You are sleeping soundly in your bed and Ryomen is awake as always. He tends to your slumbering mind, removing the auras of nightmares before they can seep into your dreams. There is a click at the adjoining door that splits the silence.
Ryomen does not stir you, opening your eyes himself to see your intruder.
He finds Yuji Itadori sitting at the foot of your bed.
No.
Not. Itadori.
Sukuna. His facial markings are just visable in the darkness.
"What do you want?" Ryomen demands, sitting up and withdrawing your feet from him.
"Now that's not very friendly of you." Sukuna grins, eyes narrowing.
"Don't treat me like a stranger."
"So you can take control of your vessel..." Ryomen states unnecessarily.
"Hm? The brat? Well, I take my opportunities as they come. His ability to suppress me is greatly weakened while he's unconscious. He's a real pain in the ass." He leans in until his face nearly brushes Ryomen's, taking his chin between his clawed fingertips
"Don't you want to finish what was started earlier?"
Ryomen snaps in annoyance,
"You know, you're really full of yourself, right?" He recoils your body from the touch.
"Haha! You're one to talk," Itadori's Sukuna replies.
"Why are you so defensive of this human vessel of yours? You're kinda soft for being a facet of myself. I'll wager you were from a pinky weren't you?"
Ryomen grabs the front of Sukuna's throat with lightning speed.
"Why don't you state your purpose here?" He spits.
"Easy, brother. I think it can be said we're after the same thing. You want to reassemble, so do I."
"And I'm sure you expect me to relinquish my vessel and let you absorb me."
"Well, since we are of one mind, I also know that you have no intention of leaving your vessel. No more than I plan on leaving mine. But there is alot we can still accomplish together." Sukuna entices.
"What makes you think I need your help?"
"This brat has already reunited four of our fingers within his stomach. The Jujutsu Sorcerers here have others as well they keep hidden away. Despite my efforts, they've eluded me still."
"So you're needing help finding them, and also you assume I'd give them to you. Why?" Ryomen asks skeptically.
"Look, we know we're both the unstoppable force as well as the immovable object here. So I suggest a compromise."
"And what did you have in mind?" Ryomen asks the intruder.
"It involves both of our vessels," Sukuna begins,
"We'll need them to get close. Very close..."
.
.
.
There is a tentative knock at your door as you are getting dressed. It's nearly 8 am.
"Fushiguro?" you call, twisting the knob. Your guess is correct.
"Good morning. I hope you were able to get enough rest," he doesn't bow to you this time, but his nature is still formal. You dip your head to him awkwardly anyway.
"Yes! Thank you, I did. I'm sorry I must've slept through you trying to wake me for dinner last night."
"It's ok. I had a feeling you might. You're looking alot more refreshed today."
"So, are we going to breakfast?" you ask with high hopes. Ryomen was already badgering you to eat.
"Actually, principal Yaga Masamichi wants to see you now. We should make sure you're accepted here first." He turns on his heel.
"Come with me, I'll introduce you."
Uhh...excuse me? You had BETTER be accepted. You didn't exactly have options for places to stay anymore. Your stomach twists in a mixture of anxiety and residual hunger.
"Sorry, Ryomen." You apologize sincerely to him. "I'll try to make this as quick as possible."
He grumbles in response. You feel him withdrawing deeper into your mind to sulk. Probably going to pilfer through your memories some more while he waits.
"Um, Fushiguro?"
"Hm?" He doesn't turn around.
"Thank you for calling to warn me about that centipede curse. I know it was you. That thing would have given me alot more trouble if I didn't know it was coming."
He still doesn't turn around, but replies,
"You're welcome..."
You can sense he doesn't seem to want to talk about it. His silence is puzzling.
"Um, can I ask why you did it? I mean, I'm just a stranger to you."
"I've seen you before. At the restaurant where you work." Finally he stops, turning to meet your gaze.
"I always thought you looked like you didn't need any extra stress. Gojo however thought it would be a better demonstration of your possible abilities if you didn't know it was coming. He has a penchant for amusing himself at the expense of others. Be mindful around him."
It was a neutral response, but it leaves you feeling a tiny bit deflated. He just felt sorry for you because you were overworked it sounds like. But why did you care so much about that, you wonder.
"We're here," Fushiguro stated, knocking to announce your arrival.
"Come on in," a booming voice commands from the other side of the door. You gulp nervously. The principal of a school for sorcerers and psychics must be horribly intimidating you imagine. You picture an ancient wizard draped in flowing robes and surrounded by various magical paraphernalia. Fushiguro holds the door for you, and you enter.
"Wow!" You exclaim, unable to hide your mirth.
The entire floor of the room is cluttered with stuffed animal dolls. Every size, species and color you can imagine. They're all so cute, you nearly squeal.
Sitting in the center of the dolls is a man of enormous stature wearing a plain track suit, his eyes are covered by a pair of dark sunglasses. He's needle felting a doll fastidiously, so he speaks without even looking up.
"It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Yaga Masamichi. I'm the headmaster of Jujutsu Technical Institute."
Fushiguro gently nudges you with an elbow to pull you out of your stupor. "Introduce yourself, try to ignore what he's doing." he whispers softly.
You sputter your introduction as politely as you can, "Thank you for having me! You, uh, have a beautiful school. Here."
He keeps his head down, focusing on his felting. "Satoru Gojo tells me you're a special case. Not unlike our own Yuji Itadori, you've also become a vessel for Ryomen Sukuna, is that right?"
"Yes, that's right..." your stomach knots again. Were you going to have to divulge the details of your contract? You're not sure if you're supposed to do that...
"Fushiguro, you may take your leave now." Principal Masamichi finally looks up from the cerulean duck he is completing.
"Thank you."
"Good luck,"
You hear the door latch behind you, announcing the student's departure and leaving you alone with Masamichi. And his dolls. They suddenly seem less cute and more domineering.
"So, why Jujutsu Tech?" He asks you, plucking more blue felt from a bag beside him.
"What makes you want to study Jujutsu?"
He seems entirely unimpressed by you. You didn't know exactly what Gojo had been telling everyone about you, so what were you supposed to say for yourself?
"Umm...Well. I don't really know. This is all really new to me. I don't truly understand what is means to be a vessel, but," here goes nothing, you think.
"But I know I have a responsibility for the abilities I'm now capable of...And I need to make sure I use them to help others. For the good of humankind." There. That sounded great!
"Wow, what a boring answer. That might get you 'most congenial' in a beauty pageant, but here we're looking for slightly more grit, kiddo."
Was he fucking serious?! Saying you had no grit while he was making stuffed animals? Your hands ball into fists.
"I have grit!" You practically scream.
"You don't know anything about me, you don't even look up from your stuffed animals to see who you're talking to." It sounded harsher than you'd meant for it to be, but he had pissed you off. The anxiety of looming homelessness fuels you. You have no options. It has to be this school.
"I killed someone." You want to swallow the words as soon as you say them, but that had certainly gotten the headmaster's attention now.
"Really?" He sounded piqued.
"Who was it?"
"Does it matter who it was?" you ask.
"Of course. Who was it?" He drops his felt and needles, folding his hands beneath his chin.
You take a steadying breath, trying to remember what Itadori had told you the night before about no one here judging you for your gray areas. You sincerely hope that was true.
"I think...he might've been a serial killer." You say finally.
"You think? Why is that?"
"Because I saw who he hurt. I heard them. Their screams...It was all inside him and I saw it. I watched him through his memories." your voice strains while you speak.
"And he wouldn't have ever stopped himself. So I did."
"Did you have any trouble with that?" Masamichi asks.
"Well, yeah. I keep seeing his face of course. I can't get the image of it out of my head. I'm constantly thinking of it."
"I meant, did you have a hard time doing it? Killing him." he clarifies.
"Oh. No he died pretty quickly. I don't think I was ever in any real danger to be honest. Not with Ryomen there anyways." Shit. That was the wrong thing to say.
"Ryomen?" Masamichi echoes your words, and immediately you want to stuff them back down your throat. Everyone else had called him Sukuna. Of course, idiot. Nobody was supposed to be familiar enough with him to call him by his first name.
The principal smiles at you, eyes concealed behind those mysterious dark lenses.
"I think it would be very good of you to stay. You're accepted into Jujutsu Tech. Congratulations."
What? Just like that? You hadn't even felt like you'd said anything particularly convincing just now. Unless he had some other suspicions about you and Ryomen and wasn't letting on yet.. Still! You've found your home it seems. You celebrate with a whoop and a leap.
"YEAH!"
"We'll have a uniform made for you soon. Be sure you let Gojo know any preferences you may have for it. He should be waiting for you outside now."
"Thank you! I'll do my best here I promise!" You shout a little too loudly as you wave your goodbye and close the door behind you.
He picks his needles and felt back up and continues with his doll. This time with a smile on his face, he mutters to himself.
"Huh, I just know they are going to be a handful."
.
.
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Satoru Gojo is leaning against the wall outside of Yaga Masamichi's office casually,
"Hey! There's my favorite new student. Good to see you've been accepted!"
You make a face at him to show your slight annoyance,
"You failed to mention to me that there would be a chance I wouldn't get accepted."
He claps his hands together with glee,
"Well, yeah, but I knew the odds of that were astronomically small. Your case is way too special. It's not everyday we meet an incarnate vessel of Sukuna."
You try to feel flattered, but any special treatment always leaves you feeling awkward, as does this.
"Yeah well, he wasn't all that impressed by that in the beginning. Actually, I'm not sure what I said that got me accepted." You shrug.
"The important thing for now is that you're staying. So, shall we?" Gojo sweeps his arm down the hall in a yet another motion that you should follow him.
.
.
.
"Itadori mentioned to me that you like the King Kong movies, is that right?" Gojo asked.
He had taken you to their training hall. It looked like it used to be a dojo, but it was currently set up with a large flatscreen TV and a comfy looking couch. You had been hoping that he'd take you to the dining hall finally, but apparently spiritual training was best on an empty stomach.
"Uhh, yeah, I do. Exactly what type of training will I be doing?" Why is he asking about movies?And what's with the TV?
"I know a little self defense already," you offer.
"We're going to be focusing on how to control your own cursed energy! Now you're a little far behind the rest of your class, so we'll have to go fast paced, ok?"
You take a seat on the couch facing the screen, trying to look as attentive as possible despite being confused. And so, so hungry.
"Let's start with the basics, like what cursed energy is," Gojo begins, leaning on his arm against the television set.
"A collection of pair or fear," you recite, already having flashbacks to the time you saw it.
"Correct!" He sounds impressed.
"It can be your own, or concentrated to one specific area because of mutual shared feelings of negativity towards it.
Now to harness that energy and use it as an attack or other means of transference is called cursed technique."
He reaches behind the TV set and produces a box wrapped in a bow.
"Here! From principal Masamichi. Hopefully it should help your training."
Your face lights up immediately.
"Oh, It looks so pretty! What is it?"
He sets the box down on the floor, reaching inside and being sure to hide what it is until the last possible second-
It's a stuffed cat. Its black button eyes shine reflectively against matching black "fur." You feel more than a little patronized.
"Ummm, it's cute?" you offer, but you're utterly confused. How is this going to help your training?
"Don't let appearances fool you. This is a cursed doll. You wouldn't want to win one of these from a claw machine." No sooner than he had spoken, the kitten's head turns and it chomps near his taunting finger, just missing him.
"So the idea of this exercise is to learn how to access your own cursed energy. This little guy will sleep as long as you keep your cursed energy at its maximum. As soon as you dip your levels even a bit, he's going to wake up and give you a mindful reminder to keep the energy flowing. It'll steadily require more and more cursed energy to increase the amount you can summon."
"How do I access my cursed energy?" You ask, gingerly holding the stuffed animal by the scruff. It's hissing in a high pitch, and swiping its claws at you.
"Your extreme negative emotions will activate it. Anger, fear, disgust, disappointment, etcetera. The movies should help you tap into that too."
"Welp, I've got plenty of negative emotions for sure," you murmur. Your repertoire of recent events should be enough to put the poor thing into a coma. The kitten's eyes blink heavily, and it yawns before returning to its nap.
"Wow, it fell asleep instantly. Throw on some movies and sit tight until I come back for you in a few hours. Keep focusing on those negative thoughts!" He sounds annoyingly cheerful.
"That's...unbelievably triggering though," you gripe.
"I know it is...but...Hey, remember The Lion King?"
"Sure, everyone does." You answer skeptically.
"What does the monkey say after hitting Simba in the head?"
The question throws you. You're not even positive you remember it all, but...
"'You can run from your past...or learn from it?'"
"That's the spirit!" Gojo is already halfway out the door, waving his farewell.
"Why do I get the feeling that's the extent of his advice?" You grumble to the cat. It sleeps like a rock.
"Fuck! I forgot to mention my uniform to him!" you realize aloud.
You remember what Fushiguro had warned to you about Satoru Gojo, that he was unpredictable and usually out for his own amusements. That would certainly come back to bite you in the ass.
You peruse through the movie stack he had left out for you.
Jeez, an original copy of King Kong from 1937! Where'd they find that? And the remake with Jessica Lange! You squee as you realize they had gotten you every major King Kong movie. Itadori had clearly told Gojo about your movie tastes. Though it was a bit troubling to see so many. Exactly how long were you supposed to be here by yourself? And were they planning to feed you?
From your cheek Ryomen grumbles, "What is all this? We aren't staying here are we?"
"Apparently we are," you reply with a shrug, popping in the first King Kong. The black and white nostalgic intro fizzes across the tv screen with an equally antique orchestra fanfare.
"These are some of my favorite movies anyway," you explain.
As you sit down there is a painful bite. Jesus! The fucking kitten doll was laughing at you after bitting you on the ass. Grabbing it, you channel your anger into it, it blinks a few times, then returns to it's nap.
"Movies," Ryomen echoes, flipping through your memories.
"Pictures with sound and movement...for entertainment. Bah!" He didn't sound excited. You're positive that your life so far must be very mundane for him.
"I love this story though," you insist.
"Humans try to monopolize off of an enormous monster they find, and eventually come to regret it. It destroys their city."
That gets his attention.
"Oh?"
"Yup. And in the newer versions the effects of the humans being killed is really convincing." It feels strange enticing him with violence and depictions of death to get him to agree, but it works. You're not a fan of watching movies alone anyway.
You get through the first few films with minimal critiques from Ryomen. Aside from the cat doll occasionally lashing out when your cursed energy falters, you barely speak. It seems like he may be...interested?
"What do you think?" You ask after the finale of the second movie ends.
"It's just the same story being told again and again, with only a few things changed, so it's getting predictable. But I do love hearing the humans screaming for their life."
"Yeah, I thought you might. Now this one is different, you'll see what I mean," you replace the previous film and load in the Peter Jackson remake.
"Just to let you know, the first hour is all uphill. They're just introducing the monster food." You sit back just in time for another attack from the cursed doll. This time a bite to your arm.
"Oh, come on you little shit! I barely stopped," you growl.
I do have a question though..."
"What's that?"
"Some of the humans...they feel pity for the creature when it dies. Yet, it would have undoubtedly killed them without hesitation if it had the chance..."
Ahh, the humanity was sinking in. The biggest plot point of the franchise. You smile with excitement,
"What's your question?"
"Why do they care for it?"
"Well, he is innocent as a beast, when he is away from mankind. And it's only their own fault for thinking they could bring him into their world."
"...That one human...The one he takes captive. Does she feel that compassion for him?"
You balk. That wasn't the question you were expecting. Certainly not from...Ohh. That's why he was asking.
You hadn't thought that he would possibly catch on to that and find the similarities. He was your captor afterall. Was he only asking about the movie, or was he making the connections that you were?
A knock at the door thankfully saves you from having to answer.
"You holding up alright in there?"
Itadori's voice asks. He opens the door and pokes his head in.
"Thought I might join you for a bit if that's ok? I remember this training being pretty boring when I had to do it."
"This pest is an annoying little kiss ass," Ryomen hisses to you.
Itadori holds up what looks like a wrapped box. "I brought lunch."
"...Let the little kiss ass in," Ryomen demands.
"That's so nice of you-OW!" the stupid doll had attacked you again. Your negative thoughts had completely dissipated for a moment there.
"My bad. Didn't mean to distract you. Masamichi's cursed dolls are a pain in the ass, huh?" he gives you an apologetic look and starts unboxing a matching pair of bento boxes. Oh, you realize now he wanted to have lunch with you, too. That's so sweet- CHOMP!
"MOTHERFUCKER!" you chuck the doll and it snickers as it bounces back and forth on the floor.
Yuji laughs at your outburst,
"Man, that brings back memories. Haha! Here," he hands you one of the boxes.
"I hope this turned out okay. I haven't fried rice in a while. It's the least I could do since you made that amazing omelette for us last night."
He cooked for me, you marvel while practically drooling. And it looks beautiful!
"I see you've already gotten to the good version," Itadori jerks his head toward the screen.
"I came at a good time, too. All this boat action," he jokes, but you're too busy stuffing your face to respond. He picks up the cat doll before it can chomp you again.
"I'll hold onto this while you eat today, ok?"
Oh, my god, how is he so freaking sweet, you think dreamily. And his cooking is actually good too?!
"Like I said, a kiss ass." Ryomen repeats to you. But seems satisfied enough that he's being fed to otherwise keep quiet.
You finish eating with great satisfaction. Begrudgingly you take the doll back,
"Manifesting cursed energy is exhausting," you sigh.
"Yeah, but you'll be glad you can rely on it once you get strong enough. There's going to be plenty of chances to use it. Maybe even soon. They love to send us on missions we're barely prepared for. That's how I died before."
Come again? Died?
He must've interpreted the look on your face.
"Oh! I got better!" He points a finger at his own face.
"Obviously..." you concur.
"Sukuna actually brought me back. I have a hard time ignoring everything he says, but I can at least maintain control over my body. Supposedly we have terms for a contract...but I don't remember making it." his eyes are on the screen, so he can't see you purse your lips to that last part. You also have that sensation of something missing from your agreement.
"Do you know your contract with Sukuna?" he asks timidly.
There's a lump forming in your throat. You're still tentative to begin disclosing anything between the two of you. You're not really sure what Ryomen would allow you to anyway...
"Go ahead..." you suddenly hear his voice resonating with approval. "Tell him how you're my voluntary plaything."
Now your voice cracks for a different reason. You feel Sukuna's mouth opening on your inner thigh. His tongue sweeps over you in a fluid motion, sending shockwaves up your spine.
"Stop that!" you cry silently in desperation. Itadori was only a few feet from you. You turn your knees away, trying to clamp your thighs together tightly. Ryomen's taunting laughter echoes in your mind. What is with him? He was quiet all morning...until Itadori showed up.
He's jealous, you reason.
"You want to fuck him." Ryomen accuses. His tone is still in that humiliating pitch, but there was something else even more urging behind that. He nearly sounded angry.
"Hey, are you alright?" Itadori observes you with growing concern,
"Is he messing with you right now?" Now his brow knits together in determination. He grabs your shoulders in both his hands, turning you back around to face him.
"Tell him about your fantasy last night of you sitting on his fac-"
"Subsisto!" you shout. Ryomen was too much!
The sensations of his tongue instantly ceases, and you feel his presence return to the domain portion of your mind.
"Heheh, you are no fun." He teases, now devoid of any malice.
Itadori blinks,
"Wha? Subsisto?"
"Uh, sorry...He stops when I use that command." you explain.
"Ohh, so that's part of your agreement? He gave you a command word?"
"Not exactly..." You tell him the story of the card game, and how you had determined your conditions. His eyes grow wide with awe. You conveniently leave out all details of your physical encounters.
"Whoa...so you agreed to house him to avoid being summoned at his whim? What did he want with you exactly?"
Shit. Of course he'd want to know that...
"Uh...well,"
There's absolutely nothing that comes to mind. Why else would he want you if not to screw you? You weren't talented, you had nothing to offer.
Why would anyone want you if not to screw you?
Just like your ex...
Just like-
Your eyes well with tears, blurring Itadori's concerned face.
Shit, you really were pathetic.
Was there anything that didn't make you cry? Thankfully the cursed doll feeds off this and stays soundly asleep.
And Ryomen had retreated to his domain to watch you from afar.
Neither could do anything to stop Itadori from what he does next.
His forehead presses against yours, hands cupping your face tenderly. He reassures you in a low voice, barely audible against the movie,
"It's alright, you're safe. No one can hurt you here."
You want to kiss him. To fall into his safe words and his comforting warm touch. He's so close. Your eyes meet. Then your lips. His hands slide into your hair and he leans in closer.
"Booo! Uninspiring!" Ryomen jeers. You try to ignore him and deepen the kiss, but the butterflies in your stomach are making your cursed energy levels decrease. A growl from the doll jerks the two of you apart just in time for you to grab it and force it back to sleep.
"I...I should really go. I think." Itadori stutters. He gathers the empty lunch boxes together.
"You need to train. We all need you to get strong! Ok?" His face is crimson as he hurries out the door, leaving you in a heap of your tangled thoughts.
You continue your movie with silence from Ryomen.
.
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