REVENGE「GOJO SATORU X OC」

TWENTY-FOUR

╔⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╗

Chapter Twenty-Four: Blessing In Disguise

╚⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╝

NATHAN gazed down at the candles, the lighter in his hand glinting from the light of the flames. His honey-colored eyes were half-lidded, his mind wandering away from the present. He could only think about the words he'd said to his sister, and the way she'd initially reacted when she saw him. It was just like all of the other times. She acted as if nothing had happened.

"So why are we sitting in the middle of a church?" Gojo's voice filled the air, making the teenager snap from his thoughts.

Nathan turned his head to look at him. "It's the only place that Aki can get into without having a demon following her."

"That man," Fushiguro said, his arms crossed over his chest. "Was he the demon?"

"Probably not the one that was making everything in the room shake," Nathan replied. "That was probably only his distraction."

"So how long do we have to sit here?" Itadori asked.

"Until Aki gets here," Nathan said, turning back to the candles.

However, a frown spread across his lips. He went to finish lighting the candles, only to find that the lighter was no longer in his hand. He looked over the table, thinking he may have set it down unconsciously.

His head snapped to the side when he heard the metal spark together. He flicked his gaze from the flame, his shoulders relaxing at the face that was illuminated. She stepped forward, making everyone look over at the sound of her steps.

"That was fast," Gojo commented, his arms draped over the back of one of the pews.

"He ran away from me," Aki replied, standing in front of the table as she finished lighting the rest of the candles. "I guess I hit him too hard, and he wasn't very happy."

"Aki, your head is bleeding."

"I know."

"Don't you think you should...I don't know, clean it?" Itadori asked.

"I will later," She brushed him off. "For now, I need all of you to listen to me. That man's name is Marius Dragavei, and he is my uncle. He used to be a demon hunter until he abandoned us and let everyone get killed. He was automatically stripped of his title. However, he still possesses all of his previous skills. And because of that, he is wrangling demons together and using them as his pawns. He is trying to play Satana. I don't understand his reasonings, but from what I've gathered, he's been using demons to infect himself."

"So he's no longer human?" Nathan asked.

"Not anymore," She sighed, wincing as she sat down at one of the pews. "Which means that it's now my job to kill him."

"Aki, what's the matter?" Gojo asked, making Nathan glance at him.

The woman didn't reply. Her gaze was set on the floor, strands of her hair slipping from over her shoulders. Her arms were draped between her legs. It was then that Nathan noticed how bruised and swollen her left hand was. He looked to her right, watching blood trickle from the gash in her palm.

Gojo walked around Nathan, kneeling down in front of her. He reached out, sliding his hand over her cheek as he lifted her head. Her gaze was hazy and unfocused, her eyes half-lidded. Blood ran down the side of her face from the wound on her head.

"What's wrong with her?" Kugisaki asked, worry lacing her voice.

"Infection," Nathan said suddenly.

"Infection?" Gojo echoed.

"God, Aki," Nathan whispered, his shoulders dropping as his eyebrows laced together. "Don't tell me..."

She grinned a bit, though it seemed weak. "Știi ce să faci."

"Gojo, do you still have that bottle of holy water?" Nathan asked, easing him away from the woman.

"Here," He took it from his pocket, placing it into the palm of Nathan's hand.

"Aki, I hate you for this," Nathan whispered.

The moment Aki tried to get up, Nathan shoved her back down into the seat. Gojo took a step back out of surprise, his arm extending out towards the other three. Nathan grunted as he wrestled around with Aki, forcing her arms away. He grabbed her chin and snapped her head back.

There was a large wound on her neck. It oozed with blood, and it looked almost as if her blood was beginning to turn black. Her skin was slashed—no—it was torn to shreds. Like some kind of animal had mauled her throat.

Nathan lifted the vial to his lips, tearing the cork out with his teeth. He put his thumb over the hole when Aki shoved him back, causing him to hit the table, knocking the flame away from a few candles. He cursed under his breath.

"What's going on?" Kugisaki yelled.

"Marius set her up to be attacked!" Nathan yelled back, rolling to the side to avoid being struck by his sister. "That's why she gave Gojo to holy water! She knew he was going to send a demon after her!"

"Isn't she supposed to be immune to this stuff?" Fushiguro asked.

"This has happened more than once!" Nathan grunted, swiping her feet from under her.

He tackled her onto the floor, pouring the liquid over her throat. She cried out sharply, her face scrunching up in pain. Nathan held her down, dropping the bottle as he placed his hand over her head, smoothing her hair down. He wiped the sweat forming on her forehead away.

"Demon hunters are resilient, but it doesn't mean they're immune," Nathan explained. "If this were you or me, we'd be turned already. This has happened four times already. And it hurts like hell. She's going to be running a fever for the next few days."

"Dă-te de pe mine," She rasped, hitting his chest lightly.

"Trebuie sa te odihnesti," Nathan said, rising from her chest. He grabbed her arms and pulled her onto his feet. He slid one of her arms around his shoulders, holding her up with his other hand on her side. "Gojo, is it alright for her to stay with you?"

"Atinge-mă și mori," She grumbled as Gojo wrapped his arm around her waist, taking Nathan's place.

"Yeah, yeah," He said. "Grumble at me all you want. I don't even know what you're saying, so I'm not going to listen to you."

"Bastard."

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that," Gojo said. "Your accent is too thick for me to understand."

"You are infuriating, sorcerer," She mumbled.

"Well, you don't have very many options," He said, pausing as he repositioned his hold on her, lifting her into his arms. "Let's get you home, you drunkard."

"Du-te dracului."

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶