౨ৎ 𝑺𝑰𝑳𝑬𝑵𝑻 𝑺𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑲𝑺 | 𝑴𝑰𝑾𝑨 𝑿 𝑴𝑬𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑼

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑬𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻

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In the Shadow of Desire

Mechamaru pushed himself laboriously through the thick fog of the forest, his mechanical limbs rattled softly in the silence of the night. Each step cost him more strength than he wanted to admit. The fight against Mahito and Geto had weakened him more than he had expected. The pain that ran through his metal members was nothing compared to the crippling feeling of defeat that had spread in his heart. But even worse was the realization that he had had no chance at that moment - not against these two.

He stumbled, but barely found a foothold when his mechanical arm made a sound that echoed too loudly in the quiet environment. His mind raced. The last words of Mahito and Geto echoed in him, and he knew that they would not give him another chance to escape. They had cured him, but at what price? He had sold his soul, betrayed his integrity. The thought of it brought a lump in his throat.

But despite everything, there was something – or rather someone – that gave him the strength to keep going. Miwa Again and again, her image appeared in his thoughts, like a distant memory of something beautiful, something pure, that he could never achieve. He wanted so much to be with her, wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her how much he appreciated her, but that desire now seemed like an unattainable illusion.

What if she knew the truth? What if she knew of his betrayal at the Jujutsu school?

Mechamaru sank against a tree, breathing heavily, and trying to organize his thoughts. He could not return to Miva now. Not in this state, not with all the blood on his hands – invisible blood, but still there. His body may have been healed in Mahito's hands, but his soul felt smashed. He needed a new strategy.

With one last look over his shoulder to make sure he was not being stalked, Mechamaru settled in a secluded place. Here, in the middle of nature, he was able to come to rest for a moment. The forest around him was silent, and the moon threw dim light through the leaves, which offered him a breath of peace. But the calm did not last long. In his thoughts the images of the struggle circled, the words of Mahito and Geto, and again and again he returned to Miwa.

As he laid down on the floor, he felt the heaviness of his limbs. Every part of his body seemed to protest, and yet the pain was just another obstacle on the way to what he really wanted: a normal life.

For a moment, he closed his eyes and imagined what it would be like to face Miwa without the restrictions of his metallic body. He imagined how her blue eyes looked at him, not with pity or worry, but with affection - maybe even love. The thought was bittersweet, and he held on to it while his exhaustion overwhelm him.

When he woke up the next morning, he felt a strange clarity in his thoughts. The night had at least given him the strength to sort out his thoughts. He could no longer remain passive, could not allow the events to overrun him. If he ever wanted to be close to Miwa, he had to act. But this plan had to be thought out.

He sat up, his limbs creaked as he stretched. The situation required more than just raw strength. Mahito and Geto were hunting for the jujutsu sorcerers, and he had revealed information that could jeopardize them. But he knew he could be more than just a traitor. He had to change his mind now. He had to figure out how he could regain the trust of the sorcerers without uncovering his role in the background. A life with Miwa was only possible if he put together the shards of his decisions.

Mechamaru decided to act in secret. He would gather information, find a way to thwart Mahito and Geto's plans, without openly siding with the Jujutsu sorcerers. It was a difficult tightrope walk, but he had nothing left to lose – except Miva. And she was his anchor in this unstable world.

Time skip

After days of recovery and silent preparation, Mechamaru took his first cautious step back into Miwa's proximity. He did not dare to face her directly, but he could not help but return to her - at least from afar. He moved quietly and sneaked near the training ground of the Jujutsu school, where Miwa often trained.

As he watched her from a distance, he felt his heart beat faster. She looked so strong and determined, her blue sword flashing in the sunlight as she performed a series of movements. She was always so diligent, always so focused. And yet he noticed how she sometimes paused and let her gaze wander, as if she was looking for something. Or maybe after someone.

Mechamaru felt his throat tighten. Was it possible that she was thinking of him? The thought almost made him smile, but at the same time it scared him. He couldn't know what Miwa thought of him, especially now that he carried so much of the betrayal.

But the longing grew in him. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to take her hand, wanted to feel her warmth, wanted to hear her soft voice, as she might look at him with a smile. It was a desire that overwhelmed him, a desire that was not only physical, but also deeply rooted in his soul.

The last few years had made him feel like a machine - as if he had no place in this world, apart from fighting and commands. But in Miwa's vicinity, he felt different. She made him believe that he was more than metal and screws. But this belief was not enough. He wanted more. He wanted to hold her, protect her - love her.

Every moment he spent watching her from a distance made his desire grow. His desire to be close to her was almost tangible, and it drove him crazy that he was so close to her, but so far away. But he knew that the day would come when he would be strong enough to meet her - with a real body, a real heart that she could reach with all his feelings for her.

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