AN: Hello! It's been a hot minute since I've come back to this fic but thankfully I'm finding my groove for it again. 2022 was absolutely crazy for me but now I have near unlimited time on my hands because I have a baby on the way! Another life event I know lol but at the time of writing and posting this chapter I'm a day away from being 17 weeks along!
Admittedly I've been stuck on this chapter for the longest time so I hope it meets expectations despite it being short again.

Kiyotaka nods to Kagome, thankful someone was able to show up despite orders. "Get me in there," Kagome states without looking at the man as he then leads the way toward the back. Picking up her pace, Kagome gets to the door just as two of three students exit.

"K-kagome," Nobara barely gets out, barely able to stand even with Megumi's help. "I thought you were on a business trip with Sensei…" she coughs out weakly. Kagome's heart nearly breaks, taking her from Megumi so he could relax for a moment while Kiyotaka brings his car around. The young male uses his canine to howl into the building, confusing Kagome as she gets Nobara into the car. Before a word can pass her lips, a spike of curse energy nearly knocks her down.

"Where's Yuuji?!" Kagome snaps as fear courses through her, the finger in her pocket starts eating through the sutra.

"Inside," is all Megumi can say as he catches his breath. "We didn't think someone would show up." Kagome shakes her head and tries to calm down, there was no use freaking out on them when they were already shaken up themselves. She orders Kiyotaka to take Nobara for medical attention, not wanting to risk healing her here and drawing attention to them.

"Why are you staying? You're hurt," Kagome turns to Megumi as the car takes off. "Rather foolis-"

"I'm staying to make sure Itadori is ok," he cuts her off, keeping his eyes on the building. "Isn't that why you're here?" Kagome doesn't respond, keeping her own eyes trained on the building and ready for anything to happen as she situates herself in a nearby tree. Silence falls around them, dread and worry thick in the air as they wait. Kagome shakes her head a bit, on edge from the anticipation of Sukuna showing up and concerned for Yuuji. Was she really prepared to see the King of Curses again? Kagome snaps her attention back to the building, feeling a chill run down her spine at the use of Territorial Expansion. The finger she has slightly pulsed the duration of the expansion, making her fear the worse was happening. It was gone as fast as it was used, Kagome holds her breath, willing Sukuna's energy to be replaced with Yuuji's but the God's love to hate her.

"If it's about him," a voice similar to Yuuji's rings out. "He's not coming back." Sukuna stands just behind Megumi, facing away from him as he speaks, and ignores Kagome for the moment. "Relax, I'm in a great mood right now." Kagome eyes them from her place in the tree, already used to the short uniform. She doesn't care for the words being exchanged, keeping her mind blank of thoughts as she waits for the perfect opening. But that doesn't come as Sukuna stabs his hand into his chest, pulling out Yuuji's heart. Kagome's own heart stops, unable to hear his words even if she tried. Loud ringing drowns out all other sounds as she watches him swallow another finger. She reaches for her bow, not taking her eyes off the pair of males, but quickly realizes she is unarmed. Panic sets in as she curses Gojo for telling her to leave it. Searching her mind for any answer on how to help out Megumi while he is forced to fight the curse. Yet her feet move on their own as she sees the younger male be thrown into the air and hit back down into the side of a building.

Megumi sits there for a moment, seeming to prepare another stream of attack with his cursed shadows as Sukuna lands in front of him just seconds before Kagome. Her back toward Megumi as she stands tall against the curse. "What's this?" Sukuna laughs as he eyes her, knowing he knew her from somewhere but couldn't put his finger on it. Wait. Sukuna narrows his eyes as Megumi gets to his feet. "And here I thought you'd be dead, Miko. Those demons finally-"

"You have no room to talk, Ryomen," she glares as she cuts him off. "Still in a host and never your own body, yet I'm still kicking." The curse only laughs at her more, yet inside he couldn't find a reason why she could still be alive after 500 years. Back then her power was next to nothing but something was different, very different from the girl he met back then.

Kagome could feel Yuuji trying to break back through, glancing at Megumi to do something during her distraction. But the 'something' he does is something she didn't expect. He speaks directly to Yuuji, saying what needed to be said to him to fully bring him back. "That's why I never regretted saving you. Not even for a moment." They watch as the black markings on his body fade away and Yuuji's smile appears.

"Ah, I see," he rubs the back of his head. Relief briefly washes over Kagome before looking at the hole in his chest where his heart should be. "I think your way of doing this is also right. But that doesn't mean mine isn't." Kagome could see his strength rapidly deteriorating despite how hard the male was trying to hold onto his life. Stepping forward, she braces him for his inevitable fall by holding onto his waist. Blood seeps into her clothing yet she stays silent and steady. "Can't hide anything, can I Hig-"

"Shh," she gently shushes him as his strength leaves him. He was heavier than she anticipated but nothing she couldn't handle, yet she shouldn't have to do this. Not hold him up while he dies in her arms.

"Live a long life, ok?" Yuuji speaks out to them both as all signs of life disappear.