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Nothing in life is ever made to last, possessions break, people die, relationships fail, siblings, parents, families split and friendships fade. Peace is yet another changing and ever fluctuating inconstant. Once, Yuuji assumed there would be nothing that could break apart the quiet of his life. The quaint farm he had grown up on, with the wide expansion of trees and wildlife at his horizon. It was as beautiful as it was simple.
All this was a constant until he had been jumped by a rather irate forest spirit due to his brother's negligence. Now that Satoru Gojo had dropped into his life it was far, far from ordinary. Satoru was not one to relish in peace. He did not care for the humdrum of human life. Especially not that of a simple farmer. So he did his best to entertain himself… which included dragging Yuuji into his antics. But that wasn't to say everything was horrible. In fact the pair had quite similar senses of humor. Pulling stupid little pranks upon one another and the poor unfortunate elder Itadori twin, Sukuna. This of course gained his ire far more than the normal idiocy Yuuji usually brought to the table.
Which was exactly where the man had ended himself up to now. He sat with his heels pressed firmly against his butt, hands grabbing at his pants as the eldest scolded him for yet another stupid prank that Sukuna just so happened to catch him in the middle of setting up. By god was he getting an ear full. This is the longest Sukuna had ever lectured him in his entire life. Granted Yuuji was drifting in and out of the reprimanding words to nod or shake his head when needed.
“And where the actual fuck is that feline bastard? He set you up for this right?? Did he just leave after hearing me walk up. What a damn coward! ” Sukuna hissed his words in disgust. However by thought alone, said feline bastard had been summoned. With his arms propped against the old homes windowsill Satoru leaned in. His cheek resting firmly against his palm as he stuck out his tongue at Sukuna. Those pale ears that peaked from his hair perked up as that large tail swayed from one side to the other.
“Yuuuuuji~” Satoru always called in a near purr. The name rolled off his tongue and fell from his lips like a praise to the gods. “I told you not to get caught while I grabbed another bucket of water.” The spirit whined, but his presence alone caused Yuuji to perk up with that bright smile no one was safe from.
“Satoru! I think Sukuna may actually try to bite my head off this time.” Yuuji joked back as if said man wasn't still in the room. Seething.
“That's such a cruel thing to do to your own blood, Susu.” Satoru teased as well. There was no true winning between the two of them. Sukuna threw his hands up.
“I should have just fucking absorbed you in the woumb. Then none of this would have been an issue.” Sukuna shot back, eyeing his brother.
“Ah but then you would have been killed by an angry forest spirit. In a way I saved your life!” Yuuji boasted, his back straightened, no longer as hunched and small as he had been during the scolding.
“And then you invited him to live with us as a pet. I don't see how that is much better.” Sukuna gave an elongated sigh before he threw his hands up. “But what do I know, I'm only the guy that has kept your ass out of trouble since we were born. Just don't bring an angry mob to my farm after you piss everyone in the village off with these stupid pranks.”
“Oh come on, I haven't even been to the village in months. I think next harvest it should be my turn to go.” Yuuji argued quickly as he crossed his arms over his chest. A pout forced his bottom lip out as his brows knitted together, creasing his forehead in agitation.
“Are you going to take that poor excuse for a forest spirit with you? Because I'm not going to deal with it bugging me the entire time you're gone.” Sukuna asked, though this meant there was a chance he would allow Yuuji to handle the merchant side of their work. His eyes shined bright with the new prospect. Swiveling his head over to Satoru he practically begged.
“ Please come with me, Gojo!” Yuuji spoke with his hands clasped together before him and his head bowed. Making the white haired entity chuckle with amusement. Who could say no to such a sincere gesture? Definitely not Satoru Gojo.
“Yeah alright. But Yuuji has to stay by my side. I don't really want to deal with other humans alone. They are pretty annoying.” Satoru gave the stipulation nearly childishly, but it was an acceptance all the same. The human practically jumped to his feet as he swiveled towards the door. Running from the rickety old home straight up to the spirit.
Satoru seemed amused by the antics as arms were flung around him, Yuuji hung from the spirit well off the ground, holding tight around the being’s neck. The added weight did not serve to jostle him in the least. Satoru's arms would carefully ensnare the innocent human. Holding him tight as his eyes shut behind his blindfold. There was a certain air the spirit held when interacting with Yuuji. It was lively, inviting. He gave gestures that were soft, playful to match the man’s energy. When Yuuji was not looking, however, Satoru gave off a completely different disposition. Honed in on the human, watching intently how others interacted with him, be it the animals on the farm or Sukuna himself.
This stare was cold, hungry. Looking to devour anyone or anything that made a move against the object of his desires. Because deep down, Satoru Gojo was not a kind being. He ripped apart many that crossed him, many more for simple transgressions against his home. Be it king or lowly peasant. None of them mattered to a god among men. A being of such high praise and esteem there was nearly nothing that Satoru was denied in his life. All his wants and desires laid at his fingertips.
That was until the day he met Yuuji Itadori.
He now had something entirely new to pursue. While Yuuji was of sunshine, bright as the day and just as brilliant to behold. Satoru was the snow laden mountain top, while he was graced with this light it was never to be truly felt. To experience the warmth of summer's touch. That is, unless he plays his cards right. While Yuuji did not like the idea of being spirited away by some strange feline. He certainly didn't mind the attention he got, the way Satoru doted on him. Satoru was trusted easily, allowed into his home, nearly his bed as well. They shared a room, they had been for at least two months now.
“Alright I have to get things ready! We still have a week but I want to make sure we have everything we need to head out.” Yuuji boasted in an excitable tone that just made him look even more adorable. With that he unlatched himself from around the feline and ran off further into the farmland.
“Don't kill anyone while you're out. You'll ruin my business because you're a jealous ass.” Sukuna spoke with his back facing the window, his eyes barely making their peek over their shoulder. Red eyes as sharp as daggers in their wake.
“Yeah yeah, I'll play nice. You worry too much Susu.” Satoru teased, however the flick of his tail gave away his hidden annoyance to the elder twin reprimanding him. It would be futile, however, to argue. Yuuji seemed to be quite protective of his elder brother. This was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that it was the whole reason Satoru was allowed to stay, and a curse in the sense that he couldn't actually fight or harm the elder twin in any way.
Yuuji was more than excited to have his new housemate on quite a rare journey. Not that the town was some far away land, but it was scarce enough of an event to make it seem that way. With a skip in his step Yuuji headed to load up their cart with necessities. Feed for the mule, grain for selling and many different crops. As he lugged the large bags of items up over his shoulder there was the feeling of something quickly rushing past the man's legs.
With a yelp, the man reared back. With the added weight he had no chance of staying on his feet. The dirt was completely unforgiving to his poor poor ass that landed upon it. The grain littered the dirt, the burlap sack completely torn on the rocks underfoot. Golden eyes narrowed around to the bag, then up towards the grass field to the source of such a disaster. There, barely a meter away, a solid black fox stood before the pink haired man. Its head tilted in a nearly patronizing way.
Yuuji knew it was ridiculous to push this human emotion into such a creature. But the beast seemed… a bit off. Yuuji had met many sick animals in his time on the farm. With fear of such an ailing beast, Yuuji tried to shoo the other off. His fingers brushed behind him, his fingers searched through the grass and dirt. Curling them tight around the nearest stone encase the beast decided to lunge.
The fox was much too fast as it reared to strike. Its slim form zigged past the stone thrown. Causing the human to sputter, his limbs flailed and kicked at the black furred fox. Its limbs rested upon the human’s chest, its snout so close to Yuuji’s skin he could feel the wet warm breath grace his skin. Pressing up against right under his chin. Yuuji's body tensed, his muscles tightened with panic. His breath held to keep his chest from rising and possibly spooking the beast.
“G-good puppy. Please don't bite me.” Yuuji barely whimpered his words, attempting his best to ease his own nerves. The fox had quite the interest in Yuuji’s scent. Its breath brushed up from Yuuji’s neck up to his hair, taking a deep inhale before making a noise akin to some sort of yip. With that the fox hopped from atop the farmer, but the encounter was very far from over.
There was no hesitation as teeth gnashed, tearing into the thin fabric of Yuuji's chest. The farmer attempted to pull his shirt free at first, but for such a small being it had an insane amount of strength to drag a fully grown man towards the edge of the looming woods. Even with digging his heels into the dirt there was no other way out of this.
With a bit of quick thinking Yuuji slipped out of his shirt and scrambled to his feet. Maybe the fox was hungry? He couldn't exactly see any other reason why a fox would attack a man other than sickness or desperation. So Yuuji made his way onto the large cart to escape the fox. Who was already gnashing teeth at his pant leg. Its fur puffed as it growled in what seemed to be frustration.
“Gods, you are annoying.” The fox barked at him- wait. Yuuji just stood, atop a cart of vegetables and artisan cheeses with the ladder already held tight in his fist. In a mid throwing position.
“You can talk!?” The man blurted out the obvious. His hand no longer held high in the air. That fox was quick to make his way onto the head of the cart. With the added weight there was a shift, with a small bit of light and strange bout in the wind, there was no longer a full fox that stood before Yuuji. A tan man with long black hair and black kimono to match. Piercing dark eyes threaded to pin Yuuji in place by his gaze alone.
“What did you do to the spirit of these woods?” The fox-man demanded even though it was framed as a question. Black ears flattened against his head as that fox tail puffed in agitation that was noted in a hard tone.
“What are you talking about? Do you mean Sato-” Yuuji didn't get to finish his sentence as a hand was quick to cover the human's mouth, sharpened claws but into his skin as the farmer clawed at the beast’s wrists.
“Humans shouldn't speak his name so casually. You don't deserve to even think about it.” The man growled with deep vitriol, his eyes stayed narrowed. Sharp as a blade, as sharp as the claws that embedded themselves in Yuuji's cheek. It seemed simple enough to cut into his skin. Pinpricks of red rolled from his cheek. Golden eyes narrowed, pulling at his wrist in vain. Unable to even curse him as he kicked at the fox-man.
The force this being gave threatened to dislocate his jaw. Yuuji had to act fast. With a swift kick to the beast’s side it was barely enough for him to loosen his grip. But that's all Yuuji needed as he managed to pull his face up enough to bite down into the fox’s hand. The beast flinched, Yuuji did not hesitate to hop off the cart and run back towards his farmhouse. His eyes peered back at the seething man. The anger that buzzed through the air was like static to the farmer’s skin.
Adrenaline fueled Yuuji's muscles as he made his way past fields, rounding the chicken coops until he slammed into something rather solid. He barely regained himself, with a bit of help from said brick wall he ran into. A warm hand gripped at Yuuji's forearm, pulling their forms tight against one another as the other arm wrapped around his waist.
“Aw, so excited to run back to me you started undressing early. I didn't know you were into outdoor sex but I'm for anything if Yuuji is.” Satoru teased before those soft pink lips went from a playful grin to a thin line. “Are you bleeding? What happened to your cheek?”
“Satoru! There was this fox that I thought was sick because it kept getting close, but then it turned into some guy with ears like yours! I think it was another forest spirit but he got super pissed when I mentioned your name. We need to go inside right now!” Yuuji practically fumbled over his words trying to explain exactly what happened. Fingers gripped tightly at the front of the hybrids kimono, worry dripped from his tone in spades.
“A fox? Is that what happened to your face? Did he bite you?” Satoru asked softly as a smile came back to his face. Yet, there was no warmth to his tone. Yuuji didn't have time to respond as Satoru leaned in closer. The hand that once clasped on Yuuji's left arm, gripped tightly at his chin. Tilting it to the side, making Yuuji puff out his cheeks.
“You're not listening to me Satoru.” He barely got the muffled complaint before the annoying cat spirit pulled his head up for further inspection. Only to gain a deep purr as Satoru took his time to run his tongue over the side of Yuuji's face. Cleaning up the wound that had been made, his large fluffy tail swayed gently behind him. Satoru was obviously enjoying himself even in such a stressful situation.
“Aw, is Yuuji scared?” Satoru asked in a deep purr right against his ear. “Don't worry, that scary wittle fox won't bother you anymore.” Satoru said as he rubbed his cheek up against Yuuji's. Playfully in every gesture as his arms wrapped tighter around the smaller. Keeping their chest against one another. Which only gained the human’s annoyance. His palms pressed against the feline’s face to push him away.
“Stop patronizing me, Gojo. I'm serious about this, I think they're after you.” Yuuji warned the man as a finger was waved in Satoru’s face. Barely even getting acknowledgement. Since Satoru decided, instead of worrying about the danger, he would pout. Slumping his body weight completely against Yuuji. His chin against Yuuji's shoulder, his arms outstretched stiffly.
“Don't be mean to me while I'm trying to save you. Shouldn't you be praising your hero?” Satoru huffed with his bottom lip jutted out in a large pout. Those white and black spotted ears went from their flattened, pitiful position upwards in an instant. Twitching and swirling. His nose pressed deeper into the farmer’s neck as he took in a deep inhale.
“You are not saving me here! If anything you're- you're… Satoru? What are you doing?” Yuuji stammered slightly, though suddenly those arms that were stretched straight out wrapped tightly around Yuuji. All those purring and teasing had died suddenly. Those sharpened claws pressed against Yuuji's back, splayed out wide to take up as much of his form as physically possible.
“What do you want Getou?” Satoru spoke out to what felt like thin air. Yuuji stretched his neck back to turn his head, seeing the fox from before standing mere feet from the pair.
“Shit- it's the fox.” Yuuji blurted out rather unintelligently. But there was truly no way to get from in between the spirits. But this man gave a smile that didn't hold any warmth. His head tilted slightly.
“Here I thought you had been caught by some human. Shirking your responsibilities, Gojo?” There was a twitch to the fox’s ears. His body language seemed loose, but it was controlled, forced to give the appearance of relaxed and open.
“As if a human could capture me.” Satoru scoffed, a pale hand gently smoothed through Yuuji's mop of pink hair. “I just found something pretty that caught my eye. I mean just look at him.” Satoru boasted as he turned Yuuji to face the fox. The human's shoulders hiked high to make himself seem small. While his brother, Sukuna, had not believed in spirits until Satoru dropped into their doorstep. Yuuji was always told to be respectful to these beings. They relied on them after all.
“Yeah I met him, he seems just as annoying as you are.” Getou spoke as his eye loomed over the human’s form. With one hand reached for Yuuji, Satoru pulled him back.
“I said look, not touch. Can't I court someone in peace without you constantly trying to babysit me? You know it's just rude right? I don't like third wheels.” Satoru spoke before sticking his tongue out at the fox. Causing not only Getou, but Yuuji to stare slightly bewildered.
“Court!?” Both exclaimed in shock and Aw. Yuuji's face began to become as pink as his blush colored hair.
“Yes? What did you think I was doing?” Satoru asked the human, before starting up that purr again. His arms tightened around him. “Aww Yuuji really is so innocent. You can't tell me no one has tried to court you before or ask for your hand in marriage.”
“I mean- I have had a few girls that always talk to me. Sukuna thinks they like me but I say they are just being nice.” Yuuji spoke in thought as his finger tapped gently at his own chin.
“... who are these girls?” Satoru’s eyes narrowed in obvious jealousy at even the idea of Yuuji getting romantic attention from anyone else.
“Geeze, you really do have it bad. You know Shoko and I have been pretty worried about you.” The fox started as his arms crossed over his chest. Annoyed but knowing well once Satoru sets his greedy gaze on something there was no prying him off the object of his desires. Even if now it was some pathetic human that seemed more than alright with acting casual around creatures much stronger than himself.
“Well here I am, fine. I can do my job from this little farm so there is no worrying.” Satoru spoke with a shooing motion towards the fox. Which Didn't at all satisfy the spirit as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“You can't be serious, you are just going to play pet for who knows how long? What am I even supposed to tell Shoco… or I could just bring her here to keep a better eye on you.” Suguru spoke as he gently gripped at his own chin.
“Absolutely not! Sukuna would kill me if I let more spirits live here with us. Where would you all even stay? I don't think I have a big enough room-” this seemed to catch Satoru's attention.
“Yeah you can't stay, no one else is allowed in Yuuji's room.” Satoru gave a deep grumble, almost hiss to his tone like any true disgruntled cat. This seems to further annoy the fox. His eyes narrowed but Suguru easily gave up as his shoulders slumped.
“Look- just don't vanish on us like that… even if you find a new play thing.” Suguru knew he wouldn't be able to drag Satoru away, but he could possibly get to him. Much to the Fox’s surprise Yuuji agreed with the spirit that attacked him.
“Satoru, did you just abandon your friends like that? That's awful.” Yuuji huffed up to a now pouty Satoru. “Maybe they can stay in the barn… at least you all could be near each other again. But you can't harm any of the animals or my brother.” Yuuji stipulated.
“What- No don't extend that sort of invitation-” Satoru was nearly entirely ignored.
“That could work, at least it would make it easier to force Satoru to keep up with his responsibilities. What was your name again, human?” Suguru questioned curiously. The human before him gave a smile as bright as the sun as he outstretched his hand.
“My name is Yuuji Itadori, nice to meet you.” This was already getting well out of hand. As one forest spirit living on the Itadori had rapidly grown to three. What could possibly show up next?