Day 1: "Hold on. Don't leave me."
Whumptober 2024 Prompt: Injury / Bleeding Out / "Just Stay With Me"
Inumaki Toge had always been careful. He had to be. Words could kill, after all. But even the strongest sorcerers weren't invincible, and today proved it.
The mission had been straightforward: exorcise a Cursed Spirit that had been terrorizing a nearby town. Gojo-sensei had assured them it was nothing beyond their abilities. But curses were unpredictable, and no one had expected this one to fight back so fiercely.
The battlefield was littered with debris. Cursed energy still crackled in the air, a heavy, oppressive force. Inumaki had done his part—his voice lashing out, weakening the curse at crucial moments. But the strain on his throat was unbearable, each syllable burning, tearing through him like fire.
And then came the moment it all went wrong.
A sudden shift. A wrong step. The curse lashed out with razor-like tendrils, one striking faster than Inumaki could react. He felt it pierce his side, deep, and the world tilted.
"Toge!" Maki's voice was distant, but filled with panic. She charged toward him, her cursed tools gleaming in the fractured light.
Inumaki staggered, one hand pressed to the wound. His uniform was already soaked with blood, seeping through his fingers. The pain was sharp, but he didn't make a sound. He couldn't. His words were too dangerous, even now.
Maki was by his side in an instant, her hands moving quickly to assess the damage. Panic flickered across her normally calm features.
"Hold on, Toge," she muttered, her voice shaking. "We need to get you back to Shoko."
Inumaki's vision blurred, the world spinning as he tried to focus. He wanted to tell her he was fine, that they needed to finish the mission, but his throat was raw, the taste of blood lingering on his tongue. He couldn't risk speaking now.
His legs gave out, and Maki caught him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, keeping him from hitting the ground.
"Toge, stay with me," she pleaded, her voice softer now, as if she was afraid of what might happen if she raised it. "Don't leave me."
He blinked slowly, fighting the darkness closing in around his vision. His breath was coming in shallow, uneven gasps, the pain in his side worsening with every second.
Maki's grip tightened, her usually stern demeanor faltering. She wasn't used to this—seeing someone so close to her hurt, bleeding. It wasn't fair. Toge didn't deserve this.
The curse still lingered, its presence dark and ominous in the distance. It wouldn't wait for them to regroup. They had to finish it, but Maki couldn't leave him.
Panda appeared then, barreling through the wreckage, his eyes wide with concern. "Toge!" he called, his deep voice echoing across the battlefield. He dropped to his knees beside them, his expression a mixture of fear and anger.
"I'll take him back," Panda said firmly, but there was an edge to his voice. He wasn't sure if there was enough time.
Inumaki tried to shake his head, but he was too weak. He didn't want to leave, didn't want to abandon them in the middle of the fight. But the pain was becoming unbearable, and the darkness was pulling him under, little by little.
He felt Maki's hand on his cheek, her touch grounding him, even as everything else faded. "Just stay with me, okay?" Her voice was barely above a whisper now, her forehead pressed against his. "We'll get you out of here."
Inumaki blinked, his vision darkening. He couldn't hold on much longer. His breath hitched, and for a moment, the world went silent, the cursed energy fading away. All he could focus on was Maki's voice, the warmth of her hand.
And then, nothing.
When Inumaki woke, he was in the familiar confines of the infirmary. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled his nose, and the hum of cursed energy monitors echoed faintly in the room. His throat was sore, but manageable—likely thanks to Shoko's healing. The pain in his side had dulled, but the memory of it lingered.
Maki was there, sitting beside his bed, her arms crossed, staring at him with a mix of relief and frustration.
"You idiot," she muttered, her voice rough, as if she hadn't spoken in hours. "You scared the hell out of me."
Inumaki's lips quirked upward slightly, though the motion made him wince. He wanted to apologize, to tell her he hadn't meant for things to get so bad, but all he could do was nod.
Maki sighed, leaning back in her chair, her shoulders sagging. "You're lucky we got you out when we did. Another few minutes and…" Her voice trailed off, but the unspoken words hung heavy in the air.
He understood. He always did.
Inumaki reached out, placing his hand on hers, squeezing lightly. It was his way of saying thank you, of saying sorry, and of telling her he'd be more careful next time.
Maki looked down at their hands, her grip tightening for a moment before she let out a small, relieved laugh. "Yeah, yeah. You better be."
