Ruby’s Space

yuji simply nods before seeing himself out of the office.

the sky grew darker whilst his was inside of the building, the short days of winter quickly making themselves known as the november air turns crisper. he pulls his bomber jacket tighter around his body as he swiftly shifts through the foot traffic and train rides, arriving in the neighbourhood of katsushika within an hour. 

to the average person, it would simply seem like a quieter night with the inhabitants opting to stay inside. but to him, as a sorcerer, he can see the dark energy emanate from every corner of the streets, and it’s especially concentrated towards the riverbank just as yuta had alluded to.

yuji readies himself as he makes his way there, having to stealthily exercise a few low grade curses in the process. when he finally arrives at the black mist, he nearly passes out. the smell is overwhelming, and he can barely see a thing.

“christ,” he mutters, pulling his face mask out of his pocket and placing it over his nose and mouth. 

he moves silently, eyes searching hastily for the heart of the cursed energy. his breath stutters for a moment when they land on a curled-up body lying on the gravel a few feet away. somehow, even from as far of a distance as he’s standing from it, he can see their tears. and the wails, god the wails, break his heart; they’re so full of pain and turmoil that he hesitates to take another step forward.

but you notice him, and you shriek, the black mist swirling violently around you as your anxiety rises. your emotions affect your abilities, you know this much. but that’s all you know about it. your parents abandoned you at the age of ten, leaving you to fend for yourself as a mere child. survival for you consisted of hiding in bushes to protect yourself from potentially dangerous humans and natural conditions. you never learned what was wrong with you nor how to control it, no one was around to teach you. as you grew older, you picked up bits and pieces of understanding from meeting other curses, yet still, many things remained unknown.

“w–who are you?” you shudder, eyes wide as you stare at the man before you. he looks kind, but then your eyes drop to the pistol in his hand, and your heart breaks. you thought maybe, just maybe, he was someone coming to save you. “ha,” you huff out a weak laugh, “are you here to kill me?”

yuji swallows. his hands are shaking around the trigger. “yes.”

he senses it. he knows that you’re not like other special grades, that your moral compass is sound. your energy draws him in like a moth to a flame, because he was once like you– burdened with abilities he had to learn to control before he destroyed everything.

but orders are orders, and he doesn’t know if you’re capable of reacting the same way he did when he was once in your shoes. he points the barrel at you as he dares to take another step forward, your heart racing from the click of the safety being switched off. 

three more steps.

one more.

the metal rests tautly against your forehead, and you don’t dare to move an inch. he can hear your shaky breaths and see the red of your eyes from crying; he thinks that if he closes his eyes while he takes your life, it will make things easier for him to complete the job.

but then you whimper, and his heart completely shatters in that moment. he looks at you, body shaking not from the cold, but from fear, slowly lowering the gun to point it back towards the ground. you don’t know what to do, what to say. is he… sparing you?

“w–what are–”

bang.

the piercing clang of the bullet indents the earth and you scream from the sudden loudness of it all. you’re just staring back at him, confused yet grateful.

“i have to make it convincing,” yuji states, clicking the safety on once again before putting the pistol away. “the bullets are made of highly lethal cursed energy. i only had one left.” you just blink at him, still trying to process what had happened. “they know my aim is impeccable,” he continues, “so if they think i shot it, whatever happens next will be seen as beyond myself rather than failure as a sorcerer. they trust me.” he pulls the mask down, revealing his face.

“why,” you croak, shuddering as he kneels down to your level, “why are you letting me go?”

“because,” there it is again, the look from earlier that convinced you he is a kind person, “i know that you don’t mean to hurt anyone.” his words rest comfortingly in your chest, and you see that the black mist begins to dissipate. he notices, too. “what’s your name?”

“y/n,”

“how old are you?”

“i don’t know,” you try to think, “somewhere between twenty five and three hundred at this point.”

he frowns. “and you’ve been roaming around on your own since you were a child?”

your mouth drops open in shock. “how did you know?”

“i just do.” truthfully, he wasn’t sure himself, how he knew that you’d struggled since you were so young. it came to him almost as if it were a message from the gods. “something just… told me, i guess?”

you laugh, and he’s a bit startled as the now translucent grey mist dances with your joy. he truly finds it fascinating how your cursed technique changes along with your emotions and moods. “are you a god?” you tease.

“i suppose sorcerers are something like that, aren’t we? do you know what a sorcerer is?”

you nod. “i’ve learned a number of things over the years from other cursed spirits i’ve met, but i still lack a lot of knowledge.”

“i can teach you,” yuji offers, sending you a kind smile, “there’s a lot i don’t know, too, but i know what is necessary.”

“how?” you question. “i can’t leave this place. i’m afraid if i do, i’ll accidently destroy all of tokyo… maybe even beyond that.”

“then, i’ll come to you,” he says, “when i can, i’ll come here in the evenings and help you.”

“you’d really do that?” your eyes are glassy and he feels a pang in his chest.

“i would,” he smiles again, “let’s figure you out together, okay?”

“yuji,” yuta’s voice is stoic and harsh as he walks into the training room. yuji backs away from the punching bag and turns to his friend and supervisor. “that curse you exorcised the other week… did it actually die?”

yuji’s brows furrow. of course, he knows the truth, but he can’t say that. “i thought so,” thankfully he’s good at lying. it’s a skill he picked up over the years for protective measures, but he only uses it when necessary. your situation he deemed as such, “why, what happened?”

“all of katsushika was destroyed last night,” yuta says. yuji’s heart stops. all he can picture is the inhabitants screaming in terror whilst you cry and beg yourself to stop. “houses have been ripped apart, blood is painting the streets… it looks like our job here is far from finished. we need to destroy that curse.”

yuji doesn’t know what to say. he just tries to breathe, slowly nodding. yuta takes his leave shortly after.

that evening, yuji looks for you instead of going straight home after work to take a hot shower and sleep like he knows he should. he’s scared for you and his heart burns with sorrow for those you’ve harmed.

he feels sick. seeing everything that yuta described right in front of his very eyes makes him feel faint, weak. it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before, but this time, it feels different. 

“y/n!” he grits his teeth, yelling your name as he runs towards the river. the mist is thicker and darker than before, and there’s an agonizing, demonic groan originating from deep within. “fuck, where are you?!” he’s suffocating as he trips over an object he can’t define, squinting his eyes and trying to locate your shadow in the center of the storm. 

“y–yuji,” you choke. he hears you call him, but it’s distorted and ominous. he isn’t scared of you, though. his concern rests in if he can get you to safety or not. he knows full well yuta is gathering up a group of sorcerers with the intent to contain then kill you. “i’m sorry, i’m sorry, i’m sorry,” you repeat like a prayer, legs curled up against your chest as you rock back and forth. you can see him, but he can’t see you. you desperately want to reach out and grab his hand.

“tell me where you are,” he coughs, crawling forward, “i need you to lead me.”

you hesitate, but do respond to him. “just a little further and you’ll reach me.” his hand finally brushes against the sole of your boot a few moments later. “here i am.”

the mist begins to calm once again, and yuji lets out a dramatic exhale both from finally finding you and being able to breathe normally again. 

he feels happy to see you, but worry swells in his chest when he notices how destroyed you look. you're pale as a ghost, brittle and quivering. your eyes are bloodshot and puffy, too. he knows why, how could he not? you just massacred an entire neighborhood without even knowing how.

“what happened?” he asks calmly, sitting down beside you. he rests his hand comfortingly on your thigh and you sniffle. 

“i– i don’t know. i was sleeping and had a nightmare, the next thing i know i’m awake and seeing everything around me set ablaze and people screaming on the streets.” you lift your palms up to him, the ones he couldn’t make out in the dark mist earlier. they’re covered in soot, almost like they’d been burnt to a crisp, but no wound is present. you look so afraid. “i did this, yuji… i killed all of those innocent people in my sleep. i can’t–,” you choke out a sob, and his grip tightens on you, “i can’t live like this. i never asked for these abilities. i never meant to… fuck,” you hiss, pulling at your hair aggressively. yuji’s free hand reaches up to grab your wrists and stop you, and though you’re crying uncontrollably, you manage to calm a little from more of his touch. “you should have killed me,” you grit, looking at him with eyes full of both truth and sorrow, “you should have left the gun pressed to my head pulled the fucking trigger.”

“no,” he asserts, looking you dead in the eye with determination. “i trust my instincts that you’re not a bad person. you deserve a chance.”

“but, yuji!” you yell, and he jumps, surprised by your raised voice, “i killed them! they’re dead! these beautiful people are dead because of me!”

yuji doesn’t know how to prove his point to you past the fact that he’s experienced the same thing. when sukuna was finally released from his body all those years ago, he felt the same remorse and pain that you are now, but he eventually learned that it wasn’t his fault. it never was. and you, though he has no knowledge of where your abilities come from, yuji’s convinced they aren’t innate. 

he wraps his arms around your shoulders and pulls you against his chest. you’re taken back at first, but soon allow yourself to sob in his arms as you return the hug, hot tears soaking through his sweater as your shaking fingers curl into the wool. he just sits there, hands cupping the back of your head as he tries to soothe you, tries to calm your restless heart. his fingers running through your hair has a quicker effect on you than you realize. 

the black mist warps abstractly from your rollercoaster of emotions, but it eventually settles into the translucent, baseline grey as your pulse steadies.

yuji doesn't expect to see tsurugi, yuta’s grandson, standing there when his surroundings become visible again. their eyes widen once they take notice of each other, and though yuji’s panicking, he squeezes you tighter rather than push you away.

“yuji… what is the meaning of this?” tsurugi furrows his brows in confusion. “why are you holding that curse?”

“their name is y/n,” yuji shocks himself with his hostile outburst. tsurugi doesn’t know the truth, he’s just doing his job. 

“it has a name?”

“don’t call y/n ‘it’!” tsurugi winces, stepping back slightly from the fellow sorcerer, “and they’re not a curse!”

“but the energy… it’s the most powerful i’ve seen in a while–”

“y/n needs help, not death!”

tsurugi doesn’t know what to say, but something tells him that yuji’s reasons are valid. 

he sighs, kneeling down in front of your two huddled bodies. “my grandfather won’t be happy about this.”

“then you better keep your mouth fucking shut.”

tsurugi laughs. seeing yuji angry like this was always entertaining, because he rarely acted out as such. “y/n can’t stay here,” he says, “we need a secure location, both for their sake and the city’s.”

yuji’s apartment is small, but can comfortably occupy two people.

“are you sure about this?” you ask hesitantly, twiddling your thumbs in the doorway.

he sends you a soft smile and nods. “i’m sure. plus, you’ll be safe here. the property is infused with cursed energy that cancels out abilities. nothing can hurt you and vice versa as long as you stay within the complex’s boundaries. none of my colleagues are allowed to stop by unannounced, either, and there’s no way for them to sense your presence.”

“that… sounds ironic,” you chuckle, “a curse that erases curses, yet itself stays visible,” tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. yuji watches your movements, remembering what your pretty locks felt like beneath his fingertips when he held you earlier. his stomach flips. 

“cursed energy and the entire power system has a funny way of working,” he hums, “it’ll make more sense as we move further along in your studies.”

he heats up a pot of tea and prepares a quick egg fried rice while you shower and become more accustomed to your new living situation. yuji nearly drops the scorching pan onto his foot when you step out of the bathroom with your hair up in a messy bun and sporting the oversized tshirt he lent you. he’s never asking for it back now. fuck. 

he shakes his head briefly in an attempt to clear his head, finishing up serving the rice into a set of blue, floral ceramic bowls. he joins you in the couch shortly after, placing the tray with your food and drinks on the coffee table in front of you. “eat up,” he smiles, “i’m actually a pretty damn good cook.”

your heart doesn’t know what to do with itself. this is the first time you’ve ever been shown any amount of care, and your head is spinning. it’s hard to trust, though. you think yuji is a good person whom truly wants to help you, yet at the same time, how could you fully believe that when your whole life all you’ve ever been shown is the opposite?

yuji notices your hesitation. he never pushes, always keeping a certain amount of distance that allows you to feel safe and come to a conclusion in your own time. he chats with you casually, which confuses you slightly. is he your elder? or are you his? you’re not even sure if this is your first life or not. but here you are, presently in your twenties, trying to navigate whatever the hell this is. whatever you are.

“i’m sure you wonder why i believe you’re a good person after what you’ve done,” yuji starts slowly, setting his empty bowl back onto the tray before lifting the mug of tepid tea up to his lips. he doesn’t mean any harm by the statement, and you know that, though the brutal honesty stings a little.

“yeah,” you respond, voice small, “i do.”

“it’s because i was like you once.” your eyes shoot wide open as you whip your head to look straight at him. he chuckles and he sips his tea. “you seem surprised,” he smiles with a hint of playfulness. he continues. “when i was in high school, my body was possessed by the king of curses. ryomen sukuna, ever heard of him?”

you nod slowly. “i’ve heard that name before.”

“he’s sealed away in a very secure place now. no one has even dared to search again after what happened back then.” the bottom of his mug taps the coaster, “at first he had little control over me, but once the cursed energy increased in power, i lost to him almost entirely.” he looks at you and his expression is warm. “i don’t think you are a curse, i think somewhere in your lifetime a curse possessed you.”

you want to believe him. you really do. “how can you be so sure?”

“because if you were really a malevolent being, i don’t think you would be crying your heart out over humans that are dead because of you.”

his words hit you hard in the chest, and you squeeze your eyes shut tightly to let them settle. 

you try to believe this isn’t who you are. you are not bad. none if this is your fault.

but you don’t know. 

you fall asleep shortly after, belly fed and body full of warmth as your head falls onto yuji’s shoulder. he smiles to himself, choosing to stay seated for a while so as to not disturb you. once he starts to feel himself becoming tired, he gently lifts you into his arms and takes you to his bedroom, carefully tucking you into the sheets. 

“yuji,” your voice is quiet, but for once, it doesn’t sound terrified. 

his hand pauses on the doorknob on his way out as he slowly turns back to face you again. “yeah?” he asks softly.

“thank you,” you hum, exhausted as you begin to slip away into slumber again, “i owe you everything.”

he releases a faint laugh. he’s not sure if it’s because you sound so cute when you’re sleepy, or out of ridiculousness that you assumed you owed him anything. maybe both. he is just doing what he feels is right.

“you owe me nothing,” he hums quietly, “just stay alive for me, okay?”

“okay,” you squeak, exhaling softly. “stay with me tonight?”

his heart clenches and his lips part. “what?”

“i want you to stay with me,” you repeat, a bit louder, “you are planning to sleep on the couch, right? i’m sure it’s too small for you. and this is your home, you shouldn’t have to give up your bed for me. you’re already doing more than enough by allowing me to stay here.”

he’s afraid to move, afraid to speak. he wants to say yes, but isn’t sure if he should. he is a man of high self-control, but still. he finds you beautiful. he’s already admitted that much to himself. the last thing he wants to do is make things more complicated and uncomfortable. he’s here to protect and help you, neither of which warrant romantic involvement. 

“please.”

your sweet, raspy voice begs him and he can’t refuse. “sure,” he replies, pulse achieving dangerously high levels. 

he maintains a gap of space between your bodies as he lay on his back beside you; he’s unsure if he’ll sleep even a wink, especially when you roll over with the cutest whine sneaking past your lips and your arm lands across his stomach. he freezes. 

“you’re so warm, yu… ji…”

yeah, he definitely isn’t sleeping at all.

things begin to settle into place after that night. yuji’s home starts to feel like yours, too, and you’re managing to grasp everything that he’s teaching you on a regular basis.

“i know i can’t help you with any real combat training right now,” yuji says apologetically, “but hopefully the concepts and discussion points are enough to suffice for the time being.” 

you nod, biting your lip as you stay curled on the couch hugging a pillow. “everything you’re teaching me is extremely helpful, yuji. thank you.”

he smiles wider than he means to. it’s just, with your dynamic for the past few months, he’s having a hard time hiding how he feels. he loves having you around. your company has brought a flicker of light back into his monotonous, gruesome life. 

you keep it to yourself, but you feel the same way. yuji is the first person to treat you as an equal, and kindly at that. he cares about you so much and it never goes unnoticed. whilst you choose to regularly say ‘thank you’, oftentimes you want to say ‘i love you’ instead.

but you don't, because part of you believes that once this is all over, once you’ve learned to control your abilities and have figured out who exactly you are, you’ll part ways and he’ll just become someone you once knew that helped you through a difficult time in life. 

yuji isn’t thinking that way at all. in fact, he’s working hard behind-the-scenes to figure things out so you can stick around– preferably with him– and live freely without being cursed. 

“i have to get to work,” he thrums, “but there’s leftover rice porridge in the fridge for breakfast. a few eggs, too, if you prefer that.” he slips on his coat, “pizza is in the freezer, onigiri in the crisper. help yourself to anything, as usual.”

“thank you,” you grin, standing up to join him by the front door. he tilts his head at you curiously, because you’ve never done this before. normally, you stay seated on the couch and just bid him goodbye from there. this time, however, your body moves on its own. your arms wrap around his waist suddenly, and his sharp inhale of breath is quiet enough that you don’t quite catch it. “stay safe out there, and don’t catch a cold.”

he wants to kiss you and call off work so he can just love on you all day. but he can’t and he hates it. “i will,” he swallows hard, reluctantly enclosing around you. 

the apartment feels too big when yuji’s gone. it’s practically an expanded studio in terms of size, but it seems like a mansion with countless rooms when he’s not occupying the space with you.

it’s lonely, too. you know it’s for your own good, and to keep others safe. but still, you feel restless. you haven’t stepped beyond the complex in months, because once you cross over that barrier, all hell has the capacity to break loose. 

yuji notices you’re quieter than usual when he comes home that evening, immediately frowning upon seeing you preparing boxed ramen at the stove.

“what happened?” 

you both love and hate that he’s so observant. “nothing,” you say. you’re not lying. nothing ever happens since you’re basically quarantined for the foreseeable future, secluded within the tiny walls that feel like they start to swallow you up at times. sometimes you manage to take a walk outdoors within the boundaries, but it’s not enough. “i just– i just want to be able to go outside without worrying.”

yuji’s stomach sinks as he removes his jacket and shoes, sliding into his slippers before shuffling towards you. he stands behind you and places his broad palms comfortingly on your shoulders. your heart leaps from the touch. 

“i’m sorry,” he apologizes. “i know this isn’t ideal right now. i’m just afraid if you leave, they’ll find you and–”

“i know,” you switch off the burner and sigh, turning to face him with a sad smile, “you don't have to explain. i know i have every right to walk out of here and risk my life, you’re not keeping me here unwillingly and you've never made me feel that way. you’ve never forced me.” he feels a bit relieved. “i know damn well the minute i step past the barrier, i’m fucked. anything could happen. i’m scared of that. at the same time, i’m going crazy in this space. it’s beautiful, it’s warm– fuck, i’ve never had a real home up until now– but i’ve also never been nauseous from the sight of white paint and now it’s all i ever feel lately.”

yuji feels awful. all this time, he never knew how you felt. he was so scared of what would happen to you that he believed his only option was to have you stay with him, somewhere he knew you wouldn’t be harmed. you’re right, he’s never forced you to stay, never said anything in order manipulate you into doing so. you could leave at any moment. 

his fear clings onto his chest like stubborn glue and all he can do in that moment is hold you tight. you sink into him without hesitance, squeezing your arms firmly around his body. you feel a tear land on your exposed shoulder.

“i’m sorry,” yuji croaks, fingers curling hopelessly into the material of your shirt, “i’m so sorry you’re unhappy. i never wanted you to feel that way again.”

“it’s not your fault,” you assure him, nails running comfortingly up and down his back, “it’s the world’s for being so cruel.”

he leans back enough to look at you, following your thumbs until they land on his cheekbones to wipe away his tears. he sniffles, and he can’t stop staring into your eyes– they’re so pretty and bright, despite you sharing you’re feeling so empty. your gaze catches his, and in that moment, time stops. the ramen has been long forgotten, and his face sears beneath your hands.

“yuji,” you call his name gently.

he sucks in a shallow breath as if he hadn’t had oxygen in years. “yeah?”

“i love you.”

his eyes grow wide, but he doesn’t look away. “you– you what?”

your smile makes his chest want to explode. you are the most beautiful person to ever grace the world in his eyes. “i love you,” you repeat, feathering your thumbs across his cheeks again. this time, with the intention of showing him your deep affection, rather than trying to rid him of his heartbroken tears. “i love you, yuji itadori. you’ve shown me nothing be pure love since the day we met, and i’m forever grateful for that. i can’t imagine my life without you. i wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. despite my own inner battles, you have made me the happiest person on earth.”

he releases a strained sound as his head falls forward, chest erupting with laughter a few seconds later in both joy and disbelief. “holy fuck,” he huffs, “i– i never thought i’d hear those words coming from you.”

“is it that shocking?” you tease, dropping your hands from his face to rest them at his waist again. “i thought i was doing a good job at dropping hints.”

“unfortunately, i was too preoccupied with my own feelings towards you to notice.”

you stick your tongue out playfully and move your head in closer to his. “does that mean you love me, too?”

“guess i’m not the only one who missed all the hints.” he smirks. 

your lips finally press together, and it feels like centuries of pent up love are being poured into each other at this moment. his hands hold your jaw so delicately firm while he deepens the kiss, pressing your back against the front of the stove. you’re both completely breathless when you decide to break apart, pressing your temples against one another as you take a minute to catch your breath.

“i love you so fucking much, y/n,” yuji exhales, “i won’t allow you to feel so broken anymore.”

“yuji itadori.”

yuji jumps from the low roar originating out of yuta as he storms into the training room, slamming the door shut behind him. he’s never used his full name like that, and he’s only ever seen him this angry at persistent cursed spirits.

yuji swallows hard, feeling afraid of his friend and boss for the first time in a very long time. he opens his mouth to speak, but yuta’s booming voice stops him before he can.

“how long?” he’s pacing along the floor, clenching his jaw so hard yuji thought it might break. “how fucking long have you been housing that curse?”

yuji feels dizzy, ears beginning to ring as he starts spiraling into a panic. fuck, fuck, fuck! how did he find out?

“answer me!”

his breath shakes. “s–six months.”

yuta’s jaw falls slack, and then laughs hysterically in shock. “six… six months? are you fucking serious right now?” yuta loses his balance for a moment, yuji running over to his side to help him sit down on the couch in the room. this amount of stress can’t be good for an elderly man. yuta slaps his hand away, “don’t touch me,” and yuji flinches, stepping back. 

“i’m sorry…” he exhales, darting his eyes towards the ground, “y/n doesn’t want to hurt anyone–”

“it has a name?” yuta scoffs. “yuji, i trusted you to do your job! katsushika is obliterated because of that thing, and you’ve been protecting it this whole time?” yuji feels scared. “you, of all people, should know how dangerous curses of that grade are!” he glares at him, irises full of disappointment. “you’re on probation for the foreseeable future. starting today, you’re only handling paperwork.”

“yuta– wait, let me explain–”

“what possible explanation could you have for this?”

“my experience with sukuna is exactly why i saved y/n! they’re not like the others, they’re like me!”

“where’s your proof?”

yuji goes quiet. “i… haven’t found it yet. i just… feel it.”

yuta sighs, leaning forward into his hands as his elbows rest on his knees. “a week. one fucking week to plead your case and if you have nothing, it’s over. i’m being lenient here, giving you the benefit of the doubt.” he looks up at yuji’s panicked expression, “your insatiable desire to help others that you see yourself in is going to get you and everyone else killed.”

“i won’t let that happen.” yuji swears.

yuta’s smile tries to be empathetic, but its sad. “tell that to the thousands dead in katsushika.”

yuji feels sick when he returns home to you that evening. he fully expected to find you already dead on his floor, assuming yuta to have sent men without a warning to storm into his apartment before he confronted him earlier, regardless that he offered him a chance to prove his argument. he thought maybe it was a bluff. a situation like this would be the only time the rule of ‘not showing up unannounced’ could be nullified. 

but you’re there, smiling so brightly at him from the kitchen counter as you hold up a pot of steaming, freshly made omurice to show off. yuta truly hadn’t made any moves yet. 

“hi, yu,” you beam, “i made dinner! sorry i didn’t wait for you, i was starving,” you chuckle, placing the pan back on the trivet. 

he can’t help it. yuji bursts out into tears, falling to his knees as his sobs echo piercingly off the walls. you feel frantic, spoon clanging against the plate as it drops from your hand, jumping out of the stool immediately to go to him. 

“yuji?” you pry gently, “baby, what’s wrong?”

“they know,” he gasps, wetting the floor as he grasps at you desperately. “s–somehow they found out about you.”

“oh,” is all you say, pulling him closer against your chest. this is something you expected to happen eventually, and frankly, you were surprised it hadn’t sooner. a few tears of your own spill out as yuji sobs into your chest, your two bodies sitting helplessly on the kitchen floor. “hey, it’s going to be okay,” you try coax him, “i’m still here, i’m alive.”

“i–i don’t know,” he chokes, head tilting up to look at you. his tears have slowed a little, though his heart is still deeply shaken. “if i can’t figure out what– who you are in a week, then they’re going to kill you.”

you kiss him gently, being sure your lips tell him that you’re safe for now. “we’ll figure it out, i know we will.”

the knocking comes three days later while you’re home alone. it’s loud and impatient, your body jerking abruptly from the sudden bang on the door. 

you don’t move at first. it’s very easy to tell it’s not yuji on the other side. you cautiously lift your body from the couch, careful not to creak the floor as you slowly shift towards the balcony. the fire escape offered you a way out.

the knocking starts again, this time more thunderous than before, just as you slide open the balcony door.

your eardrums rupture as there’s a clang similar to the bullet yuji shot away from you the night you met, the door slamming open aggressively against the wall seconds later as your eyes meet those of the intruder.

tsurugi’s look brutally cold, and you freeze in place.

why is he here? wasn’t he the one who helped you and yuji?

it starts to make sense. of course it does. he’s the only other person who knows about you. who else would have opened their mouth to yuta?

“good to see you again, y/n.” 

his voice makes you want to vomit. you’re breathing heavily, dragging your weighted body towards the fire escape. but tsurugi’s quicker than you, grabbing your waist and pulling you back over the balcony railing and into the apartment. you kick and scream, his hand slamming over your mouth before anyone else can hear.

“we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he grits, gripping you harsher. tears flood your eyes as you continue to squirm, but there’s no point. you can’t fight back here without your abilities, and not when you’re drowning in panic, body weak. “hard way it is, then.” 

his fingers press into the side of your neck, your vision quickly growing blurry as everything fades to black. 

where you awake is cold and dark. there’s a distant echo of water droplets, and soon you understand yourself to be underground somewhere, perhaps a cave.

“thank god, you’re alive.”

your head turns sharply towards the voice, eyes growing wide at the sight of yuji in front of you. he’s chained to the wall, managing to drag himself in your direction enough to be a little closer to you. still, several feet of space remains.

“yuji–” the clanging is loud as you feel the pressure on your own wrists, realizing right then you, too, are chained. “where are we? what’s going on?”

“i–i have no idea. i just know tsurugi–”

“good morning, sunshines.” tsurugi sings, making a dramatic entrance into the space.

yuji’s scowling, shaking angrily as he pulls at the metal. “what the fuck is this, tsurugi? why are you doing this?”

“because,” his smile disgusts you. it’s full of arrogance and downright evil. “weaklings like you have no place in this world.”

“what?” yuji spits, grinding his teeth, “if anyone’s weak here, it’s you. couldn’t even fight without being a coward about it first, chaining us to a damn wall?” tsurugi’s nostrils flare as he picks up his foot, shoving the heel of his boot into yuji’s chest. he groans as his back slams against the protruding rocky wall behind him, then laughs in pure rage and pain. “you should have tried me back then, tsurugi.”

“shut the fuck up or i won’t hesitate to kill you now.”

“yeah?” yuji looks crazy. “pretty easy to figure out this place you’ve got us in is nullifying our abilities, but do you know how to kill someone without your crutch? think you can swing your sword with no cursed energy and actually get a hit from it?”

yuji keeps pushing and you stay silent. you’re not sure what you could say to change anything, nor do you know if tsuguri is capable of what yuji is suggesting. 

tsurugi grabs yuji’s jaw and tilts it upwards aggressively. he digs his heel further, making sure it stings, as his fingertips bury into the hollows of his cheeks. “keep talking and see what happens, bastard.” he seethes, releasing his head harshly enough that it slams against the rocky wall. yuji grunts in agony, but he’s not afraid of him. 

yuta’s already suspicious when he doesn’t hear from yuji that morning. he’s never been one to skip out on work without a heads up first, so naturally, he’s concerned.

tsurugi rushes into headquarters around noon without a word, brushing past his grandfather. must have been a difficult assignment, he thinks. or… something is extremely off about his energy. 

yuta’s brows furrow as he follows tsurugi into the training room, just observing for a few moments before he announces his presence. tsurugi is raging, practically pounding holes into the punching bag with each hook. 

“fucking asshole,” he mutters to himself. hit. “i’m gonna kill him, i swear to god.”

“tsurugi.”

yuta’s voice causes him to pause, slowly backing away from the equipment. “hey, gramps,” he greets, acting as if nothing is wrong, “is there something you need? i’m kind of busy here.”

his eyes narrow slightly, but not too much. “i was just curious if you’d heard from yuji at all. he’s never failed to show up without calling in first.”

yuta notices. the flinch of tsurugi’s thumb, the subtle tightening of his jaw, the quiver in his step. he knows something.

“no idea,” tsurugi shrugs, quickly darting his eyes back to the punching bag. 

yuta’s ability to lie convincingly surely didn’t pass on to his grandson. “well, if you hear from him, let me know.” he says simply before taking his leave.

once he’s back in his office, he quickly calls his most trusted agent to gather a few men for patrol.

“follow him,” he says, “tsurugi’s up to something. stay low and out of sight, you got it?” there’s a low grunt in agreement on the other side of the speaker. 

“yuji,” you wince, watching as he hammers the metal of his cuffs against a protruding piece of the rock wall, “please stop, you’re hurting yourself!”

he hisses as the gravel stabs his palms for the god knows time, pointlessly adding to his already bloody and bruised skin.

“but i think i almost–”

“yuji.”

he blinks at you, eyes lowering as his face grows into a look of defeat. he knows you’re right. he’s desperate, but his strategy isn’t working. he’s only wounding himself.

tsurugi walks in shortly after, carelessly sliding a plate to each of you with a dinner roll and a few cheese blocks.

yuji snorts,“what is this, the renaissance?" then scoffs, “why are you even bothering to feed us when you’re going to kill us both anyway?”

“because i do have some sense of moral,” tsurugi huffs.

“hm.”

eating with cuffed hands is a bit of a challenge, but doable. tsurugi just stares at you and yuji as you eat, like he is plotting how to end you both right in that moment. he might as well have poisoned you two by now– that seems like the fastest, simplest way. 

there’s a loud, booming clatter from just beyond the rocky wall behind tsurugi, presumably near the entrance of where he regularly departs and returns. you drop the bread out of your hand startled. tsurugi whips his head in the direction of the sound, unsheathing his sword. 

“what the hell?” he mutters. “who–” there’s a loud wisp through the air just before he screams, back slamming harshly into the gravel a second later. his hand cups his shoulder where he had been shot, gritting his teeth. “fuck!” he growls in pain, looking at his palm to see it stained with blood.

three men in black suits enter the space just then with guns pointed at tsurugi, none of whom you recognize. yuji gasps beside you when a fourth body emerges from behind the three of them.

“yuta?” he questions in shock. “what are you doing here?”

“i figured something was wrong when you hadn’t shown up to work without notice earlier this week,” he replies, “and my grandson here is a terrible liar.” he glares at tsurugi still hissing in pain in the corner, now restrained by the three suited men. “i had some of my men follow him.” yuta takes a few more steps forward, stopping just mere inches away from your malnourished, shivering body. he sends you an apologetic smile, kneeling down as he takes off his coat to drape over your shoulders. “you must be y/n.” he retrieves a small handgun from his belt, aiming perfectly at the cuffs to break the metal off without harming you. you sigh in relief once your wrists are freed.

yuji’s watching the interaction, still dumbfounded by the turn of events. did yuta find something out about your curse in his absence? he wants you dead, so why is he acting so kind and freeing you?

yuta silently backs away from you, then approaches yuji, offering the same warmth from the cardigan layer he had hidden underneath the jacket. yuji blinks, watching as a gentle smile appears on his face just as he finishes wrapping it around his shoulders. “here,” he says, then makes the same precise shot, metal clanking on the ground moments later.

whilst both you and yuji sit there at a loss for words, yuta begins to speak further. “i… may have figured out what– who y/n is,” he says. his face doesn’t read very happy about it, and yuji’s stomach twists sickeningly. yuta takes a deep breath, then looks directly at you. “it seems you are a dark reincarnation of susanoo, god of storms.” your eyes widen, heart pounding violently. suddenly, the chaotic, clouded dust that always surrounded you makes sense. he looks back at yuji, “i know you don't want it to be the truth, but y/n is a curse. separation is not possible.”

“is the energy something that can be contained?” yuji dares to ask, swallowing hard.

yuta’s hopeless expression doesn't seem to waver. slowly, he shakes his head. “it is far too powerful for even the strongest of sorcerers to control. the only solution is–”

“death,” you complete his sentence, voice low and breathy, but everyone in the room catches it all the same. this is something you have always felt deep within since you were old enough to understand you were different, but tried to ignore it. “the only way it can be stopped is by killing me.”

yuta’s eyes drop to the gravel with a deflated sigh. “yes.” he says. “that’s correct.”

“what?” yuji’s eyes are bursting out from his head as he crawls over towards you, wrapping you tightly in his arms. he looks at yuta again, “how, then? how is it that the suppression barriers are working? if the power is too strong, then why–”

“i don’t know, yuji,” yuta answers honestly, “but if y/n steps outside of the barrier, japan is done for. we’re lucky their full power hadn’t been realized yet when they were roaming around katsushika. but we don’t know how much time we have left until that time comes. and it will.”

“you’re not fucking killing y/n!” yuji yelps, shaking helplessly as he keeps you close.

“he has to,” you gulp, shivering as tears begin to form in your eyes. “if he doesn’t, i’ll destroy everything. he’s right.” you inhale a sharp breath, “i–i can’t live inside the barriers for the rest of my life. that’s a prison sentence,” you look at him, eyes pleading, “death will grant me freedom.”

“y/n…”

you kiss him, feeling the wet tears dripping from his own eyes splash against your cheeks as you stay tightly pressed together, savouring the sweet and final moment together. yuji rests his forehead against yours with his eyes squeezed shut as you pull away. “let me go with you,” he huffs, “i’ve lived over eighty years. that’s long enough.”

“yuji,” yuta calls him, “you know i can’t let that happen. we need you. you’re all we have left that can handle–”

“kill. me.”

yuta’s breath hitches in his throat, chest tightening at the determination burning in his comrades eyes. he wasn’t going to back down.

“you know there are others that are just as strong as me,” yuji asserts, “don’t pretend that’s not true!”

yuta stays silent, simply motioning one of the three men to step up beside him, the other two still keeping tsurugi restrained. 

“are you sure you want this?” yuta asks yuji calmly.

yuji nods. “yes,” he answers in confidence. “if y/n has to die, then i die, too.”

yuta quietly guides the guard to help you and yuji out of the underground– the cursed bullet won’t work inside, as its been established. you and yuji stay obediently perched just beyond the exit, fear glossing over your irises as you stare at the two men, still holding onto each other tightly.

yuta’s hands shake as he releases the second gun from the holster– the ones used back in the cave earlier were full of regular bullets– then lifts the barrel and points it straight at your head. he can hardly stomach ending your life as it is, after understanding yuji’s love and devotion to you, but he definitely doesn’t have any will to do the same to his dear friend, someone he has known for so much of his life. he silently commands the guard to point his gun at yuji. 

“i’m sorry it had to end this way,” yuta’s throat cracks with remorse, tears forming in his eyes as the two of them pull the trigger.

the last thing you feel is yuji’s hand grasping onto yours as a puff of smoke clouds your vision before total darkness.