Bound In Love's Curse [Gojo Satoru x Female Readers]

99 ~ Ninety-Nine

[T]oge was undoubtedly the sweetest kid you knew.

Despite everything going on, the thought of bringing a gift for the newborn and the new mother had completely slipped your mind.

But Toge? He'd somehow remembered. A pacifier for the baby and a cozy blanket for the mom—small gestures, but thoughtful ones.

Even Yuki seemed genuinely moved by his consideration, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair, something you'd become guilty of doing yourself—and secretly enjoyed.

You all returned to Jujutsu Tech by 10:00 a.m.

As usual, the absence of a certain white-haired sensei left the students to their own devices, training diligently on the track and field.

You watched them from the bleachers, occasionally glancing at your new phone. Time had slipped by unnoticed, and before you knew it, lunchtime was approaching.

The dull ache in your left arm lingered, though it was more bearable now—or maybe you were just getting used to the pain.

You decided a quick trip to the mess hall might be a good idea to grab some food for yourself and the kids. Maybe even have a little picnic outdoors to distract yourself from... certain things.

"Hey, you three!" you called out, catching Toge, Panda, and Maki's attention as they trained. "I'm heading to the mess. Want me to grab anything?"

"Thanks, Y/N!" Panda was the first to respond, his enthusiasm evident. Maki gave a simple nod, her usual stoic self. Toge, as always, was succinct: "Salmon," he said, which you took as an affirmative.

You couldn't help but smile slightly as you headed up the stairs. "Got it," you replied over your shoulder.

The campus felt different without Yuta around, quieter somehow.

Your good mood was short-lived, though, as you reached the top of the stairs and saw a familiar figure—Utahime, her blackish-purple hair unmistakable. The smile on your face faded, replaced by a subtle frown.

What was she doing here?

"Oh, Utahime-san, hey!" you greeted her, trying to keep your tone neutral, though there was a slight edge to it.

Utahime hesitated, her expression uncertain. "Hey, Y/N," she replied, her voice softer than usual.

There was an awkward silence between you two, stretching on and on. It seemed like Utahime had nothing more to say, so you started to move past her. "I'll be back in a moment, just going to grab—"

"W-wait." Utahime cut you off, her voice unsteady as she reached out, catching your left arm in a feeble attempt to stop you.

It only took a split second. A sharp jolt of pain shot through your arm, making you wince as you instinctively yanked it away. Unfortunately, the sudden movement threw Utahime off balance—her block-heeled boots slipped, and she began to fall backward.

Your eyes widened in shock. Without thinking, you lunged forward to catch her, but in doing so, you lost your own footing.

Everything happened in a blur, and before you knew it, both of you were on the ground. A painful hiss escaped your lips as you realized your left arm had taken the brunt of the fall, bearing the weight of both your bodies.

"Y/N? Utahime-sensei!" Panda's voice rang out in concern as he and the others stopped what they were doing to rush over and help.

But before they could reach you, a familiar voice chimed in, stopping everyone in their tracks. "O-oh? What do we have here?" Gojo's tone was teasing, as always. "Isn't it a bit early for such... intimate embraces?"

"Ugh, shut up, Gojo," Utahime shot back, clearly annoyed by his taunting.

Ignoring the banter, you were the first to rise, suppressing a grimace as pain shot through your left arm. The white-hair sorcerer seemed to notice your tensed expression, but before he could comment, a groan caught his attention.

It was Utahime, struggling to stand, her face twisted in pain.

"What's wrong?" the white-hair sorcerer asked, concern tinging his usually nonchalant tone.

"I-I think I twisted my ankle," Utahime replied, wincing slightly as she tried to balance her weight on her foot.

Clicking his tongue with his voice taking on a teasing lilt, Gojo commented. "How do you manage to be so clumsy, Utahime?"

The blackish-purple hair sorceress shot him a withering glare. "Are you going to help or just stand there making fun of me?"

Gojo shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching into a taunting smirk. "What's in it for me?"

"Jerk!"

Chuckling softly at the insult, the white-hair sorcerer was seemingly unfazed. "Now, now, Utahime. No need for name-calling."

You watched the scene unfold, an inexplicable ache settled in your chest. The throbbing in your left arm was bad enough, but this—this hurt in a different way.

It worsened when Gojo bent down to pick Utahime up, cradling her as he effortlessly lifted her off the ground. You knew he was just trying to help, but... he hadn't even asked if you were okay. Did it matter to him at all that you were hurt?

Your lips tightened into a thin line as you watched him walk away, your mind swirling with doubts. You barely registered when Toge, Panda, and Maki approached you.

"Y/N, what happened? Are you hurt?" Panda's voice was full of concern as he bombarded you with questions.

The first words that escaped your lips were, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen."

"What are you apologizing for?" Maki asked, her sharp eyes narrowing.

You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. They were just kids. How much could you really share with them? What if they blamed you, just like the others did when you tried to save Shinji's sister?

Toge stepped closer, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a more serious expression. "Tuna mayo?" he murmured, his voice gentle, as if trying to comfort you.

You forced a smile, though it felt empty. "I'm fine, really. Just... a bit shaken, that's all."

Maki crossed her arms, her sharp gaze fixed on you. "You don't have to pretend, Y/N. We're not kids who need coddling. Besides, you should get that left arm checked."

Her words caught you off guard. "How did you—"

"Notice?" Maki interrupted, a slight smirk playing on her lips. "It was pretty obvious. Toge and I noticed a while ago. Besides, Nanami mentioned you had an accident yesterday."

"I see..." you mumbled, mostly to yourself. The realization gnawed at you—how had Gojo not seen what even the kids picked up on? It was baffling.

"I can't believe Baka-Gojo didn't even ask if you were okay," Maki muttered, her irritation clear on your behalf.

"He probably didn't notice. Besides, Y/N isn't exactly the most expressive when it comes to pain or emotions," Panda added, trying to cut Gojo some slack. But his words did little to ease the tightness in your chest.

"Do you need us to go with you to see Shoko-san?" Maki asked, her voice softer now. It was rare of her to even show concern.

You sighed, touched by their attention. "No need. I'll head there on my own. You guys should go have lunch. I'll catch up with you later."

Thankfully, none of them insisted. The last thing you wanted was to head to Shoko's right now, knowing full well that Gojo and Utahime would likely be there. The thought of seeing them together—of enduring more of this inexplicable pain—was too much to bear.

As you quickened your steps, you decided to grab an ice pack as a temporary fix for your aching arm.

***

"You guys are always causing trouble," Shoko remarked, her tone a mix of exasperation and amusement as she spotted Gojo entering the lab with Utahime in his arms. She didn't need to ask—if Gojo was involved, it meant more work for her. "What happened this time? And what did you do?"

Gojo feigned offense, clutching his chest dramatically. "Shoko, why do you always assume it's my fault?"

She shot him a deadpan look. "Because it usually is. Now spill—what happened?"

Utahime, still a bit dazed, hesitated before speaking. "I'm not entirely sure... but I think Y/N might've pushed me?"

The sorcerer's playful demeanor faltered, his brows knitting together in confusion. "Y/N? Why would she do that?"

"I could be wrong," Utahime quickly admitted, looking uncertain. "It all happened so fast..."

"Maybe it was just a misunderstanding," Shoko said dryly, echoing the hint of disbelief that was clear on Gojo's face.

As sharp-tongued as you could be, physically lashing out wasn't your style—at least not without good reason.

"You're probably right," the blackish-purple hair sorceress conceded, chalking it up to an accident rather than anything deliberate.

Shoko redirected the conversation, focusing on the immediate issue. "So, what's the damage? How can I help?"

"I twisted my ankle," Utahime confessed with a calm but sheepish smile. "Think you can fix it?"

"Of course," the brunette replied, moving to inspect the injury, likely preparing to use her Reverse Curse Technique. As she did, Gojo seemed to remember something.

"Oh yeah, you should check on Y/N too. That fall looked pretty rough."

"Speaking of, where is she?" Utahime asked, suddenly realizing that you hadn't followed them to Shoko's lab.

Granted, Gojo hadn't explicitly invited you to join them, but it was still unusual for you not to be around, especially under these circumstances.

Shoko arched a brow, her expression casual but curious. "No news is good news, right?"

Gojo mirrored her expression, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means she wasn't hurt enough to need my help," Shoko replied with a shrug.

"Oh, good point!" Gojo chuckled, pointing at Shoko as if she had a point. "I'll check in with her later to see if she's okay."