#ttj

Mid April 2017 

A month came and went before you knew it, and somewhere in that time you’d decided to follow Tomoe’s advice. 

If you were going to make it through this second round, then you'd do what was needed to survive without feeling guilty for your methods. 

You'd allow yourself to be taken by Suguru Geto, your master, if that’s what ensured you lived another day.

Because perhaps that one extra sunrise might lead to your escape from here. After all, you weren’t as alone as you thought.

The calm you’d experienced since accepting this reality felt strange, foreign. 

But it helped that you’d spent most of your days in bed or engaging in light activities that wouldn’t cause you added stress. 

Some days, you would attend meetings with Geto, seated prettily at his side for no other reason. Other times, you’d join him and the girls for walks around the compound—but only with the doctor’s approval.  

Over the course of the month, you came to memorize the various areas housed in the estate, starting with the main house and the path that led toward freedom, toward the outside world. Not that it mattered. Knowing the layout meant nothing when several of his cursed spirits and the servants were always skulking about, watching everything. 

You sighed at the truth of the matter, eyes dropping down to your hands while they worked carefully over the yukata’s fabric in your lap, adding hand-stitched embroidery along the two front panels. It was a belated birthday gift meant to lift his spirits as he’d been the one acting more distressed lately. Probably because he couldn't let out his frustrations on you, you annoyingly realized. 

The last time you’d seen him more relaxed had been during the celebration the girls had thrown for his birthday in February. It was much simpler than yours, but still included a cake and a shared meal. They knew he preferred it that way and honored it. However, they’d still bought him a present to show their love and appreciation. 

This project was meant to be your gift to him, belated or not. 

But he'd already taken it upon himself to claim you as his offering for the occasion—installing himself in your room and sleeping beside you without fail.

It had been a jarring change at first, but you'd gradually gotten used to his presence beside you every night. 

And since sex was off the table, all you could do was talk to each other. 

Sometimes the two of you had conversations about mundane things before ending the day. Other times, he shared pieces of himself you never expected to learn about or to even exist—like stories about his best friend and everything they’d done together as teenagers. 

You could tell he still thought of him fondly. And yet, he never spoke his name to you. It was curious, and you wondered if maybe this friend had died on one of these “assignments” from that technical school he attended. What had he called it? Jujutsu High.  

The thought crossed your mind to ask about his friend's condition, but ultimately you decided against it. For whatever reason, he hadn't told you, and you should just accept that for what it was.

What would prying get you anyway? 

Maybe he just needed you to listen. 

Sometimes that's all a person wants—especially lonely ones. 

It didn’t matter that he had a ‘family’ or a ‘cult’ following; there was always something there, a longing in his eyes that told you he still felt alone in a room full of people.

How could you possibly know that? Because you'd felt the same way at some points in your life, too. Like when you were isolated by classmates in school or looked down upon for being a woman in a male dominated industry as a career. 

Regardless, it wasn't a valid excuse for what he had done to the innocent people of Japan thus far. Which is why, you still thought of him as an omen. And nothing he did now could ever really change that. 

But you were still human, and unfortunately, an empathetic one. So the more time you spent with him like this, the more you began to see how he had once been just another kid society chewed up and spit out—left broken in its wake.

Only in his case, it had been a hidden world of darkness and literal monsters that destroyed him bit by bit until he found a horrific solution to the problem—murdering all non-sorcerers. 

Except you, for some reason or another.

Perhaps you should ask him why during one of these conversations… Because what he had done to you was wrong in every conceivable way.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't just. 

But then again, neither was the life and responsibility he’d been forced to shoulder since he was a teenager.

It no longer surprised you that he’d ended up this way—seeing non-sorcerers as worthless monkeys. 

Sometimes, he wasn't entirely wrong. 

You could admit that there were some people who shouldn't be allowed to exist. Murderers, rapists, traffickers, and pedophiles were a few that came to mind. Though, by that logic, he was already on that list.   

The look on his face when you suggested focusing his efforts on eliminating such vile people instead of ordinary ‘monkeys’ would be forever etched in your mind. 

He had looked… pleased or maybe even proud? 

“All non-sorcerers produce cursed energy,” he said evenly. “So, following that approach wouldn’t solve the issue. Japan would still be riddled with cursed spirits.” 

“Couldn’t it lower the numbers for a little while, at least?” you murmured, looking away from his intense stare.

“Perhaps,” he acknowledged. “But not enough to ensure the safety of all sorcerers.”

While you focused elsewhere, his eyes remained on you, sharp and assessing as he weighed your responses.

“So once again,” he continued calmly, “I see no point in it.”

You looked back up at him, easily conceding to his ideas without quite realizing it. “That… makes sense.”

“Does it now?” he asked. “I didn’t realize the inner workings of sorcery were so easy to understand.” 

You swallowed, choosing your words carefully. 

“I was a monkey only a few months ago,” you replied softly. “So it was just a passing thought I wanted to ask you about. I trust your expertise, Master. If you say it's pointless, then I know it is.”

He chuckled quietly. “You truly are a survivor, I’ll give you that. But don’t just tell me what you think I want to hear.”

“I’m not, Master.” Your eyes never wavered from his in that moment, silently swearing that you were being sincere.

He pulled you close then, wrapping his arms around you and drawing you into his warmth. His voice came soft against your hair as he murmured, “maybe there’s hope for you yet, y/n.”

Oh.

That was the first time he'd ever called you by your name. 

It felt wrong and so out of place coming from him.

Yet… you couldn't stop yourself from blushing. 

It was a small mercy that he was unable to see it from this position. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

You’d left him puzzled all throughout these weeks.

And despite his initial annoyance, he’d found himself enjoying the calm moments with you that came from the restraint the new regimen required.

You’d gifted him a yukata with embroidery, stitched delicately by your hands. You’d done so even after he’d claimed the right to stay with you every night as his gift. He’d worn it proudly several times now, around you or during day-to-day life that didn’t require his usual monk attire.

Somewhere between the days, he started feeling so comfortable, so at ease with you. 

It was strange, foreign. 

As a result, he’d shared pieces of himself with you he never expected to, going as far as mentioning the things that had happened with Satoru during the Star Plasma Vessel assignment. 

He wasn’t quite sure why he hadn’t shared Satoru’s name with you yet, however. 

Was it unfounded jealousy, residual hurt from their last meeting? 

Or his selfish desire to keep you all to himself, even from him, his best friend?

Perhaps that was part of it.

But your comments, and the interest in your eyes when he spoke of those times, were also pushing his reluctance.

“He seems like quite the character,” you’d said once smiling softly after he’d spoken of Satoru’s unruly antics.

He’d leaned down and kissed you then, ending the conversation for the night.

But really, what had surprised him the most so far, were your curious questions and evolved opinions about his plans to rid the world of non-sorcerers.

How had he managed to convince you so quickly? 

When he questioned your motives, you’d sworn that your words had been sincere. 

Yet despite your reassurances, he still suspected you weren’t being entirely truthful. He couldn’t expect you to turn against everyone you’d once known so wholeheartedly—not yet. Not when that world still included people you cared for. Like your past lover.

There were still moments when the anger from months ago bubbled back to the surface. All he had to do was recall the brief smile you’d worn that day in Harajuku—soft, distant, and unmistakably not meant for him. 

The image alone was enough to harden his jealous resolve to find the bastard responsible for it.

And yet, thus far, nothing about him had been uncovered.

That a mere monkey had proven to be so thoroughly untraceable was an insult in and of itself. 

Ugh.

He should’ve interrogated you on the matter before starting this second round of treatments. Forced the name from your lips and ended the uncertainty once and for all. 

But doing so might’ve caused you undue stress and jeopardized the treatment’s progress—and he had no intention of risking another setback.

Still, ridding the world of that worthless man had risen to the top of his priorities, alongside his other goals.

Overall, things were still progressing smoothly. His arsenal of curses had grown substantially, and the events he’d set in motion were unfolding exactly as planned. 

But lately, his attention had been drawn to a particular special-grade cursed spirit. One whispered about among his family and followers. An anomaly that was both powerful and uniquely bound to a host. 

The curse even had a human name, Rika.

According to what Geto had learned from rumors, Rika was attached to a boy who had recently enrolled at Jujutsu High. What was his name again? Yuta Okkotsu.

Apparently, Satoru had intervened and kept him from being executed by the elder jujutsu counsel. 

Ah, what a typical reaction it had been—always blaming the sorcerer instead of addressing the rot festering throughout the rest of the less deserving world.

He couldn’t stand it, and the occurrence had only fortified his resolve.

It was just another reason why Jujutsu High remained first on his list of targets. 

The cornerstone of the jujutsu world? Hah! It’d be nothing but an ill-forgotten system of oppression once he unleashed his wrath. 

Still, such an overreaction had made one thing quite clear: Yuta and his cursed spirit were dangerous enough to inspire fear in the counsel.

That alone had made the boy impossible to ignore and solidified his decision on the matter—he would have to see their strength for himself soon.

Perhaps he could set up a trap where that might be possible. One that would draw him out from Satoru’s reach and protection. It should be easy enough, given how busy he always was after becoming the strongest. 

Yes.

He was certain of it. 

Everything was falling into place, aligning as it should in his grand scheme.

Except for you, once again. 

Granted, he had continued to test your ability to perceive curses and, as of late, you hadn’t missed detecting a single one. It seemed the change he’d prompted in you had become more permanent as your exposure to spirits and his family continued. 

He still hypothesized that bearing his child would cement your window status once and for all. It could even allow you to deepen your awareness and control over the cursed energy that naturally coursed through you already.  

Thinking back to the child, it would take some time to determine if they had been born with a cursed technique of their own. However, if they could see his horde of cursed spirits once their vision properly clarified at around seven months, then his theories would be partly proven correct.

And your place by his side would then be safely justified. 

He wouldn’t have to lose you. 

Nor would he have to argue your worth to anyone—not even himself.

What such a truth would mean for other non-sorcerers, he wasn’t sure yet. Though, it was unlikely he’d leave many alive anyway. 

But perhaps the few he deemed worthy of redemption might survive in his ideal world, a paradise for jujutsu sorcerers.

Or he’d keep you as the only exception. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

He lay curled against you on his side, with his head resting on your chest and face nestled into the curve of your neck just beneath your jaw. One of his arms was draped loosely across your waist, holding you close, while your fingers moved absently through his hair.

“Master, is it alright if I ask you something?” you said quietly, careful not to disturb the fragile calm. 

“Go ahead, pet,” he murmured into your neck, lips brushing your sensitive skin as he spoke. 

“What made you choose me?” you asked, softly. 

He lingered there against the heat of your body, reminiscing about the smile you’d given him the day he first saw you—the scent you carried that had driven him mad for weeks, setting everything else into motion.

“You make it sound like I was looking. I wasn’t but-”

Inhaling deeply, he drew you in once more, pulling your body closer to his.

“Something about your scent and the smile you gave me. I never could stop thinking about it,” he murmured. “Even now, it still lingers—though it’s been overtaken a bit by my own. I might prefer it that way actually.”

“Oh,” you meekily answered.  

“Did that not satisfy your curiosity?” he asked, amusement lacing his voice. 

“No- I just didn’t expect your reason to be something so… simple?”

He laughed softly, his hot breath making you squirm faintly beneath him from the ticklish sensation it was evoking.

“Were you expecting me to say you were special?”

“No. I know I’m not, master,” you quickly and matter-of-factly answered. 

He moved away from your neck, shifting his weight until he hovered over you, arms bracketing you in on either side.

“You're wrong,” he breathed against your lips, kissing you before pulling back just enough to speak.

“Being chosen by me has made you just that. Remember?”

“Yes, master,” you whispered back, lifting your hand to caress his cheek as a heat crept across your own—like a blushing wife accepting a compliment from her husband. 

God, you looked good enough to eat. 

This month without partaking in you had truly been agony for him.  

He groaned, resting his forehead against yours feeling increasingly aroused. 

“Remind me—when’s the final injection supposed to be?” he asked, the desperate desire obvious in his eyes. 

“In the evening on the third of May, master.”

“Ngh, I have something important to do that week,” he sighed, then added, “but I’ll reserve the fourth just for us.”

“That should be fine, master. Dr. Takemi said we have close to two peak days anyway.”

“Good.”

He kissed you again, more deeply this time.

“The day can't come soon enough.”

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Midnight, May 4, 2017.

You hadn’t expected to be called to his bedchamber at midnight, having been told he was meant to arrive back at the estate in the morning.

Still, you quickly slipped on a silk robe over your nightdress, the fabric cool against your skin as a maid hurried you through the hall. She said nothing as she left you at the door, only bowing and disappearing before you could ask a question.

The room was empty when you stepped inside.

That, more than the summons itself, unsettled you.

Rather than lingering by the door, you moved toward the bed, the quiet space dimly lit by the moonlight slipping through the window. You had just reached the foot of it when you felt his arms circle around you from behind, drawing you back against him. 

The hold was unhurried, affectionate, as if there was no need to rush now that you were here in his arms.

“You're back early, Master,” you murmured as his lips found your neck. 

Much like his embrace, the kisses were gentle, lingering, building without urgency—not sharp or consuming as you'd grown accustomed to. No, this time his pursuit of you was more like a controlled heat, rising steadily. 

You leaned back into him, feeling how easily his body naturally adjusted to yours. The silk of your robe slipped beneath his hand as he nudged it off your shoulder, exposing smooth skin he immediately followed with his mouth. His lips traced the slope of your collarbone, reverent and affectionate, as though every inch of you deserved to be worshipped.

“I grew impatient thinking about you,” he finally replied, still peppering kisses along your bare skin, his hand drifting dangerously close to the bow holding your robe together.

“Sorry, Master,” you breathlessly said, caressing the arm he held around your waist with your own. 

“There are no masters tonight,” he murmured against your ear, his voice low, turning your face toward him with an unfamiliar gentleness. “It’s just me and you.”

Your breath stuttered as his lips found yours for the first time that night. 

“Yes, Suguru,” you whispered when he pulled back from you briefly. 

It was then that you felt a tug on your robe, the bow unraveling and exposing your nightgown underneath. 

He further eased the robe from your shoulders, letting it slip down your arms before lifting it away entirely off your body and discarding it somewhere behind you to be forgotten. When you turned toward him after, you caught a glimpse of his half dressed state and his hungry gaze. 

You stepped back instinctively as he moved forward—his eyes never wavering from yours—until the edges of the bed brushed against the back of your knees.

You sat without breaking eye contact, shifting backwards as he followed, the space between you narrowing instead of widening until your head sank back against the pillows at the head of the bed. He braced himself, shifting and adjusting his weight so that he hovered over you with just one arm—body close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off of his bare chest, X-shaped scar and all.  

For a moment, he didn’t do anything else except stare down at you, like a predator does its prey. 

Then his mouth found yours again, only the kiss was deeper this time, filled with more fervor as his free hand slipped to the hem of your nightgown, easing it upward inch by inch before lifting it off your body entirely. 

You wrapped your arms around him, kissing him back just as ardently, arching into him in acceptance of his touches, his advances, his perversions—but were they becoming yours now too?

He groaned, shifting his weight once more to kick off the last piece of clothing keeping the two of you apart.

Left skin-to-skin, he paused only long enough to look at you, whispering, “you’re so beautiful,” as something unguarded flickered across his face before he captured your mouth in another kiss.

But he needed more of you. 

So much more. 

From your lips, he moved on to your breasts, teasing each of your sensitive nipples with his eager tongue until you cried out for him to please continue downwards.

He laughed against your plush skin, loving every second of your impatient moans and selfishness as he traveled down to your pretty little sex, leaving rogue kisses across your body along the way. 

Swiftly, he placed your thighs on his shoulders, pushing them forward so you were spread and ready for his tasting.

“Is this what you wanted, Y/n?” he asked before teasingly lapping at your clit.

“Yes,” you moaned out, reaching down and already threading your fingers in his hair. 

He continued at this torturous pace, taking his time, licking slow and heavy circles around your sensitive bundle of nerves until you were begging him to devour you. 

“S-s'guru, please. More,” you breathed out desperately. 

Just hearing you say his name sent a sharp pulse of want throughout his body. 

And he obliged your pleas, the sound of your voice still thrumming through him as he flattened his tongue and ran it along your slick entrance in patient, deliberate strokes before slipping a finger inside you. 

“Mmph,” you moaned, tightening your grasp on his now messy hair. 

“Louder,” he mumbled, briefly parting before returning to his devilish ministrations, finger working in perfect tandem with his tongue.  

“Ahh—yes,” you huffed out, louder this time as he'd demanded. “Ff-feels'good”

He kept going, eagerly lapping and sucking while he easily slid another finger into your needy cunt.

You twitched beneath him, breath catching in your throat as your hips began moving on their own, arching themselves closer to his mouth, his fingers sinking deeper inside you with the motion.

At the same time, you began to feel a pressure building up in the pit of your stomach, only growing the longer this went on.  

“S-suguru. M'close,” you cried out, warning him that you were close to climax.

He groaned at the sound of his name on your lips again, its low vibrations only driving you closer to the edge. 

“F'faster…” you pleaded, shutting your eyes tightly when he upped the pace. 

Until, finally, the pressure growing inside you reached its peak, and you lost yourself in the pleasure of your release, crying out his name in careless whispers over and over without realizing what it was doing to him each time.

He was losing his mind, desire threatening to take over and pervert this moment as he watched, felt, and listened to your every delicious reaction. It took all of his willpower to keep himself from rushing, from mounting and taking you like every other time before. 

But he couldn't do that again, or at least not today.

Not when he'd started to come to terms with an ugly, undeniable truth about his feelings for you…

So instead of acting on his arousal, on his carnal instincts, he lingered—savoring the intoxicating taste of you before his mouth wandered to your thighs, peppering them with sweet kisses as you twitched and shivered from his attention.

Fighting to catch your breath, your fingers loosened their grip on his hair as you slowly resettled into the softness of the bed.

He chuckled under his breath as he shifted back up to you, his mouth claiming yours once more, kissing you over and over again until the space between you felt hot and hazy—thick with a shared need that only continued to rise in fervor.  

Driven by desire, you responded without thinking, arms sliding around his shoulders, legs curling around his hips in a desperate invitation for more. And he accepted, rolling his hips against you, rubbing his length along your sex, mixing his pre with your cum and enjoying every sensation he'd earned. 

In between breaths and caught up in the growing heat between your legs, you impulsively whispered, “Suguru, I want to be on top.”

His pupils dilated, stunned amusement giving way to something darker, lustful, as a raspy laugh slipped from him before he decided to indulge you.

Without a word, he wrapped an arm securely around your waist and leaned back, easing both of you into a seated position until his back was against the headboard and you were settled in his lap, straddling his thighs.

He'd given you exactly what you'd asked for.

Now what would you do with it?

You blushed as you reached down and pressed a hand against his throbbing cock, rocking your hips and wetness against it, seemingly testing the limits of his control. 

His breathing grew heavier at your actions, his forehead pressing to yours as he let you continue this torturous game.

“Fuck,” he hissed out through clenched teeth, still steadily holding onto your waist, fighting back the urge to slip himself inside you.  

Lucky for him, your patience for games had run thin, too.

You lifted your hips and slowly began taking him, inch by excruciating inch as his grip turned vice-like at your hips, breath hitching in his throat while you sank down, allowing him to stretch you open until he was finally buried inside you. 

Every muscle in his body strained as he forced himself to stay still, fingers flexing at your waist while his brows furrowed from the growing tension between you.

Look at him, suffering through all this unnecessary anguish simply because he wanted to let you finish what you’d started.

Being in love with you truly was a curse. 

You held onto his shoulders for leverage, arching your back as you rolled your hips against his. He watched and felt every aching sensation, his eyes never leaving you as he memorized every detail of your depraved display. 

Left completely entranced by your body, he sought after your breasts with his mouth, greedily sucking and lapping at your nipples as they rose to arousal under his tongue's unrelenting onslaught. 

And, in turn, it had earned him another blissful reward.  

“Mmph—Suguru,” you moaned while one of your hands wrapped around his head, fingers tangling in his hair as electric shocks of pleasure traveled all over your body.

He groaned in approval against your soft skin, thickening inside you.

Your hips came up and down on his cock faster now, chasing the euphoric flutters, needing more of him as tears pricked at the corner of your eyes. 

Every movement you made filled you with rapturous pleasure, and yet it still wasn't enough.  

“S'guru, p-please he—ngh—help.”

Heat surged across your body in anticipation as a familiar coil began tightening low in your body, winding sharper and tighter with every grind and breath.

“Does my desperate little problem need my help?” he teased, sharply rolling his hips against yours once—damn it, yes, that's exactly what you needed, wanted, craved. 

“Yes,” you begged, looking up at him, eyes glassy with lust, lips parted in desperation. “Please, I need you.”

You needed him. 

You needed him. 

You needed him.

Oh, to hell with holding back. 

Consumed by your words, he thrust up into you, matching your frantic pace and rhythm as you tightened around him, each movement pulling breathless sounds from your throat as the tension coiled tighter inside you.

“S'guru,” you moaned out, nails digging into his shoulders, forehead pressed against his as he kissed you, his tongue invading your mouth while you continued to whimper.

He felt drunk. And completely out of his mind.  

His hands slid up your sides and closed around your shoulders, pressing your body down harder on his cock.

“Hah—fuck,” you broke away from him to breathe, tucking your face into the crook of his neck. If you didn't, you might have fainted.

One of his hands followed after you, fingers curving firmly at the nape of your neck. “Don’t hide yourself from me.”

“M'not… need t'breathe,” you rasped out against his skin, lips trailing kisses along his neck before biting down hard enough to leave a faint mark.

His fingers tightened around your plump flesh, taken aback by the sharp jolt of arousal that pulsed throughout his body, all the way down to his throbbing member.

“Harder,” he swallowed. “Bite down harder, Y/n.” 

You dragged your tongue across his neck before biting down again. Harder, like he'd asked, lightly breaking skin this time. 

He grunted, movements growing rougher, more urgent now as he pumped into you like a madman in heat, hitting just the right spot inside you over and over until you were a panting mess—barely holding it together.

“L-look at me,” he pleaded with abandon.

And you did, straight into his eyes, arms locking tight around his neck as your hips worked in tandem with his—both of you chasing after sinful ecstasy together.

“Suguru… m’so close,” you moaned, seeking permission from your master as the coil inside you felt like it was hanging on by a single thread. 

You didn't have to tell him—he already knew from the way you were pulsing around his cock, the sensations dragging him closer to the edge with you. 

“You can,” he managed, his voice riding the breaking point. “I want you to.”

With that, the fraying thread inside you just snapped.

“Ah- I'm- S'guru,” you cried out, your body shaking violently against his as you clutched at him for support even as he continued to mercilessly pound you through your high.

“Y/n—ngh—tell me,” he grunted, losing himself inside you. “Tell me you love me. N-need to hear you say it.”

Drowning in the pleasure, you offered no resistance and gave him exactly what he wanted.

“I love you,” you choked out, only then realizing tears were running down your face. “I love you, Suguru. I love you.” 

The sound of your voice uttering those words—those three despicable, perfect words—shattered whatever composure he had left, sending him past the point of no return as he pushed you down on his throbbing cock one final time before filling you up.

Spent, your body went limp against his chest, trembling in what you thought was the afterglow.

But he wasn’t satisfied yet. 

No, he still needed more of you. 

And not later. 

No. 

Right this fucking second. 

With no patience left to spare, his grip tightened at your waist, and your world tipped over all at once—momentum carrying you both down in a tangled rush of limbs and sheets.

Feeling hot and dazed, you barely had time to register where you’d landed before he began pounding you into the mattress near the foot of the bed, weight heavy, presence overwhelming as you were still so sensitive. 

“S'guru s'too m-much,” you gasped, equally exhausted and overstimulated by the continuation. 

“You can—hah—handle it,” he bit out, cutting off your protests with a rough, sloppy kiss before pulling back just enough to look at you. “Keep- keep saying it.” 

“I—mmph—l-love you ma-master S'guru,” you whimpered, breath hitching in your throat.  

“That's right,” he grunted, crowding further into your space, forcing your legs up and against your chest as if in a mating press. 

Folded tight beneath him, he leaned down until his forehead was pressed to yours, eyes dark with want and fixed on nothing but you. “And you’re all mine.”

“Just mine, Y/n,” he repeated, pulling his hips back and driving himself into your pliant little body again with no restraint left.  

You kept huffing out his name and soft, broken love-yous again and again between each deep, aching thrust, the sound of flesh against flesh echoing throughout the room as you neared your third taste of nirvana for the night.

He felt your nails begin to dig into his back, your fingers tangling themselves in his ruined hair as you broke beneath him once more—and he quickly followed with a groan, burying himself deep as your body clenched and spasmed around him, flooding your insides with everything he had to give.   

Both of you were flushed and breathing hard against each other when one of your hands slipped from his back onto the tousled sheets. He caught it a moment later, lacing his fingers through yours as he let your legs fall back down slowly, still keeping himself inside you as the aftershocks continued to ripple through you both.

Regaining some of his composure, he kissed your forehead, your tear-laden cheeks, your lips while gently caressing your naked, trembling body, lightly tracing his hand along your sides. 

You looked up at him, brushing a stray hair from his face with the hand that was free of his hold, “I'm sorry, master,” you murmured sleepily. “I left your hair so messy… I'll- I'll fix it in the morning.”

Ugh. You were nauseatingly adorable.  

He gave a breathy laugh before kissing you sweetly once more. 

After breaking away, he added, “you'd better stop acting so cute, or I'm never getting off you.”

“Isn't-” you swallowed, getting more and more drowsy, eyelids drooping. "Isn't that the point?”

You still managed to see the vicious smile across his face as he replied, “yes, but you can hardly keep your eyes open.”

You blinked, opening them back up slightly, trying to tune back into his words. 

“And I want you awake, feeling everything I do to you.”

He finally removed himself from inside your heat, causing your body to twitch at the sudden emptiness. You softly whimpered as he lifted you in his arms and placed you back among the pillows at the head of the bed.

He positioned himself behind you, wrapping an arm across your body as he covered the two of you with the soft bed sheets. 

“Sleep well, Y/n. We'll continue this tomorrow,” he murmured against your ear as the world went black.

 -ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

The Morning of May 4, 2017.

The sunlight of the day streamed into the room from his window, gently dancing across your intertwined bodies.

It woke him from his peaceful slumber as he lay behind you still, his arm protectively around you.

‘What a lovely sight to see first thing,’ he thought as he watched and felt the rise and fall of your chest. 

He pulled you closer, turning you over slowly to have you rest easy on his chest instead.

Luckily, you only opened your eyes for a brief moment before lazily falling back to sleep in his arms. 

He trailed circles down your back as he summoned a curse to fetch Tomoe. 

When she arrived, he instructed her to ready a bath as soon as she heard your voice from across the door. 

“Yes, my lord,” Tomoe replied softly.

“Also, ask the doctor if it’d be safe for her to travel somewhere today.”

“I’ll report back immediately.”

“Good. You may go now.”

His gaze settled on you again as he fondly recalled the way you’d told him “I love you” only a few hours before. 

Even if he had asked for it, there had to be some hidden truth there, right?

You’d said it so many times, too. Over and over. It was perfect. 

He found himself smiling at you fondly—lovingly—until a cruel, intrusive thought slipped into his mind.

Had he been the only one to hear those words?

Or had you said it to that other piece of filth as well?

He sighed, annoyed with the direction of his own thoughts.

If only he could carve that monkey out of your mind and replace every last memory with himself instead.

Wait. 

He could actually try to do that.

If he took you somewhere nice, somewhere romantic.

Might that erase some of him from your mind, little bug?

The faintest of knocks came through the door as Tomoe had returned with the doctor's response.

“My lord, Dr. Takemi said it would be safe for her to travel, so long as she isn’t stressed unnecessarily by it. The treatment should still be effective until tomorrow.”

“Have Suda prepare for my departure, then. And fetch the lady suitable attire for some time outside the estate.” 

“Right away. Excuse me,” she bowed and quickly exited the room. 

Yes, he would make you forget all about that maggot—so the next time you smiled like a woman in love, it would be for him.  

 -ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

You felt a warmth against your cheek as your eyes slowly fluttered open. 

And the first thing you saw was Geto as he peered down at you with a smile.

‘What a worrying sight to see first thing,’ you thought as you stared back up at him, blinking away your sleepy daze. 

You expected more of the same from before—for him to return to the status quo immediately after being so loving in the midnight hours.

But you were wrong this time.

He was different. Tender. Enamored.

“I’ve told them to draw up a bath for us,” he murmured, lowering himself to your lips, kissing you gently once. “Let’s put on our robes so we can go enjoy it.”

And so here you were now, being held by him from behind in the bath. Like so many times before.

“I spoke to the doctor before you woke,” he said, mindlessly tracing the curve of your shoulder with his hand. “He told me it was alright if we went somewhere today.”

Your heartbeat quickened at the possibility of leaving this place, if even only for a few hours.

“Where, Master?”

“That depends, where do you want to go? I can take you anywhere.”

“Enoshima Island? Or Yokohama, maybe? But shouldn’t the girls decide, Master?”

He smiled, kissing your temple. “We’re not taking them. This is just you and me.”

“...like on a date?” you asked, a bit stunned. Dumbfounded, really. 

He chuckled, pulling your body closer to his chest, the water of the bath moving against the two of you. “You could call it that if you’d like.”

What in the world was going on? And who the hell was this imposter sitting behind you?

“Do you have a preference, Master?” you asked, forcing your voice to remain steady even as your thoughts tangled over themselves, unsure of what version of him you were meant to respond to.

“Hmm. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Yokohama, so I wouldn’t mind a short trip there.”

“We could get the girls some souvenirs,” you added, your pulse skittering beneath your skin despite your quiet disbelief.

“Oh, they’ll be expecting it, don’t you worry,” he laughed against your hair. “Now let’s hurry this up so we can be on our way.”

“Yes, Master,” was all you could manage, still unsure of whether to trust this suspicious and sudden change in character.

You feared what version of him might await you by nightfall.  

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

June 4, 2017

Despite his kinder, more lenient demeanor since your ‘date’, life at the estate continued on as it always had.  

You had a scheduled medical exam with Dr. Takemi the following week. Only this time, your appointment would be at the newly finished clinic that Geto’s living banks had financed,  including the ever-foolish and recently deceased Mr. Tanaka.

“He never did learn to keep his mouth shut,” Suda had said to Geto after the fact.

Poor man.   

To ease your mind ahead of the impending examinations, you’d asked Geto if you could spend some time with the girls instead of attending the meetings of the day with him. 

“You may, so long as they want you around, pet” was what he had replied before returning his attention back to Suda’s preliminary report.

Thankfully, Mimiko and Nanako were receptive to the idea.

Walking into their room behind you, Tomoe left a small tray of cut fruit and tea before excusing herself, reminding you to eat while you spent time with the girls.

“I will,” you politely replied. “Thank you.” 

“We just got a few pictures from Geto-sama’s camera printed. Want to see them?” Nanako asked while you sat. 

“Sure, I’d love to,” you replied warmly, placing your hands in your lap.

After showing you the more recent photos, the twins grew rather nostalgic and fished out the photo scrapbooks they’d been keeping for themselves and their father. It held years of memories with Geto and their other found family members.     

“This one’s from when we were eleven or twelve,” Mimiko said.

“You two were very cute,” you commented, smiling brightly.

“Were? You mean still are!” Nanako corrected you.

You laughed, holding your hands up in mock defense. “You’re right, my mistake.”

“Hey, this was when we visited Sendai looking for a cursed spirit,” Mimiko said, scanning the image. “Right, Nanako?”

“Oh yeah. It was for one of those centipede-looking curses. I also remember the kikufuku was delicious.”

You nodded in agreement with her final comment, adding your own experience to the conversation. 

"Their specialty flavor was my favorite when I visited with a friend.”

“You’ve been there, too, huh? What about Osaka?”  Nanako asked. 

“Haven’t been there. How was it?”

“It had some really fun shops with cute dolls and clothes,” Mimiko answered for her sister, passing you the album so you could get a better look.

“Show her the ones in Dotonbori,” Nanako added while typing something on her phone.

After seeing all the places they’d traveled to with Geto, they flipped to the last pages of one of the albums as you stood up from your seat to serve yourself a plate of sliced fruit and a cup of tea.  

“Oh, this is when Geto-sama was in that horrible school, Jujutsu High. He’s probably our age here.”

“What was this one’s name again, Mimiko?” Nanako asked, pointing at a figure on the page. 

“Gojo something, I think?” she replied, squinting at the image.

‘Huh, I guess that's a pretty common surname…,’ you thought, the name echoing faintly in your mind as you sat back down, setting the plate on your lap and the cup of tea on the side table.

“Ohhhh yeah—that’s right. Now I remember,” Nanako said, snapping her fingers in realization. “His name's Satoru Gojo.”

Your eyes went wide as the strawberry in your hands slipped from your fingers, landing back on the plate. Somehow, the girls didn’t seem to notice. And why would they? Their focus was on their father, commenting to each other how they preferred the way he loosely wore his hair now.

Meanwhile, your world was falling apart. 

“Look y/n. This is Geto with his best…”

The girls’ words had faded into the background as a dull, persistent ringing overtook your ears. 

No way.

Your gaze locked onto the photograph as if staring long enough might change what it showed—two teenage boys standing side by side, frozen in a different time. Both in similar uniforms, but opposite colored hair. 

No fucking way.

Your breath turned shallow as your mind scrambled for alternatives, an explanation for this unbelievable truth that made some sense. Coincidence. A twin brother. Anything. 

There’s no way this can be happening. 

But it was.

Because right there, on the page of an album filled with your master’s life was his best friend and your Satoru Gojo, with his white hair, sky-blue eyes, and familiar grin. 

The image began to tremble in your gaze as the world around you tilted in every direction, leaving you dizzy and faint. 

“Y/n, are you alright?” 

You could hear the girls' worried voices, but they both sounded distant. Muffled, as if you were underwater. You tried to answer, to steady yourself, but nothing was making sense anymore.

“Mgh, Sa-sato...” 

The plate slid from your lap as you toppled forward in your seat. You numbly felt arms circle around you, holding you up before you could hit the floor.

“Go get Geto-sama—go get Suda!”

Those were the last audible words you heard before the world slipped out from under you and went dark. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Geto leaned his weight onto a wooden armrest at his side, chin propped in his hand. The support allowed him to sprawl out comfortably across the raised platform in the room with one leg folded beneath him while the other was lazily stretched out. 

From that position, he listened with half-lidded eyes, boredom evident in his posture as his followers’ reports continued on below him. 

And without you here sitting beside him, he had nothing to distract himself with from the monotony of it all.

What did it matter if he failed to listen anyway? Suda was writing everything down, and she’d summarize the important parts for him later. 

He groaned internally, trying to readjust his focus when the doors slid open abruptly, and the sound of Nanako's panicked voice cut through the room. 

“Geto! Suda!” she yelled, standing in the doorway, chest heaving and hands clenched at her sides. 

The meeting immediately came to a standstill. 

“Something's happened,” she said, swallowing hard, catching her breath. “Something’s happened to y/n.”

He was on his feet before she could say anything else, moving as quickly as he could toward the girls’ room.

Suda and Nanako followed closely behind, doing their best to keep up.

You were slumped against Mimiko’s shoulder when he arrived, still unconscious, skin worryingly pale.

The sight of you like this made something in his chest tighten, ears ringing as panic threatened to show across his facial features. 

But he had to bury and ignore it for now.

“We were just looking at pictures when she suddenly collapsed. We aren’t sure why,” Mimiko quickly explained as he gathered you into his arms.

Fuck. 

Why were you so cold?  

Without hesitation, he summoned one of his fastest cursed spirits and mounted the creature in one fluid motion, ordering it toward the clinic.

Dr. Takemi and his team of nurses were already outside, waiting for his and your arrival—Suda had seen to that. 

Geto placed you on the clinic bed, watching as the medical team immediately rushed you off to a room out of his view. 

“I’ll keep you informed. Please wait here while we figure out what’s going on,” Dr. Takemi firmly requested, running behind the team after you. 

The quiet of the waiting room was deafening as the adrenaline of the moment slowly drained out of his body.

He slumped down into one of the chairs, attempting to quell his racing heart by placing his head against the cold, hard wall. 

Should he fear the worst? 

Had something gone fatally wrong during your treatments?

Were you going to die?

His breaths grew heavier, more labored, all of a sudden as the mere possibility of your death crossed his mind. 

It shook him to his very core, his body reacting viscerally to the idea of losing you forever. 

He placed his head in between his hands as he hunched over in his seat, hopelessly trying to calm himself down. 

What the hell would he do if you were gone?

‘There was no replacing you,’ he thought, swallowing hard.

The feelings you were evoking in him made him feel vulnerable and painfully human. So much so that, amidst the worry clawing at his insides, there was also a growing anger.   

How had you managed to sink your teeth into him like this, made him this pathetically obsessed with having you—a weak, normal little bug?

He huffed out a dry, broken laugh as the truth he’d already come to terms with pressed harder against his chest.

This whole thing—this so-called experiment for the cause—had only ever been an excuse to take you as his own.

Why else would he jeopardize everything he believed in, martyr himself a hypocrite, and bend his doctrine for a mere woman?

Fuck.

It didn’t even matter that you weren’t worthy of the world he was trying to build.

He just wanted you in it.

With him.

Until his dying breath.

He’d known that for weeks now.

And this sickening dread at the mere thought of losing you proved just how deeply these accursed feelings had taken root.

He stood up abruptly and began to impatiently pace back and forth, no longer able to keep himself entirely still. 

Looking at the clock, he noted that forty minutes had already somehow passed by—without even a whisper of anyone bringing news. 

Should he go looking for someone to demand answers?

‘No, he shouldn't do that,’ he attempted to rationalize. 

But—why was it taking so long?

Just what was going on with you that required so much time?

He looked up at the clock again. Forty-five minutes had passed now.

To hell with it.

He was just about to act on his thoughts when he heard rushed footsteps approaching the waiting area. 

“How is she?” he immediately asked.

“She is doing just fine, Master Geto,” the nurse reassured. “It seems like she might be slightly anemic, and that might’ve caused her to faint.”

A wave of relief washed over him at the news. 

“Dr. Takemi wants to keep her overnight for observations just to be safe, but he’d like to speak to you in his office before you leave.”

His hand twitched.

Leave? Not a chance. 

“Couldn’t I stay with her overnight?”

“Oh, uhm,” the nurse paused, seemingly stunned by the affection implied by his request. “I’m sure Dr. Takemi would sign off on it if you mentioned it to him. Please let me walk you to his office.”

“I’d rather you show me to her room first,” Geto replied, his tone serious and edged with something that left no room for argument.

“A-ah, of course. R-right this way.”

The nurse led him to your room, where the staff eventually brought in a more comfortable reclining seat for him to sit and sleep on during your stay.

Only after ensuring you were safe and settled did he step out to speak with Dr. Takemi in his office. For added protection, he left a cursed spirit by your side while he was away—not that it would do much good anyway, but he wasn't entirely thinking rationally at the time.   

The conversation didn't reveal anything new, as the good doctor was still trying to identify the underlying cause of your anemia. He explained that several tests had already been run on you, but that the results would take some time to acquire—and there was no rushing that process, as much as Geto wished he could. 

“I should have more definitive information for you tomorrow. The IV we have her on should help pick up her levels quickly. But she's stable and doing okay, so there's no cause for alarm.” 

“I appreciate your diligence, doctor,” he replied.

“Of course. If you need anything tonight, just let one of the nurses know. Or call me, and I’ll be here in a flash.” 

After returning to the room, he gently kissed your forehead. Grateful that, so far, everything pointed to you being just fine—and far away from death's door. 

“Rest well, my beloved,” he murmured in your ear before moving towards his seat for the night, positioning himself where he could clearly watch the steady rise and fall of your chest.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈     

June 5, 2017

The sun’s bright, morning rays spilled into the room, disturbing your sleep and slowly coaxing you awake just as another familiar presence came in to finish the job. 

“Hey sleepyhead, want to get up so we can catch breakfast?”

“No,” you murmured, turning and burrowing yourself deeper into the bed’s blanket.

“C’mon I got this great new place I want you to try. I know you’ll love it.”    

“It’s your fault I’m lazy to begin with,” you replied, giggling as he poked at your sides to coax you out of bed.

“Keep it up and I’m going to start calling you a brat instead of princess.”

“But no one’s a bigger brat than you, Satoru,” you smirked before allowing him to bribe you with a loving kiss.

Wait… 

Satoru?

No—this was wrong. 

Your eyes fluttered as you stirred from sleep, a familiar voice breaking through the haze—and it was calling out your name.

“Y/n, hey. Can you hear me?”

“S-Ssa?” you barely mumbled when the person behind the voice slowly came into view.

“I’m here, pet,” he replied, grabbing hold of one of your hands, leaning over while seated in a chair next to the clinic bed. 

“Ah, M-master. Where?” you turned to look around you, slightly confused. 

“We’re at the clinic. Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

Your head began to throb as the memories—the realization—of Satoru’s identity came tumbling back. In an attempt to steady yourself, you moved your unoccupied hand to cup your forehead. You felt the tug of an IV attached to it. 

“It’s fuzzy,” you lied. “What’s this for?” 

“You were with the girls and fainted. I’ve been told it was likely caused by low iron levels. That should be helping.” 

“Oh? That must've been so scary for them. Are they okay?” 

“They’re fine. Just worried about you.” He answered before adding, “as was I.”

Fuck. 

Were you in for a punishment after this? It had been a while since the last time and things had been mostly calm between the two of you lately, but… the fertility treatments were over now, so he could start up again.

Damn it.   

Best to apologize. 

“I didn’t mean to cause you such trouble…” you murmured. “Sorry, Master.” 

“I’m just glad you’re alright,” he squeezed your hand. “Does your head hurt?”

“Mmm.”

“I’ll go let them know so they can bring you something for that,” he replied, releasing your hand from his grasp.

‘Why was he being so attentive? How serious was your condition?’ you questioned, but the thoughts quickly faded in the face of a greater worry. 

‘Oh god, what am I going to do about Satoru?’ you groaned out loud, grimacing from the ever present throbbing pain in your head. ‘And what would happen if Geto found out the truth?’

It was good that you weren’t hooked up to a heart monitor or it might’ve been going haywire right now. 

Before you could fully panic about the situation, Geto returned with a nurse. 

She clicked a button, causing the head rest of your bed to rise—essentially forcing you to sit up. 

“Hi sweetheart, I’m nurse Araki. I’ve brought you some water and medicine for that headache alright?”

She handed you the pills and a cup of water. You gulped them down quickly, hoping they would help. It quenched a thirst you hadn’t realized was there also. 

All the while, she was checking your IV bag. She looked over at Geto as she spoke. “Everything is still looking good here. Dr. Takemi will be by to check in with you two in about twenty minutes.”

Before exiting the room she added, “if you need anything else, please let us know. Feel better, sweetheart.”

“Thank you for asking, Master,” you said after she left. 

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” 

The word sounded so wrong coming from his lips—foreign, misplaced.

Had he not liked the nurse calling you that?

Or was this a part of some new, weird form of mental punishment? 

“I must be hallucinating,” you mumbled accidentally out loud, forgetting yourself. 

“What? Why do you say that?” he asked, leaning over you on the bed. He actually looked worried, concerned by the implication of your words. 

“Ah, well… you’ve never said that to me, Master.” 

“So the nurse can say it, but I can’t?” he snapped, eyes narrowing as he still hovered over you, hands holding onto the bedrails. 

You felt the panic rise up in your chest. 

Fuck. 

Not good. 

“That’s not what I- I just mean… you usually use p-pet or b-bug,” you answered, stumbling on your words.

He sighed, moving away and returning to his seat, fingers tightening briefly against the armrest. 

“While you’re correct, I don’t enjoy hearing others say such things to you,” he said, tone even despite the obvious irritation beneath it. “So do not allow yourself to be pampered by anyone else from here on out.”

What an impossible request. He was just as insane as ever.

Still, you nodded, choosing not to test him over something so trivial and childish.  

“Then… what should I have others call me?” you asked quietly.

“Mrs. Geto should work just fine.” 

He must have seen the astonished look on your face because he quickly added, “if I allowed two monkeys the privilege to say and believe it, why not also those I consider worthy?”

You weren't quite sure how to respond to that, so you mumbled a soft, “that’s true…” before agreeing to his demand. 

“I’ll do as you say, Master. But I can’t control people…”

“No, you can’t,” he replied evenly. “But tell me who refuses, and I’ll change their mind.”

He didn’t have to elaborate for you to understand what he meant.

You sighed and closed your eyes for a moment, still plagued by your headache, waiting impatiently for the medication to kick in as you rubbed your temples. 

As a result, a moment of silence passed between the two of you. It was so loud that even the quiet tick-tok, tik-tok of the clock on the wall was audible. 

“The girls told me they were showing you their picture albums,” he suddenly ventured. 

Your heartbeat began to race at the mention of the real reason you had fainted, unbeknownst to him. 

“Yes, they were,” you quietly answered, trying to remain outwardly calm and composed—using the headache and your hand as cover. 

“Did you enjoy them?”

“Mmm, it was nice seeing Mimiko and Nanako grow up beside you. Nanako got after me for saying they looked cute when they were younger.”

“Is that right?”

“She was mad because my words implied they weren’t cute now.”

He chuckled quietly, leaning his chin against his knuckles as he sat beside your bed, elbow propped on the armrest. You could tell he was amused by the exchange.  

“I corrected myself immediately after, so all was forgiven,” you awkwardly laughed yourself, nerves simmering down. 

“That’s just like Nanako,” he smiled. “I’m glad you were able to fix things. She wouldn’t have let it go if you didn’t.”

“I bet,” you smiled back at him, adjusting your blankets slightly. 

“Did you get to the end of the album? There’s a few pictures of me back in Jujutsu High.”

Panic resurfaced, heartbeat thrumming in your ears. 

Should you lie and say no?

But what if the girls had told him you’d seen the pictures before fainting?

He couldn’t blame you if you misremembered something now, could he?

‘Say something, you’re taking too long to respond!’ you yelled at yourself internally. 

“We-” you had just started to say when a knock came through the door.

Knock-knock.

“Enter,” Geto responded. 

In walked Dr. Takemi, who nodded in Geto’s direction before proceeding to inquire on your health. “So, how’s the patient feeling?”

“Better. I had a bit of a headache, but it's calming down now.” you shyly replied, trying to regain your composure. “Sorry for all the fuss.”

“No apologies necessary. I’m glad you’re feeling better. That’s our priority here,” he reassured before continuing on.

“I’m not sure how much Geto has told you, but you had some pretty low iron levels. Given the strict diet you’ve been on for the treatment, we couldn’t quite figure out why at first, so we decided to run a series of tests.”

Dr. Takemi paused briefly, giving you both a moment to process his words.

“Once all the results came back, we were able to determine the cause of your anemia and fainting spell,” he said with a smile, clapping his hands together once before adding, “and it’s actually good news.”

He glanced between you and Geto’s puzzled expressions before finally saying,

“Congratulations. You’re pregnant.”

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

June 6, 2017.

Tomoe sat quietly in the meeting room along with all the other servants, waiting for Suda to give a report on some “urgent and important news.” At least that’s as much as anyone had heard. Though, no one had seen you in almost two days now, so they suspected it had something to do with you. 

Tomoe had grown a bit worried for your sake, but ultimately she trusted that Geto would not kill you. However, hurting you was a different story. She hoped with all her heart that wasn't the case—that you were okay.  

Finally, Suda formally began the meeting. 

“As of today, there are going to be several changes to the Lady’s diet plan. Along with that, she may no longer participate in certain activities that might lead to injury.”

‘No. No way.’ Tomoe thought, tensing up as realization set in.  

The room remained quiet, every servant listening intently to Suda’s words as she continued.

“She is now in a delicate condition and carrying Lord Geto’s child.”

‘Damn it. It's not fair,’ Tomoe thought, almost trembling with anger. 

“That means we must safeguard her needs and ensure that nothing impacts the health of this pregnacy.”

After all she had done to keep this from happening? That monster was still getting what he wanted. 

He didn’t deserve it.

He didn’t deserve you.

Or happiness.

Or anything good in this world.

Because he had taken everything in hers. 

After the meeting had concluded, Tomoe was able to go to her quarters. She felt cold, numb the entire walk back. 

As soon as the the door closed behind her, she sank to the floor, cupping her face into her hands. Tears of rage and sadness streamed down her cheeks as her body shook all over. Only now she didn’t have to hide it.

Thoughts of her family filled her head.

The one Suguru Geto murdered for being unable to see cursed spirits. 

For being ‘monkeys.’

She clawed at her sides, doubling over as her blood boiled on the inside.

No.

No. No. No!

She couldn’t let this happen.

It wasn’t fair that he would get a family, a lover, a child.

Not when he’d selfishly plucked you from the world, from your entire life.  

Oh, how she had pitied you since the day you arrived. 

You were innocent, ignorant and unaware of cursed spirits—just like her parents and brother had been, only they fell victim to a religious cult that went too far and killed a young girl.

The Children of the Star.

How had her family gotten mixed up in something like that when she’d left home?

She sobbed, remembering the day Geto invaded with all his cursed spirits during one of her visits home. In a sick irony, only she had been the one to see them coming.  

In the end, her family’s naïvety had cost them their lives and her freedom as she’d sworn to serve him in order to atone for their sins.     

And though she acted like the perfect servant, following order after order, inside she was full of vitriol and a need for revenge.

Already, she had been doing everything in her power to keep his selfish wants from becoming reality, sabotaging the pills and injections they’d unjustly forced upon you.

Ultimately, her efforts hadn’t been enough after that damn doctor had gotten involved. 

But that wouldn’t stop her now.

No, she had to take it a step further so that bastard could feel even a fraction of the pain and grief he’d inflicted upon her and so many others—including you. 

Crawling on the ground, she pulled up a floor panel to reveal a hidden compartment. In it was a box filled with herbs she had acquired not long after you’d arrived. 

Staring at the product that would bring about his misery, she could only hope that this necessary evil wouldn’t break you.

‘Please don’t get attached to it my lady,’ she thought, clutching the herbs to her chest. ‘This is the only way I can save you from him and this horrid place.’  

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈