Chapter Text
I walked behind Suguru Getou a good few feet away, after all I wasn’t here to help, not even to learn. I was some justitu sorcerer who’s only real use was cleaning.
Keeping my hands behind my back I followed behind him, his broad shoulders making a way through the crowded streets.
I should say something, make small talk , but I’d just annoy him . Getou was deep in thought. There was a lot to be on his mind. This summer had been busy, curses were popping up everywhere. If it weren’t for Getou and Gojo things would have gotten really bad, or maybe they wouldn’t have… maybe we would have less curses if Gojo didn’t exist.
He came to a stop and I nearly bumped into him. He paused watching me quietly as I regained my balance. “It’s best if you stay here” He said in his soothing voice, he gave me his smile but it was never a smile that reached his eyes.
“Ofcourse” I tucked my self out of the way. We had stopped at the end of a alleyway a cursed spirit shaped like a skeleton with four arms at its other end. It was eating a human’s flesh piece by piece.
Getou followed my gaze with a hint of surprise on his face, because my cursed energy is so small most justitu sosseers don’t expect me to be able to see curses.
“This is a low grade curse, It shouldn't be an issue” he assured me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, I nodded but I hadn’t been worried, he was the best afterall. Letting go of my shoulder he walked into the allyway, before he entered. Getou turned around and gave me a small nod and a smile as if to reassure me. My heart melted for the guy, he was trying to boost my confidence when he was the one doing all the work. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up, I hoped my smile looked real.
He turned back to the alley way to face the curse, I watched from the buzzing street as he descended into the cramped and forgotten space. Getou took a few steps then raised his hand, and the curse started peeling away into blue energy that swirled in his hands. The blue energy coagulated into a blue ball.
He sighed deeply bracing himself before he lowered the thing into his mouth. It was the size of a tennis ball but he managed to gulp it down in one bite. His chin crinkled as he held in the bitter taste. He turned back around to face me on the street. The smile was back as he sondered back into the sunlight.
“Good job” I congratulated him, I wanted to give him a high five but I suspected we weren’t there yet.
“It was nothing” Getou said his bang did a little wag back and forth.
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t be able to do it”
“What is your curses technique anyways” He asked as we started walking down the street again this time with me only trailing slightly behind him.
“Oh it’s nothing, I can just hide my cursed energy sometimes” I said, pushing my hair back, I wasn’t exactly useful in combat, nor wanted to be.
“You should try to practice your technique” Getou suggested, with a small smile. Standing tall and tilting his head to the side to look at me.
“It’s a painful technique to use,” I lied. I didn’t want to lie but it was the lie I needed to tell everyone because no one understood.
Getou’s eyes widened for a moment in realization before turning back to the road ahead. “It’s our job as Jujitsu sorceress to protect the weak, but I understand if the burden is too hard to bare for some”
I said nothing, the burden of death was a little too comfortable on my shoulders.
***
I was sweeping the monasteries as I saw Gojo and Getou along with Shoko enter the gym. I put the broom aside and lowered myself from the monastery, I wanted to join Getou on another mission and hopefully not get in the way.
I approached the gym Shoko was outside taking out a packet of cigarettes.
“Hey Deora,” Shoko greeted me from out side the gym before lighting her cigarette.
“Hi Shoko” I said, giving her a big hug and pinning one of her arms to the side. She wasn’t much of a hugging type instead opting to protect her cigarette with her other arm.
“Still cleaning stuff up I see” She observed putting the cigarette to her mouth.
“Still smoking,” I replied.
“Keeps me sainer then you” She smirked
“Not much of an accomplishment” I replied
“Ha!” She laughed “I guess not”
She leaned back against the railing. “Getou inside you know” she pointed at the gym.
“I know” I said with a nod, I joined her at the railing.
We sat in silence and she took another smoke from her cigarette.
“Don’t want to go inside because Gojos in there?” She asked.
“No” I kicked my feet in empty air, the real reason was because I didn’t know what to say to Getou and Gojo would only make the uncomfortable situation worse.
“Have you talked to Gojo before?” She asked
I shook my head, she raised an eyebrow. “Well I wouldn’t be so bothered by him, he’s kinda an idiot” she looked out into the distance. Bright green leaves and hot air contrasting with the red wood of the buildings.
“I just don’t want to meet him that’s all, I don’t think we would get along anyways” I clarified picking some dust off my uniform.
“You're worried you’re too much of a small fry to be noticed?” She asked
“You don’t try to draw attention to yourself either” I pointed out
She shrugged.
Masamichi Yaga the school principal walked angrily up the stairs “are those two in there fighting?” He asked Shoko
Shoko nodded and put out her cigarette. Masamichi kicked open the door to the gym. “Knock it off you two!” Masamichi said angrily, flourishing his arms.
I stood outside with Shoko while whatever conversation in the gym continued on.
“Do you think I could join Getou on his next mission?” I asked Shoko.
She sighed. “To be honest Deora, I think you would just get in the way”
It hurt but it was true, I wasn’t fast, strong or even able to protect myself really. I was basically just a pedestrian.
“Why do you want to go on a mission anyways? you can always talk to Getou outside of missions” Shoko asked
“Not really, he keeps to himself” I replied, but there was more to it. I also wanted to see him fight. The blood and scraping repulsed me, but I don’t know, there was a sincerity to it.
“If you want to go, ask Getou and Yaga. They’re already here” Shoko observed. She took her cigarette and stubbed it against the railing before pocketing the blunt.
I squashed my conflicting feelings. I had to at least try something, to be worth anything . I went over to the door teetering near the door handle. Inside was a discussion with three of the highest grade sorcerers, it was probably important and not something they would appreciate me interrupting . Maybe I could just wait until they were done.
“What are you waiting for?” Shoko asked from behind me.
For them to finish talking I answered in my head but instead I said “I don’t know”. I pushed the door open, I could wait inside. The door made a loud clicking noise as I entered. The three of the guys turned their heads to look at me as I entered.
Whatever conversation they had been having, Gojo wasn’t paying his full attention. He had a basket ball on his hand that he was spinning around while Getou was properly standing upright and listening to Yaga.
“Oh you're the first year, that never talks” Gojo hollered over. He was the first person to acknowledge my presence. “Your not spying on us are you”
I wanted to crawl back outside, how was I supposed to prove I wasn’t a spy? I didn't even know if there was anything to spy on.
“What is it Deora” Yaga asked impatiently. Getou was watching me with mild interest.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I can come back later” I muttered nervously.
“What did you say” Gojo yelled, they were half way across the court, it was pretty obvious I needed to speak up.
Now I was seriously taking up their time and attention. No way they could go back to their conversation like I was never here.
“I just wanted to ask if I could go on another mission with Getou” I shouted, I realized how stupid I sounded as soon as the words left my mouth.
“I’m sorry Deora but this mission is not something you can accompany me on” Getou answered in his deep voice that carried across the court without needing to raised an octave.
I’ll stay out of the way, even if I did get hurt it’s not like we’d be losing a important jujitsu sorcerer, I can do more, but the words that came out of my lips was “Ok”
I turned around to leave.
“That’s it? You're just going to leave? Boy you sure give up easily” Gojo taunted.
A jolt of irritation went through me, the difference between me and him was I knew when I’m was not welcome.
“Gojo she’s not strong enough to join” Getou berated him
“On his next mission you can join him” Yaga offered as I opened the door to leave.
“Thank you” I nodded, I smiled in thanks even though my inside felt like a scrambled mess. Getou’s eyes locked with mine, and he tilted his head back realizing something as I closed the door.
***
A week and a half later.
It was way too soon after the incident with Gojo nearly dying and Rikos death. Getou hadn’t been badly hurt but sending him to collect curses alone at this time felt wrong. I was here with him but I was the wrong person to lean on for mental stability.
“Hello Deora” Said Getou with a small hand wave. Bags were under his eyes and he smiled with his eyes completely closed. I knew that smile well, it was the only smile I knew: the one you put on for others.
“Hey Suguru” I waited a moment before nervously adding “if you're not feeling like having company today I understand,” if anything I was just going to stress him out more.
“It’s quite alright we’re only dealing with a low grade curses”
I nodded and followed him.
“You know we get sent to animation studios quite often” Getou noted as we walked. His smile had vanished instantly and his gaze was a deadly stare.
My heart sank a little bit, I shouldn’t have been surprised, there were good reasons for why I gave up on being an animator.
“I spent last night researching as to why. There’s the obvious reasons: overworked, exploited but it’s a special kind of soul crushing for some reason. It’s one of the jobs with the highest suicide rates not just in Japan but across the world” Getou said in disgust.
I nodded in agreement
“Places like this shouldn’t be making this much cursed energy, so many of these artist if you asked them would work for free just to do what they love, but instead they compete against each other and are given wages they can’t even afford living on”
“Ha, ha” I laughed awkwardly “now you know why I quit”
“You're an artist?” He asked his expression softening
“No, at least… I can’t draw anything well.” I replied as we got to the base of the studio. Its building was shaped like a white box, but after the arson attack it had been left in decay. The fire had eaten out the inside of what was probably close to a fiery explosion with all the paper instantly catching to flame. Black tar marks dripping through its windows.
“Why do they do it?” he asked, looking up at the building with me.
I wasn’t sure what he was referring to, but I answered anyways.
“Why artist draw? It’s like sharing a part of your soul, sometimes it’s just overflowing and you just need to get it out of you, so you can rest… if nothing else”
“Hmm” Getou thought to himself
“It’s a bit like your cursed technique in a way” I said hesitantly “like as an animator you're transferring your soul onto the paper to bring it to life, and it does cost your soul. To draw the same line over and over till you get the right stroke only to repeat that same stroke on the next frame and over and over again for days. Its repetitive grueling work just to get 2 seconds of movement. Days of work and you just get 2 seconds back. It’s like watching the sparks of a firework when you finish and watch what you’ve created. It's amazing what 2 seconds can hold and what 2 seconds can mean.”
“Was it worth it? All that time and suffering to make 2 seconds” he asked, still looking up at the building his bang dangling in the air.
“I never liked drawing, it was just something I did for others, but sometimes I go back and look at what I made and I feel abit proud of what I did”
“Have you ever seen people watch your animation? They probably never even noticed it, much less ever be able to appreciate the work you put into it” Getou said angrily, he looked down at me. “It’s not worth it, to suffer for them”.
“Isn’t that the job of justitu sorcerers? To help others even if we aren't thanked ourselfs?” I asked timidly. At least that’s what I thought Getou had believed before the failed Tengin mission.
“There is a difference between helping the innocent and helping saboteurs” he said curtly.
Oh I hadn’t thought of that. Getou hunched over and sighed. “Come on let’s finish the task at hand, let’s exorcize the curses”
I nodded, he had changed. I wasn't sure how yet…