Chapter Text
"Meow~."
The tiny, blue-eyed white kitten tried to walk on all fours, clumsily struggling to keep its balance.
Inside that cardboard box tucked away under the bridge bridge, two little kittens were squirming around.
I can't believe I'm a cat! The white kitten’s mind finally caught up with its new reality. Hmm?
Looking around, it spotted another kitten. This one had red fur with black stripes, and it felt weirdly familiar.
"Meow?" Sukuna?
The white kitten shuffled closer and tapped the red one on the head.
Thwack!
Grrrr—
The red kitten snapped awake, instantly growling in annoyance.
"Meow!" How dare you interrupt my sleep!
The two cats locked eyes, and a sudden wave of realization hit them both. Their tails shot up with great effort, and for the very first time, they shared the exact same thought.
"Meow!" Why the hell are we cats?!
The white cat, Gojo, found his fate absolutely absurd. Reincarnating as a cat was bad enough, but being stuck with his worst enemy? That was just cruel.
The red cat, Sukuna, glared back with pure mockery. "Meow." Gojo Satoru turning into a cat is a phenomenal joke.
"Meow." Hmph, aren't you in the same boat? The King of Curses as a kitten, anyone would laugh their head off. Gojo shot back, lifting his chin.
Honestly, he felt the situation wasn't that bad now. Being a cat meant he didn't have to carry the weight of the world anymore. At least he could just eat and sleep in peace.
Or so Gojo thought, until his stomach started rumbling.
Rumbleeeee...
Sukuna’s stomach chimed in right on cue.
The two cats stared at each other again, then promptly looked away.
"Meow Meow!" Damn it! Go find some food and bring some back for me too! Sukuna ordered, thumping his tail against the cardboard box.
Sukuna found this world incredibly bizarre. There was no cursed energy to speak of around them; it felt entirely too normal. No, maybe there was cursed energy, but it wasn't nearly enough to actually use.
Is this an alternate world? Sukuna wondered if his reincarnation had landed him in a different dimension alongside this annoying man.
Both of them understood that their past animosity was useless now. They were far too weak to attack each other, and at this rate, they were going to starve to death.
"Meow Meow." King of Curses, go find your own food. You need to learn how to beg properly. Gojo had absolutely no intention of serving him. He hopped right out of the cardboard box to forage for a meal.
But right at that moment, a loud crack of thunder boomed through the air. It startled both kittens so badly that their bodies jumped, their feline instincts completely taking over. Gojo scrambled straight back into the box, curling up right next to Sukuna.
Rain? Tsk, this cat body is pathetic! Why do I even have my memories if I'm just going to reincarnate as a cat? Is this a punishment? Sukuna began to ponder the meaning of this reincarnation, wondering why he was stuck as such a weak, helpless animal.
He thought he might get a fresh start as an ordinary human, but it seemed he was being punished to experience exactly what it felt like to be a powerless creature.
The rain poured harder, and the cardboard box began to soak through, water pooling at the bottom. They would drown soon if they didn't move, but the lightning flashing outside triggered their cat instincts, paralyzing them from escaping.
Besides, even if they could run, where would they go? They'd still get drenched. Dying of hypothermia in these tiny, fragile bodies was a guarantee either way.
"Meow." Hey, Gojo. I hope we don't have to meet again in the next life. Sukuna had already given up on surviving in this form, choosing to just wait for the next reincarnation cycle instead.
"Meow." Heh, you coward. Gojo didn't miss the chance to mock him, even though he felt just as helpless.
Gojo was just as confused as Sukuna about this whole setup, especially since he retained all his memories but none of his power. He, who used to be able to do anything, was now reduced to the kind of weak creature he used to tease.
Just as the water was about to submerge them, the sound of footsteps approached.
"Why are there two kittens here?" A large umbrella shielded the figure who had stopped before them.
Gojo and Sukuna sensed a lifeline. They might hate being cats, but their survival instincts were still intact. Gojo looked up at the figure in a hoodie that hid their face, holding a large black umbrella. Oddly enough, the person felt familiar.
"Meow," Gojo let out a weak meow to grab their attention, hoping the person would just take him along.
He still wanted to figure out what kind of world this was, whether it was an alternate universe or the same world where his students lived. He wasn't about to throw away a chance at survival, even if it bruised his ego a little. His ego wasn't as bloated as Sukuna's anyway.
"Hmm? You poor things." The figure sighed softly. The tone sounded exhausted, as if they didn't really know what they were supposed to do with two kittens.
This human is weird. Sukuna curled deeper into the corner of the box, making zero effort to draw attention.
After a long silence, with the figure just staring down at them, they finally reached out and picked them both up.
"Well, at least I'll take you to a better place." The voice was indifferent, as if this was just another routine chore, saving random living things.
Gojo and Sukuna didn't dare act up; they could feel that something was fundamentally off about this person.
....
They headed to a pet clinic. The figure walked in, cradling the two kittens in his left arm. Gojo stared at the two missing fingers on the stranger's left hand, his curiosity peaking.
The shop chime rang, and a young female clerk appeared behind the counter. "Welcome back, sir. Ah, Itadori-kun, you're here again."
?!
Gojo and Sukuna locked eyes, both utterly stunned by that familiar name.
"Yeah, I found them almost drowning." The figure placed the two kittens on the examination table and finally pulled back his hood.
Gojo’s blue cat eyes widened the moment he saw the face, and he immediately cried out, "Meow!" Yuji!
Though he looked older, there was no mistaking it, this was the Yuji he knew.
Damn it! Damn it! Why am I running into this brat again! Sukuna growled, looking ready to scratch someone's eyes out.
"They're both beautiful cats. It looks like they like you, Itadori-kun. Are you sure you don't want to try keeping them this time?" The clerk smiled, prepping some medication and exam tools.
Yuji’s hollow eyes stared at the two cats blankly, before a tiny spark of light flickered in them. "They both look a lot like people I used to know."
He stroked the white cat, who was oddly enthusiastic and wouldn't stop staring at him. Then he shifted to the red cat, who kept growling menacingly.
"What a coincidence. Maybe I'll try taking care of them for a few months," Yuji decided right after the red cat swiped and scratched his hand.
?! Gojo witnessed the scratch, and instant fury flared up inside him. How dare you hurt my student! He pounced on Sukuna, claws out, and Sukuna fought right back. The two kittens began rolling around, biting and scratching each other.
"Haha, looks like they don't get along. Do you want to take both, or just one, Itadori-kun?" The clerk looked worried that the two wouldn't be able to live together.
However, Yuji saw something else. Having both cats around might actually fill the silence and keep him entertained, far more than just having one.
"It's fine. I think it's kind of interesting watching them growl at each other," he said, offering a rare smile. He hadn't smiled in a very long time, especially not since he had decided to stop forming relationships with anyone in his eternal life.
His words made both cats halt their brawl, staring up at him in sheer confusion. This wasn't the Yuji they knew. The boy they remembered would never say something like that.
What is wrong with this brat? Sukuna lost all interest in continuing the fight. Even though he still felt a visceral disgust seeing the brat again, something about the boy's current state caught his attention.
Yuji... Gojo switched to staring at Yuji, his eyes turning watery. He had no idea what Yuji had gone through to end up like this.
The two curious cats behaved themselves, letting the clerk inject them with medicine and clean up their fur. After about half an hour, they no longer looked like stray alley cats.
"Wow, they're both so handsome. They're both boys, do you want them neutered as well?" the clerk suggested, as that was standard procedure for pet owners to keep their cats well-behaved.
?!
Gojo and Sukuna meowed simultaneously, their entire bodies stiffening in shared terror.
Yuji considered it for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think that's necessary. If they bring home more kittens, that's fine too."
Yuji didn't mind if his place ended up full of cats. Besides, he would be moving again soon anyway, and he could always leave them in the care of this shop. He couldn't stay in one place for too long; he had business to take care of.
Ultimately, the two cute, pretty kittens were taken home by Yuji.
.....
Yuji lived in a fairly large apartment, but it felt completely hollow. There wasn't much furniture since he had only moved to the city a few days ago. He had picked up traces of someone with a Heavenly Restriction in this town and planned to track them down to execute his plans.
He didn't actually intend to stay here long, but these two kittens were too interesting to just abandon. In the end, he figured he'd try caring for them for a few months before deciding whether to leave them behind or take them with him.
Yuji set the two kittens down in the living room, momentarily lost on how to actually take care of pets. He stared at the two cats, who were oddly obedient now. The red one, who had scratched him earlier, was just watching him with a curious gaze, while the white one was acting bizarrely.
For some reason, the white cat kept rubbing its head against Yuji’s arm the entire time he carried it, even going as far as licking the severed fingers on his left hand as if trying to comfort him.
"I don't know the first thing about raising cats," Yuji murmured, locking eyes with the blue-eyed white cat. "The clerk told me to give you names. Your eyes remind me of someone... so, your name will be... Toru."
"Meow?!" The white cat’s tail shot up in pure delight, and it eagerly started licking his hand.
"You like it? I don't know if my teacher would be happy about a cat taking his name. Well, once I enter that realm, I'll tell him myself." Yuji smiled, gently petting the cat.
"Meow?" The white cat tilted its head, acting as if it understood every word.
Maybe this was just what it felt like to talk to a pet, whether they understood or not, but Yuji found it comforting.
He turned to the red cat with black stripes, who was looking at him with a look of pure disdain. This cat practically exuded arrogance and pride, starkly mimicking someone, his enemy from a distant past.
When Yuji reached out to pet the red cat, his hand was swiped at once again, the cat making it crystal clear it did not want to be touched. Yuji stared at the tiny scratch casually, not feeling any pain at all; it felt like a mosquito bite to him.
"You're just as cruel as someone I knew. That person's name suits you perfectly. There, Kuna, behave yourself." He gave the red cat a gentle pat on the head, while simultaneously holding back the white cat, who looked ready to launch another attack on the red one. They really did seem to hate each other.
"Wait here for a bit, I'm going to buy you some food and supplies," Yuji said, standing up and heading out.
He wasn't worried at all about them running away. It wouldn't really matter to him anyway since he had just stumbled upon them by chance. If they didn't want to stay, he wouldn't force them.
......
That miserable brat! Sukuna furiously shredded the sofa with his claws and kicked over a nearby flower pot. He felt entirely insulted that his name was being used for a cat, no, worse, how could that brat even think of his name?
If a cat could smirk mockingly, that was exactly what the white cat was doing right now.
Yuji is so smart with names! Gojo felt incredibly proud of his favorite student.
But a second later, he remembered Yuji’s words, his vacant expression, and how all his old brightness was gone. His smirk faded, replaced by deep worry. Why did Yuji say that? Is he going somewhere I don't know about?
Gojo leaped off the sofa and started running around the apartment to look for clues, leaving Sukuna to throw his tantrum alone.
There was no point in them fighting as cats anyway; it was just mindless scratching and biting, entirely beneath them. Besides, he didn't need to worry about Sukuna causing real damage.
Neither of them had enough cursed energy to pose a threat to Yuji. They were just weak little animals right now.
After exploring, Gojo finally found Yuji’s bedroom, the door left slightly ajar. He slipped inside, only to see a bed, a few hoodies, and shoes scattered around. It felt entirely empty.
There weren't even any photo albums or anything that could tell him what year it currently was.
For some reason, Gojo felt a heavy wave of sadness, his joy at seeing Yuji turning into profound guilt. What exactly happened to him after I died?
He eventually padded back to the living room, finding the blue sofa heavily scratched up in several places.
"Meow Grrr." Can you stop making trouble? Gojo growled, swatting Sukuna across the face and shoving him off the couch.
Sukuna obviously wasn't going to take that lying down and immediately retaliated. The two of them ended up brawling again in the most embarrassing way possible, scratching and biting with everything their tiny bodies had.
The moment Yuji returned with the cat food and supplies, he was greeted by a ruined sofa and two scratched-up kittens still biting each other.
"...." Yuji suddenly second-guessed his choice to bring them home. They were clearly mortal enemies.
The two cats noticed him but didn't stop their scuffle, continuing to swat at each other until Yuji was forced to pry them apart.
"Toru... Kuna, can't you two just get along? Do I need to buy separate cages for you?" Yuji held both cats by the scruff of their necks, setting them down on his left and right sides. Should I just take them back to the shop? I don't think I'm cut out for raising cats...
Yuji’s train of thought stalled when the white cat nudged closer, rubbing its furry head right against his cheek. This white cat was incredibly clingy, while the red one just huffed in annoyance.
Cat personalities really are unique... This is the first time I've ever seen anything like it. Yuji ultimately dropped the idea of abandoning them. They really were quite interesting.
"Behave, Kuna. If I see you two fighting again, I'm having you both neutered," Yuji delivered the fatal threat.
Both cats' tails shot straight up, their fur standing on end in absolute terror.
Are cats really this smart? They act like they understand what I'm saying. In that case...
"Just bear with me for the next few months. After that, I'll find a new home for you guys." He stroked both cats simultaneously with his hands.
"Meow?" The white cat, Toru, tapped Yuji’s right hand with its paw.
Somehow, Yuji understood that the white cat was asking where he was going. So, he answered, "I'm going somewhere far away. You guys can't come with me."
Yuji planned to complete the ritual of harmony as soon as possible and enter the realm of resting souls to accompany Maru.
But before that, he needed to gather the remaining Heavenly Restriction users, cursed tools, and Jujutsu sorcerers left in this era. Before he completely departed from this world, he wanted to at least prepare a proper farewell for his surviving friend, Kugisaki.
For now, these two kittens would be part of his gift to Kugisaki later. He would probably leave them in her care before he left. That was the plan.
"This is for the best, right, Sensei?" Yuji unconsciously voiced the question that kept echoing in his mind. He wasn't sure if his teacher would agree with his methods, but this was the best way he had found.
The white cat stared up at him, its blue eyes wide and round. "Meow."
***