Sweet Dreams | Jujutsu Kaisen

♡ | Changing Fate | SuguYume

Notes: I present to thee, another fic I wrote as a coping mechanism because volume 0 messed me up and I couldn't handle it so I changed it. Boom. Alternate ending AU!

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Panic. That was the only thing the girl could feel as she walked the streets, the soft glow of the moon and a faint trace of cursed energy being her only guide.

Just what was it that had taken place here? Suguru Geto was smart, there was no doubt about that. He knew what he was doing, he knew his own limits. And yet, she couldn't seem to shake the feeling of pure uneasiness that had formed and twisted itself into the pit of her stomach. It felt almost suffocating. She had only been on the move for a short while, and yet it had felt like an eternity. Each minute that passed by feeling longer than the last as the fear set in. Her mind repeating the same question over and over again like a broken record as her pace began to quicken. "Where is he?"

As if somehow sensing the woman's distress in that moment, the cursed spirit that resided within her seemed to awaken. With the traces of cursed energy growing ever stronger, it became clear that they were getting close to their destination. Yet her only concern, given the woman's current state, was what they would find when they got there. Knowing this, she wasted no time in having one of her eyes appear upon her cheek, using it to her advantage as she began to examine the area around her. And sure enough, there, just outside of her vessel's field of vision, was a darkened alleyway that the moonlight barely touched. Had she not been so on guard from the situation at hand, it would have easily been missed. 

Upon seeing this, as if on instinct, the cursed spirit made a rare, spur of the moment decision. The woman stopped in her tracks immediately as various black markings began to appear on her skin, her consciousness slowly fading. Out of respect for her vessel, the curse had made it a point to never switch without permission, or a simple game of rock paper scissors. But this, was a very different case. It was the only thing she could think to do. There was no denying that Ayume was a strong individual. She wouldn't have accepted her as her vessel otherwise. Yet she could be vulnerable, emotions often getting the better of her. Especially when it came to him. Rui knew this better than anyone, and the horrific sight before her would have surely broken her far more than anything else ever could. "Sorry, Yume... You don't need to see this." She muttered, though silently hoping that her words went unheard by the curse user.

There, leaned against the cold, stone wall was none other than Suguru Geto. The very man that they had been searching for, bloodied and beaten. The entire right side of his body practically obliterated. The moment the two had learned of the man's disappearance shortly after his fight with that jujutsu sorcerer, Yuta Okkotsu, Rui had known something was off. But now, seeing him there at death's door, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at best. How could one be so careless? If he didn't value his own life, at the very least, he should value the heart of the one who did. 

"The hell are you doing, Geto? You look like crap." Upon hearing the woman's voice, the man slowly raised his head, eyes moving up to meet her gaze. It was clear that his mind wasn't fully there at that point, seemingly in some sort of daze as he spoke. Truth be told, he had thought that anyone who found him would have been there to put an end to him. "Ayume....?" 

"I suppose it can't be helped..." Rui began, ignoring his previous question, knowing full well that the markings present on her features would be a dead giveaway as to who it was he was speaking to. "If you died, you'd be taking her with you. And we certainly can't have that, now can we?" She let out a deep sigh before approaching him, kneeling down so as to get a better look at his condition. It would no doubt take up a significant amount of cursed energy to heal wounds this severe, but fortunately for him, there was no shortage of such things when it came to the Lady of Seals. What was important now was that it could be done. Though she was going to need an extra long nap afterwards, and she most definitely would not be disturbed.

"Sorry... I guess I was a little in over my head, huh?" Suguru said, letting out a somewhat forced chuckle as he leaned his head back against the now bloodied wall. Upon hearing this, the curse tore her attention off the man's wounds for a brief moment, only to send him a glare. "Save it for when we're done here. I'm not the one who needs to here that." Though there was still a hint of annoyance present in her voice, her gaze had softened ever so slightly as she heard him mutter a small thank you. It was strange to admit, but she couldn't help but feel relieved that they had managed to get to him before anyone else did, or better yet, before he ended up bleeding out. The fact he hadn't being a miracle in and of itself. 

It didn't take long for the cursed spirit to finish her work. Despite the energy it had taken, healing a human was mere child's play to one who has lived as long as she has. The man in question now looking much better than he had been just moments prior. His missing arm had been practically healed to perfection, along with the rest of him that had suffered damage, and the initial shock of such an experience seemed to be wearing off. The worse he'd suffer now was fatigue, and whatever mental scars this may cause later. As for Rui, her job there was done. She could only hope that Ayume wouldn't be too shaken once she retreated back into the corners of her soul.

It took a moment for the woman to register what had just taken place as the markings on her face began to fade. Though with Suguru smiling in front of her, not a scratch to be seen despite the various traces of blood and his disheveled appearance, she didn't have to ask. It took everything she had not to break down into tears right then and there. 

Whether it was out of fear for what would've happened had they gotten there a moment later, relief that he was alive and breathing, or simple tears of joy that he was still there, she wasn't sure. It felt as though she was being hit by every emotion imaginable all at once. And yet, she managed to keep her cool for his sake. He'd been through hell, and the last thing he needed was to see her cry. So instead, she smiled, that same smile she'd give him every time he'd enter the room. But he knew better than that. "I'm ok." Those two words were all she needed to hear as he pulled her into his arms. She tried. She tried so hard not to cry. But she was no longer able to hold back the tears as she buried her face into his shoulder.

Nothing else needed to be said in that moment as the two sat in silence in one another's embrace. Perhaps she'd scold him later for his recklessness, but for now, despite this cruel twist of fate, they had survived. And in the end that was the only thing that mattered.

"Come on..." She said, attempting to compose herself as she wiped the tears from her cheeks before swinging his now healed arm over her shoulder. She helped him off the ground, giving him a moment to steady himself before beginning to walk him out of the alleyway. "Let's go home."