Nanami and Yuuji feels today. Yuuji gets to save his assigned dad again ^_^


I Can't Make You Stay

Day 21: Famous Last Words

(coughing up blood, "you're safe now", "take me instead")

Yuuji has the habit of getting into trouble more than he should, but Nanami will simply vow to do everything he can to protect him-Even if that means giving himself up for him.

It was one moment of distraction when Itadori went flying that landed them in trouble. Nanami liked to think that he was very good at staying focused, but seeing the young sorcerer take a hit and not get up was enough to pull his attention away for a second. Just long enough for the curse he was fighting to activate its domain.

For a second, Nanami thought he had been the sole captive, but as he looked over and saw Itadori crawling woozily to his knees, he swore silently.

"Hey, what—"

"Itadori-kun, stay there," Nanami commanded quickly, holding his hand out. They needed to assess the situation before they accidently triggered an attack. For the most part, the domain was empty, looking something like a prison cell. But experience had told Nanami that could change at any moment for the worse.

Itadori paused on his knees, holding an arm around his middle. Nanami swore under his breath again.

He didn't have any more time to worry about the student's condition though because the Curse was appearing in the domain now.

"The 7 to 3 Sorcerer and Sukuna's vessel—I feel honored to invite you into my humble domain."

Nanami's hand clenched around the handle of his blade. He hadn't realized this Curse had the ability for a conversation since it hadn't bothered earlier. The humanoid shape in front of them was a patchwork of debris from the abandoned hospital they were clearing out.

"I've been waiting to get a chance to talk to the vessel," the curse said, eyes pinned to Itadori. "But first, let me explain something. My domain operates on exchange and sacrifice. I capture two people and force one to choose who stays and who gets to go free. However, in this case, in honor of the occasion, I will offer you a different deal." It held out its hands. "Yuuji Itadori, I want a favor from Sukuna."

Nanami turned to stare at Itadori as the teen stared at the Curse, finally making his way slowly to his feet. "I'm afraid I don't really have control over that. Sukuna does what he wants."

"At least switch with him and allow him to make the decision for himself."

Itadori looked to Nanami who shook his head. Sukuna could not be predicted, and neither could Itadori's seemingly innate ability to swap at ease, especially as the Curse got stronger.

"Perhaps a little persuasion is needed, then."

Chains shot out of the walls and pierced through Itadori's body at multiple points, holding him suspended with a sharp cry of pain. Nanami jumped forward, raising his blade to cut through the chains, when another shot out and punched through his wrist. Shattered nerves forced his hand open and he dropped the blade, his arm suspended.

"Easy. I just want a minute. Sukuna," the Curse said, looking directly at Itadori.

"Can you control him in here, Itadori-kun?" Nanami asked quietly, itching to pick up his dropped blade.

The teen glanced over at him, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I…yes."

"Then give it what it wants," Nanami told him. If there was at least a chance of getting out of this domain, they might be able to quickly take the opportunity to take the Curse out once it released them. If they were in any condition to do so by that time.

Itadori swallowed hard, wincing, but nodded. He closed his eyes and a second later, his features shifted into that of the Curse. Sukuna sneered at the other Curse.

"What do you want, worm?"

The Curse sneered. "Sorry, I'm just taking a moment to enjoy the fact that I've captured the famously powerful king of Curses Ryomen Sukuna."

"Captured is a loose term," Sukuna said before he strained against the chains and freed one arm as it snapped.

More shot out instantly spearing Itadori's body to further hold it in place.

"All I want is one of your fingers," the Curse told Sukuna. "Surely you can spare at least one. I'll make it worth your while."

"Filth," Sukuna spat with a sneer. "You think you're good enough to have even a scrap of my power?"

The walls of the domain rumbled slightly as the Curse got more agitated. "You won't even give one up to save your vessel?"

Sukuna leered. "We're done." Then he suddenly shifted back to Itadori who gasped in pain, blood dripping from around the chains. There was nothing Nanami could do at this point though.

"If Sukuna won't cooperate, I'll just have to take the fingers for myself," the Curse snarled.

Itadori screamed as the chains started to shift as if threatening to tear him apart.

"Stop!" Nanami snapped. "Your Domain operates on choice and sacrifice, correct? Then take me instead."

The chains stopped tearing Itadori apart and the Curse turned to face Nanami again.

"That's your decision?"

"Nanami, no!" Itadori croaked. "Sukuna will heal me. It—it's fine."

"Itadori-kun, you understand that the power you hold cannot get into the wrong hands." Nanami said quickly. It was true, if not the whole truth. But he couldn't allow sentiment to get in the way of the mission now. "It has to be you who gets out."

Itadori's lip quivered and Nanami turned back to the Curse. "Yes, that's my decision."

"Nanami!"

The chains instantly withdrew from Itadori and he disappeared.

Nanami felt a brief sense of relief that the boy was at least okay before more chains flew toward him at the same moment he dove for his blade.

He sliced the chain already holding him and was able to deflect most of the others, but they kept coming, and it was inevitable that some of them would made it through his defenses. One pierced his shoulder, then two attacked his blade arm, another his left ankle. Soon he was effectively pinned, spread-eagled in place.

The Curse chuckled gleefully as it stared him down. Nanami glowered back, defiantly, still gripping his blade before it was knocked out of his hand as another chain punched through his palm.

"Time to die, sorcerer."

XXX

Yuuji opened his eyes blearily, pushing himself up on his elbows. What the hell had happened?

An orb of Curse energy loomed nearby and he gasped, staggering to his feet, ignoring his injuries, because Nanami was in there!

"Nanamin!" Yuuji screamed as he summoned his Curse energy and started slamming his fists into the domain. He'd done it before, he could do it again. Blood poured from his injuries but still Yuuji didn't stop. His only goal was to get Nanami out of there.

He continued pounding until his fists bled and he was swaying on his feet, and then…

A crack.

XXX

Nanami tried to use his Curse energy to fight against the chains as they started to tighten, threatening to pull him apart.

And then suddenly a crack appeared and light poured in.

The domain was shattered, and along with it, the chains disappeared, leaving Nanami to fall to his knees. He snatched his blade and was up again in one fluid movement, not giving the Curse a chance at second thought. He sliced the thing in half, effectively exorcising it.

"Nanamin!" Itadori's voice filtered in and Nanami turned to see him standing there—barely—blood seeping from his injuries, a look of relief plastered on his face.

Nanami furrowed his brow, slinging blood from his blade. "Itadori-kun, you really must stop doing these kinds of things."

The teen just gave him a bemused smile. "You're safe now," was what he said. "That's all that matters."

Nanami exhaled slowly, favoring his injured leg as he limped forward just in time for Itadori to collapse on his knees, coughing up blood.

"You're too reckless," Nanami scolded gently as he staggered to his knees as well, letting the boy fall against his chest, shuddering with exhaustion and pain, eyes closed. Nanami reached for his phone to call in one of the managers to come pick them up. He honestly wasn't sure he could make it back to the school in his condition without passing out. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Couldn't let you die," Itadori murmured, wiping blood from his mouth on the back of his hand.

Nanami huffed and pulled him closer as the call was picked up and he quickly explained their situation before ending the call once the promised pickup was arraigned.

Itadori buried his face in Nanami's shoulder as the older man rested a hand on the back of the boy's head.

"You did well, Itadori-kun," he said quietly to the boy's unconscious figure, then sat there and waited for the pick-up.