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

127 ~ Hundred And Twenty-Seven

[T]he door clicked shut, and the silence that followed was thick and weighted, as if the very air in the room was holding its breath.

All three men stayed still for a moment, eyes fixed on where you'd just been. It wasn't until Gojo let out a low sigh, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of Yaga's chair, that the tension began to ease.

"She's not backing down." His tone, unusually calm yet serious, carried none of his usual playful edge. Behind the blindfold, his gaze—always sharp and calculating beneath the carefree exterior—shifted toward the door you'd just walked through. "We need to talk."

That was the signal they needed.

Yaga was the first to break the silence that had settled like a thick fog. "You baited her, Gojo. Deliberately." His voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it. "What were you thinking, setting her up like that?"

The strongest shrugged, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "Set her up? Nah," he replied, though the glint behind his blindfold said otherwise. "Just giving her a little push. If she's serious about this, she needs to walk the hard road. No shortcuts, no coddling."

Nanami, arms crossed, was clearly unimpressed. His jaw clenched as he spoke, his tone measured and firm. "I thought you said she wasn't ready." He paused, his gaze shifting between Gojo and Yaga. "Pushing her like this is reckless, even for you. You don't usually change your stance on a whim. So, what's really going on?"

Gojo's fingers stopped drumming, and for a moment, he looked contemplative. "You think I don't know that, Nanami?" His voice was softer, almost quiet. "But the way she's talking, the way she's already thinking of going solo... if we don't give her a path, she'll make her own. And that's a much bigger problem."

Yaga leaned back in his seat, eyes narrowing in thought. "So, you think putting her under Nanami's instruction will keep her on a leash?"

Gojo chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "A leash? Nah, she's not someone you can keep on one. But Nanami's the only one I trust to train her without going soft. She actually respects him—that's more than I can say for myself."

"This isn't about trust, Gojo. It's about her being reckless. What happened with..." Nanami's voice faltered, the memory heavy in the air. "I'm not letting that happen again."

"I get it." The strongest's usual flippant tone softened. "That's why I'm counting on you to keep her in check."

Yaga's brow furrowed as he studied the two of them. "And what happens if she passes? What happens if she survives your assessment, Nanami, and the school's test?" His tone was sharp, cutting through the room. "Are we really prepared for what that means?"

Gojo leaned back, exhaling deeply. "That's a bridge we'll cross when we get there. Right now, the priority is making sure she doesn't get herself killed before she's even had a chance to learn."

The blonde's eyes narrowed, his voice low. "And you think letting her believe she's in control will help? You've been playing a dangerous game with her, Gojo. She's not like the others."

The strongest's gaze met Nanami's, and for once, his expression was devoid of its usual nonchalance. "I know she's not like the others. That's why this is necessary." His voice dropped lower, barely above a whisper. "She's got power in her. Real potential. But if we don't guide it... if we don't control it... someone else will."

Nanami's jaw clenched. "And if that happens?"

Gojo's gaze darkened, a flicker of something dangerous passing through them. "Then we lose her. And not just to herself." He paused, his voice dropping even lower. "We might lose her to the wrong side."

The room fell into a deep, heavy silence as that possibility settled in.

Yaga's gaze turned toward the door, his fingers tapping idly on the armrest of his couch. "We've seen it happen before," he muttered, almost to himself. "Curse users... it starts with good intentions. They always think they're in control until they're not."

Gojo remained silent for a moment, then spoke, his voice slow and deliberate. "That's why we can't let her fall into that trap. She's walking a fine line right now, but if Nanami trains her, gives her the structure she needs... it'll keep her from spiraling. At least, that's the hope."

Nanami exhaled slowly, his expression growing stern. "You're asking me to do more than just train her. You want me to keep her from becoming a curse user—like Geto."

The white-haired sorcerer's demeanor shifted slightly, a faint trace of discomfort crossing his face. Still, he met Nanami's gaze with unwavering resolve. "That's right."

The older man sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as if to fend off an approaching headache. "If she passes your assessment, Nanami, you'll be responsible for her. But don't think that's the end. We'll still have to deal with the higher-ups. They'll want to weigh in if she shows even a hint of real power."

The blonde nodded curtly, his expression hardening. "I'm aware." His voice was colder now, as he turned to leave. "I'll discuss her arrangements with Ijichi and get everything set for the assignments."

Gojo's face softened, just for a moment, as he leaned back and intertwined his fingers behind his head. "Alright, catch you later."

The room fell silent as Nanami exited, leaving Yaga alone with the strongest. He released a weary sigh, the exhaustion evident in his posture. "Said he wasn't interested, said he wasn't the settling-down type," Yaga muttered to himself, a trace of mockery lacing his words.

Handling Gojo alone was always a challenge, but with you involved, it had become an even bigger ordeal.

Gojo, still lounging with his trademark nonchalance, cast a playful smirk in Yaga's direction. He knew exactly what his former Sensei was hinting at. "Hmm?" he hummed, feigning ignorance but clearly enjoying the jab.

"What was that you said about playing the game to win? Looks like you're the one losing this round."

Gojo's gaze lingered on the older man, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Is that your way of making fun of me?" he asked.

"No," Yaga replied, shaking his head. Yet, a subtle taunt remained in his tone. "Just reminding you that things are unfolding just as I expected."

Gojo shrugged, his nonchalant demeanor masking his inner turmoil. "I didn't actually plan for this to happen either."

Yaga sighed, his eyes sharp. The palpable tension between Gojo and you had been unmistakable, a volatile mix of hostility and undeniable attraction. "Are you infatuated with her or something? I thought she wasn't your type."

The smirk on Gojo's lips remained unmoved, but he fell silent. He wasn't ready to confront his own confusion just yet. There was a lot he didn't understand about his feelings for you, and he wanted to figure it out before making any potentially regretful admissions.

He recalled a past argument with you where he'd recklessly claimed—more out of spite than truth—that he was fucking with Utahime while you were in the mix. It had been an exaggeration—he'd never even made a move on Utahime, and it had been ages since that incident, something he'd long since moved past.

The truth was, every time he saw you, his attention was magnetically drawn. Nanami had even noted his 'stupid' look whenever he saw you—like he was gazing at something endearing. His heart quickened with every fleeting glance you cast his way, only to sink when you lost interest or ignored him.

It was confusing, frustrating, and maddening.

If asked about his feelings, Gojo would admit he was utterly lost. He didn't understand what was going on with him. But one thing was crystal clear: despite the chaos and confusion, he knew he wanted to protect you.

The older man interrupted his brooding thoughts. "Back to the question I asked when she first arrived. If the higher-ups orders her death, what would you do?"

Gojo stretched like a cat, his movements deliberate and relaxed. "You already know the answer to that, don't you? Why ask?"

"Just checking if your answer is still the same," Yaga said, shrugging. "So, you're saying you'd be okay with killing Y/N if it came to that?"

The strongest's expression shifted abruptly. He stood up, cracking his neck with a forceful movement that Yaga rarely saw from him.

Then strode toward the door, his posture radiating a mix of tension and nonchalance.

Just before he exited, he threw a final, cocky remark over his shoulder, a reminder of his unmatched strength. "If it came to that, you know whose side I'd take. I don't give a damn if she's a threat or commits a crime worthy of death. I'd kill every last one of the higher-ups before I'd even let them touch her."