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

195 ~ Hundred And Ninety-Five

"Don't ever say that," his voice was low and a little raw, like he was forcing it past something heavy inside him. The room, previously steeped in a fragile calm, tensed with his words. They barely reached you, but they clung to the silence like a quiet storm about to break.

You blinked, almost missing it, but the shift in the air was undeniable. Gojo Satoru—his facade of invincibility, the playful arrogance that made him larger than life—cracked. Slightly. And it wasn't something you were prepared to witness, not from him, not like this.

The silence between you felt thick, weighted down by the vulnerability in his words. His hands, which usually carried an almost careless grace, flexed against the edge of the table. Knuckles turned white as though holding on to that piece of wood was the only thing anchoring him.

"You think I want to live in a world without you in it?"

For a moment, you couldn't breathe. That unshakable, untouchable Gojo Satoru was now looking at you with something dangerously close to... desperation? He was too raw, too open. You smirked, though the expression felt hollow, more a reflex than anything else. "God, you're twice as attractive when you're not... the invincible sorcerer."

A flicker of confusion crossed his face before his usual grin faltered. It wasn't like the teasing smirk you were used to, the one that came easily to him. This one was uncertain, like he didn't know how to handle what you just said. He chuckled, but it wasn't the light-hearted sound that usually cut through tension with ease. No, this laugh was strained, like he was trying to find his footing in unfamiliar territory.

"You really think that?" His voice had softened now, tinged with something vulnerable, a subtle disbelief. "That me breaking down like this makes me more... what, human?"

You held his gaze, seeing past the layers he carefully constructed, past the title of 'The Strongest.' For once, you weren't looking at Gojo Satoru, the sorcerer who could bend reality to his will. You were looking at Satoru—the man who, despite his infinite abilities, had weaknesses. A man who was, in this moment, just as human as you.

"Yeah. You feel... human."

The room felt smaller suddenly, like the air was being pulled in tighter around you both. He didn't deflect with sarcasm or any of his usual quips. His stare bored into you, intense and unyielding, peeling back the layers of armor you thought you had. This was new, terrifying even, seeing him like this. Raw. Vulnerable. The kind of intimacy that couldn't be undone.

You shifted slightly in your seat, unsure how to navigate this new dynamic. The man across from you was still the Satoru you knew, but there was something else there now—something you hadn't expected. "I'm not trying to downplay what you went through with Suguru Geto," you stated quietly, each word careful, deliberate. "I'd never do that."

His gaze didn't waver, but there was a flicker of something in his expression, like he was listening more deeply than ever before. He wasn't just brushing you off, wasn't just waiting for his chance to crack another joke or change the subject. No, this time, you had his full attention, and that realization hit you harder than you expected.

"I want to protect you, Satoru." The admission slipped from your lips before you had time to reconsider. "I know you didn't ask for it, and you probably never will. But I need you to understand that I want to. Not because I think you're weak—because I see you carrying this weight alone." You reached out, hesitant but determined, placing your hand over his and feeling his warmth. "I see that, and I still want to."

For the briefest moment, his eyes widened. Vulnerability wasn't something he allowed often, if ever. His fingers twitched beneath yours, a small movement, but it was enough to send a current through the space between you.

"You... want to protect me?" His voice had dropped even lower, barely a whisper. He wasn't asking to challenge you; he genuinely couldn't believe it. The idea seemed foreign to him—Gojo Satoru, the strongest, needing protection from anyone, let alone wanting it.

"Yeah," you replied, your voice steady despite the way your heart was racing. You picked up his chopsticks, placing more food on his plate with a casualness that felt almost out of place given the intensity of the moment. "If I could take away that pain—the weight of losing your bestfriend—I'd do it in a heartbeat."

His expression hardened slightly, the shift subtle but noticeable. "You think I need that?" There was a hint of defensiveness now, not anger, but something close to it. His gaze turned sharp again, as though he was trying to decide if you really saw him or if you were just seeing what you wanted to. "I've never needed anyone to protect me... never thought anyone would want to."

You didn't miss the hints of vulnerability laced in his words, the cracks in his armor widening just a bit more. It struck you then, the realization that Gojo wasn't used to being seen like this—wasn't used to someone wanting to see him beyond the strength, beyond the power. But there he was, letting you in anyway.

Your eyes locked with his, unwavering. "Even if it means protecting you from me."

For a heartbeat, his entire facade shattered. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but no words came. The walls he kept so carefully constructed were beginning to crumble, and you could see every emotion, raw and unfiltered, just beneath the surface.

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his gaze turning softer, more contemplative. "You don't have to pretend with me," you added gently, the tension still thick but different now, more... intimate. "I'm not asking you to bare everything, Satoru. I just don't want you to bury it so deep that it destroys you."

There was a beat of silence, and then, out of nowhere, you said something you hadn't planned on. "You know, sometimes I envy Suguru Geto."

His expression shifted, a shadow of something unspoken passing over his features. "Envy him?" he repeated, his voice laced with quiet confusion. "Suguru?"

You shrugged, leaning back just enough to create a bit of space between you, but not enough to break the connection. "He got to see the real you, in ways no one else could. He knew you before the world got its hands on you. He saw you human before you built all these walls."

Satoru's jaw tightened, the weight of your words settling between you like a stone. His eyes darkened, but not with anger. It was something deeper, more solemn. "I didn't protect him like I should've," he admitted truthfully, more to himself than to you.

You reached for his hand again, fingers brushing lightly against his. "You don't have to envy Suguru," he murmured, his voice softer now, as though the vulnerability had finally broken through his defenses. "He had my past... but you have my future."

The breath hitched in your throat, his words sinking in deeper than you anticipated. You chuckled lightly, shaking your head as if to brush off the gravity of the moment, though you knew you couldn't. "You say things like that, Satoru, and it's dangerous for the heart."

A faint smile ghosted across his lips, the warmth in his expression unfamiliar but not unwelcome. "Funny, I could say the same about you."

Another beat of silence, but this time, it wasn't uncomfortable. It was heavy, yes, but it was the kind of heaviness that felt grounding, tethering you both in a way you hadn't expected.

"I'm not blind to my own pain," he stated contemplatively after a while, his voice stead.

You met his eyes, unwavering. "I never thought you were."

"You don't pity me, do you?"

"No," you answered, the word coming out steady, certain. It wasn't something you needed to think about. "I don't pity you, Satoru."

His eyes searched yours, but you didn't flinch. You held his gaze like you always did, not as a challenge, but because he deserved to hear what you were about to say.

"I just..."

You hesitated for the briefest second, watching for a sign of that usual mask slipping back into place, but it didn't. His expression remained open—unguarded in a way you hadn't expected, maybe even he hadn't expected.

"I love you. For being... human."

The words hung between you, and for a second, you thought you saw his breath hitch. His eyes widened just a fraction, the subtle shift in his expression saying more than any reaction he could've faked. Satoru didn't do stunned silence, not like this. But this? This was real.

A quiet, shaky exhale left him, like he'd been holding onto something too heavy for too long. The weight between you wasn't crushing anymore—it was grounding, something solid, something neither of you had expected to feel with each other.

But then, the corner of his mouth twitched, mischief sparking back to life in his crystalline eyes. "You know," he drawled, his voice low and teasing, "now you're the one being sweet. Makes me want to eat you first."

His grin widened, as if the gravity of the moment had lifted just enough for him to throw in his signature charm. The kind that made the familiar ache between your legs stir. "You better watch out, Y/N—I might just indulge myself in a little 'dessert' after dinner."