Chapter Text
Suguru is seething with rage, and he doesn’t know where to direct it.
At first, his target was Satoru. He’d said he’d “handle it”, and Suguru had trusted him. But then when he came back, it was to the news that Itadori had died. Itadori was 15, and he had a bright future ahead of him, despite the fact that a demon lived in his body.
He was about to give a piece of his mind to Satoru, but when he saw him, all that anger had just evaporated. Satoru looked… horrible, to put it lightly.
Physically, he appeared unblemished. There was no blood, no bruises to be found. His hair was tousled a bit, but it was always a bit unruly, and he still looked as effortlessly elegant and put together as he’s been since they first met.
But he was quiet, and that was already enough of a cause for concern. He stared at Itadori’s body the way a mother would stare at a body belonging to their son. It was a hollow stare, as if he was pondering what the meaning of life was when he’d already lost everything. Suguru knew, looking into those eyes, that he didn’t have to say anything. Satoru already blamed himself.
And then the rage turned inwards. He felt angry that he’d been angry at Satoru. It wasn’t really his fault. He was an outsider in all this, still figuring things out, and with no real obligation to care. But he had still made an effort to save Itadori, even if it was to no avail.
Instead, Suguru should’ve been there. He shouldn’t have blindly accepted the mission that took him out of the country, suspiciously coinciding with his own student’s mission schedule. He should’ve known better than to believe his word alone would dissuade the higher ups from targeting Itadori.
And that’s when the rage flowed to where most of his hate usually went: the higher ups. It was their fault that the first years had been “misassigned” to a special grade curse. They had been scheming this all along, waiting for an opportunity to get him out of the picture so they could get rid of Itadori. It’s their fault that Itadori’d been forced to make a deal with the devil to save his friend’s life.
And then at last, the rage landed on its final offender. Sukuna. The reason Itadori had to be dragged into this world of suffering and hardship in the first place. The reason he was so mercilessly taken out of it too.
In the end, Suguru was just angry with the world right now, and he knew that. And he wanted the world to know it too. He wanted to unleash his rage somewhere, on something.
“I wonder…” Suguru clenched his fists. “Should I just kill all the higher ups right here and now?”
He shouldn’t, he knew that, logically. He’d spent many years of his life planning for a peaceful transition into a new era of sorcery. If he killed them now, it’d all be for nothing, and he’d become no better than them.
Shoko looked at him with something akin to pity as she slipped on her gloves. She was just about to peel skin away with her scalpel when Satoru finally spoke.
“Don’t.”
Both Suguru and Shoko turned to him quizzically.
Satoru was still staring at Itadori with that haunted look of his. “He’ll wake up soon.”
Shoko and Suguru share a look. Denial was common, but he hadn’t expected it from such an experienced sorcerer as Satoru. Most people in the sorcery profession already knew denial was futile and only more painful for themselves. As people whose job is to kill everyday, you learn the lesson that death is final very quickly.
Satoru looks up at them, looking no less dead but also more determined. “I know he’ll come back…”
As if following some fucked up script, Itadori takes that moment to literally rise from the dead. Once again, Shoko and Suguru share a look, but with a very different emotion coloring their faces this time. “Oh,” Itadori says, a bit too nonchalant for the situation at hand. “I’m completely naked!”
“...but that doesn’t make anything better,” he almost doesn’t hear Satoru finish dejectedly.
Normally, he’d question Satoru on what he meant by that, but at the moment, he’s too busy being flabbergasted by Itadori’s miraculous revival and overwhelmingly relieved to have Itadori back with them, alive and well. But that really begs the question… how?
“Itadori… do you remember anything from before you woke up?” Suguru questioned, trying not to question the recent sequence of events too much. Ever since he’d met Satoru, his life had just become one incomprehensible catastrophe after another.
“Uhm… I remember dying… then talking to Sukuna in his innate domain,” Itadori said, visibly wracking his memories for more. “I’m not sure what about, though. Everything right before and after is all fuzzy.”
Satoru purses his lips. “He made a binding vow with you. Your life… in exchange for something to his own benefit.”
Itadori frowns. “Oh. Well… that’s not good.”
Satoru laughs, and Suguru immediately notices how off it is. “No. Indeed it isn’t, at all.”
Suguru frowns. Satoru is acting off. In fact, how did he even know that Itadori would come back from the dead in the first place? Was it his Six Eyes?
Satoru rises from where he’d been seated. He approaches Itadori with a smile. “Welcome back to the land of the living,” he offers a hand to high-five.
Itadori completes the gesture enthusiastically. “It’s good to be back!”
Suguru thinks Satoru’s smile falters for a split second, but it’s back to normal before Suguru can really confirm it. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
Itadori smiles comfortingly at Satoru. “It’s okay, Gojo-san. I know you tried your best. Sukuna was just sly enough to get away with it. But I’m back now, so everything’s fine!”
There’s a dark look in Satoru’s eyes now that Suguru knows for sure he’s not imagining. He can’t help but feel like Itadori’s words did anything but comfort Satoru.
They had left Itadori to go change and were currently walking the empty halls of Jujutsu High.
It brings back memories for Satoru, from a thousand or so years ago, back when he’d first met Tengen. He looks at Suguru and Shoko from the corner of his eyes, wondering what kind of memories it brings them, as former students of this school.
“What are you going to do with Itadori now?” Shoko asks Suguru, lifting her cigarette from her lips to exhale a cloud of smoke. Satoru’s nose scrunches at the pungent smell. “Do you plan on announcing his return?”
“No,” Suguru says. “The higher ups have proven plenty just how willing they are to get rid of him. As Itadori is now, he won’t be able to protect himself, and evidently, I can’t always be there to protect him. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but can you keep him as deceased for now?”
Shoko hums. “What do you plan on doing with him?”
“I’m going to train him personally, so that when he makes his comeback during the sister school event, he won’t be so easily put down,” Suguru replies, voice determined and gaze steely with resolve.
“So you'll keep him with you? What’ll you do with Satoru though? Itadori can’t know about him yet, especially considering…” Shoko made a wild gesture in the air, as if that could explain the sheer absurdity of Satoru’s situation and his life now, “his situation with Sukuna.”
“Don’t worry about it!” Satoru exclaimed. “The first years already know. I’m still salty about how none of you seemed to deem it important to inform me that my archnemesis was still alive and trapped in one of your student’s bodies, by the way.”
“ I’m still salty about how you didn’t deem it important to let me know that you were involved with said archnemesis,” Suguru fired back with a sarcastic drawl.
“Oh ho?” Shoko raised a brow, amused, as she brought the cigarette back to her lips.
“Gee, shout it to the world, why don’t ya?” Satoru huffed at Suguru. Before he could respond, Satoru continued. “But moving on, there’s really no need to worry, as I won’t even be interacting with the Itadori kid.”
Shoko raised a brow again, this time quizzically. Satoru didn’t elaborate, so Shoko turned to Suguru.
Suguru sighed. “He’s planning to return to the Gojo clan.”
Shoko turned a deadpan stare at Satoru. “Weren’t you threatening us with a very sharp and pointy knife not so long ago to keep you secret just so you wouldn’t have to return to them?”
“That's exactly what I said,” Suguru commented.
“Ehehe~!” Satoru just smiled at the both of them innocently. “Well, there’s been a change of plans you see!”
“Let me help you.”
“Huh?”
Satoru rolls his eyes. “Let me help you. With your plans of political domination. Duh?”
“Wha—” Suguru starts. “And just how are you planning to do that? Last I checked, you don’t even exist in this world in any official capacity.”
Satoru shot him a sly grin. “Then I’ll make it so that I do.”
“And how so?” Suguru stated dryly. “You gonna hack into the government database? Perhaps bribe one of the higher ups with mochi?”
“Hmm… that could work,” Satoru seemed to contemplate it seriously.
Honestly, this man , Suguru thinks with no small amount of exasperation.
“But no. I’m gonna announce my existence to the Gojo clan.”
“What,” Suguru says flatly.
Satoru just continues smiling at him. He smiles way too much , Suguru thinks offhandedly.
“Wasn’t the whole point of our arrangement to avoid this happening?” Suguru points out.
“Mh, yes,” Satoru affirms. “But you see, I also happen to think that jujutsu society is utter shit. It’s needed a glow-up since yesterday, and it’s better late than never! Not to mention, our ideals just so happen to align. I think I can handle the Gojo clan for a while for the sake of never having to deal with them once we change everything.”
“You seem awfully confident about this,” Suguru observes. “You do know that change occurs slowly, right? You might have to stay with the Gojos for years onwards.”
“Awww~ Suguru-kun is trying to tell me he’s going to miss me, huh? So adorable,” Satoru coos, laughing when Suguru scowls at him. “Fear not! I can see that you’ve already got deep roots in Jujutsu High. That’s a good start, but not enough. Now that’s where I come in. The Big Three Sorcerer Families are intricately involved with the sorcerer schools, higher ups, and everything that’s wrong with jujutsu society. As someone who wields the greatly coveted Gojo clan techniques, I’m almost guaranteed a high position in the Gojo clan the moment I reveal myself. I can use that and my irresistible charm to gain clout over the other clans. With both of us working from the inside on opposite ends of the spectrum, we’ll bring about change in no time! So, what d'ya say, partner?”
Suguru thinks about it. It’s… a pretty sound plan, putting aside how well Satoru’s “irresistible charm” will actually work. Satoru is right. He is practically guaranteed to be administered clan head when he returns to his roots. And as a clan head, it’d be so much easier for him to not only maintain the Gojo clan, but also keep the Zenin and Kamo clans in check.
Suguru looks at Satoru, who is eagerly awaiting his response, staring at him earnestly.
He’s serious about this, Suguru notes. Satoru wasn’t kidding when he threatened to kill Suguru and Shoko if they sent him back to his clan, Suguru could tell. But he was willing to go back there willingly, for the sake of this ambition. Suguru can respect that. Admire it, even, his resolve.
And… it’d be nice to have someone with the same aspirations as him. Someone to work beside and share visions, plans, dreams, and hopes with.
Suguru grumbles, “You better do your part properly… partner.”
The smile Satoru sends him is positively blinding.
“So that’s what you’ve been scheming,” Shoko says aloud, and Satoru marvels at how the cigarette stays firmly planted in her mouth. Is it attached to her tongue? There’s no way it could stay like that if it weren’t.
“Yup! Pretty genius, am I right?” Satoru puffs his chest out in pride.
“Sure,” Shoko glibs. “But in the end, it all comes down to how well you can execute the plan.”
“Pah,” Satoru brushes off the concern. “No problemo! Suguru and I are professional executioners, right, Suguru?”
Suguru blinks at him, not entirely sure if the wording was intentional or not. But, just in case it wasn’t already made clear… “No killing anybody, Satoru. That’s the whole point of this plan.”
Satoru blinks back. “Not even a wittle bwit?”
“No,” Suguru repeats, end of discussion.
Satoru wilts like a puppy being denied head pats. “Fine…”
Shoko oscillated between looking at both of them with an amused expression.
In a rare sequence of events, Suguru was left with the day off. Itadori was busy with his movie marathon and the other first years were busy training for the Kyoto Sister School Goodwill Event along with the second years.
Now, Suguru was completely content to just crash in his bed, but he can’t exactly do that for two reasons. Both of those reasons have something to do with the same person. Who? Take a guess.
Yeah, Satoru.
Ever since his arrival to Suguru’s apartment, he’s practically named himself King of the Bed, sprawling over it pretty much every second he was in the apartment. He’d even hissed at Suguru once when he’d tried to take a nap on it when Satoru finally left to go to the bathroom, like a cat who’s never learned to share its toys.
It doesn’t really matter though, seeing as how Satoru will be moving out soon.
…It’s a weird thought, actually.
Although the apartment was, by all legal means, his, Suguru never considered it home. He had spent most of his nights in an empty spare room at Jujutsu Tech. Home was a place of relaxation and comfort, and Suguru practically lived and breathed jujutsu, where those two concepts were alien. He’s never really had a home… in the more psychological sense at least.
But ever since Satoru had crashed into his life with all the grace of an elephant on its hind legs, the apartment had slowly but surely started feeling like one.
Accessories that Satoru had nagged him to buy on their rare outings littered the place sporadically, bringing to mind simple but pleasant memories every time they caught his eye. There were actually kitchen appliances that weren't the coffee maker in the kitchen now, and Suguru actually used them on occasion too, shocker. There were even potted plants on the balcony connected to the bedroom, although they’d wilted under Satoru’s negligent care.
It feels like a safe space for once and not just an empty shell he uses to serve as an address on his government profile. He doesn’t want to admit it, but he doesn’t want that feeling to end. He’s not sure this floaty, domestic feeling will hold once Satoru goes, even if he’ll leave all the physical evidence of his presence behind.
And that brings Suguru to his second reason why he can’t just sleep on his off-day. Satoru had decided that he wouldn’t bring anything with him to the Gojo estate, so there was no need to pack. Without anything to occupy himself with, Satoru had naturally turned to Suguru, bugging him until he agreed to take him out.
Though Satoru was abnormally quick in adapting to contemporary society, he never seemed less awed by the sight that Tokyo made.
“The buildings and skyscrapers and just everything in general are all so majestic!” Satoru had told him once, bouncing in excitement as his eyes flitted to the many shops and stores surrounding them on all sides in an extravagant display of capitalism.
And just like all previous times they went on an outing, Satoru was busy launching himself into rants and raves. And like Suguru had recently started doing, he just fondly listened and shook his head and rolled his eyes at the appropriate moments. For some reason, all the rambling had stopped being as annoying as he used to find them and had become more endearing instead. It was probably some sort of adaptive survival method to survive the sheer amount of drivel that emerges from Satoru’s mouth on a day-to-day basis.
“Suguru, look!” Satoru shook his shoulder and pointed enthusiastically at a flyer posted on a billboard.
Suguru squinted at the poster. It was advertising a sale on tickets at the aquarium… for couples.
“It’s 20% off!” Satoru shook Suguru’s shoulder again, and Suguru just let him. “That’s such a steal!”
Satoru wouldn’t know a good bargain if it slapped him in the face, but this time it actually was a pretty decent deal.
“The aquarium is a while away,” Suguru points out.
Satoru pouts. “You know that’s not an issue while I’m around.”
Of course, how could Suguru ever forget Satoru’s bullshit broken teleportation powers?
“So, you wanna go?” Suguru asks.
Satoru nods so hard Suguru is afraid his head will detach. “Yup! Mhm, yeah!”
He looked so animated, like an excitable puppy. Suguru could just imagine a swishing tail behind Satoru’s back, ears flopping happily. Suguru finds it hard to ever say no to Satoru. Is this the “ irresistible charm” he was talking about? If so, then jujutsu society’s future was in good hands if even someone like Suguru could fall for it …unless the clan heads are all Nanami-types. Suguru’s pretty sure Nanami would still look as annoyed as the day he was born even if he saw a dog get run over in front of him.
“Alright,” Suguru relents. “Let’s go somewhere secluded, then you can teleport us there.”
Satoru didn’t waste a second. In less than half of a minute, they were in line for the aquarium when it should’ve taken them a few hours from where they’d teleported from in Tokyo.
Due to it being the middle of a workday, the line was fairly short and they only had to wait about 15 minutes. When they reached the ticket booth, Satoru shoved his face against the dividing window, startling the lady inside, and said, “Tickets please! The 20% off ones, thanks! My boyfriend and I are on an anniversary date!”
Suguru’s brain stalled as he comprehended that last sentence. Not noticing, or perhaps just uncaring of his predicament, Satoru used Suguru’s card to pay and then hauled him off to the entrance. Once they got in, Suguru turned on him and hissed, “ Boyfriend?! ”
Satoru stopped dragging him to tilt his head at him and blink slowly. “Yeah. For the sale, remember? The flyer? 20% off for couples?”
The flyer… right. Right. Somehow, Suguru hadn’t connected the dots between the sale and their arrival here, what an idiot he was. Suguru took a deep breath to calm himself.
Satoru studied him as he did so, and when Suguru opened his eyes, he wore a smug smirk on his face. “Awww, is Suguru-kun blushing? Were you hoping it was true?”
That only caused the flush on his face to spread, whether out of irritation or embarrassment, Suguru himself doesn’t know. “You wish,” Suguru spat out, rather weakly.
Satoru laughed goodheartedly, then he grabbed Suguru’s hand in his and pointed dramatically at one of the structures in the aquarium. “Come on! I wanna see the sea otters, Suguru!”
Suguru doesn’t know how long they spent at the aquarium, but he does know that he’s actually enjoying this experience, contrary to what he thought when Satoru had bullied him into getting out of the house. Suguru didn’t tend to hang out with social people, finding their incessant talking tiring and meaningless. And while Satoru was the walking epitome of everything he wanted to avoid in an extrovert, Suguru found himself drawn towards him rather than repulsed.
It was a strange contradiction, but Suguru shrugged it off, because friendship works in strange ways.
And that’s what they are, right? Friends? Suguru hadn’t made one in several years, only lost them. First Haibara, then Nanami. He’s always had Shoko, but they were both so busy drowning in their own struggles and duties that it was hard to spend quality time with each other.
But now there’s Satoru. Suguru had almost forgotten how nice companionship felt, after so long of being the lone champion of jujutsu society. It’s… quite delightful.
“Suguru! Look! That sea slug looks like you!”
“Hmm… I’m going to name that one ‘Suguru Jr.’”
“Do you think the staff would mind if I took a dip?”
“No fairrr! I wanted to pet the sharks!”
Suguru smiles.
“What’cha smiling like an idiot for?” He hears Satoru’s voice up ahead. They’re currently exploring the aquarium tunnel, playing “I Spy” and other stupid games and challenges in a rather childish attempt to one-up the other. “Finally admit that I counted more white fish than you?”
Suguru turns his head from where he’d been searching for an ugly fish to liken Satoru to. His mouth tingles with the weight of a quip on his tongue, but it dies in his throat when his eyes finally find Satoru’s.
His sunglasses —a proper, circular one as dark as night and as expensive as jewels that Satoru had begged him to get a few weeks ago to replace the tacky beach sunglasses— hang on the collar of his shirt, exposing his heavenly eyes. The prismatic light from the glass and water of the aquarium tunnel casts its glow on Satoru’s figure, tingeing him cerulean and really bringing out the beauty of his blue, blue eyes.
In this moment, Satoru is blinding, breathtaking.
He always is. Always so very pretty and perfectly pristine. But something about this moment makes it so much more obvious. Cast in pearlescent shadow and luminescent light, colorful fish and coral acting as his backdrop, Suguru feels like Satoru is an awarding-winning painting and he’s naught but a spectator marveling at its allure.
There is no one else here but them, secluded from the rest of the world in their little tunnel, staring into each other's eyes. Time had slowed for them; even the fish seemed to move slowly as if they wade through jello and not water.
Then Satoru blinks, clasping his hands behind his back, and says, “Hey? You still there? Helloooo? Earth to Suguru?”
Just like that, time resumes its steady tempo and the strange moment is gone; the world waiting for them resumes at full speed, leaving Suguru disorientated by the shift of equilibrium that seemingly only he felt. Suguru notices his mouth is agape, and he quickly clears his throat. “Ah, yeah, I’m still here. It’s nothing. I just thought I saw something really ugly.”
Satoru’s face screws up. “You couldn’t possibly be talking about little old me, right?”
As if.
“No, it was one of the fish behind you,” Suguru responds, still a bit dazed. At Satoru’s self-satisfied look though, he adds, “But I do see some resemblance.”
At that, the look is wiped off his face and replaced with whining. What a baby.
There is still the stark reminder lingering in his subconscious telling him that tomorrow, Satoru will be leaving for the Gojo estate, and so this will probably be the last time Suguru sees Satoru in a while. But for now, Suguru just basks in this warm feeling spreading throughout his chest.
Something catches Satoru’s eyes, and in a very Satoru-like manner, he points at it and chases.
And Suguru follows.