𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐭 | ＧＯＪＯ

41: Hardest Goodbye

"Congratulations it's a boy!"
Everything's black. Why can't I see?

The tender whimpers of a baby cry echoed in your ears.
Yuna?
"He's so beautiful Satoru, did you both have a name?"
That smell, it's so familiar. The scent of Jasmine, warm and sweet.
"Natsu"

...

"Hey, come on! Don't scare me, wake up!" an anxiety riddled voice rang clearly in your eardrums. Your eyelids flickered open, everything was hazy like your mind was stuck in a thick fog.
"Natsu?" You coughed, phlegm releasing from your throat finally allowing you to take a proper breath.
"Y/n, thank god" a dark figure sat hunched over you with their arms cradling you delicately. You squinted your lids to try and focus your sight, finally the outline was coming to you.
Messy white strands covering his forehead, icy blue eyes wide with worry, dried tears on his cheek.
You lifted your hand up to stroke the liquid away. "My Satoru"

He caressed your hair lovingly for a moment. Natsu.. who's Natsu? He wouldn't press you about it now, it wasn't the time.
Your mind finally started to collect itself. "Satoru where's Yuna? Is she ok? And Yuta, oh my god! Suguru was here a-and I tried t-to". He hushed you gently. "Yuna and Yuta are just fine, Shoko's dealing with Yuta's wounds now"

"And Suguru?"

Satoru pursed his lips. "I wasn't far from you when the two cursed energies hit. The destruction headed right towards you. Suguru.. he jumped in front. He.. he saved you". A lump formed in your throat and you couldn't swallow it down. Even after everything, he risked his own life to save yours.

"He's alive.. but he slipped away. I can sense that he's not far from here. There's a blood trail giving his location"
You motioned for Satoru to let go so you could stand. Pressing your palms into the dirt you pushed yourself into an upright position, wobbling for a moment and resting a hand on his muscular arm for balance.
"We've got to go after him"
He shook his head reverently. "Absolutely not y/n, you need to get your injuries tended to. I'll see to him on my own." You gritted your teeth in frustration. "Stop being a protective ass Gojo, he's a part of me whether you like it or not. We deal with this together, once and for all"

The tall male in front of you half smiled. There it was, that famous stubborn streak of yours that he loved so much. "Last naming me huh? Ouch" he chuckled, wrapping his arm around your shoulder playfully.
"Fine, let's do this. Me and you"

㊕

"Down here" Gojo gestured to a dark alleyway. You'd been walking for a mere five minutes, following crimson blood smeared across the pavement. The amount of blood made your stomach knot, it was clear he was very badly wounded, if not mortally.
You didn't want to think about it.
A life without Suguru in it didn't bare thinking about. At least before this disaster you knew he was alive, somewhere. This couldn't be the end, it just couldn't.

You gulped down the saliva gathering in the back of your throat. Satoru extended his hand to you and you took it in yours. A united front to face the inevitable.

"Late as usual, Satoru"

A strained voice exuded from the shadows, you could just about make out his form. You audibly gasped, a hand instinctively coming to your mouth in pure shock. There he was, drenched in scarlet blood, his left arm completely removed. You turned away, tears bawling down your cheeks and bile filling the back of your throat.

"How poetic, both of you here at my end". His strained eyes wandered over to you, that kind old smile crinkling the corners of his lips like it used to.
"Will you look after my family?" He asked. "Your family got out and escaped to Kyoto. Tell me, the elementary school. Was that your doing?"
He nodded slowly. "It was"

"You are unbelievable" Satoru looked on at him, to all that didn't know him he'd appear emotionless but you knew better. Those intoxicating aqua eyes told a different story, one of hurt and betrayal. Ten years of anger, sadness, jealously all pointed to this healing moment.
"Any last words?"

You managed to turn back to the pair once more, you needed to remember his face. Your first love, they say it always hits hardest.
"Come closer Satoru, just you"

Gojo glanced over to you, he instinctively knew you'd be worried about the request. "I'll be fine"
Slowly he walked towards his best friend, crouching at his side.
With Satoru kneeling down, you couldn't quite see what was happening but honestly you didn't try to look further. This moment already hurt to much.
With his one hand Suguru grabbed a silver chain wrapped around his neck and snapped it loose. He dangled it in front of Satoru who took it in his palm.

Laced onto the thin metal was a ring, the most unusually beautiful ring Gojo had ever laid eyes on. The jewel encrusted onto its surface was dark ebony and cut perfectly square.
"I've had this for a long time" his voice now becoming weak. "I found this stone the first night I met y/n and I've never seen one like it since. This was the ring I was going to make her my wife with"

"Marry her Satoru. Make her happy, for me"

Droplets of tears crashed down the ivory haired males cheeks. He squeezed the jewel in his hand and nodded with confidence.

"Goodbye. Old friend"