The clock on the wall read 2:37 AM, but Yuji Itadori had lost track of time long before that. His room was dark, the only light coming from the moon, which cast eerie shadows across the floor. Yuji sat on the edge of his bed, his hands trembling slightly as he stared at the far corner of the room. His eyes were wide, bloodshot from countless sleepless nights. His breath hitched in his throat, every noise seeming louder than it was—every shadow appearing darker.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept. A few hours here and there, maybe. But real, restful sleep? It felt like a distant memory.
At first, he thought he could manage. He could handle a few sleepless nights, right? But it had been weeks now, and the line between reality and hallucination was blurring more each day. He hadn't told Gojo. He hadn't told anyone. The last thing he wanted was to worry them or worse—become a burden.
But tonight… tonight was different.
The shadows on the wall twisted and contorted, taking on shapes that Yuji knew couldn't be real. He tried to focus, to convince himself it was just his mind playing tricks on him. But the longer he stared, the more real they became. He could hear faint whispers, too, like voices just out of earshot, echoing in his mind.
He buried his face in his hands, trying to ground himself. "This isn't real. This isn't real," he whispered, repeating the mantra over and over again, hoping it would be enough to snap him out of it. But the whispers grew louder, the shadows closer.
And then, he felt it—a hand on his shoulder.
Yuji froze, his breath catching in his throat. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, as the hand slowly slid down his arm, a familiar presence enveloping him. But his mind raced. Was this real? Was this another hallucination?
"Yuji."
The voice was deep, laced with a mix of annoyance and concern. A voice he knew all too well.
"Sukuna?" Yuji whispered, barely able to speak. His heart pounded in his chest, his body trembling as he slowly looked up.
There he was, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, a slight smirk on his face. But there was something in his eyes—something Yuji had rarely seen before.
"You've really let yourself go, haven't you, brat?" Sukuna's voice was teasing, but there was an edge to it, a hint of something more.
Yuji blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. "Are you… real?" His voice was shaky, unsure.
Sukuna's expression softened just a fraction as he pushed off the wall and approached Yuji. "Of course, I'm real," he said, his tone firm. He crouched down in front of Yuji, placing a hand on his cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear Yuji didn't even realize had fallen.
Yuji stared into Sukuna's eyes, desperately trying to discern reality from illusion. The warmth of Sukuna's touch felt so real, so grounding, but the doubt in his mind refused to fade.
"You're not real," Yuji whispered, his voice breaking. "I—I'm imagining this. You're just another hallucination."
Sukuna frowned, his grip on Yuji's cheek tightening slightly. "Yuji, look at me," he commanded, his voice firm yet gentle. "I'm real. This—" he gestured to himself, "—is real."
But Yuji shook his head, tears now streaming freely down his face. "I can't tell anymore. I can't—" His voice cracked as he clutched at his chest, his breaths coming out in ragged gasps. "I don't know what's real. I don't know if I'm real."
Sukuna's expression shifted, his usual arrogance replaced with something more genuine, more vulnerable. He pulled Yuji into his arms, holding him close as he whispered softly, "You're real, Yuji. You're real, and I'm here."
Yuji clung to him, his hands fisting the fabric of Sukuna's robe as if letting go would make him disappear. "Please… please don't leave me," Yuji begged, his voice muffled against Sukuna's chest.
Sukuna tightened his hold on Yuji, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart," he murmured, his tone uncharacteristically tender. "I'm here, okay? I've got you."
Yuji's sobs quieted, his body trembling as he tried to calm down. The warmth of Sukuna's embrace was the only thing keeping him grounded, the only thing convincing him that maybe, just maybe, this was real.
For a long moment, they stayed like that—Yuji clinging to Sukuna, and Sukuna holding him close, whispering soft reassurances.
Finally, Yuji pulled back slightly, his eyes searching Sukuna's face. "You… you really are here, aren't you?" he asked, his voice small and uncertain.
Sukuna smiled, a rare, genuine smile that was reserved only for Yuji. "Yeah, baby, I'm here," he said, cupping Yuji's face in his hands. "And I'm not going to let anything happen to you, okay? We'll get through this."
Yuji nodded, leaning into Sukuna's touch. "Okay," he whispered, finally allowing himself to believe that this was real. That Sukuna was real.
They stayed together in the dark room, the shadows and whispers fading away as the night wore on. With Sukuna by his side, Yuji felt the first inklings of peace he'd had in weeks. And as he finally closed his eyes, he knew that no matter how blurred the lines between reality and illusion became, Sukuna would always be there to pull him back.
"Thank you," Yuji whispered, just before sleep finally claimed him.
Sukuna's voice was the last thing he heard before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
"Rest, sweetheart. I've got you."