Ataraxia 平静 | Gojo Satoru

-'๑'-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟑-'๑'-

The words crashed into me like a tidal wave, dragging me into the undertow of reality. Shoko. Taken. My heart pounded a brutal rhythm against my ribs as I clambered out of bed, Yuta's grip the only thing anchoring me to sanity.

"Who?" My voice was a choked whisper, the word barely escaping my lips.

"Zen'in." The name dripped from Yuta's mouth like poison. "They demanded you and Gojo. Only you two. I knocked out the messenger."

The room spun, the dim light casting menacing shadows on the walls. My breath quickened, a thousand thoughts battling for dominance in my mind. Shoko was in the clutches of the Zen'in clan, and it was all because of my recklessness. The council meeting in Kyoto must've been the perfect opportunity for them to strike, a carefully laid trap to snatch her away.

"Where's Gojo?" I demanded, my voice steadier now, fueled by a burgeoning rage. "We need to go, now."

Yuta's eyes darkened. "He's already on his way to the estate. We have to move. Fast."

I nodded, barely registering the cold floor beneath my feet as I stumbled to gather my things. The urgency in Yuta's eyes mirrored my own panic. Every second lost could mean another moment of agony for Shoko.

The night air bit into my skin as we burst out of the building, Yuta's hand gripping mine, pulling me toward the waiting car.

"Wouldn't running there be faster?" I asked, feeling my shadows coil around my legs.

A grim smile tugged at Yuta's lips. "Not if I drive."

I barely registered him yanking the poor window out of the front seat with a hurried apology, urging me to hold on. The drive was a blur of flashing lights and screeching tires, the city a silent witness to our desperation.

"Why just us?" I muttered, more to myself than to Yuta. "What do they want? Why take Shoko?"

Yuta's jaw tightened, the veins of his hands bulging as he gripped the wheel. "Power play. They want to corner us. They must've found out about your invasion of Kamo, and decided to strike first. And Shoko. . . she's leverage."

The thought of Shoko being used as a pawn sent a fresh wave of anger and panic through me. The Zen'in hadn't just lied to us; they wanted to break us, shatter the fragile trust we had built. I looked down at my pale hands, red crescents already forming where my nails had dug into my skin.

The car skidded to a halt at the edge of the deserted district, the oppressive silence of the night hanging heavily in the air. The Zen'in territory looked like a ghost town, just as it had the last time I was here. Gojo stood in the shadows, his silhouette stark against the dim glow of the streetlights. His sapphire eyes blazed with an intensity that rivaled my own, shaming even the fading stars above.

"Ready?" His voice was a low growl, the calm before the storm.

I nodded, my eyes locked on his. The same unbridled anger raged within him, a reflection of the storm brewing inside me. He reached out and took my hand, squeezing hard. His skin was cold.

"We'll get her back," he said.

I squeezed his hand back, words beyond me.

"I'll stand behind," Yuta braced both our shoulders. "Geto-senpai will be on the eastern flank in under fifteen minutes."

With that, he vanished.

The air was thick with tension, every sound amplified in the stillness. We moved as one, the matted gravel doing little to mask our presence. We reached a large, ornate door guarded by two Zen'in clan members. I recognized neither.