Yuji is typing…
Yuji: hey
Yuji: you there?
Ciel heard the buzz of her phone after stepping into the living room bare-footed. A teal robe covered her figure. She pressed the white towel against the back of her head, drying her blue hair with a few more rubs as she walked into the barren kitchen. She looked over the counter and saw the two brief messages sent by Yuji.
That didn't take long, Ciel thought.
No doubt Yuji had questions about what happened at the mausoleum. Ciel suspected Satoru told him everything. Her occupation. The likely reason she was here (which she had plausible deniability for – even if it was a lie). It was a surprise Yuji would reach out to her still, though not completely unthinkable.
It's clear there was more to this, and Ciel considered whether to respond or not. It'll be difficult to avoid Satoru now, but she may be able to salvage her current position. Redirect focus by associating with the vessel, and Satoru's superiors will be less inclined to worry about her real purpose here. She'll have to tread carefully, though, and gauge every response. Ensure she did not disclose anything that could further compromise herself and her mission. Without knowing where or who Roa is, she mustn't risk tipping off his existence, even at this early stage.
Ciel paused for a moment, holding the phone in her hand. After thinking, she typed the letter keys with her thumb and wrote out a simple response.
Ciel: Yes.
Not much of an ice breaker, but considering her true identity had been exposed, Ciel didn't see a point in keeping up with the charade.
Yuji: how are you? everything okay?
How considerate of him. Ciel watched as another new message popped up.
Yuji: that was crazy what happened at the cemetery
And here it was. Not a bad segue. Ciel was ready for it.
Typing...
Ciel pressed send.
Yuji stood in front of the bathroom sink with his cell phone in hand. He waited as he let his other hand wash under the running faucet, and then a new message popped up in his screen.
Ciel: I am fine. Thank you.
That was all she sent. No-follow up to his other text, seemingly choosing to ignore it.
"She's so dry now…" None of the bubbliness like her earlier messages.
Yuji and his class were at a nice restaurant at Gojo-sensei's treat, as a way to commemorate the First Years' trial as shamans in the mausoleum, and perhaps ease the terror of the experience as well (he definitely owed it to them, Nobara thought so anyway). Their topics ranged from everything that transpired at the crypts, and eventually shifted over to the "mysterious nun" that eliminated every single enemy down there.
"She hunts vampires? They exist too?!" Nobara expressed her shock, a sentiment shared by Yuji.
"Like Dracula?!" Yuji extended his arm as if to present a cape, much like one the infamous count carried.
"That's right. There're plenty other organizations like ours everywhere, hunting all sorts of monsters and spirits," Satoru explained as he casually looked over the menu (for some reason with his blindfold still on. How he could read was a mystery). "We're in charge of curses and sometimes "bad sorcerers" too. Ciel, on the other hand, specializes in hunting Dead Apostles – the very bloodsuckers you hear stories about everywhere."
"Creepy!" Yuji and Nobara felt a chill in their necks and clasped it as if to protect. Megumi scowled at their outburst before returning his attention to the menu.
"Wait, so aren't we on the same side then?" Yuji inquired.
"Meh. Not really," Satoru's answer surprised Yuji and Nobara. "It's a little complicated. Putting it this way, our methods are different, and sometimes, there's disagreements. I'll tell you all about it later. It's not something you'd want to hear while waiting on food."
Just know that Ciel is amongst those people Jujutsu Society has personal strife with. This was what Gojo-sensei concluded before a waiter came to their table.
To Yuji, it seemed kind of far-fetched. Someone like Ciel who barely made it to the train on time. A little quirky but also considerate. He never figured exorcism could be such a competitive field. Seeing how quickly she changed after dispatching those curses and dead, though, maybe she'd been pretending all along.
It was hard to shake off that there'd been some part of her that'd been real, however. Her expressed condolences to his grandfather's passing was definitely sincere. Yuji was certain of it.
After his class placed their orders, Yuji excused himself to use the restroom, where he sat on the toilet for about a minute, scrolling through his phone and reading his chat history with Ciel.
Today 4:27 PM
Yuji: Got to go now. Sensei's at the door. I'll let you know how it went!
Ciel: Good luck! Look after your classmates! And be mindful of your surroundings.
Ciel: This city might get the jump on you when you least expect it.
She seemed so nice. It's hard to imagine she'd been planning to kill him this whole time. Kind of a bummer really.
On the other hand, Ciel did saved him and Nobara. Going out of her way to reveal herself. That didn't spell out "enemies" between them. At least, he hoped so.
Yuji let out a thoughtful hum. Before he could think too much on it, he typed out the letters in his keypad.
Yuji: hey
Yuji: you there?
He really didn't know what to expect. There was no plan to this whatsoever.
It only took half a minute and Yuji stepping out of the bathroom stall that he got a text back, letting out an "Oh! She responded" and looked at his phone.
Ciel: Yes.
He probably should have seen that coming. It'd be weirder if she did revert back to her cheerful self, knowing what he knows now.
Yuji: how are you? everything okay?
Yuji: that was crazy what happened at the cemetery
Ciel is typing...
Ciel: I am fine. Thank you.
This was his situation now. A few innocent texts sent to his potential hit man. Hit woman? Hit exorcist? There's already a name for it - executioner, Yuji didn't know why he was thinking of another one.
Yuji: okay.
Yuji is typing...
Yuji: Sensei told me you're a vampire hunter. Is that true?
He probably could have ease into that better.
He's certainly to the point. Ciel will admit, she commended him for his directness. No use dancing around the subject, and had he not done it, Ciel would have.
Ciel is typing...
Ciel: would that concern you?
Yuji is typing...
Yuji: not really. Unless I'm a vampire. I don't count as one right?
An interesting question. Ciel pondered for a moment.
Ciel: technically no. As a carrier of one's soul who is similar, however
Ciel: you would not NOT be considered a vampire
Yuji is typing...
Yuji: oh okay
Yuji: we're still okay tho, right?
Yuji: also vampires don't walk under sunlight. Is that part true?
Direct and fairly curious. He didn't seem put off by her answer, though Ciel did notice that hint of caution. It was pointless to stay coy if Yuji's teacher was with him. Though she wondered what he would do with this information. Perhaps justification that he himself is not a vampire if he could walk under daylight. How unfortunate that that would not be enough to spare him.
Ciel: some don't. Mostly higher-ranking vampires.
Ciel: there are those who could withstand direct sunlight. It varies case by case.
Yuji: whoa. Cool.
Yuji: I mean not cool cool. Just cool to hear, I guess. Vampires are real, huh? Pretty freaky.
Ciel: I'm not denying it. Nor am I affirming it.
"She still hasn't answered if we're okay or not..." Yuji slightly blanched at that. He leaned sitting against the edge of the sink counter and wrote another message.
Yuji: so…
Yuji: do vampires hate garlic?
Ciel is typing...
Ciel: is that really what you wanted to ask me?
"Huh?" Yuji blinked. He was typing out what do you mean? when Ciel sent another message.
Ciel: I assume Gojo-san has told you enough about me.
Perhaps Ciel misread Yuji. Now it seemed he's the one being coy here. Like a grasshopper jumping back and forth regarding her, and the superficial questioning and wonder of something so trivial. Surely even Satoru could answer these, or was the man not overseeing Yuji at the moment?
Yuji: I guess
Ciel: And?
Ciel: what do you think?
Do you resent me for trying to deceive you? Ciel thought to herself, standing by the kitchen counter as she awaited Yuji's response. This was what she'd been anticipating. The stones were laid at his feet, ready to be thrown in these simple little characters on their phones.
Yuji's thumb hovered over the keypad. He was a little surprised she brought it up. Was she expecting him to say something about it? Did she wanted him to?
Obviously, he wasn't completely unfazed with the whole "I'm gonna kill you later down the line" promise - or speculation, Sensei hadn't been clear about that. Man, Yuji really was in a weird position here.
Yuji is typing...
Yuji: idunno
Yuji: I know you're here on an assignment. I get that.
Yuji: I could probably ask you but I get the feeling you want to avoid talking about it.
Yuji: So we don't have to talk about it. I just wanted to check up on you.
Ciel's brows rose slightly. Here she was ready to deflect any demands, to the answers or questions she and Yuji carried. And yet, here he was on his end, saying he didn't want to pry those answers out of her, nor even introduce the question.
I just wanted to check up on you.
Was that really it? That seemed so simple of him.
Yuji: I guess I didn't need to tho. What you did back then was pretty amazing.
Yuji: Never met someone as strong as you, aside from Sensei. It was really cool to watch.
Yuji: Ciel? You still there?
Ciel coughed into her balled fist. She then typed out her response.
Ciel: Yes. I'm still here.
"What's taking him so long?" Nobara looked over her shoulder for where Yuji left. Did the guy get constipated on cola? The waiter was already bringing in their food.
"Hm." Satoru agreed, and he stood up from his chair. "I'll see what's keeping him. He might just be taking in the bathroom tiles of the big city! Or he got his zipper stuck."
"Hey. I'm eating here," Nobara warned as their teacher left the table. "Don't expect me to wait for you."
She perked up when the sushi dish she ordered was presented in front of her. Her eyes alighted as she clasped her hands together and immediately went for her chopsticks. Megumi looked at his teacher's back as he received his plate of pasta.
"So are you friends with that nun? She seems to know you well."
His attention was pulled away when Nobara asked him this question. His eyes averted back to his meal. "Mm. A little."
He picked up his fork. "We met several years ago. Her organization wanted to recruit me, but I wasn't interested."
He paused his twirl of his food. "She never really asked me to join, though. We just mostly talked. She stuck around for a little while and then left."
"Hoh~? So you two have history," Nobara wiggled her eyebrows. "Now she's popped back into your life, this might be your chance to tell her how you fee-"
"Shut up," Megumi snapped at her. He's already had to put up with Yuji's tomfoolery, he won't tolerate Nobara's next. "I was seven when we met. I doubt she would have been interested."
"Huh? What does that mean? Aren't you guys the same age?"
Megumi's brows crinkled. "We are now. The thing is… she's-"
"Are you serious?!"
Satoru decided to ignore that screech from Nobara and stopped outside the restroom. He pushed open the door but paused. He heard the faintest, undeniable sound of a phone keypad being typed. He poked his head in and spotted Yuji.
Yuji was on his phone, completely glued to the screen. Satoru was able to read the conversation through the reflection of the bathroom mirror, easily deciphering the backward letters.
Yuji: So how's city life been for you? You memorized all the streets yet?
Ciel: Not yet. It would have been too time-consuming, so I've decided to put it on the back burner for now. I might get around to it some time in the week.
Yuji: Oh. I was just kidding. Wow. You're a real hard worker. I don't think I have enough room in my head to do that.
Yuji: not saying you have a big head, but saying I'm kind of dumb lol
Oh. My. God. Satoru pulled back and waved his arm, catching Megumi's attention whose estranged look stopped Nobara mid-bite of her sushi (still reeling from shock of the information Megumi just told). The students looked over and saw their teacher ushering them to come over.
Ciel: I see. What about you? Have you finished settling in?
Yuji: yup! But I did get my ass handed to me by some cute plushie. The Principal doesn't mess around...
Yuji: I've been getting to know Fushiguro and Kugisaki too. They're rough around the edges, but they seem okay.
Yuji: Fushiguro did slam a door on my head earlier. And Kugisaki's kind of mean. But other than that, they're good people.
Ciel: It sounds like Fushiguro hasn't changed all that much. He does have a tendency to be "curt" around others.
Ciel: I've only met Kugisaki briefly. Based on what I saw, she seems upfront, but nice.
Ciel: give it time. I'm sure the three of you will get along and compliment each other in battle.
Stare… Satoru, Nobara, and Megumi peeked into the bathroom as Yuji continued to text on his phone, utterly oblivious to the prying eyes beside him, or the whispers of Satoru who was more or less paraphrasing the messages he could see and read.
Yuji: I'm hanging out with them right now. Sensei brought us to a nice restaurant near the cemetery. The food here looks good.
Yuji paused, and then typed slowly.
Yuji: you should come too. You're probably gone already, but I figured I should invite you anyway. That tea and cakes offer still on the table?
Satoru and Nobara covered each other's mouths to hide their gasps. Megumi remained stoic and quietly walked back to his table, giving Yuji his space.
Yuji: it'll be my treat. I want to thank you for saving our butts today, and for that pep talk yesterday.
Yuji: it might not seem much but it did cheer me up a little after thinking about gramps. I owe you a slice.
Satoru and Nobara then pulled away before they would see Ciel's response, the main reason being the concern of a passing waiter, who was questioning why Nobara was peeking into the boy's restroom.
After the waiter left, Satoru turned to Nobara. "I was afraid something like this would happen…"
His tone was serious as he adjusted his dark glasses. "I was hoping I'd have enough time to train you guys, but it looks like you're gonna have to learn on the fly (also Megumi left so it'll just be you and me)."
Nobara gulped. "What do we do?"
Satoru's glasses glinted under the lights of the restaurant, "The only thing we can do… Formation D."
Ciel stared at Yuji's message for a moment. Though his invite appeared innocent enough, there were many cons to it.
Firstly, she was already in bed. Lying on her futon mattress against the blank wall of a very, very empty studio apartment. It was the best bedding she could afford last minute on her first day arriving to Tokyo. She wouldn't be receiving her next income until the end of the month, and it'll have to be done anonymously so to avoid being traced through seemingly suspicious transactions.
Secondly, her identity. Now that she had been exposed, it would only make her position more difficult to manage by actively appearing around the vessel publicly, more so if Satoru had informed his school principal already. She could put on a disguise, but considering Yuji saw through it, she wondered if other shamans may share that ability, and if not, he would simply point at her. For all she knew, this could be a trap.
"Are you okay?" Was the question asked by the wide-eyed boy with pink hair, holding the train doors open for her.
No. He wouldn't do that. She'd be able to read him easily if he had that in mind. Besides, if it does turn out to be a trap, she could always flee the area quickly.
The third issue, Satoru Gojo. That man would most certainly be around, not only to look after his students, but to monitor the vessel closely. The only safe opportunity to ever approach Yuji would be if Satoru were to leave the city for a while, and unless she had inside information, she wouldn't know exactly when Satoru's next out-of-town business will be.
There were other problems, but the fourth main issue that trumps over all cons, Ciel was on a tight schedule. There were still documents, maps, and other research she must get into if she wishes to begin tracking down Roa's host. It's only been two days since she's arrived, and within those two days, Ciel had already uncovered many, many evidence of dead apostle activity. After getting her respite here, Ciel will have to go back out and do another sweep of the night, this time further than before.
Ciel: I appreciate the invite. Unfortunately, my schedule is booked this week. I'm not sure when I'll be free, and I don't wish to trouble you.
Yuji: Yeah? That's too bad.
Yuji: But I get it if you're busy. It wouldn't be any trouble. To be honest, I wouldn't know where to take you. I'm still new to this city.
Ciel: that makes two of us. I'm sure your class will take you exploring sometime soon. There are a couple of cafes I did pass by in Harajuku that might interest you. Ciel attempted to divert his attention to a location away from hers. Should she leave tonight, it's best not to cross paths with any more Jujutsu Sorcerers. She'll reserve that another day.
Yuji: oh yeah? Is it the one that serves curry crepes there?
Ciel's thumb froze on top of the keypad. Eventually, she typed out, slowly.
Ciel: curry crepes?
Yuji: yeah. I heard about them. I've made curry before but I never thought about putting it in a crepe.
Yuji: I kind of want to try one now.
Ciel: you know how to cook?
Yuji: yup. I did a lot of chores around the house while I was taking care of gramps. I learned how to cook around that time.
Yuji: Sometimes I make extras and give them to the neighbors and friends at school. They seemed to really like it.
Ciel: I see… You said you've made curry before.
Ciel: What dishes have you made with it?
Yuji: mostly Curry Rice, but I like to experiment or use recipes.
Yuji: Chicken curry. Spinach curry. Fish curry too.
Yuji: they can really pack a punch if you're not too careful.
An involuntary gulp in Ciel's throat as she read the list. She took a short breath to calm herself.
Ciel: would it be possible the café has this much variety?
Yuji: probably. I could check it out. Not sure if the others would want to go. Hold on.
Yuji: I just looked it up. Can't find the menu, but it looks like there's an Indian restaurant in that area. So maybe the chances are pretty good?
Ciel: it seems my schedule has just opened. I may be able to attend after all.
Ciel sent the message before she could truly register the consequences of it. On the outset, this appeared to be reckless. However, Ciel had a strong reasoning to this. Completely logical.
There's a very good chance that Satoru's team had scoped the entire cemetery, and could have uncovered something before Ciel would, unable to do it herself due to the timing of Satoru's arrival. It may link to Roa. It may not. Either way, the best method to broach the subject would be to question Satoru's students, one of them she was already familiar with – Megumi Fushiguro. Should he be willing to share, she may receive her answers from him.
There was another reason. As crucial as her discretion must be, the hidden yet severe evidence of vampire activity suggests that it went deeper than what a few weeks of disappearances would bring. Ciel held concerns over the nature of Roa's incarnation this time around, resulting in the discovery of the first murder that have yet to make it to the front page news.
While she could not disclose all information, it may be best that she ought to warn the shamans of a "vampire" in the area. There was no hiding it now that the dead had been seen. If they were going to hunt her down for questioning anyway, she might as well be the first to approach. Just not with Satoru around. Lord knows he'll push even if it crosses jurisdiction.
Ciel must have a hand in this narrative. If she revealed too much, the sorcerers may decide to act and incidentally block all access to Roa. Worst case scenario, they'll kill him prematurely or some unfortunate soul, and Ciel would have to start all over.
Ciel: I do have some conditions.
Yuji: conditions? Like what?
Yuji glanced at the time on his phone. "-! Yikes. I've been in here a while..."
The food he ordered was probably out already. He better not keep his class waiting. On another note, it looked like Ciel might be willing to hang out after all. He sent back an "Oh! That's great then" with an old school smiley face on the side after reading Ciel was free. He was about to suggest if she wanted to hang out later or tomorrow when another text popped up.
Ciel: I do have some conditions.
Yuji looked at it curiously as he walked past the stalls, staring at the Ciel is typing... notification while he wrote and send:
Yuji: conditions? Like what?
The moment he stepped out of the restroom, he was tackled from the side.
-?!
Satoru grappled Yuji in a body lock. Arm around neck. Yuji's hand pulled behind his back. And a leg over his. In the struggle, Yuji dropped his phone and Nobara snatched it.
"What's it say~" Satoru playfully asked as Yuji was fighting hard in his arms.
Nobara scrolled through the old messages, her eyes flickering to every text bubble. "He asked her out. She turned him down. He mentioned curry crepes. She said she might go!"
"Oho~! You're in the zone, Itadori!" Satoru laughed heartily while slapping his student's stomach. He repositioned his grapple when Yuji attempted to slip out through the removal of his overcoat, exposing the red sweater of Yuji's uniform.
"Guys! Guys! This is straight up bullying!" Yuji called them out.
"Oh! She just sent another message!" Nobara announced, she read Ciel's text with a curious look. "She wants to invite Fushiguro-san? And me too?! Is she interested in all three of us?!"
Was this a soap opera in the making? No. Could this be...a proposition? Was she asking them to be in a quad?! Nobara didn't know whether to be freaked out or flattered. Obviously she wouldn't get with those losers but Nobara appreciated being considered.
"Great idea!" Satoru said as he had Yuji in a headlock. "Why don't we all show up, and-"
"Ah. Hold on. She said not to bring you, Sensei," Nobara said. Makes sense, five is a crowd, and her teacher can be annoying. Also it'd be too weird.
"HUH?! You're kidding! I can be just as hip as you guys! I was a teen once too!"
Nobara's head perked up. "She said not to mention it to you. She wants us to be inconspicuous?!"
Holy shit this is a proposition! "Your girlfriend is a freak, Itadori-kun!"
"What are you saying?! I just asked her to hang out with us!" Yuji said as he was being held upside down, trying to slip out of his red hoodie next.
"...Oh." Nobara blinked at the clarification. She looked back at the text.
With a devious smile, she started typing.
"W-What are you writing?! Don't say anything weird!" Yuji struggled harder.
"What's the worry? Did you want to leave a good impression?" Satoru chuckled like a cartoon villain, refusing to loosen his grip once.
In the backdrop of all this, Megumi was eating his pasta peacefully, tuning out the noise as the whole restaurant turned to look at the scene in confusion and concern.
"Send~" Nobara grinned mischievously. She then tossed the phone back to Yuji. "You're welcome."
Satoru finally lets go. Yuji threw his arms forward and caught his phone. "What is wrong with you guys?"
He quickly looked at the message Nobara sent, seeing the damage done.
Yuji: Okay! Let's meet tomorrow at noon. I'll send you the directions later.
Huh. That wasn't as bad as he thought.
Yuji: Got to go. Foot's stuck in the toilet and now I got to explain why it smells. Splashed my pants too. See ya!
Ah. There it was.
"You guys are seriously childish..." Yuji glowered at his teacher and classmate. To Yuji's relief, Ciel didn't seem to respond to his second message and simply wrote back: Excellent. I will see you all then.
"Oh come on. We're just messing with you. See? She's still up for seeing you, stinky feet," Satoru teased as he patted Yuji's back.
"Oooh Ciel-chan~! You were so cool saving a helpless idiot like me! So strong~! So amazing~!" Nobara exaggerated Yuji's texts. She and Satoru made kissy faces and Muwah! Muwah! noises as they clasped hands together. Yuji was not amused.
"Will all of you knock it off already?" From the side, Megumi reappeared after finishing his plate, absolutely done with his class's antics. "You're getting us kicked out if you make one more noise in here."
"What, really?! I haven't even finished my sushi yet!" Nobara dropped the act, realizing what was at stake here. She pointed at Yuji. "Come on! How am I supposed to stay quiet when he's going out with a cougar?!"
There was a gasp from the observing tables. Megumi's face twisted angrily. "You idiot-!"
"Huh?"
The class stiffened, instantly quiet as Nobara realized what she had just done.
Yuji looked puzzled, as if visible question marks were floating all around his head. "What do you mean by that?"
Satoru held his hand out to his students, signaling Nobara and Megumi to not answer. He then walked over and grasped Yuji's shoulders, looking at him directly in the eye. "You might want to sit down for this."
He raised an index finger. "Keep in mind, she's definitely sixteen. It's just that she's been sixteen for a couple or so years now."
"...huh?"
It only took a few minutes for Satoru to explain, giving the condensed version.
"…ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Yup. Yuji's life was just weird. His class was then politely asked to leave the restaurant after too many noise complaints.
Author's Note:
SmileyKurt23: although the idea of Shiki learning to use cursed energy is interesting, I think due to his condition he won't be able to fully utilize it. You might even consider it as a Heavenly Restriction.
The best he could use Cursed Energy for would be to put it into his eyes for the sole purpose of being able to see Curses, since intangible objects, from what I remembered, is something that Shiki Tohno has yet to achieve unlike Shiki Ryougi (Maybe this will change in the Tsukihime Remake, who knows?).
This could for sure apply to this crossover once we get around to introducing him, which by the way, if everything goes smoothly, he'll be introduced much sooner here than the other fic! Look forward to it when that happens!
Update: yeah I'm gonna need a refresher. It's annoying how much I study or pull up side materials and I still end up missing details or forgetting some. Thanks for the info!
thank you everyone for reading. Remember to leave a review and PM me for any thoughts or questions you may have. See you next time!
Happy Fourth of July!