"So that guy..."
"Yes. There's no mistaking it."
A hushed exchange of words between Ciel and Yuuji as they stood on a rooftop, overlooking the moving crowd on the streets below. They were spying on a certain individual that stood out from the rest. His body was swarming with curses. Bulgy spirits like leeches and tumors clinging all around the man's figure.
"I have to say, if the undead had more curses clinging onto them like this, it would have made seeking them out much easier," Ciel said, a bit too upbeat at the sight of the Dead. Yuuji observed the man steadily sauntering across the busy pavement. He was a little amazed at how human the vampire servant appeared to be. No deformities to be made of. If not for the curses riding him, Yuuji probably wouldn't have given the guy a second look, apart from the man's empty gaze as if he was on autopilot.
"It's kind of freaky seeing him with everyone else here..." Yuuji commented, crouching in front of the edge. "A lot of people don't see curses. But it's a little different with vampires, huh?"
"Yes. Although curses can physically cling onto others, humans who don't possess any kind of magical power can't tell their presence, let alone their touch," Ciel said, like she was holding a tutoring session. "But with vampires, even though people can see them, as long as they don't stand out, no one pays any mind to the person they walk by every night. That's simply how the world is, though. Everyone is living a life unknown to us all. You could be walking past a celebrity in disguise. A killer on the run. A domestic abuser. A charitable man. Or even an assassin and sorcerer like you and me."
"Hm," Yuuji hummed, seeing Ciel's point. "You said they don't usually have curses clinging to them. How do you pick them out? It's kind of tough to tell from here."
"For vampire servants, you have to pay careful attention to the subtle clues they display, their mannerisms for instance," Ciel informed. Her dress swaying in the wind. "I've been at this job for a while now, so I'm able to spot it right away. For the untrained, though, it might not be so easy to see, especially in a crowd like this. Do you notice anything that makes him stand out from everyone else, Yuuji-kun?"
"Hmm..." Yuuji focused onto the Dead, putting his hands beside his eyes as if it would help enhance the image of the man. "He seemed like he hadn't brushed his hair in a while. His clothes look a little unkempt too. I'd probably think he was tired or going through something, but..."
"But?" Ciel asked.
"I don't know how to explain it..." Yuuji said as he lowered his hands. An almost vacant look in his stare. "He just looks... dead. He doesn't seem that different from everyone else, but I could still tell that something isn't right with him."
His intuition is sharp, Ciel was impressed, and immediately noticed a small change in Yuuji's tone of voice.
"That guy... There's no way of helping him, is there?" Yuuji asked, seemingly aware of the answer already.
"...No. There isn't," Ciel answered evenly. "He is no longer with us in the world of the living. By now, he must have sucked plenty of people's blood. Blood that seemed to be shared by the curses all around him. They're no different from mosquitos in that regard."
Yuuji grimaced.
"If we do not kill him now, he will continue to suck other people's blood, giving strength to the parent vampire."
It was like a ghost of the past spoke in her place as her cold gaze regarded the single roaming, cursed dead below. "You have a general understanding of what vampires are. How they're ageless and immortal. Their fear of the Cross. How they can't survive under sunlight, and how a person who has had their blood sucked becomes a vampire as well. But not everyone becomes a vampire, if that were the case, then if the original vampire and the person who became a vampire were to repeat the process, sucking blood of one human per day, the entire world's population would have become vampires within a month."
Yuuji gulped upon hearing that, feeing a chill up his spine at such a scenario.
"Naturally, that would have been bad for the Dead Apostles," Ciel continued. "They need humans to survive after all. Despite seeing themselves as above them, playing with innocent lives to satiate their hunger and boredom, they depend on humans heavily. If such a scenario were to happen - the world's entire population turning without those like the Church to stop them, I imagine the vampires will simply gather the remaining humans and breed them like animals, among other vile acts they'll do to the men, women, and children."
Yuuji's expression darkened as he heard this. His chest flared with a quiet rage as he thought back Sacchin's admittance of killing humans for sport. He could only imagine how much worse the vampire who turned her must be.
"The thought of such creatures roaming somewhere in the world, it's enough to keep a person up all night." Ciel's eyes narrowed as her dark hair blew in the wind. "They are monsters... that shouldn't exist."
There was a subtle vehemence in Ciel's words that surprised Yuuji, and he looked back up at the executor. Ciel... You really hate vampires, huh?
Yuuji wondered what happened in Ciel's life that caused that hatred.
"Be alert," Ciel suddenly said. "It seems he has spotted a new victim."
Yuuji quickly turned back for the walking dead below. He saw the zombie wander into an alleyway, following an unsuspecting young man. Yuuji stood up at once, steeling himself. "Let's go."
Even though that guy down there had been a human once, he's not anymore. Yuuji won't make the same mistake again. He won't hesitate if it means saving someone else's life.
He suddenly gets tapped at his temple by Ciel's finger, breaking him out of his intense focus.
"You should relax a little more. It's not as if we're dealing with a Grade One curse or a Nightmare Rank vampire." Ciel said, smiling sweetly as Yuuji looked at her. "I'll take care of the Dead, and you deal with the curses."
It was as if she sensed Yuuji's troubles, not wanting to burden him with taking the life of someone who looked so human. She winked at him. "Having someone as handsome as you around, watching my back. It puts me at ease."
She then leapt to the next rooftop, leaving the boy to stare at her quickly departing figure. Yuuji's lips pressed into a thin line, and he put his hand over his mouth, hiding his smile as he glanced aside. Hehe. She called me handsome.
He appreciated her words of trust in him, even more so knowing that she said it to keep him spirited. He'll be sure to repay her later. For now, she can bet that he'll have her back, always.
He hurried after the executor.
Yuuji punched the last of the cursed leeches, exorcising it with his fist full of cursed energy. Behind him, the ashes of the Dead lay in front of Ciel. Her black keys embedded in its remains, with only the Dead's lingering jacket lying there.
"Alrighty." The blue flame of his cursed energy faded, and Yuuji looked to the girl. "You okay, Ciel?"
"I am. They never even gotten close, but... thank you for asking," Ciel cordially responded as she picked up her black keys. She was a little unused to working with someone she was personally close to. Not even Noel, someone who grew up in the same village as her, guarded her as closely as Yuuji had tonight.
Ciel personally preferred working as a lone agent, even when it was encouraged and recommended to work with others. Any special circumstances of her grouping together with someone who isn't her protégé like Noel, they'll have to be an equal - if not stronger than Ciel. So to have someone like Yuuji nearby, actively fighting alongside her, and not only keeping Ciel's position in mind but also an innocent bystander. Having a trusted company... it honestly felt nice.
"Now then..."
They turned to face the shocked citizen sitting on the side. His back pressed against the wall, and he remained there even after having his neck literally saved by the executor and sorcerer.
"Yo! You good?" Yuuji inquired the stunned young man, giving a casual wave. "You should get going. It's pretty dangerous to wander at night."
"Wha... What are you people...?"
Ciel approached the man on the floor, staring at him directly.
"Just concerned citizens passing through. You barely got away from a mugging just now," Ciel casted a Suggestion Spell into the man's mind. Essentially rewriting his memories into something comparatively mundane.
After performing her memory wipe, Ciel and Yuuji left the man to reconsider roaming the alleyways at night alone, and they depart back out for the city. Yuuji, however, took one last look at the ash pile behind them, and he stopped.
"-? Yuuji-kun?" Ciel turned to see Yuuji walking back to the pile.
"I won't be long," Yuuji said. He picked up the dusty jacket, as well as the pants and wallet that had been the dead man's belongings. Yuuji neatly folded them on top of the pile as he crouched in front of the remains, and with a slap of his hands, he gave a brief prayer.
Ciel silently watched Yuuji giving his respects, staring with nothing but a thoughtful look at the sorcerer.
The next few trips were spent searching for more of the dead and curses, with a majority of them being curses. Each time Ciel managed to dispatch a Dead, however, Yuuji would always fix their remains and give a respectful prayer. So far, he only had to do this three times, as that was how many vampire servants Ciel and Yuuji were able to find tonight.
"I've been kind of wondering," Yuuji suddenly spoke up, walking side by side with Ciel on the main street. They passed by stores that were still open for the night. The warm light spilling over the pavement they cross. "I can get why people don't know about curses. But wouldn't it be a good idea to let people know that vampires exist?"
"It's... complicated," Ciel began slowly. "There was once a time when many people knew that vampires were real, just as many believed in spirits such as curses. It's just that we do such a good job at exterminating our enemies that people no longer see monsters as fact, but fiction. There's more to it than that, though."
She looked over to see Yuuji paying close attention, curious to hear more. Ciel considered for a moment and then abruptly picked up the pace, clasping her hands behind her back. "Why don't we take a break somewhere? I can explain it all to you then. We could even get something to eat."
"Sure! Where do you want to go?" Yuuji asked, eager to have some downtime, and most of all, food with his girlfriend.
Ciel gave a pleasant smile, "I know just the place."
The school of Souya High stood silently in the dark. The streetlights and the overhanging moon their only source of light. Yuuji and Ciel easily leapt over the barricade and casually walked their way towards the school building. It's been some time since Yuuji had last seen this place, feeling as if it was forever ago that he's moved to Tokyo. He started to wonder how Setsuko and Takeshi were doing back in his hometown.
Noel-sensei mentioned how a lot of people got along with Ciel here, Yuuji remembered as he looked at the girl on his left. I wonder if she could still see her friends sometime? After she changes school.
There were a lot of Yuuji's old schoolmates that he missed and lost touch, but he would still see plenty of familiar faces here and there up until a month ago. He's enjoyed his new life here, without a doubt, and all the people he has made friends with at Jujutsu Tech High, but he wondered how Ciel felt about leaving all of this?
"You seem to be in deep thought, Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji blinked, realizing he'd been staring for too long. Even as they walked through the dark hallway of the empty school, he could still see the hint of concern in Ciel's shy smile as she looked back at him. "You've been staring at me for three minutes now. Do I look a little unusual tonight?"
"Ah. No. Sorry..." Yuuji said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just that... since you'll be going to a different school now, are you going to miss it here?"
Ciel considered Yuuji's question for a moment. "Hmm. There have been plenty of good memories. Although I was only sent here to hunt down Dead Apostles, I did find myself enjoying the routine as an everyday, average student."
Her eyes softened fondly. "I wasn't able to finish school after the Church recruited me. I never even got to graduate. Being seen as a dependable Senpai has been a new, interesting experience for me."
She smiled brightly at Yuuji. "But! I'm sure being a student at Jujutsu Tech High will be just as enjoyable! I might even start up a new club there. Won't that be fun?"
Yuuji looked at Ciel's award-winning smile. Even though she seemed upbeat, he thought back to all the stories she told about her and Satsuki, hanging out with their other friends as they shared lunches together. It really sounded like Ciel was settling in well, and he couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Yuuji-kun?" Ciel's cheerfulness fell as soon as she noticed Yuuji's solemn expression, his gaze turning back down the hallway.
"...Sorry," Yuuji said once more. "It feels like we're just tearing you away from all of this. If it's possible, I'd want you to keep going here, so that you won't have to leave all your friends behind."
Ciel stared at Yuuji's guilt-ridden face, and she smiled again. He really is just precious. She can't have him feeling bad for her sake, though. She much rather see him energetic over being melancholy. That's her job.
Feigning hurt, Ciel looked away, "Oh? I see... I thought I was doing the right thing..."
Yuuji was surprised to hear her shift in tone and saw her pouty look.
"I was hoping you'd be happy for me. We'd be going to the same school, but maybe you're tired of me already?" Ciel sighed despondently, looking as if she was about to cry.
"N-No! Hold on! That is so not true!" Yuuji quickly retorted as they both stopped in the middle of the hallway. His hands reached out for her, panicked at her expression of disappointment and sadness. "I really do want you around! I was just-! Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"
Yuuji profusely apologized as he grabbed Ciel's shoulders, wanting to really hammer it home, but she refused to look at him.
"You're so much fun to hang out with. Like seriously! I'd get super bummed out when you're not around-!" Yuuji professed to her. He eventually stopped when he heard Ciel began to giggle.
"Oh my," Ciel said with a mischievous smirk, looking back at Yuuji finally. "If you're willing to grovel this much, I should guilt trip you more often."
"C-Ciel!" Yuuji's face scrunched up, and he glared at her. "That wasn't funny! I actually felt bad!"
"Hehehe!" Ciel laughed more openly. She eyed at him teasingly. "I'm sorry, Yuuji-kun. I couldn't help it. You're just too easy sometimes."
"You-!" Yuuji wanted to pinch Ciel's cheeks as payback. He was stopped, however, when Ciel took hold of his chin. Her fingers grazed up against his jawline, and she looked at Yuuji warmly. His breath nearly hitched when he met her gentle, light blue gaze.
"You don't need to feel bad about me transferring," she assured. "It was my decision. Besides, I wasn't going to stay in this school for long anyway. I'm not even a real student here. I just waltz right in, and no one thought twice about it."
"Ah. Really?" Yuuji asked.
"Yes. Really," Ciel nodded. "Of course, I don't plan on leaving your school any time soon. As long as the Dead continues to wander the streets, I'll be here until they've all been eliminated, which may take me a year or two."
It was a bit of a stretch in the truth. It usually doesn't take that long for Ciel to hunt down every single vampire in Tokyo, but even if she were to find Roa and eliminate him, she still intended to stay here until she can personally see to Sukuna's execution. And when that happens, she will not let Yuuji be alone in that process.
"A few years..." Her words were like gold to Yuuji as his hands slid down to her arms. Hearing that she'll be around for that long, he smiled. "I'll definitely help you clear them out too. It's pretty good to hear that you'll be staying, though, even if it's for a little while."
He pulled her in, hearing her little gasp as his lips touched Ciel's forehead. The girl jolted in his hold, blushing pink under his kiss.
"It's gonna be great when we see those guys again," Yuuji said, referring to Megumi and Nobara. "I heard from sensei that we'll be meeting our seniors too. Heheh. I'm a little excited. I wonder how they'll react when we show up?"
"Ah. Yes... That will most certainly cause quite a stir," Ciel was not as excited about that as Yuuji was, more so to do with the fact that the Vessel of Sukuna will be revealed to still be alive.
There's also the fact that I'm with the Church. I have a strong feeling that our welcoming won't be a warm one once we meet with the students of Kyoto.
Gojo had informed Ciel of an upcoming school event that Yuuji will undoubtedly participate in, involving a competition between the students of Tokyo Jujutsu High and Kyoto Jujutsu High.
If there's ever a perfect chance to act on Yuuji-kun's life, it has to be during the Goodwill Event.
They had less than a few months before said event will begin. When that time comes, Yuuji needed to be ready. Ciel will have to make sure of that.
Pulling back, Ciel took hold of Yuuji's gloved hands, a warm feeling in her chest at seeing him wearing her gift. She kept her head down to avoid his gaze, too shy to meet them even for a hardened executor like herself. Goodness... There really is no helping how she is. "I'm sure Fushiguro-san and Kugisaki-san have grown much stronger since the last time we saw them. We'll need to show them that we've been working just as hard."
Ciel smiled up at the sorcerer in front of her. "Let's do our best, Yuuji-kun!"
"Yeah!" Yuuji agreed, and with another kiss to her forehead, they continued their walk together down the empty hallway, hand-in-hand.
They took the stairs a few times as they chatted along the way. What they were chatting ranged from anything to everything. It was how they were for the past couple of weeks. There was just no tiring themselves out when they were together, making every moment as precious as the last. If they had walked these halls during the daytime, they could have easily been mistaken as fellow classmates here.
Within the next several minutes, they eventually reached the room. Their hands separated as Ciel slid open the door.
The Tea Ceremony Room was just as they left it, with its eastern culture aesthetics just as Yuuji remembered them. They used the lights of their cellphones for visual aid, deciding to keep the room dark so to avoid luring any attention from outside. Closing the door behind them, the pair moved to the center of the room.
"How about one last tea here? I won't be seeing this place again after tonight, so feel free to do anything you like," Ciel offered as she went to gather the tea set from the other side of the room.
Yuuji sat down on the pillow seat on the floor with a slump, relieved after all the running, walking, and exorcising they did. "Anything, huh? Hmm..."
He closed his eyes to consider for a moment, and then looked to Ciel. "You want to make out?"
The tray nearly slipped out of Ciel's hold, but the professionally trained assassin managed to regain her grip and balance. "Y-Yuuji-kun! That's too forward!"
Yuuji goofily puffed his cheeks, snickering at Ciel's reaction. "Such a lady~. You're just as easy to mess with, you know?"
"Why you..." Ciel glared at the mischievous boy as she set down the tea set between them, sitting on her knees on top of a pillow. "It's not as fun when you're doing it, also I wouldn't call myself a 'lady'. I just... have a clerical status to uphold! Right. That's it."
It was a flimsy excuse considering their previous 'activities' at the hotel. Though, Ciel would argue it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Their emotions overtaking them after such a strenuous ordeal that nearly costed their lives. Also, their clothes had still been on, so there was no skin-to-skin contact and therefore, still fairly chaste.
"Yeah? You're really proper though. Sometimes serious, but also pretty cool too," Yuuji answered honestly, adjusting the brightness setting of his phone as he decided to play some tunes to fill the room with.
"C-Cool?" Ciel did not expect that, thinking how much of a brutish fighter she can be. She felt warmed by Yuuji's words. "I-I see. Um. Thank you."
"This place sure hasn't changed a lot since last time, huh," Yuuji said as he looked up at the ceiling. "Did you get any new members?"
"Oh. Yes! Just one," Ciel admitted as she started preparing the tea. "Luckily the teachers were able to overlook this. I'm sure it'll be a relief once I'm out of their hair, after I've been misusing this room for so long. To be honest, aside from running the club, I also use this place as a safe haven of sort. During lunch or breaktime. Occasionally, I would even skip classes just to relax here."
"Whoa! Senpai likes to play hooky, huh?" Yuuji said with a teasing grin. "You really do have a bad side to you."
Ciel clasped both sides of her face and laughed embarrassedly, looking absolutely adorable in Yuuji's eyes. "Guilty!"
Yuuji laughed, crawling over to sit next to Ciel. "Is your clubmate gonna be okay after you leave?"
"I wouldn't worry. He has a very good friend to keep an eye on him," Ciel answered smoothly, briefly intertwining her fingers together. "It was only for a short while anyway. I'm sure he won't miss it all that much. In any case, we live dangerous lives as monster hunters, so we inevitably have to distance ourselves from those who live normally. It's for their sake, and for our own discretion as well."
"Oh. Yeah..." Yuuji understood, though he still felt sad to hear that.
"Do you miss your home, Yuuji-kun?" Ciel asked as she opened the tea packets.
Yuuji pondered over the question. "Sometimes, but I really like it here too."
"Really? Even after everything?" Ciel pushed on curiously. Her nosiness a disguise for her concern.
"Well, that's life, isn't it?" Yuuji answered. A mature point of view, with their recent loss still fresh in his mind. "A lot of good and bad stuff can happen. Knowing how fragile life really is, I want to appreciate the people I still have close to me, and do what I can right now, while I'm still living in the moment. I'll feel bad for a while, but I won't let it keep me down. At the very least, I'd want to do it for the people that I couldn't save."
"Yuuji-kun..."
Before Ciel would respond to such a touching statement, Yuuji's mood suddenly shifted, and he smiled cheerfully at Ciel. "Although, I did get a really awesome girlfriend out of it, so I can't say it hasn't been all bad."
"Ah-!" Ciel was startled, retreating her hands from the teapot. She looked away in embarrassment. "You really don't think twice with what you say, do you?"
Seeing her straightened posture with her fists balled against her knees, Yuuji chuckled. Cute~.
He slipped his fingers under Ciel's hand, inciting another surprised jump of her shoulders, and he smiled even wider at the sight of her blushing face.
"It's the truth," Yuuji said, gently squeezing Ciel's hand. "You really have been the best thing to come out of my life."
"Th-That's not-! I..." Ciel modestly declined, shaking her head as she did so. "N-No. I'm sure you mean that for the others. There were plenty of times I've been rather... difficult. It hasn't always been great being around me."
"That's fine," Yuuji scooted even closer to Ciel, until their arms touched, and he could feel her warmth radiating. "It's like what I said before. Good or bad, I want to be with you. I'd just hope I get to catch up to you one day."
He smiled softly as he looked at Ciel. "To be honest, aside from Gojo-sensei and Nanami-san, you're an inspiration to me."
"Huh-?!" It was a noise that sounded like a gag. Not out of disgust, but simply the fact that Ciel was completely caught off guard by Yuuji's sincerity. Her face beet red as she stared back at him, the usually stoic executor losing her cool. Yuuji had to hold back his laugh, and he pressed his forehead against Ciel's. He would have cuddled her right on the spot if he wasn't worried about Sukuna coming out - the creep.
"It's what I believe," Yuuji said. "No matter what you say, I know just how amazing you are, Ciel. I'd want to be like you someday."
"Y-Yuuji-kun! You think too highly of me! Really. I don't even stand close to someone like my peers! Or Gojo-sensei, or Nanami-san!" Unable to handle this much praise, Ciel pulled her hand out of Yuuji's and hopped up to her feet.
"O-Oh! That's right! I nearly forgot!" Ciel sputtered to divert attention elsewhere. "There's some food I've left in the fridge. Th-They should still be fresh! Just a quick warm up in the microwave, and they'll taste as they would straight out of the oven!"
Her smile carried a large mesh of embarrassment and joy, and Ciel rushed over to the kitchen, more so to hide her giddy and flustered self.
Yuuji watched her go - taking a quick peek at her rear before she entered the kitchen, and he chuckled to himself. Her reactions were just too good not to pass up on causing. He sat back onto the mat as he watched her rummage through the kitchen. "Do you need some help? We'll need plates to go with it, yeah?"
"A-Actually, that won't be necessary," Ciel revealed, a little more relaxed now that she had time to recover. She opened the refrigerator. "The food that I have come in wrappers. You should know, since you were the one who brought them over one time, Yuuji-kun."
"Wait. Do you mean...?!"
After closing the fridge, Ciel came out and showed several plastic wrappers in her hands, filled with what she could argue to be both God and Man's greatest creation. "That's right! Curry breads!"
"Yes!" Yuuji fist pumped the air at the sight of the spicy treats. Ciel smiled widely at his enthusiasm. To see such a fellow enjoyer of curry, it was like she was falling for him all over again.
His attitude is truly infectious. He also has very good taste. Ciel nodded in approval as she brought back the cold treats to the microwave.
Once the breads were warmed up, and Ciel's heart had calmed down, she returned with a large plate full of curry breads to the main room, where the readied teapot sat waiting for them. She settled down next to Yuuji, a little conflicted over how close or apart she ought to be, and then after putting down the hot curry breads, she started pouring their drinks for both herself and Yuuji.
Ciel lifted her cylinder cup to her chin, her clenched fist over her lips. "Ahem. Now... You wanted to know why we don't inform anyone about the existence of vampires, yes?"
Yuuji took a sip of the nice warm tea and hummed in confirmation.
"Truthfully, I would have also liked to inform everyone about this," Ciel began. "It certainly would have put more people on alert, but even with the title "Modern-Day Vampire" thrown around, it's such an unbelievable circumstance that they'll be more likely to laugh at our faces than actually believe us. It's easier to accept that this is a human serial killer we're dealing with, and not a monster straight out of myths and movies. But a lone human wouldn't have the power to wipe out an entire city. That's the gravity of the situation we are in."
She then sighed, "On the other hand, if they do believe us, it will only start a panic. Plus, with Japan harboring so many cursed spirits, the people's fears will only feed into the curses, giving them more strength and causing more problems for us."
"Hm. That's true..." Yuuji said as he bit into the curry bread in his hand, listening very closely like he would to a compelling film.
"And that's just one layer of problems," Ciel continued. "There are groups outside the Holy Church who would prefer not to expose the existence of vampires, or else it may end up exposing themselves."
"Like who?"
"Well, there's the Mages Association. Have you heard about them, Yuuji-kun?"
At Yuuji's shake of his head, Ciel sighed again. "Of course not. Gojo-sensei isn't really the type to bring that up for the sake of it. Although your school is in Japan, Yuuji-kun, I still think it's important for you to know at least a little about the other colleges, especially the one stationed in the West."
Warming up her throat after a good drink of her tea, Ciel began to explain. "The Mages Association is an organization formed by practioners of Magecraft. Their schools are just like Jujutsu High. Only, instead of calling their students and teachers Jujutsu Sorcerers, we more commonly referred to them as Mage or Magus. Magi for plural references."
It was like a Wikipedia in form as Ciel went on. "One of their most note-worthy schools is held in England, called the Clock Tower. Judging by the name alone, you would think it to be referring to the Big Ben, but that's not the exact location of the school. It's actually in the British Museum, where you will find the entrance into the Clock Tower."
Yuuji's eyes widened at the reveal. "Don't a lot of people visit that spot? It's really famous."
"Indeed. But the school has wards that helps them avoid the public's attention, not to mention being very well hidden even in a monumental place. It's like Jujutsu Tech High's method of concealment. Although, the effects around your school seemed only focused on hiding itself, whereas the Clock Tower can, if need be, magically manipulate a person's senses to turn them away," Ciel explained. "While the museum does get a lot of tourists, no 'normal' person would ever stumble upon a magic school by accident. Although, there might be some mages who wouldn't mind any 'live ingredients' wandering in, but let's not get into the grim side of their world right now."
She said it with such a sunshine smile, Yuuji felt a bit of a shiver at the implications of her words, a little hoping it was a joke. "Geez. They sound more like witches and warlocks."
"There is a study in witchcraft, but we can get into the several subjects later if you're interested," Ciel casually mentioned, surprising Yuuji at there being a class for it. She resumed to her previous topic.
"The Mages Association has three main branches, and the Clock Tower is one of them. The Clock Tower is one of the largest, most exclusive schools of magecraft, becoming the Mages Association's official headquarters."
She once more gave a lovely expression. "It's also one of the Holy Church's greatest enemies! Though, at the moment, we are in a non-aggression agreement. But conflict can and does occasionally happen every now and then, especially when it's off the record."
It is honestly admirable how upbeat Ciel can be even when talking about unpleasant things. The way she explained it seemed like the tension between the Mages Association and the Holy Church is a bomb just waiting to go off.
"The Holy Church views the Mages Association as a heretical company," Ciel said, "but to avoid a great deal of bloodshed from both sides, we decided to keep a blind eye on their practices and activities, so long as they do not interfere with our work. Jujutsu Sorcerers and Mages are very similar. The only differences lies in their use of 'magic', much like the clergymen of the Holy Church."
"Hm. Sensei did mention something about that," Yuuji recalled, thinking back on the last time he visited this room with his teacher, and it was only said in brief passing.
Ciel nodded, "Right. I already gave you a briefing of what magecraft is a while ago, but this seems like a perfect opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty of it. It relates to your wondering about why the Mages Association would want to keep creatures like the Dead Apostles a secret. It ultimately has to do with their practice."
As she poured another serving of tea into Yuuji's cup, Ciel resumed her lecture. "Unlike Cursed Energy, which can be drawn from within, Magecraft utilizes magical energy capable of manipulating the world around us. In other words, it has the ability to bend reality itself."
"F-For real?!" Yuuji was stunned, nearly spitting out his tea.
Ciel nodded, taking a delicious bite out of the curry bread she grabbed. "And that's not all-"
For the next ten minutes, Ciel went into everything there is to know about Magecraft. From the Root to an Origin. Magic Crests to Thaumaturgical System. Everything that she could pull from Roa's knowledge were all eloquently - yet simplistically - spilled to the sorcerer in training who may or may not live long to tell it all. It was like the vast universe was behind the executor as her lecture transcends humanity's comprehension, all while the song The Lord is in Heaven plays. Meanwhile, Yuuji was stone-faced, unable to keep up with the infinite flow of information full of abstracts and in-depth lore that he's never going to keep in his head later.
"And that about covers the basics of what Magecraft generally is," Ciel finished, soothing her throat with a drink of her tea after that long-winded explanation.
"Hmm..." Yuuji had the most serious expression on his face, holding his chin. "I see. I understood none of that."
Ciel nearly coughed in her tea when she heard this. "O-Oh. Well, I suppose I might have gotten carried away. I probably bored you a little after hearing me prattle for so long."
"No. You're a really good speaker." Yuuji kind of got lost once "Conceptional Weapon" came into the mix. Bible Pages turning into Swords and whatnot, which is pretty cool on paper, even though he didn't completely understand the actual physics behind it. Nonetheless, he was attentive throughout even in his confusion. Probably because Ciel's voice sounded so nice and soft to listen to.
"It's just a lot to take in," Yuuji said, finishing his curry bread. "But I think I got the gist of it."
"Ah. Right. I should get to the point then." Clearing her throat, Ciel surmised the key point of her lecture.
"As I mentioned before, magecraft is derived from its Mystery, the source of all supernatural phenomena. It gives mages their powers, so to speak. However, the more people learn about magic, the weaker their Mystery becomes. It's like an illusionist losing the impact of his trick. Once the audience are exposed to its secrets, all the wonders of it become lost. Even Dead Apostles, for all their powers, are not completely exempt from this, as they too use magecraft. So their decisive elusiveness isn't just to avoid the Holy Church, but also to give more potency to their power."
Yuuji was honestly enthralled by this fact. He subconsciously gripped his teacup tighter. "Then, shouldn't we tell more people about them? It'll make vampires weaker, won't it?"
"In theory, perhaps, but the Mages Association will not allow that. Unveiling a vampire's existence to the public would mean unveiling the existence of magecraft, and for the Church to do that would incite the mages to declare war on us," Ciel explained with a serious expression.
"The Mages Association's one and only goal is to conceal and preserve their craft. It's the very reason they started their organization. If everyone in the whole world were to know about magecraft, forget the panic it could cause, and the potential devastation it could bring by those interested to try, it'll risk weakening the mages power considerably. They won't lose their powers completely, but it wouldn't be as prominent as before."
Ciel puts down her bread and cup, and she outstretched her arms as if to take her and Yuuji back in time. "Long ago, magecraft was once something truly magnificent. Nowadays, our knowledge of the world have expanded. Most things that were previously unknown have been explored and understood. What gives mages their power is their anonymity. While there are impressive abilities and individuals in the current era, it still lacks in comparison to how it was before the death of Solomon, the King of Magecraft himself."
"In other words, these mages are clinging to a dying art."
The one to cut into the conversation was the King of Curses himself. Sukuna's mouth splits open in Yuuji's cheek as the disgruntled sorcerer looked down at it. "Heh! And you call us curses weak."
Ciel stoically glared at the curse. "I don't recall inviting you. Please see yourself out. Back into that protection of yours, since that's all you seem to be good at."
In short, make like a turtle and get back into your shell. Yuuji was once again amazed by Ciel's attitude, even at the face (mouth?) of the King of Curses.
"This kid couldn't protect anything as is. He's as useless as they come!" Sukuna badmouthed. He quickly dodged Yuuji's slap, reappearing in his other cheek. "These western mages aren't much either. Talk about being the 'top dog' of the world, all while relying on a lifeline that's barely flowing. You don't see shamans having that problem."
Yuuji frowned at the curse. It's not like either Ciel or Yuuji asked for this bastard's opinion. What is this, some kind of Jujutsu Sorcerer pride talking?
Ciel crossed her arms. "It's true that Jujutsu Sorcerers abilities are rather unique."
Even if they could argue about the "black box" theory, regarding the connection between one's magical energy to the brain and the rest of the body, Jujutsu Sorcerers are still an enigma to even the brightest of mages around the world. Powered by Negative Emotions instead of Mystery, with even cursed spirits gaining strength through rumors rather than secrecy. There must be some reason why Japan's shamans work so differently from other mages.
"But I'm not interested in discussing this with a curse. You'd hardly be willing to listen anyway, without cutting my head off first," Ciel simply said, keeping her inner thoughts to herself. She huffed at the curse as she placed both fists at her hips. "The only appealing thing about you is that you took possession of an attractive young man. That'll be the only reason anyone would find you even remotely charming."
Yuuji perked at the compliment, flattered as he parted his gloved hand from his face.
"Many have referred to you as a king, but to me, you're simply another thug I will have to take down. No different from any other vampire I've slayed," Ciel finished calmly.
"Fine by me. I'll just have to show you that I'm nothing like those monsters you've slain. We'll see who'll be down on their knees then." The cursed king's grin grew wide. "It'll be a pleasure watching you squirm. Cutting your head off would be too boring. For you, I'll make it especially more-"
That was enough for Yuuji, and he slammed both his blessed gloved hands against his cheeks. "Geez. This guy can be so gross, like all the time actually."
Ciel huffed in agreement, and she scooted closer to Yuuji. "I seriously feel bad for you, Yuuji-kun. To deal with that every time you go out."
She slipped her hands underneath Yuuji's, placing her warding spell to keep Sukuna quiet before she guided Yuuji's hands down to her lap, seeing him blush lightly and she smiled endearingly. "Why don't we lighten the mood? I won't let anything ruin our teatime, and besides, you said that you wanted to get to know me better, yes?"
Yuuji's brows rose high. "Yeah. I do."
"Then let's start with that. We have all the time in the world now," Ciel said with a sincere smile, gingerly holding Yuuji's fingers. "So, feel free to ask me any questions. I don't really like talking about myself, but if it'll make you happy, then I'll do my best to seem a little interesting to you."
Yuuji laughed slightly, bringing his head close to Ciel as he gripped back Ciel's hands. "You're so much more interesting than you give yourself credit for. Let's see..."
They had a brief talk about it earlier today after Yuuji brought out the celebratory cake. He found out Ciel's favorite flavor was chocolate, and that her birthday is on May 3rd. He made a strong mental note of it so that he can plan for her birthday party next year. There were plenty of other things he's already learned about. Her love for dogs, especially puppies. Her love for curry. Her baking skills. That she's French, which is a fact Yuuji celebrates every night before bed. Hmm. What else could he ask her?
"Do you have a favorite anime? Or manga?" Yuuji asked.
Ciel closed her eyes to consider. "Hmmm. I'm not much of a manga reader, I'm afraid. I've seen maybe a few shows, but as you might remember, I didn't have a TV before you moved in."
Counter to his presumption, she was apparently not an Otaku. There was a surge of excitement in Yuuji that he was dealing with someone who has yet to tread the wonderful ocean that was Japanese media and he slightly bounced in his seat.
"You've got to watch some with me. They'll change your life forever. Oh! There's a manga café we could check out! It's really cool! I went to one with Fushiguro-san and Kugisaki-san a while back. They weren't big comic book fans, though. Well, except for Sensei, he really liked Digimon."
Ciel smiled wider at Yuuji's adorable eagerness. "I see. Then why don't we go tomorrow night? I've never been to a café like that before, so I'll be entrusting myself into your care, Yuuji-kun."
"Yosh! It's a date then!" Yuuji said happily with a brief salute, and they both chuckled at the goofiness of it.
"What shows do you watch?" Ciel then asked, wanting to continue this joyful atmosphere as she looked at Yuuji almost dreamily. She knew asking this question goes against the main point of letting Yuuji learn more about her, but whether she meant to do that or not, she wanted to know more about Yuuji too. Something that she can gather outside of just looking into his background, or watching him from afar at the request of someone else. She wanted to know him more on a personal level, out of her own volition.
"Oh man. There's so much I could tell you about. Let's see... I'm pretty old school, so there's a lot of 90's shows and series I like. Have you heard of Bleach? You kind of remind me of Rukia from that. Or maybe Uyruu?"
For the next hour, they talked about whatever they could, enjoying the scent of tea and curry breads in this tranquil setting. Another piece of memory tucked into their hearts.
The door to the rooftop of Souya High opened.
"It should be around here somewhere," Ciel informed as she stepped out. The breeze making her dark blue dress flow as Yuuji followed her from behind.
"You really hide your stuff all the way up here?" Yuuji asked as he took a gander at the scene around them, spotting the city lights at a distance.
"Only one," Ciel said as she approached one spot of the rooftop, where another entryway stood. There seemed to be nothing on the side of the wall, until Ciel took a handful of the air in front of it and pulled.
"Whoa!" Yuuji eyes went wide as he saw Ciel unveiling a familiar hunk of a weapon. The invisible cloak revealing the pile bunker that had pierced his chest.
"Hmmm. I'll have to figure out a new place to put this once we move into Jujutsu Tech High," Ciel said as she pondered over possible new locations. "For now, I'll just have to hide it in my apartment. Although, there's not much space for it."
"Maybe in the back patio...?" Yuuji suggested as he grasped his chin, kneeling in front of the weapon in assessment. "The neighbors probably won't notice it."
Ciel nodded. "After tonight, this will be the last time I'll set foot into this school. From what I hear, there's consideration of allowing the students from Satozakura to attend here, though they'll likely take different hours. It shouldn't last no more than a week, though. By then, their school should have already finished rebuilding."
"That fast?" Yuuji was impressed, considering the whole school, except the gym, was destroyed.
"Of course. With the Church assisting in the coverup, they'll make sure of it. The quicker it is settled, the less attention and questioning it will bring." Ciel's demeanor then changed. Her face suddenly stoic and professionalism took over. "I'm sure you're personally seeing to the clean-up yourself, Acting Presbyter."
Yuuji looked back at Ciel in confusion, and it was then that he noticed a new shadow behind them. "-?!"
He stood up readily, pulling his head back to look up at the sky. "Ah-!"
Above them, the new arrival spoke. "So you noticed me? Why the fuck didn't you say something then? I was busy trying to figure out when to call out to ya and your date over here."
It was a young boy, around twelve years old perhaps, hovering in the air beyond the fence as if he was standing on top of some kind of support, though nothing was seen underneath his feet.
"A... kid?" Yuuji was bewildered at the sight of the child, along with that foul-mouth of his.
"Mario Gallo Bestino," Ciel introduced, turning to face the child in the sky. "Deputy minister, and overseer of all Executors in Tokyo."
"H-Huh?! Wait, really?!" Yuuji was taken aback, looking back and forth between Ciel and Mario. This child... He was Ciel's boss?
"The fuck you mean 'huh?' I'm right here, asshole." Mario chastised with his hands in his pockets (Yuuji: "Who're you calling asshole?!"). The young boy looked down on the exorcists below. "Show some damn respect. You should feel grateful that I'm not killing you right where you stand, but that can change depending on my mood."
The boy's words were harsh. Despite his innocent appearance, it was like each phrase he uttered was a guillotine falling on Yuuji's head, enough to perturbed the teen sorcerer.
"You sure took your sweet time," the boy in the sky then referred to Ciel. "I've been hanging around like an idiot all day waiting for you. Looks like you've been having fun with your new boy toy, huh?"
The hell is this kid's problem?! Yuuji gritted his teeth in irritation as he glared up at the crude child. Seriously. Where are this kid's parents?
"I'm guessing they've accepted you into their Jujutsu school already?" Mario deduced. "I honestly didn't expect that to happen. It's pretty polite of you to go through the front door too. I would have thought you people would kill someone in their ranks and then take their place to make your way inside."
"There would have been the issue of Gojo Satoru, who would have seen right through me easily," Ciel responded evenly, surprising Yuuji at her answer, as if she had already considered the pros and cons of that plan. "This was the least troublesome method, and regarding current circumstances..."
"Yeah, yeah," Mario said, having heard more than enough times of that. "Geez. What a mess this whole thing is. I'm starting to think this country really is cursed, and not just because of all those wraiths running around. Makes you wonder how much longer it's all going to take..." For that vampire princess to wake up.
Mario then turned his attention back to Yuuji. "Hey, brat. Mind skedaddling elsewhere? I've got some business with this executor. Just don't go destroying another building while we talk here, ya got that?"
"H-He's really blunt..." And so rude too, Yuuji thought. He didn't feel right to leave Ciel alone with a kid like this.
"That won't be necessary," Ciel answered as she turned her heel. "I'm sure the only reason you wish to speak to me is to confirm my intentions. Rest assured, they remain infallible. It's only out of necessity to expand our search by personally seeing to cursed-center locations that only Jujutsu Sorcerers may know about, or have access to."
"You're really going through with this..." Mario narrowed his eyes at the girl for a moment. His gaze then shifted back to Yuuji, and then he shrugged. "Fine. Whatever. I'll turn a blind eye at your independent activity. As long as you're not actually serious about becoming a sorcerer. We both know how that's going to look, unless you want to turn yourself in right now?"
Yuuji flinched at that, now feeling more at edge at Mario's words, and he felt ready to step in. However, Ciel remained calm as she answered. "If you seek to arrest me, I hold no objections. So long as they come through official channels, I'll respect the words of the Acting Presbyter."
Hearing that, the corner of Mario's lips curled in amusement. "You catch on fast. Guess I shouldn't have expected less from you. Hey, brat. Did she ever mention to you how much of an old war horse she is?"
Yuuji perked at being spoken to, staring up at the boy.
"She's pretty famous among the agency too. Killed plenty of Dead Apostles without breaking a sweat. You understand that she's just here to do another job, right? Not only that, but you're on her hit list too." Mario's words carried provocative intention, wanting to see Yuuji's reaction to them. "You sure you can handle sleeping in the same building as her every night? Or..."
He smiled cruelly, "Why wait until after you get all those cursed fingers, and risk letting that shitbag curse inside you get stronger? Maybe you should just do everybody a favor and kill yours-"
Flames instantly spread out underneath the young boy's feet. Yuuji was startled, not by Mario's words - although they were definitely getting too ruthless that it's straight up bullying at this point - but by the sudden, silent swarm of orange fire that surrounded Yuuji and Ciel, before the flames instantly evaporated. Ashes rained all around them, and the boy up top suddenly didn't seemed to be in control anymore, his composure broke completely.
"What just...?" Yuuji patted at himself. For a second, he was sure he'd been on fire.
"Mario's spirit strings," Ciel answered casually, still without turning back even once. "I estimated over seven hundred of them. He didn't intend to reveal himself to us without insurance. Not especially while you're carrying Sukuna, and not while I'm involved."
"Heh heh..." Yuuji heard the faintest laugh from somewhere, but he ignored it as he turned his attention back up at the blonde boy, seeing the young deputy minister now unnerved and standing on one foot.
"He's..." Yuuji finally understood, seeing the barest glint of the moon's light reflecting onto the one singular string Mario stood on. The only one left. The only thing that's keeping the child from falling several meters down.
Ciel sighed. "I'm disappointed beyond belief at you, Bestino. You look like your brother, but the two of you are polar opposites. I'm half-tempted to just drop you, had I not promised him that I would go easy on you."
This is going easy? Yuuji looked visibly disturbed.
Mario regarded the executor cautiously, a hint of nervousness in his expression. "I didn't even hear any incantation. You fuckin' burn 'em all up just by pouring magical energy through your fingertips? You're a real goddamn monster, alright. Just how many hundreds of mages worth of energy can you generate?"
He'd been wanting to rile up either the vessel or the executor, just to test their mettle and whatnot. What he didn't expect was for it to happen so quickly, and now he was already at a disadvantage. What's more, Ciel had to bring up that loathsome brother of Mario. It threw him off more than he was prepared for.
"Is that all you have to say?" Ciel only responded dispassionately. Her tone ice-cold. "Perhaps I should burn the last string after all?"
"Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute! Ciel!"
The executor turned her head, meeting Yuuji's concerned and serious gaze. "Isn't this a little much? I mean, yeah, he's a dick, but he's still just a kid."
"Who the fuck said I needed your help?!" As if being defended was worse than being threatened, Mario shouted at Yuuji. "Stay in your fucking lane, you walking corpse! Or are you still brain dead after coming back to life?!"
Yuuji's jaw dropped, astounded by the manners of the unfiltered boy. At this rate, he's gonna want to slap the child himself. "What is with you?! I don't appreciate how you're treating us!"
"I don't need rescuing from a dumbass who thought swallowing a cursed finger was a good idea! Thinking it'll turn you into Spider-Man or some shit. Fuck off, will ya? You shitty excuse of a- Shit! The string's already burning!"
"C-Ciel! Calm down! Isn't he your boss?!"
It took a moment, but Yuuji was able to convince Ciel to let the young boy down on the roof. Yuuji held Ciel's hands in both of his as he eased her mercilessness with his words, like he was holding onto a leash of a growling hound. (Yuuji: "Easy there. Down girl. Down...").
Mario clicked his tongue as he patted off the ashes from his white shorts. "Ch! I figured I would see how cold and calculative you really are. Who'd of thought you of all people got a soft spot?"
And for a cursed sorcerer nonetheless, though Mario was wise enough to not say that out loud, or else the executor might actually kill him for real.
"Whatever, I'm over this," Mario said as he waved off the two exorcists. He knows when he's defeated. "I just wanted to see if that guy had a death wish or something, but I get the message. I won't bother you two any longer. You can go buck wild out there for all I care. Just don't forget what we're here for, Executor Ciel."
Saying his piece, Mario turned for the door that will lead him down into the school, since he can't use his spirit strings to make his exit anymore.
"Hold it. There's something I want to say."
To Mario's and even Ciel's surprise, it was Yuuji who called out to the Presbyter, letting go of Ciel's hands and took a single step towards Mario. "You asked me if I knew what I was getting into, right? That's basically what you were getting at."
Mario's brows raised, his interest caught enough to have him turn back fully. "Hoh? You're smarter than you look. Color me surprised. And? What about it? You're gonna tell me you know exactly what's coming to ya? You gonna spill me some drivel about wanting to do what's right? Save the world? Kill vampires and hunt curses along the way? Cause it ain't what it's cut out to be, kid. The real world isn't anything like those action comics you read before bed."
"Yeah. I get that," Yuuji answered, deciding to ignore the 'kid' comment even though he was clearly older than Mario. His response was given in a steady voice as Ciel watched him quietly from behind. "A while ago, I didn't really grasp what this job would be like. Or the kind of monsters there are in this world. The people we couldn't save, or stop them before they get past the point of no return."
The faces of Junpei and Satsuki came to Yuuji's mind.
"But that doesn't mean I'll just throw in the towel after losing a couple of battles. Whether it's me trying to fulfill my promise to someone."
The memory of his grandfather lying in bed, fighting off a smile at whatever dumb joke Yuuji said.
"Or helping the people who matter to me."
Gojo-sensei. Megumi. Nobara. And everyone else he's met.
"Even if I'm up against someone stronger than me. I can't just sit back while all those monsters are running around, killing people left and right."
The vampire who imprisoned all those innocent civilians in the detention center. The Cursed Womb. Sukuna. Mahito.
"Even if I let someone else take care of my battles for me, I'll just hate myself for it."
The image of Ciel facing those same monsters alone appeared in Yuuji's mind, her name and courage resonating in his heart.
"I'm not blind for what it is, and I know what's going to happen to me. Even if I'm walking into hell itself, this is something I choose to do, and I'm not gonna turn my back on it."
Silence filled the air as the moon hung in the dark sky, glowing as their silent witness. Ciel's stoicness lifted somewhat as she stared at Yuuji's back, and for once, Mario had nothing to say. He simply 'hmph'ed at the sight of Yuuji, and inserted his hands into his pockets again. "Got to say, I was wondering why those sorcerers didn't bother hiding you in the first place, but..."
The weight of hostility seemed to disappear in Mario's eyes, as if the whole rough treatment was just an act, or maybe even a test. "It looks like it would have been useless. You're the type of idiot who would jump into a burning building before the fire department would get there. Seems like you're doing a good job imprisoning that wild dog in you too. At least, for now."
The wind picked up Mario's blonde hair slightly. His voice conveyed what sounded like satisfaction. "To be honest, I'm not really in the business of recommendin' suicide, and it looks like you've got more than enough reason to live, despite the fact that you'll be executed. It's a very human thing to get out while you still can. Wise, even. Could be your last chance to move on like none of this ever happened if you just sit this whole thing out. But shits' never that easy, and it looks like you're willing to go to the guillotine with your head held high. Fine then. I won't try to test your resolve anymore. Sorry for bitchin' at you earlier."
"O-Oh. Uh. Thanks." Yuuji said, surprised by the sudden calm tone in Mario. Heck, the kid even apologized. Maybe his parents did raise him right after all.
"I let my temper get the best of me after this executor brought up someone I didn't like hearing about." Mario craned his head at Ciel before looking away bitterly. "Honestly, that guy could go and die for all I care. Here's a piece of warning for you, though..."
A serious glint in Mario's eyes as he turned to face Yuuji once more. "Everybody has a breaking point. It might sharpen you up, or snap you in half. It all depends on how much grit you got."
With that said, Mario resumed his leave. "By the way, Ciel, I'll be keeping an eye on that bitch Noel like you asked me to (Yuuji: Such a potty mouth...). She'll be taken care of while you do your 'undercover' assignment - which isn't even undercover anymore. Tch. Honestly, just what the hell are you after?"
"I have my own duties to attend to. You should be more worried about tending to yours, Mario," Ciel only responded, and that was enough to declare an end to their discussion.
Seeing as how she had nothing more to say, Mario simply opened the door and left in a huff. A less dramatic exit than he would have liked, but it was better than risking his neck the longer he was within the executor's vicinity.
"...Um. Ciel?" At the young boy's leave, Yuuji turned back to the girl behind him. "Are you gonna be okay? You kind of bullied your boss just now - even though he did started it. Were you really just going to drop him?"
Ciel stared at Yuuji for a moment, and then gave a light shrug. "Not really. He comes from a family I highly respect, so I had no real intention of harming him. But he did needed to be taught a lesson, especially after he was so rude to you, Yuuji-kun. I only meant to scare him a little."
Well it definitely worked, cause that sure scared Yuuji, if not just Mario.
"Don't be fooled by his innocent face," Ciel warned. "If he wanted to, he could have used his strings to control your body, and make you slit your own throat, or have us fight each other to the death."
Yuuji gulped, unnerved to hear that and what that kid was capable of. He felt pretty grateful of Ciel burning away those threads then. It was pretty cool how she did it too, without either him or Mario noticing.
"He's not even the real Presbyter. More like an errand boy really. Even then, I don't necessarily have to answer to him," Ciel explained in nonchalance. "It would be a completely different story though if it was some other Presbyter. They wouldn't be as tolerant of you as Mario is. But don't worry, any obstacle in our way would have been dealt with swiftly, and I did tell you before that I'm very good at hiding evidence."
She said it with the sweetest smile. It took Yuuji a moment to understand what she meant, and then it clicked. "Wait... Do you mean...?"
He motioned his hand in front of his neck, symbolizing a cutting weapon.
Ciel nodded. "Naturally. What else could I mean?"
"D-Don't do that! That's not gonna sit well with my conscience! Also, they're still your coworkers, right?!" Yuuji said. He grabbed Ciel's shoulders. "I appreciate you looking out for me, but you shouldn't go that far for my sake. Especially if it'll get you in trouble."
He then pulled her in for a hug, inciting a little surprised "ohp!" out of Ciel.
"I can take care of myself," Yuuji assured her. "So don't worry about me. But thanks for having my back anyway."
Ciel's hands pressed around Yuuji's back, her face relaxing at his warmth.
"He was wrong about one thing too," Yuuji added as he rested his chin on top of Ciel's head. "You're not a monster. You're a miracle."
"S-Stop it. I can't handle it when you talk like that..." Ciel pressed her bashful face against Yuuji's shoulder, feeing his arms gently squeeze around her figure.
Yuuji huffed out a little laugh. He turned his gaze to the scenery past the fence. "Do we really have to work with that guy? He's kind of... mean."
Mario didn't seem too bad, but he was definitely brutal with his words, and Yuuji felt he'll get kicked in the shin if he ever said anything remotely stupid.
Ciel nodded against Yuuji's shoulder. "He's certainly not a pleasant person, but I met his older brother who vouched for him. In his words: Mario's a bit grouchy, but at heart, he's still just a naïve boy who believes in justice."
"Huh... I never would have gotten that from him," Yuuji said, though he decided to believe in Ciel's words, especially after hearing that Spider-Man reference from Mario. "I'm wondering how Nanami-san is going to react? I get the feeling him and that kid aren't going to get along, at all."
Especially with Nanami's 'I'm an adult and you're not' mindset.
"Hmm... I don't think it'll be that much of an issue, actually," Ciel said mysteriously. "If there are two things I could tell from Mario, it's that one: he is very loyal to his grandfather, and two: he appreciates honesty above all else. You don't have to worry about him. If there's ever any problem, though, you come to me, alright? He might throw some empty threats around, but he's perfectly harmless as long as you don't answer to his taunts."
She sounded as if they were dealing with a feisty chihuahua. Yuuji instantly imagined Mario as one, and he briefly chortled against Ciel's hair, kissing her head soon after. "Got it. It's got to be tough dealing with people like that in your work, huh?"
Ciel smiled, and pulled back, grabbing Yuuji's hands. "That was nothing. I'm quite thick-skinned as it is. I've dealt with plenty of insults and whispers behind my back. You wouldn't even see me flinch."
Yuuji frowned in concern, but before he could ask her further, Ciel stepped back and started tugging him along.
"It's starting to get very late now. Why don't we call it a night?" Ciel suggested and mischievously smiled up at him. "We could have a little race back to my place. I'll even use the Seventh Holy Scripture as a handicap, just to go easy on you."
"Oh. You are so on." Yuuji accepted the challenge with ease. Ciel chuckled, and slipped out of Yuuji's hold.
"Then, I hope you're ready to eat my dust, Yuuji-kun."
Yuuji blinked, and the executor was suddenly gone. "-?! Oh shit!"
He looked back to where the pile bunker was, but that was gone too. He quickly went to the edge of the school building, and spotted the figure in dark blue standing at another rooftop. The massive weapon at her back, her hand gripping it as if it was nothing more than a sack to her.
With an amused smirk, Yuuji gave chase, sprinting after the executor whose own superhuman strength equates to his.
Author's Note: And so, we are getting closer to the Shibuya Incident Arc - in the Anime I mean. Prepare your tissues people. You are not ready for what's about to come...
To be honest, I felt like I was dragging my feet with this chapter again, even so, I hope it was still a fun read. Let me know what you guys thought about it in the reviews.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next time! (Might go into another hiatus. I'm really liking these slice-of-life chapters... it makes the impact of the Shibuya Incident Arc that much more painful. :D)
update - 9/12
kunomosu: You're very right. When I started this story I didn't have any major plans for it apart from it simply being a ship-fic (with maybe a few changes here and there). I'm afraid of diverging canon because then I wouldn't know where the story would go. That's why I'm thinking of trying the story out again but this time with some serious differences and actual major canon-divergence. In a new take on this fic, I can play around with new ideas, new paths, and a new outcome. It was also pretty hard to deny the tragic endings of Junpei and Satsuki since it fits so well that they would share the same fate together, being the tragic characters that they are. Also, don't want to end up softening Yuji too much, but that can be easily made up since this is the Nasuverse we're talking about.
I'll work on writing a new story with some alternate choices, paths, and influence. I hear a lot of intrigue with the world building so I can also try to flesh that out some more. And I want to keep working on building Ciel's and Yuji's relationship too. This was really me testing out the waters of writing romance with the outcome of said romance finally achieved (although maybe I shouldn't focus on romance in the new story, it'll make things a little more simpler I think. Maybe I should have ended this story after Ciel and Yuji's first kiss and night together at the hotel, because in all honesty, this is just expanding the JJK universe by throwing in Nasuverse into the mix, making things bigger and more action-packed, but also have the potential to help avoid certain characters' fate.
I really didn't have any clue what I was doing, now I want to get better at it. I want to really try out more stories especially since there's no other Tsukihime/Jujutsu Kaisen fics (There is Fate/Stay Night crossover with JJK tho!). All the support and reviews have been amazing, and that's why I want to give a better delivery in my new stories and maybe one shots. I have the next chapter planned out but maybe I should start working on the new story now. Take more risks!
Now this is for everyone reading. Let me know what you guys think and if you're okay with going along this romance story still even if it doesn't seem like anything interesting is happening, or if you would like to look forward to an alternate take on JJE? Every review I receive means the world to me, so I'll do my best in my new story. Thanks everyone and take care!