Chapter Text
- Hi! Geto-senpai! Hope all is well!
- Morning, Haibara, - the boy is too lively and Suguru's head is too heavy, but he lifts it anyway and smiles politely. - What can I get you to drink?
- What?! I couldn't possibly...I'll take a coke!!
- Sure. You sure are energetic for an early morning, - Suguru gets up to buy two cans of cold drinks, putting one on a bench between himself and the younger boy, holding other one in his hands.
- Well, sure! Nanami and I are going to Kyoto soon for a mission.
- Good luck. I'm expecting a souvenir then.
- Sure! What would you like?
- Satoru may want it too, so something sweet. Okay? Just don't tell Nanami it's not only for me.
Last time he saw Satoru was three days ago. This thought brings back the heavy feeling on his chest. It would be nice to just sit down with the boy and eat some sweets together. It's been an extremely long time since they spend more than half an hour together, not counting classes. Satoru has been so busy. And so was he.
- Yeah! I will buy you sweets than! Oh, hey, Nanami. We were just talking about you.
- Were you? Morning, Geto-san.
- Hey, Nanami. Already going on a mission?
- No, actually. Gojo-san took it. He came back when I was in Yaga-sensei's office. Told me that he needs to go to Kyoto anyway, can as well take care of our mission.
- Satoru is going to Kyoto? Do you know why? - Suguru silently wonders if it's because he was called home for something. That's not good. Maybe he can catch Satoru before he leaves.
- No idea. We were interrupted and I left.
- Interrupted?
- There was some lady that wanted to talk with Gojo-san. I've never seen her before. She had strong cursed energy.
Someone from Gojo-clan? What lady?
- I am going to go and find Satoru then. Rest, since he's taking a mission.
- Bye, Geto-senpai!
- Goodbye.
Suguru waves and gives another can of coke to Nanami before heading to sensei's office, just to be distracted by the flow of Satoru's cursed energy from the exit. He goes out to see a bike in the end of the road and his friend with his hands in his pockets.
- She's another special grade. Tsukumo? I think. Hilarious lady. But I told her you're not here.
- Okay. What did she want from us? - Suguru is not upset that he didn't get to speak with her. He's kinda happy that Satoru handled it for him and he didn't need to politely smile for another person.
- Wanted to know my type in women.
Huh?
- Huh?
- Doesn't matter. Wanna go to Kyoto with me? I was gonna go home for a weekend, but old men canceled the plans and I have some free time. I'll take care of a mission for Nanami and Haibara first, but it should be fast. Yaga already cleaned up your weekend too?
- What? Why?
- Cause he likes you, teacher's pet. Duh.
- So I can't say no.
- Well, you can. But I recommend coming with me. It's gonna be fun.
Satoru sounds like he's unsure, if he's gonna agree or not. Which is insane. As if Suguru can ever say "no" to Satoru. Also, he missed his best friend. He can deal with being next to monkeys non-shamans for a weekend, if it meant he can spend some time with Satoru.
- Are we staying for the night?
- Yeah. I'll book a hotel on the way. Go get ready then. And take a shower, you smell.
- Ugh..
It was late afternoon when Satoru put the veil down with furrowed eyebrows.
- Satoru?
- The curse was misclassified again. What are those old geezers thinking? This mission is definitely higher Nanami's and Haibara's level. They piss me off.
That keeps happening. Suguru looks behind Satoru and sighs.
- We are lucky you took this mission then. Thank you for your hard work, Satoru.
The words are easy and usual, but it doesn't mean they are less true. He knows Satoru is working hard and most people are taking it for granted. Because The Six Eyes is a God. Gojo Satoru is not a God though. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but in the times like this, when Satoru puts his glasses closer to his eyes because of overuse of his technique it's easy to see a boy. At least for Suguru.
- I'm hungry, Suguru. Let's go and eat.
- Sure. What are you thinking?
- KFC. And then I know a cool shop with sweets. I hope it's still there. I haven't been there for a long time. Did I tell you about the first time I ran away from home?
- No. Not the first time. I remember the one with this two sorcerers, who tried to kill you.
- Which one?
- When you were 10, I think.
- Oh, yeah, I think I remember now!
They go back in town, just talking and Suguru can't fight the warmth in his chest. They are still outside of the city, so there are no people around, only Satoru and him. It's nice. Even though talking about assassination attempts on Satoru (an unhealthy amount, if you ask Suguru) are not his favourite topic. But they talk, their hands are brushing and the forest around is calm. Suguru feels his real smile spreading across his face for the first time in a couple of month.
That is until the go out in the crowd.
It's suffocating. He feels the taste of curses on his tongue and how heavy his limbs are. Some guy is bumping against Suguru's shoulder, but a burning touch never comes. He turns around to see Satoru's hand on his shoulder and understanding comes quickly.
- Are you using your infinity on me? I didn't know it was possible.
- Well neither did I. But a lot of things became possible just recently, you know? I really can keep up infinity all the time now and it only seemed fair to share. I usually use infinity in the crowds like this anyway.
- Oh. Alright. Don't overwork yourself, Satoru.
- RCT, remember? I will be just fine.
Suguru sighs loudly and moves a bit closer, when the other sorcerer wraps a hand around his shoulder, covering them both from the world. Maybe they could just stay like this forever. Satoru shines bright enough, so Suguru can ignore the nauseous feeling that non-shamans bring in his body these days.
- Remember that lady-special grade?
Satoru wasn't that bad at remembering names. He was just a brat. But returning to the topic of this strange woman was not like Satoru, so Suguru just nodded, chewing on his spicy chicken wing.
- Yuki Tsukumo. Yeah. Why?
What was that question about Satoru's type in women? He didn't have a type, not really. Satoru just liked every cool girl from a new tv-show or a magazine, they didn't really share any specific features. And it's not like Satoru ever had a crush or anything like that. Did he answered her? What did he say? Well, not that it really mattered, since Suguru wasn't a girl and he wasn't even sure if Satoru knew that queer people exist.
- So we were talking for a bit about sorcery and stuff, you know?
- That makes much more sense than talking about your type in women.
- Yeah. So she told me a lot of nonsense that I already knew from my lessons back home, but I am not sure what exactly she was trying to tell me.
- What were you talking about?
- She told me that she doesn't like Jujutstu High's methods. That we are treating the symptoms and she wants to get at the root cause.
- Root cause?
- She doesn't want to eliminate curses, she wants a world were curses don't exist.
- Seems like a dream.
- It is possible, technically. Not in our generation though. But what I'm heading to - is you.
- Me?
- Do you hate non-shamans, Suguru?
Suguru froze, slowly blinking and looking straight into the sky-blue eyes. Satoru couldn't possibly know all his nasty thoughts about these monkeys. Could he? Could he see all this hatred in his heart with his six eyes?
- I found Zenin's kid. His name was Fushiguro, actually, he took his wife's name. So, there are two kids. One is Fushiguro Megumi, his son, a sorcerer. Another one is Fushiguro Tsumiki, his step-daughter, she is a non-shaman. When you think about it, do you think that Megumi should live and Tsumiki should die?
What he was even talking about? This Zenin had kids? How does Satoru know about them? What even is happening right now?
- When I think about it, there are some people I would want to kill. The higher-ups. That non-shaman group that was clapping because little girl was dead. But I don't think I hate non-shamans or sorcerers as a particular group, you know? I also can't go around just killing people that I don't like. Right? Otherwise, I could probably kill the entire popularity of Japan in a couple of days.
- Satoru..
- I buried my thoughts in missions recently and I was fine. But then I looked at you, Suguru. And, I mean, really looked at you. And I want to understand you. Listen to you. And help you find yourself again, like you helped me.
- I..
- Let me save you, Suguru. You know that we are the strongest, right? Together.
Satoru didn't know the darkness in his heart. He couldn't possibly. But he could, if Suguru will tell him. And, well, Suguru was always bad at saying "no" to Satoru.
- We are the strongest.
- Damn right.