Your Life As A Tokyo Jujutsu High Background Student

Chapter 17 - Twisted

Ever since that one sleepover when Nobara crashed at your room after pulling an all-nighter dissecting her cursed technique, the girl had gotten way too comfortable inviting herself over. Like, all the time. She'd barge into your room, plop herself on your bed like she owned the place, and declare "Slumber party!"

Sometimes she'd insist on you coming over to her room instead for these "self-care nights" she was so into recently. You'd get dragged there and she'd go all martial arts master on your face, scrubbing every pore spotless with those fancy exfoliating products she hoarded. Then the two of you would slap on her ridiculously expensive sheet masks that made you look like Jason from the horror movies and veg out watching Netflix. More often than not, you'd pass the hell out mid-episode because Maki's sadistic training regime for the Goodwill Event had y'all running on fumes.

Megumi had started giving you both the side-eye, clearly thinking the sleepovers were weird. But he complained about everything, so you brushed it off. The sleepovers did feel strange at first. You were used to starfishing freely on your own bed, not having to share space. But you didn't mind having Nobara as your semi-permanent sleepover buddy. Her presence seemed to chase away the nightmares of Sukuna's destruction that used to plague you.

But of course, the sleepover crew couldn't be on 24/7 duty. Some nights, you were so utterly zapped from Maki's torture sessions disguised as training that you'd straight up faceplant onto your bed the second you hit the dorms, out cold before your head even hit the pillow.

Other times, like today, for instance, Nobara's snuggle privileges got revoked on medical grounds. She took a nasty hit to the ribs during a paired sparring match with Panda and ended up looking like she went ten rounds with a truck. Shoko had ordered her to take it easy and steer clear of any rigorous activities. Which, in Nobara's world, apparently included co-sleeping with you – something about you being a wild sleeper who flailed around like a deranged octopus all night, putting her busted ribs at risk of getting your boney elbow jammed into them.

So with your favorite body pillow out of commission, you two reluctantly agreed to go back to your separate sleeping quarters for a while. And of course, the second you tried to catch some Zs without your portable dream catcher, your nightmares came roaring back with a vengeance.

One minute you were out like a light, snuggled up in your comfy blanket burrito. The next, you jolted up gasping, drenched in cold sweat as your mind plunged you straight into another harrowing hellscape. This time it was the now-familiar setting of reddened sky and reeking smoke, the air thick with the metallic stench of blood and ash. And there, sitting amidst the carnage with that trademark sadistic sneer, was Sukuna himself, seemingly waiting for you.

Those first few nightmares with Sukuna crashing the party? Utterly soul-shaking. Like, the kind of heart-pounding, sweat-drenched, scream-caught-in-your-throat terrors that had you whipping your head around in panic, desperately trying to convince yourself it wasn't real. But after being subjected to the same haunted dreamscape on a loop, you eventually got a little desensitized to the jump scares.

Tonight though, you were just straight-up done with Sukuna's games. Which was why, when you found yourself transported into yet another apocalyptic vision of scorched ruins and that ancient psycho seated among the rubble, the fear took a back seat to flat-out annoyance.

You crossed your arms and shot Sukuna a withering glare. "You really gotta stop crashing my dreams like this. It's getting old."

Sukuna's lips stretched wider in a wicked grin. "You were the one calling out for me, pup."

"Oh god, don't start with the gaslighting crap again!" You threw your hands up in exasperation. "Why the hell would I invite this nightmare fuel into my head?"