Chapter Text
There’s a crow by the window of Gojo’s room, and it wears a dark purple scarf. Its beady eyes stare right at Gojo.
“Good evening, Gojo Satoru-kun.” The crow greets in a deep voice. “It’s too cold to have the window open this time of the year.”
The wind blows inside like it’s responding to the crow’s statement.
“Still, it leads me to you.” The crow continues. “I am Ubuyashiki Kagaya’s messenger, he apologizes as he cannot be here himself. As of a few weeks ago, he can no longer move.”
Briefly, Gojo wonders if he or Shoko could’ve healed whatever illness Ubuyashiki has, but he also believes they would be refused any way. He also has an inkling that it’s an illness that is not easily healed like that.
“Ubuyashiki believes that in a few weeks, Muzan would make his move against the Demon Slayers. He already has his own plan set in motion, and he wishes for your plan to go accordingly, as well.”
“Hopefully.” Gojo mutters, thinking about backups upon backups upon backups. Every student he has will be fighting this war, whether he likes it or not. Hopefully, they will succeed, for the sake of the entire world, and for Megumi’s sake, too.
“However, I am here to tell you of what Ubuyashi saw of your future. While it may not be the full truth, his foresight has always been reliable.”
The crow continues to speak – its beak opens and words flow out, but Gojo could only stare in shock at the bird. His possible future was laid down before him – his possible demise, the possible consequences for his students… Megumi…
“Good evening, Gojo Satoru-kun.” The crow manages to bow, before turning around and flying away.
December 24, huh?
Gojo takes a deep breath, hoping Ubuyashiki’s foresight is just one possible outcome, and that it could be changed or altered based on the decisions he will make. He resolutely ignores the idea that whatever decision he makes, it’ll still lead to his end.
For his students’ sake, for Megumi’s sake, he’s hoping he can change something thought to be set in stone.
---
Muzan didn’t expect for anyone to know about what happened between him and that damned demon slayer from centuries ago. But then again, with a traitor like Tamayo going around, it’s not so farfetched to think she sold out every little information about him that she knows.
Kamado Tanjiro wears those exact same Hanafuda earrings, and Muzan is tired of seeing it, not to mention his damned emotions are getting in the way of everything. Every flash of Kamado Tanjiro’s earrings or sword, every move of that damned sun breathing, and it sends Muzan into a spiral. This is absolutely horrifyingly pathetic of him, that he’s barely protecting himself and attacking back – scrambling for one attack after the other.
With every shout and every hit that lands, Muzan is unknowingly calling out for Sukuna in his head. Kamado Tanjiro seemed to move faster and faster and it’s hard to keep up and he’s still trying to recover from the multitude of poison and whatever other concoction that Tamayo and that Hashira came up with.
He has to make it here-
He’s not gonna make it-
Sukuna… Sukuna… Sukuna…
“SUKUNA!”
Tanjiro falters, wondering who Muzan was calling help from, but in a blink of an eye, he finds himself thrown off of Muzan, pain exploding from the middle of his chest, and then he’s on the ground.
“Pull yourself together, damn it!”
Muzan’s world stops. There’s a ringing in his ear and the bright light from surrounding fires are somehow even brighter. His heart rate slows down as he notices the bodies of demon slayers surrounding them. Kamado Tanjiro is on the ground, but he’s still trying to get himself back up, someone else has approached him, and in the distance, he sees a couple more slayers running towards Muzan.
The heat from the hands cupping his face finally registers, and he focuses on who those hands belong to. Sukuna is in front of him, the expression on his face was… confusing. His eyebrows were pinched together, like he was worried, but they were also pointed down, like he was angry. It’s disorienting not knowing which of those expressions were directed at him. They’re on the ground too, bodies close, Muzan doesn’t know why though.
“Pull yourself together, Muzan.” Sukuna repeats, bringing his face closer to his wife’s. “I can’t help you, I have my own fight to get to, so you have to pull yourself together and win this.”
Yeah… yeah, Sukuna has been planning for weeks now, determined to finally end the existence of one Gojo Satoru. Meanwhile, Muzan has gotten too arrogant, thinking he could easily win this battle. That damned Ubuyashiki ruined everything, and his demon slayers also had to be so hard to kill and too determined to fight back.
“Are you listening?”
Muzan feels himself nodding, his senses are coming back to him. Kamado Tanjiro has stood up, and his companions are clearly itching to approach Muzan, but the appearance of Sukuna has made them falter.
Yeah, yeah, Muzan can pull himself together. He’s going to kill every demon slayer, and Sukuna is going to kill Gojo Satoru and they’ll both rise up from the ashes of their respective enemies, and they’ll be together, and they’ll be fine.
Yeah, yeah, Muzan can pull himself together.
Sukuna probably felt it too, as he nods once, pressing their foreheads together before standing up, preparing to go back to his fight.
He took too long looking around and observing the demon slayers, though, because Muzan’s senses tingle, and in a flash, Gojo Satoru has followed Sukuna and has launched an attack.
“Sukuna!”
Their fight has already started then, moving a bit farther away from Muzan’s own battle.
Muzan sneers, feeling Kamado Tanjiro and the other slayers start up another attack.
He’s going to win this, and he’s going to meet back with Sukuna, and they’re going to be fine.
---
“We have reason to believe that there’s some sort of condition of living between Muzan and Sukuna.” Ubuyashiki starts, “An agreement, maybe? A deal? A vow?”
“A binding vow.” Gojo’s eyes widen, even if they’re remained unseen, his theory coming back to mind.
“Ah, I do not know about that.” He tilts his head, “I apologize, we’re not well-educated with the Jujutsu world.”
“That’s alright,” Gojo swallows his excitement at his theory being validated… maybe, “We don’t know much about you Demon Slayers, after all.”
“I assure you, that is much easier to learn about than your world.”
“Perhaps.”
There’s a soft smile on Ubuyashiki’s face, which Gojo matches, like they’re sharing a secret that only the two of them know. There’s definitely something else that Ubuyashiki isn’t telling him about. He orchestrated that last sentence about Muza nans Sukuna’s possible vow too well for it to just be a coincidence.
Gojo mentally snorts, not well-educated his ass-
“What got you to that conclusion?”
“Have you ever heard of the rumor that Kaguya-hime was supposedly eaten by Sukuna, and yet, was seen walking the next day?”
The entire village that Sukuna claimed as his territory saw new splashes of blood and immediately thought that Sukuna finally devoured Kaguya-hime, and they were all already planning who to kidnap next to sacrifice to the King of Curses. And yet, when morning came, the villagers saw Kaguya-hime walk through the hallways, visible through the windows of the house. Hence, the rumor grew that she had somehow survived? Or maybe she was never eaten and the two couple were just enjoying their meal. After all, Kaguya-hime enjoyed human flesh too.
“One of those villagers happened to sneak a look at the window. Well, tried to, since humans aren’t really courageous enough to intrude on so-believed powerful beings.” A pause, to catch his breath, “While he might not have seen anything, he definitely heard something,
“’If you kill me, you die with me.’”
Gojo’s entire body shivers, the hairs on the back of his neck and his arms stands up in… excitement? Anticipation?
“Surely, that has to count for something, yes?”
There’s something really creepy, yet so earnestly pure about Ubuyashiki. It’s unsettling, but Gojo is glad that if for some reason that he cannot kill Sukuna, they’ll just have to make him kill his wife…
And then, just hope Sukuna dies with her.
---
Gojo Satoru is entertaining to fight with, Sukuna notes, smiling despite the many injuries both parties sustain. It’s fun while it still goes on, but Sukuna is hoping he’ll eventually find a way to finally kill this man – the only man standing on his way.
Gojo is matching his grin, also still determined to continue fighting. They were… what was it these kids use to say? Matching each other’s freak?
He’s pretty sure he’s done that with Muzan too, but this ‘freak matching’ that he’s doing with Gojo is completely different. For one, he doesn’t have to fear immediately dying once he harms Gojo, and for that, he can go all out.
As he’s ready for another attack, his entire body tingles, immediately making him tense. It was as if something else entered the playing field, but it also seemed something that’s happening far away. His body tingles yet again, and he freezes. Gojo seems to have noticed the change in demeanor
“SUKUNA!” His name reverberates around his brain, and suddenly, his body is moving and he’s running and he’s leaving because that was Muzan’s voice, and he sounded distressed.
Sukuna finds his wife in the middle of a fight, just like how Sukuna was. There was a kid relentlessly attacking him with a sword, a nichirin blade, probably. Sukuna already knew the blade was a common weakness for all demons, but with the speed of Muzan’s regeneration, he’s not sure this is all just what it takes to kill his wife.
Still, Muzan seems to be struggling. Sukuna can feel Muzan’s cursed energy flaring around, uncontrolled, anxious, and angry, all at the same time. He looks like he’s really fighting for his life here, he looks feral, like a dog that was threatened and backed into a corner. Sukuna’s body moves again on its own, punching the boy away and immediately cupping Muzan’s face, pulling him down and settling themselves on the ground.
Muzan’s legs go willingly, which was a clear sign he’s not fully in charge of his own body. His wife continues to thrash around, eyes unseeing as he’s almost just moving through pure adrenaline.
“Muzan, stop it.” Sukuna starts, unsure of how to proceed. He’s not exactly the best role model for comforting people.
“Muzan-” His wife lurches forward, as if trying so desperately to take a bite, defending himself in any way, his clawed fingers clutching on to Sukuna’s arms.
“Pull yourself together, damnit!”
Muzan stops, his breathing is still somewhat erratic but it has slowed down considerably. His eyes were still darting around, but it was clearer than before, less dilated. It’s clear his body is still adjusting, and Sukuna can feel Muzan’s body start to untense.
Sukuna can’t help him here, he has his own fight to win, and he tells Muzan as much, and he watches his wife slowly nod, body fully loosening up as he takes control again. As much as Sukuna wants to help, Gojo Satoru is very much still a bigger threat than some mortals with weird breathing styles and nichirin blades. He doesn’t vocalize that though, standing up and looking around the battlefield.
Before he could do anything else, Gojo Satoru catches up, kicking him in the chest and launching him away from Muzan. He barely hears his name being called before he focuses his attention once more on the sorcerer. He hopes Muzan does win, though… at the back of his mind, it’ll be awfully pathetic if he loses to a bunch of children.
Mahoraga is right beside him once more. For everyone’s sake, he hopes they can finally find a way to beat the alleged ‘strongest sorcerer’.
OMAKE (actually really an extra scene this time AHAHAHA)
Itadori Yuuji is a fan of the television. Apparently, cameras were invented, and they had the technology to capture a moving subject and have it played on a big screen for people to watch. That was terribly convenient for times when everything is boring, just like today.
There are no classes, no curses to exorcise, and no desire to terrorize Itadori’s brain. So, Sukuna sits on his throne of bones and watches whatever is on the screen. Itadori changes the channel, and a brief static was seen and heard before it finally changes.
The new channel features a man in a white suit, the camera was behind the man, and the man seems to be dancing, moving backwards. When the man finally turns around to face the camera, his lifts his face and starts singing.
Sukuna nearly falls off his throne. Is that-
No… it can’t possibly be Muzan… right??
But the hair, the facial features, the body shape… no…
“Oi brat.” He manifests an eye and a mouth on the side of Itadori’s face. The kid just hums in response. “Who’s that you’re watching?”
The kid hums again, “His name is Michael Jackson. He a good singer and dancer.”
The man’s name starts with an M too… d-does Muzan even sing and dance???
---
“So…” Sukuna starts as he and Muzan walks out of the underground station. He was cocky and confident just a few minutes ago, but then he remembered that damned show Itadori was watching, and he just couldn’t help it.
Muzan stops, eyebrows furrowing as he takes note of Sukuna’s awkward start to a conversation. “What the hell is wrong with you.”
“Oi!” Sukuna grumbles, and they continue walking… after a while, Sukuna can’t just help but ask.
“Do you sing and dance?”
Muzan stops again, eyebrows furrowing again, face scrunching, eyes darting all around Sukuna’s face. And in another second, his face relaxes into a disappointed stare. “This is about Michael Jackson, isn’t it.”
Sukuan raises his arms in surrender, but doesn’t give any other response. Muzan sighs. “No, that is not me, no I don’t sing and dance, and yes, he tasted delicious.”
Sukuna huffs, and they continue walking.
It’s a good thing Michael Jackson and Muzan weren’t the same, Sukuna didn’t know what he’d do if Muzan could actually sing and dance… although his mind is definitely straying away from normal singing and dancing.
BESIDES, he definitely enjoys Muzan’s company more… but the singing and dancing doesn’t sound like a terrible thing-