Saving You (ItaFushi)

Chapter 13

Gojo was walking to his room, ready to collapse into his bed and get some much needed rest. He was tired, but he was also feeling proud of his students.

They had done it.

Mahito was dead, and they had prevented a massive catastrophe. It was a great day.

He should have felt relieved - well, he was relieved - but, his mind was somewhere else.

Defeating Mahito was easy. The curse was weak, and pathetic, and even if Gojo hadn't had backup, the fight would have ended with the same result. Yuji and Yuta were both skilled, and strong, and there was no way Mahito could have bested them, especially when he had been taken by surprise.

Still, though, there was something unsettling about the entire situation.

The information Kokichi gave Mahito was, of course, true - it was the only way for him to avoid breaking the binding vow - but there was still something off. Gojo couldn't quite place his finger on it, but he could feel the gears turning in his head.

Kenjaku wouldn't be so careless. He was cunning, and manipulative, and he always had a plan.

Mahito was his biggest weapon, and losing him would mean that he would have to wait for a new curse with the same technique to be born again. That could take decades, or even centuries.

As much as Gojo wanted to pat himself on the back for the win, something was nagging him.

He kept telling himself that he was imagining things, that he was reading too much into it, but there was something in the back of his mind that was telling him otherwise.

Because, for a second, while they were at that warehouse, he had felt something.

It was faint, and fleeting, and it was gone before he could focus on it.

But, for a moment, he could have sworn that he felt the lingering traces of Suguru's cursed energy.

-

The news of Yuta's return spread quickly, and soon, Maki was waiting outside his room, tapping her foot impatiently. She had gotten up early, wanting to catch him before he disappeared.

She was anxious, and nervous, and her heart was beating a little faster than normal.

It had been almost a year since she had last seen him. They had exchanged emails and phone calls, but it wasn't the same.

She knew he was busy, and that he had important work to do, and she had tried not to resent him for being gone, but she couldn't help the little spark of anger that grew in her every time she thought about him.

And, now, he was back, and Maki didn't know how she was supposed to feel.

She hated feeling this way. Maki always prided herself on her strength, and her ability to stay cool and collected, even under pressure. So, why was she losing her nerve now, of all times?

Suddenly the door opened, and she was staring at Yuta.

He was wearing a black t-shirt, and sweatpants, his hair slightly messy, like he had just woken up. He looked different, his shoulders a little broader, his eyes a little sadder. But, the same gentle smile was on his face, and his dark blue eyes were staring at her with the same fondness they had a year ago.

Maki's cheeks flushed, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"Maki-san! It's so nice to see you," he said, grinning. "I've missed you."

"You've missed me? You haven't called, or written in over two weeks, asshole," Maki huffed, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, I've been busy arranging everything with Gojo-sensei, but I'm here now," Yuta apologized, his eyes sparkling. "Can I hug you, or are you gonna stab me?"