The Awakening {Gojo & Sukuna x Reader.}

☾︎18☽︎

They stood up, and Y/N stepped back into a fighting stance.

"The best way to defend..." Geto started, waiting for her to finish the well-known phrase.

"Is to attack," she responded, launching forward in a direct punch to his face.

He caught her wrist effortlessly, gripping it tight enough to make her gasp. Instinctively, she used her other hand to push against his elbow, trying to break free.

"You're exposed," he stated flatly before delivering a swift strike to her stomach. The force sent her stumbling, but she grabbed onto his wrist at the last second. Using the momentum, she twisted it behind his back and sprang upward, aiming a knee jab to his spine—only for him to counter by gripping her mid-air and slamming her body against the hard rocks below.

A sharp cry escaped her lips as pain surged through her back. She coughed violently, her senses spinning from the sudden impact.

"I'm going easy on you," he remarked, watching her struggle to rise.

Her head pounded, her back aching, but she pushed herself onto her toes, hands pressed firmly against the ground. She needed to be faster. This time, she shot toward him like a bullet, throwing a rock mid-charge to distract him. He dodged it with ease.

She aimed a kick at his side, then a punch to his ribs—each one blocked with precision. His movements were calm, fluid, too fast for her to land a single strike.

"Speed isn't everything," he said. "Analyze my moves, then anticipate them. Now, I'll strike your face."

She barely had time to process before he moved. But this time, she dodged just in time.

"Stomach."

She braced her elbow against his oncoming fist, slightly twisting her waist to redirect the attack.

"Back."

He vanished. She sensed him behind her—too close. With a split-second reaction, she dropped into a crouch, narrowly avoiding his attack.

"See? You did it easily." His voice carried amusement, but she scowled. He had guided her the entire time—without his verbal cues, she wouldn't have reacted fast enough.

"Walk through the river on your way home. Do the same tomorrow," he instructed.

She bowed slightly in appreciation before heading toward the shallow stream. Running through water was exhausting. But it would increase her stamina and speed. By the time she reached home two hours later, her legs were burning.

Still, she wasn't done. She turned to Shizi, the doll Gojo had cursed her with. Imagining it as Geto, she practiced dodging, anticipating its strikes rather than simply reacting. Slowly, she gained the upper hand.

Geto's much stronger and prettier...

She shook her head to clear the thought and continued training. After an hour, she collapsed on top of Shizi, using it as an unwilling mattress. Her stomach ached—she hadn't eaten since Gojo's birthday, but strangely, she wasn't hungry.

"Perfection, huh..." she mumbled, sniffling.

Tears came unexpectedly as she curled against the doll and let sleep take over.

The Next Day

She prepared lunch for Geto, dressing in loose athletic shorts and a hoodie to make running through the river easier. Halfway through, her legs were already sore. Running in water was grueling, but she pushed through.

I don't even question myself anymore... Why am I listening to a stranger so easily?

She sighed and pressed forward. I just have to be stronger than him.