastic little bow “Grandpa keeps telling me not to forget my manners, but it’s hard to remember” the cute little pout is back.
“It’s ok” Gojou reassures him before whispering conspiratorially “I forget mine too, it makes my kohai really mad” then he pulls a face resembling a ticked off Nanami.
Yuuji giggles at Gojou’s antics “Can I ask what your name is?” he asks eyes brimming with innocent curiosity. Gojou’s about to answer when a rather grouchy looking old man comes running up with more speed than Satoru would expect from someone his age.
“Yuuji what have I told you about talking to strangers” the old man scolds before turning to Gojou “Please forgive my grandson, he’s too friendly for his own good” the old man explains brusquely.
“Oh it’s really no bother sir” again Satoru is shocked by Gojou’s uncharacteristically polite manner, he’d half expected a snarky remark just to get a rise out of the old man who was clearly Yuuji’s grandpa is this life.
“Hmmm well you seem decent enough” he observes “Thank you for taking care of him” he nods to Gojou before scooping Yuuji up displaying strength one wouldn’t associate with an elderly man. Clearly just like with Yuuji there was more to his Grandpa than met the eye. Satoru’s glad, despite his unsociable nature he clearly loves his grandson, if Yuuji has a strong and reliable person to take care of him then Satoru doesn’t need to worry quite so much.
The old man carries Yuuji away through the crowd like the mischievous tiger cub he apparently is, Yuuji is smiling and waving at Gojou over his grandpa’s shoulder. Gojou it seems can’t resist returning his smile with a little wave but Satoru’s not surprised, Yuuji always did have a way of drawing people to him.
Like the sun at the centre of a galaxy his exuberant kindness meant he always had people within his orbit. That never changed not in any of their previous lives, no matter how many trials and tragedies they faced Yuuji never lost his kindness or his compassion. Unlike Satoru, Yuuji was a good person and he never needed a reason to be good, he just was.
“Cute” he hears Gojou mumble, he’s still watching the spot where Yuuji and his Grandpa disappeared from view, tracking the pair with the six eye.
“Yeah, it’s along time since I’ve seen him at this age. Usually we’re reborn much closer together” he explains wistfully.
“Is he always that fast? His grandpa seemed pretty fast and strong as well” Gojou notes.
“Yuuji’s always been faster and stronger than regular humans, if we didn’t have cursed energy then he might actually be stronger than us” Satoru can’t help but smirk at Gojou’s shocked reaction to that.
“Heavenly Pact?” Gojou questions.
“Maybe, truthfully I don’t really know. Yuuji’s strengths have always been kind of a mystery just like his parentage. It’s the same in every life he’s always raised by a grandparent, he’s always got superhuman abilities and he’s always a vessel” Satoru explains.
“A vessel? You never mentioned that before” Gojou accuses probably because he knows the implications if the elders ever discovered that fact.
“He’s precious to me, I couldn’t tell you something like that until I knew I could trust you with his secrets. Until I knew you had the strength to go against those old coots on the council” he replies calmly.
“Point taken” Gojou concedes “but you know if we bring him into the Jujutsu world, they’ll try to kill him just because he’s a vessel”
“Yeah I know, honestly if I could I’d keep him separate from our society I would. He’s too good and too kind to be subjected to it. But no matter how hard I try he always gets dragged in one way or another. Curse users just can’t resist the allure of a vessels power, it doesn’t help that we barely know anything about them. All I can do is watch over him and try and shield him from the worst of it” he sighs.
“So let’s do that then” Gojou nods.
“Yeah?” Honestly Satoru never expected Gojou to agree after only one meeting and a chance encounter at that. He guessed that answered his question about whether Gojou would even feel the bond between their souls. After all it’s Satoru that Yuuji’s soul is bound too, Gojou is an anomaly. But Satoru’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth especially when Gojou’s spent the last 18 years fighting tooth and nail against him.
“Yeah” Gojou confirms.