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

107 ~ Hundred And Seven

"I never would've thought anyone could actually put up with Gojo Satoru," Utahime muttered, her tone laced with irritation and something else—disbelief, maybe. The very idea seemed to baffle her.

It was afternoon, and after freshening up and having a proper meal, you were feeling much better. So much better, in fact, that you found yourself at Shoko's workspace, nibbling on kikufuku while the conversation took a more personal turn.

You didn't need to ask who had sent the sweets; the moment Utahime handed you the box, you knew. Gojo Satoru, of course. Apparently, he'd wanted to bring them himself but had been called away on an urgent mission.

Nanami, on the other hand, had left almost immediately after you woke up, likely for a mission of his own.

He barely had time to say goodbye, but he still made sure Ijichi delivered a box of blueberry cream cheese macarons and a note telling you to eat something substantial before indulging in treats. Classic Nanami—always the thoughtful one.

You couldn't help but compare the two. If only Gojo had half of Nanami's consideration... But then again, Gojo was Gojo. He was so used to being the "strongest" that maybe he didn't see the need to explain his whereabouts. No one ever asked where he went, what he was doing, or if he was okay. So when you tried, it probably threw him off.

"How's he, anyway?" Shoko's voice cut through your thoughts, her tone casual as she watched you snack on the kikufuku.

You blinked, slightly caught off guard. "What?"

"In bed, I mean. I'm curious," Shoko clarified, her expression neutral, but there was a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Utahime nearly choked on her tea, clearly not expecting that. "Shoko! Seriously?"

But Shoko just shrugged, unfazed, her smirk widening slightly. "What? I'm just asking what everyone's thinking."

You felt your cheeks flush, and you quickly reached for another kikufuku, hoping to dodge the conversation altogether. "I wouldn't know," you mumbled, your tone almost defensive.

Shoko's question had been blunt, a little too blunt, and the way Utahime was looking at you didn't help. Her curiosity was palpable, and while it was odd to see her so interested, you couldn't deny that her presence was somewhat reassuring.

As long as she was here, Gojo had to be on an actual mission and not off doing something—or someone—else.

It was a ridiculous thought, really. But the idea of Gojo with anyone else made you uneasy, especially after that jab he'd once thrown your way: "What if I've been fucking Utahime this whole time? What's it to you, Y/N?" That had stung, more than you cared to admit.

You tried to steer the conversation away from where it was heading, but you couldn't completely avoid it. "I don't have much to compare him to," you admitted, the words escaping before you could second-guess them.

Both women froze. Shoko's cigarette halted mid-air, the smoke curling upwards as she blinked at you. Utahime, halfway through a macaron, arched an eyebrow, her expression shifting from curiosity to shock.

"Don't tell me—" Utahime began, but Shoko cut her off, her tone somewhere between incredulous and amused. "Satoru was your first?"

You hesitated, feeling the weight of their stares. It was embarrassing to admit, but there was no point in denying it. "Yeah, he was," you finally said, stiffly avoiding eye contact.

"Unbelievable," Utahime muttered, sounding more irritated than you'd expected. It wasn't clear if she was more frustrated with the fact that you'd been with Gojo or that you'd given him your first time. "She's too good for him, honestly."

Shoko nodded, her usual sarcasm softened by a rare moment of agreement. "Way too good."

This definitely wasn't how you'd envisioned this conversation going.

Good? What good? You thought, the question swirling in your mind. Was it because you were a virgin? Or because you'd given so much of yourself to him, only to be left feeling empty?

"Y/N," Shoko's voice snapped you out of your thoughts. She snuffed out her cigarette with a practiced flick, tossing it into a nearby bin. Joining you and Utahime on the couches, she casually picked up one of the kikufukus. "You're too soft, you know that? Giving all you've got to someone like Satoru? It's ridiculous."

Utahime huffed, crossing her arms as she leveled a serious look at you. "Honestly, what were you thinking? That idiot doesn't deserve half of what you've given him." The crumbs of macaron dotting her cheeks made it hard to take her too seriously.

You weren't entirely sure what was happening, but you felt a surge of gratitude.

Grateful that they saw your worth, that they thought you deserved more than what Satoru Gojo—the Satoru Gojo, with his insufferable confidence and that maddening smirk—could offer.

For the first time in a long while, you felt a small spark of pride. A smirk tugged at your lips as you reached for a burnt cookie.

The kids—Toge, Maki, and Panda—had baked them for you, knowing about your sweet tooth. They'd dropped by earlier, looking hopeful as they handed you the box. Sure, Nanami and Gojo's treats were nice, but these burnt cookies felt more meaningful, even if the taste was a bit...off.

Utahime arched an eyebrow at you, her concern evident. "Why are you even eating those? You'll make yourself sick."

You couldn't help but smile at her worry. "It's the thought that counts. They went through the trouble, so I'm not wasting them."

"You're too kind, Y/N," Utahime sighed, shaking her head in mild exasperation. Shoko nodded, her usual nonchalance giving way to something softer.

"Seriously," Shoko added, grabbing a burnt cookie herself, likely in solidarity. "You're way too good for Satoru."

The mood in the room shifted slightly as you considered their words.

The faint warmth of their support settled around you, like a blanket you hadn't realized you needed. But there was something else you had to deal with, something that couldn't wait any longer.

"I need to visit Yuki-san today," you announced, breaking the silence. "She's still in the hospital. They wanted to run more tests on her and the baby..." Your voice trailed off as your mind wandered to the unread messages and calls on your phone—some missed and some not.

You hadn't checked it until now, thanks to the fever that had knocked you out. Yuichi had been trying to reach you, and you figured either Satoru or Nanami must've dealt with it while you were out.

Shoko's brow knitted together. "Yuki-san? The one you used reverse curse technique on?"

"Yeah," you nodded. "I should've been there, but I couldn't. My phone's been blowing up, and I didn't even realize it. The thing is, Nanami's not here to escort me, and the kids have a mission tonight. I don't want to add to their burden. So I was thinking—"

Before you could even finish, Utahime was already speaking up. "I'll take you," she quickly interjected, her voice firm and resolute. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. "I don't have anything else scheduled, and it's not like I'm going to let you go alone."

Shoko nodded thoughtfully. "I'm coming too. I want to see how your friend's doing myself—especially after Nanami mentioned you used reverse curse technique on her. Who better than me to give you the real story on her condition?"

You blinked, at that.

You hadn't expected them to volunteer so quickly—especially not Utahime, who was always busy, and Shoko had her own responsibilities too.

But it made sense. If Shoko came along, it would be a huge relief.

The regular doctors weren't well-versed in cursed techniques, curses, or curse energy. It was no wonder they couldn't give a proper assessment of Yuki's condition. But with an expert like Shoko, you'd finally get some real answers.

"Thank you," you murmured, a small smile forming. "Both of you. Really."

"Don't mention it," Shoko replied casually, while Utahime nodded, adding a quick, "Yeah."