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His ears wouldn't stop ringing. The buzzing sound was head-splitting and it felt like thousand needles pierced through his ears to his brain. He could feel how hot his ears and eyes had become from being overwhelmed with all the sensory information. It was pathetic. Here he was, the mighty Gojo Satoru, one of Japan's tycoon and the strongest sorcerer of the century, crouching on his kitchen floor for days.
For the second time in his life, Satoru felt helpless.
His eyes stung, tears already pouring down his barely opened eyes. His spects was no where to be found and replaced with greasy strands of dull white hair. His breath too quick and hot, a sign that he was probably ill and should be resting but he couldn't. Not when his source of distress couldn't stop yelling on top of his small lungs.
For a week now, since he had gotten back from a mission abroad and baby Yuuji back to his care from Shoko's guardianship, the infant wouldn't stop crying. Satoru was on his wits end here! He tried the previous tricks that usually worked when Yuuji was being fussy but nothing worked anymore.
Day and night his son, his son kept on crying. He had refused to drink and eat that Satoru had to actually force fed him. He tried playing lullaby, even singing it himself but Yuuji didn't settle down. Wouldn't settle down. Satoru was so worried about his baby but Shoko was having an exam week and he couldn't possibly bother her. He too, have exams and assignments piling on his back. He hadn't slept for a week straight! He kept everything going with reverse curse technique but obviously it didn't do his mental and emotional state any good.
Sometime ago, he couldn't remember, he had been so frustrated with Yuuji that he actually thought of silencing the poor babe. Scared, disturbed, and disappointed in himself for having a thought like that, Satoru chose to distanced himself. His mind went overdrive with guilt that he chose to hide away from Yuuji.
And it got him stuck in this catatonic state.
He was aware of his ringing phone, the looming deadline submissions, and poor baby Yuuji crying but he couldn't bring himself to move. He just want everything to end.
Thankfully, the universe was on his side. His condo's door was opened and Shoko walked inside. The healer had hurried here right after her last exam when Ichiji panickedly called her that Satoru had gone missing and unreachable. She didn't asked him if he had checked Satoru's condo because the only one who knew that Satoru had a condo was her. It was meant to be a safe place for Satoru to hide but now he lived here with his adopted son.
When she walked in, the room was oddly dark and cold. Confused, she turned on switches to lightened the place and made a bee line towards Yuuji's cries. She found him sitting on his bum inside his crib, looking lost and in pain. The baby's looked thinner than what she remembered and felt hot as well. She dropped her school stuffs on the floor and picked up the screaming baby, shushing and rocking Yuuji to calm down. While doing so, she searched for Satoru and her concern grew at the condo's messy state.
For such a pain in the ass, her friend was actually a neat and clean person. So to see the place covered with all kinds of documents from the living room to Yuuji's nursery was extremely concerning. After checking the study and master bedroom, which ere equally exceptionally messy, Shoko found his friend slouched below the kitchen island unmoving.
Quickly she crouched beside her friend to check his body temperature. Satoru didn't flinch nor blink at her probbing. It was as if he was unresponsive to the outside world. This is bad.
Shoko leaned back a little bit to scanned his condition and her heart ached. Never in her live did she ever saw him like this. Not even after Suguru's betrayal. The usual bright gleaming eyes were now a dull blue and were half opened, expressionless. His sleek white hair looked greasy and dirty with unknown small pieces sticking to it. The calming woodsy scent was wiped and replaced with sour and sweat odor, she wanted to throw up but willing herself not to. In short, Satoru was a mess.
"Satoru?" She called him softly while patting his arm. No response.
Shoko debated on what to do. She was exhausted and wanted to sleep but clearly her friend was in need of extra hands. She sighed before giving a chaste kiss to Satoru's forehead and standing up with Yuuji on her hips.
"We've got things to do." She smiled at the still crying baby.
First, she took care of Yuuji. The baby need a diaper change and a warm bath. His wailing had turned to whimpers and hiccups when she washed him, paying extra attention to keep him entertained with the many rubber toys. Once the baby cleaned, she prepared Yuuji his milk bottle. Shoko was surprised when the baby rejected it. The baby had a healthy appetite! What caused him to lose it? Humming, she tried to open the fridge to check its content and found some yogurt cups. She placed Yuuji on his high seat and offer the baby the cokd diary. He looked at it suspiciously before enjoying it and with that, he quieted down.
Shoko sighed in relieved, one down.
She did a quick clean up of the documents and piled everything in Satoru's study room before moving on to sweep and mop the condo clean. It was well beyond eight PM when Shoko finished everything. She grumbled softly on her way to Yuuji's chair, swearing to herself that Satoru was so indebted to her.
The baby had eaten the yogurt messily but finished it. As she wiped the mess, Yuuji smiled at her and bobbing his head up and down. Her guess was perhaps, correct. Yuuji was now seven months old and in pain due to his growing teeth. The cold yogurt must have numbed the pain away and made little Yuuji the content happy baby he was. She put him down on his baby walker in the living room before checking on her friend, who was indeed, still where she left him.
"Come on big guy. Let's get you clean and dandy." With a struggle and hard effort, she managed to dragged Satoru's giant frame to the bathroom and sat him in the bathtub.
Honestly, at this point, she should demand an insurance from her friend. Her five foot four frame was not built to support a six foot six guy. Shoko undressed him with much difficulty and then sprayed the drama king with hot water. That got him to respond.
"OW! HOT HOT HOT! HELP!" shouted the white haired teen, flailing his long limbs.
Shoko clicked her tongue and mercilessly turned the water ice cold.
"AH! ITS COLD! ITS COLD!" Satoru yelped, trying hard to stand to turned off the water. Once he was up, Shoko turned the shower head off and throw a towel to her friend's face.
"You back dead brain? Or should I spray you again?"
The young clan head blinked at the female voice and tucked the towel covering his face down. In front of him, looking bored as always was Shoko with her arms crossed. Surprised, Satoru screamed.
"S-S-SHOKO?!" then he realized how bare he was.
"AH! WHY AM I NUDE?! C-CLOSE YOUR EYES PERVERT!" he yelled, curling his tall frame with the towel wrapped around his waist. Instead of seeing his friend shocked or disgusted, he got a full eye rolls.
"Shut up, prude. Try to shower and not drown will you? We need to talk." She left with a door bang, leaving a confused Gojo behind.
Shoko chose to wait in the living room, where she can watch over Yuuji. She had ordered in some food from quiet the expensive restaurant as well. Fully expecting Satoru to pay. After half an hour, the tall teen came out of his room looking fresh and decent. He had wore his spects once more with an oversized dark blue t-shirt and a wide black sweats. Satoru looked awkward and sheepish, approaching the living room in a leisure stride but down-casted eyes. He sat across her with hands on his laps, a gesture he did whenever he felt he was at fault. Good. At least he was aware of what had been happening.
They didn't talk. Shoko because she ran out of energy to speak and refused to until she had food and Satoru because he was ashamed his friend had to see him malfunction. When the doorbell ring, Shoko received an uneasy stare from her friend but she waved him off and saying that it was food without standing up. He understood his assignment and got up to pay.
Once the food was spread on the kitchen island and Yuuji content eating his cold blueberry and banana smoothie, they settled down and eat. Or, more like Shoko was the one eating and for once, Satoru just played with his food. Too nervous to consume anything. The medical student noticed of course and she waited for her companion to speak first. It didn't take long.
"Are you gonna take him?" Satoru softly spoke, halting Shoko from taking her next bite.
"No. Don't be stupid." She continued eating, making her friend felt frustrated.
"I failed him!" He whispered yelled to the semi-quiet kitchen. The action had stunned the little baby from his food, making the round ears flattened against spiky locks. Yuuji turned to peer at Satoru before mewling. Shoko smiled.
"Yes, you did." Her affirmation crushed her friend. She could see it clearly from his eyes. There were unwashed tears gathered there and she faintly heard a sharp pained gasp. Both were aware how bad it could be.
Yuuji died of neglect.
Satoru went berserk and Yuuji become the victim.
"Why didn't you call me?"
"You have exam..." Satoru weakly answered.
"I could've stayed over?"
"You already babysat him for three days, Sho..."
"Ijichi then." She pushed her food container away before staring him. He evaded her eyes to look at chewing Yuuji instead.
"You need help, Satoru. You can't do this alone." He flinched at the reminder of his incapability and failure. The recent incident left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"I don't have anyone else." Shoko saw the yearning to touch his own son in his sad eyes and she willed herself to stay strong for this conversation.
"You have enough, Satoru. You could have ask Ijichi or even Yaga sensei. We could let him know about Yuuji. He's trust worthy and can protect Yuuji if something happened." She tried to reason.
"Suguru was as well."
Damn.
This conversation wouldn't go anywhere soon.
"Look, clearly, you can't handle this alone. You have too much on your plate and I'm not saying that you should hand over your responsibility to other people. What I'm trying to say is, for you to ask other people to ease your parenting a bit." She sighed, talking with a hard headed smart ass like Gojo Satoru drained her.
"Do you know why Yuuji was wailing like a sirine like that?" The other teen glanced at her quickly before turning back his eyes on the baby, shaking his head.
"He was teething, Satoru. Teething. You'd probably can figure that out yourself if you aren't as burnt out as you are." She didn't get a response from that as the other teen was upset with himself.
As if sensing his guardian was having an inner turmoil, Yuuji linked his tail around Satoru's wrist. The child tried cuffing to comfort the adult, his body turning to Satoru and asked to be picked up. The clan head bit his lips to held in his whimpers before carefully moving the baby from his high chair onto his arms.
Yuuji curled his body instantly, seeking warmth from Satoru. He nuzzled the bigger figure's stomach with his face while wrapping his stocky limbs around one arm. Satoru's heart constricted as he felt immense love for his son. The one he failed but still trying to comfort him anyway.
Shoko watched as her friend cried in silence, hugging his child close to his chest, asking for forgiveness. The sight was beautiful and touching. Shoko had no doubt that Satoru is a great parent to Yuuji. The affection the child gave her friends was obvious enough. It was just that... Satoru needed help.
"Why don't you want Ijichi's or Yaga's help?"
"Ijichi's not strong enough. Yaga's too much of the elders' underdog. He doesn't have enough backbone to stood up to what he believe." He answered after a while, busy chuffing and purring his baby to sleep. Parenting a child with a tiger's traits forced him to learn their animal instincts so to speak. Therefore, in the past seven months, he had perfected sounds that tigers use to express certain emotions.
"What about Nanami? He was classified as grade one sorcerer. He could help babysat when I couldn't." Shoko suggested. She was amused at Satoru's method of calming Yuuji that she recorded it with her phone.
Satoru thought about Shoko's suggestion carefully. It was actually a good idea. Nanami's sense of responsibility is high and he is discipline and true to his principle. Despite losing interest to continue a career in the jujutsu world, the boy finished studying at jujutsu high before enrolling at top university and cut his active contract. The only challenge in asking Nanami's help is whether Satoru can convince him to protect Yuuji from potential curses as well as sorcerers. That, and the fact that they hadn't kept in contact for a year now. Satoru might also be the least favorite senior in Nanami's eyes.
"Do you have his contact?" Shoko smiled widely for the first time that evening.
"Yeah!"
Hence, on one cloudy and windy day in Tokyo, Satoru waited a certain blond teen in front of his university's gate. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. Nanami had no obligations to agree in helping him taking care of a half curse child. And with their rocky and questionable past, the likeliness of the blond agreeing was below zero. Satoru had chickened out twice before Shoko threatened him of no babysitting in two months. With giant pout and stompy walk, Satoru went to where Nanami was studying and waited.
The campus was decorated with halloween accessories on every corner. Craved pumpkins and fake yokais literred the place in a mix of orange and black. Students walked in groups, laughing and discussing their ititionary on the festive day. Their merry chatters were sidetracked once they reached the gate where a tall gorgeous male with white hair leaned back, looking bored.
They started to whispers and giggled at the nice view, creating attraction that drew more crowds. Crowds that gained Kento's classmate's attention. Reluctantly, he got sweep away by his classmates to see what was going on. His warm golden hued eyes grew slightly bigger at a tuft of white hair located in the center of the crowd.
It could as well be just anyone, since nowadays people seemed to be fond of coloring their hairs. However, not everyone could be as tall as NBA players and have sapphire like eyes to boot. He groaned internally, dreading his evening.
Politely, he excused himself to his classmates before walking away to a nearby bakery. He was not running away, he knew the white haired male would follow him swiftly. Kento went ahead and enter the bakery, ordering two green tea and helping himself to a croissant sandwhich. He didn't need to wait long before a soft wind hit his face and a male materialized on the seat across from him.
"Yo!" The older teen grinned, souring Kento's mood further.
"Gojo-senpai." He greeted. Despite him not appreciating being visited unpromptly with no prior appointment, he was raised right and had proper decorum.
"So stiff, Nanamin~!" The clown pouted at him. "Just call me Gojo!"
"Gojo-san."
"Eh, you're no fun Nanamin~." As if it was possible the elder one stretch his pout down more, exaggerating his reaction. Kento sighed in exasperation. Clown.
"Why are you here, Gojo-san?" A waitress came with their drinks and stayed rooted to her placed a few seconds too long to stare at Satoru. Kento had to fake a cough to shoo her away. Troublesome.
"You ordered me a drink?! Such a gentleman Nanamin!" Satoru grinned.
Kento had an odd feeling that Satoru was trying to prolong the chitchat to evade the main topic.
"If you have nothing of importance to say, I shall excuse myself--"
"WAIT!" the outbrust earned a few curious onlookers, including Kento himself. His senior was cleching the table hard enough his knuckles turned white and the woods are chipped.
"Wait... please, wait." The request was odd, for as long as Kento had been in high school, Satoru was not known to ask politely. The blond sat himself back and let the albino took his time.
"I have a predicament," Satoru began after inhaling deeply.
Truthfully, Kento did not expect the said predicament to be in a form of a hybrid tiger curse baby. He stared at the child in Satoru's arms part in wonder but also in odd. The boy looked very much human except for the ears and tail. That was not the most ridiculous part of the 'predicament' actually. The most abnormality was the part when Satoru said that this child belinged to him. As in, adopted by Gojo Satoru. A clown man-child.
"You... want me to babysat?" Uttering it outloud didn't make it any less weird as he had hoped.
"Yup!"
"Why." Who would in their right mind appointed the antisocial, introverted, socially awkward, and emo Kento as their babysitter? Gojo Satoru apparently.
"Why Nanamin, because you're special of course!" Must he suffered still after escaping the jujutsu world?
Satoru began to ramble after his junior didn't give any respond for sometime.
"I'm sorry, I know it's a lot and way crossing the line. I mean, I've never been good to you before and I know you don't really like me either. We have never gotten along as well and the last we talked to each other was a year ago. And the risk I'm asking you to take is also high... I totally understand if you refused, just please don't--"
"Gojo-san." He cut the word vomit.
"Yes?"
"I'll help you."
"Wait, what?" Now it was Satoru's turn to left confused.
"I'll help you under several condition."
"Shoot." Said Satoru, eagerly wanting to hear it.
"One, I will be paid for my services--"
"Done." Satoru snap his finger, making Kento frown in disapproval at the reminder of the sorcerer's golden spoon background.
"Two, you can only requested my help, at most, once every two weeks with a week prior appointment. I do not appreciate a sudden change in my schedule--"
"Yup. Noted!" The white haired man typed something on his phone.
"Three, the longest duration of my service should be no more than two nights and three days. Starting and end at noon sharp."
"Got it!"
"Last, leave me notes of everything I need to know of the baby. I want to prevent unnecessary problems. Is that clear?"
"Yes! Yes! Super clear! As clear as crystal! Thank you, Nanami!" The clan head showed a genuine smile of gratitude. Nothing like the cold and overly wide grin he usually gave.
As Satoru happily chatted about the hybrid baby, Kento wondered, whether he would come to regret his decision or not. Currently, though, he just want to touch the fluffy looking appandages.