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Satoru Gojo had lost count of how many missions he had been sent on, but it was too many. He knew it was his responsibility, because he was the strongest. Gifted with the six eyes and the limitless technique, and able to use reverse curse technique, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do.
It was his job because he was the strongest.
It didn’t mean he didn’t have weaknesses.
The amount of missions Satoru had been sent on recently have left him utterly exhausted. He hadn’t been home in weeks, he did have a few hours of rest every now and again, but it was just enough to keep him going. And, It was all finally catching up with him.
His head hurt, a migraine, a side effect from over using his eyes. Something he couldn’t even avoid with his reverse curse technique.
That was one of his weaknesses.
He pushed open the door to his dorm. The room was quiet and it was clear it hadn't been touched in a while. When he entered he didn’t bother turning on the light, the brightness of the sun was enough to make him nauseated.
He kicked his shoes off, tossed his bag aside, and removed his jacket. He stumbled towards his bed collapsing on to it and pressing his face into the duvet.
He laid there for a while.
He almost forgot what his bed felt like.
It was the price to pay for being the strongest.
He wished he could pinpoint when it ended up this way, where he went wrong. There were so many moments, so many things he wished he could have changed. He wished he could have noticed something was wrong with Suguru sooner, he wished he could have saved Riko, maybe if they went back to Jujutsu High sooner none of that would have happened.
If things went differently maybe he alone wouldn't be the strongest.
He knew he only reached his true potential because Toji Zen'in failed to kill him, and because of that Riko had to die. Because of that Suguru had to suffer. He still wishes it could have gone differently. But, it all happened over a year ago, and Satoru knew that dwelling on the past wouldn’t change anything.
Satoru had learnt death was part of being a jujutsu sorcerer.
It wasn't that long ago that Yu Haibara died. Death always seemed to come to the kindest of sorcerers. Satoru felt it was because they were the ones willing to die, that truly knew what it meant to be a jujutsu sorcerer. The selfish ones would never risk their lives.
But Satoru was the strongest, there was no one alive, curse user or cursed spirit, that could kill him.
That is what Satoru kept telling himself. No matter what happened, no matter how many missions, he wouldn't die where others could.
He is the strongest, the strongest should be saving everyone who wants to be saved.
Now that Satoru had slowed down, his migraine was setting in more. He had medication for them somewhere, but his brain hurt too much to remember where he put them. Plus moving would only make it worse. So he figured he’d just sleep it off.
Just as soon as Satoru closed his eyes he opened them, again as he heard the door to his room slide open.
“Satoru?”
Satoru didn’t have to look to see who it was. There was only one person he knew who could say his name with such a kind tenderness.
“Suguru,” Satoru said, his voice muffled by his bed.
“They finally gave you a break?” Suguru asked, sitting on the bed beside Satoru.
Satoru responded with a nod, he didn’t have the energy to talk, and talking just made his migraine worse.
Suguru came and sat beside Satoru on the bed. Satoru knowing this as the bed shifted under Suguru’s weight.
Satoru tensed for a second as he felt Suguru run his fingers through his hair. Satoru was so used to keeping his infinity up nowadays. True physical contact was a passing luxury for him, but he never wanted to keep Suguru away.
Suguru was always allowed to touch him.
Satoru was the strongest. Being strong meant he could stand alone where other sorcerers could not. Being the strongest meant he was expected to stand where others could not.
“You feeling okay?” Suguru asked, still combing his fingers through Satoru’s hair.
“Just a migraine. It’ll go away.” Satoru mumbled.
“Did you take your meds?”
“Nope. Don’t know where they are, didn't want to look.”
Suguru sighed but Satoru could tell his friend wasn’t upset. He worked hard to try and understand how Suguru felt. He hated what had happened not even a month ago.The phone call, finding Suguru crying, Satoru never wanted to see anything like that ever again.
I’ll be the strongest for the both of us.
Words he kept repeating to himself. It didn’t matter how many missions, how tired he got, how bad the migraines became. No matter what, Satoru would keep going. The missions, the higher ups, even when he hated it all he would do what he was told, that is what it meant to be the strongest.
Satoru felt the bed shift again as Suguru stood up.
“Any idea where they could be?” Suguru asked, as he was looking around the room.
Satoru shrugged.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this quiet,” Suguru commented, as he started looking around Satoru’s room trying to find the medication.
“Sorry.”
“Wow Satoru, you really must not be feeling well,” Suguru commented, “I don’t think you’ve ever apologised before.”
Satoru turned his head so he was looking at Surugu, “be nice.”
“I am being nice,” Suguru responded, looking over the objects on Satoru’s dresser.
Satoru laid there just watching Suguru. He was happy his friend was still here, happy he could watch him. Suguru, despite it all, was kind. Suguru still treated him like a human being. Other sorcerers saw him as just the strongest, that they could throw any mission they wanted at him.
Satoru Gojo was the strongest.
“Found them,” Suguru turned to Satoru, holding up an orange bottle.
“Thanks, you saved my life.”
“I didn’t,” Suguru said, handing the bottle to Satoru. “I’m going to get you some water, I'll be right back.”
Satoru wondered what he had done to deserve a friend like Suguru. He was able to put up with every part of Satoru. He could look past every single one of Satoru’s faults. He was kind to Satoru, kinder than Satoru ever thought someone could be to him.
And, Satoru loved him, unsure if Suguru loved him back.
When Suguru returned Satoru realized it was a good time to sit up, he couldn’t take painkillers face down in his bed. The sudden movement, however, made him feel more nauseous, he sat still waiting for the feeling to pass. He then took the bottle Suguru was handing him, opening it first before opening the bottle of medication, he shook out two pills, put them in his mouth and washed them down with the water.
Surguru had taken his seat by Satoru once again.
Satoru moved closer to Suguru, laying down and resting his head on Suguru’s lap.
Suguru responded by once again running his fingers through Satoru’s hair.
The moment was blissful, Satoru felt free from all his responsibilities. In his room at this moment, he wasn’t the strongest, he was just Satoru Gojo.
He wanted to be just Satoru Gojo sometimes.
“You’ve gained weight,” Satoru commented.
Satoru remembered back in the summer. Suguru had lost weight, he wished he had understood what it meant back then. Between just being depressed and the amount of curse spirits Suguru had to absorb it was no wonder he wasn’t eating. It felt like a sign that he was getting better.
But, when Suguru told him he was fine, Satoru accepted that. He couldn’t imagine Suguru lying to him or hiding something from him. They were best friends.
Suguru didn’t seem upset about Satoru’s comment. He just smiled, and Satoru loved Suguru’s smile and he loved to see Suguru smiling. He never realized how much he missed it until he saw him smile one day.
Satoru knew in a perfect world Suguru would always be smiling.
The two remain silent, just enjoying being in the same space together. In that room Satoru Gojo was a human, he left being the strongest at the door. In his room things were simple. Satoru missed when things were simple.
Satoru closed his eyes, suddenly aware of how tired he was. Suguru was still combing his finger through his hair. His migraine was still there, he still felt sick, but it didn’t matter to him.
Right now he was with his one and only.
Satoru Gojo is the strongest. He will live where others could die. He has to save all those he can. But, even the strongest have weaknesses.
Suguru Geto was Satoru Gojo’s greatest weakness. Satoru wanted it no other way.