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Mahito had Junpei by the neck. It should be easier than anything, especially with that Yuuji brat staring between the two of them, seemingly terrified for this boy he'd just met. It'd be cruel. It'd be hilarious. It wouldn't make any difference to him, Junpei was hardly the strongest sorcerer around by a long shot. But still… something inside of him didn't want to. Not love. Not affection. Possessiveness, maybe. But Mahito was a selfish creature, he knew that much about himself already, even if he was only a month or so old. And he was very good at convincing himself of things.
He dragged the boy back, almost like picking up a cat by the scruff of its neck, pushing him behind him. He'd gotten too used to the curse, ducking behind him almost on instinct even as Yuuji still looked like he was seeing red. Mahito grinned at Sukuna's vessel, taunting. "What? You thought you could bring him back to your prissy little school, just like that? What an idiot."
"Junpei, seriously, this isn't smart!" He seemed to be ignoring him altogether. Stupid mistake. "Just come on, get away from him, I'll get you to Mr. Gojo and it'll all be okay!"
Mahito lunged forward, quick as light, grabbing him by the jaw and shoving him back against the wall behind him. "Listen, Itadori. There's no fixing some people. Your precious Junie made me. He's evil, down to his core, and we're connected in our souls. You can try all you want, but he's mine. And I'm gonna make you watch as he follows what's really in that rotten, black heart of his, got it?"
Maybe he was being a little stupid, now that he thought about it. This was Sukuna he was messing with, after all, even if he was buried beneath the surface. Even if he wasn't about to alert this stupid punk to that fact, he really ought to back off, no matter how impulsive he could get away with being. He let go of Yuuji's face, grinning over his shoulder at the still-cowering Junpei.
"I— I made you?" he asked.
"You didn't know?" It was a little funny. He'd assumed the kid had caught on, but he was still new to all of this. How ironic was it that he'd spawned in the monster that had ruined his life and he didn't even know it? "I'm born of your hatred for humanity, your love of all things horrible and violent. I'm every secret vengeful fantasy you've ever had come to life. Pretty twisted, huh? Who knew you were such a little freak? Most people just make a tiny little curse, or become weirdos on the internet, but not you. I'm just a little baby curse, and I'm already this powerful! You must be terrible."
"That's not true!" Yuuji insisted, and god he wished the kid wasn't important. He should kill him right where he stood.
"'Fraid so. It's okay, Junie, I don't care. I think you should do it for yourself. Here, I saved some kids in the cafeteria for you. The real nasty ones." He held a hand out to his creator, his expression somewhere between fear and despair, but after a minute… his pale hand joined Mahito's.
"I'm sorry Yuuji. Just… You didn't see what happened to my mom. What they all did to me here. The way everybody's treated me all my life." He could feel Junpei's feelings rolling off of him, the most human he'd ever have the displeasure of feeling, but he almost didn't mind it. He was upset, and hurt, and angry, and scared, and wasn't that what he was made of in the first place? It was like coming back home.
"You can be better than that. I can help you. I want to help you!"
"It won't fix anything. Your mom will still be dead, and you'll still have those scars, and you'll still be the kid everybody kicked around and treated like dirt. He just wants to turn you into something you're not, some goody two-shoes, ass-kissing loser like you've always been. They'll do the same thing they've always done. Sorcerers are just as bad as anyone else, only difference is they have savior complexes and magic hands."
Junpei's hand squeezed his own, almost as clingly as a small child, like Mahito really knew any better than he did. "I'm staying with Mahito," he said firmly, perhaps the most assertive he'd ever heard the kid be in his life. It almost felt like fighting, like killing, like getting Junpei's mother killed and sneaking the whole thing under his nose. It made his chest flutter, his heart skip a beat. "You can't trick me into changing my mind. I'm sorry."
"Junpei…"
"You heard him," Mahito laughed, flashing him a cruel smile. "Now fuck off and go back to saving those poor little lost souls I've got running around or whatever. We've got business to attend to." He tugged at Junpei's hand, leading him further up the staircase they'd been halted on. It didn't take much convincing at all. Like a kicked puppy, he followed, quiet and obedient.
"I'm gonna keep trying," Yuuji said stubbornly, though he made no move to stop them.
"You can try, but you'll only be getting a show," Mahito said, waving playfully over his shoulder. "Watch us carefully. You're gonna change your mind, but I'm interested to see how fast you turn on him, just like I said. After he helps me deal with these classmates? When we invade your school and start taking out your comrades? Or are you gonna keep playing boy savior until the end of time?"
"I appreciate you trying," Junpei said, sounding at least a little ashamed of himself, though clearly not enough to follow the sorcerer. "It's like he said though. I think I'm just too far gone. I'll get stronger though so you don't have to feel bad about opposing me."
Yuuji paused. Frowned. Watching as they disappeared up the stairs. Still he didn't move. "I'll see you then."