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He’d done it. Yuji Itadori had consumed all twenty fingers of the king of curses, Ryomen Sukuna. It was done! They’d won, all that needed to happen now was for Yuji Itadori and the curse in his head to be executed.
That’s the part no one thought about, that is until Yuji remembered halfway through swallowing the last finger. It hit him like a ton of bricks, he was going to die now. His friends had noticed how quiet he got and were concerned, worried the last finger had somehow allowed Sukuna to finally wrestle control from Yuji. However, Yuji smiled and waved off the concern.
Though, in his mind were a million racing thought, had everything he been through been for nothing? He and his friends survived so much, he met so many people, had a whole new family and now… he was going to have to leave them. Everyone else was celebrating, but Yuji was quiet thinking about it all.
“Heh, just not realizing the consequences?” A voice in the deepest part of Yuji’s mind hissed in anger.
“Shut up,” Yuji hissed back at the curse and went to join everyone else. It was a toss up as to if this was to get out of his own head, or to drown out any other comments Sukuna was sure to make.
It was fun, it really was. They’d done it! Hurray! They won, peace was sure to remain, and they’d lost some friends along the way, but at least it wasn’t in vain. He had Nobara, Megumi, and Gojo-sensei all by his side for every step.
…
As the night wound down Yuji excused himself from the party and took the long way to walk back to his dorm. He took a deep breath letting the cold night air enter his lungs and clear his mind. Yuji didn’t even notice he was crying until the voice spoke,”Why are you crying, brat. It’s your fault.”
“Is it though?” Yuji bit back,”Is it my fault or yours for being a murderous psycho!” His anger laced with tears. “I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m going to die,” Yuji said.
“Brat-“
“NO! JUST SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP FOR ONCE! STOP TALKING! LEAVE ME ALONE!” Yuji shouted covering his ears, not that that could silence Sukuna. However, after a few moments of silence Yuji uncovered his ears and took a deep breath. He was honestly shocked that the king of curses actually shut up.
Yuji continued his walk, being able to think without an insult, or unwanted remark. It was nice, it was nice to somewhat feel like he had his own body back.
Finally, Yuji found his way back to his dorm and pushed open the door to his moonlit room. He noticed on his desk was a sealed letter. Yuji glanced around for a moment before closing the door behind him. Then he grabbed the letter and sat on his bed.
Yuji Itadori scrawled across the front of the letter.
Yuji felt his heart plummet and his hands tremble as he saw the seal on the letter. He’s seen Gojo have letters like these, it came from the ‘higher ups’. Yuji took a shaky breath to try to calm his anxiety, he knew what it was. He knew.
“Itadori Yuji, You are hereby sentenced to execution due to the curse Ryomen Sukuna housed within your body. Please come to the front of Jujutsu High at 5a.m. To be taken to your execution sight. Please do not delay”
There was no polite conclusion, no thank you followed by a signature, just a ‘hey come to your death at 5am tomorrow’
He should’ve known. Maybe it was better this way though? No tearfully goodbyes, his friends’ last memories of him would be happy, partying, celebrating. That’s how he wanted to be remembered, as Yuji Itadori the fun loving happy guy.
Or that’s what Yuji told himself. At 4am, however, he still hadn’t slept. He was starting to doubt that's how he wanted to be remembered. The weight of it all heavy on his chest as he hugged his knees, resisting the urge to go hug his friends. Tell them how much he missed them. He had written letters at around 1am, but now… he just wanted a hug. He felt so lonely.
It was a long walk, longer than anything he’d ever done before, to get to the school. He felt heavy. His feet bricks, and every fiber of his being said to run from this, to fight. He was a fighter. He fought to survive and now! Now he was just accepting death, but what could he do? It was his responsibility to make sure Sukuna couldn’t hurt anyone else.
Yuji saw some sorcerers he didn’t know waiting for him at the gate and he stopped walking. Their eyes on him, they tensed seeing him stop. Yuji looked back at Jujutsu High and smiled,”Thanks everyone” he then turned and walked to the gate.
He wasn’t sure how long it was from the time they put the hood on his head and took him to where he was now. He’d been forced to sit on his knees and was waiting. All alone.
“When you die… you should be surrounded by people”
The words struck him through the heart as they echoed through his head. His grandfather had one dying request and here he was dying alone. Yuji felt his throat tighten as he started to sob. He didn’t want this, he didn’t want to be alone…
Yuji drew in a tear soaked shaky breath,”Sukuna?” He asked,”Are you there?”
“What brat.” The curse hissed his tone somehow more hate filled and angry than normal, but with a tinge of something else that Yuji couldn’t quite place. An odd emotion for Sukuna to have.
“I… I don’t want to die” Yuji choked out.
After a quiet moment passed he heard the voice reply almost with a sadness he’d never thought Sukuna could muster,”I do not want to either.”
It was quiet again, and it felt like an eternity that they sat in the room, bound and Yuji on his knees. He swallowed hard,”I promised my grandpa that I would die surrounded by people.”
“A foolish promise.” The curse stated bluntly.
“At least I won’t be completely alone right? Can we be friends? Just for now? Just for this?” Yuji asked. Sukuna was silent and didn’t reply. Which Yuji took for a no and he sighed.
It wasn’t long after that they heard a large metal open and slam shut.
“Accused, do you have any final words.” It stung as Yuji heard himself referred to as the ‘accused’. Before he could answer he heard a voice in his head respond.
“Yes… we can be friends for this and this alone brat.” Sukuna, the king of curses said, sitting upon his throne within his innate domain inside of his vessel.
Yuji let out half a chuckle as he smiled,”Thank you”