If I Had More Time (A StSg fanfic)

Chapter 9 - Fractured Ideals.

The classroom was silent, no words were spoken; though it had only a few students in it. Geto Suguru sat at his desk, staring at it intensely as his thoughts ran about his last mission with Gojo Satoru.

They were summoned by Tengen to protect the next star plasma vessel; Riko Amanai from two groups who wanted to kill her, but were unsuccessful on the last day. Geto had been right there when she was shot by an invisible man, one who he assumed had no cursed energy.

He had almost been killed himself by the man if it weren't for Shoko Ieiri's reverse cursed technique. Though Geto and Gojo had fun with Riko during her last days, his thoughts weren't consumed by her death at that moment. At that time, Geto Suguru thought about the words the invisible man had said to him during their battle.

"Jujutsu sorcerers are nothing but tools for the higher-ups. And people like you, who believe in protecting the weak, are the biggest fools." Those were his words, and they certainly stuck to Geto like glue. And it wasn't as if the strange man was lying, Geto heard Gojo complain about how the higher-ups used him all the time.

The man spoke as if he knew what he was saying, not just fabricating a story. He voiced those words as if he had lived it; it was obvious that he had. In the deafening silent classroom, Geto sat in the presence of Shoko, who smoked a cigarette quietly. She didn't dare speak to Geto, as she was well aware of the type of mood that he was in.

The two lingered in the room with silence, no one daring to mutter a word. And they hadn't planned to, but Gojo Satoru rolled the class's door to the left, cutting into the quietness of the school. He walked in with less confidence than he's had the majority of the time.

Geto looked up at the door right as Gojo looked in his direction. They locked eyes for a split second. Only a second, then Geto turned away. Gojo took a deep breath and walked over to his desk, the usual cockiness absent from his stride.

He glanced at Shoko, who gave him a brief nod before returning to her cigarette. The silence was heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts and unaddressed emotions. "Hey, Suguru," Gojo said quietly as he sat down next to Geto, trying to bridge the gap that had been growing between them since the mission.

"You doing okay?" His voice remained steady, contrasting how he felt at that moment. Geto didn't immediately respond, his eyes still fixed on his desk. After a moment, he sighed and leaned back in his chair, finally looking at Gojo.

"I've been thinking about what that guy said," he admitted, his voice tinged with bitterness. "About us being tools for the higher-ups. About how we're just fools for believing we can protect the weak." He could never include the bit that he thought the guy was right, never to Gojo.

Gojo's expression softened. "Suguru, that guy was a psychopath. He doesn't know what he's talking about." Gojo sighed, but he also concealed the fact that he was the one who put an end to the "psychopath". 

Geto shook his head, frustration was evident in his eyes. "But what if he's right, Satoru? We put our lives on the line every day, and for what? To maintain a system that exploits us? To protect people who don't even know we exist?

It was obvious that Geto had been thinking about those words for a long time, and at that point, Gojo wasn't sure what to do. He stayed silent, unsure of how to respond to his friend's thoughts.

Gojo stayed silent, the weight of Geto's words sinking in. The silence between them stretched on, heavy and oppressive. After what felt like an eternity, Geto stood up, his chair scraping against the floor.

"I need some air," he muttered, not meeting Gojo's eyes. He walked out of the classroom, leaving Gojo and Shoko behind in the heavy silence.

Several days later, Geto sat alone in his room, the conversation with Yuki playing over and over in his mind. The vision of a world without curses was tantalizing, but it required drastic measures.

He couldn't ignore the reality any longer; the current system was broken, and he couldn't keep fighting for it.

As he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Suguru, it's me," Gojo's voice called from the other side. It was the first time that Gojo knocked, and didn't barge into Geto's room.

Geto hesitated for a moment before opening the door. Gojo stood there, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. "You've been avoiding us," he said bluntly.

Geto sighed, stepping aside to let Gojo in. "I needed some time to think," Gojo observed the state of Geto's room, which was frankly a mess. It wasn't like him to leave his room messy, so Gojo knew that Geto was processing a lot. He didn't even bother to tie his hair, something that he did usually.

Geto sighed, stepping aside to let Gojo in. "I needed some time to think." Gojo sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at his friend intently. "And? What did you decide?" Geto looked away, unable to meet Gojo's gaze. "I don't know yet. But I'm starting to see things differently."

Gojo frowned, sensing the distance growing between them. "Suguru, whatever it is, we can figure it out together.." He began to assume the worst was happening to his friend.

Geto's heart ached at Gojo's words, but he knew that his path was diverging from his friend's. "I appreciate it, Satoru. But some things... some things I need to figure out on my own."

Gojo didn't push further, sensing the finality in Geto's tone. "Just promise me you won't do anything reckless." Geto managed a small smile. "I promise." Though he wasn't sure that he would be able to live up to that promise.

Days turned into weeks, and Geto's internal struggle deepened. He became more withdrawn, spending less time with his friends and more time contemplating the future. The idea of creating a world without curses consumed him, and he knew he had to take action.

One afternoon, as he was training alone, Principal Yaga approached him, his expression grave. "Geto, I need to speak with you." Geto wiped the sweat from his brow and followed Yaga to his office. The principal's usual stern demeanor was softened by a hint of sorrow. "We received news today. Haibara Yu was killed during a mission."

The words hit Geto like a physical blow, his heart clenching with grief. Haibara had been one of his underclassmen, full of potential and life. And now he was gone, another casualty in the endless cycle of violence.

As Geto left Yaga's office, the weight of his decision settled on his shoulders. He couldn't continue to fight for a system that took so much and gave so little in return. The death of Haibara was the final straw.

Standing in the hallway where he had spoken with Yuki, Geto made a vow to himself. He would find a way to make things right, even if it meant walking a path that would take him away from his friends. The bonds of friendship and duty were strong, but his newfound purpose was stronger.

Little did he know, this decision would set him on a path that would alter the course of his life—and the lives of those he cared about—forever.